In NYX, we see that the Stepford Cuckoos have been able to almost perfectly wield telekinesis. I wonder is it in the cards to see Emma use these same powers as well, since they are genetically the same kinda?
Excellent question! I would love to see a bit of explanation for their new telekinesis powers. And if they are able to do it, shouldn’t Emma also be able to? Not that Emma needs it, she’s more than powerful already.
Regarding the Deathlok inventory story, were there any woefully out-of-date inventory stories you chose-slash-had to run? And if so, what did have to do to update it?
Were there ever any plans for a Tom Taylor written “Bendis New Avengers” roster book? I ask because he wrote that team first in the Hunt for Wolverine: Adamantium Agenda miniseries and then again in a War of the Realms one shot. It felt to me like he was building up to something and that never coming to fruition feels like a real missed opportunity. Love that roster and would love to see it again some day.
Tom, you mentioned a few weeks ago that Jean will be involved in the next cosmic event that will happen next year. I wonder if that will be a big event like Judgement Day or it will be more contained like Sins Of Sinister?
Just a PSA for those intrigued by Tom’s note on Jungle Comics: the current issue of Roy Thomas’ “Alter Ego” (#190) has a huge article on, uh…, jungle comics.
Tom, can we expect an official trailer for "RAID ON GRAYMALKIN" when the crossover is close to release? Or even one for Psylocke's new solo series? I have to say, this is turning out to be one of the most fun parts of From The Ashes.
"But just by having stolen the Yellowjacket gear, she was certainly going to be a villain with ties to Hank Pym, as you suggest."
Except that's not how it worked out for Scott Lang after he stole Hank's Ant-Man gear....(yeah, Scott was reformed when he did it, was doing it to save his daughter's life, and at the end of his intro two-parter Hank gave Scott his blessing to continue to use it heroically. Still, it is an existence proof that stealing a Pym outfit and gear doesn't automatically make you a long term villain)
Good point - although Stern seemed to write Rita as a more hardened character - especially during the Siege storyline (although she seemed not as bad when compared to Hyde or the Wrecking crew). They seemed to be setting up a mystery in regards to her true identity and how she knew about Pym and the old gear.
For assistants who went on to become famous in their own right, I'd suggest looking back at the Golden Age of comic strips. Jules Feiffer assisted Will Eisner on The Spirit for example. Or Frank Frazetta on Li'l Abner for Al Capp. Alex Raymond started as an assistant on strips such as Tim Tyler's Luck and Blondie. Etc. And there was an EC Comics story, of which I'm forgetting the title and can't find it online, where a comic strip's original creator hired uncredited assistants to write, draw, and letter the strip without telling them about each other. It doesn't end well when the three learn about each other and how the original creator is actually not doing any work on the strip other than signing his name any more...
Thanks! Yes, I've heard some of these gold- and silver-age stories, and I was hoping Tom might have insight into what extent it happened at Marvel in the "Bullpen Days" or more recently.
Hey, Tom! With Marvel Unlimited's incredible handiness as a reference tool for editors especially, I began to wonder what became of Marvel's old school back issue archives, if there were any.
Does Marvel still store a hardcopy archive of published material akin to the Criterion Closet in this digital age?
Oeming's Thor projects were really wonderful--"Blood Oath" in particular is a little gem, a story that puts Thor and the Warriors Three in some new-to-them but very appropriate circumstances, with gorgeous Scott Kolins art.
Now that the True Believers line appears to have gone the way of all amazing bargains, who is making decisions about what issues get facsimile reprints? (And has there been any consideration of doing facsimile reprints on newsprint? I love the newsprint reprints DC has been doing.)
For the record, I never felt "robbed'. At this specific moment I was severely overworked and trying to bring the conclusion to more than one title that had met its end due to the sales numbers at the time. It was pretty stressful and I found that most of my editors were also stressed about books being cancelled. I thought this was a good fit in and am glad to see it get its place in the run of the title instead of shoved into one of those inventory eater books. It really was sad learning we only had a few issues left, just as we seemed to be getting going in the right direction.
Speaking of the Heroes return era of Thor (Jurgens/JRJR) - I had read that there was a 'bake off' at the time that included writers like Roger Stern, Kurt Busiek and even David Quinn (which would have been wild)!
Any recollection on what those pitches were about?
And do you still do 'bake off' pitches for titles among writers/creative teams?
I'd have happily pitched for THOR if I hadn't already been writing AVENGERS, IRON MAN, THUNDERBOLTS and ASTRO CITY. And likely AVENGERS FOREVER by that point, too.
Though if I'd pitched for it, I'd have tried to talk Tom out of a bake-off, as I did with UNTOLD TALES.
Have you ever been surprised by how much fans liked/were okay with a pairing or the idea of a pairing? One example that comes to mind to me is how many Spider-Man fans actually found the idea of Peter being paired up with Carol Danvers pretty interesting. Granted, that went nowhere, but I still recall fans were alright with it
I'd love to know more about how editors work with the MCU. I'm not trying to get a scoop, so we'll work with the hypothetical that the MCU right now is planning their first X-Men film.
When do you, as X-Men editor, find out? Script phase? Same time as us? Are there any external drivers (or internal ones) to make sure the film characters are also playing prominent roles in the comics? Do you ever advise, or get early access?
Hey! Quick Question
In NYX, we see that the Stepford Cuckoos have been able to almost perfectly wield telekinesis. I wonder is it in the cards to see Emma use these same powers as well, since they are genetically the same kinda?
Excellent question! I would love to see a bit of explanation for their new telekinesis powers. And if they are able to do it, shouldn’t Emma also be able to? Not that Emma needs it, she’s more than powerful already.
Regarding the Deathlok inventory story, were there any woefully out-of-date inventory stories you chose-slash-had to run? And if so, what did have to do to update it?
Were there ever any plans for a Tom Taylor written “Bendis New Avengers” roster book? I ask because he wrote that team first in the Hunt for Wolverine: Adamantium Agenda miniseries and then again in a War of the Realms one shot. It felt to me like he was building up to something and that never coming to fruition feels like a real missed opportunity. Love that roster and would love to see it again some day.
Tom, you mentioned a few weeks ago that Jean will be involved in the next cosmic event that will happen next year. I wonder if that will be a big event like Judgement Day or it will be more contained like Sins Of Sinister?
Thanks for the answer, Tom. Fingers crossed for the DeMatteis Omni then...
Oh, and it's Rol, not Roi. But you're forgiven.
Just a PSA for those intrigued by Tom’s note on Jungle Comics: the current issue of Roy Thomas’ “Alter Ego” (#190) has a huge article on, uh…, jungle comics.
Tom, can we expect an official trailer for "RAID ON GRAYMALKIN" when the crossover is close to release? Or even one for Psylocke's new solo series? I have to say, this is turning out to be one of the most fun parts of From The Ashes.
"But just by having stolen the Yellowjacket gear, she was certainly going to be a villain with ties to Hank Pym, as you suggest."
Except that's not how it worked out for Scott Lang after he stole Hank's Ant-Man gear....(yeah, Scott was reformed when he did it, was doing it to save his daughter's life, and at the end of his intro two-parter Hank gave Scott his blessing to continue to use it heroically. Still, it is an existence proof that stealing a Pym outfit and gear doesn't automatically make you a long term villain)
Good point - although Stern seemed to write Rita as a more hardened character - especially during the Siege storyline (although she seemed not as bad when compared to Hyde or the Wrecking crew). They seemed to be setting up a mystery in regards to her true identity and how she knew about Pym and the old gear.
For assistants who went on to become famous in their own right, I'd suggest looking back at the Golden Age of comic strips. Jules Feiffer assisted Will Eisner on The Spirit for example. Or Frank Frazetta on Li'l Abner for Al Capp. Alex Raymond started as an assistant on strips such as Tim Tyler's Luck and Blondie. Etc. And there was an EC Comics story, of which I'm forgetting the title and can't find it online, where a comic strip's original creator hired uncredited assistants to write, draw, and letter the strip without telling them about each other. It doesn't end well when the three learn about each other and how the original creator is actually not doing any work on the strip other than signing his name any more...
That would be "Success Story" from CREEPY 1 by Archie Goodwin and Al Williamson.
Thanks! Yes, I've heard some of these gold- and silver-age stories, and I was hoping Tom might have insight into what extent it happened at Marvel in the "Bullpen Days" or more recently.
Hey, Tom! With Marvel Unlimited's incredible handiness as a reference tool for editors especially, I began to wonder what became of Marvel's old school back issue archives, if there were any.
Does Marvel still store a hardcopy archive of published material akin to the Criterion Closet in this digital age?
Oeming's Thor projects were really wonderful--"Blood Oath" in particular is a little gem, a story that puts Thor and the Warriors Three in some new-to-them but very appropriate circumstances, with gorgeous Scott Kolins art.
Now that the True Believers line appears to have gone the way of all amazing bargains, who is making decisions about what issues get facsimile reprints? (And has there been any consideration of doing facsimile reprints on newsprint? I love the newsprint reprints DC has been doing.)
For the record, I never felt "robbed'. At this specific moment I was severely overworked and trying to bring the conclusion to more than one title that had met its end due to the sales numbers at the time. It was pretty stressful and I found that most of my editors were also stressed about books being cancelled. I thought this was a good fit in and am glad to see it get its place in the run of the title instead of shoved into one of those inventory eater books. It really was sad learning we only had a few issues left, just as we seemed to be getting going in the right direction.
Speaking of the Heroes return era of Thor (Jurgens/JRJR) - I had read that there was a 'bake off' at the time that included writers like Roger Stern, Kurt Busiek and even David Quinn (which would have been wild)!
Any recollection on what those pitches were about?
And do you still do 'bake off' pitches for titles among writers/creative teams?
I'd have happily pitched for THOR if I hadn't already been writing AVENGERS, IRON MAN, THUNDERBOLTS and ASTRO CITY. And likely AVENGERS FOREVER by that point, too.
Though if I'd pitched for it, I'd have tried to talk Tom out of a bake-off, as I did with UNTOLD TALES.
I just watched an interview with Ryan North where he mentioned that he got assigned his current Fantastic Four run via bake off!
Have you ever been surprised by how much fans liked/were okay with a pairing or the idea of a pairing? One example that comes to mind to me is how many Spider-Man fans actually found the idea of Peter being paired up with Carol Danvers pretty interesting. Granted, that went nowhere, but I still recall fans were alright with it
I'd love to know more about how editors work with the MCU. I'm not trying to get a scoop, so we'll work with the hypothetical that the MCU right now is planning their first X-Men film.
When do you, as X-Men editor, find out? Script phase? Same time as us? Are there any external drivers (or internal ones) to make sure the film characters are also playing prominent roles in the comics? Do you ever advise, or get early access?
Tom what's your favorite single issue of x-men ever?