Intrepid reporter Alex Jaffe comes to you straight from New York Comic Con 2023, interviewing comics legend and member of the 52 writers room Geoff Johns. Get answers on how multiverse storytelling has evolved since 52 brought it to public consciousness, the unexpected arcs of Black Adam and Booster Gold, as well as info on the next great comic book writers room, Ghost Machine (final order cutoff for #1 is December 18th!)
Chapters:

Tell us a little bit about Ghost Machine (00:43)
How the hell did you put out a weekly comic for a year without missing a week? (02:31)
Let’s talk about Black Adam (03:43)
How deeply was 52 influenced by world events? (06:14)
How did 52 develop past the original pitch? (07:20)
How have your thoughts on multiverse storytelling evolved since 52? (12:24)
What was it like working with Keith Giffen? (15:03)
What were Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid like as collaborators? (16:49)
How did you evolve Booster Gold? (18:03)
What was the deal with the Trinity of Sin? (23:09)
What are the next breakout books from Ghost Machine? (24:34)

A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED:


52


Geoff Johns


Ghost Machine


Image Comics


Stargirl


The Flash


Grant Morrison


Mark Waid


Greg Rucka


Keith Giffen


Stephen Wacker


Brad Meltzer


Peter J. Tomasi


Francis Manapul


Gary Frank


Bryan Hitch


Black Adam


Isis


Sobek


Black Adam/JSA: Black Reign


David S. Goyer


Atom Smasher


Hawkman


Question


Booster Gold


Elongated Man


Steel


Dan DiDio


Blackest Night


Geiger


Junkyard Joe


Redcoat


Flashpoint


Thomas Wayne


Doomsday Clock


Booster Gold (2007-2011)


Dan Jurgens


John Ostrander


Marv Wolfman


Len Wein


Ted Kord


Jaime Reyes


A Bug’s Life (1998)


Galaxy Quest (1999)


Daredevil


Frank Miller


Peter David


Trinity of Sin


Pandora


Phantom Stranger


J. M. DeMatteis


52 Pickup is an Aftermath production, created by Gita Jackson and Alex Jaffe, and edited by Esper Quinn, with original music by Jon Ehrens. If you’d like to follow along, you can check out 52 at your local comic book store or library, or the DC Universe Infinite subscription service. The views and opinions expressed on this show are solely those of the show’s personalities, and do not reflect those of DC Entertainment or Warner Bros. Please rate and review our show wherever you can, and send your questions and comments to 52mailbag@gmail.com. Never stop reading comics.