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Behind The Curtain with Bill Rosemann |
Eddie
Berganza: From Guatemala To The Fortress of Solitude!
He journeyed from
a faraway home to a buzzing Metropolis. He works for one of
the city’s most famous publishers. He’s been known
to wear a shirt with a big “S” on the chest. You
guessed it, I’m talking about DC Comics’ Eddie
Berganza.
Recently
promoted to Group Editor, Berganza began his career at DC
over a decade ago in 1991 as an Editorial Clerk in the Editorial
Administration department. Continuously swimming upward, he’s
paid his dues, traveling from Assistant Editor to Editor to
Senior Editor working on everything from GUY GARDNER:
WARRIOR to WONDER WOMAN.
Now Berganza has
claimed one of the most sought after staff spots in all of
comicdom, overseeing the titles that star arguably the world’s
most widely recognized superhero. With a franchise of movies,
toys and books all built upon one character, taking on the
job of shepherding Superman into the 21st Century is quite
daunting. Added to corporate pressure is the dilemma of preserving
an icon for longtime fans while also attempting to attract
new readers. Change the character too much and veteran fans
howl that they don’t recognize their hero... keep the
status quo and others complain that you’re afraid of
progress. Taking all this into consideration, it’s only
fitting that Berganza was handed the responsibility, given
that, as a kid fresh from Guatemala, he learned English from
an old black-and-white TV show starring -- you guessed it
-- Superman.
With this
week’s 10-CENT ADVENTURE promising
to begin a new chapter in the life of Smallville’s favorite
son -- and highly anticipated titles such as SUPERMAN/BATMAN
on tap for 2003 -- Berganza took some time tell us what it’s
like working with a world-wide icon. So put away that pocket
full of Kryptonite, and let’s go Behind The Curtain!
BTC: First, a little background for our readers. Tell me about
your education and work career. What’s led you to the
captain’s seat behind the comic book character that
even my grandmother recognizes?
Berganza: Influenced
by the works of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, I went
to Brooklyn College for film because I thought that getting
into comics would be too hard. Before that, I had gotten an
internship with Starlog, the science fiction film magazine.
This eventually turned into a full-time job. I went from sending
out copies of the magazine to becoming its Managing Editor.
It's there that I met Bob Greenberger, who was working on
a publication about comics, called Comics Scene. Bob eventually
left and came to DC. Years later, when he saw that I wasn't
making movies and that some positions opened at DC, he had
me apply. And here I've been.
The moral is, don't
just focus on a career in comics. Broaden your horizons. It
will help you, if you do get into comics. My film studies
definitely help how I approach both story and art. And I highly
encourage internships. It will get you to meet people and
experience the job you think you want beforehand. I did a
couple of internships -- not one in comics -- and they all
proved valuable and taught me what I didn’t want to
do.
BTC: What are some
of the most important traits that a group editor should have?
Berganza: Be able
to recognize talent, especially nascent talent, and allow
it to grow. Be ready for opportunities that will allow your
line of books to expand. Identify something that's not working
before the fans do... and that one is the hardest.
BTC: What are some
of the most important tasks that a group editor should tackle?
Berganza: Create
a strong line of books. The material that is marked with the
S-shield carries a lot of responsibility to it. And we should
be able to attract big talent to the books that the fans want
or are demanding. Again, another hard task, but no one said
the job was easy.
BTC:
I’m sure that each day at 1700 Broadway brings its own
surprises, challenges and opportunities, but can you give
us a rundown for a "typical" day for you?
Berganza: The morning
is either filled with calling overseas talent or more likely
answering the last day's deluge of e-mail. This is followed
by the packages arriving, which leads to calling the talent
that you didn't get something from.
Although,
not done consciously, there will be certain days that focus
on a particular book. For instance, Monday will be SUPERMAN
day, then Tuesday turns out to be YOUNG JUSTICE
day, which means you’re looking at final corrections
on the boards (yes at DC we still touch actual boards) for
proofs or color. I love looking at color. It's where a comic
comes alive.
Somewhere in there,
there's lunch which usually involves going to Toys R Us. Then
it's back to more phone calls and trying to get packages out
to letterers, colorists or inkers. Most people at DC will
tell you I spend the whole day on the phone, which is ironic,
since most freelancers think editors don't answer phones.
I wish my phone told people that I’m already talking
on it (and not just ignoring its ringing).
BTC: So when you’re
not yakking with freelancers, what’s the weekly schedule
look like for you? Are there big meetings with the rest of
DC editorial? Super summits with the creators?
Berganza: At the
beginning or end of the year we do have some sort of summit
for the Super-books, which involves mapping a year’s
worth of stories for the Man of Steel with the writers. This
will take up to three days. Other meetings with the DCU editorial
staff happen every Wednesday, and there's the group bi-weekly
meetings with our Executive Editor Mike Carlin. These are
all to check on the progress of projects and the regular titles.
BTC: What are some
of the key things that you want to preserve about Superman?
Berganza:
I want to make him the most accessible character possible.
Everyone knows him, but everybody has different aspects of
his origins. I want to make it so we can try to match everything
as close as possible. Someone enjoying “Smallville”
on TV should not be confused if they pick up a Superman comic
book.
BTC: On the flip
side, is there anything you want to shake-up or change?
Berganza: Hmmm,
you'll know if I do!
BTC:
Speaking of shake-ups, SUPERMAN: THE 10-CENT ADVENTURE
introduces the new creative team of Steven T. Seagle &
Scott McDaniel. Why did you invite them aboard and what do
they each bring to the table?
Berganza:
Well, I've been wanting to get Seagle on board for a while.
I knew he would bring a different perspective to Superman,
and he has. Expect a closer look at the alien nature of our
hero. With McDaniel there's just such energy to his work.
I wanted this guy on the books since he first used the Man
of Steel as a guest-star in NIGHTWING. He
just made him look so cool and powerful in scenes where Superman
was just hovering.
As with
any new team, they bring a freshness to the books. This is
real easy to see with the artists. For me it was Jose Garcia
Lopez after Curt Swan. Then came (John) Byrne and (Jerry)
Ordway and (Dan) Jurgens to be followed by (Ed) McGuinness.
Each making him his own. Now, I have McDaniel on SUPERMAN,
Derec Aucoin doing real cool stuff on ADVENTURES OF
SUPERMAN and Pascual Ferry doing amazing things on
ACTION COMICS. And soon McGuinness will return
better than ever and refreshed.
The writers
have a harder task bringing something new to a character everyone
has preconceived notions about. Steve is setting a nice rhythm
for himself starting with solo issues for his first three,
and then going into his first two-parter with an exciting,
new addition to the "S".
Joe Casey
over on ADVENTURES is approaching thing with
the kinda crazy Mort Weisinger-era type of tales, but with
modern sensibilities. He's about to begin an arc with a place
called Heroville that's doing a lot of different things for
a Superman book, yet remaining very true to the character.
Joe Kelly, who's
now our veteran, will be tugging more at the heart-strings
this year with some real evocative and emotional material
for ACTION. And the book will live up to its name as he gives
a whole buncha people super-powers in the U.S. and Superman
has to deal with them as well as our old pal General Zod.
All fun.
And then
there's SUPERMAN: METROPOLIS, which is very
different from the other books. Chuck Austen is writing stuff
that will make you believe Jimmy Olsen is a photographer,
which oddly enough is something new for this character, and
Danijel Zezelj is just doing such a different take on everything.
It's great. If you don't check out Super-books usually, you
should see this. The stories have a very different almost
“X-Files” quality to them. It's a grown-up “Smallville,”
actually.
BTC:
In addition to a new creative team, the 10-CENT ADVENTURE
also introduces two new villains, Amok and the enigmatic Futuresmiths.
Without spoiling any plot twists, what do these two forces
have planned for Kal-El? And what about everybody’s
favorite President, Lex Luthor?
Berganza:
The Futuresmiths are the big deal because they will be creating
guys like Amok for Kal to fight, and then there's the person
at the end of the 10-CENT ADVENTURE! Prez
Lex will be dealt with in SUPERMAN/BATMAN.
BTC:
Speaking of that SUPERMAN/BATMAN, what can
you tell us about it? Some are pointing to it to be one of
the top hits of 2003.
Berganza: It's
the return of Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness. They've been dying
to get back to Superman, and now they’re bringing this
newcomer hero with him, Batman... maybe you've heard of him.
I know some of what they have planned, and I cannot wait to
get started!
BTC:
Let’s shift gears and play "fantasy football”
for a second. Looking around at the awesome array of talent
now working in comic books, who would you invite -- regardless
of exclusive contracts elsewhere -- to deliver their take
on Superman in some one-shots or miniseries?
Berganza: Grant
Morrison without a doubt, and the Kuberts (including dad)
as well as John Romita Jr. That's right off the top of my
head. I also like Joe Straczynski, Paul Jenkins, Chris Bachalo,
Bryan Hitch and Adam Hughes. There's more, but I hate being
put on a spot... and whoever I mentioned just got a better
deal at the "other place" because of it!
BTC: Finally, the
world has to know: when are you making your cameo on "Smallville"?
Berganza: That
would be the one where Lana Lang goes to Metropolis and gets
trapped in an elevator with some editor guy for most of the
show. I think Loeb is writing that one. : )
Do I hear “Love In An Elevator” playing?
Okay, friends, let’s give a big “thanks”
to Eddie for taking the time to give us a tour of the Fortress
of Solitude... and I’ll see you on Tuesday when we once
again go Behind The Curtain!
==================================================================
After
a 10 year run as “Your Man @ Marvel,” mild-mannered
Bill Rosemann rocketed away from the frozen city of Manhattan
and now lives in the sunny metropolis known as Miami. He can
be reached at: WilliamRosemann@aol.com.
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