Make The Choice
“You can be anything you want”. We have all heard this before. It’s thrown around at kids when they are growing up, adults when we are in school, and a myriad of other places, usually not really sincere, but as a side way to deflect something. I have seen first hand, that this is absolutely true.
You really can choose what you want to do and be. Hopefully you choose to do and be good, like Geoff Johns has. Not only has his love and devotion to comics earned him the title of Chief Creative Officer for DC Comics, but he continues to just be a good person.
With the recent introduction of the first Arab American Green Lantern, Simon Baz, Geoff returned to his home state of Michigan, and not only signed books for several hours on a Friday, but spent the next day at the Arab American National Museum (AANM) in Dearborn, MI. Geoff is an incredibly busy person these days, I can personally attest to this whenever I do try and actually call him. He is usually in a meeting, on a way to a meeting, or trying to find some quiet time to write.
The new Green Lantern character shares Geoff’s Lebanese heritage and hails from Dearborn. Ever the diplomat, and intelligent author, Geoff contacted the AANM to make sure that the script he was working on was culturally accurate. He worked with Matthew Stiffler, an AANM researcher, who helped make sure no negative stereotypes were in the issue. Geoff spent the day at Green Brain Comics in Dearborn signing books and talking to fans. My favorite moment from that night, was watching Geoff’s Dad, wait in line with everyone else, to get a comic signed. Talking with his Mom, she reminisced about having to drive us to conventions or shops, to meet creators that we liked, and she admitted to wondering “what will this ever lead to?” followed quickly by a huge smile.
If I may aside for a moment, having been reading and buying comics for the last 30 years, I have to say that Green Brain Comics is one of the nicest stores I have ever been to. (No they didnt give me any free comics to say this). It’s INCREDIBLY well organized, not over crowded, and clearly run by comic fans. I can walk to my local shop, but after seeing what a comic shop SHOULD be like, I’m considering driving to Dearborn every wed. Seriously, anyone in the metro Detroit area, this is possibly the best shop I’ve ever been in.
I digress, but I share the truth.
So Geoff comes home, signs a few books big deal? Sure but he spent most of Saturday at the Arab American National Museum, showing kids that might not normally embrace comics, how the books are made, what it takes to make them, and (most likely) inspiring them to maybe write or draw their own stories.
Geoff has not revealed any explicit details to the upcoming stories, but has confirmed that he will make sure that local landmarks of Dearborn appear in the books. This is a trend I would love to see furthered. Comic heroes don’t need to exist in made up places. Rooting this new GL in reality, and in a heavily Arabic area, can pull in new people to reading comics. And that is never a bad thing.
I became friends with Geoff thru a random happenstance, a long time ago, in the 80s, if any of you remember this far back. I’ve been a witness to a person following their dreams. And it makes me very happy and humbled when I see a person who has grown so much, to make sure and come back a bit. Heroes are not usually everyday people. Your buddy that you used to draw on the floor with doesn’t grow up to run the comics you read.
But sometimes they do. And sometimes you do too. Don’t be a Hancock and just expect things if you have talent. Use your talent for good. Use your talent for what you love.
Do what you believe. Do what you dream. Anything is possible. I’ve seen it happen. Hold your dreams close and run with them. You are the only one in control of you. Make this time count.