Mark Waid Officially Returns to DC Comics in December, May Write Superman
Veteran comic book writer Mark Waid is making his way back to DC by the end of the year to write for a tie-in for their upcoming crossover event.
Related: Humanoids Promotes Mark Waid To Publisher
In the recent solicitation for Dark Nights: Death Metal: The Last Stories Of The DC Universe #1, Waid’s name is listed among the issue’s contributing writers.
While the breadth of any deal are currently unknown to the public, the possibility exists that this return may be for the long haul.
Other writers featured in the one shot include Gail Simone, Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Jeff Lemire, and Joshua Williamson, plus many more.
Waid’s return coincides with the recent departures of both former DC Co-Publisher Dan DiDio and one-time Editor-In-Chief Bob Harras, who both had their separate issues with Waid, from the comic book publisher.
Related — Rumor: Warner Bros. Looking to Adapt Mark Waid and Alex Ross’ Kingdom Come
DiDio both hired and fired Waid during his tenure, which resulted in the Kingdom Come writer being disallowed to ever pen an issue of Superman, the title he had always dreamed of writing.
He did, however, retell Clark Kent’s origins in the Superman: Birthright miniseries, drawn by Leinil Yu.
Former publisher Paul Levitz also denied Waid the privilege of working on The Man of Steel during his time at DC.
Related: Marvel Removes Essay By Mark Waid Criticizing America From Marvel Comics #1000
Waid’s problems with Harras go back to their days at Marvel. When The House of Ideas fired Harras, Waid called him a “two-faced, cowardly liar” and blamed him more “than any other single human being alive” for the downfall of comics in the 1990s.
Given that Mark Waid’s homecoming also concurs with the end of Brian Michael Bendis’s run on Superman – set to wrap up in December – the current belief is that Waid will finally get the shot to write a Superman ongoing that he’s lusted after for years.
It’s also possible that Waid could return to the Scarlet Speedster, as his return also coincides with the Josh Williams’ departure from The Flash.
At 2017’s WonderCon, Waid declared that another “dream project” of his was Shazam!
“That one is in my sights,” he said at the time.
Waid hasn’t been on DC’s payroll since 2008. In the past decade-plus, he has served as Editor-In-Chief of Boom! Studios and currently serves as Publisher for Humanoids.
He’s been prolific at Marvel too, having written his latest story for the publisher – Fantastic Four: Antithesis, featuring art by Neal Adams – just earlier this year.
However, the author has also suffered a recent string of self-inflicted hits to his reputation.
Between the harrasment by his followers directed towards Antarctic Press publisher Ben Dunn, the infamous defamation suit filed by Jawbreakers creator Richard C. Meyer for “tortious interference,” and his tendency to label everybody he disagrees with – from Meyer to YouTuber Just Some Guy – white supremacists, confidence in Waid’s character is at an all time low.
Below is the solicitation for Dark Nights: Death Metal: The Last Stories Of The DC Universe #1, on sale in December:
“DARK NIGHTS: DEATH METAL: THE LAST STORIES OF THE DC UNIVERSE #1
written by SCOTT SNYDER, JAMES TYNION IV, JOSHUA WILLIAMSON, MARK WAID, GAIL SIMONE, MARIKO TAMAKI, JEFF LEMIRE, CECIL CASTELLUCCI, and CHRISTOPHER SEBELA
art by FRANCIS MANAPUL and others
cover by TULA LOTAY
variant cover by GARY FRANK
PRESTIGE FORMAT | ONE SHOT | ON SALE 12/8/20
$8.99 US | 80 PAGES | FC | DC
The last battle against the Batman Who Laughs is at hand…the final fight for everything in the universe. And while the night is usually darkest just before the dawn, what would be the last thing you’d do if you weren’t sure the dawn would ever arrive? Join our heroes in their waning hours as we show their journeys through what could be their final moments…heroes that have fought a million times before, but are keenly aware this could be their endgame. These are the stolen moments detailing the last stories of the DC Universe.”
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