MY JLA/AVENGERS
Comics’ ultimate crossover has been 20 years in the making, and with the project debuting in September, the artist details the challenges, the exhilaration and how he almost called it quits
by George Perez
(as told to Mike Cotton)
Wizard Zero (Sep 2003)
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FIRST THINGS FIRST...
What happened with the 1983 JLA/Avengers Crossover?
In the early 1980s, it looked like nothing could stop a JLA/Avengers crossover nothing but Marvel and DC Comics.
Following up on a very successful string of crossovers like 1976's Superman vs. Spider-Man and 1982's X-Men/New Teen Titans, Marvel and DC agreed to a JLA/Avengers one-shot crossover.
Gerry Conway plotted the story and George Perez was assigned to pencil it, but before long, problems began to surface that would eventually torpedo the project.
Conway's initial plot, which reportedly revolved around time travel and set the JLA/Avengers up in a Contest of Champions-style competition, took almost two years to complete.
By February of 1983 though, Marvel Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter was finally able to review a plot—he refused it flatly, claiming the story made no sense.
Everyone agreed that a revised plot was needed, Unfortunately, no one told that to Pérez, who began drawing the rejected plot.
“It was excruciatingly annoying,” says Pérez today, the only person to work on both the original one-shot and the current four-issue crossover shipping in September. “I drew 21 pages before I got the call to stop penciling immediately.”
Eventually writer Roy Thomas re-scripted the initial plot but the in-fighting between Marvel and DC's editorial teams put the project in jeopardy.
Everyone from Pérez to Thomas to Shooter did interviews about the project’s continued delays and by May of 1984 both publishers officially scuttled the one-shot.
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I've waited my entire life for one day—the day JLA/Avengers became reality.
Sure, for the last two years, I've been drawing the JLA/Avengers match-up pitting the classic superteams from rival publishers DC and Marvel Comics. And after pushing for 20 years, a handful of false starts, scuttled plans and mis- steps, I wasn't sure if JLA/Avengers was ever going to see the light of day.
Back in 1983 we came close. I actually drew 21 pages of a JLA/Avengers one-shot, but company politics and editorial wrangling torpedoed the project before I ever put pencil to paper on page 22.
And, of course, there were always rumors. A comic convention never went by when someone didn't ask me, “When are you going to do JLA/Avengers?” Over the years, the project took on mythical proportions with expectations and speculation rising with each passing year. And if it were up to me, I would've done it in a second. But when you're dealing with the two biggest publishers in comics (and some of the biggest egos to boot), nothing's easy.
But today, June 27, 2003, as I finish off the inks (did I mention, I'm penciling and inking the entire series?) on issue #3, I can hardly believe JLA/Avengers is almost complete.
This is my diary from the first time I seriously began talking to Marvel and DC about the updated version of the crossover, Everything from the first phone calls in 1999 to today as I review the colors on the Batman/Captain America fight. If you think you know everything there is to know about the new JLA/Avengers, think again.
FALSE START
Jan 10, 1999— I've been approached on and off over the years about a JLA/Avengers project. But now that both JLA, with Grant Morrison and Howard Porter, is successful, and Avengers is successful under Kurt Busiek and myself, it looks like we might get a shot at actually doing the series. Kurt and [Avengers Editor] Tom Brevoort believe it’s a perfect time. Now that these two books are hot, why don't we start negotiating it? Everyone is a little concerned that I won't have time to draw the regular Avengers series and the crossover, so we decide it will just take place in both regular series and I'll draw the Avengers half with Howard drawing the JLA half. It’s a terrible monster to coordinate, though.
Jan 15, 2000 — Thankfully, Marvel and DC have ceased negotiations. No one wants to do this series more than I do, but I don't think Grant really had any enthusiasm to do a crossover book like this. I'd rather draw the entire thing myself. This is my baby and I don't want anyone else breast feeding her.
Aug 5, 2000—Now that Mark Waid’s been tapped to write JLA, there's been talk of working out another crossover with Mark and Kurt co-writing it. But this time, I 'll draw the entire series, I'm keeping my fingers crossed!
Aug 28, 2000— I finish my last issue of Avengers today. I'd hoped to be working: on JLA/Avengers by now, but who knows when that will happen.
Sept 3, 2000—Joe Quesada took over as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics a few days ago. I am a little disappointed when I call to congratulate him and he tells me that he isn't interested in doing any more crossovers with DC. Joe feels that the novelty of inter-company crossovers has been diluted by the recent glut of such projects. I can't really disagree. Even I wrote one, the Silver Surfer/Superman crossover in 1997! Joe doesn't dash all of my hopes though. According to him, there's one crossover he’d do— JLA/Avengers. He also says that the project's mine if he can get it approved. He says he'll keep me informed. I won't hold my breath.
Oct 5, 2000- I just started doing CrossGen Chronicles and [CrossGen President] Mark Alessi calls me today to ask if I'd be interested in working for his company full time. I’m seriously considering his offer, but with JLA/Avengers being talked about again, I'm not sure if I want to lock myself down in an exclusive contract with CrossGen even though it’s very enticing.
Oct 18, 2000—Both DC and Marvel have how expressed interest in having me pencil JLA/Avengers, but no one’s even started talking about contracts yet. Also, Mark [Waid] just signed an exclusive with CrossGen, so Kurt would have to write it solo, I wonder if this is just going to turn into another debacle.
Nov 22, 2000— I've informed Marvel and DC that if I don't receive a written agreement by Dec. 15, I'll sign an exclusive contract with CrossGen and won't be able to work on JLA/Avengers for at least two years.
GO TIME
Dec 15, 2000— I finally receive the contract for JLA/Avengers, and I inform Mark Alessi I will go exclusive with CrossGen as of October 2002.
Jan 17, 2001—While Kurt, Tom and Dan [Raspler, JLA editor] work on a plot, I work on the first promo art for a joint announcement at March's Orlando MegaCon and Wizard #116 in March. I can hardly believe I’m being paid for an actual piece of artwork for JLA/Avengers. This isn't a fan commission—this is the real deal!
March 2, 2001 —By the time we all get together in Orlando to announce the project, everyone was already talking about it. I guess a project this big can’t be kept under wraps for too long. And since Marvel and DC already announced they'd be co-hosting a panel, most fans and pros have already put two and two together. It eases my mind a little bit now that everyone knows JLA/Avengers is a go again. Now that DC and Marvel have put their collective reputations on the line, I don't see anything holding this project back anymore.
March 24, 2001— As expected, the plot is taking a long time to be approved. I'm already receiving pieces, but I can't get a real feel for the story without everything. I like what I see so far, though.
April 6, 2001- Wizard wants to run the first art from JLA/Avengers, so I'm jumping ahead in my work to push through the pencils and inks on the first two double-page spreads. I can't wait for fans to get a look at this stuff. So far, I haven't drawn any pages of the JLA and Avengers interacting, so we pick out pages of the JLA fighting a major Marvel villain (Terminus) and the Avengers taking on a major DC villain (Starro).
April 8, 2001— There’s so many characters in this series, I'm doing research like crazy. I literally couldn't remember what Terminus looked like today!
April 15, 2001—Marvel and DC have a very different vision of what the coloring on JLA/Avengers should look from mine and [colorist] Tom Smith's. I feel bad that Tom's caught in the middle.
April 20, 2001— I am growing increasingly annoyed with the coloring on the two spreads we're sending Wizard for their “First Look." When I voice my displeasure to Tom [Brevoort] and Dan, both decide that Tom Smith and myself are more than welcome to make any grievances public. I guess no one wants to be the person who has to go to their bosses and say, “I'm the one responsible for George Pérez quitting this book.”
May 2, 2001—I just finished page #21 of the first issue. As I wrote “JLA/Avengers issue #1, page #22” on the next art board, I realized this is further than this project has ever gone before. I called Tom Brevoort immediately to celebrate. This is a landmark day!
May 17, 2001—The plots are slowing down and I don't think it’s Kurt’s fault. [DC Editor] Dan Raspler doesn’t want to approve anything until he gets a complete plot. I'm getting annoyed. He seems to be very indecisive and that’s something we can't allow with a project this big.
May 21, 2001-Since a holdup in plot approval doesn’t allow me to continue pencilling, I start to ink what I've already penciled for issue #1. I want this project to be “all George Pérez,” a complete representation of my art.
June 7, 2001—Now that issue #1 is penciled and I'm halfway through penciling issue #2, DC's business department wants to have a firm date when JLA/Avengers will ship, but that’s impossible at this point. There's no way this book should have a ship date until we know it can ship. I tell Marvel and DC that I'll walk away from this project if they don’t hold to their word when they said, “JLA/Avengers will ship when JLA/Avengers is ready to ship.”
June 18, 2001—I work on the first meeting between the JLA and Avengers today, and Thor cracks Superman with his hammer in a scene that’s going to be huge! I would expect no less from Kurt.
July 10, 2001—As I'm thinking the last pages of issue #1, I learn I'm going to have to go back and redraw Green Lantern's costume. DC recently updated his look and it'll need to be reflected. After speaking with everyone involved, we agree that this will be the last costume change we make. If costumes or characters change from
now on, they won't be reflected in the crossover.
Aug 1, 2001-With the pencils on issue #2 almost complete, I
make preparations to take a brief vacation to France with my wife this September. I look forward to taking some time off.
Sep 11, 2001—As my wife and I prepare to go to the airport we hear the news about the World Trade Center disaster. I can't believe any of this. We cancel our trip.
THE NIGHT SHIFT
Jan 5, 2002—Looking over my bank records, I realize I'm losing about 30 percent of my income now that I'm only working on JLA/Avengers. I'm very worried about bankruptcy. I've called my art dealer and he's set me up doing some commission pieces to help out.
June 3, 2002—The plans for my new CrossGen book Solus haven't been finalized yet, so I've got a one-month reprieve to work on JLA/Avengers. Plot approval remains slow. I'm at a standstill on issue #3 pencils, and I continue inking issue #2.
Aug 20, 2002—I draw the Batman versus Captain America fight today, This one will make the fanboys go crazy!
Oct 1, 2002—My CrossGen contract has gone back into effect, From now on, I'll only work on JLA/Avengers at night and on weekends. I'm still penciling and inking issue #3. I'm jazzed to be working on Solus with Barbara Kesel, but I wish I had a little more time to devote to JLA/Avengers.
March 7, 2003—I can't ever recall working longer days. I work on JLA/ Avengers off the clock constantly. Even when I sit down to watch TV with my wife these days, I find myself bringing a board and pen with me to finish the inks on issue #3.
Apr 23, 2003—We're in the home stretch. Although the final plot is still being worked on, I begin penciling the first third of JLA/Avengers #4. We decide to solicit the project for September— the first issue debuting Sept. 3 —and I'm confident we can meet
that deadline, but it’s still going to be tight. We may have to go to a six-week shipping schedule, but I'm sure each issue will be worth the wait.
June 27, 2003-Now that we're less than three months away from shipping issue #1, I've finally got some breathing room.
Although most of my week is taken up working on Solus, the pencils on JLA/Avengers #4 are coming along nicely and the inks on issue
#3 are almost done.
Looking back, this has been one of the most enjoyable and creative experiences of my 30-year career. People ask me how I feel, and I tell them to get back to me Sept. 3, I'll feel a lot better then.
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Florida-based writer/artist George Pérez has been drawing comics steadily since 1974, gaining a rep for ultra-detailed artwork. He achieved superstardom in the 1980s reviving DC's New Teen Titans and drawing Crisis on Infinite Earths (both with writer Marv Wolfman). In the ‘90s he illustrated a popular Avengers reboot, which led to his dream job, JLA/Avengers.