Writer Greg Rucka looks at DC’s Countdown #40, and comes face to face with one of the creative pitfalls of work-for-hire comics:
The problem, you see, in working at DC or Marvel or anyplace where you are, essentially, work-for-hire, is that try though you might, you have little to no creative control over how the characters you’re working on 1) appear, and 2) are drawn.
The mere fact that Renee [Montoya] was included in Countdown annoys me, frankly, but that’s nobody’s fault, really. DC’s character, they want to give her play, sure. What annoys me more is that nobody bothered to either talk to me about the Grand Plan for the character (and there is one) or the redesign that would naturally occur after her last appearance in 52.
For those of you who want to see what The Question looks like these days, check out The Crime Bible: The Five Books of Blood. For those of you who have little faith and want Charlie back, check it out anyway, and then either your worst fears will be confirmed, or you’ll find yourself maybe being willing to let go of the past and give us a chance.
But this, man … I recognize it’s a hard sell for some folks. And stuff like this - done with the best of intentions, mind - doesn’t help the cause, so to speak. First appearance after the end of 52, this is what we get.
The Crime Bible: The Five Lessons of Blood miniseries debuts on Oct. 31.
July 31st, 2007 at 9:11 am
That image from Countdown *is* pretty horrible. It looks like she made a mask from pantyhose (like a cliche movie bank robber) and cut a hole in the top for a ponytail.
July 31st, 2007 at 9:15 am
I agree with Rucka. I saw that image on the last page and just…wow. It made me groan, so I can only imagine what it’s like for the guy who is the driving force behind the new Renee Montoya/Question. This is one of those instances where there’s no excuse for the artist and colorist for that picture…
July 31st, 2007 at 9:15 am
Another example of DC using mediocre (at best) artists for their supposed “high-profile” books. Montoya should NEVER have become the Question. Another dumb move by Didio and crew.
July 31st, 2007 at 10:46 am
“For those of you who have little faith and want Charlie back, check it out anyway, and then either your worst fears will be confirmed, or you’ll find yourself maybe being willing to let go of the past and give us a chance.”
Can Rucka let go of writing Montoya has a self loathing alcoholic whose characterization goes in circles like he did all through 52? The magic 8-Ball says, “Are you fucking kidding me?”
I almost want to bet cash money that by page 15 of issue one someone tells Renee “You’re afraid to face yourself.” Because Rucka didn’t have that said to her enough times.
July 31st, 2007 at 11:01 am
You got it right, Dan. Renee’s self-loathing in “Gotham Central” and “52″ wasn’t just bad, it was painful to read. I loved “GC”, but toward the end, when it became “Angry Drunk Cop Against the World”, I knew that DC didn’t have the faintest idea what to do with it post-Inifinate Crisis. Renee would have made a better Batwoman, IMO.
July 31st, 2007 at 11:41 am
Yeah, it’s like Rucka was stuck on one gear and couldn’t get out. Renee didn’t really seem to change over 52. I did like the Kate Kane character, and wished I could have seen what Devin Grayson would have done with her.
July 31st, 2007 at 11:55 am
Looks a little like a female Jason, of “Friday the 13th” fame.
That said, am I the only one getting tired of Rucka airing his dirty laundry with DC? Okay…we get it. You’re not happy working there. Will someone please hire him away from DC already?
July 31st, 2007 at 12:31 pm
Hmmm, it does seem that the DC exclusive Rucka is using a megaphone to shout “MAKE ME AN OFFER, MARVEL! PLEASE!”
July 31st, 2007 at 1:45 pm
i like renee montoya, fine with her as the question, and like rucka’s work for DC. seems i’m the only one.
crime bible sounds awesome.
July 31st, 2007 at 1:59 pm
I’m pretty sure that she had some character development in 52, but now you guys have me doubting and it might have just all been an illusion.
That said, I think that Rucka’s WW run is probably one of the best three runs on a DC comic in ten years, so there you go.
July 31st, 2007 at 2:06 pm
I think Rucka’s creator owned stuff is very good, in the case of Whiteout, great.
July 31st, 2007 at 3:11 pm
I’ve always considered Rucka to be highly underrated among DC’s writers. As for that image… well… I’m mostly just shocked because until I read this thread I was confused as to who it was supposed to be! Way to cliffhang DC!
July 31st, 2007 at 4:21 pm
So…Rucka is complaining about DC’s treatment of the Question. Is there a long German word for irony that captures just how hysterical that is?
July 31st, 2007 at 4:29 pm
Just… ugh. All the way around. Comics are eating themselves.
July 31st, 2007 at 4:29 pm
That image stuck out to me too … as anticlimactic and eminently ignorable. Hackwork, not something that would compel the waverer to be interested in the character or to buy the next issue.
Ah for the days when mediocre-at-best artists drew low-profile books and THEN if they got better, got promoted to higher profile books. There is almost nothing to recommend about the artwork in Countdown. I like the energy and sense of motion in Carlos Magna’s work, but he couples it with giant-breast fetishism. Feh.
July 31st, 2007 at 4:40 pm
Case # 43,215 of why DC should have a constantly-updated character Bible for costume design. ESPECIALLY given the ever-increasing connectivity of the universe. If that was your first exposure to The Question, would you think “Woah, that person has NO FACE!” or just “Oracle’s talking on the phone to a lady with pantyhose over her face”?
July 31st, 2007 at 11:22 pm
Rucka seems to think the Question begins and ends with him. It doesn’t. I know it may be hard for him to understand, but dem’s the breaks in dealing with DC and Marvel.
Although DC is stupid for using the character in a series that is getting filled with so many holes, both from the barrels of fans and continuity/editing, that maybe everyone will just ignore this appearance.
Maybe this is a Didio “screw you” for getting upset when Didio provided the spoiler to the first Final Crisis teaser earlier in the year?
I swear, Rucka is looking to be this year’s version of Judd Winnick; such a fall from the pantheon that DC holds for their top writers, like Johns, Morrison, and Waid.
When all is said and done, both are at fault.
August 1st, 2007 at 8:28 am
To me it just makes sense to give the development of a character to as few creators as possible. For instance, Judd Winick was the only one who managed to make Jason Todd work for me.
It sounds like Renee/Question was Rucka’s baby and he did have plans for her. At the very least, he should have been in on the plans for Countdown and asked for feedback. (And if anyone doubts that he likes the Charlie/Question, read his Huntress: Cry for Blood mini.)
August 1st, 2007 at 6:07 pm
I wonder what the artist has to say about the critisism.