JLA/AVENGERS A GO
Friday, March 2, 2001

Writer Kurt Busiek, artist George Perez and editors Dan Raspler and Tom Brevoort gathered at the MegaCon in Orlando, Fla., on Friday to formally announce the JLA/Avengers crossover.

There will be four 48-page bookshelf/Prestige format books in the crossover, with two coming from DC Comics, titled JLA/Avengers, and two from Marvel, titled Avengers/JLA. The books will begin in the middle of 2002 at the earliest.

Perez will pencil and ink covers and interiors, Comicraft will letter and Tom Smith will color.

The announcement was made during an afternoon panel at MegaCon. At first the creators joked of a Teen Titans/Fantastic Four crossover, even bringing art along. But then they made the announcement, which has been rumored for some time.

For Perez, it's a chance to do the project that was stymied some 18 years ago. He admitted to a "certain sweetness" in being asked to come back for the project.

"I know it became a priority for Joe Quesada when he became editor-in-chief at Marvel, and Dan and Mike Carlin were championing every chance they got," Perez said. "Lord knows, up until this very second, I was feeling a little skeptical.

"I am grateful to everyone who has been supportive."

Perez said he has been granted a full year's leave of absence from CrossGen Comics to work on the book. Perez had a clause in his exclusive CrossGen contract allowing him to work on this project.

Perez said he knew about his involvement in event since Dec. 15, but had to keep it a secret. "That was a long time for me not to say, 'I got to do the damn book finally!'" he said.

Busiek, Brevoort and Perez have already had a long run on Avengers. Raspler, who was given an Avengers ID card, said the chemistry is good between the companies. "We all get along very well," Raspler said. "We all have a love of the characters."

Busiek noted that he is one of just five writers to handle both Avengers and Justice League, joining Steve Englehart, Gerry Conway, Roy Thomas and Mark Waid.

The book will be set in current continuity and will document the first meeting of the teams. "If this contradicts what's gone on before, that's too damn bad," Busiek said.

Busiek said that the crossover "will be a big story, it will be a cosmic story." He noted that both Hal Jordan - his favorite DC character - and Barry Allen will be showing up, that he's already thought of the "best Captain America/Batman fight scene ever" for the first issue and that his version of Batman will be as the "world's greatest detective."

The companies released a promotional image for the series, which included Goliath, Martian Manhunter, Thor, Scarlet Witch, Aquaman, Hawekeye, Flash, Batman, Vision, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Captain America, Superman, Iron Man, Atom and Wasp. The creators noted that there will be more characters than that involved in the series, although maintaining it will be JLA/Avengers, not a DC Universe/Marvel Universe crossover.

Brevoort said the event will take place in both universes.

Perez is auctioning off the original art for the ACTOR charity, which benefits comics creators. Perez also announced that his Crimson Plague has been cancelled and he will not be involved in the Stan Lee project at DC Comics.

Brevoort noted that the companies will probably release images of the crossover as work progress. "Maybe a panel or two," he said. "So people see glimpses and know it's in the works."

Look for much more on JLA/Avengers and the MegaCon soon here in The Continuum.