Tom! Bit of two-parter: Was there any specific reason you can share why Michael Chabon didn't wanna do FF? And do you have any other wishlist writers like him or Lethem, literary types you'd like to see in the ol' bullpen?
Tom - I checked out Moon Knight 25 last week (Miller cover) and loved it. Ill be checking out back issues of this run (really enjoyed the deep cut villains as well).
What I really enjoyed is that it had a pulpy action and fast paced feel. Intelligent action that I feel has been missing from a lot of comics these days. Action/adventure done in a propulsive way. Any other similar series you can recommend?
Similar to the Ennis or Dixon Punisher runs, the Moench MK run (loved the reprint in this issue as well), the Oneil edited Batman run..is this something you enjoy and think there is a market for?
I loved Gerber's Omega so much that I almost never read Lethem's. I'm glad I did. It was like an Earth-2 version of the characters and concepts I loved. The Defenders wrap up? I've read since that it wasn't meant to be mean-spirited but when I read it, it felt like it was a middle finger to Omega fans.
I'd long given up on finding out how the series should have ended but it's still saddens me I will never know how the Gerber genius would have ended things.
I was a big fan of Lethem and Dalrymple's Omega. Despite being a lifelong comics fan, I had no exposure to the Gerber/Skrenes/Mooney original and Lethem was what drew me to the project. I think it holds up as a great self-contained Marvel project, and it led me to pick up the original series, which I loved as its own thing. I kind of saw Lethem's treatment as the "Blade Runner" to Gerber's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" - a unique adaptation of the source material that goes in its own, equally odd and impressive direction. It's sad to hear that Gerber was so negative on the project.
Chabon on the FF certainly could have been interesting. Curious as to what other writers from outside of (mainstream) comics were or could have been considered for projects around that time. I think there have been plenty of successes in the intervening years (I liked a lot of Duane Swierczynski's stuff when he first leaped from prose to comics, Walter Mosley's Thing mini was quite good, etc.) but a lot of those writers were already considered "genre" authors whereas Lethem started his career with a bonkers sci-fi novel but won acclaim as a "literary" author. I always thought Umberto Eco would have gotten around to writing one honest-to-goodness work-for-hire Big Two comic before he passed away, but I guess it was not to be.
You've mentioned how much you loved the 100-Page Monster comics, with lots of reprints for very little additional money, and that the buying public felt otherwise. Are there other trends where your heart and John Q Public disagree? "Boy, for some reason people like Captain America over Captain Ultra: Captain Ultra has so many more colors in his costume!"
Thanks for answering my question! And for the recommendations of other books about Superman, I’ll have to add them to the list. Have a great week! Thanks again for everything!
Tom, it seems to me from the outside looking in that you can go one of two ways as a Marvel editor: toward the “Marvel heroes” (the Avengers, etc.), or the X-Men. Is that true to any extent? If so, do you recall when you made “the choice”? Did you? And do you have an idea of what YOUR X-Men book would be? At least before the Krakoan age? Or even now?
As a comic historian, I'm hoping you could help. At the end of Iron Man 214 and Spectacular Spider-Man 126 (from around 1986/87), Marvel teases a Spider-Woman series starring Julia Carpenter, written by Danny Fingeroth and drawn by Keith Pollard.
As far as I can see, this series never happened (there is a later series in 1993 written by other people), but I can find no mention of it existing beyond the teases in those pages.
Do you have any idea what may have happened in this case?
Tom! Bit of two-parter: Was there any specific reason you can share why Michael Chabon didn't wanna do FF? And do you have any other wishlist writers like him or Lethem, literary types you'd like to see in the ol' bullpen?
Thanks for the response, Tom! Could really relate. Have a great week.
Tom - I checked out Moon Knight 25 last week (Miller cover) and loved it. Ill be checking out back issues of this run (really enjoyed the deep cut villains as well).
What I really enjoyed is that it had a pulpy action and fast paced feel. Intelligent action that I feel has been missing from a lot of comics these days. Action/adventure done in a propulsive way. Any other similar series you can recommend?
Similar to the Ennis or Dixon Punisher runs, the Moench MK run (loved the reprint in this issue as well), the Oneil edited Batman run..is this something you enjoy and think there is a market for?
look i don't wanna note Robert to death but surely it's gotta be "hats ON to you" right?
I loved Gerber's Omega so much that I almost never read Lethem's. I'm glad I did. It was like an Earth-2 version of the characters and concepts I loved. The Defenders wrap up? I've read since that it wasn't meant to be mean-spirited but when I read it, it felt like it was a middle finger to Omega fans.
I'd long given up on finding out how the series should have ended but it's still saddens me I will never know how the Gerber genius would have ended things.
How about, "Hats all, folks!"
(Apologies if this has already been suggested...long time reader, first time commenter)
I was a big fan of Lethem and Dalrymple's Omega. Despite being a lifelong comics fan, I had no exposure to the Gerber/Skrenes/Mooney original and Lethem was what drew me to the project. I think it holds up as a great self-contained Marvel project, and it led me to pick up the original series, which I loved as its own thing. I kind of saw Lethem's treatment as the "Blade Runner" to Gerber's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" - a unique adaptation of the source material that goes in its own, equally odd and impressive direction. It's sad to hear that Gerber was so negative on the project.
Chabon on the FF certainly could have been interesting. Curious as to what other writers from outside of (mainstream) comics were or could have been considered for projects around that time. I think there have been plenty of successes in the intervening years (I liked a lot of Duane Swierczynski's stuff when he first leaped from prose to comics, Walter Mosley's Thing mini was quite good, etc.) but a lot of those writers were already considered "genre" authors whereas Lethem started his career with a bonkers sci-fi novel but won acclaim as a "literary" author. I always thought Umberto Eco would have gotten around to writing one honest-to-goodness work-for-hire Big Two comic before he passed away, but I guess it was not to be.
Hi, Tom! Looks like you skipped an issue of AVENGERS UNLIMITED at some point; my and David's first issue is on July 18.
You've mentioned how much you loved the 100-Page Monster comics, with lots of reprints for very little additional money, and that the buying public felt otherwise. Are there other trends where your heart and John Q Public disagree? "Boy, for some reason people like Captain America over Captain Ultra: Captain Ultra has so many more colors in his costume!"
Thanks for answering my question! And for the recommendations of other books about Superman, I’ll have to add them to the list. Have a great week! Thanks again for everything!
Tom, it seems to me from the outside looking in that you can go one of two ways as a Marvel editor: toward the “Marvel heroes” (the Avengers, etc.), or the X-Men. Is that true to any extent? If so, do you recall when you made “the choice”? Did you? And do you have an idea of what YOUR X-Men book would be? At least before the Krakoan age? Or even now?
As a comic historian, I'm hoping you could help. At the end of Iron Man 214 and Spectacular Spider-Man 126 (from around 1986/87), Marvel teases a Spider-Woman series starring Julia Carpenter, written by Danny Fingeroth and drawn by Keith Pollard.
As far as I can see, this series never happened (there is a later series in 1993 written by other people), but I can find no mention of it existing beyond the teases in those pages.
Do you have any idea what may have happened in this case?