CBR: Return of a Titan: George Pérez

[CBR News]

Superstar artist George Pérez spoke exclusively with CBR News about DC's big announcement regarding the highly-anticipated, long-in-gestation graphic novel, "Teen Titans: Games" which will see publication in late 2010.


Full article here.

[pgonzo98]

the best book of the 80s. i still go back and read it occasionally. looking forward to this project.

[the4thpip]

Wow, I remember first reading about mythical Games way back when I started posting on the old DC Boards in the 90s.

[Super Combat Monkey]

I am looking forward to this. The Teen Titans, or "The Titans" really haven't been good since Dan Jurgens' under-appreciated run on the series in 1996.

The New Teen Titans was one of my favourite books from the 80s. And, I am excited to see two of comics' greatest collaborators getting together again.

[keilthetarheel]

I love that George is back drawing a Teen Titans GN. Seeing him draw those characters again will be great. But, do I honestly think the book will be any good? Considering how colossally mediocre JLA/Avengers was - I have to say that I expect this Teen Titans book to be a gigantic meh. I hope I am wrong

[mswood]

I love that George is back drawing a Teen Titans GN. Seeing him draw those characters again will be great. But, do I honestly think the book will be any good? Considering how colossally mediocre JLA/Avengers was - I have to say that I expect this Teen Titans book to be a gigantic meh. I hope I am wrong

HOw does that statement make any sense.

Since you are happy to see George drawing the Titans, I would logically assume you aren't talking about art.

If you are talking about either story or plot, then how does JLA/Avengers have any bearing on this at all. George had no hand in writing or plotting JLA/Avengers (in fact George hasn't done much of that in the last ten years).

JLA/Avengers had a different writer and different editors.

Now since this was plotted back in the 80's it probably will lack some of the bite that current work as. But it is being scripted today, so hopefully it will show a little more depth then what was typically done in the 80's.

And since the story is far, far more focused on a much smaller cast, I would expect much stronger characterization for each, then what was possible for JLA/Avengers.

[keilthetarheel]

HOw does that statement make any sense.

Since you are happy to see George drawing the Titans, I would logically assume you aren't talking about art.

If you are talking about either story or plot, then how does JLA/Avengers have any bearing on this at all. George had no hand in writing or plotting JLA/Avengers (in fact George hasn't done much of that in the last ten years).

JLA/Avengers had a different writer and different editors.

Now since this was plotted back in the 80's it probably will lack some of the bite that current work as. But it is being scripted today, so hopefully it will show a little more depth then what was typically done in the 80's.

And since the story is far, far more focused on a much smaller cast, I would expect much stronger characterization for each, then what was possible for JLA/Avengers.

Doesn't matter how good the art is if the story sucks. Unless you like to look through each page of a comic without reading the words - which I don't

As far as there being a different writer than JLA/Avengers - the formula is the same. A story that has been kicked around for years, yet unpublished. And what has Wolfman written lately that should give us blind confidence in this GN?? It smacks of when Byrne and Claremont teamed up for JLA a couple years ago. It was the first time they worked together since Uncanny X-Men. Their new collaboration was a HUGE meh. So as I said - I hope the Wolfman/Perez GN will be good - but I'm not holding my breath

[Bodhi M.]

Doesn't matter how good the art is if the story sucks. Unless you like to look through each page of a comic without reading the words - which I don't

As far as there being a different writer than JLA/Avengers - the formula is the same. A story that has been kicked around for years, yet unpublished. And what has Wolfman written lately that should give us blind confidence in this GN?? It smacks of when Byrne and Claremont teamed up for JLA a couple years ago. It was the first time they worked together since Uncanny X-Men. Their new collaboration was a HUGE meh. So as I said - I hope the Wolfman/Perez GN will be good - but I'm not holding my breath

So what exactly was wrong with the story of JLA/Avengers? I happen to have quite enjoyed it. It was a very clever way of putting together such a staggering amount of characters into something coherent, and interesting.

[mswood]

Doesn't matter how good the art is if the story sucks. Unless you like to look through each page of a comic without reading the words - which I don't

As far as there being a different writer than JLA/Avengers - the formula is the same. A story that has been kicked around for years, yet unpublished. And what has Wolfman written lately that should give us blind confidence in this GN?? It smacks of when Byrne and Claremont teamed up for JLA a couple years ago. It was the first time they worked together since Uncanny X-Men. Their new collaboration was a HUGE meh. So as I said - I hope the Wolfman/Perez GN will be good - but I'm not holding my breath

OH I wasn't saying that if you liked the art you had to like the book. I just didn't see the point of comparison.

One was a massive crossover event with a plethora of characters, basically set to go through a standard meet, fight, learn the errors of their ways and unite against a common foe.

It wasn't done to show any sort of deep character moments or advance either individual book, nor was the Justice League written by a writer who is well versed in them.

Then we have Games, yes a plot that was started years ago, but one that was designed specifically to show growth of the characters (even if that now wont be a factor in current titans), one done by the writer and plotters that knew the characters better then any other creator.

Now Wolfman might be an outdated writer (certainly wont argue that, but again that comparison certainly doesn't hold to Busiek who was at the time riding a creative high with the Avengers with some of the most celebrated avengers stories.

Now you use a Claremont Byrne example, and at least that makes a little more sense, though of course the fact that the title wasn't one that they shared. There is still significant differences.

Games (which could be awful, good be ok, could be great, simply no way for me to judge) isn't two former creators deciding to work together on a new project (the Byrne & Claremont example). But an unfinished project that was plotted and a significant amount of art was completed during a time they were still working on the title that made them major successes (though not at the titles peak).

Now of course if you didn't like the titans during the 80's, or if your taste in books has changed dramatically, then I would guess this book wouldn't appeal to you. But your original post seemed to be happy about it, so I would guess that you (at the least) did like their run in the 80's.

[titanfan]

I love that George is back drawing a Teen Titans GN. Seeing him draw those characters again will be great. But, do I honestly think the book will be any good? Considering how colossally mediocre JLA/Avengers was - I have to say that I expect this Teen Titans book to be a gigantic meh. I hope I am wrong

It can't possibly live up to 20 years of hype if that's what you're asking. However, it should still be very good.

I wonder how they are going to address the whole Sarah Simms supposedly dying in this title (but recently shown to be alive in the Cyborg mini)...I guess the script isn't complete yet...

[joint venture]

There's a book by Christopher Lawrence, printed by Dynamic Forces called George Pérez: Storyteller - The first 30 Years. Here Pérez talks deep and sound about what stopped Games from being completed before. This book is a real nice biography book that takes you through his entire career and personal life. He ain't getting any younger so you bet that what he did before, or what's praised in this book is his best work up to date.

Now; for those who read the interview, he made clear a lot of points that will probably be catalysts to you deciding to buy Games or not. Of course it's Marv Wolfman writing it, of course it's a kinda melancholic "Back to the Future" kind of story since we will probably see the best of them NOW plus the best of them THEN. It's a project they lost interest in, a project DC ditched for more 'popular or radical' pitches at the moment that could translate into better revenue. Teen Titans was still popular so Games could wait.

Every story has it's time. Look at JLA/Avengers, there was a "Dream Clause" in Pérez's contract with CrossGen back in the day that stated clearly 'should the JLA/Avengers project materialize or come back to life, George would have the opportunity to take a sabbatical off Crossgen to pencil or draw that book'. And it did happen :) The book is just a set of matches and agreements between the most popular teams of superheroes in this world.

Anyone expecting a Pulitzer like Guns Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond is clearly not as enthusiastic or interested in the comic as he/she is about criticizing it.

Games is set in the past, drawn along decades and printed in 2010. Go back to your trades, read 'em; get that enthusiasm back and expect the best. These are not mediocre guys or rookies. This guys shaped our super-hero comics.

[Darrell D.]

Man, I wonder how dated this book is going to be.