On last night’s (September 3) live episode of Comic Book Club, guest Dan Parent was on to break down the recently released Archie Comics book Archie: The Decision. And then late in the discussion, he dropped two intriguing teases: his bucket list wish to draw Legion of Super-Heroes for DC Comics; and that Archie is doing “something” with Geoff Johns.
Dan Parent is well known for his 38 years working for Archie. He’s drawn everything from the recent The Decision with writer Tom King to the DC/Archie mash-up Archie Meets Batman ’66, to creating Kevin Keller, and much more. However, there’s still more he’d like to do at the publisher… Like tackling the Archie superheroes Pureheart the Powerful and Betty Cooper Superteen. When asked about any other wishlist items, though, Parent mentioned always being interested in DC’s Legion.
“My bucket list project that will probably never happen,” Parent said, “But I always wanted to do Legion of Super-Heroes for DC. Something like a one-shot or whatever. Because I grew up being such a Legion fan. And I know I could do a great job. I just know it. I just feel it. But, you know, until they come to me knocking on my door…”
If you do a Google Image search you can see he’s been doing commissions and convention art mashing up Archie and Legion for years: Reggie as Mon-El; Betty as Saturn Girl; Jughead as Matter-Eater Lad; and others. And while Parent lamented that “I guess whenever I’m doing social media posts, just constantly talk about, I need to do a Legion book,” we had a better suggestion… Do a quid pro quo with Tom King. Get him to write a Legion book at DC, for Parent to draw.
“You know, I should just go right to the source and say, ‘Tom, write a one-shot Legion book for me,'” Parent responded. “I might have to use my close contacts.”
During the discussion, one of the hosts name-dropped Geoff Johns, as well. And while Johns is wrapping up his time at DC Comics with the next two issues of Justice Society of America, Parent did tease there have been discussions between the author, and Archie Comics.
“I was talking to Geoff Johns at, I think it was at [Fan Expo Denver] a few weeks ago about something, actually, about working on something,” Parent said. “He’s doing Ghost Machine now.”
As Parent notes, Johns is all in on the cooperative company Ghost Machine, which publishes through Image Comics. “I don’t know even the details,” Parent continued, “but Archie’s been talking to them and I was talking to Geoff Johns about something.”
Is that something variant covers? A crossover? Will the radioactive Geiger come to Riverdale? Speculate wildly. And Dan, get Tom King on the phone, we need that Legion book to happen.
