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When Dan DiDio Planned To Kill Superman's Marriage To Lois Lane – And Lots Of Young Injustice Members!

Published Mon, 19 Jan 2015 08:00:58 -0600

by Rich Johnston

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Dan DiDio has been posting on Facebook his memories of DC Comics as they prepare for their move to Burbank. It sounds a little too much like a memorial speech, or even a retirement eulogy, though I'm hoping neither are on the cards. There was the time he failed to successfully pitch Grant Morrison's Crisis In Hypertime to Paul Levitz.

So, a broad strokes plan for Crisis in Hypertime was created and put in place with Editorial. I was excited and ready, I was a fan for every other event comics did prior, and here I was, now taking part in one, it was time to bring it to the publisher. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that while Paul supported the idea of an event (he was well aware the anniversary to the original Crisis was approaching), he was not comfortable with Hypertime as being the centerpiece of the story. (I was happy that parts of Crisis in Hypertime would finally make publication in the later epic, Final Crisis). More than a bit deflated (but undeterred) , I folded up my easel and charts, and went back to the drawing board

And showing off white boards showing the plans that took DC from Identity Crisis to Infinite Crisis.

Now, back to the story, but first, a confession (not a surprise), I love comic book continuity. I love the idea of a shared universe and how stories can weave and connect to create an even greater story. It's what hooked me on comics in the first place and held me to this very day. Granted, continuity can also constrict ideas and be a crutch for lazy storytelling, but when done right, there's nothing more exciting than watching a universe (or multiverse) unfold and build in front of you. And in my early meetings with Paul, when I first because Executive Editor, I talked about how we could produce stories that looked at the line as a whole rather than individual titles or character lines. That way, all boats would rise together.

And it seems that number one on his hit list was getting rid of Superman's marriage to Lois Lane. It took a several years until he achieved it. And what a lot of death! The Young Justices not already spoken for had targets on their head from Day One…