View Full Version : Greg Rucka Takes Some Shots at DC
Check out this refreshingly honest interview with Greg Rucka (http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=9945) about 52. He can never be called a company man, and it's easy to think after reading this he ain't all that happy there. He doesn't hold back his opinions on DC or DiDio, and even offers constructive critiques of his fellow 52 writers.
Here's a sample:
CBR: Since we are on the topic of Black Adam, let's talk "World War III." Was that something that you had planned at the beginning or did it come up more near the end?
GR: I would have to go back and look at my notes. We knew the endings to all the stories when we started, and, for the most part, the ending to every story is almost exactly what we set out to do.
I think we always knew where Black Adam was going, but we didn't know how we were going to execute it in the final issues, but we realized later some of the elements that were going to come together. That certainly confirmed World War III.
Obviously, it's something DC made a big deal out of without telling us they were going to do this. A lot of stuff was given away, and I think it hurt us and that ticks me off. DiDio's infamous 52 secret message…why in the world would you do that!?
They way they are doing it, and this says nothing about the quality of work that is being done on them, but that was opportunist.
ekval
03-12-2007, 06:25 PM
Rich and influential enough to be able to speak his mind I guess.
drwally
03-12-2007, 06:34 PM
I made a comment (somewhere, some thread) that "The Omac Project" and "Checkmate" were two comics "supposedly written by the same person (Rucka)," but that Checkmate was wonderful, whereas The Omac Project just felt like a big let down to me, and Rucka as a writer just had to navigate too many "event" and "tie-in" constrictions to be able to just do this -- write a good story. Whereas with Checkmate, he has much more freedom.
The quote that PV_2 has is really proof of what I suspected -- much of The Omac Project was probably more dictated from Editorial than actually written by Rucka, and that book compared to Checkmate seems like they were written by two completely different writers. No wonder.
Well, apparently, people just love those "event" books, because they just keep buying them...
I just read the article. Wow. He's got a set on him. Can you imagine that you are Grant Morrison and you're sitting there reading about what Greg Rucka thinks your weaknesses are?
conorkilpatrick
03-12-2007, 07:08 PM
I just read the article. Wow. He's got a set on him. Can you imagine that you are Grant Morrison and you're sitting there reading about what Greg Rucka thinks your weaknesses are?
Like he said - they're all really good friends now so I'm sure they know what he thinks their weaknesses are.
Like he said - they're all really good friends now so I'm sure they know what he thinks their weaknesses are.
I understand that on some level, but at the same time - not a friendly thing to do. It was decent of him to at least glaze over his own problems.
EDIT: He accused Geoff Johns of doing things because it would be cool to - Come on man. That's just short of calling him a hack. I'm not trying to be the angry guy here, but I thought it was at least ballsy to do that.
alexg
03-12-2007, 07:32 PM
I dunno, he didn't seem too over the top to me in this interview. I get the feeling that he didn't say anything about the other writers that he probably hasn't already said to their faces. I can't speak to the bit about Grant Morrison, but I have noticed the stuff he said about Johns and Waid. Whatever, he was speaking honestly and that's kind of refreshing. I particularly liked the point about "Marvel doesn't try to be DC so why should DC try to be Marvel?" Well said...imagine the horror of two Marvel hyperbole machines...
jimski
03-12-2007, 07:35 PM
Yeah, if they all basically quadrupled their workload for a year collaborating on a writing project with one another... they know what he thinks their shortcomings are. It sounds like a combination of a marriage and a chain gang.
alexg
03-12-2007, 07:42 PM
As for DiDio's 52 secret...I think any of us would be pissed if our boss trumped us by spoiling somethig we'd worked on for over a year.
drwally
03-12-2007, 08:01 PM
I understand that on some level, but at the same time - not a friendly thing to do. It was decent of him to at least glaze over his own problems.
EDIT: He accused Geoff Johns of doing things because it would be cool to - Come on man. That's just short of calling him a hack. I'm not trying to be the angry guy here, but I thought it was at least ballsy to do that.
Just read the article, I don't think he said that. I think that is the kind of interview where it is far too easy to take any one line, quote it out of context, and it sounds totally different that when you read the entire article.
And I don't think he glazed over his own problems. Actually, I reverse myself and say that the Rucka book I found to be very disappointing might be exactly for the very reasons Rucka gives, although it was still no doubt hampered by all the "event" and tie-in nonsense he had to match his story to...
DiDio is maybe the only person who gets criticized harshly, but that comes with the job description. The other writers won't be offended in the least by what Rucka said.
The other interesting part to me was:
GR: So it was a very strange project in-house, because "52" is obviously the biggest thing DC has had out in awhile. We've had times in the past year where the company and editorial ignored us, we've had times where they've given us our due, and at other times they've seemed to actually oppose us. It's a big company, and I do feel that for a long time no one knew what to make of us or the story.
This seemed odd, cuz from a fan's point of view it seemed like DC was behind 52 pretty strongly. Then the last sentence made me think that maybe it's easier to work at Marvel, where you're not just a subsidiary of a Massive Conglomerate. Anyway, more interesting than the interview-doubling-as-marketing that you usually read.
six-gun
03-13-2007, 01:21 AM
The critiques of Morrison, Waid and Johns were the best descriptions of the three's work I've ever read.
Somebody should post that stuff on Wikipedia!
mikegraham6
03-13-2007, 01:26 AM
I don't think that in an industry as (disturbingly) small as comics, that there's no reason that all of its superstars have to treat each other as uncritiquable.
its fine to criticize, as long as its creative criticism and not just taking pot shots at someone. i haven't had a chance to read this yet but just from rucka's working relationship with the other creators, i assume they know each others flaws and strengths (in fact it was probably brought up at some of the 52 meetings so they could properly divvy up the storylines). the true test would be his reaction to his own criticism. if he can dish it out and not take it (cough Byrne cough) then he just becomes an ass.
watsonglenn
03-13-2007, 02:22 AM
Obviously, it's something DC made a big deal out of without telling us they were going to do this. A lot of stuff was given away, and I think it hurt us and that ticks me off. DiDio's infamous 52 secret message…why in the world would you do that!?
They way they are doing it, and this says nothing about the quality of work that is being done on them, but that was opportunist. [/I]
Can someone explain this to me. Whats the problem.
acomicbookgirl
03-13-2007, 03:08 AM
One shouldn't critize to where it would be out in the open where other people would read it...
I'm probably gonna smacked for this but I wasn't fond of Rucka's run on Wonder Woman.... I know you guys rave about him, but he seems disappointing to me..
all I was saying when I brought up his comments about Morrison, Johns, and Waid was that I wouldn't necessarily appreciate it if I were them. They are human, they have strengths and weaknesses but who is he to talk about it? I'm not trying to make a big deal about it. It's not like I'm pissed, but it just didn't seem like the way to handle it. I can take criticism, but public criticism is a whole other thing entirely.
acomicbookgirl
03-13-2007, 03:29 AM
all I was saying when I brought up his comments about Morrison, Johns, and Waid was that I wouldn't necessarily appreciate it if I were them. They are human, they have strengths and weaknesses but who is he to talk about it? I'm not trying to make a big deal about it. It's not like I'm pissed, but it just didn't seem like the way to handle it. I can take criticism, but public criticism is a whole other thing entirely.
Exactly. :)
jaflanagan
03-13-2007, 05:24 AM
I just read it, and I would say that those criticisms are fair and valid. I also found them fascinating to read. I say, let the other guys be offended if they want to, but don't feel bad for them here. They're big boys, working in a very abusive medium. And Rucka didn't say a thing out of turn. I think we're just not used to hearing such candid talk, but I didn't get an overwhelming sense of negativity from the article at all.
Here's the one I liked:
RT: I am starting to ask all the exclusive creators how they like the other side of the pond, so how did you like "Civil War?"
GR: I didn't.
It was a bad ending, and seemed out of character. The buildup for it was fabulous, and goddamn the book was beautiful! But I was really disappointed in that ending.
alexg
03-13-2007, 05:31 AM
[
GR: I didn't.
It was a bad ending, and seemed out of character. The buildup for it was fabulous, and goddamn the book was beautiful! But I was really disappointed in that ending. [/I][/QUOTE]
That pretty much sums up exactly how I felt about Civil War...guess that's why they pay him the big bucks
acomicbookgirl
03-13-2007, 05:34 AM
Here's the one I liked:
RT: I am starting to ask all the exclusive creators how they like the other side of the pond, so how did you like "Civil War?"
GR: I didn't.
It was a bad ending, and seemed out of character. The buildup for it was fabulous, and goddamn the book was beautiful! But I was really disappointed in that ending.
So it wasn't just me? :)
mastap
03-13-2007, 06:13 AM
One shouldn't critize to where it would be out in the open where other people would read it...
I'm probably gonna smacked for this but I wasn't fond of Rucka's run on Wonder Woman.... I know you guys rave about him, but he seems disappointing to me..
actually i thought it read like a roller coster, good, bad, good, bad. The first arc and the journey to hell I loved, the rest, er, not so much
acomicbookgirl
03-13-2007, 06:16 AM
actually i thought it read like a roller coster, good, bad, good, bad. The first arc and the journey to hell I loved, the rest, er, not so much
Eh.. I was just disappointed... I'll try to read it again after i'm done with Bone, Maus, Dark Knight Returns and Criminal #'s 1-5. So it might take a while before I get to it...