Editor’s Note: DC Comics President Paul Levitz returns to Blog@Newsarama with a look into the DC Comics Thanksgiving celebration.

by Paul Levitz

We just celebrated one of the highlights of the DC calendar. It began as a pot luck Thanksgiving lunch, gathering the staff in the conference room at 666 Fifth Avenue, over twenty years ago. Everyone brought a dish, and jammed in together. Given the limits on some of our expertise, the buffet was heavy on dessert, and included interesting selections like Pop Tarts (untoasted) and a mountain of White Castle burgers. My contribution used to be a rice medley that I’d been taught by the vegetarian nurse who coaxed us through the first weeks of my daughter Nicole’s life…it’s still about the only food I’m encouraged to prepare in the kitchen.

Anyway, with the passing of time and expansion of the DC staff, in recent years we don’t have a space that can fit us all, so we have to decamp to the Time Life Building a few blocks away, and the hodgepodge of pot luck has been replaced by a more traditional catered turkey buffet, courtesy of DC’s senior staff, to thank the team for their efforts. Our DC morale team (headed by Constance Jackson from my office) organizes entertainment, too. In the past we’ve had a talent show (you haven’t lived ’til you’ve seen Vertigo Group Editor Shelly Bond tap dance), trivia contests and even our version of Family Feud. This year it was “DC Password,” with clues relating to our mythos.

Team licensing (Tori Setian and Aram Issacs) won best dressed with Flash and Batman hoodies, but ultimately got bested by a couple of fanboys-turned-staffers, Zach Milan (from Advertising) and Greg Lockhart (from Editorial Administration). Jesus Reyes (Creative Services) and receptionist/playwright Yasmin Bowles got “most expressive” for their intense reactions to the clues. DC theme loot was had by all, with the grand prize being invites to the NY Comicon freelancer party (explains why editorial didn’t field a team–they’ll be there anyway).

It’s the nature of our work that any member of our staff can make a big difference with a good idea, or by spotting an error early enough to keep it from being published. Because of that, and because of the energy and dedication of our team, it’s easy to remember to be thankful for them…and good to share a meal and tell them so.

And while I’m at it, let me pass along the thanks of the DC staff to the Newsarama readers for your year-long support. The comics you buy (not to mention movies and TV shows you watch and all the collateral goodies) allow us to work with these great characters, and do interesting jobs. Personally, I’ve avoided having a real world job for my entire adult life, and I’m deeply grateful.

From all of us to all of you, have a happy Thanksgiving.

This entry was posted on Monday, November 24th, 2008 at 6:20 pm and is filed under Creators, DC Comics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.