Back in December, DC Comics announced the latest line up of creators taking on Superman. B. Clay Moore is writing a three-part arc entitled "Exposed" with Gabriel Rodriguez doing the art.
We had a chance to talk to both writer and artist about the arc.
EXPOSED
Written by B. Clay Moore
Art by Gabriel Rodriguez
Color by Alejandro Sanchez
"Exposed" Part 1 of 3. While the Man of Steel takes down Metallo in the streets of Metropolis, a down-on-his-luck reporter for the Daily Star attempts to break the "story of the century"--a suspicious connection between Superman and the Daily Planet!
COMIC VINE: What can you tell us about your "Exposed" storyline?
B. CLAY MOORE: A freelance, former Daily Planet reporter is pretty sure he's clued into the "secret of Superman" through observation of Clark, Lois, Jimmy, and crew. His poking around leads to trouble for himself and others. I was thinking about how many people would have trouble understanding WHY Superman does what he does, and how they would always be looking for the "catch."
CV: You've written Superman before. How will the version in this story compare to what you've written before?
BCM: It's similar, in that the last time I wrote Superman it was for SUPERMAN CONFIDENTIAL, and was essentially a stand alone, out of continuity story. Both times I've enjoyed playing with the world around Superman, and how his presence in Metropolis impacts the city and its citizens. I actually quietly reference that prior story here with a brief Toyman appearance.
CV: What would you say is Superman's greatest strength and weakness?
BCM: His greatest strength is his character. If you think about it, it's the only thing keeping the planet safe...the fact that Superman's moral compass is strong enough to overcome any temptation to use his powers selfishly. I suppose in some ways that's also his greatest weakness. Probably the only way to get to Superman is by taking advantage of his selflessness, and his drive to keep the people he loves safe. These are things the reporter in this story can't relate to at all.
CV: Will any supporting characters show up?
BCM: Lois, Jimmy and Perry White appear, as do a handful of Superman villains, most notably Metallo. Also, Terra-Man.
CV: In writing a story for ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN, is there more freedom to do what you want?
BCM: Absolutely. Without being hamstrung by following current continuity, there's more freedom to explore a theme and kick around in what most people perceive to be the "classic" Superman universe. Not that current continuity isn't a lot of fun to follow.
CV: Did you have to make any adjustments writing a three-part story in the digital format layout?
BCM: Not especially. Last year I wrote a three-part Batman story for LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT, with Ben Templesmith, and have written a couple of three-part digital VAMPIRE DIARIES stories, and it's always been fun. Once you internalize the page counts (I always look at each "issue" of any arc as a single story within the arc), it's not much different from writing a standard comic book.
COMIC VINE: Is this your first time drawing a superhero comic?
GABRIEL RODRIGUEZ: Yes, it's my first time, and it's a genre I was looking forward to getting into at least once since I decided to try a professional career in comics. So I'm very excited to have the chance at last and ready to take the challenge and try my best. And it's with one of my all time favorite characters.
CV: Have you ever drawn Superman before for fun?
GR: Oh, yes. I started drawing compulsively since I was 3 or 4 years old, and from my earliest memories of those times, I strongly remember the first fiction character I've ever drawn was, in fact, Superman. Back then we had Superman cartoons on TV, and later the "Super Friends" TV show, so it was this character the one that introduced me into the superheroes universe.
CV: You're from Chile and so are my parents. How is Superman viewed there?
GR: As the quintessential superhero and the pop culture icon that he has become worldwide. When I was a child we had access to Superman comic books that were published in Mexico, and also the Christopher Reeves first two Superman movies were huge blockbusters here in the late seventies, early eighties. So practically everyone here is familiar with the basic mythology and all its main characters. It became big news on newspapers and even TV news, indeed, when it was made public that I was going to draw Superman, being the first Chilean artist to get the chance to draw a story of the "Big S".
CV: That's great! You've been doing an amazing job on the LOCKE & KEY volumes. How does working on Superman compare?
GR: It's completely different, but in the best possible way. LOCKE & KEY wasn't just my first creator owned project, it also became a big chapter in my professional life as it expanded for more than five years and got bigger and more ambitious than anything we ever imagined it could be. Doing this Superman short story, on the other hand, it's like returning to my first childhood, to a character that introduced me to the world of fantasy and imagination, and that opened the path for me towards a world that became a passion for life. It's like the perfect step to take after finishing LOCKE & KEY, a way to say thanks to a symbol of everything that made it all possible.
CV: What are the chances of us seeing you do more superhero books?
GR: I would love to. With the proper story and proper partner, would be a delight. With Joe Hill, we had an idea for a Superman story that circumstances didn't allow us to do this time, so maybe we'll try to make it happen in the future. Or maybe other projects will appear to get back to this genre again. In the immediate future, my only concrete plan after Superman is a 4 chapters miniseries reinventing "Little NEMO" with IDW Publishing, and there are ideas for projects to develop later, but nothing closed or scheduled yet. So far, I'm just trying my best effort with my current daily challenges, and I'm happy to have had the chance at least this once to do this story with a character I like and respect that much.
Be sure to check out ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #37, available digitally TODAY on the DC app, comiXology or click HERE. Each chapter is only $0.99!
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