Earlier this yr, Joshua Williamson had the curious expertise of watching his fiction change into actuality. By the point DC Comics introduced that the Justice League would die a spectacular dying in Justice League #75, the author had already completed writing the problem and writing introductory problems with Dark Crisis — the upcoming crossover about all the pieces that occurs afterward.

In his scripts, mates, households, and friends of the League grappled with the deaths of the world’s biggest heroes, selecting to mourn, disbelieve, freak out, or just shrug and say “No matter, they all the time come again.” After which, after all, DC Comics made its announcement, and Williams noticed each a kind of potential stances mirrored in precise followers.

“It’s been fascinating to observe the vary of reactions [to the death of the Justice League],” he informed Polygon over Zoom. “Some individuals are skeptical and really dismissive of it. However on the opposite facet of that there are people who find themselves actually upset, and actually involved, and so they fear as a result of they consider it. It’s simply fascinating to observe that in the true world […] [while] having our characters react the identical means.”

That, to Williamson, appears very a lot the purpose of Dark Crisis. “I believe the conversations that we [readers] have right here, [the characters] would even have. If we wish the characters to be good, they’re going to additionally observe issues that we observe of their lives. And each every so often, they’re going to speak about it.”

“A few of them are going to consider it,” he stated, referring to what’s to come back within the pages of Dark Crisis #1, which hits cabinets on June 7. “A few of them aren’t going to consider it, some are going to be like, Oh, they all the time come again. OK, nothing to fret about. Some individuals are going to freak out.”

Picture: Joshua Williamson, Daniel Sampere/DC Comics

Dark Crisis may be yet one more comedian guide crossover the place heroes die and are introduced again, and the place the phrase “Crisis” is used as shorthand for “Concentrate, DC Comics followers!” However Williams’ ambitions are to do one thing just a little completely different: make a Crisis guide about this seemingly infinite rhythm of “disaster” occasions, this infinite cycle of dying and rebirth. Not from a thousand-mile-high cosmic perspective on fractured timelines and cosmic forces standing in for editorial edicts, however from the sea-level stance of the households, friendships, and rivalries that preserve comics readers turning the pages each week.

Polygon spoke to Williamson in April about his targets for Dark Crisis: its origins, its inspirations, his personal fan relationship with comedian guide dying. We current his solutions beneath, condensed and edited for readability.

Just a few years in the past, we have been at this [DC Comics writers’] summit. We have been speaking concerning the timeline of DC, and I used to be that period from Crisis on Infinite Earths all the way in which to Flashpoint and I began realizing how usually the heroes had died in that point interval. Like, Aquaman had died twice. Wonder Woman had died twice, Batman had died as soon as but in addition had his again damaged.

I simply began occupied with what that even means now, that these characters know they will come again from dying. And never solely what does it imply to them, however what does it imply to the folks round them? So for instance, Amanda Waller is all the time involved about what the heroes are as much as and what they will do. Is Amanda Waller involved that a few of these heroes have overwhelmed dying? However then why have a few of them overwhelmed it and a few of them haven’t? That’s one thing I additionally needed to discover.

This yr is the thirtieth anniversary of The Dying of Superman, and it’s a part of what led to the story we’re doing. Dying of Superman was Superman #75, and that is Justice League #75. The primary huge [comic book] dying that basically impacted me was Dying of Superman. That’s the one which was the actually the largest impression. Clearly, that was a cultural occasion. It’s one thing that’s very a lot embedded within the DNA of comics, it’s one of many greatest spectacles of dying in comics.

What’s humorous is he had died earlier than. There have been different “Superman Dying” tales earlier than that. However there was one thing about that one, that timing, and what was happening in comics at the moment. I bear in mind going and ready within the rain to purchase it. Possibly it was one thing to do with the age that I used to be, however I used to be alongside for the experience, with none query. I wasn’t interested in “When is he coming again?” I wasn’t as within the know. I used to be only a child, a child who simply cherished comics, going to the comedian retailer each week.

I hadn’t change into — I don’t wish to use the phrase “jaded” or the phrase “skeptical” — of dying and comics but. When Magic died in Uncanny X-Males #303, there was one thing very emotional and plausible about it. These are in all probability the 2 that I bear in mind probably the most in that point interval. It felt like there have been sure deaths like Bucky and some others that had caught. So it nonetheless felt like there was some weight to it. For me, these are those that basically bought to me, and it constructed a number of my opinions on on how dying can work in comics.

Picture: Dan Jurgens, Brett Breeding, Hello-Fi/DC Comics

I purchased all the pieces else after [The Death of Superman], Funeral for a Buddy and The Return of Superman, Adventures of Superman #500. And you then had The Reign of the Supermen, and I used to be so in love with all of that. And I bear in mind pondering “Effectively, one in every of these [four new characters] goes to be the true Superman,” and attempting to [figure out which one], Oh, Eradicator is basically Superman and simply being tremendous alongside for the experience.

All of the stuff with Lois and the Justice League [in The Death of Superman], I believe having the Justice League fall and get damage by Doomsday proper earlier than [his fatal battle with Superman] was such a was a key second in elevating Doomsday, but it surely made it so the aftermath wasn’t simply centered on Superman — it damage different folks. Afterwards with Supergirl checking on the physique and all of the Funeral for a Buddy stuff […] when all that stuff was happening, it actually did have a number of emotion.

That’s actually what we’re purported to do. That’s our job. Is to verify we land these emotional beats with these things. And typically it may be robust. And typically you do lean into the blockbuster enchantment of it. I imply, we may have an entire dialog on what was happening in comics in 1992 and the way all of this was taking place throughout the trade and with retailers and direct market. I believe that’s additionally part of what made The Dying of Superman blow up.

There’s one other story we’re doing in Dark Crisis, the place [Superman’s son] Jon goes to Nightwing and he’s upset and he’s apprehensive, like, The Justice League are lifeless, my dad is lifeless. And also you heard what Black Adam stated.

And Dick could be very, like, It’s going to be OK. Let’s discuss. Let me make it easier to relax about this and be right here for you. However he additionally has a little bit of a like, You realize, your dad has died earlier than. And so has Batman, and so has Wonder Woman. And he talks about that with Jon. They’ve this dialog.

And Jon […] challenges a few of Nightwing’s opinions on dying. In Dark Crisis #1 Hal Jordan is rather like, Bullshit. That’s not what occurred. We’re going to go work out what occurred. However that doesn’t imply that different characters don’t consider it. In subject one we present folks protesting in entrance [of Justice League headquarters], some consider it, some don’t. However the villains are like, Effectively, they’re not right here. So in the event that they’re not right here, that is our shot. Let’s take our shot. And we will play with these concepts and simply present what occurs when all these heroes are gone.

Nightwing spots murderer Slade Wilson, aka Deathstroke the Terminator, paying his momentary respects on the Justice League’s memorial in Dark Crisis #1.Picture: Joshua Williamson, Daniel Sampere/DC Comics

The concept that [none of this matters because] Oh, no, they’re going to come back again in six months? My reply is So? It simply falls on us to verify the story you’re studying is partaking and we now have one thing to say with it. And with this, I’ve one thing to say about dying in comics.

I believe with regards to occasions, I needed to do one thing completely different. Particularly with the occasions that DC has been doing the previous couple of years, I wish to strive one thing barely completely different with this one. And provides it its personal factor that I wish to say concerning the characters throughout the DC Universe. However that’s our job. You might in all probability work out what’s happening, particularly should you’re studying the books, you’re going to know what’s going to occur. However then it simply falls on me to verify these feelings are in there, and that even when the Lakers are going to win the championship, that you just’re nonetheless sitting in your toes simply engaged by [Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty].

That’s all the time the job, however I believe on an occasion, significantly an occasion like this, involving dying, you may have to have the ability to hit these beats. We all know they’re going to come back again, but it surely doesn’t imply the characters know. I believe that’s one thing to discover.