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- The very thing that
makes you different
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00:00:06,281 --> 00:00:07,615
is what makes you special.
3
00:00:09,483 --> 00:00:13,522
- I need you to hope,
4
00:00:13,621 --> 00:00:17,560
hope that you will remember
that you can all be heroes.
5
00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:22,765
- It's not who I am underneath
6
00:00:22,865 --> 00:00:26,269
but what I do that defines me.
7
00:00:26,867 --> 00:00:30,206
- Beneath this mask,
there is more than flesh.
8
00:00:30,304 --> 00:00:33,076
Beneath this mask,
there is an idea.
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00:00:33,175 --> 00:00:35,544
And ideas are bulletproof.
10
00:00:41,349 --> 00:00:43,486
- From paper to pixels,
11
00:00:43,584 --> 00:00:46,355
DC Comics has
incubated new ideas
12
00:00:46,454 --> 00:00:48,223
for more than 80 years.
13
00:00:49,657 --> 00:00:53,529
Every generation of creators
brings its own point of view
14
00:00:53,628 --> 00:00:57,166
and its own vision for
DC's iconic characters.
15
00:00:57,264 --> 00:01:00,736
- We ask a lot, how can we take
the essence of this character,
16
00:01:00,830 --> 00:01:02,238
the heart of this character,
17
00:01:02,337 --> 00:01:03,907
but actually render it in a way
18
00:01:04,004 --> 00:01:06,542
that reflects the
world we live in today?
19
00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:09,145
- We're not born good or bad.
20
00:01:09,244 --> 00:01:12,748
The choices you make
define your destiny.
21
00:01:14,449 --> 00:01:16,452
- What's changing is
not just the mythology
22
00:01:16,551 --> 00:01:18,787
but how the stories
are told and who gets
23
00:01:18,887 --> 00:01:20,256
to tell those stories.
24
00:01:20,354 --> 00:01:22,225
- I cannot wait to have
you guys out there.
25
00:01:22,324 --> 00:01:25,028
- I've never seen so many
26
00:01:25,126 --> 00:01:29,398
strong, beautiful women.
27
00:01:29,497 --> 00:01:31,300
This is gonna be history.
28
00:01:32,067 --> 00:01:35,004
- The characters
of DC have edge.
29
00:01:35,103 --> 00:01:36,572
And I love the edge.
30
00:01:40,741 --> 00:01:43,479
- The world needs stories
that show us who we are
31
00:01:43,578 --> 00:01:45,982
and shape who we want to become.
32
00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:48,884
But will an
ever-expanding DC Universe
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00:01:48,978 --> 00:01:51,220
stretch its iconic characters
34
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past the breaking point?
35
00:01:53,521 --> 00:01:57,193
- Right now, DC is
at a crossroads.
36
00:01:57,759 --> 00:02:01,230
We're trying to
build to the future
37
00:02:01,329 --> 00:02:03,666
without doing a
disservice to the past.
38
00:02:25,381 --> 00:02:28,224
- Comics give us a sense
of what's possible.
39
00:02:28,323 --> 00:02:30,393
They give us a sense
of our better natures.
40
00:02:30,492 --> 00:02:32,828
They give us a
sense of the future.
41
00:02:33,961 --> 00:02:37,133
If comics represent the
future and aspirations
42
00:02:37,232 --> 00:02:38,567
for a lot of people
43
00:02:38,666 --> 00:02:41,370
and Black people are
left out of that mix,
44
00:02:41,469 --> 00:02:43,572
therefore we're not
part of the future
45
00:02:43,671 --> 00:02:45,674
and we're not part of
anyone's aspirations.
46
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We wanted to be a part of that.
47
00:02:48,609 --> 00:02:50,354
And I realized the only
way we were gonna do it
48
00:02:50,378 --> 00:02:52,176
it is if we did it ourselves.
49
00:02:58,118 --> 00:03:01,324
In the '90s, there was a
lot of Black consciousness,
50
00:03:01,423 --> 00:03:03,526
Black awareness going on.
51
00:03:03,625 --> 00:03:07,263
And all that set an
atmosphere in society,
52
00:03:07,361 --> 00:03:08,831
in the world
53
00:03:08,930 --> 00:03:11,334
that was not being
reflected in comics at all.
54
00:03:12,833 --> 00:03:15,504
The idea was to get a
group of Black creators,
55
00:03:15,604 --> 00:03:16,973
create some characters,
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00:03:17,071 --> 00:03:18,382
the likes of which
had not been seen
57
00:03:18,406 --> 00:03:19,608
in comics before,
58
00:03:19,707 --> 00:03:21,244
and really tell our stories.
59
00:03:21,337 --> 00:03:23,913
But we have to filter it
to our own experience.
60
00:03:24,740 --> 00:03:27,783
- Veteran artist Denys Cowan,
along with Dwayne McDuffie,
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00:03:27,882 --> 00:03:30,119
Derek Dingle, and Michael Davis
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00:03:30,218 --> 00:03:33,489
created Milestone Media in 1991.
63
00:03:33,588 --> 00:03:35,724
And while they had
no shortage of ideas,
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00:03:35,823 --> 00:03:38,627
they needed an investor
and distributor.
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00:03:38,726 --> 00:03:41,197
- What DC represented
to us at the time
66
00:03:41,290 --> 00:03:42,531
was, one, a potential partner,
67
00:03:42,630 --> 00:03:44,267
and as people who
are probably more
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00:03:44,366 --> 00:03:45,834
open to what we
were trying to do,
69
00:03:45,933 --> 00:03:48,104
which is why we went to
DC in the first place.
70
00:03:50,938 --> 00:03:53,442
- And it's extraordinarily
rare for a company
71
00:03:53,541 --> 00:03:56,145
that is the oldest and most
corporately owned company
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00:03:56,244 --> 00:03:59,348
in a field to be the
disrupter and the innovator.
73
00:03:59,448 --> 00:04:00,917
And we were that.
74
00:04:02,884 --> 00:04:05,249
- With DC's backing,
Milestone set out
75
00:04:05,353 --> 00:04:08,157
to become the first
successful comic book company
76
00:04:08,256 --> 00:04:10,593
owned by creators of color.
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00:04:10,691 --> 00:04:13,462
Their characters turned
superhero archetypes
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00:04:13,562 --> 00:04:15,198
on their heads.
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00:04:15,297 --> 00:04:17,967
- So instead of a strange
being from another planet
80
00:04:18,065 --> 00:04:20,836
crash landing on Earth to
be found by Ma and Pa Kent,
81
00:04:20,934 --> 00:04:23,372
we had a strange being from
another planet crash landing
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00:04:23,471 --> 00:04:26,209
on Earth founded by slaves.
83
00:04:26,306 --> 00:04:29,812
- We have African-American
writers and artists creating
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00:04:29,911 --> 00:04:32,916
characters and talking about
their lives and communicating
85
00:04:33,014 --> 00:04:35,251
something very personal
about themselves
86
00:04:35,349 --> 00:04:38,487
through these superhero stories.
87
00:04:38,586 --> 00:04:40,656
- We never set out
to tackle issues.
88
00:04:40,755 --> 00:04:42,858
We set out to tell
great stories.
89
00:04:42,956 --> 00:04:45,628
There was a lot of themes
about police violence
90
00:04:45,727 --> 00:04:48,397
and racial inequality.
91
00:04:48,496 --> 00:04:50,199
People weren't even
dealing with that.
92
00:04:50,298 --> 00:04:51,867
And we were, like, all in it.
93
00:04:52,967 --> 00:04:56,105
- There was just this
range of characters,
94
00:04:56,204 --> 00:04:57,806
this range of identities.
95
00:04:57,905 --> 00:05:03,046
The diversity within the
diversity was so, so powerful.
96
00:05:03,143 --> 00:05:05,848
Always led with entertainment,
but it was never
97
00:05:05,946 --> 00:05:08,351
afraid to get in people's
grills and be real.
98
00:05:09,851 --> 00:05:12,588
- When I was growing
up, I rarely ever saw
99
00:05:12,687 --> 00:05:14,023
people who looked like me
100
00:05:14,122 --> 00:05:15,491
in the comics that
I was reading.
101
00:05:15,590 --> 00:05:16,892
And when they did show up,
102
00:05:16,991 --> 00:05:18,511
they were almost
always either villains
103
00:05:18,593 --> 00:05:20,896
or comic relief sidekicks.
104
00:05:20,996 --> 00:05:23,032
They were never the
hero, almost never.
105
00:05:23,931 --> 00:05:26,669
I collected those
early Milestone comics.
106
00:05:26,762 --> 00:05:31,474
I came away with this feeling
that anybody could be a hero.
107
00:05:31,572 --> 00:05:34,978
- In their head-to-head battle
against storied superheroes,
108
00:05:35,076 --> 00:05:38,047
Milestone's characters
initially held their ground.
109
00:05:38,146 --> 00:05:41,117
But the founders faced
ongoing resistance
110
00:05:41,216 --> 00:05:42,818
in the majority White industry.
111
00:05:42,918 --> 00:05:45,989
- We ran into executives at DC.
112
00:05:46,088 --> 00:05:48,024
And these marketing
and sales people
113
00:05:48,123 --> 00:05:49,466
would get up and
say they can't sell
114
00:05:49,490 --> 00:05:51,260
no Black comic books.
115
00:05:51,358 --> 00:05:53,304
That's the kind of stuff we
had to deal with all the time.
116
00:05:53,328 --> 00:05:55,406
So the people who were
supposed to be helping you move
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00:05:55,430 --> 00:05:57,066
your product are
the very people who
118
00:05:57,165 --> 00:05:59,735
don't think your product
is worthy of being moved.
119
00:06:01,569 --> 00:06:05,074
- The Milestone team put more
sweat equity into their work
120
00:06:05,172 --> 00:06:07,876
than any human beings should
ever have to do on anything.
121
00:06:07,976 --> 00:06:10,446
They work with passion,
with dedication.
122
00:06:11,178 --> 00:06:14,683
Milestone did things that
changed what comics were
123
00:06:14,782 --> 00:06:18,021
and that reached people that
we'd never reached before.
124
00:06:19,554 --> 00:06:22,358
- As new icons drew
fans to comics,
125
00:06:22,456 --> 00:06:26,862
Tim Burton's Batman
returned to the big screen.
126
00:06:26,961 --> 00:06:29,832
Michael Keaton donned the
cowl and cape once more,
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00:06:29,931 --> 00:06:32,868
with a feline,
Michelle Pfeiffer.
128
00:06:32,968 --> 00:06:35,438
- I am Catwoman.
129
00:06:35,537 --> 00:06:37,073
Hear me roar.
130
00:06:37,172 --> 00:06:39,108
- Inspired by the growing hunger
131
00:06:39,207 --> 00:06:41,444
for the enigmatic
caped crusader,
132
00:06:41,542 --> 00:06:46,482
Bruce Timm designed and helmed
a brand new animated series.
133
00:06:46,581 --> 00:06:49,085
He envisioned a dark
and gritty Gotham
134
00:06:49,183 --> 00:06:52,188
unlike anything else
on Saturday mornings.
135
00:06:52,287 --> 00:06:53,289
- โช We're tiny โช
136
00:06:53,388 --> 00:06:54,557
- โช We're toony โช
137
00:06:54,655 --> 00:06:56,292
โช We're all
a little looney โช
138
00:06:56,391 --> 00:06:58,302
- Saturday morning animation,
at that time, it was,
139
00:06:58,326 --> 00:07:00,663
well, they're cartoons. Don't
forget they're cartoons.
140
00:07:00,762 --> 00:07:03,066
And, you know, you can't
beat 'em up too bad.
141
00:07:03,164 --> 00:07:04,901
And don't make 'em scary.
142
00:07:04,999 --> 00:07:07,270
Give them some laughs
and things like that.
143
00:07:07,368 --> 00:07:08,905
And we didn't have to.
144
00:07:09,003 --> 00:07:10,748
There really was a sense
communicated from the top
145
00:07:10,772 --> 00:07:13,437
on down, "Do the
Batman you want to do."
146
00:07:16,444 --> 00:07:18,181
- We knew what we didn't want.
147
00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:20,917
We didn't want the
show to seem like
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00:07:21,015 --> 00:07:23,286
every other
adventure show on TV.
149
00:07:23,384 --> 00:07:26,222
We wanted the show to
be appealing to kids
150
00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:29,959
because we knew they were our
primary intended audience.
151
00:07:30,057 --> 00:07:32,456
But at the same time, we
wanted a show that we ourselves
152
00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:34,063
would watch as adults.
153
00:07:36,297 --> 00:07:38,367
- Once I saw what Bruce
was doing with the artwork,
154
00:07:38,466 --> 00:07:41,104
with the storyboards, and
then the animation coming in,
155
00:07:41,202 --> 00:07:43,806
and you add on that the
music that Shirley Walker
156
00:07:43,904 --> 00:07:46,142
was adding and the voices...
157
00:07:49,611 --> 00:07:51,347
- Then it really was
a dream come true.
158
00:08:02,558 --> 00:08:03,726
Kids liked it.
159
00:08:03,825 --> 00:08:05,228
Adults liked it.
160
00:08:05,327 --> 00:08:06,629
Comic book fans liked it.
161
00:08:06,728 --> 00:08:08,297
It was one of those
rare times when
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00:08:08,396 --> 00:08:09,974
you get to work with a
team and everybody hits
163
00:08:09,998 --> 00:08:11,667
the bullseye the first time out.
164
00:08:16,103 --> 00:08:19,275
- The show featured Batman's
classic rogues gallery
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00:08:19,374 --> 00:08:22,211
but also introduced a
wild card to Gotham...
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00:08:22,310 --> 00:08:25,181
- Harley Quinn.
Pleased to meet ya.
167
00:08:25,279 --> 00:08:29,752
- Joker's wisecracking
sidekick, Harley Quinn.
168
00:08:29,850 --> 00:08:32,755
- Harley Quinn had
a very modest start.
169
00:08:32,853 --> 00:08:34,924
I was writing an episode
called "Joker's Favor."
170
00:08:35,023 --> 00:08:36,425
And then I was
thinking, like, OK,
171
00:08:36,519 --> 00:08:37,799
Joker's gotta have
some henchmen.
172
00:08:37,892 --> 00:08:39,362
Maybe there's a couple of goons.
173
00:08:39,461 --> 00:08:41,864
And maybe there's a girl.
174
00:08:41,962 --> 00:08:44,400
And that's all I really
thought about it.
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00:08:44,500 --> 00:08:46,169
- Hear, hear!
176
00:08:46,266 --> 00:08:48,111
- When I was coming up with
the character, I thought,
177
00:08:48,135 --> 00:08:50,173
what if she can crack
jokes and she gets laughs
178
00:08:50,266 --> 00:08:51,908
and the Joker doesn't?
179
00:08:52,006 --> 00:08:55,044
- It's amazing what you find
in people's glove compartments.
180
00:08:56,577 --> 00:09:00,849
- To be a creator of these
characters in any capacity,
181
00:09:00,948 --> 00:09:03,419
you're kind of a kid
playing in a sandbox
182
00:09:03,518 --> 00:09:06,655
with communal toys.
183
00:09:06,754 --> 00:09:08,157
Even though I created
the character,
184
00:09:08,256 --> 00:09:10,293
it's only mine to play
with for, you know,
185
00:09:10,392 --> 00:09:12,228
a brief amount of time.
186
00:09:14,429 --> 00:09:17,000
- When Gothamites hear
the name Harley Quinn,
187
00:09:17,099 --> 00:09:18,667
I want 'em to piss themselves.
188
00:09:18,766 --> 00:09:21,637
I want a taste of that.
- You want to taste of...
189
00:09:21,735 --> 00:09:24,840
It's very rated R in here.
190
00:09:24,939 --> 00:09:27,776
- Here we go. Let's just
play the scene once, please.
191
00:09:27,875 --> 00:09:29,453
You're in the middle of
a bloody gunfire fight.
192
00:09:29,477 --> 00:09:32,548
Ah!
193
00:09:32,648 --> 00:09:34,050
I love science.
194
00:09:34,149 --> 00:09:35,684
- Will you make it
totally sincere?
195
00:09:35,783 --> 00:09:39,655
Ugh! I love science.
196
00:09:40,321 --> 00:09:42,191
I should mention it is
a very adult series.
197
00:09:42,289 --> 00:09:45,528
I would not recommend
young children watching it.
198
00:09:48,529 --> 00:09:49,765
If you want an adult series,
199
00:09:49,865 --> 00:09:51,134
you want it to be Harley Quinn.
200
00:09:51,232 --> 00:09:52,542
You don't think I'm
chaotic and crazy
201
00:09:52,566 --> 00:09:54,837
and make a bunch of messes?
202
00:09:54,937 --> 00:09:56,705
She's as edgy as it gets.
203
00:09:56,804 --> 00:09:58,807
I basically spend most
of the time in the booth
204
00:09:58,906 --> 00:10:00,676
screaming and cussing,
which has been
205
00:10:00,776 --> 00:10:02,178
really therapeutic for me.
206
00:10:02,276 --> 00:10:04,914
off. I'm
busy reflecting!
207
00:10:05,013 --> 00:10:07,850
Thank you.
208
00:10:07,949 --> 00:10:10,886
As psychotic as she is,
she is quite grounded.
209
00:10:10,986 --> 00:10:12,956
And she really takes
care of her crew.
210
00:10:13,055 --> 00:10:14,823
- This whole scene...
- Yes.
211
00:10:14,922 --> 00:10:16,492
- You are begging
her to understand you
212
00:10:16,590 --> 00:10:17,693
and to believe you.
- Yes.
213
00:10:17,792 --> 00:10:19,362
- Oh, I love you, Ive.
214
00:10:19,460 --> 00:10:22,498
- It's really about her growth
as an adult and as a woman
215
00:10:22,596 --> 00:10:24,901
and as someone who's in
control of her own destiny
216
00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:27,470
because she relied
on Joker for so long.
217
00:10:28,469 --> 00:10:31,207
It's very female
empowerment.
218
00:10:31,306 --> 00:10:34,177
She's kind of, weirdly,
a good example.
219
00:10:34,275 --> 00:10:35,844
She shouldn't be killing people,
220
00:10:35,943 --> 00:10:37,780
but she is actually a
good example because
221
00:10:37,879 --> 00:10:39,382
she wants to step
out on her own.
222
00:10:39,480 --> 00:10:41,150
- You gonna kill me now?
223
00:10:41,248 --> 00:10:44,787
- No, I want you alive so I
can see the look on your face
224
00:10:44,886 --> 00:10:46,822
when I'm running this town.
225
00:10:50,658 --> 00:10:54,497
- Before DC's runaway success
evolving its characters,
226
00:10:54,596 --> 00:10:57,901
the company stumbled
in the late '90s.
227
00:11:02,804 --> 00:11:05,208
- The Iceman cometh!
228
00:11:05,306 --> 00:11:09,145
- Superheroes turned into
self-parody on screen.
229
00:11:09,243 --> 00:11:13,917
Comics sales stagnated after
comic book investors failed.
230
00:11:14,015 --> 00:11:16,619
And Milestone Media shut down
231
00:11:16,718 --> 00:11:18,787
after just four years,
232
00:11:18,886 --> 00:11:22,425
its demise relegated
to a footnote.
233
00:11:22,524 --> 00:11:25,228
Faced with a midlife
identity crisis,
234
00:11:25,326 --> 00:11:29,098
DC sought to sign the
industry's hottest talent.
235
00:11:29,191 --> 00:11:32,835
They first set their sights
on rock star artist Jim Lee
236
00:11:32,935 --> 00:11:35,671
and his company Wildstorm.
237
00:11:35,771 --> 00:11:37,740
- I started at DC in 1998.
238
00:11:37,839 --> 00:11:40,343
That's when they
bought Wildstorm.
239
00:11:40,441 --> 00:11:42,445
One of the reasons
I sold the company
240
00:11:42,543 --> 00:11:45,081
was so that I could hand
the business functions
241
00:11:45,179 --> 00:11:47,983
off to the people
that worked at DC.
242
00:11:49,283 --> 00:11:51,887
And then that would allow
me to get back and draw
243
00:11:51,987 --> 00:11:53,422
and create comic
books, you know,
244
00:11:53,521 --> 00:11:54,966
which is the reason why
I got into the business
245
00:11:54,990 --> 00:11:57,460
in the first place.
246
00:11:57,558 --> 00:12:01,397
- Jim Lee coming to DC after
the work he did at Marvel
247
00:12:01,496 --> 00:12:04,800
and Founding Image Comics
is about as seismic
248
00:12:04,900 --> 00:12:07,870
as Jack Kirby coming
to DC from Marvel
249
00:12:07,969 --> 00:12:09,305
in the early 1970s.
250
00:12:13,908 --> 00:12:17,846
This is somebody who redefined
comic book storytelling
251
00:12:17,946 --> 00:12:19,715
for an entire generation.
252
00:12:20,848 --> 00:12:23,886
Nobody would have expected
him to end up at DC,
253
00:12:23,985 --> 00:12:27,723
and not just at DC, but
as somebody stewarding
254
00:12:27,823 --> 00:12:29,625
the future of the company.
255
00:12:29,724 --> 00:12:32,561
- As the millennium
dawned, Jim Lee's dynamic
256
00:12:32,660 --> 00:12:36,032
and detailed artwork
revitalized DC's image
257
00:12:36,131 --> 00:12:38,601
and defined its
roster of characters
258
00:12:38,700 --> 00:12:40,369
for the 21st century.
259
00:12:42,604 --> 00:12:44,840
- As creatives, we
tell these stories
260
00:12:44,939 --> 00:12:46,442
'cause we love these characters
261
00:12:46,540 --> 00:12:48,644
and we love storytelling.
262
00:12:51,946 --> 00:12:55,384
But we also know that
storytelling is a great way
263
00:12:55,483 --> 00:12:58,754
of dealing with our own
personal anxieties or fears,
264
00:12:58,852 --> 00:13:03,859
and certainly during
tumultuous periods of crisis
265
00:13:03,959 --> 00:13:05,694
that has been proven
over and over.
266
00:13:09,131 --> 00:13:10,666
- I was working on
a Wonder Woman story
267
00:13:10,765 --> 00:13:14,537
where the Joker had taken
control of Air Force One
268
00:13:14,636 --> 00:13:17,240
and crashed it
into Times Square.
269
00:13:20,308 --> 00:13:22,211
As that book was going to print,
270
00:13:22,310 --> 00:13:24,147
the events of 9/11 occurred.
271
00:13:30,752 --> 00:13:32,688
We very quickly had
to pull the book back.
272
00:13:32,787 --> 00:13:34,557
We had to alter that story.
273
00:13:34,656 --> 00:13:37,026
Wonder Woman saved Times Square.
274
00:13:37,119 --> 00:13:39,228
But more importantly,
there was a big fight
275
00:13:39,327 --> 00:13:43,766
at the end between
Superman and Wonder Woman.
276
00:13:43,865 --> 00:13:48,071
And it ended on a page...
277
00:13:48,169 --> 00:13:53,943
and it ended on
a page where Superman
278
00:13:54,042 --> 00:13:57,580
sort of crumpled in
Wonder Woman's arms
279
00:13:57,678 --> 00:14:00,950
as he reflected on the
people that he couldn't save.
280
00:14:03,050 --> 00:14:06,322
And she comforted
him and said that
281
00:14:06,421 --> 00:14:08,324
we're gonna make it through.
282
00:14:10,091 --> 00:14:11,827
And I remember
having a big fight
283
00:14:11,926 --> 00:14:13,596
with the editor in
chief about this.
284
00:14:13,695 --> 00:14:17,366
His belief was that Superman
should be heroic and powerful
285
00:14:17,465 --> 00:14:19,702
and that that was what
the nation needed.
286
00:14:20,635 --> 00:14:23,867
And I tried to explain that
this one moment would not take
287
00:14:23,972 --> 00:14:26,142
anything away from Superman.
288
00:14:27,342 --> 00:14:30,813
And also, it was a
Wonder Woman moment.
289
00:14:30,912 --> 00:14:33,249
This is what she does.
290
00:14:35,584 --> 00:14:38,054
To this day...
291
00:14:38,152 --> 00:14:39,688
I'm so glad I fought for it.
292
00:14:39,787 --> 00:14:43,626
And I think DC made the
right decision to keep it.
293
00:14:45,693 --> 00:14:49,765
- When the nation fell victim
to an act of terrorism,
294
00:14:49,864 --> 00:14:53,536
superheroes gave way
to real-life heroes,
295
00:14:53,635 --> 00:14:57,806
ordinary citizens who
risked everything to restore
296
00:14:57,906 --> 00:15:01,044
people's faith in humanity.
297
00:15:01,143 --> 00:15:02,545
- Most of the comic
book companies
298
00:15:02,644 --> 00:15:05,881
wanted to do something
to benefit the victims,
299
00:15:05,980 --> 00:15:07,516
the first responders.
300
00:15:09,217 --> 00:15:11,487
DC decided we
wanted to do a book.
301
00:15:14,822 --> 00:15:18,995
The cover's an homage
to a classic DC cover,
302
00:15:19,094 --> 00:15:20,414
"The Big All-American
Comic Book,"
303
00:15:20,495 --> 00:15:22,265
sort of one of the first annuals
304
00:15:22,364 --> 00:15:23,928
ever done in comics.
305
00:15:24,865 --> 00:15:27,003
And we managed to raise a
few hundred thousand dollars
306
00:15:27,101 --> 00:15:29,472
for the good cause
and do some stories
307
00:15:29,570 --> 00:15:32,408
that I think have some
real power and some impact.
308
00:15:36,344 --> 00:15:38,314
- The more complex
our world gets
309
00:15:38,412 --> 00:15:42,085
and whether it's an external
force or an internal strife
310
00:15:42,184 --> 00:15:43,586
that we're having as a country,
311
00:15:43,684 --> 00:15:46,022
the more we rely on
these characters.
312
00:15:47,389 --> 00:15:49,625
They're the perfect stories
by which to, I think,
313
00:15:49,724 --> 00:15:52,328
question things and challenge
these things but also
314
00:15:52,426 --> 00:15:54,863
remind us that, at
the end of the day,
315
00:15:54,963 --> 00:15:56,961
you can overcome
these challenges
316
00:15:57,065 --> 00:15:58,634
and be better for it.
317
00:16:07,675 --> 00:16:11,976
- An uneasy post-9/11 world
called for a superhero
318
00:16:12,080 --> 00:16:15,518
to conquer fear itself.
319
00:16:15,618 --> 00:16:16,981
- Action.
320
00:16:17,084 --> 00:16:20,489
- A British director with
no background in comics
321
00:16:20,588 --> 00:16:22,891
harkened the Dark
Knight's return.
322
00:16:26,428 --> 00:16:28,331
- Along comes Christopher Nolan
323
00:16:28,430 --> 00:16:32,301
with a movie called
"Batman Begins"
324
00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:36,405
back when reboot wasn't
really a word that was
325
00:16:36,504 --> 00:16:40,209
so commonly associated
with movies and franchises
326
00:16:40,308 --> 00:16:42,411
and everything else.
327
00:16:42,510 --> 00:16:44,350
And the idea that they
were gonna tell Batman's
328
00:16:44,446 --> 00:16:49,418
origin story again and tell
it in a really granular way
329
00:16:49,517 --> 00:16:53,322
felt kind of revolutionary.
330
00:17:05,633 --> 00:17:08,637
- My interest was in
taking on a superhero story
331
00:17:08,736 --> 00:17:11,074
but treating it in
a realistic fashion,
332
00:17:11,173 --> 00:17:13,376
grounding the film in reality,
333
00:17:13,474 --> 00:17:15,511
admittedly a heightened reality,
334
00:17:15,610 --> 00:17:18,314
but never looking at it
as a comic book movie
335
00:17:18,413 --> 00:17:20,783
or just a comic book movie.
336
00:17:20,882 --> 00:17:23,152
Roll cameras, please.
337
00:17:23,251 --> 00:17:24,687
Good luck, everyone.
338
00:17:24,786 --> 00:17:26,189
Action.
339
00:17:30,725 --> 00:17:32,195
Ahh!
340
00:17:33,994 --> 00:17:38,367
- The second installment
of Nolan's trilogy
341
00:17:38,466 --> 00:17:41,065
expanded on the psychology
of the characters
342
00:17:41,168 --> 00:17:44,473
and transformed the Caped
Crusader's arch nemesis
343
00:17:44,572 --> 00:17:47,643
into a full-fledged terrorist.
344
00:17:49,643 --> 00:17:53,516
- Good evening,
ladies and gentlemen.
345
00:17:53,614 --> 00:17:56,019
- I think the Joker is
the logical response
346
00:17:56,117 --> 00:17:59,222
to a character like Batman.
347
00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:03,392
- Why so serious?
348
00:18:03,491 --> 00:18:06,795
- Partly because Batman
raised the sort of extremity
349
00:18:06,895 --> 00:18:08,131
of behavior in Gotham.
350
00:18:08,229 --> 00:18:09,598
You know, he's
putting on a mask,
351
00:18:09,697 --> 00:18:11,109
jumping off buildings,
and fighting crime.
352
00:18:17,305 --> 00:18:19,175
I don't wanna kill you.
353
00:18:19,273 --> 00:18:21,210
What would I do without you?
354
00:18:21,309 --> 00:18:23,646
You complete me.
355
00:18:26,281 --> 00:18:28,184
- Heath Ledger's
performance earned him
356
00:18:28,283 --> 00:18:30,586
a posthumous Academy Award,
357
00:18:30,684 --> 00:18:32,888
the first for a
cinematic portrayal
358
00:18:32,988 --> 00:18:34,991
of a comic book character.
359
00:18:35,823 --> 00:18:37,863
- People say to me, which
one did you like the most?
360
00:18:37,925 --> 00:18:39,728
I said, Christopher
Nolan, in my opinion,
361
00:18:39,827 --> 00:18:42,265
only made one movie
in three acts.
362
00:18:42,364 --> 00:18:44,833
It is beautifully
structured that way.
363
00:18:46,266 --> 00:18:50,639
What Christopher Nolan did was
elevate the genre from people
364
00:18:50,738 --> 00:18:52,749
just saying, "Oh, that was
a great comic book movie,"
365
00:18:52,773 --> 00:18:56,179
to at last they just say,
"That was a great film."
366
00:18:57,845 --> 00:18:59,949
- Christopher Nolan's
trilogy dominated
367
00:19:00,047 --> 00:19:05,754
the box office, earning
nearly $2.5 billion worldwide.
368
00:19:06,754 --> 00:19:09,125
But the success put pressure
369
00:19:09,218 --> 00:19:10,793
on newly appointed copublishers
370
00:19:10,891 --> 00:19:14,197
Jim Lee and Dan DiDio
to save the slumping
371
00:19:14,296 --> 00:19:16,099
comic book business.
372
00:19:16,197 --> 00:19:17,400
- People used to say to me,
373
00:19:17,499 --> 00:19:19,202
"Who do you consider
competition?"
374
00:19:19,295 --> 00:19:20,911
And I would say, Marvel's
not my competition.
375
00:19:20,935 --> 00:19:23,973
I said, TV and film,
that's my competition.
376
00:19:24,071 --> 00:19:27,810
If they become the arbiters and
the voices of the characters,
377
00:19:27,908 --> 00:19:29,913
then what we do
becomes irrelevant.
378
00:19:31,679 --> 00:19:35,284
- For inventive ideas, DC
turned to fan favorite writer
379
00:19:35,383 --> 00:19:38,988
Geoff Johns for his bold
take on a classic character
380
00:19:39,086 --> 00:19:43,359
from the '50s, Barry
Allen as the Flash.
381
00:19:43,458 --> 00:19:45,138
- I thought, I needed
to rethink his origin
382
00:19:45,193 --> 00:19:47,563
'cause literally he'd never
had a modern-day origin.
383
00:19:48,996 --> 00:19:50,967
And so I went into, like,
time travel and, like,
384
00:19:51,065 --> 00:19:53,937
having someone who
is a crime scientist.
385
00:19:54,036 --> 00:19:55,438
Their mother was killed.
386
00:19:55,536 --> 00:19:57,140
Their father went
to prison for it.
387
00:19:57,237 --> 00:19:59,608
He was obsessed with trying
to find out who did it.
388
00:19:59,707 --> 00:20:01,610
And because of
that, his life had
389
00:20:01,709 --> 00:20:03,947
just stood still emotionally.
390
00:20:04,044 --> 00:20:06,515
And then becoming the Flash
is all about just you've
391
00:20:06,614 --> 00:20:07,850
gotta keep moving forward.
392
00:20:07,950 --> 00:20:09,552
No matter what tragedy happens,
393
00:20:09,650 --> 00:20:11,387
you gotta keep moving forward.
394
00:20:13,482 --> 00:20:15,258
Right when I settled
on that story,
395
00:20:15,355 --> 00:20:18,261
I knew that I wanted to tell a
two-year arc for Barry Allen.
396
00:20:18,359 --> 00:20:19,862
And the last story
I wanted to tell
397
00:20:19,961 --> 00:20:22,365
was "Flashpoint," with
him going back in time
398
00:20:22,458 --> 00:20:24,100
and saving his mom
and changing history.
399
00:20:27,535 --> 00:20:29,372
And it was gonna be
this crazy version
400
00:20:29,471 --> 00:20:32,441
of the DC Universe that
was overly violent.
401
00:20:32,540 --> 00:20:35,411
And it looked different
because of this change
402
00:20:35,511 --> 00:20:37,046
that Barry made.
403
00:20:38,213 --> 00:20:40,716
- Taking a page from
Johns' "Flashpoint,"
404
00:20:40,815 --> 00:20:43,552
Lee and DiDio seized
the chance to upend
405
00:20:43,651 --> 00:20:46,089
every single DC storyline.
406
00:20:46,187 --> 00:20:47,898
- They came to me and
said, "We're gonna reboot
407
00:20:47,922 --> 00:20:50,426
"the DC Universe, and we
wanna use this to do it.
408
00:20:51,859 --> 00:20:55,798
The truth is that "Flashpoint"
was never designed to do that.
409
00:20:55,897 --> 00:20:57,700
They kinda, like, hopped onto it
410
00:20:57,799 --> 00:20:59,376
because there was an
opportunity that time was open
411
00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:00,703
and we wanna change everything.
412
00:21:02,270 --> 00:21:06,175
- DC relaunched the
universe with 52 new titles,
413
00:21:06,274 --> 00:21:09,612
a nod to the number of
earths in the multiverse.
414
00:21:09,710 --> 00:21:11,647
The company released new issues
415
00:21:11,747 --> 00:21:13,682
in print and digital formats
416
00:21:13,781 --> 00:21:17,120
simultaneously for
the first time ever.
417
00:21:17,218 --> 00:21:20,789
- "New 52" was basically
an opportunity to reach
418
00:21:20,888 --> 00:21:23,892
a new fanbase, to find an
entry point for everyone
419
00:21:23,991 --> 00:21:26,862
to find our characters,
to contemporize them,
420
00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:30,099
to bring them down in age
so they weren't our fathers'
421
00:21:30,198 --> 00:21:32,568
and grandfathers' superheroes.
422
00:21:32,667 --> 00:21:34,570
In order to make
the level of impact,
423
00:21:34,668 --> 00:21:36,239
we had to do
something of a scale
424
00:21:36,337 --> 00:21:37,417
that we hadn't seen before.
425
00:21:38,974 --> 00:21:41,010
- Head upstairs.
Thank you, sir.
426
00:21:41,109 --> 00:21:42,946
- Here in Midtown
Manhattan, fans are
427
00:21:43,043 --> 00:21:45,309
anticipating the release
of the new number one issue
428
00:21:45,413 --> 00:21:46,649
of "The Justice League."
429
00:21:46,747 --> 00:21:49,518
- I came as the
"New 52" Supergirl.
430
00:21:49,618 --> 00:21:51,620
- And Black Canary.
431
00:21:51,719 --> 00:21:54,523
- Because of "New 52,"
people were really excited
432
00:21:54,622 --> 00:21:56,625
about this reboot,
this fresh chance
433
00:21:56,724 --> 00:22:00,063
to hop onto this new
universe and read
434
00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:02,465
about these characters
with fresh perspective,
435
00:22:02,564 --> 00:22:04,300
with none of the baggage
that came before.
436
00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:06,002
- It's cool.
437
00:22:06,100 --> 00:22:07,003
- There you go.
438
00:22:07,102 --> 00:22:08,537
Just go around that way.
439
00:22:08,636 --> 00:22:11,740
- Fairly or unfairly,
DC does have
440
00:22:11,839 --> 00:22:15,411
a reputation with
fans of constantly
441
00:22:15,510 --> 00:22:16,980
trying to reset things.
442
00:22:20,180 --> 00:22:22,185
When the biggest headline
grabbers are things
443
00:22:22,284 --> 00:22:24,921
like, "We've just
restarted the entire line,
444
00:22:25,019 --> 00:22:27,223
"and not just with
new first issues
445
00:22:27,322 --> 00:22:31,094
but with brand-new
continuity," it worked.
446
00:22:31,193 --> 00:22:33,029
It got readers into comic shops.
447
00:22:33,127 --> 00:22:35,206
But there was a certain segment
of the audience that felt
448
00:22:35,230 --> 00:22:37,361
a little betrayed by that, too.
449
00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:41,804
- I think the people in charge
know what they're doing,
450
00:22:41,902 --> 00:22:44,207
and I hope that
everything goes great.
451
00:22:44,305 --> 00:22:45,975
But it's a huge risk.
452
00:22:46,807 --> 00:22:48,285
- Normally, when you're
a fan, you go like,
453
00:22:48,309 --> 00:22:50,154
oh, if I were in charge,
this is what I would do
454
00:22:50,178 --> 00:22:51,990
with the characters, these
are the kinds of stories
455
00:22:52,014 --> 00:22:53,249
I would chart.
456
00:22:53,348 --> 00:22:54,826
And you find yourself
in that position.
457
00:22:54,850 --> 00:22:56,452
You go, like, oh crap, like,
458
00:22:56,551 --> 00:22:59,383
what can we do with this?
459
00:22:59,482 --> 00:23:01,385
We wanted to be
respectful of the past.
460
00:23:01,484 --> 00:23:03,659
But at the same time,
we wanted to forge
461
00:23:03,758 --> 00:23:06,362
a new future going forward.
462
00:23:06,461 --> 00:23:09,165
- Part of my goal was to bring
a little bit of a swagger
463
00:23:09,264 --> 00:23:10,866
to DC.
464
00:23:12,761 --> 00:23:14,470
We've gotta get people
excited about what
465
00:23:14,569 --> 00:23:17,373
we're doing now than what
they read when they were kids.
466
00:23:17,472 --> 00:23:19,475
And that was the
mission, and "New 52"
467
00:23:19,573 --> 00:23:20,951
was the realization
of that mission.
468
00:23:20,975 --> 00:23:23,346
And it set fire to the business.
469
00:23:25,012 --> 00:23:27,583
- As it sought to
expand its fan base,
470
00:23:27,682 --> 00:23:30,586
DC showed a willingness
to take even more risks
471
00:23:30,686 --> 00:23:32,488
with its characters
472
00:23:32,587 --> 00:23:36,492
by evolving the
universe in video games.
473
00:23:36,591 --> 00:23:38,061
- I'd played video
games all my life.
474
00:23:38,159 --> 00:23:41,064
But I hadn't really done
the nuts and bolts of it.
475
00:23:41,161 --> 00:23:44,600
Writing a video game on the
scope of "Arkham Asylum"
476
00:23:44,700 --> 00:23:46,430
was extremely challenging.
477
00:23:49,337 --> 00:23:51,774
An engaging experience
for a passive viewer
478
00:23:51,872 --> 00:23:54,810
is not the same thing
at all for a gamer.
479
00:23:56,878 --> 00:24:00,349
- The Batman "Arkham" series
merged superhero fantasy
480
00:24:00,448 --> 00:24:02,446
with action adventure.
481
00:24:02,545 --> 00:24:04,153
Players experienced the freedom
482
00:24:04,252 --> 00:24:07,290
to explore a vast, open world.
483
00:24:07,388 --> 00:24:10,193
That immersion pushed
role-playing games
484
00:24:10,291 --> 00:24:11,827
to the next level.
485
00:24:16,931 --> 00:24:19,835
Upping the ante, DC
teamed up with one of
486
00:24:19,934 --> 00:24:22,805
the most successful and
controversial video game
487
00:24:22,904 --> 00:24:27,010
franchises, Mortal Kombat."
488
00:24:27,108 --> 00:24:31,047
- "Mortal Kombat" is this
hyperviolent universe.
489
00:24:31,146 --> 00:24:32,476
And DC isn't.
490
00:24:34,449 --> 00:24:38,254
A big part of my childhood was
comic books and video games.
491
00:24:38,353 --> 00:24:40,623
I never wanted to cut
Batman's head off.
492
00:24:40,722 --> 00:24:42,525
I felt that was just
kind of crossing a line.
493
00:24:44,092 --> 00:24:45,694
- But we really
wanted to do something
494
00:24:45,793 --> 00:24:48,564
that was kind of really
pushing that envelope
495
00:24:48,664 --> 00:24:50,033
with DC characters.
496
00:24:51,627 --> 00:24:54,003
That coupled with the
head not covering it
497
00:24:54,102 --> 00:24:55,571
and you'll totally see his hand.
498
00:24:56,203 --> 00:24:58,908
- Ed Boon persuaded
executives to let him create
499
00:24:59,007 --> 00:25:01,177
a violent DC Universe inside
500
00:25:01,276 --> 00:25:04,213
a "Mortal Kombat"
-style fighting game
501
00:25:04,312 --> 00:25:06,015
called "Injustice."
502
00:25:06,780 --> 00:25:09,785
- Up until that
point, the DC stories
503
00:25:09,885 --> 00:25:11,387
had Superman as a boy scout.
504
00:25:11,486 --> 00:25:13,689
And we really wanted to
kind ask the question,
505
00:25:13,789 --> 00:25:15,658
what if Superman went bad?
506
00:25:17,725 --> 00:25:20,096
What if Superman
actually killed?
507
00:25:24,197 --> 00:25:26,970
- The last thing you wanna do
is just constantly just create
508
00:25:27,069 --> 00:25:28,972
the same thing over again.
509
00:25:29,070 --> 00:25:31,274
There's a pretense that these
characters are porcelain,
510
00:25:31,372 --> 00:25:32,608
meaning you can't touch 'em.
511
00:25:32,707 --> 00:25:34,107
Gotta put 'em on
shelf. Don't touch.
512
00:25:34,142 --> 00:25:35,685
They're breakable. You
could destroy them.
513
00:25:35,709 --> 00:25:37,313
You could destroy
this, destroy that.
514
00:25:37,412 --> 00:25:39,949
And the truth is they're not.
They're rock-hard diamonds.
515
00:25:40,047 --> 00:25:41,617
So that means you've
gotta take risks.
516
00:25:41,716 --> 00:25:43,619
You've gotta try.
517
00:25:43,718 --> 00:25:45,088
We felt like we were
518
00:25:45,186 --> 00:25:47,456
carving out our own
piece of the pie
519
00:25:47,555 --> 00:25:49,525
of the multiverse.
520
00:25:49,624 --> 00:25:54,263
We really helped solidify video
games as a form of telling
521
00:25:54,362 --> 00:25:56,099
these amazing stories.
522
00:25:57,432 --> 00:25:59,735
- To cultivate
players of all ages...
523
00:25:59,835 --> 00:26:02,105
- Is that a new spacesuit?
524
00:26:02,203 --> 00:26:04,740
- DC LEGO games took characters
525
00:26:04,840 --> 00:26:06,976
in the opposite direction.
526
00:26:07,074 --> 00:26:09,278
The interactive adventures
gave fans a chance
527
00:26:09,377 --> 00:26:12,381
to embody any
character, regardless
528
00:26:12,480 --> 00:26:15,351
of race, gender, or fashion.
529
00:26:15,450 --> 00:26:18,154
- Now, children are
playing video games
530
00:26:18,253 --> 00:26:22,158
as their first entrance
into that imaginative world,
531
00:26:22,257 --> 00:26:24,693
their first exposure
to these characters.
532
00:26:26,227 --> 00:26:29,198
Reading a story means
living the story
533
00:26:29,297 --> 00:26:31,901
with those characters
in your imagination.
534
00:26:31,999 --> 00:26:34,337
But playing the
story gives players,
535
00:26:34,435 --> 00:26:37,406
and particularly young
players, the opportunity
536
00:26:37,505 --> 00:26:39,642
to create their own story.
537
00:26:40,769 --> 00:26:43,512
- DC's video games seeded ideas
538
00:26:43,611 --> 00:26:45,548
that flourished elsewhere.
539
00:26:45,647 --> 00:26:47,716
Batman! Whoa!
540
00:26:47,816 --> 00:26:48,985
- You're darn right, whoa.
541
00:26:52,586 --> 00:26:55,091
- With President Diane
Nelson at the helm,
542
00:26:55,189 --> 00:26:58,827
DC Comics changed its
name to DC Entertainment
543
00:26:58,926 --> 00:27:00,829
and sought to exploit
the characters
544
00:27:00,928 --> 00:27:03,732
more aggressively
across all media.
545
00:27:03,831 --> 00:27:05,475
- I love these characters
and these stories enough.
546
00:27:05,499 --> 00:27:07,303
For me, they should be
adapted in everything
547
00:27:07,402 --> 00:27:11,540
they can be adapted in 'cause
I wanna see them everywhere.
548
00:27:11,639 --> 00:27:15,411
- With superhero fandom
reaching an all-time high,
549
00:27:15,510 --> 00:27:19,482
Marvel and DC battled for
supremacy at the cinema.
550
00:27:19,580 --> 00:27:23,286
But neither rival had yet
to fully conquer television
551
00:27:23,385 --> 00:27:25,721
when DC approached
Greg Berlanti,
552
00:27:25,819 --> 00:27:29,758
a prolific drama producer
and lifelong comic book fan.
553
00:27:29,857 --> 00:27:31,760
- You had these
characters who were
554
00:27:31,860 --> 00:27:34,163
of the world but different.
555
00:27:36,030 --> 00:27:38,334
And their difference was
the thing that ultimately
556
00:27:38,433 --> 00:27:41,637
kept them distant
from everyone but also
557
00:27:41,737 --> 00:27:43,739
was part of their heroism.
558
00:27:44,805 --> 00:27:47,343
And I was a closeted gay kid.
559
00:27:47,442 --> 00:27:49,812
And they were, you
know, my friends.
560
00:27:51,078 --> 00:27:53,316
I remember connecting
with them in that way
561
00:27:53,413 --> 00:27:56,219
and feeling like, oh, these
were people that had a secret.
562
00:27:57,318 --> 00:28:00,656
I was very often as
interested in their alias
563
00:28:00,755 --> 00:28:03,226
as I was their
superhero character.
564
00:28:05,660 --> 00:28:08,797
- Berlanti's first
series premiered in 2012
565
00:28:08,896 --> 00:28:12,768
and centered on billionaire
Oliver Queen, who fights crime
566
00:28:12,868 --> 00:28:15,204
as the alias Green Arrow...
567
00:28:15,303 --> 00:28:17,974
Part Robin Hood, part Batman.
568
00:28:18,073 --> 00:28:20,209
Action!
569
00:28:20,308 --> 00:28:22,245
- There was a sense
of a man getting
570
00:28:22,343 --> 00:28:23,947
vengeance for an
entire community
571
00:28:24,045 --> 00:28:25,314
that felt left behind.
572
00:28:29,484 --> 00:28:31,484
We pitched that at the end
of act one of the pilot,
573
00:28:31,519 --> 00:28:33,756
we would see the Green
Arrow kill a character.
574
00:28:33,855 --> 00:28:35,591
- Nobody can know my secret.
575
00:28:38,460 --> 00:28:40,964
- And I think it was so
shocking for the audience
576
00:28:41,063 --> 00:28:43,332
at that time that it immediately
577
00:28:43,431 --> 00:28:45,534
made people realize,
narratively, they didn't
578
00:28:45,633 --> 00:28:46,711
know what we were gonna do.
579
00:28:46,735 --> 00:28:48,371
Hopefully he becomes a hero.
580
00:28:48,469 --> 00:28:50,147
- I used to think the
vigilante was a criminal, too.
581
00:28:50,171 --> 00:28:52,175
But it seems to
me whoever he is,
582
00:28:52,273 --> 00:28:54,777
he's willing to sacrifice
an awful lot to help
583
00:28:54,876 --> 00:28:56,379
the people of this city.
584
00:28:56,478 --> 00:28:58,847
It kinda makes him
a hero, doesn't it?
585
00:29:00,415 --> 00:29:02,685
- By using a character that
isn't one of the big three,
586
00:29:02,784 --> 00:29:05,454
you can have a lot more fun
and be a lot more experimental
587
00:29:05,553 --> 00:29:07,957
without being bogged
down by the expectations
588
00:29:08,055 --> 00:29:10,526
that come with being a
much bigger character.
589
00:29:12,026 --> 00:29:14,097
- "Arrow" attracted
a sizable following.
590
00:29:14,195 --> 00:29:16,399
And after just two seasons,
591
00:29:16,497 --> 00:29:20,203
Berlanti was tasked with
taking on another superhero,
592
00:29:20,301 --> 00:29:24,440
expanding the DC TV
Universe in a flash.
593
00:29:26,807 --> 00:29:29,078
- They had tried a Flash
show 20 years before.
594
00:29:29,176 --> 00:29:32,415
They couldn't render the spirit
of the character's powers
595
00:29:32,513 --> 00:29:34,583
for... you know, with
the technology they had
596
00:29:34,682 --> 00:29:36,485
on a network television basis.
597
00:29:36,585 --> 00:29:38,054
- 3, 2, 1. Action.
598
00:29:38,153 --> 00:29:39,783
- We wanted to sort
of go into his speed
599
00:29:39,887 --> 00:29:42,558
and make the audience feel
what that would feel like.
600
00:29:45,327 --> 00:29:47,630
And that was the most
connectivity I had
601
00:29:47,729 --> 00:29:49,398
to that rush I had as a kid.
602
00:29:52,733 --> 00:29:55,638
- As more series spun
off, like "Supergirl,"
603
00:29:55,737 --> 00:29:59,042
each one delivered a
signature mix of heart,
604
00:29:59,140 --> 00:30:01,177
humor, and spectacle.
605
00:30:02,410 --> 00:30:05,281
- By far, my most favorite
bit about "Supergirl"
606
00:30:05,379 --> 00:30:08,051
really comes from
her motto that's
607
00:30:08,150 --> 00:30:10,486
been there throughout
the comics up till now,
608
00:30:10,584 --> 00:30:12,688
is hope, help, and
compassion for all.
609
00:30:12,787 --> 00:30:14,390
I just love her kindness.
610
00:30:14,489 --> 00:30:16,926
And I love how much she cares
about really helping people
611
00:30:17,025 --> 00:30:18,494
and making a difference.
612
00:30:18,592 --> 00:30:21,097
- Earth doesn't have
just one hero anymore.
613
00:30:21,196 --> 00:30:23,967
Now it has me.
614
00:30:24,059 --> 00:30:26,469
- The interconnected
television world became
615
00:30:26,568 --> 00:30:28,737
known as the Arrowverse.
616
00:30:28,836 --> 00:30:30,714
- That's what they would
do with the comic books.
617
00:30:30,738 --> 00:30:32,175
We were building
the world the way
618
00:30:32,274 --> 00:30:35,178
that they probably built
the world initially
619
00:30:35,276 --> 00:30:38,481
and expanding the
universes that way.
620
00:30:38,579 --> 00:30:40,783
I always felt like
comic books in general
621
00:30:40,881 --> 00:30:43,519
lent themselves much more
to television than to film
622
00:30:43,618 --> 00:30:46,289
because they were
episodic in nature.
623
00:30:46,388 --> 00:30:48,491
It just felt like the
art form really fit.
624
00:30:50,458 --> 00:30:52,128
- We were just really impressed
625
00:30:52,226 --> 00:30:54,463
by the ambitions that they had
626
00:30:54,562 --> 00:30:56,832
and how they brought
the DC Universe to life.
627
00:30:58,699 --> 00:31:01,070
They started building off
the foundation of the comics
628
00:31:01,169 --> 00:31:03,172
and doing their
own storytelling.
629
00:31:06,307 --> 00:31:08,377
We kind of lamented the
fact that, in a way,
630
00:31:08,476 --> 00:31:10,679
they kinda replaced some
of the audience that
631
00:31:10,778 --> 00:31:12,748
was following comic books
because they could get,
632
00:31:12,846 --> 00:31:15,651
essentially, their fix through
watching these TV shows.
633
00:31:17,752 --> 00:31:21,290
- As DC characters flooded
the entertainment landscape,
634
00:31:21,389 --> 00:31:24,193
the company decided to relocate.
635
00:31:24,292 --> 00:31:27,063
After eight decades,
DC publishing
636
00:31:27,162 --> 00:31:29,298
closed its New York offices.
637
00:31:29,397 --> 00:31:32,601
For some, it marked
the end of an era.
638
00:31:32,700 --> 00:31:36,039
- The comics come and
go. The people change.
639
00:31:36,138 --> 00:31:37,540
But the heart that's
been felt here
640
00:31:37,638 --> 00:31:38,949
from everybody that's
been here from day one
641
00:31:38,973 --> 00:31:40,343
has been spectacular.
642
00:31:40,441 --> 00:31:42,081
And I want to thank
you all for being here
643
00:31:42,110 --> 00:31:43,387
and being part of
this final day.
644
00:31:43,411 --> 00:31:44,513
So...
- Hear, hear.
645
00:31:44,613 --> 00:31:47,350
All: Cheers!
646
00:31:47,448 --> 00:31:48,985
- It was heart
wrenching, you know?
647
00:31:49,084 --> 00:31:50,853
And it was physically
challenging.
648
00:31:50,952 --> 00:31:53,889
But the staff was exceptional.
649
00:31:53,989 --> 00:31:55,332
We're trying to
still put out books
650
00:31:55,356 --> 00:31:56,960
'cause we're a monthly business.
651
00:31:57,059 --> 00:31:58,402
That's something you
gotta remind yourself
652
00:31:58,426 --> 00:32:00,329
on a regular basis when
you work in comics,
653
00:32:00,428 --> 00:32:02,265
you know, it's a business.
654
00:32:02,364 --> 00:32:04,567
At the end of the
day, it's a business.
655
00:32:04,665 --> 00:32:08,237
The president of DC
Entertainment, Diane Nelson,
656
00:32:08,336 --> 00:32:10,539
called the decision
and resulting layoffs
657
00:32:10,638 --> 00:32:13,509
the most difficult
of her career.
658
00:32:15,939 --> 00:32:18,982
DC's move West made it clear.
659
00:32:19,081 --> 00:32:21,050
America's first comics company
660
00:32:21,149 --> 00:32:23,586
now had its heart
set on Hollywood.
661
00:32:24,552 --> 00:32:26,555
Epic action director Zack Snyder
662
00:32:26,654 --> 00:32:29,025
presented an ambitious
crossover vision
663
00:32:29,124 --> 00:32:30,559
for an extended universe
664
00:32:30,658 --> 00:32:34,931
in "Batman v Superman,
Dawn of Justice."
665
00:32:35,030 --> 00:32:36,961
- Bruce Wayne meets Clark Kent.
666
00:32:37,065 --> 00:32:38,734
Ha! I love it.
667
00:32:39,534 --> 00:32:42,138
- Snyder also
reintroduced a character
668
00:32:42,237 --> 00:32:45,141
who'd been sidelined
since the '70s.
669
00:32:46,274 --> 00:32:48,111
- She with you?
670
00:32:48,210 --> 00:32:49,778
- I thought she was with you.
671
00:32:49,877 --> 00:32:52,615
- The film's 2016
release coincided
672
00:32:52,714 --> 00:32:55,784
with Wonder Woman's
75th anniversary.
673
00:32:55,883 --> 00:32:58,554
That fall, the United
Nations named her
674
00:32:58,653 --> 00:33:01,057
honorary ambassador
for the empowerment
675
00:33:01,156 --> 00:33:03,459
of women and girls.
676
00:33:03,557 --> 00:33:08,664
- We are working with new
and unconventional partners
677
00:33:08,763 --> 00:33:13,136
and forming creative
alliances so that
678
00:33:13,235 --> 00:33:17,873
we can reach the widest
possible global audience.
679
00:33:19,507 --> 00:33:21,877
- But the distinction
sparked backlash.
680
00:33:23,478 --> 00:33:26,449
- We don't think that
a fictitious comic book
681
00:33:26,547 --> 00:33:28,918
character wearing
basically what looks like
682
00:33:29,016 --> 00:33:31,887
a Playboy Bunny outfit is
really the right message
683
00:33:31,986 --> 00:33:35,358
we need to send to girls, or
even boys for that matter,
684
00:33:35,456 --> 00:33:37,093
about what strong
women are in the world.
685
00:33:37,192 --> 00:33:40,229
We think that is a toxic
message to be sending.
686
00:33:41,229 --> 00:33:43,599
- The controversy
didn't deter director
687
00:33:43,698 --> 00:33:46,102
Patty Jenkins,
who blazed a trail
688
00:33:46,200 --> 00:33:48,804
to Wonder Woman's
solo film debut.
689
00:33:48,903 --> 00:33:51,407
- In the process of making
a Wonder Woman film,
690
00:33:51,500 --> 00:33:55,411
you're facing resistance at
every step from the world.
691
00:33:55,509 --> 00:33:57,613
- Stay here. I'll go ahead.
692
00:33:57,711 --> 00:34:01,684
- I struggle all the time
with my faith in mankind,
693
00:34:01,783 --> 00:34:03,486
as I'm sure we all do,
694
00:34:03,585 --> 00:34:05,188
going through the social crisis
695
00:34:05,287 --> 00:34:07,090
in every way on our planet
696
00:34:07,189 --> 00:34:09,125
and watching the
vitriol and hatred
697
00:34:09,224 --> 00:34:10,693
online and amongst people.
698
00:34:10,791 --> 00:34:13,196
And yet, what would
Wonder Woman do?
699
00:34:13,294 --> 00:34:15,631
- Be careful in the
world of men, Diana.
700
00:34:17,365 --> 00:34:19,402
They do not deserve you.
701
00:34:21,636 --> 00:34:23,839
- I came into a
situation where everyone
702
00:34:23,938 --> 00:34:28,144
was very afraid to make her
incredibly attractive at all.
703
00:34:28,242 --> 00:34:29,712
- What are you doing?
704
00:34:29,810 --> 00:34:31,288
- You can't do that because
you're not wearing any...
705
00:34:31,312 --> 00:34:32,982
You're not wearing any clothes.
706
00:34:33,080 --> 00:34:35,158
- And I kept saying, well, you
wouldn't do that to Superman.
707
00:34:35,182 --> 00:34:37,653
Like, you wouldn't do that to
any of these other characters.
708
00:34:37,752 --> 00:34:39,655
Why are you doing
that to my character?
709
00:34:39,754 --> 00:34:43,592
- Is this what passes for
armor in your country?
710
00:34:43,691 --> 00:34:45,294
- It's not about
sleeping with her.
711
00:34:45,393 --> 00:34:46,762
It's not about that.
712
00:34:46,861 --> 00:34:50,766
It's about making
her my dream...
713
00:34:50,865 --> 00:34:53,970
of if I could have it
all in this kind of way,
714
00:34:54,068 --> 00:34:57,540
I would look great too,
just like the men would.
715
00:34:57,638 --> 00:34:59,842
I'd be bigger and stronger
and cooler and taller
716
00:34:59,940 --> 00:35:01,780
and all the... you know,
like, all these things
717
00:35:01,843 --> 00:35:03,212
that we all have.
718
00:35:03,311 --> 00:35:04,854
Get at them, and then
get down, looking around,
719
00:35:04,878 --> 00:35:06,524
looking at what you're
doing, getting in position.
720
00:35:06,548 --> 00:35:08,151
Keep the electricity
of, am I lined up?
721
00:35:08,250 --> 00:35:09,953
Is it gonna hit? Is
that a good target?
722
00:35:10,051 --> 00:35:12,788
Yes, it is. Eyes on the
prize of what you're doing.
723
00:35:17,925 --> 00:35:19,695
- Patty and I actually had many,
724
00:35:19,793 --> 00:35:22,365
many creative conversation
about this character.
725
00:35:22,463 --> 00:35:26,335
Her vision for Diana
was in line with mine.
726
00:35:26,434 --> 00:35:28,071
Wonder Woman, she's everything.
727
00:35:28,169 --> 00:35:33,076
She can be vulnerable and
sensitive and being strong
728
00:35:33,174 --> 00:35:35,078
and being badass and fight.
729
00:35:43,551 --> 00:35:47,090
- Wonder Woman shattered
the cinematic ceiling,
730
00:35:47,188 --> 00:35:50,259
making history as the
first superhero blockbuster
731
00:35:50,358 --> 00:35:54,530
directed by and starring women.
732
00:35:54,629 --> 00:35:56,549
- All the critics kind of
point to that one scene
733
00:35:56,592 --> 00:35:59,903
in the no man's land where she
rises up out of the trenches.
734
00:36:00,000 --> 00:36:03,639
It was literally the physical
act of empowerment of agency,
735
00:36:03,739 --> 00:36:05,574
of standing up for yourself.
736
00:36:05,673 --> 00:36:08,611
I think that that came at
the right cultural moment
737
00:36:08,709 --> 00:36:11,714
and just really resonated
with audiences worldwide.
738
00:36:12,980 --> 00:36:16,219
- Wonder Woman came out right
before a global uprising
739
00:36:16,318 --> 00:36:18,087
against sexual violence,
740
00:36:18,186 --> 00:36:19,822
the #MeToo Movement.
741
00:36:19,920 --> 00:36:23,259
All: Hey, hey, ho, ho, sexual
violence has got to go.
742
00:36:23,358 --> 00:36:25,394
Me too. All: Me too.
743
00:36:25,493 --> 00:36:27,796
Me too. All: Me too.
744
00:36:27,896 --> 00:36:30,233
- She's forever relevant.
745
00:36:33,100 --> 00:36:39,442
She will be relevant in
the 2040s, in the 2090s.
746
00:36:39,540 --> 00:36:42,111
She'll be relevant
because she's us.
747
00:36:46,146 --> 00:36:50,786
- An all-star team up soon
followed in November 2017.
748
00:36:50,884 --> 00:36:54,557
From the Flash to Aquaman,
even more superheroes
749
00:36:54,655 --> 00:36:58,194
joined the same universe
in "Justice League."
750
00:36:58,293 --> 00:37:00,396
- I'm putting together
a team of people
751
00:37:00,495 --> 00:37:02,798
with special abilities.
752
00:37:04,198 --> 00:37:07,736
- But after an underwhelming
box office run and the promise
753
00:37:07,835 --> 00:37:11,207
of streaming, filmmaker
Zack Snyder got the chance
754
00:37:11,306 --> 00:37:13,509
to realize his original vision
755
00:37:13,607 --> 00:37:16,745
with a four-hour
director's recut.
756
00:37:16,844 --> 00:37:19,782
- Part of the reason why DC
is such a global phenomenon
757
00:37:19,881 --> 00:37:21,125
today is, obviously,
the media...
758
00:37:21,149 --> 00:37:22,551
The movies and the TV shows.
759
00:37:22,650 --> 00:37:25,188
But I think the
storytelling obviously
760
00:37:25,286 --> 00:37:28,691
needs to change to stay
relevant and contemporary.
761
00:37:29,623 --> 00:37:31,394
Our storytelling
is sort of the tip
762
00:37:31,492 --> 00:37:35,398
of the spear in making social
change at the end of the day.
763
00:37:36,592 --> 00:37:38,767
- When I originally
pitched "The Other History
764
00:37:38,866 --> 00:37:42,638
of the DC Universe," I had
no idea how they would feel
765
00:37:42,737 --> 00:37:46,009
about a reassessment,
a deconstruction of
766
00:37:46,106 --> 00:37:49,145
the DC Universe, looking
at it with regard to race
767
00:37:49,243 --> 00:37:53,649
and representation and
really taking moments that,
768
00:37:53,747 --> 00:37:56,052
to be kind, haven't aged well.
769
00:37:56,151 --> 00:37:59,188
- In his five-part
series released in 2020,
770
00:37:59,286 --> 00:38:02,691
Oscar-winning writer John
Ridley corrected problematic
771
00:38:02,790 --> 00:38:06,095
storylines from DC's
past and gave voice
772
00:38:06,194 --> 00:38:08,031
to marginalized characters.
773
00:38:08,129 --> 00:38:10,900
- If we're not doing
everything we can to make sure
774
00:38:10,998 --> 00:38:15,338
that the storytelling space is
more reflective when we leave
775
00:38:15,431 --> 00:38:17,806
than when we arrive,
we're really not building
776
00:38:17,905 --> 00:38:21,377
on the real legacy
of companies like DC.
777
00:38:23,711 --> 00:38:26,615
- If you look at the folks
that are telling stories
778
00:38:26,709 --> 00:38:30,453
within the universe today, I
would argue that it's probably
779
00:38:30,552 --> 00:38:32,588
the most diverse set of creators
780
00:38:32,687 --> 00:38:35,124
that the universe has ever seen.
781
00:38:36,291 --> 00:38:38,761
- When acclaimed graphic
novelist Gene Luen Yang
782
00:38:38,859 --> 00:38:42,031
joined DC, he
traveled back in time
783
00:38:42,129 --> 00:38:46,469
to tell a contemporary
story about race in America.
784
00:38:46,568 --> 00:38:48,332
- Faster than a speeding bullet.
785
00:38:48,436 --> 00:38:50,673
- In 1946, the Superman
radio show aired
786
00:38:50,772 --> 00:38:52,541
"The Klan of the Fiery Cross,"
787
00:38:52,640 --> 00:38:54,543
a story where the
Man of Steel defends
788
00:38:54,642 --> 00:38:56,412
a Chinese-American
family against
789
00:38:56,511 --> 00:38:58,847
a group of hooded racists.
790
00:39:06,754 --> 00:39:09,458
- In "Superman
Smashes the Klan,"
791
00:39:09,557 --> 00:39:11,760
Yang reinterpreted
the radio classic
792
00:39:11,859 --> 00:39:14,497
through the modern
lens of an Asian family
793
00:39:14,595 --> 00:39:17,266
who had moved to Metropolis.
794
00:39:17,365 --> 00:39:20,769
- The themes that they
were talking about in 1946
795
00:39:20,868 --> 00:39:25,674
on the Superman radio show
still resonated so deeply.
796
00:39:25,773 --> 00:39:27,543
We wanted to use
the story as a way
797
00:39:27,641 --> 00:39:30,813
of examining things that were
happening in our world today.
798
00:39:30,913 --> 00:39:33,582
All: You will not replace us.
799
00:39:41,689 --> 00:39:42,800
- I do think, though,
that that's one
800
00:39:42,824 --> 00:39:44,893
of the powers of DC Comics.
801
00:39:44,992 --> 00:39:47,796
You can talk about the
present by reflecting
802
00:39:47,895 --> 00:39:50,433
on the past, all within
this one universe
803
00:39:50,532 --> 00:39:52,568
that's decades old.
804
00:39:55,736 --> 00:39:59,042
- Looking at my kids who
are half Korean growing up,
805
00:39:59,140 --> 00:40:05,048
I would hate for them to
feel embarrassed or...
806
00:40:05,147 --> 00:40:10,186
Or wanting to
distance themselves
807
00:40:10,284 --> 00:40:11,920
from who they literally are.
808
00:40:13,320 --> 00:40:16,259
And I think that's why it's
paramount that the content
809
00:40:16,358 --> 00:40:19,795
we create, the storytelling
we do really elevates
810
00:40:19,893 --> 00:40:23,799
and showcases the importance
of being different,
811
00:40:23,898 --> 00:40:25,768
why that is something
to be celebrated
812
00:40:25,868 --> 00:40:28,104
and how that is a superpower.
813
00:40:29,737 --> 00:40:31,707
- That hunger for
diverse points of view
814
00:40:31,806 --> 00:40:33,842
led to the relaunch
of Milestone Media
815
00:40:33,941 --> 00:40:36,745
in 2021, nearly three
decades after its
816
00:40:36,845 --> 00:40:39,048
groundbreaking debut.
817
00:40:39,147 --> 00:40:41,517
- You have to constantly
reinvent what you're doing.
818
00:40:41,616 --> 00:40:44,820
You have to constantly pump
new life into these characters.
819
00:40:44,918 --> 00:40:46,355
But you know what?
Let's try this.
820
00:40:46,454 --> 00:40:48,357
Let's try that.
Let's try this.
821
00:40:48,456 --> 00:40:50,193
Let's keep it fresh.
822
00:40:52,160 --> 00:40:54,563
- Alongside two of
the original founders,
823
00:40:54,662 --> 00:40:56,865
Hollywood heavyweight
Reginald Hudlin
824
00:40:56,964 --> 00:41:00,169
signed on to help
resurrect the company.
825
00:41:00,267 --> 00:41:03,106
- We knew we didn't want it
to be a nostalgia company.
826
00:41:03,203 --> 00:41:05,874
If we're gonna remain true
to the spirit of Milestone,
827
00:41:05,974 --> 00:41:07,743
we can't be stuck in the past.
828
00:41:07,842 --> 00:41:10,879
We had to take those
characters and move them
829
00:41:10,979 --> 00:41:12,681
into the 21st century and go,
830
00:41:12,781 --> 00:41:14,850
well, what's cutting edge now?
831
00:41:15,950 --> 00:41:18,054
We're gonna do
classic characters.
832
00:41:18,153 --> 00:41:20,256
We're gonna create
original characters.
833
00:41:20,355 --> 00:41:24,727
And we're gonna be true to
the name Milestone Media.
834
00:41:26,126 --> 00:41:29,365
- Milestone is undeniably
the most important
835
00:41:29,463 --> 00:41:31,234
Black superhero universe.
836
00:41:31,331 --> 00:41:35,138
I think had there been more of
a push to get those characters
837
00:41:35,236 --> 00:41:37,040
into the collective
consciousness
838
00:41:37,137 --> 00:41:40,176
of the mainstream, maybe it
never would have went away.
839
00:41:40,275 --> 00:41:41,945
- We were way ahead of our time.
840
00:41:42,042 --> 00:41:43,746
When we first started
doing that material,
841
00:41:43,845 --> 00:41:45,317
the things we were talking
about is stuff that people
842
00:41:45,341 --> 00:41:47,683
are starting to talk about now.
843
00:41:47,782 --> 00:41:49,318
It's a good time
for us to come back,
844
00:41:49,417 --> 00:41:51,687
to keep raising these
questions and keep
845
00:41:51,786 --> 00:41:54,390
exploring these topics,
especially in light
846
00:41:54,489 --> 00:41:56,059
of what's going on today.
847
00:41:59,394 --> 00:42:03,967
- There's been a movement in
our fandom in recent years
848
00:42:04,064 --> 00:42:07,636
to strip the politics from
the comics that we produce.
849
00:42:07,735 --> 00:42:10,506
The funny thing is that so many
of these DC Comics characters
850
00:42:10,604 --> 00:42:14,777
were inherently political
from their inception.
851
00:42:14,876 --> 00:42:19,415
- It is no secret DC Comics
has ruined superheroes,
852
00:42:19,514 --> 00:42:21,150
quite possibly for good, folks.
853
00:42:21,248 --> 00:42:25,549
It removed Superman's patriotic
slogan, "the American way."
854
00:42:25,653 --> 00:42:30,093
- Instead, it will be replaced
with, "and a better tomorrow."
855
00:42:30,191 --> 00:42:31,460
Wow.
856
00:42:31,559 --> 00:42:33,729
Why do you have to mess with
something that's already
857
00:42:33,829 --> 00:42:35,431
been there for so long?
858
00:42:35,529 --> 00:42:39,268
If you want to create a woke
superhero, create a new one.
859
00:42:42,837 --> 00:42:44,181
- I woke up this
morning to find out
860
00:42:44,205 --> 00:42:48,111
the new Superman,
bisexual.
861
00:42:48,209 --> 00:42:50,179
Finally!
862
00:42:50,277 --> 00:42:54,984
- Whatever you don't like about
comics today, take a breath.
863
00:42:55,082 --> 00:42:57,954
It will change tomorrow
because it always does.
864
00:42:58,053 --> 00:43:00,356
You have to change with society.
865
00:43:00,455 --> 00:43:01,790
People are freaking out
866
00:43:01,889 --> 00:43:03,526
because Superman's
son is bisexual?
867
00:43:03,625 --> 00:43:05,194
Are you alive today?
868
00:43:05,293 --> 00:43:07,496
It's reflecting
who we are today.
869
00:43:08,629 --> 00:43:11,700
You can't write stories
like it's 1966 forever
870
00:43:11,799 --> 00:43:14,270
or like it's 1986
'cause it's not anymore.
871
00:43:14,369 --> 00:43:16,940
And the world is really,
really different.
872
00:43:20,769 --> 00:43:22,678
- Comic book fandom
is complicated.
873
00:43:22,777 --> 00:43:24,137
There is no fandom
more passionate.
874
00:43:24,212 --> 00:43:26,315
And there is no fandom
harder to please.
875
00:43:27,782 --> 00:43:30,386
When I think about "Watchmen,"
I think about how skeptical
876
00:43:30,485 --> 00:43:32,821
I was, because with "Watchmen,"
877
00:43:32,920 --> 00:43:34,480
you're dealing with
a fandom that thinks
878
00:43:34,556 --> 00:43:36,292
it shouldn't be touched.
879
00:43:36,391 --> 00:43:38,761
- Skepticism among fans ran deep
880
00:43:38,859 --> 00:43:43,132
when DC announced plans for
a Watchmen television series.
881
00:43:43,230 --> 00:43:47,136
Creator Damon Lindelof, known
for the sci-fi series "Lost,"
882
00:43:47,234 --> 00:43:50,373
sought to update the beloved
comic for a modern audience.
883
00:43:50,471 --> 00:43:54,043
- When I was 13 years old
and I first read "Watchmen,"
884
00:43:54,142 --> 00:43:56,378
it was a religious experience.
885
00:43:57,778 --> 00:44:02,485
It taught me everything that
I know about storytelling.
886
00:44:05,253 --> 00:44:06,956
- The original
"Watchmen" took place
887
00:44:07,055 --> 00:44:09,092
in the '80s, the Reagan years.
888
00:44:09,189 --> 00:44:14,998
Nuclear anxiety was the
defining fear of that time.
889
00:44:15,096 --> 00:44:17,033
So Damon said, OK,
well, if I do it,
890
00:44:17,131 --> 00:44:19,335
what am I gonna talk about?
891
00:44:19,434 --> 00:44:21,470
- Rather than retell
the "Watchmen" comics
892
00:44:21,569 --> 00:44:25,141
beat for beat, as
the 2009 film did,
893
00:44:25,240 --> 00:44:27,911
Lindelof and his team
created an all-new
894
00:44:28,003 --> 00:44:32,148
nine-episode story arc,
as well as new characters.
895
00:44:33,948 --> 00:44:36,986
- Hello, detective.
- Angela, right?
896
00:44:37,085 --> 00:44:40,189
Oh, am I not supposed
to know who you are?
897
00:44:40,287 --> 00:44:43,192
- I started feeling like I
might have an interesting way
898
00:44:43,291 --> 00:44:46,562
to do this that would
honor the original without
899
00:44:46,661 --> 00:44:49,098
ripping off the original.
900
00:44:49,197 --> 00:44:51,167
- One of the questions
that Watchmen asks,
901
00:44:51,265 --> 00:44:53,736
both the original
and our version,
902
00:44:53,835 --> 00:44:55,871
is why do you put on a mask?
903
00:44:55,971 --> 00:44:57,273
Why would you do that?
904
00:44:57,372 --> 00:44:58,942
Where is the line
between a superhero
905
00:44:59,040 --> 00:45:01,044
and a vigilante and a cop?
906
00:45:02,343 --> 00:45:04,313
- Masks save lives.
907
00:45:07,816 --> 00:45:10,920
- Masks make men cruel.
908
00:45:12,519 --> 00:45:17,326
- I don't think HBO or DC or
Warner's or anybody thought,
909
00:45:17,425 --> 00:45:20,063
we're gonna take the
Holy Grail of comic books
910
00:45:20,160 --> 00:45:22,498
that isn't necessarily
known for its Blackness,
911
00:45:22,597 --> 00:45:24,934
and we're gonna turn
this into the most
912
00:45:25,032 --> 00:45:27,904
profound discussion of race
in the superhero medium.
913
00:45:28,003 --> 00:45:29,438
- Sir, I'm with the FBI.
914
00:45:29,537 --> 00:45:31,207
Are your civil rights
being violated?
915
00:45:31,306 --> 00:45:32,708
- They didn't read
me my rights...
916
00:45:32,806 --> 00:45:33,785
- OK, sorry. I
was just kidding.
917
00:45:33,809 --> 00:45:37,046
I don't care.
918
00:45:37,145 --> 00:45:38,814
- We want the
America of "Watchmen"
919
00:45:38,914 --> 00:45:40,683
to feel familiar to people.
920
00:45:40,783 --> 00:45:42,551
- Roll them out!
921
00:45:44,118 --> 00:45:47,090
- So if it was an
issue in our 2019,
922
00:45:47,188 --> 00:45:49,692
those things have to be
issues in their 2019,
923
00:45:49,790 --> 00:45:52,195
because if it weren't,
it wouldn't be relatable.
924
00:45:53,394 --> 00:45:56,732
- The story revolves around
Angela Abar, a detective who
925
00:45:56,831 --> 00:45:59,535
battles police corruption
and White terrorists
926
00:45:59,634 --> 00:46:02,371
as the masked hero Sister Night.
927
00:46:02,470 --> 00:46:04,507
- I got a nose for
White supremacy,
928
00:46:04,605 --> 00:46:07,243
and he smells like bleach.
929
00:46:07,342 --> 00:46:10,879
- She's a superhero
without superpowers
930
00:46:10,979 --> 00:46:13,649
but super skills and a brain.
931
00:46:14,282 --> 00:46:18,321
You don't have superpowers
and you save the day,
932
00:46:18,419 --> 00:46:20,723
aren't you just,
like, even more super?
933
00:46:25,327 --> 00:46:28,397
- The year after Sister Night,
a starkly different kind
934
00:46:28,496 --> 00:46:30,866
of heroine stormed
back on screen,
935
00:46:30,965 --> 00:46:34,703
devoid of both
superpowers and sanity.
936
00:46:34,803 --> 00:46:35,972
- Hi, boys.
937
00:46:38,940 --> 00:46:40,804
- Harley is a catalyst of chaos.
938
00:46:40,909 --> 00:46:42,578
I always think of her that way.
939
00:46:42,676 --> 00:46:45,748
And I actually think it's
better when she doesn't have
940
00:46:45,847 --> 00:46:49,986
to be your moral center or
even your emotional center
941
00:46:50,085 --> 00:46:51,955
all the time because
it just gives
942
00:46:52,053 --> 00:46:53,817
her more leeway to
behave, I think,
943
00:46:53,922 --> 00:46:55,992
more authentically like her.
944
00:46:57,559 --> 00:46:58,761
- What?
945
00:46:58,860 --> 00:47:00,263
- Guided by director Cathy Yan,
946
00:47:00,362 --> 00:47:02,498
Robbie's performance
in "Birds of Prey"
947
00:47:02,597 --> 00:47:05,935
cemented Harley Quinn
as one of DC's hottest
948
00:47:06,034 --> 00:47:09,038
and most unhinged characters.
949
00:47:09,137 --> 00:47:11,975
- I love Harley because
she is pure madness.
950
00:47:12,073 --> 00:47:13,709
And isn't there
really a part of us
951
00:47:13,808 --> 00:47:17,746
that wants to just do whatever
we want to do in the moment
952
00:47:17,846 --> 00:47:19,715
no matter what that is?
953
00:47:19,813 --> 00:47:23,152
- Harley's meteoric rise
underscored the appeal
954
00:47:23,251 --> 00:47:25,989
of anti-heroes and
helped pave the way
955
00:47:26,088 --> 00:47:28,757
for James Gunn's
"The Suicide Squad."
956
00:47:28,856 --> 00:47:32,095
- So the first little sequence
I have completely worked out.
957
00:47:32,193 --> 00:47:35,064
We open up in the cellar,
pulling back from her
958
00:47:35,163 --> 00:47:37,266
as she comes out with
the machine gun...
959
00:47:39,367 --> 00:47:41,404
And then her walking
forward and firing
960
00:47:41,502 --> 00:47:44,607
as all the flowers and unicorns
and shit come out of her.
961
00:47:49,710 --> 00:47:53,950
Superheroes are often
presented as gods and goddesses
962
00:47:54,049 --> 00:47:55,251
and stuff like that.
963
00:47:55,349 --> 00:47:57,753
But my superheroes are not that.
964
00:47:57,853 --> 00:47:59,522
- Hey, guys. Sorry I'm late.
965
00:47:59,622 --> 00:48:00,823
I had to go number two.
966
00:48:00,922 --> 00:48:02,858
- Good to know.
967
00:48:02,958 --> 00:48:04,334
- Give them a pissed
off look, like,
968
00:48:04,358 --> 00:48:05,761
"Are you kidding me?
969
00:48:05,861 --> 00:48:07,230
You just shot across my face?"
970
00:48:07,328 --> 00:48:08,564
- Yeah.
- My superheroes
971
00:48:08,663 --> 00:48:11,334
are the assholes that are stuck
972
00:48:11,432 --> 00:48:13,669
playing in the fields
of gods and goddesses.
973
00:48:18,039 --> 00:48:20,076
- He does throw
polka dots at people.
974
00:48:21,675 --> 00:48:25,281
- "The Suicide Squad" was
such a great comic book.
975
00:48:25,380 --> 00:48:27,984
The superhero movie
became the most
976
00:48:28,083 --> 00:48:30,853
dominant form of
cinematic storytelling
977
00:48:30,952 --> 00:48:32,655
because of technology.
978
00:48:34,655 --> 00:48:37,526
We're seeing superheroes
do things on screen
979
00:48:37,625 --> 00:48:39,428
that were exactly
like what we saw
980
00:48:39,527 --> 00:48:41,197
them doing in the comic books.
981
00:48:41,296 --> 00:48:42,899
And we were able to believe it.
982
00:48:49,370 --> 00:48:50,847
- Yes. It's gonna be...
Yeah, it's gonna be
983
00:48:50,871 --> 00:48:52,937
all probably jump cuts...
Jump, jump, jump, jump,
984
00:48:53,041 --> 00:48:56,012
jump, thomp, thomp, thomp.
985
00:48:56,111 --> 00:48:58,381
- James is such a
visionary director.
986
00:48:58,479 --> 00:49:00,649
You can tell that the
scope of the project
987
00:49:00,749 --> 00:49:02,185
is just gonna be massive.
988
00:49:03,117 --> 00:49:07,423
And it's also his humor is
just so bizarre and funny.
989
00:49:07,522 --> 00:49:09,858
Like, the more specific
something is, sometimes I feel
990
00:49:09,958 --> 00:49:11,527
like the more funny it is.
991
00:49:11,626 --> 00:49:13,896
And his humor is, like,
incredibly weird and specific.
992
00:49:13,995 --> 00:49:15,198
- Hand.
993
00:49:15,296 --> 00:49:17,766
- Yes, that is
your hand, Nanaue.
994
00:49:17,866 --> 00:49:19,368
Very good.
995
00:49:20,502 --> 00:49:23,306
- I do tell these stories
that are pretty ugly stories.
996
00:49:23,404 --> 00:49:26,209
But finding something in
them that is meaningful
997
00:49:26,307 --> 00:49:29,145
or hint of having faith
in something greater,
998
00:49:30,145 --> 00:49:31,780
that's really important to me.
999
00:49:31,879 --> 00:49:34,750
And I think it grounds those
stories more completely
1000
00:49:34,849 --> 00:49:38,654
by grounding it in real
emotion and real human strife.
1001
00:49:40,255 --> 00:49:42,358
- "The Suicide Squad's"
antihero ensemble
1002
00:49:42,457 --> 00:49:44,961
ran counter to the
Righteous Trinity
1003
00:49:45,059 --> 00:49:48,864
and proved that DC's vast,
ever-expanding universe
1004
00:49:48,963 --> 00:49:51,234
could appeal to almost anyone.
1005
00:49:52,700 --> 00:49:56,339
- Superheroes, super
villains, anti-heroes.
1006
00:49:56,438 --> 00:49:58,341
For every person in
the world, there is
1007
00:49:58,439 --> 00:50:02,611
a DC character for them
that they can relate to.
1008
00:50:02,706 --> 00:50:04,080
- You have two choices.
1009
00:50:04,179 --> 00:50:07,450
You can be the
destroyer of this world
1010
00:50:07,549 --> 00:50:10,119
or you can be its savior.
1011
00:50:11,352 --> 00:50:14,290
- When I was a kid, a
guy like Black Adam,
1012
00:50:14,389 --> 00:50:16,825
he had his own moral code.
1013
00:50:16,925 --> 00:50:18,227
And that meant something to me.
1014
00:50:21,463 --> 00:50:23,299
- Comics are an
incredible medium.
1015
00:50:23,398 --> 00:50:27,031
You can tell impactful
stories about anything.
1016
00:50:27,135 --> 00:50:29,105
What you need is the
courage to tell them.
1017
00:50:32,307 --> 00:50:34,110
- It's a privilege
to tell these stories
1018
00:50:34,208 --> 00:50:35,211
with these characters.
1019
00:50:35,310 --> 00:50:37,013
But you're also a guardian
1020
00:50:37,111 --> 00:50:39,148
of them for a period of time.
1021
00:50:40,215 --> 00:50:42,785
- It's always a
challenge to make sure
1022
00:50:42,884 --> 00:50:46,155
that as you're evolving,
that you don't lose
1023
00:50:46,254 --> 00:50:48,257
the people who got you here.
1024
00:50:48,356 --> 00:50:52,228
And so that balance
of making sure we have
1025
00:50:52,327 --> 00:50:56,365
enough to fuel our core superfan
1026
00:50:56,464 --> 00:51:02,105
but also deliver enough
to create a new fan,
1027
00:51:02,203 --> 00:51:05,841
that nuance is really,
really difficult.
1028
00:51:07,575 --> 00:51:11,114
- DC has endured for
more than 80 years
1029
00:51:11,211 --> 00:51:15,651
by taking risks and pushing
the envelope of storytelling.
1030
00:51:17,986 --> 00:51:19,788
- There's a saying in DC,
1031
00:51:19,887 --> 00:51:21,624
"publishing is
the cornerstone."
1032
00:51:21,722 --> 00:51:24,560
We are making comics for
the comic book market.
1033
00:51:24,659 --> 00:51:27,830
But we wanna come up with
something new and cool
1034
00:51:27,928 --> 00:51:30,967
that the TV and movie people
have never thought of.
1035
00:51:34,169 --> 00:51:35,604
We can do anything.
1036
00:51:35,703 --> 00:51:37,706
We don't have a
special effects budget.
1037
00:51:39,407 --> 00:51:43,279
Our job is to
incubate cool stories.
1038
00:51:43,378 --> 00:51:46,015
And we have no
limits, essentially.
1039
00:51:46,114 --> 00:51:48,112
It's whatever we can draw.
1040
00:51:49,884 --> 00:51:51,988
- DC Comics,
especially, it became
1041
00:51:52,086 --> 00:51:56,392
a place for ideas to be free
and grow unlike anything else.
1042
00:51:56,490 --> 00:51:58,061
The ideas that are
being developed
1043
00:51:58,159 --> 00:52:00,396
in that pool right now
1044
00:52:00,495 --> 00:52:01,972
are gonna be the ideas
that conquer the world
1045
00:52:01,996 --> 00:52:04,600
for the next 25, next
100, next 200 years.
1046
00:52:06,867 --> 00:52:09,672
- With each generation
of creators,
1047
00:52:09,771 --> 00:52:12,508
the stories they craft in panels
1048
00:52:12,607 --> 00:52:17,080
and in pixels evolve DC's
roster of characters.
1049
00:52:17,178 --> 00:52:18,381
- Yeah!
1050
00:52:18,480 --> 00:52:21,350
- But their core remains true...
1051
00:52:21,449 --> 00:52:24,753
The power to restore
our faith in humanity
1052
00:52:24,852 --> 00:52:28,224
and the promise of
infinite possibility.
1053
00:52:28,322 --> 00:52:30,193
Yeah!
1054
00:52:30,291 --> 00:52:33,629
- All of us need to go back
to being kids and picking up
1055
00:52:33,728 --> 00:52:35,864
comic books again and
reminding ourselves,
1056
00:52:35,963 --> 00:52:38,902
why are we attracted
to these stories?
1057
00:52:38,999 --> 00:52:40,869
Is it having power
for the sake of power?
1058
00:52:40,968 --> 00:52:43,439
Or is it having power
because we believe that
1059
00:52:43,538 --> 00:52:45,141
we can do the right thing?
1060
00:52:47,675 --> 00:52:49,312
- There's a reason
we love superheroes.
1061
00:52:49,411 --> 00:52:51,175
They've embodied
these great ideals.
1062
00:52:51,279 --> 00:52:53,316
And they're inspirational
to all of us.
1063
00:52:54,949 --> 00:52:56,819
- At the end of the
day, I think people look
1064
00:52:56,918 --> 00:52:59,155
to our characters not
just for entertainment
1065
00:52:59,254 --> 00:53:01,890
but for heroes that
they look up to.
1066
00:53:02,823 --> 00:53:04,627
We recognize the role we play
1067
00:53:04,725 --> 00:53:06,495
and the difference we can make.
1068
00:53:06,594 --> 00:53:09,698
And we are united
in that mission.
1069
00:53:43,264 --> 00:53:45,301
- Greg, move your head.83881
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