Posted in: Comics, Movies, TV | Tagged: Alan Moore, james gunn

James Gunn Credits Alan Moore & Chris Sprouse for Influencing New DCU

In a recent social media post, James Gunn explained how Alan Moore and Chris Sprouse's Tom Strong helped influence DC Studios' new DCU.

Ever since James Gunn rolled out DC Studios' "Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters" back in early 2023, he's been fielding questions about which shows and films will kick off the new DCU and where the various influences for this latest cinematic universe have come from. In a recent post on Threads, Gunn credited someone who turned out to be a surprise only because of their very long track record for not wanting their comics work adapted for television or film: Alan Moore. "The more I think about it, the more I realize what a significant influence Alan Moore & Chris Sprouse's Tom Strong was on the DCU & Superman. Like in Superman, we meet a character in a pulpy, fantastical world of pre-existing 'Science-Heroes' with pre-existing relationships & history. Although not in regular DC continuity, I'm grateful for the ways these comics have helped to shape our evolving DCU. You can get the collections in fine comic stores everywhere," Gunn shared, continuing his tradition of promoting the comics works that influence his and DC Studios Co-CEO Peter Safran's DCU.

Created by writer Alan Moore and artist Chris Sprouse, Tom Strong was initially published by America's Best Comics (an imprint of DC Comics' WildStorm division), with the character debuting in March 1999's America's Best Comics Preview. Spinoffs included Tom Strong's Terrific Tales, Terra Obscura, the one-shot The Many Worlds of Tesla Strong, and Vertigo's limited series Tom Strong and the Planet of Peril. (with Tom Strong appearing with Mr. Terrific, Metamorpho, Plastic Man, and Phantom Girl in DC Comics' The Terrifics). With all of that Alan Moore love being thrown around, we're hoping that doesn't impact DC Studios possibly revisiting the Emmy Award-winning universe of HBO and Damon Lindelof's Watchmen for a second season…

"The DCU Is NOT the DC Comics Universe": Gunn on Why That Matters

One topic that fans can't seem to let go of on social media since DC Studios first began rolling out its DCU plans has to do with origin stories. In this case, who needs to have one shown on the big or small screen, and who doesn't? In terms of Batman and Superman, Gunn's feeling is that those are origin roads that have been traveled down a lot, so there's no point ("I'm not telling Batman and Superman's origin stories again because everyone knows them") – and he's right. It's like saying that Marvel Studios needs to keep retelling Spider-Man's story – think about how many times that origin story has been told and retold since the 2000s kicked in. But for some reason, that blew up into this belief that DC Studios would be "overlooking origin stories" – with Gunn making it clear that origin stories will definitely be in play for characters that the public needs to know more about. For example, a lot of folks know who Plastic Man is – but how many of them could tell you his origin story if you asked them?

That conversation – and a post that Gunn shared of Adele praising Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story and how much Christopher Reeves' Superman films meant to her back in the day – led an individual to run this by Gunn back in November 2024: "Any thoughts James on general audience hesitance of getting to be thrown straight into a world where heroes like Hal Jordan, Hawkgirl etc have existed for decades and after Affleck's version we are yet again getting a Batman with whom we'll be missing out on his time mentoring Dick Grayson and other Robins and see him straight with his son & 4th Robin Damian Wayne?" The premise behind the question/opinion was that general viewing audiences need backstories on the New DCU characters on their screen for them to be able to connect with them.

After noting that the individual had "asked this question a thousand times" before, Gunn responded by noting that he wasn't buying into the idea that the individual's position represented the general viewing audience. "That seems to be YOUR hesitance not general audiences'. Some comic book fans are constantly questioning the ability of general audiences' understandings of basic concepts," Gunn responded. "Also, The DCU is NOT the DC Comics Universe. It's a separate universe. Not all timelines will be the same. (An impossibility since the comics universe took place over 85 years)," he added.

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