Current:Home > MyDC Comics' boss knows the challenges ahead — and the problem superhero films can pose -FutureProof Finance
DC Comics' boss knows the challenges ahead — and the problem superhero films can pose
View
Date:2025-04-13 01:43:12
Let's start with the obvious point: Superhero movies transformed the film industry over the last 15 years.
Now for a not-so-easy question: How does the man in charge of some of the most beloved comic book characters chart the years ahead?
Who is he? Jim Lee, 58, is the new president of DC Comics, adding the title alongside his existing duties as publisher and chief creative officer.
- Born in Seoul, South Korea, Lee and his family immigrated to the U.S. when he was 5.
- In the 1980s and early '90s, he was an illustrator for the hugely popular X-Men series with Marvel. He and his colleagues later founded the independent publishing outfit Image Comics.
- Since 1998, Lee has been at DC Comics, redesigning iconic characters like Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, while also being a key decision-maker in the company.
What's the big deal? Even if you aren't into comic books, you can't have missed the enormous impact superhero films have had on pop culture.
- Lee worked on X-Men Vol. 2, #1, released in 1991. It's often cited as the best-selling comic book of all time, with more than 8 million copies sold.
- But since 2008's Iron Man, it's superhero movies that make companies like DC and Marvel the big bucks. Many, like The Avengers and The Dark Knight, have grossed more than $1 billion.
- Yet recent superhero movies have been more critically divisive and less profitable at the box office than their predecessors, prompting questions about superhero fatigue kicking in.
- NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour host Glen Weldon says the offerings are now so vast and spread across multiple platforms that studios can no longer expect audiences to know the backstory going in, which means movies will be under more pressure to stand on their own — not simply ride the wave of the superhero genre.
- Lee told NPR that one of his central goals is "shepherding this great mythology that was created almost 90 years ago and keeping it alive and contemporary and vibrant."
Want to hear from more creators? Listen to the Consider This episode with The Wire creator David Simon, talking about AI, television and the writers' strike.
What is Lee saying? Speaking to NPR's Juana Summers, Lee opened up about superhero films and the evolution of beloved characters.
On whether he thought comics would translate to blockbuster films:
No. Absolutely not. You know, when I was growing up — and certainly when I got into comics — it was a very niche hobby. It was a very small business.
The fact that it has transformed pop culture and become such a pillar of everything that kids and people that are into this kind of thing love is just mind-boggling to me.
On the problems this can pose:
Once you hit a certain number of people, it's too large for everyone to kind of love everything. And so they, basically, have splintered into different groups. It's almost like pro sports at this point.
Like, even when it was Marvel versus DC, I still felt like everyone loved comics. They embraced the storytelling. They embraced the notions of heroism and hope that the stories reflected. And now it's been elevated beyond that. It's almost independent of what the storytelling is about. And it's more about business factors or political factors, societal sort of discourse. It's become highly polarized.
On staying relevant:
The key to the success has been never to treat them as sort of creatures that are ossified in amber. We need to change with the times, and we need to bring in new voices. We need to change elements of who these characters are. We need to diversify the quote-unquote "portfolio" of characters that we have.
So, what now?
- Lee says that in his new role he will continue to prioritize telling great stories with comics, because they're the engine that powers the rest of the DC brand.
- "Yes, you need the broader, more casual audience to really hit those elevated numbers in terms of box office or viewership. But at the end of the day, if you don't have that core fan base that loves and knows the material intimately to help sort of propel and drive that energy, it becomes very challenging," he said.
Learn more:
- 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' sends off its heroes with a mawkish mixtape
- 'Love and Rockets' celebrates 40 years of edgy, Latinx, alternative comics
- A decade on, the 'This is fine' creator wants to put the famous dog to rest
veryGood! (815)
Related
- Elon Musk's skyrocketing net worth: He's the first person with over $400 billion
- The Best Pool Floats That Are Insta-Worthy, Will Fit Your Besties & Keep You Cool All Summer Long
- Degree attainment rates are increasing for US Latinos but pay disparities remain
- Former US senator from Indiana Joe Donnelly to step down as US ambassador to the Vatican
- The Grammy nominee you need to hear: Esperanza Spalding
- Vermont governor vetoes pilot safe injection site intended to prevent drug overdoses
- ‘Ayuda por favor’: Taylor Swift tells workers multiple times to get water to fans in Spain
- US gymnastics championships: What's at stake for Simone Biles, others in leadup to Paris
- Which apps offer encrypted messaging? How to switch and what to know after feds’ warning
- 5 killed in fiery crash on South Carolina road in coastal area, police say
Ranking
- The FTC says 'gamified' online job scams by WhatsApp and text on the rise. What to know.
- A pregnant stingray with no male companion now has a ‘reproductive disease,’ aquarium says
- Cleveland father found guilty of murder for shoving baby wipe down 13-week-old son's throat
- Jimmy Kimmel reacts to Trump guilty verdict: 'Donald Trump's diaper is full'
- Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
- The Latest Lululemon We Made Too Much Drops Start at $19, But They're Going Fast
- Trump's New York felony conviction can't keep him from becoming president
- National landmarks embody competing visions of America’s past | The Excerpt
Recommendation
How to watch new prequel series 'Dexter: Original Sin': Premiere date, cast, streaming
13-year-old girl dies after drowning in pool at Discovery Cove in Orlando, Florida: Police
Meet Lucas, the famous dachshund who recreates Taylor Swift videos
Ryan Garcia's team blames raspberry lemonade supplement as one source of contamination
Which apps offer encrypted messaging? How to switch and what to know after feds’ warning
Federal officials are investigating another close call between planes at Reagan National Airport
What does 'asexual' mean? Exploring the meaning of the 'A' in LGBTQIA
Lenny Kravitz Reveals He's Celibate Nearly a Decade After Last Serious Relationship