TORONTO 06: GEOFF JOHNS TALKS ALL STAR BATGIRL

**MattBrady** · 09-03-2006, 03:57 PM

Rumored for a little while now, it was finally officially annouced Sunday in Toronto: Geoff Johns and JG Jones will team next year to start off All Star Batgirl, starring Barbara Gordon.

We caught up with Johns while he was in Toronto for an inside look.

Newsarama: Geoff, you were tied to rumors about half a dozen All Star books for a while there. Why, when the spinner did stop, did it land on Batgirl?

Geoff Johns: Well, first off, All Star Batgirl won't be out until the end of next year but in this day and age, since we just got "official" approval it would've leaked on to the internet anyway so we thought we'd announce early because we're psyched. It's a mystery in the vein of Batman: Long Halloween that revolves around the "new" Batgirl, Barbara Gordon. It will be completely from her point-of-view. JG Jones and I are
planning on doing the first six issues. We’re approaching it like Loeb and Sales' Batman books and Darwyn Cooke’s New Frontier.

As for how it came about? JG and I had been watching the finishing line to 52 coming up and we were talking about doing something together afterwards. We’re about four or five months away now from finishing completely so we finally found the character and story we wanted to tell – a mystery centering around Barbara Gordon’s transformation into Batgirl. I’d been in discussion for a lot of different All Star books, and obviously, I’m a big fan of the classic, Silver Age DCU. And like three years ago when they were getting All Star Batman and Robin going, they asked me to do an arc on Batman and Robin. I wanted to introduce Batgirl, and I had the whole story laid out and was really excited about it but they ended up going a different way.

So awhile later, JG Jones and I were talking about working together again. We’d been talking about doing something for a long time, and he’d been working on 52 with us, and the Batgirl idea was still with me - to do the origin story of Barbara Gordon as Batgirl. I wanted to do something like Power Girl’s arc in JSA Classified again – and I wanted to do something fun like that, but set in the Bat-universe. It’ll still have an edge to it, of course, because it’s in Batman’s ‘world,’ but it’s really the story of a girl trying to win back her father.

NRAMA: To clarify, this is, as you said, set apart, that is, this isn’t the DCU Batgirl, necessarily, so people needn’t be thinking, “Well, this is all fun and games until she gets shot by the Joker…”

GJ: We’ll see Batgirl confront the Joker. But our take is supposed to be out and on its own. Again, we want to do something like Grant’s doing on All Star Superman – he and Frank have down their own take on the heroes, sticking very close to the iconic status of them, but they are set in their own universe.

NRAMA: Going back, you said there was talk of doing this as an arc in All Star Batman and Robin. Does that mean this Batgirl, though not connected to the DCU, is connected to that version of Batman and Robin?

GJ: Nope. The Superman in All Star Batman and Robin is totally different from the Superman in All Star Superman. JG and I see this as our opportunity to do whatever we want with Batgirl, and it doesn’t have to fit in with anything else. Come to think of it, it’s probably the first superhero project that I’ve done
that doesn’t fit into continuity.

NRAMA: That would be a new feeling for you, I’d suppose…

GJ: It is. It’s kind of liberating, and at the same time, I want to use all the toys in the Batman universe, and so does JG – she’s going to be Commissioner Gordon’s daughter, she’s going to have the long red hair and a sense of humor, she’s going to have all sorts of tricks that Batman doesn’t have. And we’re going to have a lot of fun playing with the relationship between Dick and Barbara – that relationship is going to be very different than what people are used to. Her origins, however, will be different.

NRAMA: Given that this is the iconic interpretation of Barbara as Batgirl, she’s doing this because she can, and it will be fun, right?

GJ: That’s a lot of it, but there’s more to her motivation than that. Why does she need this outlet of fun? What is happening in Gotham and in Batman’s world that requires a need for Batgirl? There's a mystery that involves her that she has to solve.

NRAMA: But what’s at the root of her doing it? What’s the motivation to do this, frankly, rather risky thing?

GJ: It has a lot to do with her having a father who’s obsessed with Batman, who turns on a big signal and talks to him on the roof. A dad who now comes home in the morning, because he’s been fighting costumed maniacs with Batman all night. Her trophies from Junior High and High School have been moved off the mantle and a mock up of Batman’s utility belt is there as an ongoing problem and challenge for Gordon to try
and figure out how it works.

Our story is going to about a girl who is in the shadow of Batman in a lot of different ways, and trying to come out of it.

NRAMA: And becoming Batgirl is, in a way, her means of connecting with and talking to her father…

GJ: In a way. She’s able to finally connect with him on a level he hasn’t been able to since her mom died. And all of this will be tempered against how Batman reacts and how Robin reacts to her, not to mention how the Scarecrow and Joker and the other villains react. We’ve also got some unique takes on supporting cast as well.

We’re shooting for something like Allan and Terry’s Wonder Woman in tone. Exciting, fun but focused on character. That’s one of my favorite books out there right now.

NRAMA: Will she have any key villains tied to her or her origin? Back in the day, it seemed like Killer Moth always gravitated toward her for better or – usually – worse.

GJ: We’re probably going to steer clear of Killer Moth, because they did Batgirl: Year One, which focused on him a lot. Plus I’d rather see JG draw Poison Ivy and Clayface.

NRAMA: And speaking of working with JG…

GJ: He did just a beautiful job with Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia and Wanted, and the 52 covers are just consistently gorgeous. We’ve talked for years about finding something that would be really fun to do. We’re aiming to tell the best action mystery adventure story we can about how and why Barbara Gordon becomes Batgirl.

BillReed · 09-03-2006, 04:03 PM

Intriguing and unexpected.

Livewire2nd · 09-03-2006, 04:04 PM

Very interesting.

Punchy · 09-03-2006, 04:05 PM

I'm conflicted, Johns is meh and Batgirl sucks, but JG Jones is absolutely awesome.

Goddamn.

The Funketeer · 09-03-2006, 04:10 PM

It's interesting that they chose Batgirl before Green Lantern or Flash or any of the other JLAers outside the trinity. As much as I like Johns and Jones, I'd rather see more established, old school creators handling the All-Star books. They're popular now (and with good reason) but who knows if that will still be true in 5 years.

I suppose it's only a matter of time before we see a Dini/Ross All Star Aquaman.

DAV!S · 09-03-2006, 04:11 PM

Batgirl? Really?

I'm sure it'll be good, but on the list of characters who it would be interesting (to me at @ least) to see All-Star takes on, Batgirl really dosn't feature.

Ah well, it's more JG Jones, which is good.

Uchiha_Prodigy · 09-03-2006, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Punchy

I'm conflicted, Johns is meh and Batgirl sucks, but JG Jones is absolutely awesome.

Goddamn.

I agree, Johns has been hit or miss these days.

God-Man · 09-03-2006, 04:15 PM

Eh, I'm not excited by this announcement.

DAV!S · 09-03-2006, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uchiha_Prodigy

I agree, Johns has been hit or miss these days.

Johns has (and I think always will be) a guy to count on for entertaining superhero comics in the classic mode, so I think it makes sense for him to an All-Star comic...but Batgirl? I'm sorry, it's just...well, Batgirl.

Snowspinner · 09-03-2006, 04:16 PM

One of my three favorite writers in DC's stable with one of my favorite artists in general on one of my favorite characters?

Well, OK then.

Punchy · 09-03-2006, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DAV!S

Johns has (and I think always will be) a guy to count on for entertaining superhero comics in the classic mode, so I think it makes sense for him to an All-Star comic...but Batgirl? I'm sorry, it's just...well, Batgirl.

And not even the Ninja Batgirl!

Darthphere · 09-03-2006, 04:21 PM

Can I ask why? What about All Star GL, Flash, JLA? Why Batgirl?

astronato · 09-03-2006, 04:27 PM

HELL YES!!!!!!!!!

Thank you otherwise evil Dan Didio

kcekada · 09-03-2006, 04:31 PM

Very cool!

Probably a good thing that it's not related to Miller's take on her.

Nice to see J.G. Jones on interiors again. Loved his Black Widow mini. I just hope DC is more careful with who they assign to ink his pencials. I thought his work on the Wonder Woman one-shot was very softened by the inks, which was a shame.

Now how about All-Star Legion with Levitz and Perez?!

Lex · 09-03-2006, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Funketeer

It's interesting that they chose Batgirl before Green Lantern or Flash or any of the other JLAers outside the trinity.

The All-Star line deals with the more iconic characters DC has. Outside of the Trinity and Robin, not many characters have reached that iconic status except Batgirl. Flash and Green Lantern, while popular and well-known, are not more iconic than Batgirl. So I think it makes sense.

swol · 09-03-2006, 04:35 PM

Personally, I'd rather see someting like an All-Star Showcase which would focus on unique characters without their own homes. Also, stories that would allow characters in group books that could get a chance to shine on their own. Characters could do an arc and then we move to the next character.

Characters like...
Challengers Of The Unknown
Metal Men
Doom Patrol
Phantom Stranger
Metamorpho
Red Tornado
Elongated Man (after 52 ends)
...and many others

Stories in an All-Star book, unburdened by excessive (and sometimes dead-ending) continuity could bring these characters back into popularity.

What do you all think?

Hypertime · 09-03-2006, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Challengers Of The Unknown
Metal Men
Doom Patrol
Phantom Stranger
Metamorpho
Red Tornado
Elongated Man (after 52 ends)

Total combined sales of above series: 500
Sales of anything with Bat in the title: 500,000

It's kind of sickening that you dudes are whining about a great character (Batgirl) under the pen of a great writer (Geoff Johns) and a great artist (JG Jones). Man, that's all you guys seem to do. Whine, whine, whine. Christ, shut the fsck up.

bcondray · 09-03-2006, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcekada

Now how about All-Star Legion with Levitz and Perez?!

I'd buy it...with no need for a Preview.

nietoperz · 09-03-2006, 05:03 PM

This is excellent news! Cool!

superate · 09-03-2006, 05:07 PM

"Geoff Johns: And like three years ago when they were getting All Star Batman and Robin going,"

Ha! I'd say there still "getting it going..."

Thank you, I'll be here for the next 5 seconds...

BlackDog · 09-03-2006, 05:19 PM

WTF?! You got characters like Aquaman and even Martian Manhunter, and Batgirl gets this treatment before them??

This people are on crack.

superboy072 · 09-03-2006, 05:21 PM

I was waiting for them to announce an All-Star book for a character like this.

I got the feeling that DC wasn't going to force an All-Star book if there was nothing there. If they haven't gotten a great pitch for a great Flash or GL or GA story from great creators, then they won't force it.

Maybe Batgirl wasn't what I was expecting. But I'm intrigued because it must be a good looking project if they're going forward with it.

Dav G · 09-03-2006, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lex

The All-Star line deals with the more iconic characters DC has. Outside of the Trinity and Robin, not many characters have reached that iconic status except Batgirl. Flash and Green Lantern, while popular and well-known, are not more iconic than Batgirl. So I think it makes sense.

Outside of comics, I'd agree that Batgirl is more well-known than Flash or GL. But that's purely because of her being in the cast of the Batman TV show with Adam West. For that matter, Lois Lane is better known than Batgirl outside of comics - but I doubt we'll see an All-Star Lois Lane.

And I don't think the timing of the announcement is a proclomation that Batgirl is more important than Flash or GL - not at all. By the time this book launches, I'm sure DC will officially announce All-Star Flash and All-Star GL books.

Hopefully they've learned a lesson, and not scheduled the run before giving the creative team some lead time. Putting a busy artist like Jim Lee on All-Star Batman without lead time means months-long delays. The same would be true, for example, with Neal Adams on All-Star GL, or George Perez on All-Star Flash.

I bet DC announces more All-Star titles with the remaining DCU icons in 2007 and 2008.

SouthtownKid · 09-03-2006, 05:36 PM

I'm really interested by this idea, but I hope very much that it doesn't lead into DC deciding to have Barbara become Batgirl again in the regular DCU.

Commander X · 09-03-2006, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Funketeer

I suppose it's only a matter of time before we see a Dini/Ross All Star Aquaman.

Okay, now, I'm not sure if that was sarcasm or what, but I would be ALL over that.

...having said that, though... and agreeing that those longing to see the rest of the JLA get the All-Star Treatment have a point... I'm excited about this. I've always enjoyed Barbara Gordon as Batgirl and I think this has the potential to be a fun series that can pull in new readers. If my understanding of this whole All-Star line is correct, and it is there to tell interesting, iconic stories about DC characters and pull in new readers, I think Batgirl is more capable of that than Red Tornado or Martian Manhunter (who might have been more interesting for those of us already reading). I think this is the first time I've ever seen something my mom would enjoy reading. Unless, of course, we get some of this:

"I'm the goddamned BATGIRL!"