Who can save Superman now? KURT BUSIEK!

[Gary]

So, what's the name of the Fifth Dimension's equivalent to Arkham, again?

That would be the entire Fifth Dimension.

They probably send you here if you're suspected of being sane.

[Super Monkey]

I have a question, more business related.

I know that even a top writer like Alan Moore has a day job that actually pays the bills.

Really?  I find that hard to believe.

here is a quote:

Lying In The Gutters reports that Alan Moore, author of such extraordinary comics like V For Vendetta, Watchmen, From Hell, League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Top Ten and Promethea is hopping mad at Warner Brothers and he isn’t going to take it anymore.

Moore has choosen to publically disassociate himself from the movie adaptation of V for Vendetta, which the Wachowski brothers are "writing" and producing, and disputes claims of support made by Joel Silver. In retaliation, he has also pulled the League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen comic book series from Warner owned DC Comics, and is handing it to two small press publishers in the US and the UK.

Earlier in the year, Moore received a call from "V For Vendetta" writer/producer and "Matrix" director Larry Wachowski, but told him politely, "I didn’t want anything to do with films and had no time this year, being in the middle of work, my day job, writing, I wasn’t interested in Hollywood."

Shortly afterwards, Alan Moore was made aware of a press release sent out covering a press conference producer Joel Silver and the cast had held.

In this press release, Joel Silver, as well as announcing that the release date November the 5th 2005 was the 100th anniversary of Guy Fawkes attempt on Parliament, instead of the 400th anniversary, also said of Alan, "he was very excited about what Larry had to say and Larry sent the script, so we hope to see him sometime before we’re in the UK. We’d just like him to know what we’re doing and to be involved in what we’re trying to do together"

Alan felt, basically, that his name was being used in vain. Not only had he expressed the opposite to Larry, but his endorsement was being used as a selling point for a movie - the reason he’d requested his credit and association be dropped from all of these movies.

It is sad to see Moore’s work being so poorly represented on film, but Hollywood’s inability to make good stories is one reason that the comic book industry is still thriving.

It is also worth noting that Moore has been forsaking his option money for and distributing it to the other creators of the original comics who otherwise would not be getting anything from Hollywood.

And on a final note here is how good Moore felt about finally severing his ties with DC:

Alan told me that as a result of finally and permanently splitting from DC, he’s has a general feeling of elation. He feels good about himself, as if a weight has been lifted. Earlier reports I’d had from the past two weeks were that his temper was high, but speaking to him found the same calm, serene gentlemen I’d met on and off over the last ten years.

And in this spirit of bonhomie, Alan Moore decided to propose to his longterm girlfriend and co-creator of Lost Girls, Melinda Gebbie. She accepted and they have announced their engagement.

Sounds like he came out ahead on this one.

So unless I misread that, and he meant that writing was his day job, then, never mind, LOL. I knew that sounded queer that he would have a day job, but comic sales being down and all, you never know, you know a lot more than me, since it's your job and all

I read that quote months ago quickly, so I remembered it differently.

[Kurt Busiek]

So unless I misread that, and he meant that writing was his day job, then, never mind, LOL.

Yeah, he means writing is his day job, rather than making movie deals and cosulting and stuff like that.

kdb

[Super Monkey]

It is also worth noting that Moore has been forsaking his option money for and distributing it to the other creators of the original comics who otherwise would not be getting anything from Hollywood.

You know that's awesome. It's always great to know that the people that you are fans of, are really great people as well.

Obviously if he is giving his money away, he doesn't have any money issues.

Also, thank you again Mr. Busiek for answering so many questions, even the really silly ones

[Uncle Mxy]

Kurt,

Should there be circumstances in which Superman kills someone?

[Kurt Busiek]

Kurt,

Should there be circumstances in which Superman kills someone?

I think there could be, but they'd be drastic indeed.

Should be?  Depends on if they'd make for a good story, and if people want to tell it.

kdb

[Captain Kal]

Kurt,

Iron Man used to be tied to the Korean War but was later updated to the Vietnam War to keep him contemporary.

Superman has been updated every decade or so both in subtle ways and in outright reworkings of the character to keep him contemporary.

You've mentioned about this subtle updating process yourself in regards to continuity earlier in this thread.

One team that's been glaringly neglected in this regard is the JSA.  They seem inextricably tied to WW2 so as the rest of the DCU remains eternally youthful and contemporary, the JSA seems to be inevitably becoming older and older in comparison.  When the two Supermen first fought, only a decade or so separated them in ages so they could legitimately look virtually the same.  As time went on, now the original JSA members are supposed to be well into their senior years.

Would you agree with a revamp or subtle updating of the JSA to tie them to later eras?  How about making them tied to Vietnam nor or the Gulf War?  Must the JSA remain forever bonded to the WW2 era?

[Uncle Mxy]

Should be?  Depends on if they'd make for a good story, and if people want to tell it.

I suppose I think of it in terms of "do people want to read it".

IMO, there are certain types of stories that shouldn't be told with certain characters.  To tell the story effectively (not an Elseworlds), the character has to go through so much as part of that story that, by the end of the day, their fundamentals change enough that they might as well be some entirely different person sharing the same name.  Even if the story were good, the end result is destructive.  I guess I'd rather see writers invent new characters.  Instead of turning Black Lightning into a white guy who fires black lightning bolts as a permanent change, create a white guy.  You want Superman and Batman to be gay?  Go read Apollo and Midnighter, orf find some pink kryptonite (though I argue that pink K simply turns Superman into a metrosexual ).  Some axioms, once undone, can rarely be redone without a total reboot.  Killing would seem to be one of them.