Many things changed when DC debuted the New 52. One thing that didn't change was the presence of Geoff Johns at the forefront of the publisher. In addition to serving as DC's Chief Creative Officer, Johns currently pens three of the most popular titles in the New 52 lineup -- Aquaman, Green Lantern, and Justice League. Starting next month, Johns will be adding a fourth book to that assortment, Justice League of America. In contrast to the familiar and iconic team in Justice League, the JLA roster is comprised of more eclectic picks like Catwoman, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern Simon Baz, and Vibe.
The mere announcement of Justice league of America raises all sorts of questions. Why publish two core Justice League books? How will this new team interact with the current one? Why the heck would Catwoman join the Justice League? How do Amanda Waller and Steve Trevor fit in? We had a chance to talk with Johns several weeks ago, and he addressed these questions, as well as going in-depth with the various team members and discussing what artist David Finch brings to the book. Johns also talked about the then-imminent start of the Throne of Atlantis crossover and how these titles will play into the upcoming Trinity War event.
IGN Comics: One of the ideas you explored in the first year of Justice League is that the world at large isn't sure what to make of the team and doesn't know whether to trust them. With this being called Justice League of America, is this a team that's government-sponsored and intended to be held accountable for their actions?
Geoff Johns: Yeah. Justice League of America is going to be run by Amanda Waller and Steve Trevor of A.R.G.U.S. Steve is the field leader. It is a team that they want very, very public. Obviously a character like Catwoman won't be put in front of the cameras. But a character like Stargirl, who they've recruited very specifically for that reason, because her PR presence is massive. She's a huge star on the west coast. She tests really high with moms and dads and kids like her. So she's this very positive role model and they kind of push her to the front of it.
And at first blush she thinks, “Oh, this is fantastic. The JLA is a great place to be.” And what she slowly realizes is that she's just there for the cameras. That's why they want her. The idea and the perception is really something that's played heavily upon in the team. Hawkman in particular has a story that the JLA tell the world who he is, but really it's very different what's going on with him. That becomes a big part of the book.
Justice League of America #1 cover
IGN: How much friction is there going to be between these two Justice League teams as you open up the series?
Johns: Well, when we open up the series there's not a whole lot of friction. There's tension, but not a lot of friction. They will be aware of one another. But the Justice League of America has a very different mission statement, and that mission statement is revealed in full in issue #1. You'll see why the team is different from the Justice League and how this team is going to interact with the Justice League moving forward.
A book like this, when you talk about, “Hey, why a second Justice League title?”, it's not to fill the racks up with Justice League titles. For it to be something that David could work on, it had to be a book with a clear mission statement and very story-driven and integral to what we're doing and what we're building up in the DC Universe. The characters were chosen very specifically. I'm a fan of the obscure characters and underdog characters. Each of them has potential to be better and to be A-List. This team is a team of people that will be A-List, and they have to test with the A-List.
As a creator and a writer, it's really fun to work on these characters, especially with David. People might know them, but they don't know how complex some of these characters can be. Look at a character like Sinestro. I think he's one of the most fascinating and complex characters in the DC Universe. And you look at Aquaman – I think he's one of the most powerful and regal characters in the DC Universe. The book itself is about finding these heroes and unlocking their potential. Like Amanda Waller and Steve Trevor, we're trying to help these characters grow into something better and more than they are currently.
IGN: If you look back at the history of the Justice League, it seems to go through these phases where sometimes you've got a team made up of the biggest and brightest heroes, and then phases like the Justice League International days where you've got a team made up of guys like Blue Beetle and Booster Gold rather than Superman and Wonder Woman. Did you see this as a chance to give readers both types of Justice League teams at once?
Johns: A little bit. When I was working on some notes and developing the concept of the team, I immediately knew it would have characters like Martian Manhunter and Green Arrow – big Justice League standbys. But going through why the team exists and what it's for, I pored through all of these characters – everyone that's been a member of the Justice League. I just looked to see if there was anyone in there that might be a surprising member.
I've talked about it a lot before. I realize that Vibe is a character no one has asked for or wondered about. But he's a character that I looked at to see what he does and what he's capable of. And then I started to explore -- who is a character like this now? If you were really going to crack open his powers, where did he come from? What's his emotional state of being with these things, and what did he go through to become this character? And soon I thought about tying this into vibrational frequencies and the fabric of the DC Universe and making him a dimensional nexus of sorts.
He can't be photographed or videotaped because it's slightly blurry. He's slightly out of sync with the rest of our universe -- literally out of sync. As soon as I had that idea it crystallized the character in my mind. He's someone who's never quite fit in and never quite felt like he belongs, and yet he's potentially an incredibly powerful character. He's a very young character, and what he's gone through has shaped who he is. So to have a character like that, who Steve Trevor says, “This kid is going to get hurt really fast,” come in and see him grow into his role and unlock his potential is great.
Justice League of America #1 variant cover
And David Finch and I have spoken about him quite a bit. We really like the story of who he is and what he's going to do, and he became kind of the epitome of what the JLA is with all of these other characters. And it's really a choice of looking through all these other characters in the DC Universe and saying, "Who would be the most interesting for us to explore on an individual basis and with the team dynamic? How does the new Green Lantern interact with Green Arrow or Green Arrow with Hawkman or Martian Manhunter with Catwoman?" Martian Manhunter and Catwoman, ironically, end up having a pretty tight working relationship. When you start to look at this mix of characters and who would be on the JLA team – each one of them has a very specific reason and a specific journey and a specific mission within the Justice League of America – the book really came together. It found its purpose and voice.
I hope these characters surprise people. I know there are a lot of questions when you look at the lineup, and I love that there are a lot of questions. That's the purpose. When you look at the Justice League and see Batman and Superman and Wonder Woman, you don't go, “Oh, why is Batman in there?” When you look at Justice League, you wonder, “Who is this team? How are they going to work together? Why are they here?” I think that's half the fun of the book.
Forgive me if I ramble. This book is the kind of book I love. Like Green Lantern or Aquaman, it's just kind of there for the writer to grow. I get really excited about it.
IGN: No, rambling is good as far as I'm concerned. I want to focus on the individual characters a little more now, and I guess I'll start with Steve Trevor. He was the government liaison to the Justice League during the first year of that book. How is that role changing with this new team? Is he taking on more of an active leadership position?
Johns: Steve is the field leader, and his role and why he's on the team is laid out pretty clearly in Justice league of America #1. But there are still some secrets behind his motivation to become a part of this team. And he helps build this team. Although Amanda Waller is there and has her own ideas, so does Steve.
IGN: And Waller will have a big presence in the book as well?
Johns: Yeah, Amanda Waller is a very, very big presence in this book. Her and Steve have quite a history together. For me, she's been a favorite of mine ever since John Ostrander used her in Suicide Squad. I think she's just become a huge cornerstone of the DC Universe. She's an incredibly strong character and a fascinating character. Whenever her and Steve are in a room arguing and debating the merits of the JLA – I could write that stuff all day.
They bring such personality to it, because I think these are such incredibly passionate people, but Waller has such a different viewpoint and perspective on things. She's really in it for the long game. She makes decisions a little more coldly than Steve would. Steve is an emotional guy. He doesn't think he's an emotional guy, but he's an emotional guy. And so these two just clash and clash. They've known each other for so long and they know each other so well that when they work together, there might be a lot of sparks and friction, but the work's always very, very good.
Justice League of America #2 cover
IGN: I think a lot of Martian Manhunter fans have been disappointed that he hasn't been portrayed as a founding member of the League and his actual time with the team seems to have been fairly limited. Why do you think J'onn fits with this group better than the original Justice League?
Johns: You'll see really quickly why he's a good fit with the JLA. And also, we're going to learn more about his time with the Justice League and what that was all about and what happened. In Justice League of America, there's a reason we're having Martian Manhunter stories as backups to the main story. In the main story, Martian Manhunter is a bit of a mystery. He's more connected to the DC Universe and everyone in it than I think anyone might realize. Those stories that Matt Kindt and I are doing in the back explore that. They show another side to what Martian Manhunter does in the lead story.
I really think people who have been waiting for Martian Manhunter to step up and be a major player in the DC Universe will see it almost immediately in Justice League of America. He's one of my favorite characters, and what role he has with the Justice League of America and what role he had with the Justice League are going to be explored as a major part of this series as we move forward. More on what that is and what it means and what he's up to.
IGN: I think one of my favorite scenes from Blackest Night was when J'onn first showed up as a Black Lantern and attacked Hal and Barry. He said something to the effect of “People always forget that I'm as strong as Superman.” Is that the kind of take we're going to see in this book?
Johns: Oh yeah. He will be a major member of this team, and he's going to shape the Justice League of America as much as Amanda Waller.
Justice League of America #3 cover
IGN: As far as Catwoman goes, she's not really the first character you'd expect to see in a team book like this, because she tends to look out for herself first and foremost. Can you say anything about what entices her to join and what Waller sees in her?
Johns: I'll say that Catwoman is the last person anyone on the team would expect to join, including her. The reason why she agreed to work for the Justice League of America – the reason why they need her – is all revealed in that first issue. If you look at Catwoman, she's probably the only person in the DC Universe that can get somewhere and get out without anyone knowing about it. She's the best thief in the world, and that's how I'm playing her.
There's no one that can capture stuff as well as her – not even someone with superpowers. Catwoman is a master escape artist, a master thief, a master of hand-to-hand combat. But behind that, there are a lot of question marks. Why is she there? Why would she do this? Why would the team want her there? That's all answered in the book really quickly. It's a major part of the story.
For more with Johns and the JLA, head to Page 2!
Source : ign[dot]com
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