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Comics Interview

Jeff Lemire (DC Comics)

Sweet Tooth

© DC Comics

Writer and artist Jeff Lemire is best known for his work in indie comics, particularly the Vertigo series Sweet Tooth and his celebrated Essex County Trilogy. DS caught up with him to chat about his recently announced exclusive contract with DC Comics.

How did the exclusive deal come about?
"Geoff Johns was a big fan of Sweet Tooth and asked me to come over and do some writing in the DCU, which ended up as The Atom. I've been a lifelong fan of DC Superhero stuff, so I was excited by the opportunity. Marvel also offered me a job around the same time. So when the Superboy gig came up I had to make a choice between that and the Marvel gig. DC was kind enough to make the choice easy by offering me an exclusive."

Has the transition from indie comics to superhero comics posed a challenge for you?
"Well, I am still doing indie comics. And I'm still writing and drawing Sweet Tooth every month which is very much an indie book, even if Vertigo is publishing it. So, I haven't moved away from that. Instead it’s been more like a fun balance between doing my own stuff and writing for DC. Having said that, it is the first time I've written for another artist, so there were a few growing pains as I tried to find my voice within that world. But, I think I'm getting my footing now."

Sweet Tooth
Do you think your fans have been surprised by your move to DC?
"Probably a few of them. But anyone who knows me, knows I've always loved the capes and tights. If I had abandoned Sweet Tooth to write DC stuff it would be different, but I am still doing my other work."

Geoff Johns's return to Superboy focused around his dual Lex Luthor/Superman heritage. What direction are you planning to take him in?
"I really want to focus on Smallville and what that means to Superboy. Both the physical place and its history and the people who live their and surround him. I want to do a true RURAL superhero story. I want to use the mythos of Superboy to explore both the light and dark side of small town life in America. My run will have more mystery and a darker edge to it."

The Atom
DC has clearly decided on a renewed focus on the Atom since Blackest Night began. What new ideas will you be bringing in to refresh the title?
"Well, I am just trying to boil him back down to the basics and focus on what makes him unique in the DCU. To me that is two things: One, he is 'the science superhero'. Everything he does comes from and goes back to his connection to science. And two, he has a perspective on the world that no-one else has. When you can shrink down to sub-atomic sizes even the most mundane object becomes an adventure. So I'm concentrating on that and trying to spin a fun, science fiction superhero story around him that reflects and illustrates what makes Ray Palmer a unique and valuable hero in the DCU."

Are we going to see you illustrating any DC comics in the future, or are you sticking to writing?
"I hope to someday. My creator-owned work is really where I want to focus the time and energy it takes to draw though."

Is the deal going to have any effect on your other work for Top Shelf and on Sweet Tooth?
"Not at all. Sweet Tooth is rolling right along and the DC work will not effect its run in any way, and I am still working on a new GN for Top Shelf as well that DC was kind enough to offer me an exemption for. I love being able to balance my personal creator-owned work with the superhero stuff. It keeps me fresh."

Are you concerned about being struck by new ideas and not able to pursue them while your contract lasts?
"Again, not at all. I am still funnelling those ideas into Sweet Tooth and will always do my own graphic novels. I am lucky that I'm a fast enough artist to be able to juggle it all. But I don't see a problem starting new projects in the future."

Do you have any other projects coming up you can reveal?
"The Underwater Welder is my new book for Top Shelf. It focuses on Jack Joseph, an underwater welder on an oil rig off the coast of a small eastern Canadian town. Jack is off on the rig for extended periods, leaving his pregnant wife back on shore and the strain is taking a toll on their marriage. As Jack dives deeper and deeper, he seems to pull further and further away from his young wife, and their unborn son. But then, something happens deep on the ocean floor. Jack has a strange and mind-bending encounter that will change the course of his life forever. It should appeal to anyone who enjoyed my Essex County books and Sweet Tooth."

Is there a date set for the launch of the Superboy series?
"Issue #1 hits in November and there is a ten-page preview story in Action Comics #892 in August. Rafael Albuquerque is doing covers and they look fantastic. And Pier Gallo is doing interior art. he is relatively new to American comics, but he's an incredible collaborator."

Jeff Lemire's The Atom co-feature currently appears monthly in Adventure Comics.

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