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Mr. Smith goes to D.C.When he isn’t on location, director Kevin Smith is plotting the lives of superheroes.

By Tony Norman
Post-Gazette Staff Writer

Riddle me this, who do you think has a better chance of getting absolutely mobbed at this weekend’s Pittsburgh Comicon: Former child star Butch Patrick aka Eddie Munster, Chase Masterson the d’abo girl Leeta from “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” or director/actor/comic book author Kevin Smith?

Catching Eddie Munster sans fangs and Wolfie doll along with Marilyn (Pat Priest), his cousin from “The Munsters” series, will probably be the big Boomer attraction this weekend. Thanks to the lovely Ms. Masterson, the Trek-obsessed “get a life” crowd will have someone to ogle as well, but as far as comic book and film aficionados are concerned, this weekend belongs to Smith and all things “Dogma”, “Daredevil” and D.C. Comics.

Just in case your corner of the Alpha Quadrant doesn’t have video stores, Smith has become one of the hottest names in comics largely on the residual cool of three films he directed: “Clerks”, “Mallrats” and “Chasing Amy”, all of which managed to reference the geeky mores of comic book culture without marginalizing it.

Smith’s presence at the Pittsburgh Comicon this weekend is the functional equivalent of snagging the pope for a local church jamboree if kibitzing with trivia-crazed comic fans is your idea of some kind of communion.

But Smith has been in town anyway shooting “Dogma,” a religious satire that the director has called “the fourth film in a trilogy.” Smith’s cinematic alter ago Silent Bob makes a much anticipated cameo in “Dogma.”

Smith will sign autographs and talk about the various new projects he has in the works for both Marvel and D.C. Comics, including a revamping of Daredevil and a fresh run at Green Arrow. Both are characters Smith wanted to write years before he ever had the clout to do it.

Smith has already begun scripting seven issues of “Daredevil, the Man Without Fear” on Sundays, his day off from shooting “Dogma.”

“We’re working via fax and e-mail with Kevin on `Daredevil,’ ” said Jimmy Palmiotti, who along with partner Joe Quesada collaborates with Smith on the classic Marvel title. Quesada will pencil “Daredevil” while serving as a co-editor with Palmiotti on the series.

“The guy’s amazing. I don’t know how he has time to sleep at this point,” Palmiotti said, “He’s juggling comic books and movies and keeping everything fresh. For him to take time off from the movie and come down to the Comicon is a big deal for [me and Joe].”

Palmiotti and Quesada, fellow guest stars at this weekend’s Comicon in Monroeville, will oversee and edit an upcoming quartet of books known collectively as Marvel Knights, which includes “Daredevil,” “The Black Panther,” “The Inhumans” and “The Punisher.”

So how did this bit of cinema/comic book synergy come about?

“The thing about Kevin you have to realize is: he did `Clerks,’ he did `Mallrats,’ he was about to do `Chasing Amy’ and was writing the Superman Screenplay when it occurred to someone to ask him to script a comic, ” Quesada said, explaining how their first collaboration on “Ash” materialized two years ago.

“This is a guy who was putting comics in the movies. Forget about all the movies he’s directed, he was already rcognized for his writing. I asked him if he’d consider writing a comic for us. He said no one ever asked him before. He was very excited when we offered him `Daredevil,’ ” Quesada said.

“He may be a movie director, but his ambition has always been to write comics.”

Palmiotti and Quesada promise a return to the classic Daredevil style of Stan Lee, Wally Wood and Gene Colan with Smith at the helm. For the uninitiated, Daredevil is a blind superhero whose keenly honed senses enable him to fight crime with an often ruthless efficiency.

“Kevin will be bringing the story home and dealing with Matt Murdoch’s personal beliefs, his inner demons and his religion,” Palmiotti said.

“We’re also going to focus on Matt Murdoch being a lawyer and how his abilities get in the way of trying people in court. We’re going to ask: should he or shouldn’t he use his powers when they give him such an edge. What are the ethical implications of that?”

Given Smith’s sudden marketability in Hollywood (“Chasing Amy” cost $250,000 to film and has grossed nearly $25 million), it may not be too much of a stretch to see plans for a Daredevil movie shaping up if the comic series goes well.

Smith, Palmiotti and Quesada will be autographing Daredevil prints throughout the weekend with proceeds going to Ronald McDonald House.