geoff johns

"If you were to create the Superman story today, for the first time, but keep intact all that works, what would it look like?" That's the question that writer J. Michael Straczynski hopes to answer in his new DC Comics book, Superman: Earth One.

Taking the lead from Marvel's line of "Ultimate" comics, the "Earth One" books are designed to effectively relaunch DC characters in a fresh, new universe, free of the confines of decades worth of monthly continuity. It's a bold experiment, one that DC has approached before with their "All-Star" line -- offering high-profile artists the chance to create stand-alone works featuring DC heroes.

Most interesting of all, and the thing that will really set them apart from Marvel's "Ultimate" monthly series, are the way in which the books are being released. Superman: Earth One (by Straczynski and Shane Davis) and Batman: Earth One (by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank) will be released on a twice-a-year schedule in a graphic novel format.

"Batman: Earth One is more in line with the European idea of releasing chapters of an ongoing series in graphic novel form," Johns told
AintItCoolNews. "We're planning on doing two novels a year and set in this new universe, we're getting unlimited creative freedom that we couldn't have in current continuity."

That sparse schedule should help them avoid problems that the "Ultimate" universe ran into. Created to allow new fans an entry point without having to rely on complicated backstories, through the years the "Ultimate" universe started creating its own convoluted continuity. Despite the shared "Earth One" universe, with only two books a year it will take "Earth One" quite a while to get to the point where they're mired in backstory.

The first books in the line are slated for release sometime in 2010.

Screenwriter John August declared the Shazam feature film completely dead in January 2009, unable to come up with a screenplay that seemed to satisfy Warner Bros. "By "dead," I mean that it won't be happening. I don't think it's on the studio's radar at all, " August stated in a blog post.

I'm happy to report that John August was wrong. Shazam is most definitely on Warner Bros radar, and they've tasked DC Comics scribe Geoff Johns and rookie screenwriter Bill Birch with a new version of the script. Birch spoke to CineFOOLS about the project, "The way the story is shaking out, Geoff and I see this not as 'dark' as Dark Knight but definitely as cool...Tonally, I think it's important to successfully find the balance of comedy and danger in the story. That's a major aspect I'm focusing on. Frankly, hitting the right tone is what's going to either get this made or keep it in development hell."

Shazam is the story of Billy Batson, an orphaned boy who can transform into the adult body of the god-like Captain Marvel with the magic word "Shazam". Peter Segal, who has been circling this project since 2006, once compared Shazam to the Tom Hanks comedy Big, but with a high-adventure superhero twist (in an interview with MTV). That's a good pitch, and I hope they don't lose sight of how downright fun the world of Captain Marvel can be.

Birch jokes about Peter Segal bringing Adam Sandler onboard to play Captain Marvel, but I'm not joking when I say John Hamm should be on Warner Bros.' short list to bring this character to life on the big screen. The DC Comics character was the first superhero to ever get a live-action adaptation, starring in his own serial in 1941, and was brought to life again in a popular 1970's Saturday morning television series from Filmation.

I may be able to count the number of Smallville episodes I've seen on one hand (how does this show keep going without being retitled Metropolis?), but I'm totally geeky for DC Comics' Justice Society of America. According to IGN TV, Geoff Johns, the writer responsible for resurrecting JSA and the Hal Jordan Green Lantern over at DC, is adding the superteam (or at least three of its members) to an episode of Smallville titled "Society" that will air in January 2010.

The most recognizable character in the Smallville version of the JSA is the winged warrior Hawkman, who'll be played on the long-running CW show by Michael Shanks (Stargate SG-1). Dr. Fate, a mystic servant to the forces of order, has been around the DC Universe just as long as Hawkman, but hasn't had the good fortune and face-time that come along with being a Super-Friend. He'll get his chance to shine when Brent Stait (Andromeda) brings him to life on the small screen. Rounding out the trio is Britt Irvin (2009's V) as Stargirl--a precocious teen with a powerful "cosmic rod" inherited from Starman (Starman being one of the greatest comics ever. Seriously.)

I'm certainly curious about the episode, but I was unimpressed with the visual treatment of the Justice League when they made their debut on the show in the sixth season episode "Justice". (Old Navy-esque hooded fleece vests on everyone? Really?) I'll never understand how anyone can run a show about superheroes, but still feel too embarrassed to actually put them in superhero costumes of some sort. A Hawkman without wings ain't no Hawkman at all. We'll see how things turn out on Smallville this January.