JIM LEE TALKS WORLDSTORM/ALL STAR BATMAN: Part 1

[MattBrady]

With the Wildstorm relaunch/revamp “Worldstorm” in full force, Newsarama thought it was time to check in with Jim Lee for a chat about the new Wildstorm Universe and its future, Wildcats, as well as All-Star Batman & Robin: The Boy Wonder and issues surrounding that title.

In Part One of our chat, Lee responds to question regarding the schedules of both Wildcats and All Star Batman, and why both have suffered delays..

Newsarama: Jim, we were going to start off talking Wildcats and your style, but something came up that we need to touch on first - DC announced recently that Wildcats #2 is delayed until March of next year. What happened there?

Jim Lee: Well, the book is late - blame squarely on my shoulders - and will continue to run late so it had to be resolicited. The way Diamond solicitations are set up, the earliest it could be resolicited for is March. In other words, once you take a book off the shipping schedule, the earliest it can be resolicited for is 4 months later because that is the lead time Diamond requires to put it in Diamond Previews for offer to retailers.

That said, issue #2 will ship before March. Exactly when depends on when Grant Morrison and I get it finished but it would be pretty sad if it took that long. It's comics, not the Great Pyramid. Your average comic should take a month to do, give or take a week. Becoming more efficient and for lack of a better word, more ruthless, with my time and commitments is the only solution.

NRAMA: Likewise, All-Star Batman and Robin #5 has been delayed until the end of January, making #4 the only issue of the series that came out this year. What happened there?

JL: Obviously I got overextended. I think DC wanted to be extra cautious on release dates and pushed everything back to give me some breathing room and retailers and fans a guaranteed release date more or less. Again, the aim is to come out before. I've been in this spot before and I know how to get out. It can't be done overnight. Drawing comics is like running a marathon; you take it one step at a time. 2006 has been really grueling for me, partly because of adjusting to new work responsibilities, partly for personal, family reasons.

2007 will be markedly different. It has to. No one wants to work with a creator who doesn't deliver. Wildcats with Grant Morrison and All-Star Batman and Robin with Frank Miller are my dream projects...I want to give my all to make them as good as they deserve to be.

NRAMA: Prior to this, you did two virtually on-time runs on Batman and Superman...what made those runs so different from these? What makes that Jim Lee different from Jim Lee, circa the waning months of 2006?

JL: I think getting Batman: Hush and Superman: For Tomorrow out on time made me a bit overconfident in what I could handle workwise and taking on the DC MMO project is what broke the camel's back. Too much work, too little time and way too many covers for other projects. Saying 'no' isn't as easy as it sounds, especially when you have a lot of good people who are your friends asking you for a favor here, a favor there. I guess I would ask the fans a favor and ask for a bit more patience. I know it sucks waiting for comics you love and want to read. It pains no one more than me not being able to deliver. But again, it's going to take time. Two pages a day is my max speed and that's really burning the candle on both ends. And that's when I have the opportunity to sit down and draw. I just want the retailers and fans to know it's not because I don't care or that I'm lazy.

NRAMA: Taking ASB&R as an example, you've said on the record that Frank is moving along fine, and that the delays aren't his fault. So why not bow out? Why not, say, but a Shane (Mystery in Space) Davis inked by Scott (to match your style), or another team altogether on there, and have the book pull back to a regular schedule? Is there a "pride of ownership" type issue involved?

JL: Definitely pride of ownership. I would have not worked on Batman for a good while but getting the chance to work with Frank is what brought me back. Frank and I have talked about working together for a good while now and so I know he's onboard to work with me as well. I can't let him or the fans down so it's not a situation where I can just take a hiatus. That cure would be worse than the problem. But yes, for the record, Frank has been amazing in his professionalism. I just need to buckle down and really find that extra reserve of energy to get this all sorted out. I will be working through the holidays for sure.

NRAMA: As a creator, what effects do theses types of delays have on your output? Does the progressive lateness spur you along when you can get to the pages, or does it induce almost more or a paralysis, that is, the mountain just got that much higher with each delay?

JL: No, I've been pretty good about not being paralyzed when it gets like that. Pressure has always made me work harder, faster. And honestly, hearing how the fan community is upset with the lateness is good too. It gets you motivated each and every morning.

NRAMA: At the same time, you're in a relatively unique position in that, while being an extremely popular creator, you're also an employee (officer of the company?) - is there a point where your responsibility to the company will outweigh the desire to be the sole artist on these two books?

JL: No, I think if I had to choose, I would be a freelance artist. I just enjoy telling stories and drawing comics too much. It's what makes the whole business of comics fun. If it was all about editorial, or all about marketing or all about business, it would feel too much like a 'real job.' I'm doing what I love and there's nothing better like that in the world. Nothing…

Look for Part Two on Thursday as we continue out chat with Jim Lee…

[dmarvp]

First post ? hehe . I wish I could believe more in Jim Lee's words but with just ONE issue of ASB&R this year... well... let's just say that it gets kinda hard to. Hope i'm wrong .

[SportyFork]

I appreciate Lee doing this interview.

[Crump's Brother]

Thanks, Jim, for being honest. You can blame him of overextending his abilities, but not for being excited about possible involvement in great projects. Now, all we have to do is wait.

[ColourMan]

I like that there was an interview to address the lateness. Kudos to Jim and Newsarama.

[JoeGKushner]

I just hope the next post isn't delayed to March.

Someone had to say it!

[tyopot]

well at least jim lee still draws comics and is still having fun
unlike todd mcfarlane.whose gotten so lazy.

[StrangeMark]

Originally Posted by MattBrady

JL: I think getting Batman: Hush and Superman: For Tomorrow out on time made me a bit overconfident in what I could handle workwise and taking on the DC MMO project is what broke the camel's back.

What does MMO mean? Am I being really stupid here?

[defjoe]

jim's a good guy. He has come so far as an artist. I like it that he is straight up. He says "I'm to blame and i just overextended myself"

Good for him, that just made me more of a fan.

[Black Beetle]

Originally Posted by SportyFork

I appreciate Lee doing this interview.

Same here. Does it get annoying having to wait on books? Yeah. But, I appreciate him explaining the situation.

[jaredgood1]

While I'm happy to see them succeed, it's a shame that so many good artists wind up moving away from drawing full time (Lee, McFarlane, Quesada, etc.).

[Space Canuck]

I think that DC really dropped the ball on their line of All-Star comics. DC has said that All-Star's are not copies of the concept of Marvel's Ultimate line, but they should have tried to copy the success. They put the best of the best on these titles but how many issues have they put out? They have not been able to create a real imprint out the All-Star concept.

Getting and developing talents the way Marvel did with Bendis, Millar, Kubert, Bagley along with getting lots of great material out was the reason behind the Ultimate Universe's success.

Perhaps this would have made a better mini-series.

Space Canuck

[KyleCowstar]

Whatever happened to Korean honor? Jim would have a sword in his heart if he were truely sorry! I call shenanigans!

Or wait...is it the Japanese who do that?

[Prometheus3]

At least Jim Lee is honest.

[CodeGuy]

Originally Posted by StrangeMark

What does MMO mean? Am I being really stupid here?

Massively Multiplayer Online game. World of Warcraft is one of those. He's been doing concept art work for a video game based in the DC universe.

[smitch]

Very good interview, both the interviewer and the interviewee. This is the type of stuff you never see in Wizard! I may let my subscription run out on that...

[Kolimar]

Originally Posted by Crump's Brother

Thanks, Jim, for being honest. You can blame him of overextending his abilities, but not for being excited about possible involvement in great projects. Now, all we have to do is wait.

Agreed.

[whippis]

Yeah let's all have a lovefest becasue they guy comes forward and says he can't deliever on what he promises- on Bi-monthly titles no less. Person to person I hope all is well with him. Comsumer to Producer I could not possible care less. I want the product when promised not an interview & apology.

I wish comics were big business if for no other reason than delays would translate into real money and therefore not be tolerated.

BOYCOTT LATENESS. DROP THESE TITLES. I have.

Nothing personal, just business.

[Grendel Prime]

I know a lot of people will complain about the lateness (I know I have been disappointed), but I also think a lot of people will still buy these books when they do eventually hit the shelves.

[Batmite79]

Originally Posted by StrangeMark

What does MMO mean? Am I being really stupid here?

Massively Multimedia Online. He's referring to the DC online RPG he's designing characters for.

[jeircho]

Yeah, he wants to make apologies? Tell him to have Frank Miller apologize for the atrocious story that's currently being written for one of the best characters in comics.

I love his art but this is the second time he hooked up with a great writer on a crappy storyline (please see SUPERMAN with Brian Azzarello for said crappy story).

Even Jim Lee's amazing art couldn't save that book.

PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD GET A REAL WRITER TO WRITE A STORY WORTHY OF JIM LEE AND THE TITLE ALL STAR BATMAN!

[paulski]

Originally Posted by Black Beetle

Same here. Does it get annoying having to wait on books? Yeah. But, I appreciate him explaining the situation.

Absolutely. As ridiculous as these delays are - and they are mighty ridiculous - at least he's got the balls to step up and say "Hey, my bad. I'm trying my hardest to fix things".

That's extremely gutsy. Now, of course, he has to back it all up, too. That's even harder.

[Skatonic10]

I'm glad he sat down to do the interview, but I'm pretty sure it was scheduled for 3 months ago.

I'm also hoping that the delays mean that there is a stockpile of completed work in his office and that we will get at least a few issues of each in the first half of next year.

[Kolimar]

Originally Posted by KyleCowstar

Whatever happened to Korean honor? Jim would have a sword in his heart if he were truely sorry! I call shenanigans!

Or wait...is it the Japanese who do that?

None. The Japanese commit Seppuku by disemboweling themselves.

[Andrew.T]

And I appreciate him doing this interview.

I genuinely hope he understands the reason for the intense backlash people -- myself -- have given him. He said it himself, A COMIC TAKES ONLY A MONTH TO DRAW. As a consumer, who invested in 4 episodes of the story -- which at 2.99 is already 12.00 -- I'd like to know why I haven't seen another installment all year.

If the comic takes only one month to draw, does that mean he hasn't drawn an issue in 11 months?

There was lots of press when ASB&R first came out and many people bought it. Now, there hasn't been another new issue in 11 months, do you think any of those new readers drawn in by outside press (newspapers, EW Weekly, etc) still care or remember the series?

Thing is, you missed the boat. You burn a new reader this bad, making them wait 11 months for the next installment of a story, chances are, they aren't coming back because the new reader isn't your regular weekly comic shopper, who will be there when the next issue ships even if it ships ten years from now -- hey look, people are still waiting for the George Perez New Teen Titans Graphic Novel fifteen years later even though DC has said it's cancelled!

But new readers aren't that patient. And as a regular reader, I feel I've been burned by Jim Lee way too often, buying comics of his that rarely ship. Yes, he shipped Batman for a year on time but that's more of bonus than the norm. His books just don't ship and as a reader, I can't be bothered with his stuff anymore. To have to wait months on end for the next episode of a story just isn't that important. For those who can, great.

And DC really has to take some of the blame for this as well.

Those dopes kept soliciting ASB&R all year, for months with no delivery to stores. Now, as Jim Lee said, it takes only a month to draw an issue. So, if there has been no new issue in ll months, chances are, he hasn't drawn it yet. And if he hasn't drawn it yet, DC shouldn't be soliciting for comics that aren't complete.

All Star Batman and Robin is the biggest wart on DC's portfolio but it is by far not the only one. In fact, none of DC's books ship on time so ASB&R isn't an isolated incident anymore, just the ugliest.

In fact, if you read the last page of a DC Comic called DC Nation, there's a box which shows the cover to the next issue you're holding then a blurb depicting three covers also shipping 'THIS WEEK' which means same week as the comic you're holding.

Nine out of ten times, those comics didn't ship even though they say In Stores This Week.

So while yes, Jim Lee may not have delivered an issue of ASB&R all year, DC has been a mess with their shipping. Even their website shipping dates are wonky. So, if DC's own staffers don't know when their books are shipping, either that doesn't say much for DC staffers or the comics publishing industry is just more of a mess than we all think.