Official : Bendis gets both books

[Superlad93]

I was thinking: wouldn't it be hilarious/amazing if Bendis somehow got Hickman to do the (possible/theoretical) Jon Kent book or even the Legion book (staring Jon more than likely)?

Like, I was just thinking back to what Rucka was saying about his Lois book, and what Bendis was saying about Fraction's book, and it dawned on me that both the Lois and Jimmy books are straight-up crowd pleasers in concept. It's like, what would a fan want Greg Rucka to make his Lois Lane book like? Basically Gotham Central, right? Or what would a fan of Matt Fraction want him to make his Jimmy Olsen book like? Basically Hawkeye. Bendis and Rucka both unambiguously say that's what the books are gonna be like.

So, now that Hickman is hitting the mainstream again, and, like Rucka and Fraction, is good friends with Bendis, could we maybe see him work under what is basically DC's Bendis branch? I mean, Fraction apparently swore off the two, but here he is writing Jimmy Olsen, right?

So, in the same sprite of "what would you want/assume they'd write it like" what if we see Hickman basically transplant the same sort of energy that he put into his Avengers run into an Legion run. Lots of people have already found pretty striking and likely deliberate parallels between the Legion and Hickman's Avengers line up, and Hickman himself said he'd love to write them some day.

But if the workload with X-Men, his creator owned stuff, and his TV stuff are too much, then I could see him doing a Jon Kent book that seems to be getting set up on some level in Superman right now. And the thing is, Hickman very famously turned his Fantastic Four run into basically a generational father/son story. And, as his fans are well aware, Hickman loves him some Superman, and crazy cosmic settings. The Son of Superman growing up in space under his estranged grandfather, then traveling to an alternate reality seem like it could be his jam.

Plus, this tweet from him recently is funny and accurate https://twitter.com/JHickman/status/1112199985792192513

Hickman: "Today on Batman’s 80th birthday we should celebrate Superman, who gracefully tolerates Batman and all his ridiculous bullshit."

Food for thought.

[bigstupidjellyfish]

I was thinking: wouldn't it be hilarious/amazing if Bendis somehow got Hickman to do the (possible/theoretical) Jon Kent book or even the Legion book (staring Jon more than likely)?

Like, I was just thinking back to what Rucka was saying about his Lois book, and what Bendis was saying about Fraction's book, and it dawned on me that both the Lois and Jimmy books are straight-up crowd pleasers in concept. It's like, what would a fan want Greg Rucka to make his Lois Lane book like? Basically Gotham Central, right? Or what would a fan of Matt Fraction want him to make his Jimmy Olsen book like? Basically Hawkeye. Bendis and Rucka both unambiguously say that's what the books are gonna be like.

So, now that Hickman is hitting the mainstream again, and, like Rucka and Fraction, is good friends with Bendis, could we maybe see him work under what is basically DC's Bendis branch? I mean, Fraction apparently swore off the two, but here he is writing Jimmy Olsen, right?

So, in the same sprite of "what would you want/assume they'd write it like" what if we see Hickman basically transplant the same sort of energy that he put into his Avengers run into an Legion run. Lots of people have already found pretty striking and likely deliberate parallels between the Legion and Hickman's Avengers line up, and Hickman himself said he'd love to write them some day.

But if the workload with X-Men, his creator owned stuff, and his TV stuff are too much, then I could see him doing a Jon Kent book that seems to be getting set up on some level in Superman right now. And the thing is, Hickman very famously turned his Fantastic Four run into basically a generational father/son story. And, as his fans are well aware, Hickman loves him some Superman, and crazy cosmic settings. The Son of Superman growing up in space under his estranged grandfather, then traveling to an alternate reality seem like it could be his jam.

Plus, this tweet from him recently is funny and accurate https://twitter.com/JHickman/status/1112199985792192513

Hickman: "Today on Batman’s 80th birthday we should celebrate Superman, who gracefully tolerates Batman and all his ridiculous bullshit."

Food for thought.

Hickman’s exclusive with Marvel. He’s been at the last few retreats (which are exclusive only). I’m pretty glad about that, I didn’t want Hickman to go to DC without writing X-Men and now he will be! (And if any of y’all think Marvel only got him for two six issue mini series, you are sorely mistaken)

[Vordan]

I was hoping Hickman would jump over to DC along with Fraction but the announcement that he’s on X-Men basically puts a halt to that idea. There’s no way Marvel doesn’t have him on an exclusive contract if they’re giving him control of the X-Franchise. And given Hickman’s love of the long-term storytelling it will be a while before he’s free again.

Hickman has repeatedly stated he’s a DC fan (he even said as much in the marketing for X-Men!) and he’s also said he wants to write the Legion of Super Heroes. I would be absolutely ecstatic to see him take on that team, or even Superman himself. There were rumors at one point that he would write LoSH, but Johns & Frank’s inability to get Doomsday Clock out on time basically killed that. I don’t know if that’s true but if it is I’m unbelievably PO at Didio, Lee, and Johns. That Hickman’s going around saying what a fan of DC he is yet Didio and Lee can’t get him to join DC says all you need to know about their competence. Johns better be writing LOSH himself if he did rob us of a Hickman run.

TL;DR I would love to see him on Legion or Superman, but Marvel probably has him on exclusive and it will be a while before he’s free again.

[Superlad93]

Hickman’s exclusive with Marvel. He’s been at the last few retreats (which are exclusive only). I’m pretty glad about that, I didn’t want Hickman to go to DC without writing X-Men and now he will be! (And if any of y’all think Marvel only got him for two six issue mini series, you are sorely mistaken)

Is he exclusive? Is that a hard confirm? I also wasn't aware the retreats were exclusive creators only. I feel like Charles Soule went to either a DC or Marvel retreat while he was writing at both places? But I could totally be wrong.

In any case, I think he'll make it to DC sooner rather than later. The atmosphere seems to be perfect for him. Hell, maybe Hickman will end up being Bendis successor after he's satisfied with his run a good long while from now? Just knowing he's in the main stream game again gives me hope for seeing him brush paths with a Superman property eventually.

[bigstupidjellyfish]

Is he exclusive? Is that a hard confirm? I also wasn't aware the retreats were exclusive creators only. I feel like Charles Soule went to either a DC or Marvel retreat while he was writing at both places? But I could totally be wrong.

In any case, I think he'll make it to DC sooner rather than later. The atmosphere seems to be perfect for him. Hell, maybe Hickman will end up being Bendis successor after he's satisfied with his run a good long while from now? Just knowing he's in the main stream game again gives me hope for seeing him brush paths with a Superman property eventually.

Marvel let Soule finish his Swamp Thing run while he was exclusive.

And yeah, I fully expect Hickman to go to DC, but not for a few years (three to five would be my guess). I’ll also admit that when there were rumors Hickman would be going to DC, I was not into the idea. One, he hadn’t done X-Men yet. Two, Legion wasn’t ready and the only other thing I thought he truly fit was Wild Storm stuff. I don’t think Rebirth was a good place for him to go to DC.

Also, imagine being so talented and also not giving a shit so much that you can essentially decry all your previous work at a publisher as “just a job,” while at an event for the publisher, and nobody bats a fucking eye. That’s hilarious, I aspire to be on that level.

[Superlad93]

Also didn't see tweet this https://twitter.com/JHickman/status/1103769035915907072

It starts with him saying "life of a freelancer."

I don't know if "everything" is supposed to mean that he's signed totally or still a freelancer. But then there's also the old "all comic creators are freelancers." So I dunno.

[Vordan]

If Marvel somehow hasn’t signed him with an exclusive contract then they must’ve been insanely desperate to get him onboard. Giving a guy total control of one of your biggest franchises when he could jump ship at any time is an insane risk I don’t see Marvel taking. I’d love to be wrong though.

[manwhohaseverything]

Is this happening before or after return of jon in Bendis books? If so, somebody else will be writing jon and damian after the whole age up fiasco before bendis's reunion for them. jon look 17-ish here. So jon might not be shipped off with the legion after all.

[Superlad93]

That not in continuity.

But, it does seem DC is making an effort to get the image of an older Jon out there.

[manwhohaseverything]

That not in continuity.

But, it does seem DC is making an effort to get the image of an older Jon out there.

Thanks. I didn't know dceased was a thing.

[Ascended]

Hickman: "Today on Batman’s 80th birthday we should celebrate Superman, who gracefully tolerates Batman and all his ridiculous bullshit."

Best thing ever.

Okay, what should Hickman write, if he were to ever join the Bendis branch? Hell, he can write any corner of the Super-verse and I'd be down with it. Legion. Steel. Olsen. I don't care, Hickman seems like a perfect fit for the Super-verse. But honestly, the only character from this corner of DC I want to see Hickman on is Superman himself. Hickman would be amazing with the Legion or any other title but Hickman on Superman is a dream.

That not in continuity.

Wait, that's DCEASED? And its not in continuity? Oh thank the gods, there won't be tie-ins.

[Sam]

That not in continuity.

But, it does seem DC is making an effort to get the image of an older Jon out there.

I don't know if that is meant to be an older Jon. It could be the art style since Damian still looks a bit older than Jon. Alternatively, both boys could be older for this if Tom Taylor felt zombifying older kids seemed less...awful.

[Vordan]

Yeah I think that’s just artistic choice. Jon doesn’t look 17, he looks about 13-14 years old. Still a kid but about Damian’s age in “canon”.

[Superlad93]

Okay, what should Hickman write, if he were to ever join the Bendis branch?

The choice that I thinking would make me very happy as a fan, and possibly make Hickman pretty happy as a writer/fan would be a Legion book that uses Jon Kent as its Super.

This all sort of goes back to my "what would you want/expect" theory that I think Bendis is actively going for when he hands off these properties to his friends. You look at Hickman, the big-idea-ensemble-space-opera guy, and I'd imagine Bendis would want him in a similar position at DC.

Or

A Jon Kent book playing off the now legendary work Hickman did with Franklin Richards and the generational father/son story in his Fantastic Four mega run. In this case, I think the idea would be to throw the strongest team behind a divisive idea to just bank on sheer quality of work making the case. Plus, I think Bendis himself really, really wants to take a crack at the Legion first. In my mind this is most likely (if it's a possibility at all) because similar to how Hickman's stealth Fantastic Four mega saga (this technically spans his Ultimates run, SHIELD run, Avengers run, New Avengers run, F4/FF obviously, and Secret Wars) makes stops in plays ball really with, and builds directly off Bendis ideas at Marvel. So, starting it with Jon while Bendis does (likely) Jon and the Legion, and then eventually getting the Legion himself makes sense to me.

Wishful thinking, yes, but then again, I'd say the same to the guy who would've told me Rucka is doing a Lois book like Gotham Central and Fraction is doing a Jimmy book like Hawkeye a few months ago, right?

[Dispenser Of Truth]

I tragically can't just post the image here, but on Instagram Bendis shared a Paquette panel from Leviathan Rising with Lois, Jimmy, and...others.