Aquaman went from a character that was dead, and not all that missed, in 2009, to a character that is central to the Justice League and headlining two of his own books in 2014. Few characters have had more of a dramatic turnaround in half a decade. Dan Jurgens is one of the few creators who worked on the character both before and after his reinvention. In addition to chatting with him, we also have an exclusive five page preview of the upcoming seventh issue of “Aquaman and the Others.”
Written by Dan Jurgens
Illustrated by Lan MedinaWhile the secrets of their past continue to be used against them, The Others face down the lethal KGBeast…and it’s not going to go well! One of these heroes may not walk away from this confrontation!
Dan – you’ve been involved with the DCU for years now, and because of that, you’ve been able to work on some of the biggest and most interesting characters in all of comics. That said, why KGBeast? Make a case for him being an underrated character, in need of further exploration.
Dan Jurgens: I went with KGBeast for a couple of reasons. First of all, since we brought back Vostok, who was also Russian, there was an opportunity for a bit of a natural connection. That’s only enhanced with a character like the Operative, whose background is clearly in espionage. Given his age, it’s natural to assume he was active while the Soviet Union still existed.
Old spies don’t fade away, they merely go to work for someone else.
I always found the KGBeast to be quite interesting, in part because he had that political dimension. He had a point of view, which is something many characters lack. What’s rather weird is that we’d already started the story when Russia’s conflict with Ukraine flared up. Somehow, that made it all feel a bit more timely.
The Others, while a concept created by Geoff Johns, are a group that you’ve written for most of their existence. 8 months in, what has been the most surprising, and satisfying, part of writing this team?
DJ: Whenever I’ve written a group book there comes a point where they start to feel like real, living characters rather than drawings in costumes. When that moment finally comes, a writer will suddenly find him or herself attracted to a character that they didn’t see coming.
For me, that’s become Vostok. I think there are layers to him that are tremendously compelling– stuff that provide really good story material for a long time to come.
Vostok has become the breakout character of the team, even appearing as part of the Justice League in a “Futures End” issue. What makes him such a compelling character?
DJ: There’s a sense of loneliness and isolation to Vostok that is really quite sad. In a way, that’s something we can all relate to because we’ve all been there at one time or another. Geoff wrote a couple of remarkable scenes for him when he first showed up.
The first was in Aquaman #11, where Vostok had just rejoined the Others after being away for years. He explained his past and the fact that he’d been on the moon. He then says, “Ya’Wara asked me what I have been doing on the moon. I have been waiting for you to contact me.” That’s really quite moving. He was sitting around waiting for the phone call that never came.
Then, of course, when he dies with the Others gathered around him in #12, he says, “My greatest fear has been vanquished and my greatest hope granted.”
“I didn’t die alone.” Those are very easy sentiments to relate to and moments that really touched readers.
We have a different Vostok now, and while he’s obviously different in personality, there’s going to be an equally sad past.
Lan Medina has been your partner in crime for most of “Aquaman and the Others” – his style actually reminds me a little of your work, in terms of panel construction and layout. How does being an artist yourself affect the way you work with Lan, and what is your favorite detail he brings out of your writing?
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DJ: Lan has been doing great stuff and his work continues to grow with each issue.
My favorite aspect of his work is the emotional expressiveness he brings to the characters’ faces. That’s crucial in a group book and he really does a great job of bringing them to life, with the right sense of emotion to match the script.
Finally, for those that haven’t picked up the book yet, tell them what they’re missing.
DJ: Most group books are built around the concept of duty to a higher calling or mission.
This book is unique in that the Others don’t really think of themselves that way. They’re together because they need each other, despite the fact that they tried to deny that all along. There’s a connection that runs through them that has more to do with who they are as individuals, as opposed to dedication to a higher calling. It’s also their past as individuals that fuels their stories, which allows us to delve into who these characters really are and why they do the things they do.
Thanks to Dan and the folks at DC, and check out the preview pages below, and look for the issue in all fine comic shops on Wednesday.
