Jeph Loeb has been a fixture in the comic book industry for multiple moons now. Classic highlights in his career include Batman: The Long Halloween, which is known as one of the greatest, full-year events ever conducted. Loeb has also worked on everything from Avengers to his current gig on DC's main Superman title.
Loeb will be seen in the upcoming Daredevil: Yellow, drawn by his Dark Victory art cohert, Tim Sale. In addition, he has taken over scripting duties on Fantastic Four. His current Bat project, Dark Victory, another full-year event that follows the crime-style of Long Halloween, concludes this month with a prestige-format issue. Adding to his already full plate is his work on the upcoming Luthor2000 presidential special.
Interview Conducted By
Slushfactory's Michael Patrick Sullivan
1. How's Superman going? Any clues as what to expect in 2001?
Well... there is this little matter of the ELECTION and Luthor running for President. I think the biggest kick is we're telling a story that in 60 years hasn't been told. That's pretty swell and speaks to the kind of confidence DC has in the teams and in Eddie Berganza.
Then, in January 2001, we're going on record now, that Superman #166 will be the most talked about comic book in 10 years -- er, 14 years. It's pretty wild stuff that has to do with Superman's origin and the... ahem... truth about Krypton.
It will feature the return of one of the most requested villains -- but in a truly unexpected way -- and we sort of kick it off from there. It is going to be an amazing year. You won't want to -- you CAN'T miss a single issue. There are just too many surprises -- which is what Superman CAN be!
2. How did you hook up with Greg Rucka for the Lex special (as this is his first foray outside of things Batty in the DCU)?
I don't know about Greg's outside Batman stuff -- but I think so. To be fair, he's telling a Batman/Luthor story. But, Greg is really one of my heroes in comic book writing -- he's just so damn good. Tim Sale introduced us and I think Matt Wagner had a hand in the pie somewhere -- but now we have our own friendship which I enjoy enormously.
This led to our discussing doing a Batman/Superman crossover and in March -- ta da -- we'll be doing the first Superman/Detective two parter -- I think... ever. It has to do with a certain RING that Luthor has and the boys want back. Greg's written his half -- just to make me look bad (since his is Part 2), and I've just started the script (we had it all plotted out, in case anybody is worried).
It really is the finest of worlds. Ouch.
3. Is there any truth to the rumour that you once said Rucka should finish Dark Victory should anything nasty befall you? Did you let him in on the big secret?
I was boarding a small plane for of all places, Metropolis, Illinois for the Superman festival and I don't fly well (that's putting it mildly). I'm never without a cell phone, one of my few vices, and I called a friend and told him that if something should happen, Greg Rucka was to finish Dark Victory. Of course, Greg had no idea I wished this upon him - but what are friends for?!
4. Many have become addicted to trying to solve your Bat mysteries, do you have anything similar planned, Bat or otherwise, that will keep people on their toes like that again? Such a level of reader involvement is rare, it would be a shame to not continue in the same vein, even if with different characters.
Is that a question or an editorial? :) I try and involve the readers in everything I do. Clearly, TLH and DV both struck a cord and I'm so happy about that since they were intended to -- but I don't think you can set out to do that. I just try and tell the best stories I can. I'm a comic book fan. I read 'em, I collect 'em, I buy 'em -- I go to the store every week and I buy stuff that I know I'm going to get from DC or Marvel just cause I want it NOW. So, I feel a certain responsibility to do the best job I can -- 'cause I want to write comics that I want to read. That's why I work hard at getting the best artists I can.
Comics are so much a visual medium and you can write the best script you possibly can, but if the artwork sucks, you're lost. It's like trying to make a good movie with bad actors. Ain't gonna happen. And I've been very, very lucky that there are very few times -- mostly with fill-ins -- and mostly when I was starting -- when I'm not happy with the work.
5. Are the Superman books still feeling the effects of the Death of Superman in that they are driven by events? Do you feel the need to top yourselves, to get bigger and bolder every few months (from Braniac 13 to Emperor Joker to Lex2000)?
No, as I said, I think we need to tell the best STORIES we can. I like Superman because it is a very BIG canvas -- so we need to tell these kind of tales from time to time -- but I also like telling the small ones too. I think the story from last year where Superboy comes to Smallville (Superman #155) is one of the best ones I've done and nobody hit anybody. So, it can be grand and it can be small -- what it really needs is to be EMOTIONAL. That's what I strive for -- to make the reader care.
6. Do you feel it would be detrimental or of benefit to split the Superman books apart as the Batman books are with perhaps only a once a year cross-over?
Ah, the linkage debate. Personally, I don't find the books all that linked in the first place. Mark and Doug do a wonderful job on Man of Steel and it has an entire cast that rarely is in the book Ed and I do; Joe Kelly has a done a year's worth of stories with villains and guest stars that aren't in our book; and Adventures has a life -- and evidently a mind -- of its own!
So, yeah, we crossed in January for Y2K -- we only rebuilt Metropolis from the ground up; then we crossed in May for Critical Condition; and then there was a big Summer storyline which happens IN ALL comics and we happen to think that Superman: Arkham and Emperor Joker deserved that kind of story telling. Right now are the books linked? No. Will they be next year -- when the story warrants it -- sure.
7. Is it true you may be giving Wonder Woman the early years treatment with Adam Hughes? If so, can you say anything about what we can exect there?
This is too soon to discuss. I worship at the altar that is Adam Hughes and think he draws the best women in comics. Who wouldn't want to see a Wonder Woman story done by him?!
8. Are there any characters that you'd really like to take a crack at, but the market might not accept (like Loeb does Cave Carson)?
I don't know. I'd like to think I'd CREATE a new character before I did "a redo" of something relatively unknown. Makes more sense, doesn't it?
9. Have you been a reader of Daredevil for a while? If so whose version are you most influenced by?
Long time fan. And while certainly Frank Miller's run was a high water mark, I tend to look back on the Gene Colan days -- #42-44 are particularly swell. And forgive me, but I was a MIKE Murdock fan -- call me kooky!
10. Will it have more in common with Superman: For All Seasons or the Batman series, or do neither apply?
It doesn't really apply, but Daredevil: Yellow has more in common with SFAS only because it is not really plot driven -- it is a character story about the making of a hero and the JOY of having super powers. It will have emotion and the raw irony (I hope) of seeing all these characters whose fates we already know... but for the most part, the idea is to have FUN with the book.
11. Will the series interact with the continuity of the first six issues of Daredevil (vol.1) or will it stand entirely on it's own?
Like with most things we do, it will have a bit of both or as I've sometimes called it, "These are the stories that fit within the pages of the ones you already know..."
12. Will there be any familiar guest stars?
A certain quartet are sure to drop by!
13. How did the FF gig come about? Is it a result of frequent comments that you'd do the book for a dollar, or a direct result of Quesada's new regime?
Well, I'd like to think that Quesada couldn't resist paying me a dollar whereas the previous regime could! Look, I whined, I washed windows up at Marvel, I shined shoes in the lobby.... I think Joe asked Bobbie Chase to call me just to shut me up.
It's grand fun -- and working with Carlos is unbelievable and you'll see my first issue in December!
14. Are you getting more than a dollar?
Yeah... well... I also get to ride on the elevator instead of taking the stairs at Marvel. And it's ten flights!
15. Besides FF and Daredevil:Yellow, do you have anything else in the pipeline at Marvel?
Not right now. But, you never know! (Or, at least I don't).
16. The bulk of your film work (at least as it is known to the public) seems to have taken place in the eighties, with the exception of Model By Day and Firestorm, are you still involved in film and in what capacity?
I actually haven't ever stopped working in movies or television. A lot of screenwriting is working behind the scenes, doing script doctoring or developing material that hasn't been made yet. I have an animated series on PBS right now that is on Saturday mornings based on Maurice Sendak's (Where the Wild Things Are) book, 7 LITTLE MONSTERS. It's a hoot.
17. Do you have anything in the works? Have you tried to get any comics properties off the ground in film?
Model by Day is a comic book. I'm still working on getting Reid Fleming, World's Toughest Milkman off the ground at Warner Brothers. Lots of stuff -- but like in comics, I don't talk about stuff until it is real.
18. Do you consider comics to be your day job now?
I consider comics my FUN job. I don't work in comics for the money... few folks can anymore. It's about a love of the medium.
19. If you could take any one thing you've written, film or comic (or both) and wish it into the cornfield, what would it be?
Nothing... it all has place, good or bad.
And lastly....20. How about taking over JLA when Waid's done?
I don't think so. I've got my gigs -- and I dig 'em!
Thanks!
No, let us thank you, for letting us , as we like to say, turn your brain to Slush.
