ROBINSON & DIDIO ON JUSTICE LEAGUE

[MattBrady]

Announced Saturday at WizardWorld: Los Angeles’ DC’s Countdown to Final Crisis panel, James Robinson’s second title at DC (his run as regular writer on Superman begins in June) will be the tentatively titled Justice League, a new series which will be true to its name.

“The book is about justice and seeking justice, rather than responding to emergencies, letting the problems come to them, and being almost entirely reactive,” DC Sr. VP and Executive Editor Dan DiDio said when asked about the new series. “The team is led by Green Lantern and Green Arrow who have in the past disagreed in points of view on what they can accomplish and what they, as heroes, should do, but when they work side by side, they have a very clear sense of goals. I think, with this group of heroes, you’ll see a more clearly defined mission statement for a team as put forth by these two. Plus, they’re motivated by an event in the DC Universe that makes them feel that they need to take a more active stance in regards to the need for heroes in the world today.”

That event? A murder. Unsurprisingly, neither DiDio not Robinson are saying who will be taking the upcoming dirt nap, only that it’s tied to Final Crisis, and that the League’s response causes a schism.

“Hal is outraged and wants to immediately go after the villain and get justice for the fallen hero,” Robinson said. “Given the circumstances, the rest of the group is pulling back and waiting to see where things land when all the chips fall, but Hal refuses to, and goes off half-cocked with a plan that’s none too well thought out. The only hero to go with him to help him is Green Arrow. So the team and the book will have that tone from their partnership – a little of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.”

Hal’s decision has a lot to do with the book’s origin, Robinson said.

“It had long bothered me that the Avengers had never really ‘avenged’ anything – they’re either stopping a crime, or are under attack, which means that the name ‘The Defenders’ would’ve been better suited for them. Or The Crime Stoppers. It’s the same thing with the Justice League – they’re rarely about bringing villains to justice, or even bringing justice to the world at large. They’re attacked and they defend themselves, or there’s a crime in progress and they go and fight it. Again, they’re candidates for calling themselves The Crime Stoppers. Or the World Police. My thinking was that if you have ‘Justice’ in your name, then you should do something about bringing justice to people, or bringing villains to justice.

“Either that, or change your name.”

Joining Green Lantern and Green Arrow on the team (which will be complete and an official “team” by the end of the first arc): Ray Palmer (not as the Atom though – at least at first), Supergirl and Batwoman (“to get the iconic emblems on the team,” Robinson said), Freddy Freeman (“ideally with the blue costume and a new name”), and two from left field:

Mikaal Tomas – “The blue alien from Starman, because Dan asked for a ‘Starman’ in the book,” Robinson said. “If you remember in the final issues of Starman, Mikaal was becoming more and more militant and angry – the spirit of his alien blood was welling up into him. He’ll be the one who’s savage and warlike when he’s fighting, but when he’s not, he’s this languid, charming fellow.”

And the last?

“This was a character that Dan, Eddie [Berganza, editor] and everyone else stopped cold when I suggested him (and Geoff [Johns] was appalled). I didn’t let up, and they and finally said, “Okay, we trust you James, if you’re that passionate about the character, then use him.” And then, after reading the pages devoted to him in the first issue, they’ve all told me that I was able to make them care about him. He’ll be the oldest character in the book – he’s 90 years old, his human body has been destroyed, and he’s trapped in the body of a gigantic, magic, golden gorilla. Congorilla will be on the team.

“I guarantee you, the same way that The Shade was nothing when I took him over, you will love this character when I’m done with him.”

Perhaps now would be the appropriate time to relay DiDio’s comments about his faith in what Robinson has planned?

“I have incredible faith in James’ ability to tell the story and explore all the possibilities of the story,” DiDio said. “One of the things that makes it interesting is the diversity of the team itself – it’s not a traditional Justice League of America team. They’re ‘A’ members on it in regards to Green Lantern and Green Arrow, but we’re also going to see the other characters play through that you might not have associated with the Justice League...like Congorilla. What they do, and what they help do is present different points of view on how they want to go about and achieve the different goals of the team.

“And besides, we’re DC Comics. Primates belong on covers.”

As Robinson explains it, when the heroes begin their first mission, to find those who committed the “big murder,” they quickly learn that there’s far more to it than they realized. “Along the way, they realize that this is a small piece of a much bigger puzzle, and that there are a lot more villains who need to be brought in,” Robinson said. “They’re going to be like hunting down the DCU equivalent of the FBI’s Most Wanted list. They have a reason to exist as a team, and really, can go on forever.”

Robinson also said that he’s not taking the larger setting of the series for granted either. Unlike Starman, which existed by and large, in its own world, Justice League will be set squarely in the middle of the DC Universe, something akin to a third side of a triangle whose other sides are Justice League of America and Justice Society of America.

“There’s no point in having a book called Justice League unless you’re involved in every aspect of the DCU,” Robinson said. “This book is going to have as many crossovers and references to other things occurring throughout the DC Universe that I can squeeze in. I want it to feel that it’s very much a part of the DC Universe, so it will be taking place in the midst of…everything. Also, they’ll find themselves a headquarters, hopefully a place that isn’t in use that hasn’t been seen in a while.”

[Samy Merchi]

diversity of the team

Heh.

I'm sure.

[statnut]

Interesting, but I fear this will be Justice League Elite all over again.

It’s the same thing with the Justice League – they’re rarely about bringing villains to justice, or even bringing justice to the world at large. .... or there’s a crime in progress and they go and fight it

If they stop the crime and catch the bad guy, dont they bring the criminal to justice?

[Ace]

I think that this is the comic that I've been most excited about for years.

Probably since Marvel announced Hawkeye by Nicieza.

And the series WON'T be Extreme Justice. I'm getting sick of that already.

It's JAMES ROBINSON... y'know, the guy who wrote Starman and The Golden Age.

He can write nuance and three dimensional characters as well as anyone. In comics, in 2008, the execution matters SO much more than the concept and the characters.

[Samy Merchi]

What month does this start?

[GratefulFred]

AWESOME

[Keelatay]

Sounds a little bit like Justice League Elite to me, but I liked that so I'll probably check this out too.

[JFC]

Originally Posted by Ace

And the series WON'T be Extreme Justice. I'm getting sick of that already.

No it won't. It will be the current Batman and the Outsiders series.


I'd rather see Robinson on Justice League of America than on a spin-off title that dilutes the brand.

[Timberoo]

Wow, no offense to Robinson, but this sounds like a bad 'rama 'create a team' thread.

[Question86]

Im thinking it may be Hawkman who bites it

[Samy Merchi]

Omg they killed Carter
The bastards

[Samy Merchi]

Yeah he's a kenny it doesn't matter anymore

[statnut]

Originally Posted by Ace

I think that this is the comic that I've been most excited about for years.

Probably since Marvel announced Hawkeye by Nicieza.

And the series WON'T be Extreme Justice. I'm getting sick of that already.

It's JAMES ROBINSON... y'know, the guy who wrote Starman and The Golden Age.

He can write nuance and three dimensional characters as well as anyone. In comics, in 2008, the execution matters SO much more than the concept and the characters.

I know who James Robinson is. Could that sentence be anymore condescending? Doesnt change the fact that this is a 2nd tier Justice League book thats got 2 headline characters, and some lesser characters and relatively unknown's. And that could hurt it.

And I meant Justice League Elite, sorry.

[CodeGuy]

Originally Posted by Question86

Im thinking it may be Hawkman who bites it

He's been reset so many times, would anyone get all that upset if he died again? Really, killing Hawkman shouldn't even be a felony anymore.

[K-DoG7p7]

Ok..... somone that Hal goes on a "rampage" over?.. hmmm Barry again? :P

[statnut]

Originally Posted by Keelatay

Sounds a little bit like Justice League Elite to me, but I liked that so I'll probably check this out too.

Yeah thats what I originally meant, too many Justice League spinoffs that began with the letter E

[GlennWAlker]

I just hope it's not the Flash we lose to this murder. DiDio is fond of saying Crises are hard on Flashes.

And does this mean that JLA loses Green Lantern and Outsiders loses Green Arrow?

On the whole I like the idea of the roster. I love thinking about what Robinson could do with this particular team, and I have no problems with the inclusion of Congorilla. If anyone could breathe new life into that concept it would be Robinson.

Glenn Walker

[Samy Merchi]

They should kill Cowgirl.

[SpaceButler]

Keeps sounding better and better.

[aric_dacia]

Well, the first thought I had when hearing the concept was that I've seen this same concept bandied about for years: Extreme Justice, Force Works, Justice League Elite, the current Outsiders, the original X-Force... the pro-active idea never seems to stick past the first year of the book. But I'll give it a try -- Robinson is hit-or-miss with me (I did adore The Golden Age) but I'm curious to see what he'll come up with here.

[Justifier]

I would like to see this new JLA book be the original Justice League. You already have GL/GA add Black Canary (already married to GA), Martian Manhunter, Aquaman (a great place to bring him back) and the Flash (He is the one character that could be on 4 different teams at a time. He is the Fastest man alive.). Then if you need to add a few new recruits then add away. Atom and Hawkman would be my first votes but Starman and Freddy come on who really cares.
Just my thoughts

[Spaz_Monkey]

THIS is the book Robinson couldn't talk about at WonderCon?

HOT DIGGITY DAMN!!!

I can't wait!

[kalorama]

Like most supposedly new ideas, the idea of a team of pro-active heroes going after the bad guys before the bad guys come after them has been done many,many times before (most recently Winnick's Outsiders book). Whether this version works will be all in the execution. Robinson's done good wrok in the past, so he's got some leeway, but I can't say I see much in the mix of characters (beyond Ollie and Hal) to generate much interest. Congorilla is a quirky choice, but quirk is only charming foe so long. Knowing who the artist is might help.

[GenerallZodd]

Congorilla? If he can make that work, then he's a genius.

Alot of people say that Robinson can do no wrong after Starman, but that might not be the case. Look at his Batman run for proof. No offense.

[statnut]

Originally Posted by GenerallZodd

Congorilla? If he can make that work, then he's a genius.

Alot of people say that Robinson can do no wrong after Starman, but that might not be the case. Look at his Batman run for proof. No offense.

Good point. I found his run to be pretty lackluster.