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All Things Come To Pass In DC's Convergence

by Vince Brusio

Convergence seems to be one of the most unique storylines that we’ve seen in a long time as it answers a question many of us had when we first heard about the New 52: what happened to previous DC continuity? How does golden/silver/bronze age history stay relevant? With this PREVIEWSworld Exclusive interview, Dan Jurgens and Jeff King explain how the pieces of the puzzle will now be put together.

Convergence #0 (JAN150218) is in comic shops April 1.

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Article Image 055fPREVIEWSworld: Let's assume there are some fans out in comic land who are unfamiliar with this new DC series. If you were sitting on a panel, and had to pitch the premise and scope of Convergence #0, how would you dazzle the audience? What toppings would you put on that ice cream sundae?

Dan Jurgens: I would start by saying that it's a place where anything is possible. One of the nicest aspects of DC's history is that it has had other worlds and universes that were very much of their respective times. Every reader seems to have not just a favorite character, but a favorite time and place. That's what makes DC unique and that's part of what we're trying to capitalize on here.

Jeff King: If we were talking about ancient Pompeii, and it was full of DC heroes, Brainiac would have bottled it and spirited it away at the moment Vesuvius erupted.  He'd have added Pompeii to his collection of more than 40 doomed "worlds" from across 75 years of the DCU!  Then, with all the time in the world to experiment, tinker and test those heroes, Brainiac would learn through combat, their strengths and weaknesses.  Convergence shows you where those heroes went, what they have been up to since Brainiac bottled them and whether they will ever return from "where world's go when they die."  On a more personal note, to me it's a story about the death of a legend, and the rise of a hero.

PREVIEWSworld: The tagline is "where do worlds go when they die?" Is it true that fans have been provided clues to this question? Dan DiDio said the Convergence series was teased in DC Universe Presents: Challengers Of The Unknown #7, and the ending of Superman: Doomed #2 supposedly gave us hints on the carnage as well. Are there any more books readers should consult as a primer to Convergence #0?

Dan Jurgens:  Convergence can be read on its own, but if readers want to look for clues they can absolutely be found in other titles. Futures End certainly plays a strong roll in setting it up and taking us there. And, tying in with that, the Futures End Booster Gold issue presented an even more in-depth look at what was coming. As I said earlier, it's a place where almost anything is possible— where the very best of DC history is a reality.

Jeff King: I'd say read every issue of Grant Morrison's amazing Multiversity to set the mood. Then Futures End #1 and Superman Doomed #2 which show you that some long presumed-dead pre-New 52 Worlds still exist, but they are domed (versus bottled).  Then read Justice League International Annual #1 and especially Booster Gold: Futures End #1 because they establish certain characters retain their memories when they travel to, and return from, this place.  Finally, in Futures End #22, we meet Brainiac himself in the flesh.  And Action Comics #35 suggests that the Brainiac we meet is the Brainiac of... pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths!  Because Convergence is the sum of its parts, I'd say it all starts there.  Remember 2015 is the thirtieth anniversary of that event.  Zero Hour, Red Son and Kingdom Come each have important clues as does Geoff Johns’ seminal work on Flashpoint too. 

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PREVIEWSworld: For nine weeks, starting from April 2015, DC fans are going to learn that everything matters, and every story matters. Characters from pre-New 52 and pre-Crisis continuity are supposed to collide in Convergence. It sounds like the most ambitious storyline DC has ever conceived. So what went on behind the curtain to make this project come to light? Can we get a glimpse about what hurdles were considered when the plot for Convergence #0 was first drafted?

Article Image 7e29Dan Jurgens: Characters from across the Multiverse—including pre-New 52, pre-Zero Hour, pre-Crisis and other eras—collide in Convergence. The initial planning grew out of Futures End.  Dan DiDio took a few of us including, Brian Azzarello, Keith Giffen, Jeff Lemire, and me to a fabulous dinner to discuss the overall idea of what might be possible. We batted around any number of concepts and in between throwing punches (kidding!) came up with the broad concept of what would then become Convergence

Jeff King: My background is in writing for television.  But "writing is re-writing" is universal and I feel you start off knowing your secret subject, add a story that you want to tell and characters that you love, and through re-writing you discover how to tell their story.  In my case I was also following a blue print that was laid down by others who blazed these paths before me.  

The #0 came about after my first draft of Convergence #1.  When Dan (Didio) and Marie (Javins) read it, they recognized what I wrote was a wrap -p, or a transition out of the World's End and Futures End events.  Luckily, they went to Dan Jurgens to take over writing the #0.

I don't know about Dan, but I'd say because Convergence involved a cast of literally thousands, I'd equate the chief hurdle to squeezing all the water in all the oceans in all the Multiverse into a container the size of a thimble.  But somehow we did it! And all I can tell you is, if you thought Worlds End was the end, it's only the beginning.

PREVIEWSworld: Let us play devil's advocate for a moment. The solicitation text for Convergence #0 states the story will be related from "the perspective of a mad god and his arrogant child." Some could argue that line leaves Convergence open to being nothing more than a dream sequence. Both mad god and arrogant child are doing nothing more than brainstorming out loud while sharing imaginary ice cream. What would you say to such online purveyors of puff pieces? How would you put them in their place?

Dan Jurgens: Some could also argue that the mad god and his angry child(ren) were Dan and the rest of us! Seriously, this is not a dream sequence. It is not imaginary or pretend. There will be consequences to this story-- very real aspects that will stick in the DCU.  The ramifications will be quite tangible. 

Jeff King: Just wait. The fewer words you share with the devil the better.

PREVIEWSworld: Without spoiling anything, what scene would you ramble about on a blog so as to have some fun, and satisfy your inner geek?

Dan Jurgens: There's a particular double page spread — or should I say, series of double page spreads — that make quite a statement. Overall, however, just seeing the covers, with some of the greatest aspects of DC history represented in them is absolutely fabulous. It's really a strong visual representation of what's to come.

Jeff King: We were working separately and Dan came up with an epic, visually stunning reveal that conveys scope, power and manages to make you laugh out loud at the same time.  Literally. I hope some day to be able to write something so good it lives up to that reveal.  If that's not coy enough, this story also features the meeting of two old friends who have been destined to get back together since way before a certain Jurgen's scripted major DC time-bending event. So take that! Ice cream-eating purveyors!

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