Ask Kurt Busiek

[Kurt Busiek]

Thanks for your insightful look into Dr Fate and I would love to read a "round table" of magic users by you Kurt! Bring it on!

P.S. I also prefer the Dr Fate power-house, not the newbie Green Lantern!

I don't think it's necessary for him to be a "powerhouse" (though most versions of Fate are powerful), so much as knowledgable and experienced. Fate, at least to me, feels like he works best when he's an expert -- the wise hero who knows what they're doing and can advise and warn others, not an improviser or beginner.

Let Second-Year Med Student Fate be the beginner.

kdb

[DrNewGod]

I don't think it's necessary for him to be a "powerhouse" (though most versions of Fate are powerful), so much as knowledgable and experienced. Fate, at least to me, feels like he works best when he's an expert -- the wise hero who knows what they're doing and can advise and warn others, not an improviser or beginner.

Let Second-Year Med Student Fate be the beginner.

kdb

I always had this image of Dr. Fate as DC's mystical Iron Man, with Nabu as his Yinsen who continually whispers knowledge (and attitudes) in his head. Each of his accoutrements (amulet, gauntlets, belt, etc.) as his armor, each piece a focus for a different part of his power. But in the end, the sorcerer at the core of it is Kent Nelson, Nabu's apprentice, who continually struggles to negotiate surfing on an avalanche of power.

[Kubert]

If Marvel / DC wanted to do a crossover, I'd be happy to play

-- I'd be happy to be involved. It'd be nice if they'd start my getting the old ones back in print, though. They could do that without it taking much time, so the stores could have them to sell faster.

kdb

Superb idea!!! Both companies do sell dollar reprints. And these new fans by the many milllions did miss out on these. It can surely pave the way for a future crossover. Meanwhile, love to see past crossovers, grace comic shop shelves again!

[Johnny Thunders!]

What do you think of the Batman and Superman friendship? How do you see the 2 heroes?

[Kurt Busiek]

What do you think of the Batman and Superman friendship? How do you see the 2 heroes?

Pre-Crisis, I thought they made great friends, in part because they were the only people they could really relax around. The Kents were dead, Lois didn't know the secret, so Superman was isolated. More people knew Batman's secret, but they tended to be employees or mentees, which is a different relationship. And the rest of the JLA knew, but they were still kind of at a remove from them. So the Batcave was where Bruce could just be Bruce and Clark would get it, and vice versa.

Post-Crisis, there was a lot more complexity and suspicion keeping them apart, and I haven't really kept up on them enough to judge how it is today.

But I think they make good friends, when the people running the company and creating their adventures let them. They're coming from very different places -- Bruce is the human who pushes himself to be more, and Clark is the alien who seeks human connection. Bruce is someone who seeks truth as a weapon against the guilty, Clark is a reporter who seeks truth to inform the innocent. One's a protector at heart, one an avenger. But they can understand the other one, and interact from a position of respect and empathy.

[Vordan]

Can we ask your opinion on classic DC storylines? Because as someone who grew up with Pre-Crisis, I would love to know how you feel about The Dark Knight Returns.

[Johnny Thunders!]

Wow thanks for the response! Big fan of Jack In the Box and the whole Astro City Saga. I wish they would make some big oversized books.

I am about to dive into Marvels the 25th Edition. If you could do a DC version of Marvels, where do you start your story? What's the Golden Age Human Torch moment?

[Kurt Busiek]

Can we ask your opinion on classic DC storylines? Because as someone who grew up with Pre-Crisis, I would love to know how you feel about The Dark Knight Returns.

I liked DARK KNIGHT fine. But I'd rather not review comics on request -- I've got no problem giving opinions on stuff I choose to give opinions on, but I'd just rather not do it on request.

kdb

[Kurt Busiek]

Wow thanks for the response! Big fan of Jack In the Box and the whole Astro City Saga. I wish they would make some big oversized books.

I am about to dive into Marvels the 25th Edition. If you could do a DC version of Marvels, where do you start your story? What's the Golden Age Human Torch moment?

The problem with doing a DC version of MARVELS is that DC keeps blowing up their history and reworking it, so that long chain of "historic events" isn't there. It's been replaced by a history that's reorganized by fiat, not one that readers have a long affection for because they read it when they were younger. The stuff they have affection for got revised into something else.

For instance, whenever I think of doing a DC version of MARVELS, my mind immediately goes to the ticker-tape parade when Superman introduced the world to Supergirl. But it "didn't happen" any more. So I don't really think a DC version of MARVELS can be done, not in the same way.

That said, I recently came up with an idea for what could be a DC project that works a lot like MARVELS did in some ways, but has a very different spin to it. But I won't explain it here, because who knows, maybe I'll get to do it someday.

kdb

[Johnny Thunders!]

The problem with doing a DC version of MARVELS is that DC keeps blowing up their history and reworking it, so that long chain of "historic events" isn't there. It's been replaced by a history that's reorganized by fiat, not one that readers have a long affection for because they read it when they were younger. The stuff they have affection for got revised into something else.

For instance, whenever I think of doing a DC version of MARVELS, my mind immediately goes to the ticker-tape parade when Superman introduced the world to Supergirl. But it "didn't happen" any more. So I don't really think a DC version of MARVELS can be done, not in the same way.

That said, I recently came up with an idea for what could be a DC project that works a lot like MARVELS did in some ways, but has a very different spin to it. But I won't explain it here, because who knows, maybe I'll get to do it someday.

kdb

I think if you decided to flex some muscle, you could decide what goes in your story, especially if you got Alex Ross to get on board. I call the debut of Supergirl your first event. What are two other events that would show up in your valentine story to DC Comics?

Side note, I remember back in 90, Alan Moore, Frank Miller, Neil Gaiman, they were all taking comics to smart and scary places. I remember reading your books and thinking, these are the same kind of smarts without any of the cynicism. Was that intentional? (Maybe cynical isn't the right word, brutal?)


Who are the classic movie directors you would have direct D.C. movies. For example, Cecil B. De Milles Justice League, Frank Capra's Superman?

[Kurt Busiek]

I think if you decided to flex some muscle, you could decide what goes in your story, especially if you got Alex Ross to get on board. I call the debut of Supergirl your first event. What are two other events that would show up in your valentine story to DC Comics?

That's not how it works.

Side note, I remember back in 90, Alan Moore, Frank Miller, Neil Gaiman, they were all taking comics to smart and scary places. I remember reading your books and thinking, these are the same kind of smarts without any of the cynicism. Was that intentional?

Not especially. That's just the kind of place my brain went to.

Who are the classic movie directors you would have direct D.C. movies. For example, Cecil B. De Milles Justice League, Frank Capra's Superman?

That's not something I ever thought about, honest. I always wanted to see John McTiernan make a superhero movie, but that's not what you're asking, really.

Maybe Fritz Lang's Batman.

kdb

[Johnny Thunders!]

That's not how it works.



Not especially. That's just the kind of place my brain went to.



That's not something I ever thought about, honest. I always wanted to see John McTiernan make a superhero movie, but that's not what you're asking, really.

Maybe Fritz Lang's Batman.

kdb

In my imagination, creators show up and companies say yes. Do you have a suicide squad story? The Thunderbolts must set up something?

[Kurt Busiek]

Do you have a suicide squad story?

I don't think so. I never read it much.

The Thunderbolts must set up something?

They tend to set up dangerous things, so I'll let them do it but stay well over here...

[DrNewGod]

I was just rereading Astro City Local Heroes. While there's a great many things I'd like to see you do, I hope you'll one day find a story to tell us what Camilla of Caplinville, and Atomicus are upto. (for that matter, I'd love to see more about The Black Badge).

I've loved Astro City from day one.

[Kurt Busiek]

I was just rereading Astro City Local Heroes. While there's a great many things I'd like to see you do, I hope you'll one day find a story to tell us what Camilla of Caplinville, and Atomicus are upto. (for that matter, I'd love to see more about The Black Badge).

I've loved Astro City from day one.

Thanks!

And who knows what further stories we might tell?

Well, we do, at least some of them...

kdb