LOVE & LIVE in HIS PURPOSE

Jim Lee CBS interview 5/3/13 re: Superman

 Excerpts, not verbatim

How do the big movies help the comic book industry?
Definitely shows what these characters are capable of doing. It brings new fans into the art form. A lot of people come in through the games, or the cartoons or the movies. People don’t even know they’re even being published and they’re very happy to realize that we are still publishing the stuff. The stories are the source material for the these great incarnations and adaptations of the characters and that’s where the magic really starts.

Tell us about Superman Unchained:
It’s a new comic book that’s coming out in June. It’s a celebration of the 75th anniversary of the character. It’s being written by Scott Snyder and drawn by myself. And if there were one Superman story we could tell, this is it. It really picks up on all the high points of the character. So we have all the classic moments between Superman and Lex Luthor. Superman and Lois Lane. And it really is a celebration of all the things that makes Superman so inspirational and a really cool character. 

How big do you think the movies is going to be?
It is an amazing movie. I have seen it. I’m an Executive at Warner Brothers so I got to see it in advance. It’s one of the perks. It’s an amazing movie. It’s epic. It’s got a lot of heart. But one of the things I was missing from the last Superman movie was the action. This movie as it in spades. It’s a visual thrill ride. It is amazing. You see all the powers of Superman in all its glory. I think people are going to be blown away.  

So people going to see the Man of Steel movie in June, they come out of that and want more. THey need to know what comic they can dive in.  

Superman Unchained would be a good starting point. Action Comics we publish and has been in publication since 1938. Superman and there are all these great these great graphic novels. There’s really something for everyone from little kids 5 years old to people in their 30s, 40s, and 50s.  

You drew the famous kiss between Superman and Wonder Woman.
Yes, you did your research.  (2nd variant cover shows up in background)

Are we predicting a nasty custody settlement, er, how are things going to work out for these kids?
Well, you know when you publish a character for 75 years you gotta keep it young and fresh so it’s not about Superman and Lois today. It’s Superman and Wonder Woman. And that’s really rubbed a lot of purists the wrong way, but we love the controversy. We love the debate. We love the fact that people have either sided with TeamLois or TeamWonderWoman and it’s one of the things we used to keep interest in what we’re publishing in the books today. 

If it doesn’t work out with Superman … Batman’s got lots of money?
Superman with Batman? is that what you’re saying?

No! For Wonder Woman!
Right. Absolutely. Yes. Yes.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/05/03/celebrating-free-comic-book-day-with-dc-comics-jim-lee/

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So are you as confused as I am on what’s going on here.  Obviously Free Comic Book day and the Superman Celebration with Superman Unchained announcement.  That’s great!

But if movies (cartoons and games) bring in more readers, and you’ve got this amazing film with heart and action (involving Lois Lane) then why push Superman and Wonder Woman in the comic books — for the controversy?  Taking Lois away from Clark is young and fresh?   And if things don’t work out with Superman, yea, just give Wonder Woman to Batman.  He’s got money.

But he recommends Superman Unchained as a great start to get into the comics and it has Superman and Lois.  Uh, yea.  But then says it’s all about Superman and Wonder Woman in the comics.  And ‘purists’ have been rubbed the wrong way.  YA THINK???  How does that affect sales?  

Lee is definitely getting all the mileage he can from those kiss covers.  Yea, like that wasn’t a planted question.

Superman is not Twilight.  And if this is the new 52 version of the Silver Age, forget about it!  Superdickery should be buried like toxic waste not revived.

And what about Wonder Woman — is it really about who she snogs?  Absolutely???  Diana deserves better than that.  And I’m of the belief when Azzarello found out from Dan Didio what they were going to do with Wonder Woman.  His spontaneous pitch was done so in order to save the character.  The fauxmance is not in her book and Superman has never been mentioned.  Steve Trevor has been mentioned.  Orion is there for a future New Gods story, one would think.  

And with Steve Trevor back and better than ever, surely fans should be seeing some of that relationship developing further than it did in Justice League 12.  

Diana has her own mythology to develop.  Not being the go-to-girl for a date within the Justice League.

Maybe ‘purists’ are rubbed the wrong way because they love and understand these characters as well as their mythologies — making them less than what they always have been in the hearts and minds OF THEIR READERS! is a bad business move.

And, yes, losing money in a big corporation is controversial.   

HIS KIND OF WOMAN - shameless plug

For those who have read my fics, I finished HIS KIND OF WOMAN today.  You can find on Red Haze and Kryptonsite.   Hope you enjoy.  :D

I plan on finishing my other fics, as well, since the muse seems engaged at the moment.  Some will take longer than others.  I appreciate your patience. 

Have fun!