courtesy of http://comicbookresources.com
by Arune Singh, Staff Writer
Posted: May 6, 2003
TITANS TOGETHER PART ONE: GEOFF JOHNS
EXCLUSIVELY TALKS 'TEEN TITANS'
When you're one of the comic world's hottest writers, reviving one
of the most popular teams in comic history on July 16th and you're doing
it with a launch that's garnering attention from almost every major
comic press outlet, what do you do?
Keep your mouth shut.
With the exception of the recent "Wizard: The Guide To Comics"
sneak peek, Geoff Johns has been unusually quiet about the re-launch
of "Teen Titans." Since the series was announced as one of
the spin-offs from the now cancelled "Titans" and "Young
Justice" series, fans have been clamoring for more information.
Over the course of two interviews, CBR News spoke with "Teen Titans"
writer Geoff Johns and artist Mike McKone, and of course, for the latest
news on the animated "Teen Titans" shows, check out CBR's
daily "Comics2Film." For those who might not be familiar with
the superhero teen team that Marv Wolfman and George Pérez made as popular
as the X-Men in the 80's, Johns provides the perfect introduction:
"Teenage super-heroes go to school like every other teenager Monday
through Friday," Johns explained to CBR News. "They sit in
class and surround themselves with people they can't really talk to.
Because they can't be themselves. They have to be...normal. These kids
need some freedom, and that's what the weekends are for. Ever Friday
after school the heroes head to Titans Tower in the San Francisco Bay.
The Tower is operated by Cyborg and Starfire, created as a place Robin
and the others can hang together on the weekends. Here, they CAN be
themselves. They can train, they can just goof off, they can do whatever
they want to do...kind of. You see, things never stay quiet with the
Titans. From saving each other to saving the world, dealing with their
mentors and their greatest enemies, and getting into trouble as all
good young rebels do the Titans will have their hands full.
"If you're looking for a fun, adventurous, beautiful, character
centered book 'Teen Titans' is it."
Over the years, as the "Teen Titans" series has become "The
All New Teen Titans" and then "The New Titans" and even
just "Titans," the cast has been in a constant state of transition,
with members constantly departing. So who is going to be part of this
team? Johns says the initial lineup is not exactly the lineup that'll
be permanent. "As far as the cast goes, let me get this out of
the way. We have big plans for everyone. New directions, re-examined
motivations, costumes, everything. We want their journey with the Teen
Titans to be a growing experience, and actual evolution, and we'll see
that as the series progresses. We'll be pushing these characters to
new limits, and we're going to prove that without a doubt -- the Titans
are a force to be reckoned with.
"ROBIN - Trained by Batman, he is an urban vigilante detective.
Tim Drake is not what he appears. He's not what you think. And he's
not Batman Junior. He's better. He's a helluva lot better. This kid
is more adjusted than Bruce Wayne will ever be. He's more realistic,
he's more down to Earth, and he's better at dealing with people. However,
that doesn't mean he's the straight-laced kid that gets all 'A's' and
always says 'Thank you.' He's not perfect. He has a sly smile, makes
you wonder what the hell he's thinking. He can stay quiet, he can play
the role of 'the good kid' but he has a lot of tricks up his sleeve.
Robin has slowly become something entirely different than I was expecting
-- and I couldn't be happier with that.
"WONDER GIRL - Given powers by the Greek Gods, Wonder Girl learned
her skills from the fabled Amazons. Cassie Sandsmark was blessed by
Zeus and given the power of the Greek Gods. She's grown from an awkward
girl to a competent and beautiful young woman. Coming into the Titans
she'll have some issues to deal with head on, and one in particular
will challenge everything she believes in. Cassie will be continuing
to grow, and maybe not in a direction Wonder Woman agrees with. Cassie
is a born leader, and dealing with the older Titans won't be a cakewalk.
"SUPERBOY - A clone of Superman, Superboy fights for truth, justice
and the teenage American way. Superboy is perhaps my favorite of the
'new generation' of Titans. He's a character I've wanted to work with
for a long time. Superboy is the one I can say the least about. You'll
see his entire story, who he is and why, early on. Where he's going?
It's gonna be good.
"IMPULSE - The Fastest Boy Alive, latest in the legacy of the
Flash Bart Allen is a really, fun character -- who others see as a joker
or impulsive airhead. They under-estimate him. Big time. Bart probably
has more emotions invested in his teammates than anyone else on the
Titans. He actually cares, and thinks more about others than himself.
But he's also written off by the others quicker than even he can say
'IMPULSE.' We'll see how he handles the challenges ahead.
"STARFIRE - Alien Princess from a world since destroyed. Starfire
grew up as a slave to an alien culture. She escaped and made it to Earth
where she gained her freedom. Nothing is more important to her than
that. She defies anyone to tell her otherwise. And she defends herself
not with words, but force. Starfire does her best to restrain her combative
mode, but it will explode. She's very invested in these kids, in helping
them, and nothing better get in her way.
"BEAST BOY - Gar Logan, animal shape-shifter. After getting a
strange disease and even stranger treatment for it, Gar Logan was able
to change into any animal he could think of. He takes life light, despite
the curve balls he's received, hell, if anyone was a poster child for
rolling with the punches it'd be him. He still can find the humor in
situations and people, though this doesn't mean he sits on the sidelines
cracking jokes. Beast Boy is younger than Cyborg and Starfire, a little
older than the new kids. This will make him a very important part of
the team.
"CYBORG - Victor Stone, half-man and half-machine, Vic was caught
in a horrible accident that left more than half of his body destroyed
-- he was rebuilt into Cyborg. End of story. Vic is probably the most
complex character on the Titans. He has no fear, his arm gets ripped
off he'll get another one. Vic has accepted his lot in life, and like
Gar, has remained optimistic. With all the ups and downs he's gone through,
and a new one he's currently going through, Vic sees the value of a
group like the Teen Titans. He's dedicated, and nothing can sway Victor
Stone's determination."
Many fans will ask why Johns chose these specific characters and not
someone like Arrowette or Nightwing, to use two completely random examples,
but as with any creative process, the writer explains that each story
has a certain dynamic that can only be achieved by including certain
elements. "There is a lot of 'They're in the cartoon! That's why
they're in the book!'" laughs Johns. "To some extent, sure.
The more exposure the better, but really when I was asked about this
a year ago my immediate thought was Wolfman/Pérez Titans with the new
kids. Cyborg, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy and Wonder Girl, Robin, Superboy,
Impulse. That made the most sense to me in terms of dynamics. When 'New
Teen Titans' launched it was the new generation and the classic, that's
what I wanted to do here. The new generation and the classic. Am I glad
the cartoon features some of the same characters? Sure. The more people
know about the Titans, the more recognizable these characters are, the
better. But if you want to blame someone for the line-up, blame me."
When it's pointed out to Johns that Raven, a fan favorite from the
old "Teen Titans" series, is featured in promo material, he
smiles (adding, "I don't want to say too much about what we're
doing with Raven other than, she will appear. She'll be the focus of
our second or third story arc") and in the classic charismatic
Johns way, moves onto the next topic. But that smile also represents
the joy that the DC-exclusive writer feels while writing about characters
whose adventures he grew up reading and creating adventures for some
new favorites of his, thanks to "Young Justice."
"I love team books, and I've always loved the Titans and the new
generation of heroes in Young Justice," explains Johns. "Superboy,
Impulse, Robin. They're exciting, enthusiastic and full of great stories.
When I was approached about this, I knew the characters I wanted to
work with, I knew the era I wanted to work from and I knew where I wanted
to take them. It was the easiest developmental process I've had on a
book because I was already thinking about all of these characters and
I've been reading them for some time now.
"The inspiration for the approach on 'Teen Titans' comes from
something I find very important in a book like this. We have to deal
with their personal lives, their secret identities, I wanted to see
them still go to school and still deal with the real world as teenagers.
I want to make these characters as real as I possibly can, and with
the amazing work of Mike McKone that's happening. Every page he's turning
in has a flesh and blood kid on it. They all are very distinctive, very
natural. When Impulse stands next to Robin there is a big difference
in body type. That goes with all of them.
"Look at where the characters are coming in from -- Gotham City,
Gateway, Keystone City, etc. Fictional towns to the Titans Tower in
San Francisco. To reality in other words. It's a super-hero book, but
I want to ground it. I want this to feel different than any book you've
read with any of the characters. I believe we're achieving that goal."
The idea of writing a team book, or one with an ensemble cast at the
very least, isn't new for Geoff Johns. His most popular works, "JSA"
(co-written with David Goyer) and "Avengers" features large
teams of characters, while the critically acclaimed "Flash"
features a deep supporting cast. In fact, Johns is so experienced with
team books that one might wonder if he's touched upon so many themes
and explored so many of the basic team dynamics that "Teen Titans"
will feel a bit like a retread. "I'm always trying to improve my
writing, and with 'Titans' I think I'll be taking it to the next level,"
contends Johns. "I'm working incredibly hard on making sure every
comma is in the right place while looking at the big picture. The purpose
of the book. It's a celebration of young super-heroes. We aren't ashamed
we're a super-hero book, and we're going to be a damn good one. This
is going to be one of those books you can't wait for the next one. Something
to look forward to. It's going to challenge what you think about these
characters, what you think about teenage super-heroes. And you're going
to see actual evolution and development. Like 'JSA,' only one member
of the cast has their own book. The rest of them will find their main
home at the Tower.
"I'm focusing on making this a very 'entry level' series. You
start with #1, you go from there. It'll be very new reader friendly
and any concepts we introduce from the past will, as always, be looked
at from a fresh perspective. With that in mind, we'll of course have
some surprises. Polishing up classic Titan villains and concepts and
introducing new ones."
One way that "Teen Titans" had differentiated itself from
other team books in the past was that most of the characters seemed
to be sidekicks of well-known characters- from Aqualad to Wonder Girl
to Robin. This isn't the case anymore. "None of the teenage superheroes
are really sidekicks anymore, they're more independent, and they'll
continue to be more independent," states Johns. "The book
is now -- What do teenage super-heroes do on weekends? They hang with
the Teen Titans!"
The ideals behind Geoff Johns' approach to re-launching the "Teen
Titans" - accessibility, fun, aiming for a broad audience- might
remind some readers of the goals of rival Marvel Comics' Ultimate line
of comics, which has been wildly successful in taking existing characters
like the X-Men and Spider-Man, recreating them in an alternate universe
and letting big name talent tell new stories there. While this, of course,
isn't exactly the case here, Johns sure is creating his "own"
Teen Titans and brandishing the "Ultimate ideals," if you
will, and the writer isn't afraid to tackle this question head on, saying,
"Is this 'Ultimate Teen Titans?' Not really. It's modern day continuity.
'Teen Titans,' however, is a fresh start for all of these characters,
a book for people who are both longtime and new fans of these characters.
Obviously, the Teen Titans are going to have a big year this year. Cyborg,
Beast Boy, Raven are going to be a household names soon. Superboy already
is. Robin is. A future member already is. This book has the potential
to not only reach a large audience in the comic book market, but also
outside it. That's one of the main goals for me with the Titans.
"I also think we have an art team that is going to explode on
the scene. Jeromy Cox (our colorist) is knocking me out of my chair."
In many ways, "Teen Titans" does encompass many of the themes
touched upon in Johns' other series- legacies, maturity and personal
responsibility- but the writer is quick to say, much of these themes
are simply universal to life. "Growing up and evolving is a theme
of life. Changing because of what you experience and how your perceptions
alter happens all the time. In big ways and small ways, and as a teenager
you're much more open to that. You're bombarded constantly with people
saying, 'What do you want to do with your life?' 'What?' 'You can't
do that!' People telling you what to do and what not to do. Giving you
advice because 'they've been there.' Guess what? You haven't been there.
You were there in a different era and time. Things were different then.
Yeah, there are problems with girls and drugs and all that stuff but
the entire environment and state-of-mind is not the same. You haven't
been there unless you're there. The Teen Titans have to deal with this
from all sides, not only with their own personal lives and parents but
also their mentors and adult super-heroes. They are criticized constantly
from all angles, and judged over and over."
Taking all of these beliefs and turning them into a perfectly punctuated
initial arc is Johns' goal, but he's reticent to reveal major details,
because he wants to put some of the surprise back into reading comics.
"As I said before, I wanted to find a good hook for why and how
the Titans got together. They're supposed to be in school...so you know
what? They are in school. During the week. Does every adventure take
place Friday thru Sunday? No. Super-villains aren't that considerate.
Sometimes things will stretch until Monday or Tuesday, and there will
be consequences. Sometimes nothing happens during the weekend and they
have to find something to do. Watching movies and hitting the city nightlife.
I've already got an issue planned called 'School Daze' where we'll see
what everyone does during the week. And all the pains that go with it!"
Now that Johns has established the classic characters that will be
appearing in the series, for at least the first arc and the tone of
the stories to expect, a lot of people are probably wondering about
the villains. There's always been a colorful rogues gallery for the
Titans in any of their incarnations and while not all of them are as
memorable as Brother Blood or the uber-popular Deathstroke The Terminator
(who even received his own series), there's definitely a lot of characters
for Johns to update if he so chooses. "I think the Teen Titans
have a few classic villains you can't and don't want to ignore. Deathstroke
and Brother Blood being among the top. There are others out there as
well, and other DC U antagonists we'll be bringing in, but we will see
new adversaries for the Teen Titans emerge in the series."
Though he won't say how the masked man will appear, Johns says Deathstroke
will be making his presence felt in "Teen Titans" and will
once again be the bad ass that he was when he initially appeared, the
kind of character that deserved to be called "the terminator."
Some Deathstroke fans should also take note- Geoff Johns isn't going
to pull any punches when it comes to making Deathstroke a true assassin.
"Deathstroke will play a major role in the first arc, but how we're
going about re-introducing him, what he's up to and why. People are
going to cry bloody murder when they read #2. Literally. Deathstroke
can have honor and loyalty and all of that, but at the end of the day
this man is a hired killer. He slept with a 14 year old girl (Terra)
for God's sake! He killed his own kid! So...maybe he's not such an honorable
guy, no matter what he believes."
No anticipated series would be complete without an exciting artist
and "Teen Titans" has newly DC-exclusive penciller Mike McKone
to thank for it's aesthetics. Johns calls McKone the natural pick and
says he couldn't have asked for a better penciller to join him on the
series. "Mike does what he does best -- brings it down to the ground.
His detail work and research on the entire fictional and non-fictional
world we'll be in is nothing short of amazing. He's constantly knocked
me out with page after page. The spread of San Francisco in #1 alone
(previewed in 'Wizard') will knock you out. His Starfire is gorgeous,
his Superboy tough, his Cyborg slick. And as I said, he's drawing real
kids here. Mike is a pro and I couldn't be more thrilled to be partnering
up with him on 'Teen Titans.' He's the absolute perfect choice for the
book and he's going to get the praise he deserves as soon as Titans
comes out. I look forward to a long, prosperous run on this book with
him and I'm damned lucky to be working with him."
Speaking of those nifty visuals, the new costumes for the Titans have
caught many fans off guard. Robin and Wonder Girl may look relatively
normal, the former not being changed at all, but Impulse now appears
to be wearing a modified Kid Flash uniform and Superboy isn't wearing
much of a uniform at all- just a t-shirt and jeans! Fans have speculated
as to whether Johns or McKone was responsible for these designs and
the writer admits, both creators are guilty…. and they couldn't
be happier with the results. "I really wanted to start from the
ground up. That included taking a look at the costumes. We talked them
through, and really analyzed it by character. Choice and environment.
What would effect these characters to make them chose to dress this
way, what are their personal tastes, what feel and look are we going
for. I was very happy to see a more utilitarian approach to the costumes.
Not so much zippers and lines and all of that, but realism in a different
way. Wonder Girl wears boots and pants and shirt. Same with Superboy.
Mike did a terrific job on giving the Titans a new look. The Tower is
beautiful."
Even though "Teen Titans #1" hasn't hit the shelves and fans
haven't seen the majority of the first issue in preview pages, there's
also some fans who seem to feel that this new series is following the
Wolfman/Pérez era too closely or that it's simply "Young Justice-Lite."
Comments like these aren't new and Johns isn't at all unaccustomed to
fans pre-judging his work, so he's not worried about a few unhappy fans
affecting the good times that he feels readers will have once they begin
reading the new "Teen Titans" series. "How do I respond
to critcisms? I don't," says Johns firmly. "The book's not
even out yet. We aren't going to re-tell Wolfman/Pérez stories, but
we are going to be more in line with that kind of progressive thinking
with a modern day sensibility. They really pushed the envelope on what
DC team books were all about back then, and that's what we want to do
here. We're going to rope you in with the characters and keep you on
the edge of your seat with every issue. This isn't 'New Teen Titans'
and it isn't 'Young Justice.' It, of course, will keep the spirit of
those two alive but it's going to be a book all it's own. Different
outlook, pacing and dynamics."
And for those "Young Justice" fans still upset about their
series being cancelled or who don't believe that Johns won't respect
the histories of the characters, though he's repeatedly said he's will,
Johns has this to say: "I've said enough above -- the characters
live on."
If you're one of those readers who appetites is wet and you want to
know more about what is going to happen in "Teen Titans,"
Johns still won't reveal much more. "It's really early to offer
any teasers. All I can say is everyone is working their asses off on
giving you the top, must-read, book of the month here. And I can't wait
to see the results when everyone reads #1."
TITANS TOGETHER PART DEUX: MIKE MCKONE
EXCLUSIVELY TALKS 'TEEN TITANS'
In part one of CBR News' extensive and exclusive preview of "Teen
Titans," coming in July from DC Comics, writer Geoff Johns spoke
about his plans for the series and introduced readers to the core concepts
permeating this high-profile re-launch. Now it's time for former "Exiles"
penciller Mike McKone to spill the beans on his first big DC gig and
what exactly he plans to bring to one of the most anticipated comics
of 2003.
"The plan is to entertain as many people as possible, It's that
simple," McKone told CBR News. "I'm not sure if I'm bringing
anything to the table that another penciller couldn't bring. Everyone
contributes something unique to this project and I'm really enjoying
the collaborative framework we have established. Geoff, Eddie and I
talk openly and often about every feature of the book, we discuss the
scripts before I begin drawing and everyone sees the pencils before
they are inked so any changes or modifications are only an e-mail away.
I would hope that I'm contributing to the project exactly what Geoff
and Eddie [Berganza, editor] and Tom and Marlo and Jeromy [Cox, colorist]
are contributing, a willingness to work hard and not be so precious
as to refuse an idea or suggestion if that works better for the book."
While some may choose to see McKone as "simply" a superhero
artist or a one-trick pony because his most famous work to date is the
traditional superhero Marvel Comics series "Exiles," the thirty
four year old artist, who's been drawing comics for fifteen years, brushes
aside criticisms from those who would dismiss his art because it's been
limited to one genre thus far. "If I prove people right or wrong,
it's essentially incidental to me doing my job," states McKone.
"Often the most challenging scenes in a super-hero comic are those
which take place in the so called real world and I would hope to pay
just as much attention to those parts of the story as I do to the more
fantastical elements. I think it is important that the reader believes
in the authenticity of the world in which the characters inhabit whether
it is a fictional or real and to that end, in the case of 'Teen Titans'
I have tried to ensure that San Francisco in particular is referenced
thoroughly to give me the best possible chance to capture the look and
feel of the city."
McKone's positive attitude and good perspective also translate into
a very good sense of humor, which is demonstrated when he's asked how
he got attached to "Teen Titans," a project that was no doubt
desired by many artists.
"Eddie Berganza asked if I'd be interested in drawing the 'Teen
Titans.' I asked him if he didn't have a Superman project for me to
work on instead. He told me Geoff was writing it. I said 'Cool, 'Teen
Titans''!"
Humor aside, like so many other professionals in the comic business
today, Mike McKone was a fan of the Marv Wolfman and George Pérez "Teen
Titans" series when he was younger, something that definitely made
this series more attractive to him. "Absolutely. It was the first
DC book I read on a regular basis and having just re-read the majority
of the run, it held up amazingly well. The characters were well developed
with real emotional weight, the stories were focused and tight, and
Mr Pérez was making quantum leaps in his ability to convey this issue
by issue."
It's been discussed in the previous Geoff Johns interview and it'll
no doubt be discussed further, but the costume changes in "Teen
Titans" have caused a lot of controversy among fans, even when
the changes have been minor. But when the changes have indicated radical
character progression, such as with Superboy or Impulse, readers have
been quite vocal… but McKone doesn't mind. "Most of the costumes
have been in a constant state of flux throughout the lifespan of the
characters. Cyborg, Starfire and Raven have been modified slightly,
while Wondergirl, Beast Boy, Superboy have undergone a more radical
re-interpretation. All of the designs are an amalgam of ideas from Geoff,
Eddie and myself and are an attempt to reflect the characters unique
and individual personalities. I drew em' so I had quite a bit of input.
My favorite is Beast Boy because red and green should really never have
been seen.
"The characters themselves are the main inspiration. I just doodled
until I came up with something that felt right for them. Often this
is something that is quite difficult to articulate, it just works or
it doesn't. We played around with a lot of looks for Superboy but they
all seemed like variations of past costumes and didn't really represent
the slightly more experienced and self-aware character that will emerge
from the first story arc. Geoff suggested a more utilitarian approach
to the design and it worked. Superboy wears a t-shirt because I suspect
he thinks it's a little cooler than spandex, and Superboy really needs
to think of himself as cool.
"Cyborg is at least half machine and must update frequently out
of necessity, otherwise he's the super-hero version of Pac-Man in the
Halo universe.
Wonder Girl feels the weight of her predecessor's achievements very
heavily and simply reflected this by assuming a more contemporary version
of Donna Troy's costume."
"Impulse has the best reason of all to change but I can't go there."
Controversy aside, McKone's art is part of a movement back towards
more realistic superhero art as opposed to the "cartoony"
and seemingly "manga inspired" art that's been pervasive in
the genre of late. While he'd name John Byrne as one of his main influences
("He was and is the most complete comic book penciller," contends
McKone), there's one thing for sure- life is an inspiration that can't
be beat. "I'm not sure if there is anything in particular that
has influenced the way I draw other than trying to look at the actual
world with actual people rather than let my main point of reference
be other comic book pencillers. I've never consciously tried to cultivate
a particular style or look to my work although from time to time certain
nuances creep into the artwork subconsciously. I didn't understand spherical
perspective until I saw Eric Shanower do it. This seems to me to be
basic evolution at work, the output stage of one generation is the input
stage of the next. It's fine to learn from the work of people who really
know their stuff but I wouldn't want the presence of the people whose
work I admire to be felt too heavily in my own work."
His new work on "Teen Titans" has already surprised many
who've seen the recent preview in "Wizard" and McKone says
a hearty, "Thank You" to all the fans who've praised the evolution
of his linework. "The most important new skill I've learned is
how not to send a 600dpi image file to DC and have it crash their network,"
laughs the artist.
While McKone does have a strong fanbase, it's Geoff Johns that's the
big name on this series and while some creators might worry about being
overshadowed, McKone looks at it as a chance to benefit… using
the McKone laws of synergy that is. "I believe the Second Law of
Thermodynamics states that heat can only pass from a warmer to a cooler
object. So y'know, working with a megastar can't hurt. [smiles] The
quality of Geoff's work is what's important and I can say unequivocally
that this is the best work I've ever read of his. The last page of the
first issue will compel you to pick up the next issue and the last page
of the second issue will compel you to pick up everything he writes.
"Far and away the most enjoyable aspect of this book is the excellence
of Geoff's writing. It's a lot easier to draw well if the story is worth
the time and effort involved and I think it's demonstrable that what
I would consider my best efforts have without exception been a direct
response to the quality of the writers work. Probably the most difficult
part of this book, or any book is achieving the quality of work you
expect of yourself."
These days it has become commonplace for artists to be late on a series
and for some series to be delayed or even have issues re-solicited with
new artists because of another artist not being able to complete an
issue. While McKone isn't a consistently late artist by any means, he
knows that he just can't do twelve issues a year and admits that fans
won't see his work in every arc. "I think it is inevitable I will
need a penciller to spot me once in a while. I aim to draw at least
ten issues a year, same as Exiles and hopefully the story-arcs can be
arranged to accommodate this. There is a distinction to be made between
'late pencillers' and pencilers who simply don't draw every single issue.
If every one knows the situation going in there shouldn't be a problem,
but failing to deliver what you've promised is a bad idea and eventually
you'll reap what you sow."
Respectfully, Teen Titans fans are known as a demanding and vocal group,
second only to perhaps Legion and X-Men fans, and that can be quite
daunting for creators tackling any aspect of the Titanverse. While writer
Geoff Johns deals with a huge chunk of the criticism as scriptwriter
for "Teen Titans," McKone takes his fair share of the heat
from fans who feel "Young Justice" was unfairly cancelled
to make way for this new series and for those who want to dismiss "Titans"
before it's even released. But with his trademark wit and positive outlook,
McKone grins and says it's not a problem. "I think if you worry
how people will react to your work then you are truly and hopelessly
lost. An honest clear-eyed view of your own work is essential but the
only person who can really provide that is you.
The readers opinion is of course important and they have every right
to expect their investment of time and money rewarded with a book they
can enjoy. However, by the time they see the first issue I will have
spent seven months working on the book and no matter how much they want
it to work, I want it more. As for 'Young Justice,' I've also been on
a book that's been cancelled and it's a horrible feeling but eventually
you have to realize that these are business decisions and have nothing
at all to do with the respective talents involved. Peter David and Todd
Nauck did an absolutely cracking job on that book and the title survived
a hostile sales environment for fifty-odd issues because of them, so
it is wholly unfair to let the vagaries of the marketplace cloud that
fact."
When asked if he has any idea how long he'd be staying on "Teen
Titans" and if he'd ever be interested in returning to "Exiles"
at Marvel, McKone says both are questions he can't answer. "It's
too early to tell how long I'll stick around, for as long as I'm enjoying
it and as long as Geoff and Eddie want me around. Talking about Marvel
while I'm exclusive with DC is like talking about who I'd like to date
if I break up with my girlfriend. Wait... I know that one, it would
be Kylie Minogue. Bad example."
And then when McKone is asked if he can reveal more than Johns did
about some future events in "Teen Titans," McKone put on some
shades and does his best "Ah-Nuld" voice, saying, "He'll
be back!" and says that Titans fans will know what he means.
