Geoff Johns

Seventy-three years ago this month, a strange new vision arrived in American pop culture, a brawny figure in blue with a flowing red cape and the ability to leap tall buildings in a single bound. The character of Superman has flown on into film, television, video games and every imaginable corner of entertainment, but he’s always remained tethered to his first home – Action Comics has been published every month since June 1938 and, in April, became the only American comic book title to reach a 900th issue. But, in a move that is either audacious or desperate — or a bit of both – DC Comics is making a break, at least in numbering, from the grand old series. In September, celebrated Scottish writer Grant Morrison and rising artist Ralph “Rags” Morales will start the series over with Action Comics No. 1, […]

The 2011 Hero Complex Film Festival is underway. Here’s a rundown of the day-by-day schedule. There will also be trivia, prizes and some very interesting surprises throughout the four-day program. THURSDAY DICK TRACY: Fourteen-time Oscar nominee Warren Beatty – the very definition of the Hollywood hyphenate as world-famous leading man, an acclaimed director and an elite producer — will be the opening-night guest for the 2011 Hero Complex Film Festival to celebrate his 1990 hit “Dick Tracy“ and talk about the film future of a square-jawed character who is celebrating his 80th anniversary as an iconic crime fighter in American pop culture. Beatty directed  “Dick Tracy,” which was nominated for seven Academy Awards and won three. He also starred as the title character, leading a stellar cast that included Al Pacino, Madonna, Dustin Hoffman,  Glenne Headly, Charlie Korsmo, Mandy Patinkin, Dick Van Dyke, William Forsythe, Kathy Bates, Charles Durning, James […]

DC Comics is going back to the starting point in September, renumbering its entire lineup of DC Universe titles with No. 1 and retooling nearly all of its major characters, including Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman. At the same time, the company, which has been publishing comics for 76 years, also said it would start selling digital copies of its printed ongoing superhero titles through apps and a website the same day they’re released in comic shops, a move dubbed by the industry as day-and-date sales. That will affect the company’s superhero titles. That means DC is joining a movement already embraced by Archie Comics, which began same-day digital and print sales in April, along with other smaller publishers. DC’s rival, Marvel Comics, has not yet implemented such a move but has routinely held more market share every year since […]

Superstar comics creators Geoff Johns and Jim Lee say they are bringing bombshell announcements about the future of Superman and the entire DC Universe to the Hero Complex Film Festival on June 11. The DC leadership duo will be interviewed on stage by Hero Complex lead writer Geoff Boucher as part of the still-expanding Saturday program. Single-day tickets for Saturday are $45 and include a double feature of “Superman” and “Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut,” as well as an on-stage interview with Donner, the director who brought the Man of Steel to the screen in historic fashion in the 1970s. Surprise guests, prize giveaways and more programming will make the day a must-not-miss moment for DC fans and Hero Complex readers. The 2011 Hero Complex Film Festival runs June 9-12 at the Chinese Six Theatre at Hollywood and Highland. A limited number of discounted four-day passes […]

“Not a dream, not an imaginary story, not an elseworld. This is Flash Fact: When Barry Allen wakes at his desk, he discovers the world has changed … ” That’s how DC Comics is describing its new “event,” a major story arc in which a change in the time line creates a world where Hal Jordan never became Green Lantern,  the name Superman means nothing to the public and Europe was flooded during a war between a certain Amazon princess and the king of  the seven seas. Go to The Source on Wednesday at 8 a.m.  EDT for more on the intriguing new story line. – Geoff Boucher RECENT AND RELATED: Steve Niles scares up laughs with “Doc Macabre” Mignola on Kirby, Hollywood and one strange night in Prague Johns and Nelson usher in new DC era VIDEO: Jim Lee gives seven-minute […]

It’s Geoff Johns’ universe, we just live in it. That’s how it feels these days for DC fans who find the prolific and passionate creator playing a key role in the feature film (“Green Lantern,” which hits theaters on June 17), on television’s (“Smallville,” which ends it decade-long run on Friday), in cyberspace (DC Universe Online)  and, of course, the comics, where he’s filled entire bookshelves with tales of Flash,  Green Lantern, Superman and many, many others. If you want to meet Johns, here’s the brightest day to do so: Saturday is Free Comic Book Day and the chief creative officer of DC Entertainment will be  appearing at Earth 2 in Los Angeles from noon to 2 p.m. at the Sherman Oaks location (15017 Ventura Blvd.) and from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Northridge location (8967 Reseda Blvd.). He’ll be signing a special edition of “Green Lantern,” […]

Look, up in the sky … yes, that’s right, Hollywood is again returning to Metropolis to chronicle the adventures of the most famous super-hero of them all, Superman. We’ve put together a photo gallery with the filmmakers, cast, executives and interested bystanders in this project that promises to be one of the most-anticipated films of 2012. Click on the gallery’s  ”VIEW CAPTIONS” option to read the inside scoop on each of the players. The big question for everyone: Will the character created during the Roosevelt administration still fly with contemporary audiences? – Geoff Boucher RECENT AND RELATED Eastwood: I was offered Superman role in ’70s Snyder: My favorite Superman artist is… Grant Morrison on the socialist Superman Morrison to Hollywood: Make Superman a “brawler” Look, up in the sky it’s … Henry Cavill Synder: Superman is a tough one to crack U.K. actors now play Superman, Batman, […]

The hardcover collection “The Flash: The Dastardly Death of the Rogues” has landed on store shelves, and with the writing of Geoff Johns and the art of Francis Manapul, it conveys the velocity of the Fastest Man Alive with ingenuity and grace, whether he’s dashing across the rotors of a helicopter, snatching bullets out of the air or dismantling a careening car before it hits the ground. It’s not easy to get rising artist Manapul to sit still — the Philippines native and Toronto resident is well known for his globetrotting as co-host of the television series “Beast Legends” — but I caught up with him recently to discuss his need for speed and the rich ink-wash tones he brings to bear on the Flash. GB: There may be no character that is more inherently kinetic than the Flash. That must be an enticing opportunity for a comic-book artist. FM: […]

Put a ring on it — DC and Warner Bros. have circled WonderCon in San Francisco to showcase their new approach to Hollywood heroes. On April 1, three stars from the upcoming film “Green Lantern” will sign autographs for an hour and then take the stage for a panel discussion about the June 17 film that Warner Bros. executives hope will mark a new chapter in the silver-screen life of the DC Comics library. The watchword of the new approach is synergy, and a Warner Bros. news release on Monday morning shows the all-hands-on-deck approach in San Francisco. Here’s an excerpt from the release: Following the opening day panel, Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps will have a deep and diverse presence throughout the weekend due to the combined efforts of DC Entertainment (DCE) and the various divisions of Warner […]

Los Angeles Times business writer Ben Fritz and I wrote a cover story that ran Wednesday in the paper’s Calendar section and this is a much longer verison of that article. The premiere for Marvel Studios’ “Iron Man 2” shut down Hollywood Boulevard in May with the year’s most bombastic red-carpet event, featuring fireworks, a heavy-metal soundtrack, go-go dancers and a parade of celebrities that included Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Mickey Rourke and Hugh Hefner. Walking through it all were two outsiders of a sort: Diane Nelson and Geoff Johns. The industry odd couple — she previously managed the Harry Potter brand for Warner Bros. but had no experience in comics, he’s a fan-favorite comic-book writer who had never worked at a studio — are the president and chief creative officer, respectively, of DC Entertainment, main comic-book rival to Marvel. Their task […]