"Legion" #29

It's been a busy few days for Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, known to fans as the writing collective DnA. While they've got an anticipated run on the Superman comics in January, they're also leaving the DC Comics series they breathed new life into for the past five years, "Legion" (as reported first by "Lying In The Gutters"), though they won't confirm the new creative team. DnA spoke to CBR News briefly about leaving "Legion" and their perspective on Superman.

"First up, let's confirm we'll be leaving 'Legion' as of issue #33," revealed the British duo, who speak as one in interviews. "We've had a fine old run and enjoyed every minute of it. Sixty issues straight, that's five years. We've told all the stories we wanted to ...with one exception...and it was high time somebody else got a chance to play. We'd like to take this opportunity to thank our editors Mike McAvennie and Steve Wacker for making it so much fun, and our artists - especially Olivier Coipel and Chris Batista. And we'd like to thank the readers for being so loyal and so vocal in their praise and support. Long live the Legion!

"Before you ask...the story we didn't get to finish was the one involving Tinya and Jo's son, Cub. There'll be a lot of things left dangling when we go, lots of unresolved subplots and character arcs, that's just the way it works. But the only story we had a definite ending and resolution worked out for was Cub. Originally, DC allowed us to stay on as long as we wanted to finish up what we were doing, so we had planned on leaving with #36 after telling the Cub story. Sadly, they had to pull three issues off us to make things fit with the incoming team, and we realised we wouldn't have room to do the Cub story after all. It's our only regret. Our last, great Legion story, never to be told."

While going from "Legion" to the Superman titles make sense from the relation between the two properties, it was a different relation that brought DnA to that part of the DCU. "We were invited. Eddie Berganza decided it was high time we rekindled the working relationship that had enjoyed itself so much on 'Resurrection Man.'"

"Legion" #29, Page 8

Though both writers are enthusiastic to tackle Big Blue, it's been said that the British usually aren't too fond of Superman, but as to why, DnA reply, "No idea! Do they? Too American maybe? We dunno. It would be fairer to say that a lot of creators 'dislike' Superman because it's hard to find drama in a story about a man who can do just about anything. That's the challenge with Supes."

Growing up with a different variety of comics- like "2000 A.D"- one might expect DnA to tackle Superman from another perspective and frankly, you'd be correct. "As you'll see, we define him by comparison and by defamiliarisation. Showing what he is by showing how others aren't him."

With that in mind, the story that DnA are crafting doesn't involve Superman… at least not directly. "It was DC's [decision]...driven by continuity. That's the hand we were dealt...it was up to us to play it."

Don't worry, you'll see the Superman cast- even some you may not have seen in a little while. "[You'll see] All of them, especially Lois. It's very much a Metropolis story."

The contrasting and comparing of Superman will be in relation to Mr. Majestic, the Wildstorm Comics hero who is somewhat of a riff on the classic caped crusader. "They're very alike in some many obvious ways and yet utterly different in several key areas. Maj has got that detached super-intellect thing going on. He lacks all of Clark's human nobility and empathy."

"Legion" #29, Page 12

But will it affect Wildstorm Continuity, taking one of the key members of the past WildC.A.T.S team and placing him in the DCU? "We don't know about Wildstorm continuity," admit DnA. "As for the rest, maybe, if DC like what we've got in mind [in regards to telling more stories with Maj]."

Despite speculation, this story does not tie in to the time altering events in "Legion" and will stand on it's own. "Only in the fact that it's all DCU continuity related. This is a fresh deal for us."

Also onboard for the Superman stories is artist Karl Kerschl and DnA say that they didn't ask for him specifically, but were glad to collaborate with him once more. "Eddie's choice, but one which we heartily welcomed. We've worked with Karl before, on the 'Ice-Man' mini from Marvel and his work is great. Great detail, great sense of place, and great story-telling. This stuff looks amazing!"

The future is bright for DnA and while they'd like to tackle Superman again ["Ask Eddie...depends how good a job he thinks we did."], there are other DC heroes they'd like to write about, namely "Green Lantern...oh, and Wonder Woman...and the Flash is cool...and, oh! JLA obviously...and..."