THE SOURCE: How do you write the first line of a new series?

FABIAN NICIEZA: I don’t think about it that way, I think about the first SCENE of a new series. I try to do something that introduces us immediately to the characters or sets the tone of what the book will be about. In LEGION LOST, I was able to introduce the tone and theme of the book on Page 1 then introduce our characters on pages 2-3, so I feel the opening scene worked!

How do you introduce a new hero or villain?

I just try to come up with an inventive way to bring them in, make them do something or say something unexpected, try to set the page up in a way that allows for a dynamic intro panel either to start the page or end the page. The goal is to try and introduce new characters doing something that both helps define who they are, what they’re about and how they do things — plus trying to have a memorable or catchy line in there too! Easy, huh?

What was the first comic you ever worked on?

I wrote a DC Guest Meanwhile… column in the early 80′s — my first paying work — $25! After I got a job at Marvel, my first real freelance job was interviewing Stan Lee for a Marvel Age article in 1985. My first published comic book work as a writer was Psi-Force #9 in 1987.

Who was the first character you followed?

Superman and Batman. My brother and I came to the U.S. from Argentina in 1966 and those were the first characters we recognized on the old comic spinner racks, plus the Adam West-Batman show was on TV back then. We learned how to read and write English from comics.

What was the first comic book you read?

Don’t remember. Likely in Argentina, a magazine called Antiojito y Antfias — though at 3 or 4 years old, I doubt I read it, but I still remember the characters.

What was the first piece of original art you bought?

I have received original pages from various artists I’ve worked with, and paid for a few pieces as well, but I have no idea which one was the first I paid for.

On your creative process:

Breaking down an individual issue is hard enough, especially with a team book like LEGION LOST, but breaking it down into multi-issue story plans gets even more challenging, especially with something like the new DCU. WIth so much happening in so many titles, it’s hard to plan too far in advance for fear that you will learn about something happening in another title that you might want to tie into or you find out a new take on a character excites you enough that you want to use them in your own book.

So basically, you need to balance self-contained elements for an issue, along with on-going subplots, along with an overall “thematic thru-line” for an arc so that when collected, it reads as a complete packaged.

For LEGION LOST, we really wanted to tell an opening arc that was very focused on the core characters coming back in time, feeling disoriented and dispirited, unable to ask anyone in the present day they know for help — and in many ways, fearful of doing anything for fear of making a bad situation worse.

The first 6 issues takes place over a week-long, desperate, rushing search for Alastor, the terrorist who came back in time to release a deadly pathogen. We even have a running clock telling you how many hours have passed since the pathogen was released and we also get glimpses of how it is beginning to spread, creating human/alien hybrid known as Hypersapiens.

By the end of the first arc, the heroes will all have been affected by the spread of the Hypertaxis pathogen, the media will know a deadly virus has been released across the planet, the lost Legionnaires will be blamed for it, and they will be wanted outlaws who are trying to help save the very world that is casting them as pariahs.

So the breakdown of this multi-issue arc wasn’t as hard to plan because it had its core elements defined by both its beginning — Legion group arrives back in time — and its end — they fail! So everything had to be built within the context of knowing the beginning and ending of the first arc, raising questions, answering some, leaving others lingering, etc.

I’m several issues into the scripting of LEGION LOST now and I think it’s a pretty unique book and a very interesting addition to the DC Universe. Pete Woods is drawing the living daylights out of the book and I think fans are going to really enjoy what we’re doing!

How do you draw the first panel of a first issue?

The same way I draw every panel! I read over the plot, do a small layout on an index card and then when I have something I like, that flows right, I layout the art board. I do a sort of rough over that with a 2h pencil and then, taking a kneaded eraser, I erase it so the image is still there but very faint. Then I go in and do the finished pencil work.

How do you introduce a new hero?

I think the first time you see a new hero, you should get a sense of their personality. Preferably in a cool action shot, but a more dramatic/imposing pose works well too.

How do you draw a first appearance?

This really depends on the writer and the situation. Will they be a love interest? Then maybe flowers or puppies. A bad guy, then dark and bloody. A new hero? Saving the day! One of those was a joke, you decide!

What was the first comic you ever worked on?

The first comic I drew was a 16-page story for a creative writing class in High Skool. Yes, I was that kid.

Who was the first character you followed?

Wally West.

What was the first series you collected?

The new Flash in the 80′s. Started with issue 3 and collected that for years.

Who was the first writer you followed?

I don’t usually follow writers, more like series. I’m the same with actors. I have writers I like but I’ll have to say Chris Claremont.

Who was the first artist you followed?

Art Adams!

What was the first convention you attended as a professional?

San Diego Comic Con in ‘93.

What was the first comic book you read?

I had a bunch of old ones given to me — it was a giant sized Batman… but I didn’t get into comics until years later. I was a late bloomer.

What was your first job in the comic book industry?

Drawing WildC.A.T.S. something or other for Jim Lee.

THE SOURCE: What do you love about writing this character?

TONY BEDARD: For starters, Jaime Reyes, the new Blue Beetle, is funny and imperfect and realistic. He’s a character that is easy to identify with. Plus, as a Puerto Rican who grew up in the States I relate very directly to him culturally. Yes, Puerto Rican and Mexican-American are very different in a lot of ways, but much of the Latino experience is universal. And I adore writing science-fiction, so the alien armor aspect of Blue Beetle is fun to flesh out. When you’re writing a book that some describe as “Green Lantern meets Spider-Man,” it’s basically a dream job.

What is your favorite thing about your part in the new 52?

I get to launch two very different new series — GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS which explores the ever-expanding Green Lantern mythos, and BLUE BEETLE which has “sleeper hit” written all over it. It’s like starring in a summer blockbuster and a really cool Indy Film at the same time!

Can you tease the villains he will be fighting?/What villains would you like to write?

Jaime will go up against a combination of new and established villains. Early on he faces the Brotherhood of Evil, who have often been seen taking on the Teen Titans and Doom Patrol. We’ll also see him run afoul of the Green Lantern Corps, since the Blue Beetle’s living armor was actually designed as an alien weapon of mass destruction. And we’ll build up Blue Beetles own rogues gallery, including the queen of the El Paso drug cartel La Dama, and the warriors from the interstellar empire known as The Reach, who want to ensure that Blue Beetle carries out his assigned mission to conquer planet Earth.

What new things are you doing with this character?

Since we get to re-tell his origin in September, I am making it less convoluted, easier for new readers to enjoy. Also, in the past it seemed almost too easy for Jaime to become Blue Beetle. This time around he will have a much harder time controlling the armor and he won’t get to tell everyone close to him his big secret. We’re basically upping the conflict for this poor kid and making sure he doesn’t catch a break so there’s never a dull moment.

How will you shock readers?

I think readers will be shocked by how great artist Ig Guara is! We’ve also got a few crazy twists in the opening issues, though I don’t want to give them away. Suffice to say, if you want shock, DO NOT miss BLUE BEETLE #4!

What is your favorite page in this first issue and why?

I think it’s the splash page where we finally see Jaime in the Blue Beetle armor for the first time. Ig really gave it some visual punch, and the build-up to that moment is so cool (and gross) that I think it really sets the hook for issue 2!

Today on THE SOURCE, we’ll be talking to some of the people behind the YOUNG JUSTICE books. Keep checking the site throughout the day for more exclusive insights into the stories and quirks of these writers and artists.

THE SOURCE: How do you write the first line of a new series?

STERLING GATES: The first line of a series can be any number of things: a line that sets up your theme, a non-sequitur, a statement about the characters, or even asking the question that you hope to answer by the end of the story. My favorite first line in comics (favorite right now, mind you. It changes all the time!) is from Geoff Johns’ Superman: Secret Origin. A young Clark Kent looks up at the yellow sun, blinded by its brilliance, and a voice asks “Why are you here?” It’s sets up both Clark’s journey through the story and helps lead us to where Clark is in his life.

I tried to do that with Hawk and Dove, using the first few lines of issue one to introduce the theme of the book as well as what the characters’ potential arcs will be as we go along!

To me, though, first lines are very important. Hamlet starts with “Who’s there?” as two men meet in the darkness of the stage. Your audience is asking the same thing as they walk into any story. “Who’s there?” KRSSH! Surprise! It’s Hawk & Dove!

How do you introduce a new hero?

Usually I try to introduce a hero in my stories with a scene that really sets up who they are and their basic problems. That way any reader will have the basics they need going forward from that initial scene. For example, Hawk and Dove begins with them arguing over how they should handle the problem in front of them, establishing that Hawk is always comparing Dove to his first partner. We’re going to delve more into that conflict as time goes on, but I really think it makes sense to get it in front of the reader right away. I like to give superheroes a nice big action beat when they first enter the story so we know they’re the hero and that they’re always going to try and succeed and save the day!

Now, whether they succeed or not is a different matter altogether…

How do you introduce characters?

One of the rules that I learned early on when introducing characters in any type of story is make sure you give the readers their name (or make it clear you’re purposefully withholding it) and give readers an idea of what characters “do” right up front. Otherwise, you’ll have people wondering who characters are for the rest of the scene!

What was the first comic you ever worked on?

When I was in sixth grade, my English teacher gave us the option of doing another book report or writing and drawing a ten-page comic! Me and two other girls in my class created a team of superheroes that fought against eco-terrorists. Eco-terrorists, mind you, that lived in Oklahoma. And were supervillains. Eco-terrorist supervillains. Yes, we basically ripped off the set-up for Captain Planet.

Each of us created our own characters, and mine was a trenchcoat-wearing, enigmatic vigilante who smoked and wore a kickass Stetson. He could charge up stuff with kinetic energy and throw them. When they hit various surfaces, they’d explode!

…yep. I created the X-Men’s Gambit, but he wore a cowboy hat. The hat made him totally different!

Oh, and he wasn’t from New Orleans, he was from somewhere else. He was from New Mexico.

I drew seven pages of that amazing story before we had to turn it in. Hopefully someday I’ll find the artwork…so that I can burn it and no one will ever see it!

I did a bunch of self-published books through college and did a stint as an editorial cartoonist for my school’s newspaper, but my first pro writing work was at DC Comics. It was a back-up story in Tales of the Sinestro Corps: Superman-Prime called “Fear is a Baby’s Cry!” It fleshed out the Sinestro Corps member named Kryb, who goes around kidnapping the children of the Green Lantern Corps. Fun, spooky stuff! Nary a trenchcoat OR a Stetson to be found, unfortunately.

Who was the first character you followed?

The Flash! Or Batman. Or Marvel’s Longshot.

What was the first series you collected?

WOW. That’s a tough question. Maybe something with Spider-Man or Superman. I was so young, I don’t know that I could actually just say, “This is what I first collected.”

Who was the first writer you followed?

Mark Waid. I fell out of comics some in my teenage years, and when I came back into comics, Mark was writing The Flash. I think Kingdom Come had just hit the market, too. As a result, I sought out everything he ever wrote, including those random issues of Archie he did!

Who was the first artist you followed?

There were three: Jim Lee, Todd MacFarlane, and Rob Liefeld. Those guys produced the most dynamic comic art of the 90’s, and their art galvanized an entire generation of readers and changed the industry. Every kid I knew LOVED their books, and we all bought every book they put out without fail. Their work set the tone for comic art for the next decade, and looking back on that stuff, it’s easy to see why. Brilliant work from three artists who still reign as modern masters in my book.

What was the first convention you attended as a fan?

Wizard World Chicago: 1999! I met Frank Miller outside the convention center and he signed my Dark Knight Returns trade. Frank Miller! I talked about running into him for months afterwards.

What was the first convention you attended as a professional?

Wizard World L.A., March 2008. That was my first convention after my professional work started coming out, at least, and it was the first convention where I signed at the DC booth.

What was the first comic book you read?

The first comic I distinctly remember reading was Fantastic Four #279. I’m sure I read some issues of DC Comics Presents before that, but the cover remains in my memory as the first comic I owned.

What was the first piece of original art you bought?

An Oscar Jimenez page from Flash #100. I loved that issue so, so much, and when I discovered eBay, I started looking for Flash pages all the time. I’ve actually put together a pretty sizable collection of Flash artwork the last fifteen years!

What was the first digital comic book you downloaded?

This is probably lame, but it was one that I wrote! I wanted to see what War of the Supermen #0 looked like on an iPad, so I downloaded it the day it went up. I’m a little ashamed that it was one of my own books, but I assure you it was for completely academic purposes.

As the ramifications of the War of the Green Lanterns still linger, each member of the Corps is struggling to come to terms with their present situation on OA. When planet Evarass 12 is in crisis will the Corps follow the oath they made and join together in the end?

Written by Scott Kolins, GREEN LANTERN CORPS #63 (on sale today) is told in four unique chapters with art by Joe Prado, Scott Kolins, Freddie Williams II, and Daniel HDR.

And don’t miss when GREEN LANTERN CORPS issue #1, written by Peter Tomasi and illustrated by Fernando Pasarin and Scott Hanna, lands in stores on September 21st, as part of DC COMICS – THE NEW 52.

To support the launch of DC Comics – The New 52, DC Comics has created a dynamic commercial featuring the stunning covers and interior artwork from some of the most highly anticipated comic books of the year including JUSTICE LEAGUE # 1 by Geoff Johns & Jim Lee, ACTION COMICS # 1 by Grant Morrison & Rags Morales, BATMAN # 1 by Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo, WONDER WOMAN # 1 by Brian Azzarello & Cliff Chiang, AQUAMAN # 1 by Geoff Johns & Ivan Reis plus many more.

The 30-second spot will run on various national television channels as well as on the big screen in movie theaters across the country in National CineMedia’s FirstLook pre-feature program.

An extended 2-minute version will be available on the DC Comics homepage and will be posted on the various DC Comics Facebook pages where you can share your excitement for DC Comics – The New 52.

Be the first to watch them at the LOS ANGELES TIMES/HERO COMPLEX. DC Comics – The New 52 begins with JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 by Geoff Johns & Jim Lee on August 31st.

Go to read.dccomics.com to locate a comic shop near you, to purchase digital comics or to subscribe to DC Comics.

Writer & Artist Super-team Headline Midnight Madness Festivities at Midtown Comics in NY Times Square August 30th

Come August 30th, the streets of New York may be getting some extra super heroes, as hundreds of costumed fans are expected in-line outside of New York’s Midtown Comics (200 West 40th street) in anticipation of DC Comics midnight launch of its new No. 1 titles.

The midnight event will give fans an exclusive opportunity to purchase “Justice League” No. 1, the new historic title from DC Comics, starring Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and others. Fans who wait in-line will also have the opportunity to meet the comic book icons behind the title, Jim Lee and Geoff Johns, as well as purchase the conclusion to this summer’s blockbuster series, “Flashpoint” No. 5. The Midnight Madness event and historic launch are all in support of DC Entertainment’s goal of giving casual and long-time fans an opportunity to enjoy comics in an easy, accessible way.

“For us, it’s always been about the fans and we wanted to channel all of the excitement they’ve shown by giving back with a big event,” said Dan DiDio, co-publisher, DC Entertainment. “We’re really excited about the New 52 and we think all fans—old and new—will love the new journey we’re about to embark on.”

Since announced in June, the comic book industry has been buzzing about DC Comics-The New 52. In case you haven’t heard, DC Entertainment, the publisher of the world’s most iconic and recognizable super heroes, is renumbering the entire DC Comics line of comic books and releasing 52 new first issues this fall, including ACTION COMICS, DETECTIVE COMICS and BATWOMAN (to name only a few).

JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 will officially kick off DC Comics-The New 52. JUSTICE LEAGUE will be set at the dawn of the age of super heroes. The first storyline explores the team’s origins as they ultimately become the world’s greatest super heroes, featuring such iconic characters as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg.

FLASHPOINT #5 is the final issue in Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert’s bestselling series that has kept everyone talking this summer and the months leading up to it. In addition to the story’s shattering conclusion, the issue provides an exciting bridge from the current events of FLASHPOINT to the upcoming events of DC Comics-The New 52, ushering in a historic new era for the comic book industry.

This will be an event like no other, with festivities going on inside and outside the store all evening, leading up to midnight! After all, what better way to commence DC Comics-The New 52 than with a party?

Watch this space and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more info. Midtown Comics is located at 200 W. 40th Street (on the corner of 7th Avenue) in Manhattan, New York. For updates about the event, please visit Midtown Comics’ official website, www.midtowncomics.com, Facebook and Twitter pages.

For more information about how to subscribe to DC Comics, visit our digital store or locate a comic book shop near you, please visit www.read.dccomics.com.

GEOFF JOHNS: Geoff Johns is one of the most prolific and popular of contemporary comic book writers, and the Chief Creative Officer of DC Entertainment. He’s written highly acclaimed stories starring Superman, Green Lantern, the Flash and more, and is currently the writer of FLASHPOINT and GREEN LANTERN. After leaving Detroit to work for director Richard Donner in Los Angeles, Johns began writing for DC Comics in the late 90s, and has since written defining runs on THE FLASH and, most recently, GREEN LANTERN. As part of DC Comics-The New 52, Johns will be writing JUSTICE LEAGUE, GREEN LANTERN and the new AQUAMAN series.

JIM LEE: Jim Lee is a renowned comic book artist and the Co-Publisher of DC Entertainment. Prior to his current post, Lee served as Editorial Director, where he oversaw WildStorm Studios and was also the artist for many of DC Comics’ bestselling comic books and graphic novels, including ALL STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN, THE BOY WONDER, BATMAN: HUSH, and SUPERMAN: FOR TOMORROW. He also serves as the Executive Creative Director for the DC Universe Online (DCUO) massively multiplayer action game from Sony Online Entertainment (SOE). As part of DC Comics-The New 52, Lee is drawing JUSTICE LEAGUE.

THE SOURCE: How do you write the first line of a new series?

PAUL JENKINS: They take many forms but I feel you have to commit early to a theme that may run through the entire series. Somewhere in the first moments of any series, I feel, you should try to give your audience a sense of what themes you’re going to explore, and a sense of the style you’re going to use.

How do you introduce a new hero?

First of all, make sure there is a VERY GOOD reason for that person to exist on the page. A reworking of a rehash is convenient but ultimately unsatisfying. If you cannot easily describe who this person is and why they deserve ink, then they are not worth writing about.

How do you introduce characters?

Characters can be in for a variety of reasons: to further the plot, to provide exposition, to act as cannon fodder, etc. They have to feel natural, and not forced. I often think that is an instinctive thing.

How do you introduce a new villain?

This is a part of my college lecture: The only villains worth doing are the ones we can still relate to. If you listen to what they say, or can understand why they do what they do, they are worth including in a story. That’s not to say we agree with their methods but on occasion we can understand their motivations.

What was the first comic you ever worked on?

That is a long-standing secret. I’ve often challenged readers to try and track it down. Hint: it’s not the first TMNT issue I wrote.

Who was the first character you followed?

I grew up in Britain. Our comics are very different. I think the first American character I liked a lot was Spider-Man. Since I lived as a country kid on a farm I assumed he was from London.

What was the first series you collected?

I used to buy these really odd reprints of the old EC Comics – they really made an impression on me, and as a little kid I fell in love with science fiction and fantasy comics. I also collected these very violent little digest-sized war comics that we used to buy at the beach when we were on holiday. The heroes would always kill ten thousand Nazi soldiers with one burst of their Tommy gun!

Who was the first writer you followed?

Alan Moore. No surprise there.

Who was the first artist you followed?

Brian Bolland. Another 2000 AD mainstay from the late seventies.

What was the first convention you attended as a professional?

Probably some Northeastern show or other in the late 80′s. At the time I had begun working for Mirage Studios, and we’d go to lots of smaller shows.

What was the first comic book you read?

The Beano, probably. It’s a British thing.

What was your first job in the comic book industry?

I came to the States in 1987 and began working for the TMNT in late 1988. It was a wild time… I remember shiploads of toys in the toy cupboard, and hundreds of licensing contracts piled upon each other in stacks. Such a crazy time… I was 22!

THE SOURCE: What was the first comic you ever worked on?

MICK GRAY: The first comic I ever worked on was the Slave Labor Graphics version of THE GRIFFIN.

Who was the first character you followed?

No problem there! It was Batman and Robin… OF COURSE!!!

What was the first series you collected?

I think ALL STAR SQUADRON was the first series I really tried to collect the complete set.

Who was the first writer you followed?

That has to be the AMAZING Alan Moore.

Who was the first artist you followed?

The King himself, Jack Kirby.

What was the first convention you attended as a fan?

I attended the local comic show here in San Jose, California in about 1988… which later morphed into The Alternative Press Expo.

What was the first convention you attended as a professional?

Comic Con San Diego in 1989.

What was the first comic book you read?

I enjoyed lots comics as a kid, but the book that got me REALLY into comics was The Dark Knight by Frank Miller.

What was the first piece of original art you bought?

A sketch of the Golden Age Green Lantern by Mart Nodell. And it STILL hangs on my wall in my studio today!

On your creative process:

My creative process is really pretty simple… it’s ALL about inspiration! I’m STRICTLY an inker, so after I got my confidence with the brush I was all about capturing my pencilers style. I work with such really great artists that I’m NEVER trying to put my own style over them. They have put SO MUCH effort into their work and I don’t what to change anything. So if I get a phone call from my penciler, after he sees my inks, and he sez, “Hey! That is JUST what I was looking for! YOU NAILED IT!”, well… THAT inspires me and is all I need to get me groovin’ on the next page!

THE SOURCE: How do you write the first line of a new series?

KYLE HIGGINS: With confidence. By the time I’m in the scripting phase, I know what the series is about—I know, thematically, what I want to explore and put my characters through. So, as far as opening lines (or even opening pages for that matter), I usually try to lay out what the point of the book is going to be… without hitting readers over the head with it.

How do you introduce a new hero?

If I can, with a massive double page spread! From Nightwing 1:

PAGE 2-3
Nightwing, falling/swinging right at us– it’s a big hero shot. As the first image of Nightwing in the new DCU, think of this as the poster shot– it needs to redefine him for everyone.
Buildings rise to sickening heights behind him, giving us a sense of vertigo as we look up. Let’s get some water towers in here, too. Also, this section of Gotham should be rather affluent– it should NOT be decrepit or worn down. Even if the architecture is “classic” Gotham, the neighborhood is well-to-do.

How do you introduce characters?

I know it’s “Writing 101” for characters to have memorable introductions, but it’s the truth. Snappy lines, an unexpected action, or an inversion on a plot stereotype are some of my favorites.

How do you introduce a new villain?

You have to show why they’re terrifying and why they’re going to be worth reading about—why they’re worth our hero’s time.

What was the first comic you ever worked on?

Captain America Theater of War: Prisoners of Duty (2009)

Who was the first character you followed?

It’s a toss up between Spider-Man and Batman.

What was the first series you collected?

I tried collecting Spider-Man during the clone saga (and beyond), but with how much the story bounced around from title to title, it was tough. It wasn’t until Nightwing that I followed a book every month.

Who was the first writer you followed?

Chuck Dixon.

What was the first convention you attended as a professional?

I’ve had a few years where it was gray area—I was technically attending Comic Con and C2E2 in 2010 as a “Pro” because I’d written two comics for Marvel (one of which hadn’t even come out yet) but it wasn’t until C2E2 this year (2011) that I had work being announced and I was speaking on a few panels.

What was the first comic book you read?

The first I can remember is The Flash 80 … by Waid and ‘Ringo.

What was the first piece of original art you bought?

Still haven’t bought one! I’m gunning for some Eddy Barrows and Joe Bennet originals though…