All right, we’re back at last with what ought to be a full and complete Newsletter after a couple of stopgap weeks, and there’s plenty to go over—so much so that I anticipate having to kick some of the material down the road a little bit.
I imagine the “Gorms” in “Space Ninja Gorms” is another way of spelling “Gomu”, as in rubber. “gomu” is also used in association with fellow stretchy man Luffy from One Piece.
"It isn’t impossible that this was an idea that was floated when we were bringing the character back in AVENGERS: NO SURRENDER, but I don’t have any recall of such a thing, so if it did come up there, it was an idea that was discarded relatively quickly."
I interviewed Al Ewing back in 2019 in Madrid an he said "At one point I had the idea that when the Hulk came back he could be gray again, like a really pale gray, with sort of red eyes and he would look like a corpse. And Tom basically said 'look, if he is coming back, he is green'." ( https://www.zonanegativa.com/heroes-comic-con-madrid-2019-entrevista-a-al-ewing/ )
So, according to Al himself, you did play a part in this, even if you don't recall it. It sure sounded like it was a fleeting idea rapidly discarded, tho.
That version of Yellowjacket was from my fave Avengers run (Stern/Buscema) - Do you know what their original plans/origin were for her? They seemed to hint to a link to Hank Pym or to his assistant?
I seem to recall that Kurt Busiek also almost made her a Thunderbolt (which I think would have been cool).
I did want to use the Rita DeMara Yellowjacket in THUNDERBOLTS (and she'd been part of my proposed cast for an earlier stab at a reforming-villains series called AVENGERS: H.I.T. SQUAD.
But we thought she was in a too-complicated situation (she'd recently died in what might have been an alternate near-future, but it was mainline-her that died there) to have to try unpacking all that when we already had plenty else to explain. So we gave up on using her and found a way to use Screaming Mimi instead, by giving her a new real name, look, personality, history and powers.
And Songbird turned out really well, so I think that was the right choice.
Jim Starlin has always been a favorite of mine, especially in the 80s and 90s, and his Captain Marvel is still THE Captain Marvel as far as I'm concerned. So I'm really sorry to read about his overly egocentric reaction.
The incident with Al Milgrom was for Universe X: Spidey, cover dated Jan 2001, for than two years after Thanos #1. Infinity Abyss was also more than a year after that.
The cover for Daredevil #1 (2011) by Paolo Rivera is one of, if not my favorite cover of all time (miiight be tied with ASM #641). I remember the concept just blew me away when i first saw it. I have a poster of it signed by Stan Lee (I'll get Paolo and Mark Waid sigs one day). I still find myself staring at it, reading all the sound effects of the cityscape. Do you have any insight/background/history on how the cover/concept came to be? Thanks!
First of all, MrBrevoort, I hope that the floods this last weekend have not affected you or your family. I really liked the return to normality of your blog, it is very interesting and although there are no plans for Spider even in Avengers Office -Woman and in November have a regular series that is something great and enormous. Are there other plans for her within MARVEL in 2024? Do you think this crazy Spider-Woman fan will be happy in 2024? Thank you so much.
I have greatly enjoyed reading the Mighty Marvel Masterworks collections with my kids, as I don't have to vet the content of the majority of those 1960s stories. I have also loved collecting the "True Believers #1" $0.99 reprint books from a few years ago as well as the current releases of facsimile comics. Is there a plan to do another facsimile of Fantastic Four #1 (1961) as the printing from 2018 now costs more on the resell market than many of the Epic Collection books. In terms of selecting which comics receive facsimiles, is it the sales department (like the variant covers answer from this week) or are in-house Marvel "historians" consulted on issues that deserve a facsimile edition?
Is this the first appearance of the particular bar on page 7 of G.O.D.S. #1 (I won't repeat its name so everyone can enjoy the reveal)? Or has it made its way into older Marvel issues?
Dear Tom, may I know what is in store for the character, Clint Barton, aka Hawkeye? I know it's a silly question to ask. But I really miss Hawkeye a lot since the beginning of 2023. He didn't show up anywhere in Marvel runs aside from being in flashbacks. Every big name hero has their own ongoing runs and even freaking guest star. But Clint Barton, on the other end looks like he has completely vanished from the year of 2023 with no presence with him at all. It's almost year end of 2023. At least, let Clint live out throughout the remaining months, and don't tell me, Marvel even forgot about him especially 2024 is the 60th Anniversary of his debut or else I won't be nice about the way Marvel writers treat him.
Is it true that there won't be a third Ewing/Rodriguez Defenders series? From the text itself and interviews at the time it seemed like they were setting up another book but Al later mentioned in his newsletter that they "guessed wrong" about Marvel wanting a third series. That along with how long it's been since Defenders Beyond seems pretty conclusive but I can't help but hold out hope that there might be more one day (fwiw I think that book is Al's best Marvel work outside of Hulk and Javier might be the best artist working in superhero comics today). Is this an issue editors run into often - creators risking what they put into a story assuming they'll get more runway, and how often does this actually work for them?
So if my math is right (but that's never been my forte), your 25+ years tenure as Avengers editor could end (emphasis on could since we readers don't know obviously when it will end exactly) roughly 20 years or so after Avengers Disassembled or New Avengers #1 (the start of the Bendis era as we all know), a year or so before Avengers #800 (published in early 2026 in theory).
I know it's a project that would never be greenlighted but I've long been curious if anyone has ever pitched or broached pitching ending the Eternals Saga from the point where volume one was canceled, setting it in the world of that series with no MU crossover. It's always been a fertile thought experiment for me and I'm just a lifelong reader.
Also, I am a fan of Rita being an Avenger and a hero, as she learned to be in her time with the Guardians of the Galaxy. I've even thought up a way around Stark killing her that doesn't retcon her death.
Any upcoming or recent novels that you would recommend?
I imagine the “Gorms” in “Space Ninja Gorms” is another way of spelling “Gomu”, as in rubber. “gomu” is also used in association with fellow stretchy man Luffy from One Piece.
"It isn’t impossible that this was an idea that was floated when we were bringing the character back in AVENGERS: NO SURRENDER, but I don’t have any recall of such a thing, so if it did come up there, it was an idea that was discarded relatively quickly."
I interviewed Al Ewing back in 2019 in Madrid an he said "At one point I had the idea that when the Hulk came back he could be gray again, like a really pale gray, with sort of red eyes and he would look like a corpse. And Tom basically said 'look, if he is coming back, he is green'." ( https://www.zonanegativa.com/heroes-comic-con-madrid-2019-entrevista-a-al-ewing/ )
So, according to Al himself, you did play a part in this, even if you don't recall it. It sure sounded like it was a fleeting idea rapidly discarded, tho.
That version of Yellowjacket was from my fave Avengers run (Stern/Buscema) - Do you know what their original plans/origin were for her? They seemed to hint to a link to Hank Pym or to his assistant?
I seem to recall that Kurt Busiek also almost made her a Thunderbolt (which I think would have been cool).
Another great newsletter Tom!! Thank you!
I did want to use the Rita DeMara Yellowjacket in THUNDERBOLTS (and she'd been part of my proposed cast for an earlier stab at a reforming-villains series called AVENGERS: H.I.T. SQUAD.
But we thought she was in a too-complicated situation (she'd recently died in what might have been an alternate near-future, but it was mainline-her that died there) to have to try unpacking all that when we already had plenty else to explain. So we gave up on using her and found a way to use Screaming Mimi instead, by giving her a new real name, look, personality, history and powers.
And Songbird turned out really well, so I think that was the right choice.
Thanks Kurt! I loved the T-Bolts and Songbird grew into a fave character as well during your run!!
Jim Starlin has always been a favorite of mine, especially in the 80s and 90s, and his Captain Marvel is still THE Captain Marvel as far as I'm concerned. So I'm really sorry to read about his overly egocentric reaction.
The incident with Al Milgrom was for Universe X: Spidey, cover dated Jan 2001, for than two years after Thanos #1. Infinity Abyss was also more than a year after that.
The cover for Daredevil #1 (2011) by Paolo Rivera is one of, if not my favorite cover of all time (miiight be tied with ASM #641). I remember the concept just blew me away when i first saw it. I have a poster of it signed by Stan Lee (I'll get Paolo and Mark Waid sigs one day). I still find myself staring at it, reading all the sound effects of the cityscape. Do you have any insight/background/history on how the cover/concept came to be? Thanks!
Now that you've been back in the office a few weeks, how is it different from telecommuting?
First of all, MrBrevoort, I hope that the floods this last weekend have not affected you or your family. I really liked the return to normality of your blog, it is very interesting and although there are no plans for Spider even in Avengers Office -Woman and in November have a regular series that is something great and enormous. Are there other plans for her within MARVEL in 2024? Do you think this crazy Spider-Woman fan will be happy in 2024? Thank you so much.
I have greatly enjoyed reading the Mighty Marvel Masterworks collections with my kids, as I don't have to vet the content of the majority of those 1960s stories. I have also loved collecting the "True Believers #1" $0.99 reprint books from a few years ago as well as the current releases of facsimile comics. Is there a plan to do another facsimile of Fantastic Four #1 (1961) as the printing from 2018 now costs more on the resell market than many of the Epic Collection books. In terms of selecting which comics receive facsimiles, is it the sales department (like the variant covers answer from this week) or are in-house Marvel "historians" consulted on issues that deserve a facsimile edition?
Is this the first appearance of the particular bar on page 7 of G.O.D.S. #1 (I won't repeat its name so everyone can enjoy the reveal)? Or has it made its way into older Marvel issues?
Dear Tom, may I know what is in store for the character, Clint Barton, aka Hawkeye? I know it's a silly question to ask. But I really miss Hawkeye a lot since the beginning of 2023. He didn't show up anywhere in Marvel runs aside from being in flashbacks. Every big name hero has their own ongoing runs and even freaking guest star. But Clint Barton, on the other end looks like he has completely vanished from the year of 2023 with no presence with him at all. It's almost year end of 2023. At least, let Clint live out throughout the remaining months, and don't tell me, Marvel even forgot about him especially 2024 is the 60th Anniversary of his debut or else I won't be nice about the way Marvel writers treat him.
Is it true that there won't be a third Ewing/Rodriguez Defenders series? From the text itself and interviews at the time it seemed like they were setting up another book but Al later mentioned in his newsletter that they "guessed wrong" about Marvel wanting a third series. That along with how long it's been since Defenders Beyond seems pretty conclusive but I can't help but hold out hope that there might be more one day (fwiw I think that book is Al's best Marvel work outside of Hulk and Javier might be the best artist working in superhero comics today). Is this an issue editors run into often - creators risking what they put into a story assuming they'll get more runway, and how often does this actually work for them?
So if my math is right (but that's never been my forte), your 25+ years tenure as Avengers editor could end (emphasis on could since we readers don't know obviously when it will end exactly) roughly 20 years or so after Avengers Disassembled or New Avengers #1 (the start of the Bendis era as we all know), a year or so before Avengers #800 (published in early 2026 in theory).
I know it's a project that would never be greenlighted but I've long been curious if anyone has ever pitched or broached pitching ending the Eternals Saga from the point where volume one was canceled, setting it in the world of that series with no MU crossover. It's always been a fertile thought experiment for me and I'm just a lifelong reader.
Also, I am a fan of Rita being an Avenger and a hero, as she learned to be in her time with the Guardians of the Galaxy. I've even thought up a way around Stark killing her that doesn't retcon her death.