THE SOURCE: How do you introduce a new hero?

JT KRUL: As always, with a bang. You want to see them come right out at you in a big and bold way. Show why these heroes are not only cool, but also totally kickass. From the first few pages, you want readers to be like – “Damn, I want to be Green Arrow.” I kept thinking of all those great James Bond openings in all the films. Intense action, incredible odds, and there’s this guy in the middle of it – cool as a cucumber (or whatever your vegetable of choice is).

How do you introduce a new villain?

Introducing a new villain can vary greatly depending on the core psychosis behind the character. Some are more visceral characters that come right at you. Again, a big bang. For instance, Doomsday crashing down in the middle of Metropolis to destroy everything. Others work better with a slow burn. You give the reader a taste of them, without really saying just how good or bad they are going to be. Blur the lines a little before you pull back the curtain and reveal their horrific nature.

What was the first comic you ever worked on?

My very first story ever was a short story in X-Men Unlimited #1 drawn by Tom Mandrake. It was a small story about mutants on Halloween being able to blend in with the rest of society for a brief time. My first story DC was a two-part Doctor Mid-Nite story in JSA Classified all made possible by Mike Marts giving me a shot. Alex Sanchez drew the issue about the good doctor going up against a man convinced he was an actual vampire.

Who was the first character you followed?

Batman. I mean, who doesn’t immediately start following him the moment you discover him? Most likely, the greatest comic book hero of all time.

What was the first series you collected?

Uncanny X-Men was the first one that really burned in my brain. During those Chris Claremont days, I really got into the serialized aspect of the storytelling. I was hooked.

Who was the first writer you followed?

Chris Claremont for Uncanny X-Men, and Dennis O’Neil. I discovered him with Green Arrow then hunted down all his Question stories. An amazing book.

What was the first convention you attended as a professional?

Wizard World LA in Long Beach. It was also the first time I met Dan DiDio.

What was the first comic book you read?

Uncanny X-Men #132 & Action Comics #482. They belonged to my uncle. I found his stash of comics in an old Canada Dry box.

What was the first piece of original art you bought?

The first cover to my first full issue story. Fathom: Dawn of War – Cannon Hawke Special. Art by Koi Turnbull.

What was the first digital comic book you downloaded?

I think my very first one was Blackest Night #0.

Over the course of the week, we’ll be posting interviews with some writers and artists working on DC Comics-The New 52. You’ll get some teases and insights into who these creative teams are and learn about their thoughts on creating comic books and graphic novels.

Up first is MISTER TERRIFIC writer Eric Wallace.

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

ERIC WALLACE: I like the first line of dialogue out of a new hero’s mouth to sum up their world in a sentence. That first line should tell us about where a character is and what they’re doing, not just who they are. And that’s the tricky part – finding one opening sentence that can service a lot of masters. It’s tricky. Sometimes I find myself agonizing over an opening sentence for days. However, it was quite the opposite on MISTER TERRIFIC. His first line just popped up and worked. And despite rewriting the script a few times, that first sentenced never changed.

How do you introduce a new hero?

With MISTER TERRIFIC, I’m taking the approach that this will be a whole new audience for the character, that most people won’t have encountered him before. Therefore, everything you need to know about Michael Holt and his world gets introduced in the first three issues, and most of it in issue #1. That includes his origins, which have changed slightly from his appearances in the pre-FLASHPOINT DCU.

Beyond that, I don’t think you have to introduce every single aspect of a hero or character’s personality initially. What I believe is more important is that you showcase the character’s potential, that you show that he or she is more than the sum of the parts presented. That the world she or he inhabits is interesting and exciting enough to warrant a long-term series of stories.

How do you introduce characters?

I think it’s best to introduce a character while they’re in the middle of some action or task, preferably one that clearly defines them. If it’s a hero, then show them doing something heroic. And don’t start in the beginning of a scene. Start in the middle of the action, when the pressure is really on for the hero. This way, you’ll really get to see what kind of person the hero is. That’s how Michael Holt gets introduced in MISTER TERRIFIC #1. He’s dodging high-tech lasers, trying not to get killed.

How do you draw a first appearance?

I leave a decision like that up to a brilliant artist like Gianluca.

How do you introduce a new villain?

I think it’s important to give a villain an air of menace before they ever appear. Readers will see in MISTER TERRIFIC #1 what the new villain Brainstorm is capable of. But the villain himself doesn’t appear until issue #2. So by the time you meet Brainstorm, you’re already aware of what he can do and how dangerous his abilities might be. That helps create added tension for the reading audience when the hero—in this case, Mister Terrific—finally meets his new adversary.

What was the first comic you ever worked on?

My first comic work was an eight-page Vixen story for the DC HALLOWEEN SPECIAL 2008. As a parent, I wanted to tell a story that would empower young African-American females. So that first Vixen story ends with her telling a young Black girl about the possibilities of the world, and that it’s now possible for a diverse young lady like her to grow up and become anything she wants to be.

What was the first series you collected?

Although I had issues of many other series, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN was the first book I collected in an obsessive and fanatical nature. UNCANNY X-MEN and SWAMP THING were a close second and third.

Who was the first writer you followed?

Alan Moore. No question about it. I followed him from SWAMP THING to a host of other great works like WATCHMEN, FROM HELL, and LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN, and continue to follow his work today.

Who was the first artist you followed?

Growing up, I would pick up anything drawn by John Byrne. I remember reading his run on X-MEN and FANTASTIC FOUR. Those runs were seminal. So when he jumped to DC for THE MAN OF STEEL and SUPERMAN, I followed. His work with Clark Kent and company still resonates with me to this day.

What was the first convention you attended as a fan?

My first genre fan event was a DOCTOR WHO convention in 1984, where I got to meet Jon Pertwee, the Third Doctor. Talk about mind-blowing! But ironically, even though I was reading comics at that time, I didn’t attend an official comic book convention until the early 90s. It was probably the monthly Sci-Fi & Comic Conventions that happen here in Los Angeles. They used to hold them at the Shrine Auditorium, which is the same place they used to hold Oscar ceremonies decades earlier.

What was the first convention you attended as a professional?

The San Diego Comic Convention. I first attended SDCC in the mid-to-late 90’s and have been every year since. But it was really weird to attend it for the first time as a professional, which was only about five years ago.

What was the first comic book you read?

RICHIE RICH was my very first comic book memory at age four or five. From there I graduated to ARCHIE and then a lot of the Gold Key books like TUROK, SON OF STONE and DARK SHADOWS.

What was your first job in the comic book industry?

My first job was “comic book reader.” That might sound silly, but I don’t mean to be flippant or sarcastic. I honestly think the best way to become a comic book writer—or writer of any sort—is to read. Read as much as you can. When it comes to comic books, my job was to read and absorb a ton of quality comic book storytelling so that I could learn the rules, language, and conventions of the medium. Which, of course, makes it easier to break them later on.

What was the first piece of original art you bought?

Honestly, I haven’t bought any yet. Unless you’re counting that KISS poster I spent a month’s allowance on in the fifth grade.

What was the first digital comic book you downloaded?

I believe it was THE AUTHORITY #1. That series was so great. The first issue is a perfect example of how to set up a series and accomplish everything you need to hook an audience in a debut story.

Top talent from DC Comics-The New 52 will be attending this year’s New York Comic Con (NYCC). The annual pop culture extravaganza will include guests Mahmud Asrar, Brian Azzarello, Greg Capullo, Cliff Chiang, Tony Daniel, Dan DiDio, Keith Giffen, Paul Levitz, Francis Manapul, Fabian Nicieza, Joe Prado, Amy Reeder, Ivan Reis, Ardian Syaf, Scott Snyder, Peter Tomasi, and more.

Previously announced Guests of Honor, Geoff Johns, Chief Creative Officer of DC Entertainment, and Jim Lee, Co-Publisher of DC Entertainment, the creative team for JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 (August 31, 2011), will also be in attendance.

DC Entertainment will once again occupy a 3000 square foot booth on the show floor where fans will have an opportunity to mix and mingle with creators and staff. The preeminent publisher will be participating in several panels over the course of the weekend and officials at DC note that “behind-the-scenes” information about DC Entertainment will be revealed over the course of the weekend. The centrally located booth will feature talent signings, free giveaways and early peeks at the newest action figures, statues, busts and other amazing collectibles on display from DC Direct. The official New York Comic Con poster celebrates DC Comic’s JUSTICE LEAGUE in all their glory set against the iconic NYC backdrop of the Statue of Liberty. The poster is designed by Ivan Reis, Joe Prado and Rod Reis. The posters are not for sale, but signed copies are included in the NYCC VIP packages.

New York Comic Con, which will occupy the entire Javits Center in New York City, has quickly grown to be an industry leading event, attracting close to 100,000 fans eager to see the latest in comics, movies, TV, games, toys, fashion and a range of other product and trends which define the pop culture universe. New York Comic Con will take place October 13 – 16, 2011.

ABOUT THE GUESTS

MAHMUD ASRAR: Mahmud Asrar, an artist hailing from Turkey, has drawn BRIGHTEST DAY: THE ATOM, DYNAMO 5, SHADOWLAND: POWER MAN, and NOVA, among others. As part of DC Comics-The New 52, Asrar is drawing SUPERGIRL.

BRIAN AZZARELLO: Brian Azzarello is the Eisner Award winning writer of 100 BULLETS. The New York Times Best Seller’s other notable DC Comics work include JOKER, LUTHOR, HELLBLAZER, FILTHY RICH, DOCTOR 13, SUPERMAN: FOR TOMORROW, BATMAN: BROKEN CITY, KNIGHT OF VENGEANCE and the upcoming series SPACEMAN to be published by Vertigo. As part of DC Comics- The New 52, Azzarello is writing WONDER WOMAN.

GREG CAPULLO: Greg Capullo is the artist on BATMAN as part of DC Comics-The New 52. He’s best known for his comic book work, as the quintessential penciler of Todd McFarlane’s SPAWN. He has also worked on Robert Kirkman’s HAUNT. Other credits include Marvel’s X-FORCE, QUASAR and his own creation, The CREECH, as well as many other titles. Capullo is a regular contributor to Blizzard’s World of Warcraft and is responsible for designing and painting the wrap around CD cover art for Disturbed’s “Ten Thousand Fists,” and penciling the CD cover art for Korn’s “Follow the Leader.”

TONY DANIEL: Born and raised in the streets of South Chicago, a love for comics, and drawing them, kept young Tony Daniel out of trouble. By the age of 20 he was already a working professional in the comic’s community. His list of penciling credits include such hits as X-FORCE, THE TENTH, TEEN TITANS, and BATMAN. As part of DC Comics-The New 52, Daniel is the writer and artist on DETECTIVE COMICS and he’s the writer of THE SAVAGE HAWKMAN.

CLIFF CHIANG: Cliff Chiang’s artwork has been hailed for its “fluid and confident storytelling” and “sweeping linework and nuanced style.” Graduating from Harvard University with a joint degree in English Literature and Visual Arts, he worked in editorial at Disney Adventures Magazine and Vertigo/DC Comics before making the leap into freelance illustration. His work for DC Comics includes GREEN ARROW/BLACK CANARY, HUMAN TARGET, DOCTOR 13, and the original graphic novel NEIL YOUNG’S GREENDALE published by Vertigo. As part of DC Comics-The New 52 Chiang is illustrating WONDER WOMAN. He lives in New York City.

DAN DIDIO: Dan DiDio is the Co-Publisher of DC Entertainment. He was formerly the VP Executive Editor of DC Comics. DiDio’s writing credits include SUPERBOY and THE OUTSIDERS. As part of DC Comics-The New 52 he is writing OMAC.

KEITH GIFFEN: Keith Giffen is an American comic book artist and writer. His credits include LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES, LOBO, JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL, AMBUSH BUG, BLUE BEETLE and DOOM PATROL. As part of DC Comics-The New 52, Giffen will be illustrating and co-writing OMAC.

PAUL LEVITZ: Paul Levitz, served as President of DC Comics from 2002 to 2009. He is currently a Senior Advisor and Contributing Editor at DC Entertainment. Levitz has written many DC Comics classic characters and series including the JUSTICE SOCIETY, SUPERMAN (in both comics and the newspaper strip), and an acclaimed run on THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES, a series he is returning to as part of DC Comics-The New 52. He is also the author of the Eisner Award nominated 75 Years of DC Comics: The Art of Modern Mythmaking, published by Taschen.

FRANCIS MANAPUL: Francis Manapul is the artist and co-writer of THE FLASH, which is part of DC Comics-The New 52. His previous work for DC Comics includes books such as ADVENTURE COMICS, SUPERMAN/BATMAN, and THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES. His work has been published in various publications from the likes of Aspen Comics, Editions Delcourt, Top Cow Productions, and Devils Due just to name a few. Manapul was a TV Presenter on SyFy’s Beast Legends, in which he and a team of scientists and adventurers traveled the globe in search of scientific data to create mythical beasts. Manapul was born in Manila, Philippines and currently calls Toronto, Canada his home.

FABIAN NICIEZA: Fabian Nicieza is CCO for the FunGoPlay virtual world and Lead Writer for intellectual property managers, Starlight Runner Entertainment, but is best known as a comic book writer whose work includes Marvel titles such as X-MEN, NEW WARRIORS, CABLE & DEADPOOL. His DC Comics writing includes ROBIN, ACTION COMICS, TRINITY and RED
ROBIN. As part of DC Comics-The New 52, Nicieza is writing LEGION LOST.

JOE PRADO: Joe Prado is a Brazilian artist whose work for DC Comics includes ACTION COMICS, BIRDS OF PREY, SUPERMAN, TEEN TITANS, BLACKEST NIGHT and BRIGHTEST DAY. He co-designed this year’s NYCC poster and as part of DC Comics-The New 52 he will be working on AQUAMAN.

AMY REEDER: Amy Reeder got her start at Tokyopop where she wrote and drew the original English language manga FOOL’S GOLD. She went on to become the ongoing series artist on Vertigo’s MADAME XANADU and her other work for DC Comics includes SUPERGIRL covers. As part of DC Comics-The New 52, Reeder will be drawing BATWOMAN, beginning with the second arc.

IVAN REIS: Ivan Reis is a Brazilian comic book artist who is best known for his work on GREEN LANTERN: SECRET ORIGIN, which was used as reference for the recent Warner Bros Pictures film Green Lantern. Other credits include GHOST published by Dark Horse, CAPTAIN MARVEL, IRON MAN, DEFENDERS and AVENGERS published by Marvel Comics as well as the DC Comics titles TEEN TITANS, SUPERMAN, INFINITE CRISIS and the mini-series BLACKEST NIGHT and BRIGHTEST DAY. Reis co-designed this year’s NYCC JUSTICE LEAGUE poster and as part of DC Comics-The New 52 he’s drawing AQUAMAN.

SCOTT SNYDER: Scott Snyder is the writer and co-creator of the New York Times bestselling and Eisner Award winning comic book series AMERICAN VAMPIRE published by Vertigo, which he launched with Stephen King in October 2010. Snyder began his writing career with a collection of stories, VOODOO HEART (Dial Press) and is currently writing DETECTIVE COMICS and GATES OF GOTHAM for DC. Snyder teaches writing at Columbia University, NYU and Sarah Lawrence College and is working on a novel called THE GOODBYE SUIT, to be published by Dial. As part of DC Comics-The New 52, Snyder will be writing SWAMP THING and BATMAN. He lives in the New York City area.

ARDIAN SYAF: Ardian Syaf is an Indonesian artist, whose work for DC Comics includes GREEN LANTERN CORPS and BRIGHTEST DAY. As part of DC Comics-The New 52, Syaf is drawing BATGIRL. NYCC marks the first time he will be attending an American comic convention.

PETER J. TOMASI: Peter J. Tomasi proudly helped usher in new eras for GREEN LANTERN, BATMAN, and JSA during his tenure as a DC Comics Senior Editor. He is now writing comics and screenplays, with his recent work including such DC titles as BRIGHTEST DAY, GREEN LANTERN EMERALD WARRIORS, NIGHTWING, THE OUTSIDERS, BATMAN: BLACKEST NIGHT, BLACK ADAM and the critically acclaimed creator-owned projects LIGHT BRIGADE and THE MIGHTY. As part of DC Comics -The New 52 Tomasi will begin anew with BATMAN AND ROBIN and THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS.

Last week on THE SOURCE, we unveiled the covers and teased the stories of many of our November titles. Today, take an exclusive first look at the solicitation information and the cover for JUSTICE LEAGUE #3.

JUSTICE LEAGUE #3
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art and cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
1:25 Variant cover by GREG CAPULLO
1:200 B&W Variant cover by JIM LEE
On sale NOVEMBER 16 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
The superstar team of writer Geoff Johns and artist Jim Lee continue to make history as they unleash the amazing Amazon, Wonder Woman, who joins the battle against a bizarre threat! And the not-yet World’s Greatest Heroes need all the help they can get!

This issue is also offered as a special combo pack edition, polybagged with a redemption code for a digital download of the issue.

In this final issue of FLASHPOINT: LEGION OF DOOM, Heatwave has escaped his prison and is dead-set on getting his revenge against Cyborg. But first, he plans on burning the city of Detroit to the ground to send his nemesis a warning. Will Cyborg be able to stop Heatwave before thousands of innocent lives are lost?

FLASHPOINT: LEGION OF DOOM #3, in stores on Wednesday, is written by Adam Glass and features art by Rodney Buchemi and Jose Marzan Jr.

Michael Desai comes face to face with the nemesis he once captured and sold: Martian Manhunter. The final issue of this miniseries culminates with the man of stone fighting the Martian as he shape shifts into gigantic killer beasts. Will his ingenuity finally be bested by the Martian Manhunter’s sheer strength? Or is The Outsider powerful enough to destroy even the most dangerous of his enemies?

Written by James Robinson with art by Javi Fernandez, FLASHPOINT: THE OUTSIDER #3 delivers an action-packed conclusion and includes a major tease of the upcoming events in FLASHPOINT #5.

Abin Sur is determined to help save Earth from the war that’s ripping it apart. But first he’ll have to protect himself from Sinestro, who having learned of the Flashpoint prophecy, is hell-bent on killing him. And with his power ring’s charge running out, what extremes will he have to go to in order to save the planet Earth from total destruction?

FLASHPOINT: ABIN SUR – THE GREEN LANTERN #3, on sale next week, comes from the creative team of Adam Schlagman, Robson Rocha and Felipe Massafera.

In the final issue of FLASHPOINT: WONDER WOMAN AND THE FURIES, the origins of the scheming plans behind the war of the Amazons and the Atlanteans are revealed. When Diana learns how she has been betrayed, it’ll be up to her to convince Aquaman to retreat his troops and stop the looming war. But if all goes according to Orm and Penthesilea’s plans, Arthur will be too blinded by his need for revenge to listen. Could this war signal the joining of the two empires, led by two power-hungry and manipulative traitors?

Written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning and featuring art by Agustin Padilla and Joe Aviles, FLASHPOINT: WONDER WOMAN AND THE FURIES #3 arrives in stores on Wednesday.

When we revealed the covers for the first issues coming out of DC Comics-The New 52, the cover for GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS #1 was very ominous. Why? Because we didn’t want to spoil the line-up of the New Guardians team just yet.

Today, take a look at Tyler Kirkham and Batt’s cover for the book. Featuring a member from each of the color Corps, GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS #1 flies into stores on September 28th.

During San Diego Comic Con, MTV GEEK sat down with DC Entertainment’s Co-Publishers Jim Lee and Dan DiDio to discuss DC Comics-The New 52.

“What we really wanted to do is shake up the business,” said DiDio. “What we’re doing is launching 52 new titles and not only that, but it’s a brand new take, a brand new view and brand new ideal behind our characters. What we’re hoping to do is energize our fanbase, our existing fans and bring in new fans.”

Head on over to MTV GEEK to check out the full interview, where Jim and Dan talk about everything from costumes to digital day-and-date to why 52 titles are being launched at the same time.