They have shaped and defined the American comic book industry for three decades, achieving a sort of cultural cache that is simply impossible for Grant Morrison or Scott Snyder’s Batman runs.Īfter all, one of the strengths of comic book characters – whether at DC or Marvel – is their ability to exist as archetypes that are instantly recognisable and immediately understandable. They are well-loved among both fans and casual readers, counting among the most accessible superhero stories ever told. They are two of the most consistent long-term sellers in the world of American comic books. To pick the most obvious examples, Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns are hit just about every measure of success. Even discounting DC’s continuity resetting with series like Crisis on Infinite Earth s or Flashpoint, there is a legitimate argument to be made that many of their most engaging and compelling stories exist outside the burden of fitting with the editorial mandates of a single continuity. Given how comic book fans tend to obsess about continuity, it is ironic that so many of best (and most interesting) takes on iconic superhero characters tend to come from outside the rigid framework of the single interconnected shared universe. However, he also wrote a short two-issue story as part of DC’s digital-first The Adventures of Superman comic, scripting Superman’s first encounter with the Clown Prince of Crime. He drafted an eight-page origin for the Atomic Skull for the first annual of DC comics’ relaunched Action Comics run, and would get a change to craft his own origin story for Clark Kent in American Alien. In the years following his initial success, Landis has remained relatively connected with the Man of Steel. At once reveling in the absurdity of the massive nineties comic book crossover and interrogating its central character’s identity crisis, it was a potent piece of pop culture criticism. A year before the release of Chronicle, Landis put together a short film that served as an extended discussion of The Death and Return of Superman featuring a variety of top tier talent like Mandy Moore, Elijah Wood, Ron Howard and Simon Pegg. Nevertheless, Landis is a writer who does seem fascinated with the mechanics and underlying logic of superhero storytelling.
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