Hi Paul — I’ve been trying to find out when the term ‘DC universe’ came into general use, and who coined it. Was it you? On one of the Facebook groups I posed the question on, John Wells, one of the authors of the wonderful American Comic Book Chronicles series, had this to say: “The first person I can find who used the term “DC Universe” was Paul Levitz in his DC continuity articles in AMAZING WORLD OF DC COMICS #8 (Sept.-Oct. 1975) and #12 (July 1976). In between, Carl Gafford used it in the AWODCC SPECIAL EDITION (Feb. 1976). Marv Wolfman probably did more than anyone to popularize the phrase though, first using it in the letter column of GREEN LANTERN #143 (on sale in May 1981).”
15. May 2020
Wow…I suppose it’s possible I coined it, but I wouldn’t claim that. Could also be Mark Gruenwald, who did so much ‘universe’ organizing in his early fanzines.
Hello Paul , I just did order a copy of the more compact version of your book 75 Years of DC Comics: The Art of Modern Mythmaking at Barnes and Noble and I look forward to reading it soon. What is the difference between the original XL release and the new compact version of the book? Thanks and keep up the super great work. From Kenny Kraly Jr.
30. April 2020
The smaller but still enormous volume is all the same material. There are differences in the degree of fancy printing (no gold foil pages and the like, fewer if any fold outs).
Hello Paul , What are your thoughts on the current DC Comics live action movies and tv shows from Warner Bros Pictures and The CW? Which of the 2 do you like the most The DCEU DC Films Universe or The CW Arrowverse DCTV Shows? I like both but DCTV is amazing. From Kenny Kraly Jr.
30. April 2020
I haven’t been following the tv shows, though I’m a great admirer of what Greg Berlanti & co. have managed to build. Of the movies, I think Wonder Woman was far and away my favorite of the ones done after I left the desk. She’s a tough character, and they brought her to life beautifully.
Hi Paul, big fan of your work. There was a story you did right after Infinite Crisis starting with JSA #83. I beleive if I remember it correctly the Lightning Bolt reserected dead members of the JSA. All of them except one were known deceased characters, at that time, except Batman that was among them. JJ, I think that was his name, even pointed this out but the L.B. just states it’s complicated. What was Batman being there trying to imply?
30. April 2020
Well, since I wrote a story killing the Golden Are Batman in ADVENTURE COMICS, I’m sure that was what I was referring to…
I think it’s high time there was a Paul Levitz At DC Comics autobiography. Any chance you’ve been working on one for decades, and that it will soon see print?
30. April 2020
Haven’t ever started on one. Maybe one day.
As someone whose job for decades was seeing to it that DC survived into its next era, how do you feel about the company’s new deal with Walmart? As a Canadian I as in favour of the idea until I realised that Canadian Walmarts, for reasons surpassing understanding, would not be stocking them. As someone who has been collecting since 1977, from the local corner store to the comic book specialty shop I have to drive an hour to visit, I’m a bit put out that there’s no way for me to get the Walmart-only material Bendis, King and Derington are slated to contribute in the coming months without paying scalpers prices on the internet. I guess my question is this: if DC wanted to get into Walmart, why didn’t they strike a deal with Archie, the way Marvel did? The Marvel/Archie digests are not exactly ideal, but at least they get into Walmarts AND specialty shops. For that matter, Archie has a line of fat paperbacks that Walmart stocks in their book section rather than in their cards and collectibles ghetto, which would seem to me to be a much better option for reprinting runs of current comics that inevitably run to five or six issues per completed story. I just don’t see how DC denying loyal collectors access to new material by their highest profile creators so that Walmart U.S. (and Walmart U.S. alone) can hide them in the toy aisle where most people who might actually want to buy them will never find them.
30. April 2020
The short answer is “It’s their turn, they have to do what they think is best.” And I’ll keep the long answer to myself.
Dear Paul, I enjoyed reading the interview with Jeanette Kahn that was supposed to be in the fourth Taschen volume of the DC Comics series. Will you be posting the interview that was meant to appear in the fifth volume anytime soon
30. April 2020
The interview with Jim Lee didn’t age as well, since he’s gone on to do so many new things in the years after I conducted it. No plans to run it.
Hello Mr Levitz, I’m an iconogrphic researcher preparing a collection of fascicules about masters of illustration between Victorian age and the sixties of XX century. There are 12 fascicules, 16 pages, 20x28cm format, devoted to W. Morris – J. J. Audubon – Belle Epoque – George Barbier – Tom Seidmann Freud – Author’s Adds from 30s – Joe Shuster – J. Elvgren – Mass Media and Pop Art – René Gruau – Saul Bass – Christmas Cards. Question: to illustrate may text about Joe Shuster, can I include about 20 images of first Action Comics and Superman covers, citing DC Comics credits? Thanks a lot. Greetings from Uruguay. Lucía Ametrano
30. April 2020
Sorry for the delay, but I’ve been off my website for months. You have to contact DC for permission, it has nothing to do with me.
