Zatanna, played by Serinda Swan with Justin Hartley's Green Arrow
Gregory Noveck, senior vice-president -- creative affairs at DC Comics, told The Continuum that plans and characters for Season 9 of The CW's recently renewed Smallville are beginning to formulate.
"They're just starting to have those conversations," Noveck said. "At some point in the next few weeks, they're going to come to us and say, 'Here's our plan. Do you foresee any snags?'"
As part of his responsibilities, Noveck works with the show's creators in approving and incorporating other DC Comics characters. This season has featured such heroes as Green Arrow, Aquaman, Black Canary, Martian Manhunter, Supergirl and the Legion of Super Heroes and such villains as Doomsday, Plastique, Maxima, Persuader and Toyman.
Upcoming are Zatanna, played by Serinda Swan and shown above with Justin Hartley's Green Arrow, and the return of the Legion.
"I feel great about it," Noveck said of the show's increased use of DC characters this season. "The first three or four years the show was on the air, you have to be really specific and clear about what they were using from the mythology, both to establish the correct mythology of the show and to make sure it was in synch with the comic books.
"As the show evolved, though, they really developed their own style -- and their own mythology. It is its own continuity, so at this point, for me to say, 'Well, you can't use Doomsday that way because he's really this mindless beast from space and he must look like this on screen the first time we see him,' I don't think that's fair to the continuity that they're establishing.
"So, in its own way, its no different than New Frontier or from anything else we do in the comics that's almost an Elseworlds title. Fans at the end of the day know what the Superman continuity is from the comic books. This is another version of that continuity, re-told in a different way, moving the chess pieces around the table a little bit.
"I think it's fun. I'd be rather merciless for a show that's still a hit in Season 8 to say, 'Oh no, you can't do that now.'"
While the influx of DC characters reached new heights in Season 8, there are still areas where Noveck has to draw the line, including probably the most-requested character.
"Anything within the realm of the Superman franchise, we're happy to let them figure out how to use them," Noveck said. "We've often had conversations about how to use them and the interpretations. And there have been conversations over time, "Gee, wouldn't it be great if this guy named Hal Jordan showed up, or this kid named Bruce Wayne?' And we just won't go there. It's complicated, not only from a rights perspective, but from the character use.
"Those are the kinds of things that are obvious nos. But in terms of the Superman world, we've pretty much let them use anyone they've wanted within reason and reasonable interpretation of the character."
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