With over 30 years of successful mainstream comics under his belt, working on everything from “Punisher War Journal” to “Batman: Hush”, Jim Lee is one of the most respected people working in the industry. He is also one of the rare artists to rise through the executive ranks at such a high level. Gunn has made it abundantly clear that he values and respects comics as more than just fuel for blockbuster movies, which is why Lee’s appointment as DC Comics president at this time is key.
Gunn’s track record at DC Studios is already remarkable. For one thing, trailers for movies like “The Flash” and “Blue Beetle” that have been released since he took office have highlighted specific comics for viewers to check out, should they be interested in diving in. in the source material. In the same way, Gunn also highlighted very specifically which comics are inspiring the upcoming DCU slate, like “The Authority” and “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.” The books Gunn referred to have since topped Amazon’s bestseller lists.
For all its success at the box office, Marvel Studios hasn’t done nearly as good a job highlighting source material from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This is clearly a high priority for Gunn, making Lee a key partner in shaping the publishing side of the business going forward. It’s hard to imagine a world where Lee isn’t working directly with the folks at DC Studios, and that’s an absolutely good thing. After all, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, or almost no superhero would be who they are without comics.