DC Studios’ co-CEO James Gunn reveals which DC comics inspire the new movies that will be part of the DCU’s Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters.

James Gunn discloses what comics inspire the announced movies from the new DC Universe. The recent slate reveal for the new DCU was filled with excitement, as Gunn and his fellow DC Studios CEO Peter Safran announced the first projects that are part of their 8-10 year plan for the DCU. During the announcement, Gunn explained that the storytelling is the most important part for the new DC team, who wants to be true to the comics.Gunn shared on Twitter what comics join the already much-talked about Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow as the books that serve as touchstones for the DC team’s newly announced movies.

The four books in question are the Grant Morrison-written All-Star Superman and Batman Vol. 1, The Authority Omnibus by Warren Ellis, and Alan Moore’s Absolute Swamp Thing Vol. 1. Gunn’s slate announcement also touched on the four movies from the old DCEU, but the new direction with an emphasis on the comic book source material already shows how much more exciting DC’s future is than its past ever was.

Why The DCU Embracing DC Comics’ History Is Perfect

The new age for DC has started, with the new direction for the DCU being the most cohesive the comics’ giant has ever been. Gunn has explained how movies, TV shows, animation and games will be interconnected in the new DCU, which is great news after the less connected and more confusing continuity in the previous iteration of DC. All of those different types of mediums will look back to the comics for inspiration. Even further than that, Gunn’s doing something he never did at Marvel, by coordinating with DC Comics’ Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee to have comics featuring characters that are part of the DCU’s live-action plan.

Kevin Feige is the man in charge of coordinating live-action content at Marvel. Now, Gunn has the chance to adapt what he wants from DC Comics’ rich history. Criticisms of the DCEU and the SnyderVerse hinged greatly on the lack of comic-accurate content the DC filmmakers were presenting. Like Gunn said when sharing which comics are inspiring the first batch of DCU movies, there is not going to be a 1:1 adaptation of the comics, but the new DC creators are seriously looking at the source material to emulate the feel, tone and look of DC’s iconic characters, which the DCEU largely lacked.

The new stories being told in the DCU will adapt characters previous regimes didn’t, like the Green Lanterns Hal Jordan and John Stewart, who will be important pieces of the DCU’s overarching story. The Lanterns show is being worked on by a team of writers alongside Gunn, including Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow comic book writer Tom King. The fact that one of DC Comics’ most prominent writers is actively shaping the DCU is excellent news, which means characters like the young Robin Damian Wayne and more are in safe hands in the new DCU.