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with Geoff Johns
Interview
with: Troy
Brownfield
 Our
guest for this particular Big Question has leaped to the forefront
of comics in the past couple of years. Drawing notice for
writing the extremely appealing Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E., he
also took a crack at another young hero by co-writing the
Beast Boy mini-series. Currently, he co-writes the increasingly
popular JSA with David Goyer, and is busy making The Flash
his own with innovative ideas and stories that crackle with
creative energy. Soon, he'll be helping DC launch a brand-new
Hawkman that spins out of the current JSA book.
He's also been hard at work in Hollywood, working on projects
like Mel Gibson's Conspiracy Theory, the just-released Superman
DVD, and a potential new TV series.
Everyone, let's welcome Geoff Johns!
THE BIG Q&A
Q1.
You faced the unenviable task of having to follow Mark Waid's
nine-year run on The Flash, yet you've really made
the book your own in a few short months. Has the weight of
expectation changed your approach at all, and what are some
of the goals that you have in order to personally distinguish
the series?
A1.
My goals are simple: to revitalize the Rogues Gallery and
to re-establish Keystone City are at the top of my list. But
really, Scott and I are just trying to make good, fun comics
with cool action, intrigue and an edge. It's of course, daunting
to follow Mark Waid, but we've done it and I think we've done
it well.
Q2.
Tell us a little bit about the often-mentioned "Iron Heights"
project.
A2.
Iron Heights is a the never-seen prison outside of Keystone
City. Only one costumed villain has ever escaped (you'll have
to read Iron Heights to find out who) and so Flash has not
had to deal with the institution much. The one-shot basically
adds an entirely new element to the Flash mythology. As I
was talking about Rogues earlier, we need someplace to put
them. Someplace different than Arkham or the other DCU prisons.
This is what we set out to do with IRON HEIGHTS. We'll also
be introducing several new faces to the Rogues Gallery.
Q3.
Give us some background on your work in Hollywood, please.
A3.
I began working as Richard Donner's assistant on Conspiracy
Theory and Lethal Weapon IV, then I started doing more producing.
Helped put together the Superman Special Edition DVD and the
upcoming Goonies Special Edition. I'm currently working on
producing and writing a possible tv show which I can't talk
about yet - as it's not officially set up, much thanks to
the Hollywood Strike.
Q4.
I was a big booster of your Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. series.
I found it to be very realistic in terms of your approach
to teenagers. Is there a possibility that it might yet get
a chance to blossom in another format or media?
A4.
I'd love to, but who knows. I think it would've made a great
cartoon.
Q5.
Following up a bit on Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. continuity, how
did the notion of Courtney being married to Al (Atom-Smasher)
in the future evolve?
A5.
It's just a possible future. Just a fun idea to throw around.
Q6.
I have to ask: do you have any plans for Rick Tyler or the
other currently-in-limbo Infinity Inc. cast members, like
Northwind?
A6.
No plans.
Q7.
A bit of a conceptual question: name one Golden Age character
that you'd NEVER use, and why.
A7.
There's actually probably more than one. The thing is,
you can't keep re-hashing old characters just because they're
old. You have to mix in the new or you're not adding anything
to the mythology. I would have to say I don't dislike any
in particular.
Q8.
Do you have any plans to delve into the history of the JSA,
such as in a JSA Year One type of format?
A8.
Nope. Just forge ahead into the future. Someone else can do
past stories - oh, but we will have some Times Past JSA tales
in Hawkman on occasion.
Q9.
The characters that you deal with have a huge legacy; what
would you like your legacy of working with them to be?
A9.
Just to keep them growing as characters.
Q10.
Looking to the future as opposed to the past for a moment,
I've heard that you plan to depart the series around issue
#50. If you can say, is that the plan, and where do you plan
to go?
A10.
David Goyer plans to leave around 50. I'm not going anywhere
for the time being. I'm working on the three books I'd choose:
The Flash, JSA and Hawkman.
Q11.
Last one: what's the craziest storyline request that a fan
has ever made of you?
A11.
Craziest? Lots of them. But some might just work.
ShotgunReviews.com
would like to thank Geoff Johns for a being a guest in the
Big Question. Grab onto his work in his three monthlies (counting
the upcoming Hawkman), and catch up on JSA with the "Justice
Be Done" trade paperback.
As always,
if you have someone that you'd like to suggest for a Big Question,
let Troy know at psikotyk@aol.com.
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