Geoff Johns: Tomb Writer - Udpated!

By Jason Brice

Geoff Johns delivers the goods - at least four times a month Johns hits the stands with the best the comics industry has to offer.

Starting out with the now fan favorite Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. series and followed up by DC's mega-event Days of Judgement, Johns has always had a knack for focusing on character in the midst of the sound and fury of superhero comics. Johns is currently writing for both DC and Marvel on their top tier titles, and seems unstoppable on Flash, JSA, Hawkman and The Avengers, bringing an almost fan-like glee to his work. The following interview presents a snapshot of Johns' career to date, one that is likely to be long and healthy.

With one eye on the past, and another looking to the future here is our picture of Geoff Johns.

I Read The News Today, Oh Boy!

Jason Brice: How will today's announcement of your new three year exclusive contract with DC affect your work on the Avengers?

Geoff Johns: I'll be wrapping up my run on Avengers #76. We've got a lot of cool plans coming up so don't count the book gone yet! My character arcs will be coming to a close with that and it'll make a nice contained 20 issue run I think.

JB: Any idea who will follow you as writer on the Avengers?

GJ: Nope. But I'm sure Tom will pick someone suitable!

JB: Has DC committed to a minimum number of issues for your new Teen Titans series?

GJ: No. But I have confidence we'll be going for awhile. I just got the pencils for all 30 pages of issue #1 and they're amazing. Mike really out-did himself on this book. I'm extremely excited about Titans.

JB: It sounds like you are preparing some new projects at DC, going on their press release? Can you give us any hints?

GJ: I have a book over at Wildstorm later this year -- a creator-owned mini-series. Beyond that, we'll see.

JB: Why a three year contract? Is a one year deal usual?

GJ: Because I know where DC is heading and I want to be there for it!

Four-Color Films

JB: Can you tell us a little about your time working as an assistant to Richard Donner? What influence has it played on your work in comics?

GJ: I learned all my story sense from Donner. We used to go over scripts of all types for hours - discussing what worked, what didn't and why. His treatment of comics, looking at Superman, is nothing short of stunning and respectful. He taught me that. Respect everything. The people you work with, the material you work from, the world around you.

JB: How does a comic script differ in structure from a movie script? What will work in a movie that won't work in a comic book, and vice versa?

GJ: See, now that's [a] tough question that can't be answered. Some people thought Spider-Man's costume would never work on the big screen - but they found a way to do it. Making the webbing "raised" and reflective was it. They did the eyes. They did the dark blue and red. It worked. Would Nightcrawler's Black and Red costume work as well? Maybe, maybe not, but I'm sure they discussed it. Does Daredevil's costume work? That's to be decided I think. Visuals like that are tough to figure out. However, I do think [that] obvious things like nipples on costumes don't. And unmotivated colored neon lights all over a car.

As for content, well...again, it's a tough call to make. And I believe most of it is execution. If Dr. Doom is in the Fantastic Four movie, can you really have him boast and pontificate the way he does? The right actor could sell it I'm sure, but it has to be tempered. Or at the very least, acknowledged. No one in their right mind talks like that...except for Wrestlers. And, well, look how much revenue they're bringing in. So it's hard to say.

I do think that when a comic based film flops - it's often because the creators involved say, "We're making a comic book come to life." Make a movie. Treat the material seriously. Change what might not work, streamline it, etc. And, look, if you're making a Dr. Fate TV show or a Captain America film you have to have the gold helmet and the star shield.

JB: So there are some things you just can’t mess with, then. What character would you eat hot gravel to be able to write a film treatment for? What do you consider entirely unalterable and sacrosanct about that character?

GJ: There are a handful of characters I think would work amazingly well on the screen. And with the FX today, they become possible. Why Green Lantern hasn't been cracked yet, I don't know. I think Warner is more concerned with Batman and Superman right now, as they should be. Get those properties, those mythologies, back up and running. Spend the energy into them. Then, hopefully, this will open the door to the second tier.

You see, with Marvel nearly every property they own is set-up at a studio - different studio. Namor at Paramount, Daredevil at Fox, Spider-Man at Sony, [and] Hulk at Universal. So each of these studios can focus on one or two super-hero properties. Warner Brothers owns all of DC -- so, along with their brother New Line, that's the only outlet for DC properties. I understand why they are focusing on Superman and Batman instead of Green Lantern.

Anyway, the answer would be Green Lantern - the Corps mythology [and] the ring (Hey, if a magic ring can work in Lord of the Rings, it can work here). Hal Jordan. That'd be on the top of my list to work on.

The Need For Speed

JB: You've said often that the Flash is your favorite character to write. How did your passion for the character arise?

GJ: Literally from the visuals of being the Fastest Man Alive. I always loved the amazing things someone could do moving at heightened speed. Mark Waid also made it my favorite book for years and years. My love for Flash just grew out of that.

JB: You get to write Wally and Jay regularly. What would you do with Barry if you had him in an ongoing series?

GJ: It depends if it's in the beginning of his career or the end. Barry was a police scientist, always trying to analyze evidence, right? Wouldn't he feel an obligation to focus on that - on bringing people to justice? There's a lot of fun you could have with him. What if he knows someone's guilty but can't prove it? Does he plant evidence? Would he go that far to catch a thief? A killer? The balance between being a hero and a cop would be the focus for me.

JB: Initially, in the current Flash series, Wally was characterized as a slacker of sorts, using his powers for profit. He is obviously a more mature hero now, but as you note, a character needs to have some level of internal conflict to make compelling reading. What sorts of moral choices do you like to pose for Wally?

GJ: How far to run. Meaning, how far to do you take it. Sometimes he doesn't know quite when to stop. He moves so fast and thinks so fast, he tends to get a little too aggressive at times. I think Wally West is one of those rare characters where you can actually see the character evolve. From Baron's take, to Messner-Loebs' to Waid's, you can see the evolution of a hero.

He's going to be going through a pretty dramatic change in the next arc, "Blitz". We'll be redefining the Flash after that arc.

JB: What happened to Brian Bolland as cover artist on The Flash?

GJ: Scott took over the covers.

JB: With regard to the upcoming The Flash: Rogues trade paperback, do you know of any plans for DC to add in some bonus material? This book would seem like a perfect opportunity to spoil the readers with some Who's Who-style pages.

GJ: Actually, there's a page right before the stories start that has a kind of mini "Who's Who" on the cast inside, from the Flash to Captain Cold. They did something similar in a recent JSA trade and they're also including a few profiles from the Secret Files, I believe, in the upcoming Hawkman trade. Really good idea I think.

JB: Again, on the Rogues, do you feel that your newer Rogues will have the staying power of the original crew?

GJ: Hope so. We've worked really hard in creating some characters that would fill different roles in the gallery. Murmur, Fallout, Peek-A-Boo, Tarpit, the new Trickster, Cicada, etc. [There are] some fun characters in there, and ones we have plans for. I think part of the way to add villains and give them staying power is to 1) Integrate them quickly into the other Rogues and 2) Use them more than once.

The Rogues are a very important element in the Flash mythos because they're almost supporting cast members. And they have a very hot/cold relationship with Wally West. Some have reformed, others gone back and forth. Most don't want to rule the world, they want to cause havoc or get enough cash to blow over a weekend in Vegas. Others want to be left alone. From serial killers to pranksters to cult leaders to grave robbers to bank robbers - the Rogues fit every niche for every kind of story.

The Flash's villains are simply my favorite in comics. Always have been.

JB: What are you building towards in the 200th issue of The Flash with the "Blitz" story arc?

GJ: I can't tell you that. I will say it will be the biggest change in the world of Flash since Wally West put on his costume.

Golden Years

JB: Why do you think fans have reacted so positively to the types of stories you have been telling in JSA?

GJ: It's a very DCU book. Meaning, I think that although the focus is on the JSA we like to bring the mythology of the entire universe into the book. I think that makes it fun, and working with characters that have been around for over 50 years - say what you want about older heroes but these guys will outlast most of the new heroes debuting today. They have incredible staying power and their creation, the basis of what super-hero universes are built on, should be respected. Just like our founding fathers.

JB: But you aren't averse to putting them through the wringer, right? That's what makes a story suspenseful. Have you ever been told to pull back with anything you've wanted to do to the characters in JSA?

GJ: Well, another great thing about the book is that we can change the characters. They can evolve, get hurt, grow, gain and lose friends and enemies and abilities. Peter Tomasi is a fantastic editor and has never once told us to pull back on anything. He's always looking to make this book exciting, fun and accessible.

We've put a lot of characters through tough times - Alan Scott with his son, Obsidian, and Hector Hall come to mind - and it's not about hurting the characters it's about seeing how they'll grow out of the hard cycle emotionally. How will that make them better heroes?

JB: What makes a character like Vandal Savage, in the current arc, a good villain?

GJ: We could've gone with a new villain in the arc. We could've used an actual historical figure. But part of the fun of the JSA is that this book is unashamedly laced with the DC mythology. I don't think you need to know who Vandal Savage is to enjoy the story, but at the same time there's something fun about the JSA facing him back in time - after they've already come into conflict with him before. It's another piece that ties the story all together. Enemies and friends can last forever.

Birds of a Feather

JB: From a very strong debut in JSA, Hawkman has received, at times, mixed reviews in his own series. How do you account for the less enthusiastic response to the book?

GJ: We may have started the book off with too much action and not enough introduction to exactly who Hawkman and Hawkgirl are and why they do what they do. I try and learn something from every project I work on. What works, what doesn't, what people respond to and what they don't. The response to the Green Arrow arc was very positive, as was the following character-focused issues with the Atom and Dr. Fate and the newest issue, #11, has gotten the most response I've seen to date. Beyond #1, we're still selling strong, [and] for that I'm very grateful. Hawkman deserves to be a strong 2nd tier DCU character.

Everything I've done I look back at and think I should've done this or that. I've learned that it's got to be about character. And it's got to be an adventure that only Hawkman and Hawkgirl can fit into.

The situation with Tibet, for example, would just feel wrong if it was a Flash or Spider-Man story. One of the greatest things about the Hawks is their sense of Indiana Jones adventure. We can take them globe hopping - from the corrupt streets of St. Roch to the Amazon Jungle to the city of Hong Kong. They are world travelers and that leads to adventures set in any place imaginable. That being said, I do think we need to spend an equal amount of time in St. Roch - where we can really focus on relationships between the Hawks and various members of the DCU.

I'm actually very happy with the evolution of the series as I think everyone has found their groove. I'm confident the book will win readers it may have lost back with the upcoming arcs – Rags’ Thanagarian Hawkwoman is stunning and the Gentleman Ghost arc really sums up the entire series. Issue #13 is a solid jumping-on point, or jumping-back-on point. Ethan Van Sciver is going to be drawing that issue and it's beautiful.

JB: You've commented elsewhere that the book is as much Hawkgirl's as it is Hawkman's, which is patently true. How did that approach evolve? Did you plan it that way right from when Hawkgirl was introduced in JSA?

It was a plan from the start. The book was even going to be called The Hawks at one point. I think Peter suggested that. I think the book would lack any tension, romance or friendship without Hawkgirl. We have a specific journey for these two characters. They grow and change and not in the way everyone expects.

JB: Do you recall why The Hawks was rejected as a title? Was it a stronger marketing move to sell the book as a Hawkman comic as opposed to Hawkman and Hawkgirl?

GJ: The name really never got that far. We toyed with the idea a few times but ultimately Peter and I liked Hawkman better.

JB: Boiling it down to the simplest elements, what is the difference between writing JSA and The Avengers?

Avenging Son

GJ: JSA is about legacy. Carrying on for heroes of the past in order to inspire heroes of the future. The Avengers are Earth's mightiest force of protection. From there, there are a lot of other differences - but another main one is the simple fact that the Marvel Universe is a different place to work in. There's a kind of pseudo-reality I think in their world. There are no fictional cities and there's a "push" in the general sense…no, literally, of touching upon real life issues. DC is more representative while Marvel is more literal.

JB: Are there any of the Avengers for which you have a particular affinity?

GJ: Captain America and the Falcon. I have always like partnerships - friendships in comics. That's why I enjoy working on teams so much. It's several people joining together who have the same goal - but not exactly the same method. Characters bouncing off one another, how they react, is what I gravitate towards the most. Even in the solo books like Hawkman, the Atom continues to play a role in the book for one reason: He's Carter's friend. And friends hang out.

I also find the Vision ultimately fascinating. He's an android who has the ability to decipher and feel emotions - but lacks the ability to fully convey those emotions. It's like if our outside was frozen - and all of our feelings were bottled up.

Funny enough, Warbird has turned from my least favorite to one of my favorites as well. I never really cared for the character until Tom Brevoort and I discussed her at length. Where she was from - how she disobeyed her father and joined the Air Force (Her father saying that no "girl" could make it in the Air Force). From there she exploded as a character to me. We're taking her in a direction I hope readers respond to.

JB: Who's Avengers do you look back on and say, "I wish I'd been here earlier to write that story!"?

I still say Roger Stern wrote the best Avengers arc ever with “Under Siege”. I wouldn't want to say, "I wish I wrote that," because I love reading it. He re-created a team called the Masters of Evil and really made them evil. He made Mr. Hyde scary. And he had the best entrance for Thor I think I'll ever read in The Avengers.

JB: It’s been a long time since comic book characters were last depicted as taking part in an actual military conflict. Do you think a book like The Avengers should ever respond to what’s going on in the real world in terms of war and terrorism?

GJ: Sure. But, for me, part of the depth involved with comics is making them representative of our world. That's what it's all really about. They don't have to go take on terrorists head-on literally so that you can tell a "what if the Avengers dealt with Bin Laden" story. You can do that story within the Marvel Universe.

JB: Keiron Dwyer was definitely a strong artist on The Avengers, but he is being more than ably replaced by Olivier Coipel. What does Copiel bring to the drawing board and your scripts that Dwyer may not have been able to?

GJ: I love Olivier's artwork. He did an amazing job on Legion and he's going to break-out big time on Avengers. There's some Travis Charest going on but Olivier's design work is extremely unique. He puts as much effort into rethinking Ant-Man and Jack of Hearts as he does with Captain America and the Vision. I'm extremely lucky to be working with such a talented guy.

Tomb Writer

JB: Tell us about Tomb Raider: Scarface's Treasure. How did you get involved with the book?

GJ: Nick approached me about writing it. I'd never thought about Tomb Raider before but I got some ideas pretty quick. I wanted to do a more modern tomb - something that was away from the Ancient World. Al Capone seemed like an odd match for Tomb Raider - so once I had the idea and wanted to execute it, I was in.

JB: What did you do in prep for the story? A lot of time researching Capone, or a lot of time "researching" Lara?

GJ: Both. I spent the most time trying to figure out why in the world this woman does this kind of thing. And then I was on the internet for a few hours reading up on Capone. Getting the timeline right. Details about underground Chicago. It's all fact. Everything.

JB: Working with Mark Texeira on Tomb Raider: Scarface's Treasure, what do you feel are his strengths as an artist? Have done anything in particular in the book's script to play to those strengths?

GJ: You can see his strength's in all of his work - he just did a Stormwatch issue that was brilliantly done. The book is worth checking out. As far as Tomb Raider goes, his women are absolutely beautiful. And tough.

JB: I believe part of the proceeds from the black and white, limited edition of Tomb Raider: Scarface's Treasure will be going to ACTOR. Do you feel as a younger creator that the industry has done enough to look after the men and women who founded the art form in their retirement years? Should publishers take a more active role in ensuring the continuing health and welfare of the freelance community?

GJ: They never can do enough, but ACTOR is a tremendous start.

To see exclusive sneak previews and pre-order TOMB RAIDER: SCARFACE'S TREASURE #1 DF EXCLUSIVE visit the Dynamic Forces website.

DC Comics has just announced that Geoff has signed a three year exclusive contract with the company. For more info, click on this link.

If you have a question of your own that you'd like to ask Geoff, head over to the Feature Fiends Forum and post a query or two in the Questions for the Geoff Johns Feature Forum/Project thread.

	Jason Brice is an occasional contributor to the Features Section and the Editor-in-Chief of SBC. He just bought three cubic meters of firewood.

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