Since 1985, Mark Waid has written for the most important publishers: DC Comics, Marvel, Archie, BOOM! Studios and Dark Horse
From “The Puzzle of Purloined Fortress”, less than 10 pages for Action Comics in 1985, to becoming one of the main authors of DC Comics‘ All-In era in 2025, Mark Waid is one of the leading figures in the world of comics, and perhaps the greatest expert on superheroes currently writing.
Winner of the Eisner Award – the most important in the industry -, throughout his career all the major publishers have put in his hands characters recognized throughout the world: Batman, Superman, Captain America, the Fantastic Four and more.
If they have a live-action movie, an animated series, or appears on lunchboxes, Mark Waid has almost certainly written about your favorite hero.
@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, the author who redefined heroes like Superman and Flash spoke about the challenges and secrets of making us believe in a man who can fly… or that a billionaire can dedicate himself to defending a city ruled by crime and corruption.
From reading comics to creating them: the inspiration behind the works of Mark Waid
With characters that are nearly a century old, it’s no surprise that a child who once played at being a hero can grow up to become the storyteller shaping those tales for future generations.
That is precisely what happened with Waid, who is celebrating 40 years in the comic book industry.
What first inspired you to write comics, and who were your early influences?
I really never intended to be a writer. I set my sights on being an editor because I didn’t think I was creative enough to come up with stories every month!
It wasn’t until after I was an editor at DC for a couple of years in the late 1990s that I suspected I might have a flair for this.
My earliest influences, looking back, the writers who made me love comics? Steve Gerber, Steve Englehart, Jim Starlin, Denny O’Neil–those are writers I’d follow wherever their careers took them.
After decades in comics, what continues to challenge you creatively, and which runs do you feel define your voice?
The biggest challenge remains staying relevant, and I honestly am not sure how I’m doing that, but I seem to be pulling it off.
A lot has to do with being willing and eager to keep reading good modern comics–not mediocre stuff, but legitimately clever and well-crafted books where I can learn new storytelling tricks and techniques.
As far as the runs that really define my voice? Certainly my Flash run–Wally West was very much me in personality. There’s also a lot of me in Daredevil, particularly as regards his struggles with clinical depression, something he and I both deal with.
Which of your past works do you feel most proud of, and why?
It’s my love letter to Superman, I think it’s done well, and I believe it’s the best thing I’ve ever written.
Superman: Los últimos días de Lex Luthor.
Marvel/DC Comics: How to create memorable superhero stories
Known for the optimistic and hopeful tone of his stories, Waid distinguishes himself by humanizing the ‘super’ without losing the heroic, having in his hands, on more than one occasion, the characters who originated the genre and the “heirs of the capes”.
After creating works that remain touchstones of the genre to this day, such as Kingdom Come, which crossed borders and were translated into dozens of languages, staying relevant might seem easy, but is there really a ‘magic formula’ to do it?
How do you approach storytelling today compared to what you did in the ’90s, and what advice would you give to new writers?
When I first began, I was a little too focused on trying to come up with clockwork, intricate plots. I still strive for those, but not as much–what I’ve learned since (and the advice younger writers should listen to) is that stories are about emotion.
That’s what readers remember–the moments when their blood is up, when they’re seriously invested emotionally. You don’t need a Byzantine plot for that. You just need to let drama and comedy shine through.
You’ve written for major publishers — what are the main creative freedoms or constraints you’ve found at DC vs. Marvel? Some fans would describe DC as “God becoming humans”, and Marvel as “Humans becoming Gods (godlike), do you agree?
That’s not inaccurate! At DC, the heroes really are more iconic, whereas at Marvel they’re very human. I’ve really found no constraints–after a lifetime of reading Marvel and DC comics, I automatically know where the guard rails are and it never occurs to me to deliberately write something an editor would push back on.
How do you balance writing for long-time fans while keeping stories accessible to new readers?
Even when indulging my fondness for deep cuts that longtime fans will notice, I’m very, very mindful about context.
Clarity is everything, and if you want to rely on older stories to tell new ones, it should be abundantly clear to even the newest reader why that is.
They should never be left wondering who a character is, or what an item is, and why they’re relevant to the story at hand.
I always bear in mind that when writing for most readers, there’s no difference in a brand-new concept and a concept mined from decades ago–they both need to be clear.
Comics like “Kingdom Come” & “Tower of Babel” have remained a cultural touchstone for almost 30 years — how do you interpret its messages now compared to 1996 and 2000?
Kingdom Come’s biggest relevance to today, I think–and others may have different notions, which is fine–is the interpretation of the younger heroes that kindness equals weakness.
It absolutely does not, but 75 million of my fellow Americans seem to believe differently.
Tower of Babel, on the other hand? I don’t honestly know that it has a “message” other than “trust your friends rather than make secret plans to deal with them”.
I’ve always maintained that Batman’s error in judgment wasn’t creating deathtraps; it was not being forthcoming with his fellow Justice Leaguers that he was making contingency plans should any of them ever go berserk, which they all would have been fine with.
“Kingdom Come”, “Birthright” and “Tower of Babel” have left a lasting legacy — what do you think made them resonate so strongly?
That’s for others to say–we’re talking about their reaction to the material, not mine–but if I had to guess, one of the reasons is probably that you can feel my passion for these characters in every single panel. That’s very important.
World’s Finest: Superman and Batman, the most famous heroes on the planet
Superman is the first superhero in history – a copy of his debut volume was auctioned for $9.1 million recently – and Batman is the only one to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the most profitable for DC.
Having two of the most recognizable pop culture characters in the world in your hands is no small task.
However, for Waid they are not mere entertainment.
Just as they are for millions of people around the world, from children to 80-year-olds, for him they are characters that mean something important: optimism, hope, the idea that tomorrow can be a better day… or simply comfort in a chaotic world.
You’re back in DC after many years with a new shared universe — what excites you most about returning for a new generation of readers?
That I think this is my moment. I’ve always written stories that are hopeful, never cynical, and there have been times that’s been out of fashion. Right now, though, those seem to be the very stories readers are responding most strongly to.
I’ve never had a better time writing comics than I’m enjoying right now.
You’ve written both Batman and Superman extensively — what’s the fundamental emotional difference between writing each of them?
Superman comes much easier. I can relate to Superman as a figure of hope more than I can Batman as a figure of vengeance.
Writing them seperately requires changing points of view, taking into account that Bruce is more serious and single-minded than Clark is and deals with darker villains, darker forces.
About avoiding clichés and ensure Batman and Superman stay true to their essence when sharing a story, Waid said:
“I’ve lived with these characters for my entire life, I’ve thought about them more than anyone alive–I truly believe this–and their voices and essence are just baked into my brain. I know them better than I know anyone real”.
When pairing them in World’s Finest, how do you make sure neither overshadows the other while keeping their friendship believable?
It truly is a constant juggling act, and it’s probably the most difficult challenge to writing the book–keeping that balance.
At least part of the solution is that they approach problems from different perspectives and very rarely have, if left on their own, identical approaches to threats. Working together, though, they’ve developed a shorthand of complete trust in one another.
And to me, their friendship is totally believable. I know there’s long been a school of thought that they’d never be friends given who they are and given Batman’s unwillingness to give trust easily, but even if you accept that–and I don’t, I think that Batman’s not a cold jerk unless the situation calls for it–then from a purely tactical level, it would make no sense that Batman would choose to make an enemy out of such a powerful potential ally.
You’ve redefined Superman multiple times — from Birthright to current work. How has your approach to him changed, and how do you humanize Clark Kent for modern readers?
I don’t think my approach to him has changed much at all, to be honest.
I’m still galvanized by the writers who helped me understand Superman in the first place, first and foremost among them Elliot S. Maggin, Alan Moore, and Cary Bates.
I think the key to humanizing Clark Kent is easy–everyone knows what it’s like to feel different and apart sometimes. Wanting to be part of something bigger, to not be alone, is human nature, and that’s the part of poor Clark that readers can identify with.
Humanizing Superman? That’s not anything I worry about. You should like Superman, but you’re not supposed to identify with him. That’s what Clark Kent is for.
What modern dilemmas do you think Superman would struggle with today?
Immigration would be number one, as would be income inequality and climate change–but only the last one would be relatively easy for someone with Superman’s powers. The others would be a sincere struggle.
I think James Gunn did a brilliant job of exploring yet another–cynicism and hopelessness–in his film.
A new era for the Justice League with Mark Waid and Dan Mora
In 2025, a new stage of interconnected stories began in the DC universe, which includes the upcoming release in Mexico of “Justice League: Unlimited” by Mark Waid, with art by Costa Rican native Dan Mora.
Sobre escribir a Batman y Superman, así como al resto de los héroes de DC, en esta próxima era, Waid nos dijo que lo principal es poner “el personaje primero“, sus personalidades y esencia.
I approach character first. I build everything, whether it’s a small solo story or a big, multicharacter adventure, around the heroes. I’m showcasing and construct a plot that can showcase their similarities and differences.
No matter the scope of the tale, I’ll always find time and space for those smaller character moments that hopefully, in one panel or even one line of dialogue, reveal things about our heroes you’ve never considered before.
What can you tell us about your future projects, the next arcs in World´s Finest and your current work with DC Comics.
I have a lot of projects we’re discussing, but nothing far along enough to be revealed yet. Sorry!
Discover Diario of Yucatán’s selection of the10 most important works by Mark Waid on our social media and in our print edition.
Puedes leer la versión en español del artículo aquí y la versión en impreso aquí.