Geoffrey Johns (born January 25, 1973) is an American
comic book writer,
screenwriter
A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based.
...
, and film and television producer. Johns's work on the
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. ( doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.
DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with the ...
characters
Green Lantern,
Aquaman
Aquaman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in '' More Fun Comics'' #73 (November 1941). The character is a pastiche of Namor. Initially a ...
,
Flash and
Superman
Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book '' Action Comics'' #1 ( cover-dated June 1938 and pu ...
, has drawn critical acclaim.
He served as
Chief Creative Officer (CCO) of
DC Entertainment
DC Entertainment is an American entertainment company that was founded in September 2009 and was based in Burbank, California. The company is a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery that manages its DC Comics units and characters in other unit ...
from 2010 to 2018 and as President and CCO from 2016 to 2018.
He is the co-founder and former co-chairman of
DC Films
DC Studios is an American film and television studio that is a division of Warner Bros., which is a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. It is dedicated to the production of films, series, and animations based on characters from DC Comics, ...
and former co-runner of
DC Extended Universe
The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films and television series produced by DC Studios and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is based on characters that ...
until 2018.
[ In film, he was a producer or executive producer of '' Green Lantern'' (2011), '' Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice'' (2016), '' Suicide Squad'' (2016), '']Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byrne, are credited as bein ...
'' (2017), '' Justice League'' (2017), '' Shazam!'' (2019), '' Birds of Prey'' (2020), co-wrote and produced the story for ''Aquaman
Aquaman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in '' More Fun Comics'' #73 (November 1941). The character is a pastiche of Namor. Initially a ...
'' (2018) and wrote the screenplay for '' Wonder Woman 1984'' (2020).
Johns' involvement with DC Entertainment as producer, writer and executive has helped turn the DC Extended Universe franchise into the eleventh-highest-grossing film franchise of all time, having grossed over $5.6 billion at the global box office. The franchise's highest-grossing film to date is ''Aquaman
Aquaman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in '' More Fun Comics'' #73 (November 1941). The character is a pastiche of Namor. Initially a ...
'', written and produced by Johns, which earned over $1.15 billion worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing DC film to date.
He co-developed the TV series ''The Flash
The Flash (or simply Flash) is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1 (cover date ...
'' (2014–2023), '' Titans'', (2018–present) and ''Doom Patrol'' (2019–present) and created and produced the TV series ''Batwoman
Batwoman is a name used by several characters of DC Comics, both in mainstream continuity and Elseworlds. The best known Batwomen are Kathy Kane and Kate Kane.
History
* The first Batwoman, Kathy Kane, debuted during the Silver Age of Comics ...
'' (2019–2022), '' Stargirl'' (2020–2022) and ''Superman & Lois
''Superman & Lois'' is an American superhero drama television series developed for The CW by Todd Helbing and Greg Berlanti, based on the DC Comics characters Superman and Lois Lane, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Tyler Hoechlin ...
'' (2020–present). His other work in television includes writing and producing various episodes of '' Blade'', ''Smallville
''Smallville'' is an American superhero television series developed by writer-producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, based on the DC Comics character Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The series was produced by Millar/G ...
'' and ''Arrow
An arrow is a fin-stabilized projectile launched by a bow. A typical arrow usually consists of a long, stiff, straight shaft with a weighty (and usually sharp and pointed) arrowhead attached to the front end, multiple fin-like stabilizers ...
''.
In 2018, he stepped down from his executive role at DC Entertainment to open a production company, Mad Ghost Productions, while continuing to work with Warner Bros on writing and producing film, television and comic book titles based on DC Extended Universe and other DC properties such as films '' Black Adam'' and the upcoming '' Shazam! Fury of the Gods''.[
]
Early life
Geoff Johns was born January 25, 1973, in Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
, Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and t ...
, the son of Barbara and Fred Johns. He is of half Lebanese ancestry and grew up in the suburbs of Grosse Pointe and Clarkston. As a child, Johns and his brother first discovered comics through an old box of comics they found in their grandmother's attic, which included copies of ''The Flash
The Flash (or simply Flash) is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1 (cover date ...
'', ''Superman
Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book '' Action Comics'' #1 ( cover-dated June 1938 and pu ...
'', '' Green Lantern'', and ''Batman
Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on March 30, 1939. I ...
'' from the 1960s and 1970s.
Johns eventually began to patronize a comics shop in Traverse City, recalling that the first new comics he bought were ''Crisis on Infinite Earths
"Crisis on Infinite Earths" is a 1985 American comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics. The series, written by Marv Wolfman and pencilled by George Pérez, was first serialized as a 12-issue limited series from April 1985 to Mar ...
'' #3 or 4 and ''The Flash'' #348 or 349, as the latter was his favorite character. As Johns continued collecting comics, he gravitated toward DC Comics and later Vertigo
Vertigo is a condition where a person has the sensation of movement or of surrounding objects moving when they are not. Often it feels like a spinning or swaying movement. This may be associated with nausea, vomiting, sweating, or difficulties w ...
, and drew comics. After graduating from Clarkston High School in 1991, he studied media arts, screenwriting, film production and film theory at Michigan State University
Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the United States. It ...
. He graduated from Michigan State in 1995, and then moved to Los Angeles, California.
Career
Early career
In Los Angeles, Johns cold-called the office of director Richard Donner looking for an internship, and while Johns was being transferred to various people, Donner picked up the phone by accident, leading to a conversation and the internship. Johns started off copying scripts, and after about two months, was hired as a production assistant for Donner, whom Johns regards as his mentor.[
While working on production of Donner's 1997 film '']Conspiracy Theory
A conspiracy theory is an explanation for an event or situation that invokes a conspiracy by sinister and powerful groups, often political in motivation, when other explanations are more probable.Additional sources:
*
*
*
* The term has a nega ...
'', Johns visited New York City, where he met DC Comics personnel such as Eddie Berganza
Eddie Berganza (born circa 1965) is an American comics writer and editor, known for his editorial tenure at DC Comics from the early 1990s to the late 2010s, rising at one point to the position of Executive Editor. He was demoted, then terminate ...
, reigniting his childhood interest in comics.[
Berganza invited Johns to tour the DC Comics offices, and offered Johns the opportunity to suggest ideas, which led to Johns pitching '']Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E.
''Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E.'' is an American comic book published by DC Comics, featuring the second Star-Spangled Kid and her stepfather, the original version's sidekick Stripesy. It was first published in July 1999 (with a "zero issue") and ran for ...
'', a series based on the second Star-Spangled Kid
The Star-Spangled Kid is the name of several superheroes in the DC Comics' main shared universe.
Fictional character history Sylvester Pemberton
The original Star-Spangled Kid was Sylvester Pemberton, a Golden Age character, created by Jerry Si ...
and her stepfather, to editor Chuck Kim a year later. Johns expected to write comics "on the side", until he met David Goyer
David Samuel Goyer (born December 22, 1965) is an American filmmaker, novelist and comic book writer. He is best known for writing the screenplays for several superhero films, including '' Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' (1998), the '' Blade'' ...
and James Robinson, who were working on '' JSA''. After looking at ''Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E.'', Robinson offered Johns co-writing duties on ''JSA'' in 2000, and Johns credits both him and Mike Carlin with shepherding him into the comics industry.[
That same year, Johns became the regular writer on '']The Flash
The Flash (or simply Flash) is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1 (cover date ...
'' ongoing series with issue 164. Johns' work on ''The Flash'' represents one example of his modeling of various elements in his stories after aspects of his birth town, explaining, "When I wrote ''The Flash'', I turned Keystone City into Detroit, made it a car town. I make a lot of my characters from Detroit. I think self-made, blue-collar heroes represent Detroit. Wally West's Flash was like that. I took the inspiration of the city and the people there and used it in the books." Johns' ''Flash'' run concluded with #225.
He co-wrote a '' Beast Boy'' limited series with Ben Raab in 2000 and crafted the "Return to Krypton" story arc in the Superman titles with Pasqual Ferry in 2002. After writing '' The Avengers'' vol. 3 #57–76 (Oct. 2002–Feb. 2004) and ''Avengers Icons: The Vision'' #1–4 (Oct. 2002–Jan. 2003) for Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Comics'' in ...
, Johns oversaw the re-launch of ''Hawkman
Hawkman is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1, published by All-American ...
'' and ''Teen Titans
The Teen Titans are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, frequently in eponymous monthly series. As the group's name indicates, the members are teenage superheroes, many of whom have acted as sidekicks to ...
''.
Johns was responsible for the return of Hal Jordan
Harold "Hal" Jordan, one of the characters known as Green Lantern, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created in 1959 by writer John Broome and artist Gil Kane, and first appeared in ''Sh ...
in 2005 as the writer of the '' Green Lantern: Rebirth'' mini-series and subsequent '' Green Lantern'' ongoing title. Johns was the writer of the '' Infinite Crisis'' crossover
Crossover may refer to:
Entertainment
Albums and songs
* ''Cross Over'' (Dan Peek album)
* ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987
* ''Crossover'' (Intrigue album)
* ''Crossover'' (Hitomi Shimatani album)
* ''Crossover'' (Yoshino ...
limited series (December 2005 – June 2006), a sequel to 1985's ''Crisis on Infinite Earths
"Crisis on Infinite Earths" is a 1985 American comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics. The series, written by Marv Wolfman and pencilled by George Pérez, was first serialized as a 12-issue limited series from April 1985 to Mar ...
.'' Following this, Johns was one of four writers, with Mark Waid
Mark Waid (; born March 21, 1962) is an American comic book writer best known for his work on DC Comics titles ''The Flash'', '' Kingdom Come'' and '' Superman: Birthright'' as well as his work on ''Captain America'', '' Fantastic Four'' and ''Da ...
, Grant Morrison, and Greg Rucka, on the 2006–2007 weekly series '' 52''.
In 2006, Johns and Kurt Busiek
Kurt Busiek ( ) (born September 16, 1960) is an American comic book writer. His work includes the ''Marvels'' limited series, his own series titled '' Astro City'', a four-year run on '' The Avengers, Thunderbolts'' and '' Superman.''
Early life ...
co-wrote the " Up, Up and Away!" story arc in ''Superman
Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book '' Action Comics'' #1 ( cover-dated June 1938 and pu ...
'' and '' Action Comics''. He then reunited with Richard Donner on the " Last Son" storyline in ''Action Comics'' with Donner co-plotting the series with his former assistant. The ''Justice Society of America'' series by Johns and artist Dale Eaglesham began in February 2007 and six months later, he and Jeff Katz launched the new ''Booster Gold
Booster Gold (Michael Jon Carter) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Dan Jurgens, the character first appeared in '' Booster Gold'' #1 (February 1986) and has been a member of the Justice League. ...
'' series. That same year, Johns helmed the critically acclaimed " Sinestro Corps War" storyline in the ''Green Lantern'' titles. He wrote the "Final Crisis
"Final Crisis" is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely ...
" one-shot
One shot may refer to:
Film and television
* One-shot film, a feature film shot in one long take with no edits, or manufactured to look like so
* ''One Shot'' (2005 film), a Sri Lankan action film directed by Ranjan Ramanayake
* ''One Shot'' (2 ...
''Rage of the Red Lanterns'' with artist Shane Davis
Shane Davis is an American comic book artist best known for his work on Superman and Batman for DC Comics.
Career
Shane Davis attended The Kubert School in his hometown of Dover, New Jersey. He entered the comics industry in 2003 at DC Comics ...
and collaborated with Gary Frank on ''Action Comics''. Johns and Frank produced the " Brainiac" storyline in which Superman's adopted father Jonathan Kent was killed and retold Superman's origin story in 2009's '' Superman: Secret Origin''.
Also in 2009, Johns teamed with artist Ethan Van Sciver
Ethan Daniel Van Sciver (No date on article; date appears in the website') (; born September 3, 1974) is an American comics artist and social media personality. He is known for illustrating or drawing covers for a number of superhero titles in the ...
on '' The Flash: Rebirth'' miniseries, which centered on the return of Barry Allen as the Flash and wrote the ''Blackest Night
"Blackest Night" is a 2009–10 American comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous central miniseries, written by Geoff Johns and penciled by Ivan Reis, along with a number of tie-in issues. ''Blackest Ni ...
'' limited series. Commenting on Johns's creation of such concepts as the Blue Lantern Corps
The Blue Lantern Corps is a fictional organization appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, beginning in 2007 in ''Green Lantern'' vol. 4 #25 (December 2007) by Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver. Their powers, similar to those of ...
, the Red Lantern Corps, and the Indigo Tribe, DC Comics writer and executive Paul Levitz noted in 2010 that "One of Johns' sharpest additions to DC mythology is the notion that the Green Lanterns are but one color within a rainbow spectrum, and that the other hues have their own champions. Folding in old concepts and inventing new ones, Johns has established limitless story possibilities."
President and CCO of DC Entertainment
On February 18, 2010, Johns was named the Chief Creative Officer of DC Entertainment
DC Entertainment is an American entertainment company that was founded in September 2009 and was based in Burbank, California. The company is a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery that manages its DC Comics units and characters in other unit ...
, which was established to expand the DC Comics brand across other media platforms. Johns stated that the position would not affect his writing. He then co-wrote the '' Brightest Day'' series with Peter Tomasi. He and Marv Wolfman were the principal writers of ''DC Universe Online
''DC Universe Online'' (''DCUO'') is a free-to-play action combat massively multiplayer online game set in the fictional universe of DC Comics. Developed by Dimensional Ink Games and co-published by Daybreak Game Company and WB Games, the game ...
'', a massively multiplayer online role-playing game
A massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) is a video game that combines aspects of a role-playing video game and a massively multiplayer online game.
As in role-playing games (RPGs), the player assumes the role of a Player charac ...
released in 2011.
In September 2011, following the conclusion of Johns's mini series, '' Flashpoint'', and the crossover storyline of the same name, DC Comics instituted an initiative called The New 52
The New 52 is the 2011 revamp and relaunch by DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic books. Following the conclusion of the " Flashpoint" crossover storyline, DC canceled all its existing titles and debuted 52 new serie ...
, in which the publisher cancelled all of its superhero titles and relaunched 52 new series with #1 issues, wiping out most of the then-current continuity. Johns and artist Jim Lee
Jim Lee (Korean 이용철; born August 11, 1964) is a Korean American comic-book artist, writer, editor, and publisher. He is currently the Publisher and Chief Creative Officer of DC Comics. In recognition of his work, Lee has received a Harvey ...
, DC Comics' Co-Publisher, launched the line with a new '' Justice League'' series, written and illustrated by Johns and Lee, respectively. The series' first story arc was a new origin of the Justice League, which depicted the return of DC's primary superheroes to the team. Johns's contributions to The New 52 include a serialized Shazam! (Captain Marvel) backup feature in ''Justice League'' that began with issue #7, as well as the relaunched ''Aquaman
Aquaman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in '' More Fun Comics'' #73 (November 1941). The character is a pastiche of Namor. Initially a ...
'' and ''Green Lantern'' monthly titles.
Johns and Gary Frank collaborated on the '' Batman: Earth One'' graphic novel, an out of continuity story, released in mid-2012, which served as the first in a series of graphic novels intended to redefine Batman. In 2013, after writing ''Green Lantern'' for nine years, Johns ended his run with issue 20 of the New 52 series, which was released May 22, 2013. DC Comics' All Access webcast announced on February 4, 2014, that Johns would be writing the ''Superman
Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book '' Action Comics'' #1 ( cover-dated June 1938 and pu ...
'' series which would be drawn by John Romita Jr. The Johns/Romita Jr. team was joined by inker Klaus Janson
Klaus Janson (born January 23, 1952) is a German-born American comics artist, working regularly for Marvel Comics and DC Comics and sporadically for independent companies. While he is best known as an inker, Janson has frequently worked as a pen ...
. In May 2016, Johns was promoted to President and Chief Creative Officer of DC Entertainment and reported to Diane Nelson, the President of DC Entertainment.
Johns and Gary Frank collaborated on ''Doomsday Clock
The Doomsday Clock is a symbol that represents the likelihood of a man-made global catastrophe, in the opinion of the members of the ''Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists''. Maintained since 1947, the clock is a metaphor for threats to humanity ...
'', a limited series featuring Superman and Doctor Manhattan. Johns and Richard Donner co-wrote "The Car" chapter in ''Action Comics'' #1000 (June 2018) which was drawn by Olivier Coipel.
In June 2018, Johns stepped down from his executive role at DC Entertainment and entered into a writer and producer deal with Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment. He opened Mad Ghost Productions, a production company that works on film, television and comic books based on DC Comics properties.
After DC Entertainment
At San Diego Comic-Con
San Diego Comic-Con International is a comic book convention and nonprofit multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California since 1970. The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International: San Diego; but it is ...
2018, DC announced a new "pop-up" imprint, ''The Killing Zone'', to be curated by Johns. It was initially set to begin publishing in May 2019. In May 2020, Johns confirmed that the imprint is still in the works.
In November 2020, it was announced that Johns would launch a new creator-owned series from Image Comics
Image Comics is an American comic book publisher and is the third largest comic book and graphic novel publisher in the industry in both unit and market share. It was founded in 1992 by several high-profile illustrators as a venue for creator-o ...
titled ''Geiger'' with long-time collaborator Gary Frank, to debut in April 2021. The series would be his first independent comic series in more than ten years. In September 2021 it was reported that Johns and Frank would expand "The Unnamed Universe" of ''Geiger'', starting with ''Junkyard Joe'' in October 2022.
Film
Johns served as a co-producer and creative consultant for the 2011 '' Green Lantern'' film directed by Martin Campbell and starring Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Rodney Reynolds (born October 23, 1976) is a Canadian-American actor. He is one of the highest-grossing film actors of all time, with a worldwide box-office gross of over billion.
He began his career starring in the Canadian teen ...
.
Johns was an executive producer on the 2016 film '' Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice''. Following negative critical reception to the film, Johns and Jon Berg were named to jointly run the DC Extended Universe
The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films and television series produced by DC Studios and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is based on characters that ...
and a newly established Warner Bros. division, DC Films
DC Studios is an American film and television studio that is a division of Warner Bros., which is a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. It is dedicated to the production of films, series, and animations based on characters from DC Comics, ...
, in May 2016. They served as producers on the 2017 film '' Justice League''. Johns also co-wrote the story for ''Aquaman
Aquaman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in '' More Fun Comics'' #73 (November 1941). The character is a pastiche of Namor. Initially a ...
'' with James Wan and Will Beall, co-wrote the story for ''Green Lantern Corps
Green Lantern Corps is the name of a fictional intergalactic law enforcement organization appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They patrol the farthest reaches of the DC Universe at the behest of the Guardians, a race of immortals residing ...
'' with David S. Goyer
David Samuel Goyer (born December 22, 1965) is an American filmmaker, novelist and comic book writer. He is best known for writing the screenplays for several superhero films, including '' Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' (1998), the '' Blade'' ...
and co-wrote '' Wonder Woman 1984'' with Patty Jenkins and David Callaham
David Elias Callaham (born October 24, 1977) is an American screenwriter and producer.
Life
Callaham was born in Fresno, California on October 24, 1977 to Lee Hsu and Michael Callaham. He has a brother, Gregory. He is of Chinese descent throug ...
. In January 2018, after ''Justice League'' underperformed at the box office, Jon Berg was replaced by Walter Hamada
Walter Hamada is an American film executive and producer. He joined New Line Cinema in 2007, where he served as an executive producer on horror films such as ''The Conjuring'' (2013), '' Annabelle'' (2014), ''The Conjuring 2'' (2016), '' Lights ...
as the head of DC Films, with Johns still working "closely" with Hamada on future productions.
Television
"Recruit", a 2005 episode of the Superman
Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book '' Action Comics'' #1 ( cover-dated June 1938 and pu ...
prequel series ''Smallville
''Smallville'' is an American superhero television series developed by writer-producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, based on the DC Comics character Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The series was produced by Millar/G ...
'', on which Johns's studio mate Jeph Loeb
Joseph "Jeph" Loeb III () is an American film and television writer, producer and comic book writer. Loeb was a producer/writer on the TV series ''Smallville'' and ''Lost'', writer for the films '' Commando'' and ''Teen Wolf'', and a writer and ...
was a writer–producer, featured a villain by the name of Geoff Johns. In 2008, Johns wrote "Legion", the eleventh episode of the eighth season, in which he introduced the three core members of the Legion of Super-Heroes
The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino, the Legion is a group of superpowered beings living in the 30th and 31st cent ...
. At the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con
San Diego Comic-Con International is a comic book convention and nonprofit multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California since 1970. The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International: San Diego; but it is ...
, he announced that he was writing another ''Smallville'' episode, titled "Society," based on the Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America (JSA, or Justice Society (JS)) is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team was conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox during the Golden Age of Comic Boo ...
. The success of his first episode and the ambitious nature of his follow-up episode enabled the producers to transform it into a two-part story, which subsequently aired as a feature-length episode titled " Absolute Justice".
In 2006, Johns co-wrote the story for the ''Justice League Unlimited
''Justice League Unlimited'' (''JLU'') is a 2004–2006 American superhero animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics univers ...
'' episode "Ancient History", which starred Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, Hawkman
Hawkman is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1, published by All-American ...
, Shadow Thief
Shadow Thief is the name of three fictional supervillains published by DC Comics. The first is a recurring foe of Hawkman named Carl Sands.
Shadow Thief appeared in the seventh season episode of the Arrowverse television series ''Arrow'', portraye ...
, and Vixen.
Johns and David S. Goyer co-wrote the pilot for the Spike TV
Paramount Network is an American basic cable television channel owned by the MTV Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Media Networks. The network's headquarters are located at the Paramount Pictures studio lot in Los Angeles.
The channel was ...
drama '' Blade'', which premiered in June 2006. Johns served as one of the writing staff on the television show. Later that year, Johns teamed up with Matthew Senreich
Matthew Ian Senreich (; born June 17, 1974) is an American screenwriter, television producer, director, and voice actor best known for his work with animated television series ''Robot Chicken'', which he co-created with business partner and close ...
of ''Robot Chicken
''Robot Chicken'' is an American adult animated stop motion sketch comedy television series, created and executive produced for Adult Swim by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich along with co-head writers Douglas Goldstein and Tom Root. The write ...
'' fame to write the screenplay for a holiday family-friendly movie titled ''Naughty or Nice'' for Dimension Films
Dimension Films is an American film production company owned by Lantern Entertainment. It was formerly used as Harvey and Bob Weinstein's label within Miramax, which was acquired by The Walt Disney Company on June 30, 1993, to produce and r ...
. Johns and Senreich are billed as directors of the movie, with actor/producer Seth Green
Seth Benjamin Green ( ''né'' Gesshel-Green; born February 8, 1974) is an American actor, producer, and writer. Green's film debut came with a role in the comedy-drama film '' The Hotel New Hampshire'' (1984), and he went on to have supportin ...
set to provide a lead voice as well as serving as voice director on the film. This association led to Johns contributing material to the fourth season of ''Robot Chicken''.
In 2012, Johns joined The CW
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
's Green Arrow
Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in '' More Fun Comics'' #73 in November 1941. His real name is Oliver Jonas Quee ...
origin series ''Arrow
An arrow is a fin-stabilized projectile launched by a bow. A typical arrow usually consists of a long, stiff, straight shaft with a weighty (and usually sharp and pointed) arrowhead attached to the front end, multiple fin-like stabilizers ...
'', as a writer. He first contributed to the first-season episode "Muse of Fire," which served as the introduction of The Huntress, the teleplay for which he co-wrote with executive producer Marc Guggenheim from a story by co-creator Andrew Kreisberg. Later in the season, Johns wrote the sixteenth episode, "Dead to Rights". The episode was directed by frequent Johns collaborator Glen Winter
Glen Winter is a Canadian television director, cinematographer, and producer who is well known for his work on The WB/The CW's ''Smallville'' and for his significant contributions to the Arrowverse.
Career
Winter began his career as a filmload ...
.
On July 30, 2013, it was announced at the summer TCA tour that Johns and ''Arrow'' co-creators Kreisberg and Greg Berlanti
Gregory Berlanti (born May 24, 1972) is an American screenwriter, producer and director of film and television. He is known for his work on the television series ''Dawson's Creek'', '' Brothers & Sisters'', '' Everwood'', '' Political Animals'', ...
would be introducing Barry Allen in the second season of the show, with the potential of a spin-off for the character with the 20th episode acting as a backdoor pilot. CW executives were so pleased with the handling of the character that they forwent the backdoor pilot, in favor of a full-fledged version. In May 2014, ''The Flash
The Flash (or simply Flash) is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1 (cover date ...
'' was picked up to series, to premiere later that year. Johns serves as co-developer and executive producer. He co-wrote, with Kai Yu Wu, the episodes "Going Rogue", which introduces the villain Leonard Snart/Captain Cold to the series, and "Revenge of the Rogues", which brought the rogue Heat Wave to the series fully after being introduced off screen in "Going Rogue".
In a July 2015 interview, Johns said he was collaborating with Reginald Hudlin
Reginald Alan Hudlin (born December 15, 1961) is an American film screenwriter, director, producer, and comic-book writer. Along with his older brother Warrington Hudlin, he is known as one of the Hudlin Brothers. From 2005 to 2008, Hudlin was ...
and Denys Cowan on a live-action
Live action (or live-action) is a form of cinematography or videography that uses photography instead of animation. Some works combine live-action with animation to create a live-action animated film. Live-action is used to define film, video ...
digital '' Static'' series from DC and Warner Bros. Blue Ribbon division.
Kreisberg, a producer on the TV series '' Supergirl'', credits Johns with the idea that Hank Henshaw was really Martian Manhunter during production of that series' pilot in 2015.
In July 2018, Johns announced that he would be writing and executive-producing a DC Universe
The DC Universe (DCU) is the fictional shared universe where most stories in American comic book titles published by DC Comics take place. Superheroes such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Green L ...
television series about Courtney Whitmore
Courtney Elizabeth Whitmore, known as Stargirl (often called Stars or Star), is a superhero created by Geoff Johns and Lee Moder who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character's name, appearance, and personality were pat ...
, a character that he created, titled '' Stargirl''. The series premiered in May 2020.
In April 2020, it was reported that Johns is to produce a series based on Green Lantern for HBO Max
HBO Max is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in the United States on May 27, 2020, the service is built around the libraries of HBO, Warner Bros., Cartoon Ne ...
.
In October 2022, it was announced that Paramount Television Studios
Paramount Television Studios (formerly known as Paramount Television from 2013 to 2020) is an American television production and distribution company, that is a division of Paramount Pictures, a subsidiary of Paramount Global.
It is the success ...
would develop a TV adaptation of Geiger from Johns and Justin Simien
Justin Simien (born May 7, 1983) is an American filmmaker, actor, and author. His first feature film, ''Dear White People'', won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Talent at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. The film was later ...
, with Johns writing the pilot, serving as showrunner
A showrunner (or colloquially a helmer) is the top-level executive producer of a television series production who has creative and management authority through combining the responsibilities of employer and, in comedy or dramas, typically also the ...
, and executive producing along with Jamie Iracleanos for Mad Ghost Productions, and Gary Frank.
Personal life
His younger sister, Courtney, was a victim of the TWA Flight 800
Trans World Airlines Flight 800 (TWA800) was a Boeing 747-100 that exploded and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near East Moriches, New York, on July 17, 1996, at about 8:31pm. EDT, 12 minutes after takeoff from John F. Kennedy Internationa ...
crash. The DC Comics superheroine Courtney Whitmore/Stargirl, whom Johns created, is based on her.
In a 2010 interview, Johns named Steve McNiven as an artist he would like to collaborate with, J. Michael Straczynski
Joseph Michael Straczynski (; born July 17, 1954) is an American filmmaker and comic book writer. He is the founder of Synthetic Worlds Ltd. and Studio JMS and is best known as the creator of the science fiction television series ''Babylon 5'' ...
's run on ''Thor
Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred groves and trees, strength, the protection of humankind, hallowing, ...
'' as his then-favorite ongoing comic book, and ''The Flash'' as his favorite of all time, stating that he owns every issue of it. He credits reading James Robinson's '' The Golden Age'' as the book responsible for his love of the characters featured in the book, and for his decision to accept writing duties on ''JSA''.[ He is also a comic book retailer who co-owns Earth-2 Comics in Northridge, California, with Carr D'Angelo.]
Selected bibliography
*'' JSA'' #6–77, 81 (2000–2006)
**''Hawkman
Hawkman is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1, published by All-American ...
'' #1–6, 8–25 (2002–2003)
**''Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America (JSA, or Justice Society (JS)) is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team was conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox during the Golden Age of Comic Boo ...
'' vol. 3 #1–26 (2007–2009)
*''The Flash
The Flash (or simply Flash) is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1 (cover date ...
'' vol. 2 #164–225 (2000–2005)
*''Teen Titans
The Teen Titans are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, frequently in eponymous monthly series. As the group's name indicates, the members are teenage superheroes, many of whom have acted as sidekicks to ...
'' vol. 3, #1–26, 29–47, 50 (2003–2007)
*'' Green Lantern: Rebirth'' #1–6 (2004–2005)
**'' Green Lantern'' vol. 4 #1–67 (2005–2011)
**'' Green Lantern'' vol. 5 #0–20 (2011–2013)
*'' Infinite Crisis'' #1–7 (2005–2006)
*'' 52'' #1–52 (2006–2007)
*'' Action Comics'' #837–840, 844–846, 850–851, 855–873 (2006–2009)
*''Booster Gold
Booster Gold (Michael Jon Carter) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Dan Jurgens, the character first appeared in '' Booster Gold'' #1 (February 1986) and has been a member of the Justice League. ...
'' vol. 2 #0–10 (2007–2008)
*'' Superman: Secret Origin'' #1–6 (2009–2010)
*'' The Flash: Rebirth'' #1–6 (2009–2010)
*''Blackest Night
"Blackest Night" is a 2009–10 American comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous central miniseries, written by Geoff Johns and penciled by Ivan Reis, along with a number of tie-in issues. ''Blackest Ni ...
'' #0–8 (2009–2010)
*'' Brightest Day'' #0–24 (2010–2011)
*'' Flashpoint'' #1–5 (2011)
*'' Justice League'' vol. 2 #0–50 (2011–2016)
*''Aquaman
Aquaman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in '' More Fun Comics'' #73 (November 1941). The character is a pastiche of Namor. Initially a ...
'' vol. 5 #0–25 (2011–2013)
*'' Forever Evil'' #1–7 (2013–2014)
*'' Batman: Earth One Volume 1–3'' (2012–2021)
*'' DC Universe: Rebirth'' (2016)
*''Doomsday Clock
The Doomsday Clock is a symbol that represents the likelihood of a man-made global catastrophe, in the opinion of the members of the ''Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists''. Maintained since 1947, the clock is a metaphor for threats to humanity ...
'' #1–12 (2018–2020)
*'' Shazam!'' vol. 2 #1–11, 13–14 (2019–2020)
*'' Batman: Three Jokers'' #1–3 (2020)
*''Flashpoint Beyond
''Flashpoint Beyond'' is an American comic book published by DC Comics. The seven-issue limited series—written by Geoff Johns, Jeremy Adams and Tim Sheridan and illustrated by Eduardo Risso, Xermánico and Mikel Janín—began its monthly pu ...
'' #0–6 (2022)
*''The New Golden Age
"The New Golden Age" is a 2022–23 crossover event in DC Comics publications. Written by Geoff Johns, the story follows the Justice Society of America unraveling a mystery following Golden Age heroes and villains. The story comprises an eponymou ...
'' #1 (2022)
Filmography
Films
Television
Awards and recognition
*2002 Wizard Fan Award for Breakout Talent (for ''The Flash'')
*2005 Wizard Fan Award for Best Writer (for ''The Flash
The Flash (or simply Flash) is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1 (cover date ...
'', '' Infinite Crisis'', '' Green Lantern'' and ''Teen Titans
The Teen Titans are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, frequently in eponymous monthly series. As the group's name indicates, the members are teenage superheroes, many of whom have acted as sidekicks to ...
'')
*2006 Wizard Fan Award for Best Writer (for ''Infinite Crisis'')
*2008 Project Fanboy Award for Best Writer
*2009 Project Fanboy Award for Best Writer[
*2009 Spike TV Scream Award for Best Comic Book Writer
*2010 Spike TV Scream Award for Best Comic Book Writer (for '']Blackest Night
"Blackest Night" is a 2009–10 American comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous central miniseries, written by Geoff Johns and penciled by Ivan Reis, along with a number of tie-in issues. ''Blackest Ni ...
'', '' Brightest Day'', ''The Flash'' and ''Green Lantern'')
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Johns, Geoff
1973 births
American business executives
American comics writers
American people of Arab descent
American television writers
American writers of Lebanese descent
Living people
American male television writers
Michigan State University alumni
People from Clarkston, Michigan
Writers from Detroit
Screenwriters from Michigan
DC Comics people