Mark Waid

AWESOME. It was AWESOME. Thanks for reminding me--I really have to get to meeting him someday. I'll enjoy shaking hands with the artist who recorded KINGDOM COME, and he'll enjoy shaking hands with the whitest man he ever met.

I'm not going anywhere for a bit. I could see another year or two at least, maybe more. As far as other Marvel characters to reboot...Silver Surfer someday? Maybe? No plans and no TIME right now, but it's an interesting thought....

2- Short answer? His powers are as much a shortcoming as they are an advantage.

3- Batman. Never written a Batman story. Would LOVE to do the ultimate Riddler faceoff.

4- I wish I could, but it hurts. IT HURRRRTS. All I can tell you is, imagine Superman: Birthright #13.

WHY AREN'T ALL THE QUESTIONS LIKE THIS?

You are a RIOT. I'd accept it for no other reason than the offer would mean that my parka-manufacturing division would be making a real killing in Hell.

It'll never happen. And it would depend on who I answered to and what the job was defined to be.

Five questions, five answers: 1-a great comic book story takes advantage of the medium. It remembers to be visual at all times, even during the "talky bits." The words/dialogue are a useful buttress to the story, giving depth and additional meaning, but it still should tell a visual story!

I did, once. Sat down with him at a convention hotel lobby when I was a fan, early 1980s. Charming as all hell, gracious, and the absolute model pros should look to when talking with their readers. Utterly accessible.

D'OH! I meant, long-form. Sorry. D'oh.

You know what? I've become less and less of a fan of that approach over the years. No offense, but I much prefer at this point either trying to embellish the creator's original intent or just creating something from scratch.

No, wait. The New 52 Superman. That's what I meant to say. Sorry.

My absolute favorite Grant moment came when he, Geoff Johns, Greg Rucka and I were together in a conference room plotting the back half of 52 and trying to figure out how to tie up the Ralph Dibny storyline. We didn't want to bring his dead wife back, but neither did we want to kill Ralph because it felt so bleak and dark a fate--until Grant and I looked at one another and (my hand to God) shouted in unison, "RALPH AND SUE DIBNY, GHOST DETECTIVES!" We were so excited about that.

Our enthusiasm was not shared by all, clearly.