"Worth the Wait?"
written by George Nelson
published in COMICS BUYER'S GUIDE #1542 (6 Jun 03)
transcribed by Vu
related websites: www.comicsbuyersguide.com

Pérez promises late 2003 release for JLA/Avengers

Publishers of the long-awaited JLA/Avengers DC-Marvel crossover should be closer to setting a release date within a few weeks, artist George Pérez said at April's Pittsburgh Comicon. "This is going to be a very, very intensive two months," said Pérez, who is penciling and inking the crossover, written by his fromer Avengers collaborator Kurt Busiek. "It will be very nice in 2004 to be able to draw one page a day, five days a week, because that's all that CrossGen ever wants as output from their artists." Pérez draws Solus for CrossGen.

The first two issues of JLA/Avengers are pencilled and inked, and Pérez has pencilled all but four pages and inked 16 pages of #3. Covers have been colored, as well as all of #1. the plot for the fourth and final issue also has been approved. "The book is definitely coming out the last quarter of this year," he told CBG. "As I've told many people, I refused to have this as the cover feature for Wizard's 2004 preview. It's been the cover feature now for two years. I've got to get that book out."

The Avengers have 81 members, honorary members, and hangers-on - and the JLA includes more than 100. "As Kurt Busiek put it, when people say the Avengers have pretty low standards for members, the JLA have none," Pérez joked. "And, as was my desire - and they're honoring it - I wanted every single character who's ever been a member of either group to be in this book." There may be another 200 characters who have cameos. In the last issue alone, close to three dozen super-villains appear who had not previously shown up in the story.

Though he would not disclose plot details, Pérez said the story - which takes place, he quipped, on "Earth-$" - has time - and dimension-spanning aspects that allow him to draw things that he would not have had the opportunity to draw, if he had to stick to literal timeline, such as Wonder Woman with an eagle on her bodice.

AVENGERS: HEROES REBORN, art by Rob Liefeld/Jon Sibal WONDER WOMAN (Eagle Bodice), art by Pérez/Giordano

"When I was in issue #1, when I got to draw the Spectre, I said, 'OK at least Hal Jordan does appear.' Little did I know what Kurt had in mind. I get to draw the classic Green Lantern in the classic costume - even the one without the shoulder epaulets and the V-shapes: the very, very early version of his costume." Even Heroes Reborn versions of the Avengers might appear. Yes, Kurt is going to try to make this as logical as possible, but there's going to be some stuff you're just going to have to, as Marv Wolfman said, spray the fairy dust on and let your imagination run wild," he observed. "We're going to have fun with this book. It's a lot of work, I hope it's going to be worth the wait for you. For me, I'm just looking forward to not having to answer, 'When is JLA/Avengers coming out?'"

AVENGERS MANSION, art by George Pérez/Bob McLeod ASGUARD, art by Ron Frenz/Brett Breeding JLA SATELLITE, art by Chuck Patton/Romeo Tanghal

Locations for the story include the Flash Museum, Asgard, Avengers Mansion in its different incarnations, and the various headquarters of the JLA. It also include nods to the original version of JLA/Avengers, started in the early 1980s but never published.

Announced in 2001, the crossover has been the subject of much speculation regarding its eventual release, and Pérez acknowledged that he had hoped the four-issue mini-series would have been finished sooner, as well.

"When people ask why this book is taking so long, a lot of them don't know that I'm inking myself - so, when they find that out, suddenly all is forgiven," he said. He added that he has had to take on outside work to be able to afford the project, noting that his income dropped 60% during the year he worked on the series exclusively.

He acknowledged that fans might be tiring of news regarding the project but said he thinks that will be taken care of, once an official release date is announced. "There have been a lot of false dates. Fans have made assumptions based on the Internet version of 'telephone', where news was actually disseminated incorrectly that there was a release date. No, there was a hoped-for date. I had hoped to get this book done a lot sooner, but it became apparent that, if I wanted to earn a living, doing this book alone without something to supplement my income was going to be a financially disastrous for me."

He said the project is moving faster with DC Executive Editor Mike Carlin stepping in as DC's editor. He described former Editor Dan Raspler as "a bit of a tehnophobe," which slowed down approval of coloring. "Another great thing about having Mike Carlin involved - having nothing to do with Dan's ability or any disagreements - is that Mike Carlin was the late Mark Gruenwald's assistant editor, when Mark was the editor of the original JLA/Avengers, so Mike, is the only other personal involved other than me from the original. Having worked with Mike, I have a great, great respect for him as an editor: the type of editor who believes that, if you hire good people, let them do their jobs," he continued. "If he has suggestions, he'll be the first to tell you, but in the end he says we all have to be happy with the book."

Pérez said he is satisfied with the work by colorist Tom Smith and remarked that working with Busiek reminds him of working with Wolfman: "The greatest compliment I can give to any writer."

INQUEST #90

The greatest Heroclix coverage (checklists, strategy & prices) is only in INQUEST GAMER MAGAZINE. Preview the all-new DC Comics Game & behind the ultimate battle with Marvel Heroclix! On sale September 4th (Vu: I am guessing it is INQUEST #90, as #88 was just shipped this July 10th. The cover is the same one that appeared in WIZARD #125.)

2002 PREVIEWS
JLA/AVENGERS
Almost 20 years in the making, can 2002's hottest projects live up to its hype?

Hype isn't quite the right word - try phenomenon.

During the past two decades, a lot has changed about the project - from the writers to the editors to how many issues the series would be. Everything's changed, that is, except for the involvement of artist George Pérez. While company squabbles between Marvel and DC have scuttled the project numerous times, Pérez never gave up on the project he was born to draw. Even when the first attempt at a JLA/Avengers one-shot was scrapped in 1983, for which Pérez penciled 21 pages of the monster crossover, the ultra-detailed-oriented artist didn't give up hope.

"This isn't just a big deal for fans, this is the project I've dreamed of doing for 20 years," Pérez stresses. "It broke my heart when they told me it wasn't going to happen the first time. When I got past page 21 this time, I actually took a break and finished off the Chronicles work I was doing for CrossGen so I could be totally committed to finishing Avengers/JLA."

Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada made green-lighting the JLA/Avengers project one of his top priorities in 2001, and soon after Quesada took his post, Pérez was the first to step up and say he'd immediately sign on to the most highly anticipated comic project of all time.

[ Read more Wizard's 2002 Previews ]

As some of you may be aware, Spencer Beck is the art dealer and agent of George Pérez (see his website at The Artist's Choice). This is the guy you need to contact if you're interested in getting a special commission piece (from any of the artist on his website). Please note that George is busy with JLA/Avengers and the new CrossGen monthly in 2003.

Currently, Spencer is selling the cover to WIZARD #125 via Ebay auction: Ebay Item 1039673577. Starting bid was a minimum of $750, so I am guessing Wizard Entertainment paid a handsome fee of $1,000 for one cover? This is only speculation, corrections, as always can be emailed to me and/or through the guestbook.

I just wanted to clarify this matter. Yes, there was supposed to be a Cap/Superman cover as a third alternate cover for WIZARD #125, but WIZARD changed its mind and opted to save the cover for a later date, most likely closer to the release date of the JLA/AVENGERS mini-series. I myself think that it's a good idea. since I don't want the project over-promoted so early in the game.

Tom did do a beautiful job on the coloring and he's really outdoing himself on the inked pages he's already colored.

For everyone's info, I'm now on page 36 of Issue 1's pencils. I hope to be starting Issue 2 by the first week of December (if a plot is ready) and will be inking Issue 1 as I pencil Issue 2.

GPz

> Tom, isn't George doing a Superman/Captain
> America cover as well? I read that somewhere,
> Happy Thankgiving to you as well. Thanks Kirk.

Yea he did and I colored it but until Wizard uses it or shows it off somewhere I'm not posting it anywhere. It's their right to use it and release the image first when they see fit to do so. It is sweet though.

WIZARD: THE COMICS MAGAZINE #125

• Wizard #125 is our MEGA 2002 PREVIEW ISSUE! Get the skinny on JLA/AVENGERS by George Pérez, find out about the post-Origin X-Men and the next "nostalgia" wave coming to comics on the heels of the re-hot new G.I.Joe comic from Image! See over 100 of the hottest comics previewed in this issue! Pérez draws an all-new JLA/Avengers cover to this issue!

On sale December 19, 2001

__Magazine (JLA/Avengers cover by George Pérez)	........	$4.99
__Magazine (Spider-Man movie photo cover)	........	$4.99

The two upcoming Perez JLA/Avengers covers are for WIZARD #125 (set for release at the end of December), which is Wizard's big 2002 preview issue.

I am also drawing a pair of covers for WIZARD's 2002 preview issue spotlighting the JLA/AVENGERS (as DC calls it) project. One version will feature Thor and Wonder Woman; the other will spotlight Captain America and Superman. All in all, my plate is quite full.