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We’ve also got some pages from the issue by artist Dan Mora and colorist Tamra Bonvillain.
He’s one of the toughest villains in the DC Universe.
Did it feel kind of inevitable bringing him up against Batman and Superman after all these issues?
Mark Waid:No, actually.
I was actually avoiding it.
I didn’t think we would get there.
I didn’t think he was necessary.
But as I got near the end of the story, I realized he was inevitable.
We didn’t really see Darkseid in the original Kingdom Come.
We saw Orion on Apokolips in his place.
So we’re seeing the Darkseid of this reality for the first time.
So there are no alternate versions of Darkseid.
Yes, for him.
How does that tie into what we saw in Kingdom come?
Were you consciously thinking this is going to be part of the history of that world?
Like I said, he was a gametime call.
That’s in issue #24.
He’s not just the guy who sits on the throne and shoots Omega Beams.
He actually is a badass fighter.
Was it in Rogue One where Darth Vader was just walking down the hall?
That’s what we wanted to evoke with Darkseid.
So really, it’s about putting a strong physical match in Darkseid against Superman and Batman.
And you’ve got two Supermans and two Batmans.
So you could kind of cut loose a little bit.
Plus we have all the other heroes standing there.
We have Green Lantern and Wonder Woman.
You know, the Captain - Shazam - and so many others.
The Kingdom Come arc is ending in World’s Finest #24.
So this issue is me threading that needle.
So how will we see that fallout in Superman and Batman in the story moving forward?
How will we see the impact of this even after they return to their own world?
That also seems like a needle that has to be threaded.
There are threads that we’re picking up.
You know, “He’s just another version of me.
Am I capable of that level of failure?”
That will be nagging away at him.
And how does it feel having that kind of open road to keep telling the story?
Oh, it’s thrilling.
There is no substitute for writing an ongoing series.
I’ve written plenty of close-ended series, plenty of mini-series.
And you could do interesting things in those.
But there’s just something about writing an ongoing series that gives me flexibility.
If I want the story to be three issues, it can be.
If I want the next one to be just one issue, it can be.
I don’t have to play within a certain amount time and real estate and make it fit.
What’s that dynamic like?
Actually it’s not!
The story concentrates almost exclusively on Lex and the Joker.
There are moments with Batman and Superman, certainly.
This is really about the two greatest villains in the DC Universe teaming up to accomplish something.
That’s the lead story.
But there’s also a back-up by myself and Dan Mora that leads into the next story arc.
What do you hope they’re taking forward from your Superman?
Great question… And by the way, Jason has been entirely too kind.
It was a couple of phone conversations and some reading recommendations.
That kind of science fiction material wasn’t really a thing in pop culture at the time.
That, to me, is what his purpose is.
And that is one of the things that makes him unique.
In the DC Universe, I can see Batman failing.
I can see Wonder Woman failing.
I can see Green Lantern failing.
I cannot see Superman failing.
He’s a workhorse.
He and Tamra Bonvillain always put out stunning work on World’s Finest.
I did see that you and Dan were leaving Shazam!
in a few months.
He’s not leaving World’s Finest!
So we’ll see how the math shakes out.
Do you see yourself having more to say with those characters in that world in the future?
I would have said this was closing the book until I wrote the last issue.
I can’t guarantee it.
I don’t have a story yet.
But without really intending to, I left myself that opening.
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