Inside Mark Waid's massive DC plans (and they're only getting bigger)

After a lengthy departure from DC, superstar comic book creator Mark Waid returned to the publisher in a big way in March 2022, launching the monthly ongoing series Batman/Superman: World’s Finest with Dan Mora. Since then, Waid’s profile among DC’s line has increased considerably, with World’s Finest joined by other prominent titles including Shazam!, World’s Finest: Teen Titans, Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor, and a number of contributions in anthologies and special one-shots, including masterminding the recent crossover event Lazarus Planet. All that is to say, Waid isn’t slowing down any time soon, taking full advantage of his time back at DC, as he continues swinging for the fences creatively.

Popverse’s Graeme McMillan sat down with Waid last year for an exclusive interview welcoming Waid back at DC and, one year later, Popverse’s Sam Stone spoke with Waid at Baltimore Comic Con for a follow-up about his current place at the publisher. This comes as Batman/Superman: World’s Finest returns to the world of Kingdom Come, the celebrated Elseworlds story created by Waid and Ross, with Superman and Batman following Superman’s estranged sidekick Boy Thunder, the once and future Magog, to his home dimension. This adventure follows Waid reimagining the very first meeting between the Man of Steel and Dark Knight as Waid draws from a lifelong love of DC Comics to help chart its new future.

In an exclusive interview, Mark Waid speaks about his expanding slate of titles at DC since his return, reveals the current culture at DC’s offices and explains why it makes no sense to him why Batman and Superman would ever be enemies.

Popverse: Mark, you’re the most prolific I’ve seen you at DC Comics in years. How is it balancing the four different titles currently being published right now?

Mark Waid: [It’s four] that you know of! There are more in the pipeline. It has been a while since I’ve taken on more than a book a week. It’s exhausting, but I love the work. Frankly, I don’t want to die at the keyboard. I would like to, at one point, semi-retire, so I’m just picking my shots.

With that in mind, as someone who loves the DC Universe so much, what makes a title special enough for you to carve out the time to write for it?

It’s just that I love the DC Universe and I’ve been thinking about these characters since I was six. I still have things to say about them and there are combinations of characters that I want to show you.

The Brave and the Bold was a template for what you’re doing now with Batman/Superman: World’s Finest as this rotating team-up book.