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The Geoff Books And The Dan Books Of The New 52

Bleeding Cool has written about this before, the internecine rivalry at DC Comics between co-publisher Dan DiDio working on the East Coast and chief creative officer Geoff Johns working on the West Coast. And there's an almost palpable difference between what are termed Geoff books and Dan books.

Those associated with Dan DiDio are generally comics that try and do something new, often for the sake if it, sometimes seemingly without thinking it through. They try to change the book from the usual DC paradigm. They are also micro-managed to hell, being rewritten, redrawn and replaced close to deadline.

Those associated with Geoff Johns are more backwards looking, reflecting the Pre 52, more classic takes on characters. There are changes, such as the Superman/Wonder Woman shipping, but with an eye that things can go back. They have also traditionally been less micro-managed, Geoff Johns able to block a lot of the editorially demanded changes – at least until Trinity War which went through a number of versions before settling on the final execution.

Sometimes you can see glitches, an Aquaman that never actually said that Mera was still his wife, but treating her as if she was. The Teen Titans, suddenly no longer in New York but back in San Francisco without explanation. Lex Luthor went from insane criminal in lock up back to being Mean Business Guy throwing people out of helicopters.  Jimmy went from being photojournalist to fetching Miss Lane her coffee.  The Rogues lost their powers and were just Guys with Guns…

In June we are seeing a Dan book become a Geoff book very visibly as Geoff Johns and John Romita Jr take over the Superman book, previously by Scott Lobdell and Kenneth Rocafort.

That book had changed the paradigm a bit, seeing Clark Kent quit the Daily Planet and set up a news/gossip site, ClarkCatopolis. But now? CBR runs,

SUPERMAN #32
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art and wraparound cover by JOHN ROMITA, JR. and KLAUS JANSON
1:50 B&W Variant cover by JOHN ROMITA, JR. and KLAUS JANSON
1:100 Variant cover by JOHN ROMITA, JR. and KLAUS JANSON
Blank variant cover
Theme month variant cover
On sale JUNE 25 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
Combo pack edition: $4.99 US
Retailers: This issue will ship with six covers. Please see the order form for more information.
"THE MAN OF TOMORROW" chapter 1! A NEW ERA for SUPERMAN begins as Geoff Johns takes the reigns – and he's joined by the legendary super-talent of John Romita, Jr. in his first-ever work for DC Comics as they introduce Ulysses, the Man of Tomorrow, into the Man of Steel's life. This strange visitor shares many of Kal-El's experiences, including having been rocketed from a world with no future. Prepare yourself for a run full of new heroes, new villains and new mysteries! Plus, Perry White offers Clark a chance to return to The Daily Planet!

So are you Team Dan or Team Geoff? More importantly, is Dan now Team Dan or Team Geoff? After all, next year, they are going to have to share an office…

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