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| Talking to Dan Didio |
Dan Didio joined DC Comics in January of 2002 as a relative newcomer to comics. Not that he hadn’t been reading them or following them, but he came into an executive slot at DC with no previous experience in comic publishing, management, or even creation. It was a risk that caused more than a few raised eyebrows. Two years, nine months later, Didio is a well known name, even revered in some circles as the man who lit the fire under DC Comics to shake up the venerable comic publisher, and give the whole core “DC Universe” line and top to bottom shakedown and evaluation. Chief among Didio’s tasks, he signed dozens of creators to exclusive contracts, guaranteeing him a talent pool for the future, as well as placing some of these top creators (as well as fellow VP, Jim Lee) on the company’s top properties. <i>Wizard</i> named Didio its first ever “Man of the year” in 2003 for his work on the DC Universe, and, given the announcement of his promotion to Vice President — Executive Editor, DC Universe, it’s not just the outside that’s noticing Didio’s work to date. Just prior to the announcement of his promotion, Newsarama had an opportunity to sit down with Didio to talk about a variety of topics. Newsarama: Let’s start with the promotion – what does it mean for you in terms of your overall work on a day to day basis?
NRAMA: The next few years – so this also means you’re sticking around for awhile? DD: Absolutely. We’ve got big plans coming up, and I’m not the type of guy who walks out in the middle of a movie. NRAMA: Going back to when you first came in January of 2002, probably one of the things you were best known for was saying that you were coming in to shake things up and change things around – to breathe some new life into DC’s top properties. Looking back on the intervening two years, do you feel that you’ve gotten to where you want things to be? DD: Absolutely not. What we’ve done is we’ve scratched the surface, and we’ve made great inroads. We’ve had a couple of what I feel are really steps in the right direction and great successes, like Identity Crisis, Superman/Batman, and relaunching the Teen Titans and Outsiders. Those are books that we feel very strong about and we’re very proud of. All the work we’ve done so far with Jim [Lee] on both Batman and Superman has also been very important with us. We’ve also gone to great lengths to establish ourselves in saying that we’re being much more aggressive in how we attract and work with talent. NRAMA: So there’s more shaking to come? DD: Absolutely. This was always a long term plan. It always was. There were several stages in what we did here. The first stage was identifying the talent pool that we had confidence in and felt could really improve and moves our books into the future. The second part was to concentrate on building a strong foundation of the individual characters – that’s where the conversation always comes back to, putting continuity aside for a moment - let’s really concentrate on what makes these characters great, what makes these characters strong, and what we love and remember most about them. We did that – we started to scratch away at the surface, and really identify the strengths of who our characters are. The third stage is to try and figure out how everything works as a world – what does the DC Universe stand for, and how do we create an environment that people re going to be excited about, and want to visit on a monthly basis. We haven’t hit that last stage yet, but we’re getting there.
DD: What we’ve been doing really is identifying the right people for the right projects. A lot of people, when they signed on, we had projects in mind with them, but we want to make sure that we’re launching on the best foot possible when these things come out. It’s not just a question of getting the right people - the right writer, the right artist, and the rest of the team on the right character – but it’s also about getting the book out at the right time with the right momentum and interest behind it. We could create something wonderful, and I’ve seen this happen when we put something out there – for whatever reason, the fanbase or the audience doesn’t come to it, and the book is forgotten, which is a shame, because we put a lot of hard work and effort into it. The books that we are creating right now are the ones that we want t be sure are here for a long time to come, and people are going to remember for a long time as well, so what we’re doing is making sure that these projects are the best they can be, and then we’re going to roll them out in a fashion that we know they’re going to be seen by the audience. We don’t want to get into a situation where the book is ready, and we throw it out there with no fanfare or hoopla. We really want to go out and make sure that everyone is aware of what we’re creating, and get that excitement there. NRAMA: Talking specifically about some of the shakeups that have come under your watch, storywise, probably one of the things you’re going to be known for, better or for worse is Identity Crisis… DD: I consider that as a “for better…” NRAMA: Let’s equate the events of Identity Crisis to say, making an omelet. Some eggs had to be broken. DD: Right.
DD: There is a fine line there, and it has to deal with taste and things like that. We dealt with some very controversial, very tough storytelling with the subject matter of the first couple of issues of Identity Crisis, but I don’t think that the story was told in a poor fashion, that it was told in an exploitative fashion, and more importantly, it was integral to what the whole story was about. Even more important than that, it is going to be integral to the tone we’re setting for the DCU. The most interesting comment I’ve seen on Identity Crisis is that, “Well, this has happened, and it’s going to be forgotten, and we’ll get on with our lives, and everything will go back to normal.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Absolutely not. If this thing was going to have no ramifications, then there was no reason to do this story in the fashion that we did it. The reality is that Identity Crisis is setting a tone that will be playing out throughout the rest of the DCU for the next year and a half. There are things that are being dropped there, there are things that going to be revealed, things that are going to come true, and relationships are going to change. That’s what this is all about. This is our opportunity to start exploring who the characters of the DCU are, and what they stand for. And more importantly, what matters most to them, and how they all come in conflict with each other, based on their own beliefs. That’s what makes our characters interesting, and that’s what the dialogue is about. I think the greatest thing about Identity Crisis is that a lot of people are arguing about the story and about the characters. That’s what comics are about, that’s why it’s fun to be a fan – to be able to sit around and argue about whether or not we’re telling strong stories or not, and whether characters are behaving in certain ways, or more importantly, what’s going to happen next. NRAMA: The long reaching effects of Identity Crisis that you mentioned – are they coming top down, as part of an editorial mandate, or more along the lines of individual writers picking up the pieces and looking at different directions they can go? DD: What’s interesting about it is it’s not just about Brad [Meltzer]’s story, it’s not just about our writers, it’s not just about our editors, it’s not just about me or Paul [Levitz, President & Publisher], or anybody involved. We’ve been working on and talking about this for over a year. The most exciting thing to say about the follow-ups and connected stories is that I can’t tell you where an idea started, because everybody has taken ownership of it. Everybody who’s involved is involved in the process. We’ve been talking about it, and massaging it, and working it through, so it really has a natural sense of how it can go. The thing that we try to do, and thing that I’ve been trying to do is to work far enough ahead of ourselves so that things can come naturally out of the story, and not feel like they’re forced in, In the past, when you’ve tried to build a cohesive universe, or, even do a major, crossover storyline, they were sprung on the writers or artists, or anybody else at the last minute, and everybody had to stop what they were doing, rethink what their book was about, and try to force a concept into it. And it read like that, for the most part. It read contrived.
NRAMA: So the fallout will be more story-oriented, not a continuing “event” along the lines of “Identity Crisis: Fallout, part 16.” DD: Yes – it will be part of the natural story. You know what I hated when I was reading comics? Multiple events. The books were so event-driven for so long – you used to have these peaks and valleys. You’d buy the comic when the event came out, and stop buying it when the event wasn’t there. Then you’d buy it again when the next event came along, and stop shortly after when that event stopped. I don’t want to do that. I’m trying to build as diverse a line as possible within the DCU. I don’t want to stockpile particular characters, or overload stories with the same characters. I don’t think they have that elasticity, so to speak, that they can be used and used, and used, and people will continue to buy anything with that particular character in it. What I like to do is diversify our product, but also find a way to keep all our characters interesting, and try to tell a bigger story so that people feel they’re always part of a larger universe. If we do that, then I think we succeed across the entire line, and not just with a few books. NRAMA: I didn’t mean to walk you into a trap on this one, but with what you’ve said against events, and event-driven storylines…you’re in the middle of one with Batman: War Games right now. With your earlier comments, would it be safe to say that kind of story will be moving to the back seat?
NRAMA: That reference makes sense to fewer and fewer people these days…[Didio is referring to extremely tangential crossover issues from DC’s 1986 Crisis on Infinite Earths … DD: [laughs] But the reality of War Games is that it crossed over because it made sense for it to cross over. Just like with Identity Crisis. Realistically speaking, the books that tie in to Identity Crisis actually came out as the writer’s choices, not as us imposing any decisions upon them. Because we felt that the books tied in so closely, that was the only reason we listed them as Identity Crisis crossovers. It was never anything that was determined right from the start to happen. Going back to the question as to whether or not there will be more: we will do events when events are warranted, when the story demands for that method of storytelling to be used, not because it’s something that we have to come up with because we want a spike in sales in the summer or fall. NRAMA: Speaking outside of the core of the bullet books, you’ve been behind the launches of many new concepts, such as Bloodhound, Manhunter, Enginehead, and The Monolith. They’ve met with varying degrees of success, some not with much success at all, others with modest success, but no really breakout hits. Does that trend concern you? DD: It’s frustrating beyond belief, don’t get me wrong. You put your heart and soul into a lot of these characters, and also, more importantly, the creators have such clear vision about these books that make them very unique and wonderful reads. At the end of the day, if we put something out that we’re proud of, that we all believe in, and are glad to put the DC bullet on, then I think it’s worth putting out, regardless of the sales. When these books are conceived, we’re all signing off on it. I always tell the creators that if a book fails, it’s not because nobody believed in it – we were all 100% behind it, or else we never would have put it out in the first place. Sometimes, the execution goes awry, but that happens in any medium, not just in comics. I have to say though, that we need to continue pushing different stories, different characters, and different ideals. Realistically, what happens if the superhero bubble bursts one day? Where do we stand? We’re standing with nothing. So what I’d like to do is continue to expand, and see where there are areas of growth and where there are areas of interest.
NRAMA: Speaking of said publisher, and your position as uber editor for the line… DD: [laughs] “Editor of the editors” as I like to say… NRAMA: There you go. Everyone has a mentor or someone they look to as a measuring stick as to how well they’re doing their job. Who do you look to? DD: It’s weird for me. You’re talking to somebody who was, before stepping into this job, was a 30-year comic fan, so I’ve been following it along, and you remember things that excite you, and you remember things that enticed you to want to read comics. You remember golden moments, and you see when books are created, and when a company had a certain amount of energy. One of the things that I was afforded the opportunity to do when I first got here was do take my time and go back and dissect what I call “golden moments” in comics. For me, I identified a couple of key areas – I looked at the first five years of Marvel Comics, or even the early ‘80s of DC Comics, when there was a lot of creative energy going on there. I also sat down with Paul, and asked him who he thought, in the role of Editor in Chief, or Executive Editor – who were t he best people in those positions, and he gave me his thoughts on them. What I was able to do was able to look at how different styles worked in creating books, in running a line, and I came up with my own ideas. But realistically speaking, probably the best person who’s been in some ways mentoring me, and challenging me every step of the way, and making my life as hard as possible in the best way possible, has been Paul, without a doubt. Every time we raise the bar, he wants to raise it a little higher, and I can’t see any better way working than that. But as for past people in this type role and who I look to, I’d be foolish not to say that there was wild, creative magic when Stan Lee was sitting in the chair at Marvel; or the fact that when Jim Shooter did his first five years at Marvel, that he reenergized the entire company. At DC, I look at Dick Giordano’s years as something that is a golden moment, where they were not only changing the way comics were distributed, they were changing the way comics were perceived, and they were finding a way to change how DC worked as a whole. So what I’m trying to do is glom little pieces from here and there on to a whole – hell, I’ll tip my hat to Bill Jemas and Joe Quesada too, because when they came in, they set the place on fire over there, and they forced people to be better, and they forced people to be more competitive again. There are a lot of things that people have done well, and what I’m trying to do is identify the strengths – and the weaknesses – were, and try to build my position and my role here at DC upon that. NRAMA: Let’s go around the horn with a few hot topic questions…first off, it’s not exactly within your purview, it does have an effect on your job – there will always be complaints about comic pricing. We’re in a cycle where we’re starting to see $3.00 become more and more the normal price. How worried are you about that? DD: Actually, this goes back to one of your other questions, which was about diversity and product. The reality is, an average fan cannot buy everything we create. We put out anywhere between 50 and 60 comic a month, and it’s completely ridiculous to consider that someone is buying all of them.
DD: I can only speak to myself from having been the average fan from three years ago. I had to go out there, I had a budget, and I had to realize that there was only so much I could do. I had to approach things at the store, walking in, thinking that I couldn’t buy everything, and having to make the hard choices. I still see folks at comics shops, peeling off one copy of everything, and then going through the agonizing process of figuring out which ones they want, and having to go through the process until they winnow the stack down to a pile they can hold in one hand. If the fan doesn’t realize that consciously, then they know it subconsciously. The main thing that we’ve all got to do is to clearly understand that everybody isn’t going to buy all these comics. They’re going to buy the ones that matter the most to them and my job is to make that job harder. But the reality is that I want to give enough diversity so that we get a wider breadth of people buying comics. Again, what happens if that one group of people buying superheroes disappears? What are we left with? Where does that money go? We want to give them a wide attraction, and that way, they don’t feel forced to buy everything, because there are so many different flavors coming from the DCU. That way, they can buy what matters most to them without feeling that they’re obligated to buy the entire line. NRAMA: Another hot button – incentives and variant covers. Again, it’s not necessarily your place to be talking about how they affect sales, but from your seat, what’s the editorial benefit? Are you in favor of them? DD: I’m in favor of anything that helps raise awareness of our books. Simple as that. If that helps raise awareness, then we’ll do it. If it starts to detract from people purchasing books, then we won’t do it. Simple as that. I heard from a retailer, and he said it very clearly – the question was thrown to him, “How do you feel about variant covers?” His answer was, “We hate them, and fans love them.” As long as the fans love things, we will give fans what they want. We will not overdo it, we will not take advantage of the fans, and we will give fans what they want. How’s that for beating around the bush? NRAMA: Not bad. But it’s one of those things – you’ve heard from one retailer, but at the same time, there are other retailers out there saying that it makes their lives harder and increases their risk in ordering. For example, JLA Classified #1, with the 50/50 split, now retailers have to guess at how many customers will want both covers, and will most likely end up sitting on some copies. Where do variant covers meet being a good corporate citizen in terms of the larger market?
My job again, is to make sure we’re putting out product that people want to buy. As long as they want to buy variant covers, we’re there. But like I said, we will not use that tool haphazardly, or ridiculously, and I don’t feel that we’ve overdone it. In regards to probably the place we’ve done it the most, on the second and third printings – I think that’s a good thing. First of all, it helps to vary the look of the multiple printings. It also shows the fact that, for me, personally, I think the retailers under ordered our books in the first place, and forced us to go back to second and third printings, and the different covers reminds them of the fact that there’s interest in and excitement for our books, and they should be ordering them bigger right from the start. We’ll keep on putting the variant covers on our multiple editions without a doubt. Ultimately, I think it creates additional value for more copies, and the reality is that the first version will already be sold out, which is why we’re doing the second and third printings in the first place. So therefore, the retailers shouldn’t be worried about getting stuck with anything at that time. NRAMA: So they will be continuing? DD: As long as the retailers and readers tell us they want them. NRAMA: Speaking of Jim Lee for a moment…with “Hush” – there was tremendous, through the roof buzz and sales. Jim on Superman has relatively great sales as well, but there’s a lessening of the effect it seems. Is the “Jim Lee effect” on sales and buzz something with diminishing return? DD: Let’s first talk about Jim’s accomplishments. He delivered 12 issues of “Hush” on a monthly basis, took a couple of months off, and he’s been delivering Superman on a monthly basis on such a high end that I’d love to find another artists that is delivering with both the consistency, the quality, and the quantity that Jim is delivering. That’s the first thing – the fact that he’s turned out this incredible body of work in such a short period of time is amazing to me.
NRAMA: So where does Jim go next? DD: Jim hears that from me more than anybody else, I think. I’m always on the phone with him, and that’s my first question. We will constantly keep on trying to push and keep Jim going. As long as Jim is excited about working in the DCU, I know that everything we’ve been doing is exciting. NRAMA: Going back to your view of your job of editing the editors – you’ve done some shaking up on that front just in terms of who’s on what books, for instance, Will Dennis, a Vertigo editor is co-editing Superman, Scott Dunbier is editing Challengers of the Unknown, and there are others. What’s the benefit in crossing the editorial lines between the imprints? DD: It’s a relationship thing. When I first came to DC, I had my fingers in all three pies – I was involved a little bit with Vertigo here, WildStorm there, and the DCU primarily, because it was the bulk of the line. But the reality of the situation is that we have an incredibly talented pool of editors, not just in the DCU, but at DC Comics as a whole. A lot of these guys got into comics because they love superheroes, and they just happen to be working under different imprints. That doesn’t mean that at some point or another, they don’t have something to contribute what I think could help our line, or help with relationships in regards to people who can work on our books. I think you’re finding the best people for the job, finding the easiest way to put out a product, and realistically speaking, we’re in a position here where we’re able to wrangle it, and be able to control it so that we’re not repeating product, and everybody stays true to who our characters are. We have such a good rapport between the DCU and Vertigo and WildStorm that we’re talking all the time. If they didn’t want to be involved, they didn’t have to be. I saw no reason to stop them from doing it. NRAMA: In regards to talent in general…is there anybody else out there in the industry that you see and think, “They don’t know it yet, but they could come into the DC stadium, and hit a home run?” DD: I was asked that question a long time ago, and I’ll answer it the same way – our door is always open for all talent. The best people about DC Comics, and Marvel can use the same argument with their characters and company as well – the best part about DC is that this is the only place that you can come to write or draw Superman, Batman, the Justice League, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash – all our top characters. If they have a hankering to tackle one of those, believe me, we will find a way to get them there. That’s always been my open door policy. If there are people out there who have such a burning desire, and a level of talent that we feel can help elevate our characters and get people more excited about our books, we will find a way to make that work. Believe me though; there are a bunch of guys that I want to get in here.
DD: We’re looking into ’06, my friend. NRAMA: Oh…okay, well, it shouldn’t bother you at all to spill some about ’05… DD: You know what? That’s a funny question. Everybody is so anxious to know about what’s coming up that they’re not enjoying what’s happening right now to the fullest. NRAMA: Really? DD: I think so. I sat on a panel recently, and one of the questions was, “I hear Jeph Loeb is leaving Superman/Batman with issue #25. Who’s going to be on the book after him?” And this question was asked with burning desire – this guy really, really wanted to know this, and was pretty wound up about it. I looked at the guy and asked if he remembered that #12 wasn’t even out yet. He was asking about a change that occurs sometime that’s farther away than many of the new books we launch even run. Jeph’s on a run of that book that’s longer than most people stay on books on a regular basis. Everyone is so worried about what’s coming up in the future that I think there’re really not enjoying what we’re doing now. What everyone should be worried about right now is who the hell is the killer in Identity Crisis? What the hell is going on in Superman with the Vanishing? How are these mysteries going to be resolved? But I can still tease… NRAMA: Actually, let’s go back to Identity Crisis for a second, since you mentioned it. With the acclaim it’s received, both positive and negative… DD: Right – it’s great that it’s positive and negative too. If it’s one flavor, one answer, then it’s not striking any chords. The fact that we’re able to polarize so many people with such strong opinion is a wonderful thing to do. NRAMA: Do you ever catch the feeling that there are readers who don’t understand that for the publisher, that’s a good thing? It’s okay that there are people out there who hate it with a passion?
Apathy is the worst response to anything that we create. Everything should have a strong response, whether positive or negative, that’s what I look for. Something should generate a response, because what I want to do is make you come back the next month and buy the next book. As long as we do that, then we’re doing our job. NRAMA: That said, and looking towards the future, is there any fear at all on your part that Identity Crisis is like the original Crisis in that you can already feel murmurings of “What’s next year’s Identity Crisis for DC?” DD: You’re absolutely right, and my job is to make sure DC meets those expectations. That’s what I have to do. That’s why every day, we’re sitting here talking about story, and talking about how to improve what we put out on the stands. We never want to be put in a position that we’re putting out books that we’re embarrassed about. We want to be proud of every single book that we send out of here. That’s a very difficult task, but we should never stop trying to achieve that. NRAMA: Alright – back to the teasing. Many creators have mentioned it, and you have as well…something is building towards a big something or other in 2005… DD: Absolutely. You’re right. NRAMA: … DD: … NRAMA: Okay, well, thanks for taking time to chat… DD: [laughs] Okay - coming out of Identity Crisis, there are ramifications. Ramifications on the hero level where they make personal choices; ramifications on the villain level, where they see how the world has turned, and as how we put it, they see how the etiquette between hero and villain has been ignored. There are characters that have made real, life-altering decisions in the book, that will ultimately play out further down the line. There are so many strong threads that come out of Identity Crisis that we were able to hang a lot of stories on into 2005… NRAMA: One specific teaser…I don’t know if you’ve noticed this in the DCU, but there’s this character named Jason Todd that keeps threatening to return…some of your writers have teased him out, or perhaps even put him into stories. Any comment on that? DD: There’s absolutely no comment on that [laughs]. Look, you can look at what’s going on in the DCU in one of two ways – you can look at it as the editors have forgotten about continuity, and forgotten about what has happened in the past, and are just moving things forward. We can look at a couple of characters and a couple of books and say that very plainly. Or, we can say that there might actually be a plan here that’s slowly rolling out in the DCU that has long-term implications for people who want to get on what’s probably going to be the most exciting ride of their lives. Okay, I guess that’s the comment on that. NRAMA: Fair enough. Wrapping things up then, on a personal level, since you’ve been in there, what’s been your biggest fanboy style moment? What’s caused you to forget, even for a second, that you’re an executive at DC Comics, and just let loose with an “Oh, wow?”
The second one was…and I don’t think I’ve ever told anybody about this one – I was in Bob Schreck’s office when Frank Miller came by to drop off Dark Knight pages when I first got here. I was standing there, and Frank was there…he pulled out those pages, and I almost died. To see Frank’s original artwork was stunning. To see it for the first time, and know that nobody else has seen it, you feel like you’re in on a moment. The third time and this is probably where and when I knew I had moved into a new place in my life, and in comics. I was sitting on a panel with Jim Lee, and during the panel, Jim is answering questions – just in his glib and funny manner. But while he was talking, during the entire panel, he was sketching Batman. I’m watching him the whole time – I had nothing to say, because I was brand new to the company, I had nothing to add to anything, so I just got to sit there and watch Jim sketch Batman. At the end of the panel, he rips the page off and hands it to me. All I could think was, “This is so friggin’ cool.” So those are my moments, I guess. Just little things that make you remember what you’re doing, and how much fun this thing can be for everybody. Releated articles: Joe Quesada: Four Years and Counting |
by
Matt Brady
Dan
Didio
NRAMA
NRAMA
In
this case, everything is going to come so naturally out of the storytelling
that you won’t know if it sprung from any particular writer’s idea,
because every writer has taken ownership of it. 
DD
The
good part about being part of DC is that we are willing to take those
risks. We are willing to take those chances, and the best part about
it is that we have a publisher who supports us 100% in doing so. 
NRAMA
DD:
Again, it’s an education process for everyone, to tell the truth.
Realistically speaking…this is a tough question. Where does the onus
lie? Does the onus lie with the publisher? Does the onus lie with
the retailer? Does the onus lie with the customer? Who is the one
determining whether or not variant covers are produced, ultimately?
If the buyers purchase them, then I have to believe there’s a need
for them or a want for them, or a desire for them. If they stop purchasing
them, guess what? They’ll go away just like they went away in the
‘90s, because nobody wants to buy into that game anymore, or jump
on that bandwagon if people decide that their money can be better
spent on something else. 
The
second thing is, and what I think is more important is that there
is a different level of success in what’s going on with Superman
with Jim. He and Brian [Azzarello] are trying something different
with the character, and something different with the book. They’re
trying to change our perception of what people think Superman is.
It’s a much tougher task than to go out there and use all the bells
and whistles, and pull out all the big guns with Batman. Batman
is a wonderful, wonderful body of work. On the other side of the coin,
Superman is a tougher work, because he’s making people think,
he’s making people look, he’s making people work to understand who
this character is. That’s something that, at the end of the day, we’ve
got great value from the creators out of both of those projects. 
NRAMA
DD
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