2006 Comic Book News Archives

DC Comics

March 1, 2006: Matt Idelson Talks Superman Comics

Newsarama spoke with new Superman comics editor Matt Idelson and asked him about what we can expect from the Superman titles, if "Superman Returns" will affect the comics, amongst other questions.

We will soon be publishing our own interview with Matt Idelson, as an introduction to the new editor, before he jumps into the monthly "Ask Matt Fan Forum" right here at the Superman Homepage.

Here's a few excerpts from the Newsarama interview...

    Q: Okay, Matt, finally, you've taken over as the editor of the core Superman titles. Sorry to put you on the spot, but this is arguably DC's most important character/franchise, especially this year with the film just down the road. Why do you think you were chosen to be the Superman editorial caretaker at this time?

    Matt: We've never really talked about it in-depth or anything (who's got the time?), but I think Dan was curious to see what would result in my working on these books. The fact that I haven't spent my entire career here might have played into it somewhat. More likely, the fact that I haven't entirely ruined any characters was probably a factor.

    Q: Do you consider the film an important factor at all? With Superman poised to get more attention than he might have otherwise since perhaps "Death of Superman", do you feel the assignment, or responsibility is any different than it might be otherwise?

    Matt: To answer the last part, not really, no. Obviously the attention the books might get from the casual person checking them out is greater than if there wasn't a film, but Superman's always been a critically important character in our stable, and the delicacy in handling him hasn't grown.

    Q: Straight out, take no prisoners - no doubt Superman is beloved, but can Superman be "cool"? Can Superman be seen as contemporary in a fickle society that craves what's "hip" and new?

    Matt: Absolutely. The guy's gotten an unfair rep as a boring, straight-shooting teacher's pet, and I don't think for a moment that's true. Will he be using the equivalent of a Blackberry while playing Clark Kent, reporter? Yeah. Will he be wearing a backwards baseball cap and skateboarding into action? Nah, but he doesn't need to. It's all in the personality, his reactions to things. I think if he just runs around exclaiming "Great Scott" ad nausuem, we'll be in trouble.

    Happily, Geoff [Johns] and Kurt [Busiek] aren't doing that. Plenty of characters have arisen over the years from various companies with a similar set of powers. It's not what they do that makes them "hip" or interesting, it's who they are. And I really think the boys have a tremendous handle on who this guy Clark is. And who's hipper than Kurt and Geoff?

    Q: All right to wrap up than, can you just give fans a preview of what they can expect from the crossover storyline "Up, Up & Away", and then each individual title moving forward from there?

    And perhaps along the way, preview you for us how Superman and Action may be "different" once "Up, Up & Away" ends and the titles "split" up again..?

    Matt: "Up, Up & Away!" is the story that's going to define what Superman the character and the books will be all about. Geoff and Kurt are setting the table for both how they'll handle Supes and what kind of stories and feel you can expect later on. While the story in and of itself is pretty epic and wild, it's really just setting the table for how we think the next few years will go.

    Once that's done, the two titles will indeed split, though they'll share the continuity somewhat. They won't cross over into each other all the time, but they won't contradict each other, either. I think the principal difference you'll see is on which supporting characters are focused on, and different aspects of Clark's personal life.

Read the complete interview at the Newsarama website.



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