DC Universe: The Source » Blog Archive » LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #1: Get used to the name Yildiray Cinar

LONG LIVE THE LEGION!!

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #1: Get used to the name Yildiray Cinar

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

By Alex Segura

How often do you get to start on the ground floor of a great artistic career? Not very, I’d guess. This might be your chance. Yildiray’s done a number of assignments, but it wouldn’t be a stretch to say his work on LEGION is his breakout opportunity. And, if he keeps cranking out covers like the first issue’s, it’s all but a certainty. So, prepare to return to the future with Paul Levitz — a future visualized by a hugely-talented artist.

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #1 hits in May.

Newsarama.com : PAUL LEVITZ Prepares for a LEGION of DC Writing Assignments

Read the rest of the article at the link below…

Newsarama.com : PAUL LEVITZ Prepares for a LEGION of DC Writing Assignments

PAUL LEVITZ Prepares for a LEGION of DC Writing Assignments
By Vaneta Rogers

For Paul Levitz, this year marks a return to writing comics and the characters he helped define at DC Comics almost two decades ago.

For fans, it means some of their favorite teams and characters are returning, getting Levitz’s unique brand of treatment again.

In May, the writer will launch a brand new Legion of Super-Heroes title, returning to a group of characters he helped define during his run on the title in the 1980s, and he’ll also be writing a story in the revamped Superman/Batman.

And now comes news that Levitz will be writing Lucien of Sandman fame, a character he created back in 1975 that now resides in the Vertigo universe, as he takes part in a chain-written issue of House of Mystery in May.

Although Levitz was a prolific writer for DC during the mid- to late-’80s, most modern readers have known Levitz as an editor and later the company’s publisher, a role he left late last year when DC Comics became DC Entertainment. In his new role at DC, under the direction of the company’s new president, Diane Nelson, he is serving as a contributing editor and consultant while also returning to his writing roots.

Besides all the Levitz projects that readers will see in May, the writer is also taking over Adventure Comics later this year, beginning with a storyline called Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes: Secret Origin.

Newsarama talked to Levitz to find out more about all these writing projects and how it feels to return to some familiar characters.

Levitz Serves Duty With “Legion,” Gets Dirty With Vertigo – Comic Book Resources

See the rest of the article at link

Levitz Serves Duty With “Legion,” Gets Dirty With Vertigo – Comic Book Resources

Levitz Serves Duty With “Legion,” Gets Dirty With Vertigo

Thu, February 4th, 2010 at 12:28PM (PST) | Updated: February 4th, 2010 at 4:54PM

From the looks of it, Paul Levitz hasn’t had much time to relax since stepping down as the President and Publisher of DC Comics. While the September changing of the guard that saw DC Comics become DC Entertainment brought with it the news that Levitz would stay on as a consultant and freelance writer for the publisher, few may have expected that the industry veteran would produce piles of comics work in the immediate future, but this May sees the longtime DC staple contributing to three series. For one, his previously announced gig as writer of the relaunch of “Legion of Super-Heroes” with artist Yildiray Cinar gets underway that month, with DC today releasing a first look at the artist’s interior work. Levitz will also step into “Superman/Batman” for an arc titled “Worship” starting in issue #72 taking the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight to mythic adventures and contribute a chapter to a comics jam in the form of “House of Mystery” #25, which has a round robin script co-written by a host of writers including series regular Matthew Sturges.

And all of that is only step one for Levitz’s writing future. He’ll also pick up the monthly “Adventure Comics” series in June. “The genesis of the ‘Adventure’ arc is that Geoff challenged me to do the story that could be collected into one book that you could hand to somebody to introduce them to the Legion. That doesn’t really exist right now. So that’s why we’re going back and looking at the origins and how they develop,” Levitz told CBR. However, readers shouldn’t expect his tenure with the superteam he twice made his name on to be all building blocks and origins, as Levitz explained in an in depth interview where he addressed how to best integrate the Legion into modern DC canon as well as the modern DC publishing plan, why the series expansive cast is a boon to their stores and much, much more.

Episode 70 – Back To The Future: A Conversation with Paul Levitz – The Legion of Substitute Podcasters

I can’t wait to listen to this today!!

The Legion of Substitute Podcasters

Episode 70 – Back To The Future: A Conversation with Paul Levitz

Posted: February 8th, 2010 under Blog.
Tags: Bwana Beast, Paul Levitz

In this episode, Darren, Matt, Scott and Paul interview once and Future Legion of Super Heroes writer Paul Levitz. They talk about his past runs on the Legion and the JSA, his upcoming runs on Legion of Super Heroes and Adventure Comics, and how to really put together a great comic room. Check it out as the guys try to hold it together and not ask the question

Remember that time when you had the Legion fight Darkseid? That was awesome…

DC Universe: The Source » Blog Archive » Look ahead to ADVENTURE COMICS #8

SWEET!!

DC Universe: The Source » Blog Archive » Look ahead to ADVENTURE COMICS #8

Friday, December 4th, 2009

By Alex Segura

We pride ourselves on being able to answer your questions about upcoming storylines and such, and we’re able to do that here. Many of you have been wondering what the plan is for ADVENTURE COMICS immediately after writer Geoff Johns and artist Francis Manapul swing over to Central City to take over FLASH. Well, we’ll tell you! Or, better said, ADVENTURE COMICS Assistant Editor Wil Moss will tell you. Take it away, Wil:

ADVENTURE COMICS #8 is the start of a four-issue arc connecting ADVENTURE to the next big Superman story – “Brainiac & The Legion of Super-Heroes.” James Robinson & Julian Lopez will provide a 10-page story about the Legion members who are in the 21st Century; Sterling Gates & Clayton Henry will provide a 10-pager about the Legion in the 31st Century; and Eric Trautmann & DC newcomer Pier Gallo (wait till you see this guy’s stuff!) will provide a 10-pager about General Lane’s Human Defense Corps.

The Superman writers have crafted a really fun and epic story in “Brainiac & The Legion of Super-Heroes” (which will run in ADVENTURE, SUPERMAN, SUPERGIRL and a tittle-to-be-named-later in March). Featuring Superman, Supergirl, Superboy, Mon-El and the Legion of Super-Heroes, it not only brings to a head all the Legion subplots that DC has been laying down since the JLA/JSA “Lightning Saga” story, but also sets the stage for this summer’s blockbuster Superman event!

Thanks, Wil. And, as promised, here’s the cover to ADVENTURE COMICS #8 by Francis Manapul with colors by Brian Buccellato – the sketches, the inks and the colors.

Busiek.com: Paul Levitz

Busiek.com: Paul Levitz

Paul Levitz

Some years ago, while I was negotiating with DC Comics over their offer to publish Astro City after the initial 6-issue run at Image, I was in Paul Levitz’s office talking over contract terms. I mentioned there were a couple of points that were troubling to me, and Paul told me he couldn’t take them out of the contract, but he could assure me, if it had value to me, that as long as he was sitting in the Publisher’s chair at DC those clauses wouldn’t be activated. I said that no offense meant, but there was no guarantee that he was going to stay in that chair, so while I believed him and appreciated the gesture, I still had to negotiate as if those clauses could be triggered tomorrow. He nodded, and acknowledged that while he had no intention of leaving DC any time soon, that yeah, there were no guarantees. I wound up signing with Wildstorm—and then DC bought Wildstorm, and has published Astro City ever since. Though I’m glad to report that the contract doesn’t have those two clauses that troubled me, because DC bought the Wildstorm contract along with the company.

And I’ve been glad to have Paul at the helm; had it not been for those two minor contractual terms, I’d have happily signed with DC then and there.

Well, today—over a decade since that conversation—the day came. The internet’s abuzz with the news that Warner Bros. is reorganizing DC Comics, creating a new company called DC Entertainment to shepherd DC’s characters and concepts more smoothly into movies, TV and other media. And as part of that restructuring, Paul is stepping down as President and Publisher and will return to writing, as well as being a contributing editor and a consultant to the new management.

As I’ve told a couple of the comics news organizations already, the DC Entertainment news, like the Disney-buys-Marvel news, doesn’t much interest me—it’s all about movies and video games and brand management, and I’m sure it’ll change the way things get done in some ways, but the part of the industry I care most about, the comics—it doesn’t seem to affect that much at all.

But Paul Levitz leaving DC management?

That’s huge. That’s the story that’s going to change things.

Paul has been at the forefront of just about every industry development of the last couple of decades, and has been key to how the industry’s shaped itself over those years. Shifting from a periodicals-only business to a strong backlist-oriented business with trade paperbacks and hardcovers, adding imprints like Vertigo, creating new opportunities for creators and for creator ownership, seeing that DC gave a fair (or at least fairer) deal to the creators who originated the concepts that turned up in DC-based movies, from Arkham Asylum and Lucius Fox to Robin’s motorcycles (yeah, because they called Chris O’Donnell’s ride the “Redbird” in one of the movies, Paul Levitz saw to it that Chuck Dixon got money) and more, Paul was an important part of a huge number of changes that DC’s seen, and that the whole industry’s seen. Some of them big changes everyone’s noticed, some of them behind-the-scenes stuff few people know about.

And some people have been impatient that Paul was cautious, and wanted him to move faster, to leap into new things instead of easing into them. But in an industry where many publishers throw money into the latest cool thing, only to find themselves overextended and floundering, Paul was always careful that growth and change should be sustainable, doing things like building a backlist of trade paperbacks slowly, so the revenue from the existing books would fuel the addition of new ones, and a large library was built over time. And often, when other publishers’ precipitous actions had made things unstable, DC Comics provided a backstop, a stability that let the comics industry ride out the rough waters and get to the next safe haven. To mix metaphors shamelessly.

Paul is one of a very few people who’ve been absolutely key in shaping the comics industry from what it was in the mid-Seventies to what it is today. Staggering changes, built slowly over time, so that DC (and the companies that adopted DC’s innovations) could build from strength to strength.

I don’t know who’ll sit in that chair next, and I don’t know what they’ll do. But whoever they are, whatever their experience, instincts, skill and priorities, they’ll be different from Paul’s, and that’ll change comics. In a good way? In a bad way? Probably a mixture of the two. But this, I’m confident, is where the big changes for comics publishing will be coming from. Not Disney deals and movie plans, but a new guy in what for a long time was the most stable, influential, skilfully-run office in the business.

On the other hand, while the freelancer in me braces for change, the reader part of me is delighted that we’re going to see Paul Levitz writing comics again, starting with Legion of Superheroes, the feature that established his name for so many enthusiastic fans. No door closes but a window opens somewhere, and I can’t wait.

And just to wrap up—I’m reminded of a text feature, back in DC books in the mid-Seventies, one of those “DC ProFiles” or “Meet the Staff” features, that gave a quickie bio of and interview with Paul. At the time, he was attending college and paying his way by working for DC in his spare time, and the bit of it I’ve always remembered is the part where Paul said that he couldn’t see staying in comics after he graduated, that he loved what he was doing, but his career plans would take him elsewhere.

Well, maybe you didn’t see it then, Paul, but your plans changed, and took you along a pretty damn cool career path. And comics has been better off for it. So congratulations on all you’ve done.

And now new possibilities open up, and we’ll get to see what Paul Levitz does next. Whatever it is, it’ll be worth watching.

[And I haven't been able to find that mid-70s DC text feature again, so if anyone knows where it ran, let me know so I can dig it out, huh?]

DC Universe: The Source » Blog Archive » Levitz returns to the 30th Century

I called it!!

DC Universe: The Source » Blog Archive » Levitz returns to the 30th Century

Levitz returns to the 30th Century

Wednesday, September 9th, 2009

By David Hyde

You may have heard that Paul Levitz will be once again adding his considerable talent, drive and creativity to our ever expanding universe as a regular DC Comics writer.

So, what’s his first writing assignment?

Paul is returning to the title he made great as both a writer and editor, ADVENTURE COMICS, and with his eyes set to the future, he brings several of his favorite characters with him. ADVENTURE is the first in a number of projects, both ongoing and mini-series that Paul will be taking on as he joins of our list of top notch creators here at DC.

As Executive Editor, and as a fan, I can’t wait for him to get started.

-Dan DiDio

DC Universe: The Source » Blog Archive » A letter from Paul Levitz

So is he taking over Adventure Comics after Johns leaves?

DC Universe: The Source » Blog Archive » A letter from Paul Levitz

Wednesday, September 9th, 2009

By David Hyde

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your efforts, your support, and your contributions to DC Comics over the long years that I’ve had the honor of serving as part of DC’s leadership team. Together, our staff, creative contributors, readers, retailers and business partners have helped bring us to the beginning of what looks to be a new golden age for comics in the United States, and one that will bring more respect for the talent and the medium.

It will come as no surprise to anyone who’s heard me answer a comic convention request, “When are you going to do more Legion stories?” that I’m going to step away from my executive desk in coming months to resume my writing career, in comics and hopefully other forms as well. One of the lessons I learned from my many great teachers, from Frank McCourt through Joe Orlando and Jenette Kahn, is that creative work is more enduring than executive acts, and I look forward to adding to the stories I’ve told. Expect to see my byline at DC, as it has appeared for almost 37 years, adding what I can to a mythology and company that has my enduring affection, and expect to see me around the world of comics, which I hope never to leave. I already hear Karen and Dan sharpening their blue pencils with glee, waiting for my first pages.

DC will remain in the hands of the people who have had ultimate responsibility for its success throughout the past two decades, the management team of Warner Bros., headed by Barry Meyer and Alan Horn. They have encouraged our growth as a creative enterprise, and I have confidence that the people they will select to join the DC team, beginning with Diane Nelson, will do their best to make DC a success. While that transition process is taking place, I’ll continue to run DC until the baton can be carefully passed, and afterwards will have a role in which I can provide my advice and help.

On a personal note, I deeply appreciate the warmth and friendship I have found in these halls since my first visit, as a 13 year old comics fan. The relationships I have made here, including one that began in a DC circulation meeting and developed into the first DC marriage in four decades (thereby rebooting a grand tradition?), have been and will remain central to my life.

And now, if you forgive me, the future is calling.

The most pivotal Legion of Super-Heroes issue EVER!!

Well at least it was to me.

I give you Legion of Super-Heroes V2 #312

Now why is this such a pivotal issue to me??  Because my name is printed on the last page of the letters column!  Check out the middle section.

My hometown is misspelled, but that is still pretty cool!!

Now here comes the freaky part, if you read the text:

Chris Mosby of Neosha, Mo suggests that we use our second text page for a separate case history of each Legionnaire. We’re considering that, Chris, but we may also simply compile them all into a special issue next summer!

Now this issue was published in 1984, but Who’s Who didn’t come out till 1985, and Who’s Who of the LSH didn’t come out till 1988.

So the question is, was Who’s Who my idea??

NYCC ‘08: THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES PANEL – NEWSARAMA

You can also listen to this as a podcast here:

http://www.dccomics.com/media/podcasts/DCComics_2008-04-19_Legion_New_York_Comic_Con_2008.mp3 

NYCC ‘08: THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES PANEL

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by Chris Mautner
Lest anyone doubt the popularity of DC’s flagship team book The Legion of Super-Heroes, let him or her discuss the matter with the devoted throng that attended the 50th anniversary panel at the New York Comic-Con this Saturday afternoon.
Though far from packed, a sizable crowd nevertheless showed up to hear artist Keith Giffen, writer (and DC comics publisher) Paul Levitz and current Legion editor Mike Marts talk about their experiences working on the book.
Asked by moderator and historian Peter Sanderson what was the defining element that made the Legion such a revolutionary book, Levitz cited the title’s willingness to let the characters age, change their relationships and even, in the seminal case of Lightning Lad, die. Giffen pointed out that of all superhero teams, the Legion was the first to recognize the price of heroism.
“Up until then comics had come out of classic comic strip tradition of freeze frame. Everyone is going to be same age forever,” Levitz said. “The Legion, four issues into own series said ‘Screw this stuff, we’re going to kill people and change relationships.’”
Marts cited the book’s clubhouse atmosphere, which gave younger readers a strong opportunity for identification. “A lot of kids knew you couldn’t be Superman or Batman but hanging out in clubhouse with friends is something you did all the time,” he said. “You could relate to them almost immediately.
Giffen, meanwhile, stressed the book offering a counterpoint to the dystopian, post-apocalyptic future type of stories that have become so popular these days. The Legion, he said, gave you a “future you wanted to live in. … That’s when it made its mark.”
Asked about past contributors to the lengthy series, Levitz discussed how writers like Jerry Siegel and Ed Hamilton brought, respectively a levity and an epic sense of scale to the work early on, while Jim Shooter (who was supposed to attend but had to cancel his appearance at the convention) brought a humanity to characters who had previously been somewhat cardboard – something that, to this day still amazes Levitz, given that Shooter was showing that sense of humanity while he was 13 years old. All three cited the work of the late artist Dave Cockrum as seminal. The contributions of Curt Swan and Jim Sherman were also highly praised.
Asked about the specific challenges of working on the Legion, the immense number of characters (“30 damned characters” as Giffen put it) and their histories, costumes, and other miscellany were cited as a strong hurdle.
“I thought I was somewhat familiar with the Legion when I came on board, but I was in for a little bit of a surprise,” Marts said. “Knowing what color Batman’s costume is pretty simple,” versus the multitude of legion kids. “It’s tricky to keep the look consistent.”
Levitz stressed the need to be willing, especially for artists, to delve into the challenge that is the group’s immense history while being willing to build new worlds. “For Legion you either get the crazy artist who’s willing to put everything in it or it really shows,” he said.
The Legion’s past reboots were discussed, with Giffen saying that his “5 Years Later” shift in the Legion (which has a love/hate relationship with fans) came about due to his not knowing what else to do when he landed the writing chores on the title after Levitz.
Asked about Legion’s future, Marts said Shooter has an intricate plot laid out and that readers would see more romance and perhaps even a wedding in the book’s future. He also said a legion-related project would be coming out at the end of the year, adding that Shooter is “on for the long haul.”
“There’s nobody lining up to draw or write the Legion,” Giffen added, talking about all the worlds and space aliens an artist would have to invent for such a comic. “There’s no point of reference you have to make it up as you go along.”
The high point of the panel had to be when, in response to a fan question, Giffen voiced his ire for the character Karate Kid.
“I hate that character,” he said good-naturedly. “I agreed to come on Countdown only if I could kill him. If I come on Legion again, he’s dead.”
Why does he hate him so much? “Two words put together. Super-Karate.”
“Everyone in this field has characters they hate,” Giffen said. “I just have the bad taste to say it out loud.”

NYCC ‘08: THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES PANEL – NEWSARAMA

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