Waiting for Goyer, Part 2 (Mania.com)

By:Arnold T. Blumberg
Date: Saturday, November 24, 2001

In the first part of our two part chat with comic book and film scribe David Goyer, we uncovered some details behind his upcoming JLA/JSA hardcover project. But that exciting and eagerly anticipated crossover is just the beginning. Not only will the crossover have repercussions on the mainstream line, but Goyer also has plans to alter the status quo in the ongoing JSA title as well.

Hawkman returns in JSA #23.

"There will be some big shake-ups starting with my first issue back," says Goyer. "Geoff and I always looked at #1 through #25 as sort of the first half, and then there was a little hiatus from the stories that Jeff's been doing, and then #32 to #50 is kind of the second half. There's going to be some major, major shake-ups starting with issue #32. All I'll say is that the membership on the team that exists now will certainly not be the membership that exists when we are done."

Although Goyer is focusing on the DC Universe at present, for many comic book and genre entertainment fans, the Goyer name has turned up most often recently in reports about Marvel comic book film adaptations. So the obvious question is: has Marvel approached Goyer about scripting a comic book for their publishing arm?

Cover to JSA #22.

"Joe Quesada called me today about two hours ago," says Goyer. "He called me and said, 'We have to get you involved in something. There was a period where I was talking about maybe doing the BLADE adaptation, but I just don't have the time right now." Even though time is an issue, Goyer doesn't consider writing some comic book exploits of the Vampire Hunter a dead topic.

"I'd like to do some kind of BLADE one shot or something. I don't have enough time to do more than one comic book at a time, but I wouldn't mind taking a whack at one of the other mainstream Marvel titles just for fun." His experience on JSA may have influenced Goyer's thinking on what he'd like to tackle for the House of Ideas.

"I'd like to do a solo book as opposed to having to juggle fifteen characters. In JSA, there are so many characters and so much friggin' continuity that you have to trim them down. It's a big pain in the ass."

Continuity isn't the only problem. Goyer also has his share of pressure from the editors, a necessary evil in any of these endeavors.

"Oh we get [pressure]," says Goyer. "It's a nightmare. It's a pain." So why do it at all?

"At the time I never had written a comic book before, and I thought it would be interesting. Frankly I was really intrigued by the challenge of seeing if you could revitalize a team of old folks and make them evolve." Obviously, Goyer figured it out, as the sales reports have clearly shown.

An ancient Thanagarian spaceship is uncovered in JSA #21.

"[It's] certainly been effective. It's been one of DC's five best selling titles and there's a host of [merchandise]. I know a big [part] of the merchandise being made from the old JSA is a direct result of this sort of newfound popularity, so I am very proud of the fact that the book consistently outsells Batman and most of the Superman titles." Goyer is also pleased with the fact that this success came out of nowhere for a lot of comic book fans...and undoubtedly some editors and executives as well.

"A lot of people said it couldn't be done," says Goyer. "I just like the challenge of it. Somebody also challenged us to include Mr. Terrific. It was Ellie Williams, the assistant editor at the time, who said, 'Make it cool.'" Out of such an unlikely request, Goyer fashioned a star.

"Now he's a really popular character in JSA, and that's what we do. Everybody wanted us to do Captain Marvel in the book, but we thought we'd throw them a curve ball and bring in Black Adam instead. So it was just an old-fashioned challenge. There's a bunch of stuff coming up that I think will make people freak out."

Getting back to the pressing question concerning Goyer's involvement in a future Marvel Comics project, is there anything on the boards, or just an open door waiting for him down Quesada way?

"Maybe I will do some kind of BLADE one-shot, but aside from that, I think it would have to wait until my JSA line is done. But we talked, and I think somewhere down the line I will do something for Marvel."

Vague though it may be, for fans of David Goyer's work eager to see him take on a Marvel series, this tantalizing tidbit will have to suffice. As for readers of the Justice Society, this popular scribe is certain to take them on an exciting journey; for them, waiting for Goyer ends in January.