Is it time for Grant Morrison to replace Geoff Johns at DC?

[Ascended]

Hey, if Johns wants to be in the trenches, I'm happy to have him there (as long as he stays away from my Superman)! I don't want a decent person stuck in a job they don't want and Johns seems like a good guy. Hell, if nothing else he's a former fan who made it into the big leagues so I'm in his corner just because of that.

But I do think he's done a good job in the role (or, seems to have; it's hard to tell from this side of things) and am sorry to see him leave it. And maybe this is nothing more than Johns saying he wants to step back down to a job he likes more, and Lee stepped up. But we've seen lots of shake-ups at WB and DC over the last few years, and that sort of frequent administrative change is usually a bad sign. Not always, but often enough so that it raises red flags when I see it. I don't put any stock in rumors, but there's also been plenty of those flying around about Didio and Johns playing a tug-of-war with the company too.

Whatever is going on behind closed doors, it's ultimately not our business. Our business is the quality of the books sitting on the stands. As long as that maintains quality I'll be more than satisfied. And I wish Lee and Johns both all the best. I hope they're both happy where they are and they both do a good job (for their benefit as well as our's). But being a business student going into the entertainment industry post-graduation, I can't help but be a little curious about the details. And being a grumpy old fan (when the hell did that happen to me??) it's hard not to be a little cynical.

[dancj]

Anyone who knows me here probably knows that I loathe Johns' work on Superman and generally feel that he should stay away from the Trinity completely. But his work with other IP's is generally excellent and he has a knack for digging into the very heart of a property, weaving loose continuity strands together, and creating a product that honors the past without being a complete and total slave to

Strange. Between Superman and the Legion of Superheroes, Braniac and Escape from Bizzaro World, I think Johns has written some of the best Superman stories in recent years - and that those Superman stories are some of the best stories Johns has ever written. The only ones which might trump them are his earlier Flash stories - when Scott Kolins was on the art.

[BatmanJones]

Well, I'm an old fan. I'm just not grumpy.

I just don't see it as chaos and upheaval. I just see it as one man wanting to return to what he really loves doing, and another one filling his spot.

Jim Lee hasn't been heavily involved in the making of comics in a long time, so being in the front office away from that maybe really what he wants to do these days. Whereas Johns appears to be somebody who would much rather be down in the trenches making comics.

We'll soon see how this all shakes out.

You're my favorite kind of fan, one that is looking for books to love rather than looking for books to hate and trash. There's so much of that in any comics forum and your positivity is a breath of fresh air. Keep posting please.

[Ascended]

Strange. Between Superman and the Legion of Superheroes, Braniac and Escape from Bizzaro World, I think Johns has written some of the best Superman stories in recent years - and that those Superman stories are some of the best stories Johns has ever written. The only ones which might trump them are his earlier Flash stories - when Scott Kolins was on the art.

Eh, different strokes and all that.

I did like Superman and the Legion. It was more of a Legion story than a Superman one, but it was good. Brainiac was solid but I feel like Johns really missed the point of Brainiac when it became a big slugfest at the end. And.....I don't remember Escape from Bizarro World so I might not have read that one.

My opinion on Johns' Superman is in the minority, I know. Most people seem to like what he does there. But for me, he writes a painfully bland and boring Superman and Johns is far too obsessed with writing Clark as "one of us" when the truth is, he's not. He's not like us, he's not human, wouldn't want to be if he had the choice, and attempts to "humanify" him usually leave me cold as hell.

But that's just me. I'm glad you enjoy his work on the character.

[Mar-Vell]

Hey, if Johns wants to be in the trenches, I'm happy to have him there (as long as he stays away from my Superman)! I don't want a decent person stuck in a job they don't want and Johns seems like a good guy. Hell, if nothing else he's a former fan who made it into the big leagues so I'm in his corner just because of that.

But I do think he's done a good job in the role (or, seems to have; it's hard to tell from this side of things) and am sorry to see him leave it. And maybe this is nothing more than Johns saying he wants to step back down to a job he likes more, and Lee stepped up. But we've seen lots of shake-ups at WB and DC over the last few years, and that sort of frequent administrative change is usually a bad sign. Not always, but often enough so that it raises red flags when I see it. I don't put any stock in rumors, but there's also been plenty of those flying around about Didio and Johns playing a tug-of-war with the company too.

Whatever is going on behind closed doors, it's ultimately not our business. Our business is the quality of the books sitting on the stands. As long as that maintains quality I'll be more than satisfied. And I wish Lee and Johns both all the best. I hope they're both happy where they are and they both do a good job (for their benefit as well as our's). But being a business student going into the entertainment industry post-graduation, I can't help but be a little curious about the details. And being a grumpy old fan (when the hell did that happen to me??) it's hard not to be a little cynical.

Well, at least we can agree on two things:
1. You're a grumpy old fan.
2. We're hoping for the best from DC.

That's not so bad.

You're my favorite kind of fan, one that is looking for books to love rather than looking for books to hate and trash. There's so much of that in any comics forum and your positivity is a breath of fresh air. Keep posting please.

Thank you for the kind words, BJ!

It's funny coming from you because I've actually been taking a big notice of your posts also. Always well stated and never mean spirited. Most of the time I'm in agreement with you, especially when you rave about Tom King on Batman. He is superb! I didn't start reading Batman regularly until he came on. Also loved him on Omega Men, and still loving him on Mr. Miracle.

I'll keep posting as much as I can. I had a lot of time in the last month because I was off work caring for my awesome wife who had major surgery. I'm back at work so I'll do my best!

[dancj]

Brainiac was solid but I feel like Johns really missed the point of Brainiac when it became a big slugfest at the end.

I do agree with that, but he wrote it well enough (and Gary Frank drew it well enough) that I didn't mind.

[PunishedFire]

I would love for Morrison to head the creative direction of DC. He is one of my all time favorite writers and he really gets the core of characters like Superman (something VERY few writers get) and Batman and Wonder Woman.

[Ascended]

Well, at least we can agree on two things:
1. You're a grumpy old fan.
2. We're hoping for the best from DC.

That's not so bad.

Ha!

Wait, I mean, Grrr, damn kids, get off my lawn!!

[Zodlike]

Not at DC, no. However, if he started his own imprint (an Independent comics line) and hired writers who won't get fair treatment or creative license at the Big Two, acting as editor-in-chief say, that could conceivably be great.