The Brave and the Bold

[MSth08]

Announced at today’s DC Universe panel at San Diego, 2006 will see a classic return to the DC Universe with Mark Waid at the helm. Described as something of a companion book, at least thematically, to Superman/Batman, a Waid-written Brave and the Bold will return to ongoing series status (with an artist to be announced shortly).

Newsarama.com was able to land a few minutes with the writer to talk about the series, the characters, and the scope of this new B&B.

“Dan DiDio had it in his back pocket for a while,” Waid said in regards to how the project came to be. “He always knew that was one of the most attractive jewels at DC that you could dangle in front of me that would make me jump on board. It’s the opportunity to be able to mix and match in the DC Universe – to wake up one morning and say, ‘You know, I feel like doing a Green Lantern story this morning,’ and then to wake up the next day and say, ‘You know what? Today – Wonder Woman.’ That’s the real appeal of it all.”

As Waid sees it, the new Brave and the Bold will be the classic format of B&B from years past. But – before you begin thinking that means every issue will feature Batman, think about what Waid would mean with “classic format.”

“Classic Brave and Bold was not ‘Batman and…’ it became that once the television show picked up,” Waid said. “In the earliest days of the Brave and the Bold it was Metal Men and the Atom, Flash and Martian Manhunter. Basically, what we’re doing is that we’re going to do it along the model of the very successful Superman/Batman book, in the sense that we’ll do story arcs generally spelled by one or two shorter stories in between if the need suits. As complete stories, the ideas is to build in as many characters as possible, so it’s not six issues of Batman and Green Arrow, for example – that would be a little predictable. The fun of it, of course, is finding the plot devices that would allow you to have, say, Batman and Green Lantern in issue #1, and then Green Lantern and, hypothetically speaking, Supergirl in issue #2, and Supergirl and Hawkman in issue #3, or whatever – and find the plot batons, if you will, that you can hand off to keep the story going while moving the characters in and out as needed.”

Or, to think of it in an animated way…Brave and the Bold is going to be a little along the lines of Justice League Unlimited, in that this is a world with a large number of heroes, and occasionally, the heroes join forces to combat a mutual threat, and in doing so, showcase a portion of the universe they all inhabit.

“That’s actually not a bad way of putting it,” Waid agreed. “It is something where there’s a vast pool of characters to draw upon – who do we want to focus on with this issue?”

That said, who does Waid want to focus upon when thing get rolling early next year?

“I’d be foolish to at least not lead with Batman, because he is the first guy you think of when you think about Brave and Bold. But that said, it can’t be just another Batman book, and that’s part of the joy of it – to move around. It’s always going to be a tightrope walk between characters that we know will absolutely, positively goose the sales, and characters that may not be as hot, sales-wise at that moment, but regardless, are pretty interesting. We can’t do Adam Strange and Metamorpho, for example. No one’s going to buy that. But at the same time, I don’t want to do Batman and Batman every month, either. So, there will probably be at least one strong anchor in every issue, somebody who has some marquee value, be it Batman or Superman, or whoever, and then we’ll try to balance that with whoever is interesting. For example, if there’s some reason Catman from Villains United is interesting this month, well, maybe he can join with Superman for a story.”

So what kind of stories will the heroes move into? Will readers see, for example, an even exchange of antagonists for the exchange of protagonists in the title? “That’s a good question,” Waid said. “We’re still hammering that out. It’s funny – I never come at my stories initially with the idea of who the villain should be. To me, it has always been about, ‘I like Batman and I like Green Lantern. What is it about them that’s the same? What is it about them that’s different? How do they compare? How do they contrast? How do they interact with each other as characters, and how can you build that into a story?’ From there, you go shopping in the pool of villains and see who fits the theme that you set up, and who might reflect the needs of the story. That’s where we start every time.

“I guess what I’m saying is that while there will certainly be cool villains showing up, and part of the appeal of the series will be watching villains who don’t normally face off against the heroes as well. For instance, Scarecrow versus Green Lantern. Also – part of the fun will be watching the worlds of the characters fold together. For me, it’s not enough to see Batman and Captain Marvel together – I also want to see Alfred and Billy Batson – I want to see the whole mythologies merge together in their supporting casts.

“Clearly, the post-Infinite Crisis DCU is designed to be a much different landscape than what we’ve got now, and Brave and Bold is designed specifically to be the place where we can explore that world to its fullest, more so than in Justice League, more so than in Superman or other DC Universe books – we can go anywhere and see everybody, and check in on the status quo of every character. This is your travelogue of the new DC Universe.”

So – in the end, who’s Waid itching to get his hands on?

“It’s like throwing me into the candy store with a full wallet. It’s hard to say – some of the fallout from Infinite Crisis will preclude certain characters, but it will also make available characters who nobody has thought about for a while. The only thing I can say with any certainty is that, pursuant to a conversation Geoff Johns and I had last week, we suddenly realized who the perfect character would be to tie all these other characters together – the one anchor character who’s not Superman or Batman who ties together many of the various aspects of the DC Universe. I know – it sounds ultra mysterious, but I think if you put two seconds to it as a fan…you’ll stumble across the answer.”

And if you’re thinking that writing this new series would mean that the bulk of Waid’s writing is at DC, and writers who end up with the bulk of their work at DC sometimes sign exclusive contracts with the publisher…well, you’d be right.

[gogetter]

This is indeed great news, hope they can make it this time.

[MSth08]

i remembered reading from one of the thread, this title has been pushed back again. most probably in 2007.:thinking:

[MSth08]

Mark Waid's Brave and the Bold series is still unscheduled.

just found it.

[gogetter]

Shucks, that is indeed bad news, I've been looking forward to it.

[MSth08]

i remembered there was a mini-series of it a few years ago, i think it was from mark waid and pencilled by barry kitson.

[gogetter]

i remembered there was a mini-series of it a few years ago, i think it was from mark waid and pencilled by barry kitson.
Actually there's 2 series, the one you mentioned by Mark Waid and Barry Kitson stars Flash and Green Lantern. There's an even earlier series of Brave and Bold starring, Green Arrow, the Question and the Butcher by Mike Baron that came out in the early 90s.

[MSth08]

Actually there's 2 series, the one you mentioned by Mark Waid and Barry Kitson stars Flash and Green Lantern. There's an even earlier series of Brave and Bold starring, Green Arrow, the Question and the Butcher by Mike Baron that came out in the early 90s.

the butcher?
never heard of it before, dun think he appeared in inifinite crisis...

[gogetter]

Butcher is a native american hero that first made his appearance in his own limited series by the same creators as the Brave and Bold series. I think that's the only 2 series he had starred in, everybody probably has already forgotten about him liao.

[MSth08]

extracted from WWLA...

Brave and the Bold will start late this year.

tats a gud news for gogetter bro...:)

[gogetter]

Yeah bro, they finally pinned a release date to this much anticipated series.

[MSth08]

from the pages of newsarama...

extracting from SDCC 2006, DC panel :

DC displayed the George Perez cover to Brave and the Bold #1, a November debuting ongoing series by Waid and Perez. Guess who the first story arcs stars..?

http://www.newsarama.com/SDCC06/DC/DCU/BABCv1.jpg

[gogetter]

Fantastic! Waid and Perez on the first arc, definately a must to pick up.

[MSth08]

SHOWCASE PRESENTS: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD — THE BATMAN TEAM-UPS VOL. 1 TP

Written by Bob Haney and Mike Sekowsky Cover by Bob Brown
Art by Carmine Infantino, Ross Andru, Neal Adams, and others
Collecting The Brave and The Bold #59, #64, #67, #69-71 and #74-87! Re-presented here are Batman’s earliest team-ups with Green Lantern, Flash, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, the Atom, Hawkman and more!

on sale January 24 • 528 pg, B&W $16.99 US
http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/Dec06/UNVRS/show_barve_ad_bold_cv.jpg

[MSth08]

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #1
Written by Mark Waid
Art by George Pérez & Bob Wiacek
Covers by Pérez

The greatest team-up title of all time is back! A proud DC tradition is restored as writer Mark Waid (52, SUPERGIRL AND THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES) and legendary artists George Pérez (THE NEW TEEN TITANS, CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS) & Bob Wiacek (ORION) put Batman and Green Lantern on the trail of what could be the greatest weapon in the DCU!
The trail leads to Ventura, the gambling planet…wanna bet what’ll happen if they don’t get their hands on the weapon?

On sale February 21
http://images.newsarama.com/dccomics/Feb07/BAB_Cv1_R1.jpg

[MSth08]

from the pages of newsarama...

below link to the interview of mark waid :
http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/Brave_Bold/waid.html

preview of the brave and bold :
http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/Brave_Bold/BAB1_01_col.jpg

http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/Brave_Bold/BAB1_02_col.jpg

http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/Brave_Bold/BAB1_03_col.jpg

[MSth08]

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #2
Written by Mark Waid
Art by George Pérez & Bob Wiacek
Covers by Pérez

Green Lantern and Supergirl are off to Ventura on the trail of the bizarre case that began in issue #1! Ventura is a planetwide casino, which would be wild enough, but it has also become a backdrop for the Rann-Thanagar War! Guest-starring Batman and Blue Beetle!

On sale March 21
http://images.newsarama.com/dccomics/Mar07/DCU_3/BAB_Cv2_solicit.jpg

[MSth08]

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #3
Written by Mark Waid
Art by George Pérez & Bob Wiacek
Covers by Pérez

It’s Batman and Blue Beetle versus the Fatal Five in the team-up book to end all team-up books! Who’s brought these Legion villains into the fray? The Lord of Time, who has pulled in assassins and villains from throughout the history of the DCU!

On sale April 18
http://www.newsarama.com/dccomics/Aprl07/4/BATB_Cv3_solicit.jpg

[MSth08]

ORLANDO -- With editor Joey Cavalieri stuck in New York because of the weather, George Perez proved brave and bold enough to handle The Brave and The Bold panel at MegaCon on Friday.

An unexpected solo act, Perez talked extensively about his first monthly gig in three years -- since CrossGen's Solus -- and opened the floor to questions from the fans.

Following are the highlights:

* Perez had in hand an early look at The Brave and The Bold #1, which reaches stores on Wednesday. Since he has only two more convention appearances -- in New York and Pittsburgh -- until 2009, he decided to sign the book and make it available at the convention through Hero Initiative.

* Perez noted that he just found out that he'll be doing 10 issues of The Brave and The Bold per year with writer Mark Waid. "My contracted stipulated 10 books per year because DC didn't want to overburden me," Perez said. "I didn't know about it. None us knew there was a skip month."

DC's just-released May solicitations revealed no The Brave and The Bold #4. That issue will arrive in stores in June, and there will be a skip month every four months.

* The Brave and The Bold #3 pits the futuristic Fatal Five against Batman and Blue Beetle. "The Fatal Five vs. Batman and Blue Beetle? They don't stand a chance!" Perez said, smiling. "But Mark threw in a nice surprise."

* Perez said that Waid initially wrote full scripts, but now is looser in his approach to B&B. "I get to play," Perez said. "I like to throw a few curves to a writer -- but not without consulting him first."

* The first arc of B&B will last six issues. Perez said he's completed the cover for #4, which pairs Supergirl and Lobo, but he doesn't know who will be featured in the rest of the arc.

"After the first arc, we are talking about single and two-issue story arcs, so we have more freedom with characters," Perez said.

* Perez said he would like to draw "anybody I can get my grubby hands on," including B-, C- and even D-list characters.

"We can do characters that spread through space and time, so that give us an unlimited canvas to work on," Perez said. "The fact that Mark Waid knows the DC Universe so well, I've got a great tour guide."

Perez said he would love to return to Wonder Woman, pairing her with Power Girl, and would also like a crack at the Metal Men.

"Mark knows it could be JLA and Legion if he wants because I'm that fearless when it comes to characters," Perez said.

* Perez said he doesn't contribute to the plotting of B&B and that he isn't really up on current DC continuity. He does like to contribute to staging, choreography and emotion of stories.

"I just don't have time to understand the big picture any more," he said.

* Perez said he was offered to write Wonder Woman, but declined, at least partly because of the continuity issues. "I was flattered, but I'm not sure I even know she is any more," he said.

* Perez said he and writer Marv Wolfman have been asked to contribute to Teen Titans #50, but isn't sure it will happen. "It depends on my schedule," he said.

* Perez praised the work of B&B inker Bob Wiacek -- "He's very faithful to my pencils -- and long-time collaborator and colorist Tom Smith for his detailed work.

* Perez said he has no interest in working in Hollywood. "It takes a strong ego, and I'm a little too sensitive," he said.

* Asked how he felt about Cartoon Network's Teen Titans animated series, Perez said he was grateful in how it has expanded the audience for the characters. He admitted he was a little taken back by its visuals at first glance.

"It's a very clever cartoon," he said. "This is their version of these iconic characters, and it's aimed at a younger audience. But they don't talk down to them, which is a very tough tightrope to walk."

Perez added that royalties from the show have been very nice.

"DC Comics is really meticulous about royalites," Perez said, noting that was one of the reasons he signed an exclusive with the publisher.

* Asked if there ever was a character he hated so much he wanted to kill, Perez said, "Vibe. And I did kill him. I would have given him a full-page death if I had the room."

Perez said he hated the treatment the Puerto Rican character was given.

credits : comicscontinuum.com

[MSth08]

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #4
Written by Mark Waid
Art by George Pérez & Bob Wiacek
Cover by Pérez

A couple of easy riders head out on the highway…get ready for the most unlikely team of all: Supergirl and Lobo!

On sale June 20
http://images.newsarama.com/dcnew/June07/13/BAB_Cv4_solicit.jpg

[MSth08]

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #6
Written by Mark Waid
Art by George Pérez & Bob Wiacek
Cover by Pérez

Half the DCU guest-stars in the red-hot team-up book by Mark Waid and George Pérez! Green Lantern and Batman are horrified to discover the secret to the theft of the Book of Destiny, but before it can reach its rightful owner, the Book winds up in the hands of the only heroes in the DCU who aren’t in its pages! How it that possible?

On sale August 15
http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/aug07/3_dcucovers/BAB_Cv6.jpg

credits : newsarama.com

[MSth08]

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #7
Written by Mark Waid
Art by George Pérez & Bob Wiacek
Cover by Pérez

Wonder Woman and Power Girl fight side-by-side against a foe who may be more powerful than both of them combined!

On sale October 17
http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/Oct07/4/BAB_Cv7_solicit.jpg

credits : newsarama.com

[MSth08]

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #8
Written by Mark Waid
Art by George Pérez & Bob Wiacek
Cover by Pérez

A virtually unstoppable force has driven the Doom Patrol to the brink of destruction and despair! And why is The Flash the only hero who can possibly stand between them and utter chaos?

On sale November 21
http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/Nov07/d/BAB_Cv8.jpg

credits : newsarama.com

[MSth08]

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #9
Written by Mark Waid
Art by George Pérez & Bob Wiacek
Cover by Pérez

The Book of Destiny’s been opened, but look who’s come spilling out…the Metal Men! The Blackhawks! The Newsboy Legion! And the new Atom and Hawkman team!

On sale December 19
http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/Dec07/4_DCU/BAB_Cv9.jpg

credits : newsarama.com

[MSth08]

preview of issue 7, in stores 18 aug :
http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/Oct07/4/BAB_Cv7_solicit.jpg

http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/Oct07/previews/10_17previews_5.jpghttp://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/Oct07/previews/10_17previews_6.jpg

http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/Oct07/previews/10_17previews_7.jpg

http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/Oct07/previews/10_17previews_8.jpg

http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/Oct07/previews/10_17previews_9.jpg

credits : newsarama.com

[MSth08]

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #10
Written by Mark Waid
Art by George Pérez & Bob Wiacek
Cover by Pérez

The Book of Destiny has cracked open wide...and wild team-ups spill out! Featuring Superman! The Shining Knight! Aquaman! And the Teen Titans!

On sale February 20
http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/Feb08/4/BAB_Cv10_solicit.jpg

credits : newsarama.com

[MSth08]

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #11
Written by Mark Waid
Art by Jerry Ordway
Cover by George Pérez

Superman and Ultraman of the Crime Society…together? What situation could be so dire that it would cause this team-up? Will two men who are the exact opposite of each other be able to work together long enough to save the day? Featuring guest art by Jerry Ordway!

On sale March 19
http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/March08/4/bab_cv11_solicit.jpg

credits : newsarama.com

[MSth08]

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #12
Written by Mark Waid
Art by Jerry Ordway & Bob Wiacek
Cover by George Pérez

It's all been leading up to this: Half of the DC Universe vs. Megistus! Superman, Supergirl, Green Lantern, Flash and a host of others fight to stop the alchemist pulling the strings since the beginning of the series. But will the combined powers of these heroes be enough to stop what has already begun?

On sale April 16
http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/April08/bab_cv12_solicit.jpg

credits : newsarama.com

[MSth08]

Beginning with March's Issue #11, DC’s Brave and the Bold will have a new artist with a classic style.

Jerry Ordway has been slated to step in to take over pencils for the title with the departure of previous penciller George Perez, who was pulled away to work on another yet-to-be-announced project for DC. According to Ordway, he's on board as penciller at least through Brave and the Bold #13.

The switch from Perez to Ordway makes sense to most comics fans. After all, on the art for one of the most famous comic series drawn by Perez, 1985's Crisis on Infinite Earths, it was Ordway who inked his pencils. Since then, Ordway's been known not only as a penciller and inker, but a writer as well, being among the writers behind the Death of Superman.

Newsarama talked to Ordway about the new job on Brave and the Bold and ended up in a discussion of changes in the comics industry during his lengthy career.

Newsarama: Jerry, how did you find out about the job of doing the pencils on Brave and the Bold for a few issues?

Jerry Ordway: The editor, Joey Cavalieri called me and asked if I could draw a couple of issues, and my schedule was clear! Simple as that.

NRAMA: Any idea what George Perez is going to be working on that forced him to leave the title a couple issues earlier than he'd planned?

JO: Nope, no idea what George has on his plate. I know he wanted to finish out the storyline, but I'm glad I got the assignment all the same.

NRAMA: What do you think of this version of Brave and the Bold?

JO: I think Mark Waid has done a good job capturing the original flavor of Brave and Bold, from before it was just a Batman team-up book, and has added a more modern device, the long-form storyline, to give the various single team-ups a narrative thread. The first six issues told individual tales that combine for a big story.

NRAMA: Have you started work on the issues you're penciling? How's it going so far?

JO: I'm well into issue #12, and as I said, the threads from issues #7-#11 resolve in a big story finish in issue #12, involving a new villain, Megistus.

NRAMA: What can you tell us about the story you'll be drawing in Issue #11?

JO: In issue #11, I got to draw some Daily Planet hijinx involving Steve Lombard, who older fans will know, as well as the Mr Mxyzptlk from Ultraman's world, which was really fun.

NRAMA: How is it drawing Ultraman and Superman working together?

JO: It's always fun to draw Superman, and Ultraman is basically a clone of Superman! I recall inking some Ultraman pages in the early 1980's as part of an All-Star Squadron/ Justice League crossover. His costume has changed, though, as the 80's were all about fashions with big shoulder padding. Ultraman now has a sleeker look.

NRAMA: Any characters you can tell us about who are showing up?

JO: The Challengers of the Unknown are getting a bigger role in issues #11 and #12, as is Metamorpho. Green Lantern guests in #12 along with a bunch of other characters.

NRAMA: Your style seems to fit this comic. Would you agree? What is it about this comic that makes you a good fit?

JO: Well I think I fit on a book like this because I have been so involved in DC continuity over the past 26 years, and probably have drawn most of the DCU in that time. I also draw in a kind of classic art style, and Waid writes that way too. Mark has a way of taking ideas that seem too darn big and making them work. I've never been comfortable writing fiction on that cosmic scale, but it's fun to draw and let someone else worry about the science.

NRAMA: How would you describe your style now? Has it evolved and changed over time? Or are you hoping to keep the same style but just improve upon it?

JO: I have never really drawn in a cutting edge or stylized way. In my work, I've always aspired to draw in the mode of artists I grew up loving, such as John Buscema, Wally Wood, Alex Raymond, and, well, you get the idea. It's like superhero 101, a heroic style of cartooning, where you bend the rules of realism only to make a pose more exciting, or a hero or heroine more attractive. Hopefully the changes in my work over the years can be attributed to me getting better at drawing.

NRAMA: Since we're talking about change over the years, it's hard to resist asking you -- what do you see as the biggest change in comics since you first started working? Do you think it's a good change or a bad one?

JO: There have been many technical changes, such as handling so much production on computers, and those have streamlined that aspect of the work greatly, but at a terrible cost, I think, in craftsmen losing their livelihoods. I respect hand letterers a great deal, and feel sad that talented people like John Costanza, Todd Klein, Janice Chiang, John Workman, and others have had to go digital or go into another aspect of drawing to earn a living. I see the advantages of computer comic lettering, from a company point of view, but in all honesty, the art boards don't have that extra "zing" anymore, without captions and dialogue hand lettered on the originals.

I think there has been a similar trade-off in going from 64 colors to millions of variations, via the computer. Comics for the most part have lost clarity in coloring. There are many talented color artists working now, no doubt, but the style of color work has evolved into everything being painted with tons of effects that overwhelm the line art. When it works, it works well, but when it doesn't, it's a murky mess. Some people have restraint, and don't use a million colors on each page, but some people worked better with artificially imposed limitations. I used to draw color guides for many of my covers on Superman, and I always tried to push the boundaries with the way color separations were done, but the most effective ones were often the simplest ones.

Comic writing has changed, or evolved, as well in the years I've worked in the business. The most drastic change is the pacing of stories themselves. Ideas are often stretched out for 6 issues with lots of room for quirky character development. And yet, in the '40s and '50s, complete stories were done in six pages. In many ways, things today are not better or worse, just different.

I like technology, but the older I get, the harder it is to keep up with the latest thing. I'm fine with my CD's and don't need an MP3 player, but I love my HDTV, you know?

NRAMA: What about the characters themselves? Some comics characters change to reflect their times, but are most DC Comics characters so iconic that they withstand the effects of time?

JO: The characters evolve over time to reflect the era they are produced in, really. Superman today is not the same Superman that was published in the 1990s. Evolve or fade away is apt. Look at great fiction characters of the past, who didn't have a continuous publication to bridge the gap -- Doc Savage, the Shadow, Lone Ranger -- all terrific concepts, but each stuck in an era they were last viably published in. So, while I don't like the lack of pure selfless heroics in superhero comics today, I understand they reflect a different world than my own childhood.

Superman and Batman are pretty much timeless concepts, and icons that seem hard to ruin. For most of us, we love our favorites and remember them in the context of when we first discovered them. With Waid's love of the '60s DC stuff, he has captured a really viable way of handling the Challengers of the Unknown, which is fun. That concept, like Blackhawks, and Metamorpho have a hard time sustaining sales in recent times because they belong to a different time.

I wish the comic market could support more new creations, though. It's great to see comics like Bone or Mouse Guard or Invincible succeed. My generation had the Marvel comics of the '60s. DC was the old company to me, when I was a kid. Now Marvel is in that same situation. Each generation should have new stuff to love, as well as the older stuff that's still around. My kids have manga as their inspiration.

NRAMA: Where will we see more of your work over the next few months?

JO: Well, look for Brave and Bold issues #11-#13, and after that I am doing some stuff for JSA.

NRAMA: You're on Issue #13 too? What's that one about?

JO: Issue #13 of Brave and Bold is a stand-alone story featuring Batman, and maybe the Golden Age Flash. Should be fun!

NRAMA: Last question, why should someone check out Brave and the Bold for your issues?

JO: What, I haven't convinced everyone already? Issues #11-#12 are the pay-off for issues #7-#10, so you'll need the whole story, right? Buy them already -- I have kids to feed.

http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/Brave_Bold/aBAB11.02_03.600.jpg

http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/Brave_Bold/aBAB11.01.600.jpg

credits : newsarama.com

[MSth08]

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #13
Written by Mark Waid
Art by Jerry Ordway
Cover by Ordway & Bob Wiacek

Batman and Jay Garrick stand against an android samurai with a bad attitude!

On sale May 21
http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/May08/4/bab_cv13_rev_solicit.jpg

credits : newsarama.com

[MSth08]

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #14
Written by Mark Waid
Art and cover by Scott Kolins

Nanda Parbat is under siege, and to keep his mystical realm from being overtaken by insurgents, Deadman must find a champion to protect it! Boston Brand elects Green Arrow! Can two heroes so similar in temperament but so different in ability pool their resources to survive — let alone triumph?

On sale June 18
http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/June08/4/bab_cv14_solicit.jpg

credits : newsarama.com

[MSth08]

THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #15
Written by Mark Waid
Art and cover by Scott Kolins

The siege of Nanda Parbat continues as Green Arrow and Deadman get some much-needed assistance from Nightwing and Hawkman!

On sale July 23
http://i.newsarama.com/dcnew/July08/4/bab_cv15_solicit.jpg

credits : newsarama.com

[MSth08]

As was announced at WonderCon in February, writer J. Michael Straczynski is now making his comic book home at DC Comics, writing two projects for the publisher. The first, Newsarama has learned, is The Brave and the Bold with artist Jesus Saiz, beginning in November.

While the acclaimed creator of Babylon 5 and writer for both screen and television was most recently exclusive to Marvel - staying six years on Amazing Spider-Man and working on other titles, including Thor and The Twelve, which he will continue writing – this will be his first major work in the DC Universe (not counting his Teen Titans Spotlight issue in 1987 or Babylon 5 comic projects at the publisher). Straczynski’s run on DC’s team-up series will begin following an arc written by Marv Wolfman.

“We wanted to give him free reign to really touch on as many characters as possible,” says DCU Executive Editor Dan DiDio when asked what went into the decision. “The way we’ve been playing The Brave and the Bold is the same way we’ve been playing Superman/Batman – that is, it fits into DCU continuity somewhere, but it doesn’t run with the current continuity. That way, we can tell the best stories possible with the characters.”

Case in point, Straczynski’s first issue, according to DiDio, features Batman teaming with the Jim Corrigan Spectre. But that’s not to say that Batman will be in every issue.

“We have a lot of plans that I can’t get ahead of, but as I said, Joe’s first story will be Batman, and then he’ll be examining different pairings of the characters in the near future,” DiDio says. “Batman will be prominent, but that’s not to say that he’ll be the sole star of the series.”

And what other characters will be seen?

“Joe gave us a full checklist that ran the gamut from the most recognizable to the most obscure characters that we have in the DCU,” DiDio says. “But what we’re really trying to do is to create an overall plan and theme and arc for the series, and while the first issue or two might be standalone and fun in their own right, there is a bigger story that will be rolling out in the series.”

Look for an interview with Straczynski soon on Newsarama about The Brave and the Bold.

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As we announced last week, J. Michael Straczynski will be diving headfirst into the DC Universe later this year when he steps in as the new regular writer on the publisher’s Brave and the Bold. The series, as restarted by Mark Waid and George Perez in 2007 returned it to its earlier days of featuring team-ups between diverse (and often disparate) characters, rather than strictly a teaming with Batman as was the title’s norm for the bulk of its run.

The run on the series will be the first major DC work for Straczynski, and we spoke with him about the gig.

Newsarama: Joe, we haven't had a chance to talk since the first announcement of you going to DC. When your obligations were wrapping up at Marvel, and you were considering your options, was it an automatic thing to just look at the other company and see if they were interested, or did they give a call and start dangling worms on hooks?

J. Michael Straczynski: I'd always wanted to play in the DC universe, and once my period of exclusivity ended, there was no reason not to go and have a chat with them. I spoke with Dan DiDio and others and we tossed around some ideas. Brave and the Bold was one of the very first things Dan mentioned since it would let me play with as many of the characters as I wanted, in any combination, without having to worry too much about continuity or what was going on in other books.

NRAMA: For you, what's the appeal of the DC Universe as a storyteller? Obviously, the characters are a big part, but is there a tonal difference between the two (Marvel and DC) anymore?

JMS: I think the DC universe is a bit lighter and more polished in some respects, but that's neither better nor worse than being grittier or darker, it's mainly a philosophical thing. Growing up, I always enjoyed Marvel, but I was a massive DC fan particularly in terms of Batman, Superman and the core DC characters. I have one of the biggest collections of Superman stuff on the Western seaboard.

NRAMA: That said, what was the appeal of the book for you?

JMS: The breadth of the character list is appealing, and the ability to work outside continuity to some extent. Also, the plan is to do one or at most two-issue arcs, making the books more self-contained, which I think will be a blessing to readers looking to sample some of the characters. It's like, "Here's a cool Supergirl story," you tell it in one or two issues, and you get out rather than trying to drag it out or decompress.

NRAMA: Dan DiDio has said that your first issue will feature Batman and the Jim Corrigan Spectre - what led you to start your run with those two?

JMS: I gave Dan a list of possibilities, and he loved that one right off as a strong starting point.

NRAMA: Are there any other characters that you can name that you're itching to get your hands on?

JMS: Some of the choices are straightforward, others a bit odder. I'm looking for pair-ups that either haven't happened before, or have only happened rarely because that for me was always the appeal of the original Brave and Bold, seeing these pairings we hadn't seen before and wondering how the heck they’re going to work together. Batman and the Haunted Tank. Atom/Joker. Deadman/Wonder Woman. Flash/Blackhawks. Batman/Dial H. Legion of Substitute Heroes/Inferior Five. Doom Patrol/Legion of Super-Heroes. Superman/Sgt. Rock. Two-Face/Hawk and Dove. Challengers of the Unknown/Metal Men. Just going over the list is fun.

NRAMA: What kind of stories are you looking to tell in Brave and the Bold? Are there any specific nooks and crannies you're really wanting to dig around in?

JMS: I want to do strong character stories underpinned by solid action setpieces. Really dig into the characters.

NRAMA: Finally, any broad hints you can leave us with? Big elements you've got coming in the larger storyline?

JMS: Again, I'm sticking with shorter arcs, so no larger storylines at the moment.

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THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #16
Written by Mark Waid
Art and cover by Scott Kolins

Superman and Catwoman – together at last?! This team clearly won’t be held together with super-glue!

On sale August 20
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THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #17
Written by Marv Wolfman
Art and cover by Phil Winslade

Supergirl and Raven team up to save San Francisco from a new super villain with deep roots in the DC Universe!

On sale September 17
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THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #18
Written by Marv Wolfman
Art and cover by Phil Winslade

The son of a former Super Hero finds himself lost in the grip of the past, and it's turning him into a threat capable of engulfing the future! That leaves Supergirl and Raven to save the day!

On sale October 15
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Upon the announcement of J. Michael Straczynski’s arrival at DC at this year’s Wonder Con, discussion soon turned to his proposed work on Brave and the Bold. A little while back, Newsarama spoke with the writer about proposed team-ups he’d like to see in the title, he gave a list that was...well, somewhat offbeat, and something that generated lot of discussion among fans.

That list..? Something of a red herring. While JMS may one day want to pair Vertigo and DC characters and more, but as has now been revealed, Brave and the Bold will see something more.

Using the book as his platform, Straczynski will be taking on and introducing the group of heroes commonly known as the “Archie heroes”, that is, the super-hero characters that were generated by Archie Comics beginning in the ‘40s (and who have had various incarnations in the decades since). Among the more famous of the characters are The Shield, The Web, The Comet, The Fly, The Jaguar, and The Black Hood.

We had occasion to speak to Straczynski just before the official announcement and got a little bit of insight into the project. We’ll be bringing you more from Straczynski (and more on the history of these characters) after San Diego.

Newsarama: Right off, tell me about your personal relationship to the Archie hero characters. Are they a group that you yourself fondly recalled? How did the prospect of your working on the characters come to DC?

J. Michael Straczynski: I enjoyed the characters a lot as a kid, and had a real fondness for them born of nostalgia and the sense that they were just really off-beat and interesting characters. I wasn't as keen on the later incarnations or reinterpretations of them, because I thought they went a bit afield of what made them compelling, but never lost my fondness for the originals. When it was decided I'd start with B&B at DC, Dan mentioned that they were working on getting some of these characters and that I could, if I wanted, fold them into the DC universe by way of this book...not as later incarnations, or revisions, but as themselves, rebooting their origins from the start. I thought it was a terrific and exciting idea, as I love the idea of rediscovering or redefining heroes, as evinced in The Twelve. So for me, this is a seriously fun thing to do.

NRAMA: Will the characters be part of the wider DC Universe proper?

JMS: That's not my call, but it's my understanding that yes, they want to re-introduce those characters into the DCU proper.

NRAMA: You mentioned "The Twelve"; does the process of reinventing a character come naturally to you?

JMS: I don't know if it comes naturally...I don't think there's a DNA tag for character reinvention...but it is something that I enjoy doing a great deal. You try to figure out what worked in the original iteration, then ask, "Okay, if that writer were alive today, creating this character in the current political climate, what would he or she look like?" You have to be respectful of the original intent.

NRAMA: Were there any of the new versions that presented themselves immediately, or did it require a lot of thought and research for each one?

JMS: I'm still in the process of doing my research, since the final go-code only came recently.

NRAMA: How many of these characters will you be handling? Anything you can mention in terms of specific characters?

JMS: I'm still awaiting the final list of cleared characters from DC. Once that list is in hand, I can answer more intelligently.

NRAMA: Since I have you hear . . . I also have to ask . . . we all recall that there were Babylon 5 comics at DC in the past. You're working with DC . . . you see where this is going, right?

JMS: There have been no discussions about a B5 comic with DC, though the long-overdue graphic novel may now get finished.

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THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #19
Written by David Hine
Art by Doug Braithwaite & Bill Reinhold
Cover by Doug Braithwaite

A strange child channels the Green Lantern oath and scrawls it on a wall. It’s a summons from forces located in another galaxy. A fantastic civilization that has its own Green Lantern requires immediate aid and their only chance for survival rests in the hands of Hal Jordan and the Phantom Stranger!

On sale November 19
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For DC's Brave and the Bold series, it's a different direction. And for writer David Hine, it's a chance to bring his unique writing style to another superhero universe.

In November, Brave and the Bold #19 will start a four-issue story written by Hine that attempts to recapture the work of creators like Neal Adams and Denny O'Neill. While their classic stories of the '60s and '70s ushered in realism at the end of the Silver Age, Hine and artist Doug Braithwaite hope to do the same for the current Brave and the Bold series with a story that focuses on the team-up of Hal Jordan and Phantom Stranger.

Not only is that type of style different from the more upbeat, heroic flavor seen in the series since it launched in 2007, but the length of the story also introduces a change in format for the series. While issues #17 and #18 will feature a two-part story by Marv Wolfman, November's launch of a four-issue story about two characters is an even further departure for Brave and the Bold, which had established a pattern of pairing two different characters each issue.

Since DC readers may not be familiar with Hine's extensive work at Marvel and on Image's revamp of Spawn, this story also gives the writer a chance to introduce his off-beat style to a new audience of superhero fans. Known for the strange and dark story twists seen in Marvel miniseries like Daredevil: Redemption and Silent War, Hine is hoping this Brave and the Bold story – along with his recent Joker's Asylum issue – helps him break into the DCU.

Newsarama talked to Hine about the new Brave and the Bold story, why he wants to go in a different direction with the series, and what readers can expect from a pairing of Green Lantern and Phantom Stranger.

Newsarama: David, you made it clear before this interview started that you're really enthusiastic about this story. Why is your work on this series so exciting for you as a writer?

David Hine: The Brave and the Bold is one of those titles that still gives me a warm feeling. I loved the book so much when I was growing up. I can’t quite explain why, but writing Green Lantern has given me a bigger buzz than any other character. Even more than Spider-Man, X-Men or even Batman. I think it has something to do with the Green Lantern oath. “In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight...” The greatest lines ever written in a comic. I had to take a deep breath before I typed them. Magic!

NRAMA: What can you tell us about the story?

DH: Green Lantern is summoned by The Phantom Stranger to a medical facility, where a severely disabled child is manifesting some very weird abilities. This child has never been able to understand human speech or communicate in any way, yet she has now begun to write incessantly, filling notebooks with apparent gibberish, that is actually a cry for help from an alien civilization.

On the planet Kahlo an entire city has been destroyed by an unknown force and Hal Jordan, with the help of the Phantom Stranger, sets out to solve the mystery.

NRAMA: Where did you get the idea? What inspired you to write this story?

DH: Dougie Braithwaite and myself are both big fans of the body of work that Neal Adams produced for DC in the late '60s and early '70s, and we wanted to recapture something of the excitement of those books: The Brave and the Bold, the Deadman series in Strange Adventures, the Green Lantern and Green Arrow series written by Denny O’Neil.

NRAMA: How would you describe the overall tone of the story?

DH: It’s a science-fiction thriller with enough twists and shifting ground to keep the readers on their toes. We wanted to create a whole culture that is completely alien to our own, and Dougie did a great job of that. The planet Kahlo doesn’t have the same clear-cut distinctions between animal, vegetable and mineral that we have. The architecture is bio-engineered, grown from genetically manipulated plants, so buildings are constantly evolving. The way of life on Kahlo revolves around the Belamort, a life form that shares aspects of plants and animals. It has a symbiotic relationship with the Kahloans, feeding off them, while in return sending chemicals to the pleasure centre of the brain. In effect, the Kahloans spend most of their time stoned out of their minds.

If we’ve been successful, the story will recreate the appeal that DC comics had for Dougie and I when we were kids. While the Waid/Perez run on The Brave and the Bold is a tip of the hat to the Silver Age, we’re looking to acknowledge our love of the watershed era at the end of the '60s, when realism began to enter mainstream comics, spearheaded by Neal Adams. I guess what you’d call the Bronze Age, although I don’t like that term. It sounds like a poor third place after Gold and Silver. For me it’s the real Golden Age.

NRAMA: Why did you want to approach this comic in this way? Was it intentional to divert from the previous approach on the series?

DH: I’d been talking to Dougie for ages, years probably, about the kind of book we’d like to do together. We’ll argue endlessly about what are the best books currently on the market, but we are both in total agreement when it comes to our roots. I was staying with Dougie for a weekend when he was coming up to the end of his run on Justice. That book was incredibly hard work, with virtually every character in the DCU appearing, often on the same page. It seemed the ideal time to do a short run on something, where he could draw the things we had been talking about. The Brave and the Bold had just been re-launched, and we both saw that as the ideal place to pitch our ideas. We didn’t deliberately set out to do things in a totally different way to what was being done by Mark Waid and George Perez. This was just the kind of Brave and Bold story we wanted to do. We also had no idea when we would be fitted into the run, but I always assumed The Brave and the Bold, with its rotating roster of characters, would be a book that could embrace all kinds of styles and approaches.

NRAMA: Let's talk about Green Lantern and Phantom Stranger. What's unique about the pairing of these two characters, and how does it play out in the comic?

DH: Green Lantern’s purpose is to uphold justice as part of a disciplined force of Lanterns and he operates under their rules. His abilities, no matter how astounding, are also governed by hard science. The Phantom Stranger’s abilities are mystical and unbounded by any rules of logic or science. Even within the DC Universe, I don’t think the limits of his abilities have ever been pinned down. The Stranger is a loner and an outsider, and although he believes in justice, he rarely interferes directly.

So we have two very different characters, Green Lantern, who operates in the light, where everything is morally black and white, and The Phantom Stranger, who exists in the shadows and recognizes all kinds of moral grey areas. For him free will is everything, so his modus operandi is to influence the protagonists to ‘do the right thing,’ rather than imposing his own idea of justice.

The story is about our relative perceptions of good and evil. It’s about the dangers and responsibilities of making judgments and enforcing a single interpretation of justice. Hal Jordan and The Stranger are both after the same result – to save the Universe, but they have almost diametrically opposed methods of achieving that.

NRAMA: Most DC fans aren't probably familiar with your work, David. What would you tell them about your style of writing and what kind of things you've written previously?

DH: I have quite a diverse background. My major work is probably Strange Embrace, a graphic novel originally serialized in the '90s, collected in 2003 by Active Images, and currently available as a hardback from Image. I’ve worked as an inker, penciler and writer, largely for British comics until 2004, when I began writing for Marvel. My credits there include District X and Mutopia X, Daredevil: Redemption, Civil War: X-Men, X-Men: The 198, Son of M and Silent War. I’ve also written 35 issues of Spawn for Image and the manga Poison Candy for Tokyopop.

The style of writing depends on the subject, but it’s usually described as dark, off-beat, morally ambiguous. Actually in some cases it has been described as “sick and twisted” but I wouldn’t necessarily agree. I guess I’m a bit of a square peg in the round hole of mainstream comics because I’m not a great believer in heroes or the idea that violence can resolve a conflict, so my fight-scenes are more often a shambles than a field of glory.

This is my second outing at DC. The first book I had published was the Joker’s Asylum: Two-Face one-shot. My next major project will be from Radical Comics. It’s the ultimate vampire book, based on a concept that you can check out at www.FVZA.org, where you can read the true history of the USA – one where vampires and zombies played an integral part in all the key events of the last couple of centuries. There have been an awful lot of vampire and zombie books of late, but this one is going to be very different. I’m really looking forward to working on a book with the Radical guys. Barry Levine is one of the most enthusiastic people in the business and the editor-in-chief is Dave Elliott who originally published Strange Embrace, so in a way this is coming full-circle.

NRAMA: How did you get the gig working on Brave and the Bold? Was this something you pitched?

DH: I don’t often pitch to publishers without being invited. Various editors at DC have approached me over the past few years, and although those projects never came off, I knew that there was some interest there. Going in with Dougie as collaborator obviously helped too. We pitched this a couple of years back, but it was a while before there was a gap in the schedule on Brave and Bold to fit us in.

NRAMA: How has it been working with Doug on the project?

DH: It’s always a bonus to work with people I know and like, and Dougie is one of my oldest friends in the comics world. He’s one of the most skilled artists working in American comics. There are too many people out there who put style and pyrotechnics over the skills of figure drawing, lighting, perspective and solid draftsmanship. Dougie also puts a huge amount of work into creating a believable environment and conveying the emotions of the characters. It was a genuine delight to see my story coming to life through his art, and I want to work with him again. You hear that, Dougie? This has been a labor of love for all of us. Bill Reinhold has done a fabulous job rendering Dougie’s pencils. They worked very closely on this one, and Bill really pushed himself to develop a new style of delicate brush and wash that captures the quality of Dougie’s pencils perfectly.

NRAMA: Anything else you want to tell people about this arc of Brave and the Bold?

DH: Everyone reading this should rush out and put this on their pull lists, so orders shoot up and DC gives me lots more work.

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THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #20
Written by David Hine
Art and cover by Doug Braithwaite & Bill Reinhold

Green Lantern and Phantom Stranger are summoned to a dangerous new world! Beautiful and otherworldly, this planet looks like nothing you’ve seen before. But its civilization hides a secret strange enough to overpower the Stranger!

On sale December 17
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THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #21
Written by David Hine
Art by Doug Braithwaite & Bill Reinhold
Cover by Doug Braithwaite

It’s Lantern vs. Lantern as Hal Jordan comes to blows with his bizarre alien counterpart! Back on Earth, Green Arrow struggles to save the children of Arcadia Orphanage from further horrific experimentation!

On sale January 21
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THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #22
Written by David Hine
Art and cover by Doug Braithwaite & Bill Reinhold

The 4-part “Without Sin” comes to its mind-blowing conclusion! On Earth, Green Arrow battles to protect the children of the Arcadia Orphanage. And on the planet Kahlo, Green Lantern and the Phantom Stranger locate the one cosmic power that can stop the evil of The Purge!

On sale February 18
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