Mark Waid has written for all the major comic book publishers: DC Comics, Marvel, Archie, BOOM! Studios, and Dark Horse
In the panels of early comics, the protagonists didn’t wear capes, fly, or even leap over tall buildings. After all, the illustrations in “The Loves of Monsieur Vieux Bois” from 1837, while dramatic, told a story of love and rivalries relatively grounded in reality.
The “boom” that gave rise to the superhero genre we know today would occur a century later with Action Comics and the introduction of Superman in 1938.
Over the years, other heroes followed, with and without capes, Batman (1939), Captain America (1941), and the first superheroine, Wonder Woman (1941), until reaching figures like Spider-Man (1962), thanks to publishers like Marvel and DC Comics.
Although superhero comics have been on the shelves for decades, their relevance has not waned – even fueling the film industry, where James Gunn’s “Superman” recently grossed over $600 million at the global box office – thanks to the writing of authors like Mark Waid.
@diariodeyucatan Legendario guionista de cómics, Mark Waid lleva décadas redefiniendo universos de superhéroes. #comics #thaflash #archie #starwars #princessleia #superheroes #MarkWaid #dccomics ♬ sonido original – Diario de Yucatán
In an interview with Diario de Yucatán, Waid, author of iconic stories such as “Kingdom Come“, told us about the current relevance of superheroes in the world of comics, and the impact of his stories among Mexican and Latin American readers.
Superheroes, a century of being important to people: Waid
You’ve written for some of the most iconic heroes — what core values do you think define a superhero story today?
Two things:
One, a sense of optimism. These are characters who were at core created to embody a simplistic set of values that basically boils down to ‘right makes might’ and ‘bullies are bad,’ so don’t lose sight of that.
Second, a sense of relevance. Saying something that speaks to the modern world beyond just pow bam zap.
Do you see superheroes more as modern mythology or moral experiments, and what responsibilities do creators have in shaping these cultural icons?
Again, maintaining some sense of optimism and bearing in mind that if you’re playing with corporate-owned characters, these toys aren’t yours. Your job is to tell the best stories you can with them and then return them to the toybox unbroken so others can play with them as you have.
I don’t know that they’re mythology. Myths have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Superhero stories are always, by their general nature, stuck in the middle.
Do superhero comics today still shape readers’ ideals and encourage imagination, or are they more focused on entertainment?
I think they’re far less vital at shaping readers than they were when childrens’ entertainment options were far fewer in number. I tend to think they’re more focused on entertainment these days, and that any shaping of ideas and imagination is at best a happy byproduct.
What’s your process for reinterpreting classic heroes without losing what makes them iconic, and how do you approach continuity?
My approach to continuity is the Hippocratic Oath: First, do no harm. Or at least, try not to. If I’m going to break something in an old story when I write a new one, I make absolutely certain that there’s a valid storytelling reason for it and that it’s worth doing.
If it’s done well, no one squawks.
When I first took on the Flash over 30 years ago, I retold Wally West’s origin and changed a few major continuity points, and no one seemed to even notice as long as I stayed true to the essence of his original origin. Same with the most recent Teen Titans mini-series I did, set in the earliest days of the Titans–I fudged continuity by having some characters show up before they “should” have according to 1970s continuity, but I had my reasons, and no one complained.
Is there a single moment when you felt, ‘This is the version that finally clicked’ for a character?
Mr. Fantastic. I didn’t understand him when I took on the Fantastic Four, but once I gave him his famous monologue about the real reasons he turned his family into superheroes, he became totally open to me.
What responsibility comes with writing such enduring symbols of hope, and how do you preserve the ‘joy’ in comics for modern readers?
I see it as a HUGE responsibility. These characters have lasted almost a century for a reason–because they’re important to people.
They’re symbols of hope and goodness, and as a writer, I absolutely cannot tarnish that. But having the opportunity every day to express to new readers through these heroes the same moral values they taught me–that’s the joy.
Made in USA: How Mark Waid brings ‘American heroes’ to readers in Mexico and Latin America
With 40 years of experience and around two thousand titles in which he has worked as a writer or editor, Waid has given voice to virtually all the residents of the “Superhero Hall of Fame”: Batman, Superman, Avengers, Captain America, Flash and even Archie and Star Wars.
He was behind stories that to this day remain benchmarks in the genre, such as Kingdom Come, his regular series of The Flash in the 90s, and later Daredevil.
The stories have already crossed borders and been translated into dozens of languages, including Spanish.
In an exclusive interview with Diario de Yucatán, he elaborated on the impact of his stories among readers in Mexico and other Latin American countries.
How do you measure the emotional impact of your stories on readers across cultures?
A heady question–I honestly don’t think I’m the best to measure it myself. No author is.
How do you adapt classic hero archetypes to resonate with global audiences and diverse cultural backgrounds?
Mindfully and carefully. I have no problem with gender-bending or race-bending reinvented characters so long as their portrayal is respectful to their culture. Honestly, we need more superheroes who don’t look like me.
Your stories resonate worldwide, how do you approach writing for such a diverse audience?
By maintaining a huge respect for that audience. By being willing to step outside my own personal point of view and lifestyle to embrace that of others so I can reflect it in my stories.
The impact on mexican and Latin American readers
Many Latin American readers see Superman as a symbol of justice and moral courage. How does that global lens affect your writing today?
We need that now more than ever.
It’s a cliché to say so, but at least in America, where our nation is run by a callous convicted felon and his fascistic minions, we’re in a darker place than I’ve ever in my lifetime experienced. If I can remind anyone through my work, even a little bit, that there’s still some light and hope out there, I’m happy to have that opportunity.
Comics in Latin America are often seen as both entertainment and social commentary, do you believe mainstream superhero stories can serve that dual role effectively?
Certainly! They should always be entertaining–that’s job number one–but that doesn’t mean social commentary can’t be a part of the mix. If comics aren’t reflecting society to some degree, they’re trivial and potentially meaningless, with nothing to say.
Have you interacted directly with fans in Latin America or Mexico, and what surprises or insights have come from them?
I have, many times–I’ve been fortunate enough to be invited to conventions all over, and fans in Mexico and Latin America are especially earnest and enthusiastic. Even more than their American counterparts, they seem to understand that superheroes are supposed to be fun to read about sometimes, not just dark and gritty.
If you could address Mexican readers who grew up with DC’s Spanish editions, what message would you want to share about these heroes?
That I really believe–I certainly hope–that the values presented by DC’s heroes are universal. Love, acceptance, tolerance, an inability to turn away from injustice–I learned most of my ethics and morals from DC’s superheroes as a kid, and they still resonate.
Mark Waid: Profile and career of the DC Comics author
Mark Waid is one of the leading figures in the world of comics, and perhaps the greatest expert on superheroes currently working.
Since 2022, he has been the writer for “Batman/Superman: World’s Finest,” and in 2025 he began writing the regular series for “Justice League Unlimited,” “Action Comics,” and specials for Dawn of DC and DC-All In, among others.
Discover Diario of Yucatán’s selection of the 10 most important works by Mark Waid on our social media and in our print edition.
We recommend you read: Four decades redefining heroes: Batman and Superman from the perspective of Mark Waid
Lee la versión de español del artículo aquí.