Johns understands High Five etiquette

Rob already wrote about Rucka and his women, I’m gonna write about Geoff Johns and the DCU heroes. Analogy time!

Greg Rucka: Female Heroes :: Geoff Johns: SubTrinity Justice Leaguers.

Is there a DC fan alive who doesn’t have a total Bro-Crush on Geoff Johns? I don’t think so. Geoff writes the capes better than pretty much anyone out there right now. Someone at SDCC this year asked him if he’d ever consider doing some creator-owned work and he said “You know what? I just love writing for these heroes.” You get the feeling this dude loves Hal Jordan just as much as you do.

Granted, that’s a feeling you get from a lot of comic writers, but with Johns it’s particularly intense. I love Barry Allen. He is, bar none, my favorite – and Hal Jordan ain’t far behind him. Geoff Johns brought Hal and Barry back to life – and when he did it, he managed to not only pay homage to all the work that had gone before him, but to add layers to the continuity of both characters that made their universes richer and more interesting – not your average retcons.

Johns writes for the DCU with an unparalleled respect for the heritage of the characters. Some of these heroes are older than my grandparents – giving them their due is probably not the easiest accomplishment in the world.

Some writers can be a bit put off by the intensity of comics fans. We are a SERIOUS BUNCH. You’d think Hal and Barry were REAL to hear me talk about them. But bless Johns’ ever lovin’ heart, he returned every high five we presented to him, including a pretty impressive Air Five across the room at the 2000+ strong Blackest Night panel. A lot of creators have indulged our obsession with the high five, but none with an Air Five!

The dude owns like 20 Michigan shirts (at least I hope it’s more than just the one), he likes slurpees and drinkin’ and breakfast cereal and comics, has one of the most hilarious twitter feeds I’ve ever seen (@GailSimone wins that contest, though), and he gives ice cream to kids who wouldn’t get any otherwise. And he’s writing Blackest Night, which is honestly one of the best EVENT! series I’ve ever read.

Johns takes the concept of an emotional spectrum, different colors representing different emotions – which in the hands of another writer might turn out completely trite – and applies it to the psyches of the DC heroes in astounding ways. As I wanted to scream at the twits Rob ran into at the comic shop the other day, THIS IS NOT A ZOMBIE COMIC. The Black Lanterns don’t want to eat your brains, they want to break your heart.

I’ve got some buddies who don’t really cotton to Johns, which is fine, it takes all kinds. Granted,  I’ve converted a lot of people to Capes & Tights by loaning them Green Lantern: Rebirth, but even then some folks just aren’t interested in the mythos. Some folks are more into the  not hero-y at all books. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve got a healthy appreciation for non-Cape & Tights books, but I love my heroes too. I wanna holler “HELL YEAH!” in the middle of an issue, and right now, Johns does that better than anyone else (see: Green Lantern #44.)

So, here’s a three (vodka-laced) slurpee High Five! salute to Geoff Johns and his ability to raise the dead. Thanks, dude!

I hope he has more than one. Maybe we should start a Michigan Shirt drive.