Joe Quesada: What's He Not Saying Now?

Owenashi

Concidering that we've had some fun cheering or roasting his quotes, teases and decisions here, I decided to put this post up so we could concentrate all that love and hate for him and where he's leading Marvel to in one spot (and see if we can break the Internet ourselves with it). To start us off, I bring you some of his latest comments from his Joe Friday's article at Newsarama, with some appropriate spoiler block for those that don't want any hints about CW's ending and other outcomes.

Civil War Fallout:

Joe Fridays wrote:

[spoiler:e13e9b2104]RQ: mattguthrie 12- I was wondering with the 50 States Initiative will we see a return of the West Coast Avengers? I know it all depends on who wins the CW if we see the 50 State Initiative but I was wondering if we would at least see a few super teams based outside of New York? Maybe other large cities like L.A. or Chicago? (and the Great Lake Avengers don't count, lol)

JQ: Mattguthrie 12, you're just going to have to wait and see what happens. Can you live with the return of the New Warriors for now?

NRAMA: Wrapping up for this week Joe, we're starting to see glimpses of what the Marvel Universe is going to look like following Civil War. One thing that's still hanging out there - Dan Slott's book. Can you finally say what it is going to be and what it's about?

JQ: I'm not going to go into detail, but it's called Avengers: The Initiative.

Wait, hold on…

What's that… that sound?

Is it… is it… yes it is!

I think I just heard the slightest bit of breaking across the internet!

NRAMA: We've seen an "Initiative" in Civil War, which was part of the Pro-Reg side's plan to have teams of super heroes in each state. Is that what we're talking about here, or has the term been appropriated by others for their own use?

JQ: Well, that is kind of the question isn't it? To reveal that would give away a very interesting plot point of Civil War, so be happy you got that much out of me [laughs].

NRAMA: Well then, going back to what you said, this is one of those scripts that is already generating quite a lot of buzz in the Marvel offices, and, as you've said, was one of the only books to make the cut at the Marvel Editorial summit. What is it about this book that just has everyone so jazzed?

JQ: Dan Slott's ideas. I've now sat in a few creative meetings with Dan and he is really coming of age here. I will say this and I kid you not, when it comes to creative spit balling, he is right up there with Bendis, JMS, Millar, Loeb and Brubaker. Dan Slott is the real deal, he's impressed us to no end, we just have to figure out a way to get him to write faster! He is the biggest superstar in comics that no one knows about.

NRAMA: How many issues, and when will it launch?

JQ: Currently it's planned as a six issue series. Of course, with enough fan support, you never know what may happen afterwards.[/spoiler:e13e9b2104]

Writer/Artists/Future Projects:

Joe Fridays wrote:

[spoiler:e13e9b2104] RQ: softverre - Is a Bryan Singer/Steve McNiven Ultimate X-Men arc still planned? When will it hit stores?

And do you have some dates for the following projects: Silver Surfer: Requiem, Logan, Marvels: Eye of The Camera, Shanna by Gray and Palmiotti, Thor by JMS and Olivier Coipel, 1985, Genext, Marvel Zombies II?

JQ: Okay here goes…

Singer/McNiven/ Ultimate X-Men- we'll see, but hopefully 2007
Silver Surfer Requiem- Late 2007
Logan-Late 2007
Marvel's Eye of the Camera- I suspect you'll see this in 2007 but it may fall into early 2008.
Shanna- August of 2007
Thor- In 2007
1985- It's a long shot for 2007, I'd say 2008 to be sure.
Genext- Chris is slowly getting back to work so this will depend on his workload.
Marvel Zombies II- Late summer.

RQ: Bruce Leroy - I don't know if this has been asked before or not, but any chance of a Luke Cage solo book? All of his less popular (but still cool) buddies get their own book, when is he going to get his?

JQ: No plans for a solo book, Bruce Leroy, but you will be getting a heaping dose of Luke Cage in several books in 2007 in particular, a Marvel Knights four issue mini series...

RQ: barthufo - Mike Carey had this to say to a poster on his message board:

"Cable's going to be somewhat on the sidelines in Primary Infection but very much front and centre in Condition Critical. I can't say anything about X-crossovers at this stage, but I can say that in the Summer of '07 Cable is going to be in the spotlight in an extreme and spectacular way."

So how big is this X-Crossover? Is it going to involve the X-Universe as a whole, or is it pretty much just gonna be the X-Men? Will any characters outside the X-Universe be involved, i.e. Spider-Man, the Avengers, FF, etc.?

RQ: Elixir - So we've known for a while about the "smaller than Civil War" scale World War Hulk, but now judging by what has been said in recent interviews, there's also going to be a big X-event around summer 2007, involving all the X books as well as "something big" going on with the Spider-Man line and being told that it's going to be "Spider-Man's year"...

With confirmation that World War Hulk will be having at least some spin offs (a three-part X-Men: World War Hulk has been briefly mentioned), isn't this getting a bit much? I mean, if the stories are good then fine, but at some point we need some breathing space between events.

I mean X only just had HoM and Decimation, Spidey recently had "The Other"...

And won't having three things running at once cause them to take attention away from each other?

JQ: Barthufo, while it's too early to give details about this, it's going to be pretty huge within the context of the X universe. The event will involve virtually everyone in the X-Men Universe. It will be structured as an old-school X-Men event, cutting across several titles over three months. The inciting incident will be huge, and its shock waves will be felt for years. Will it involve other Marvel characters, I can say for certain, but in it's early stages the answer is no.

As for the rest of your question. I've been saying that WWH wouldn't be as big as Civil War and it doesn't even come close. It's going to be very tight, but yes it does have some spin off book. But if you're not reading Hulk and you're not interested, just skip it. As for our Spider event and X event, well, look at the Other and House of M, while they came out in the same year, they were at different intervals. We have 12 months to play with and we are working very hard to make sure that these events don't step on one and other. It's not good for you and it isn't good for us. That said, these three things, WWH, Spidey and X events are very inclusive and don't bleed out to the extent of effecting a large majority of Marvel titles. Heck, the Spider event effects nothing but the Spider books just as The Other did.

Also, we've always driven our publishing plan through story events. Heck, there's an event going on right now in X-Men, we've just been low key about it because Civil War is our current focus. To me, this is nothing new in our publishing scheme. I do however understand your point and why you may feel that way. Civil War has been a monster of an event, it's wide reaching and includes a lot of titles. It also overlapped with DC's biggest event, so in the context of all of that, I can see how series like World War Hulk may sound to an event weary fan or retailer. Let me assure you, that when we get to the next big story, at least on Marvel's end, you'll understand what I mean. World War Hulk is the palette cleanser to Civil War, it's the delicious green sorbet at the end of the meal.

NRAMA: Sorbet?

JQ: Sorbet.

RQ: Chakra - Can you tell us more about Jeff Parker's and Mike Wieringo's upcoming Spider-Man/Fantastic Four mini? When is it set, etc etc.

JQ: Four issue starting in April titled simply Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four. It's set far away from the hubub of Civil War and Pete and the FF's current predicaments. So we get to simply play with the idea of these five heroes working together to save the world before they drive each other crazy. Parker and Wieringo have created a story that starts in Manhattan, but soon takes us to other exotic locales giving lots of chances for Ringo to get his monster on! We're not trying to recreate the wheel, but we do want to remind the world why Spidey and FF is the crème de la crème of Superhero team-ups.

RQ: motteditor - Joe, now that Beyond #6 is out, what's next for this group of heroes. I'd love to see more of some of the lesser-used guys (Hood and Firebird primarily).

And what should we expect with Gravity? (Spoilers for Beyond #6): Marvel seems to have invested a lot of effort in the character, and that last page certainly sent some ambiguous messages about what's next.

RQ: Dash -The Beyond clearly states that Gravity's death will have long-lasting ramifications. When will we be seeing those? Can you give us any hints as to where or in what books, so I can buy them?

And with so few new characters making any kind of traction in mainstream superhero comics these days, can you give us any insight into why you decided to kill Gravity, arguably the best received new hero in the Marvel Universe in a very long time? While I don't expect him to be angry, as creating a character within an existing company tends to lend itself to a loss of control over their handling, how does Sean McKeever feel about this (assuming of course that killing him wasn't McKeever's idea, or that you're not just planning to bring him back right away?)

JQ: Motteditor, you managed to get at least one question in every week. I personally think it's time for Matt to put you on the payroll. Waddaya say, Matt?

NRAMA:- La la la la la, I can't hear you….

JQ: While you won't be seeing the Beyond cast as a group again any time soon, most of the individual characters will all be making appearances in upcoming Marvel titles during the coming year. Hank and Jan will both be around in Mighty Avengers, Venom is a key player in Warren Ellis' Thunderbolts beginning with #110, Medusa plays a part in Silent War, the Hood will be showing up in New Avengers, and most of the others are attached to projects far enough down the line that we're not ready to speak about them yet.

As far as Gravity goes, Dwayne McDuffie will be following up on his death and the Watcher's cryptic statement in Fantastic Four #545 in a few short months.

RQ: Skatonic10 - This week, the solicitation for Moon Knight #9 reads:

MOON KNIGHT #9
Written by CHARLIE HUSTON
Penciled by MICO SUAYAN
Cover by DAVID FINCH
"MIDNIGHT SUN: PART 3: FOR THE OCCASION"

So is Finch done on Moon Knight, or is Suayan just a fill in? I think many people would agree that David's art is one of the drawing points for the book, and that - just as you have stated in the past - most would rather wait an extra couple of weeks for the book drawn by Mr. Finch and not by another artist (no offense to Mico Suayan).

JQ: Hey, Skatonic, David is moving on to some amazing projects that I think will blow you away down the road. David has been so instrumental in the launching of Moon Knight that it's next to impossible to imagine the book without him, but we think you're going to dig what Mico brings to the table. As a matter of fact, Newsarama will be showing a sample of Mico's art this week. I think that when you see it, you'll agree that while it's tough to replace a genius like Dave Finch, Mico is definitely a talent to keep an eye on.

NRAMA: Finally - the editorial retreat is still coming up next week - any clues as to some of the bigger issues on the table?

JQ:We'll be going over a lot of stuff, most of it a tightening to our post Civil War plan, fallout from World War Hulk, the life and times of Peter Parker, the future of the Ultimate Universe, the repositioning of the X-Men and this little idea that Bendis has had percolating for the world of Avengers.

Outside of that, not much.[/spoiler:e13e9b2104]

Unexplained Plot Devices/Screw-ups:

Joe Fridays wrote:

[spoiler:e13e9b2104] RQ: pendragon12 - In Wolverine #43, Nitro blasted Wolverine apart, with only his skeleton showing. Then he's completely healed. When Nitro was done, all we could see was bones. No tendons. No cartilage. No ligaments. That would mean the knee should have been in four separate pieces. Patella, femur, fibula, muscles, & tibia should have been destroyed at first. Unable to keep the knee together. And with the force of the blast, they would have separated. How did his healing factor keep the knee together? It doesn't seem possible. Please explain.

JQ: Great question, Pendragon! Just roll with it. As soon as I can figure out how to explain how bones can be laced with metal, beams shoot out of people's eyes and how a man can fly, I'll have the answer ;-)

In all seriousness, the answer is in your question, all you could SEE were bones. Also, check out Wolverine #48 for more on this.

RQ: Captain616 - What the heck's going on between the Black Knight, the Black Panther, Captain Britain and New Excalibur?

At the start of Hudlin's run the Black Knight appears as a bad guy for hire, with the Ebony Blade which he lost some years ago. Then the Panther takes the sword.

A few months later Dane turns up in New Excalibur, with the sword which T'Challa still has in his possession, in a three part story teaching us that only Dane can carry the burden of that sword, even though it will eventually turn him mad.

And now the Panther is using the Ebony Blade to slash seven bells out of Iron Man, while Captain Britain turns up to try and take the blade back? What?

What's Cap even doing on American soil?

I am very confused. Can you help?

JQ: You know what, Captain616, yeah, what about that? I'm confused too. Editor Nick Lowe better have an answer for this or there's going to be hell to pay. Heh, I've been waiting for a moment to reprimand that annoying, squeaky clean, All-American runt. This is going to be good. What do you say Nick?

Nick Lowe: Joe, we certainly CAN help the good Captain out. The Black Knight in Black Panther wasn't ya' boy, Dane Whitman. It was an imposter who stole the sword from Dane. Now, since the imposter wasn't an idiot, he knew that if he outright stole the sword, Dane would come looking for it. So he replaced it with a different sword, so Dane didn't even know it was missing.

We're touching on this in New Excalibur #14-#15. Is that okay, Joe?

JQ: Ummm, yeah fine.

RQ: reinemann2 - Quick question. Will we be seeing any resolutions to dangling plot thread from Origin like why James' mommy had claw marks on her? And what about baby May from Spider-Man clone saga? Just curious. Keep up the good work, m'man!

JQ: reinemann2, Wolverine is like a fine onion, he is a man of many layers and sometimes he can make you cry. And like a fine onion, we will peel at the layers until one day perhaps we'll get to that story.

As for Baby May? Nope, never happened, I have no idea what you're talking about.

RQ: mikeyg - Joe, I'm a huge fan of Marvel Comics, but your paper stock is killing me. It warps in the heat, the ink rubs off on your fingers and this month the center page tore out of two of my books as I was reading them, Uncanny X-Men and Onslaught Reborn. Since it's the center page the staple just tore the flimsy paper as I was turning the page. Are there any plans to upgrade the paper stock to something a little more durable?

JQ: Hey, Mikeyg, I checked up and down the halls of Marvel today to see if anyone in editorial, sales or production have heard of this happening of late and as far as anyone can tell, this is the first we're hearing about this problem with our current paper stock. But, here's the thing, I don't doubt anything that you're saying here. You're suffering from a condition that is striking at the heart of every True Believer who is reading our current batch of Marvel titles. I'm very familiar with the symptoms, you're blood pressure is rising, you're at the edge of your seat, your palms are getting sweaty, you're brow's soaked and you're hands are shaking. Don't panic, it's been happening a lot and to be honest, outside of printing our comics on sweat proof Kevlar, I don't think there's anything I can do to help you in this matter.

RQ: riddlinloser - Earlier this year Mark Millar said "Ultimates will be done by the end of this year, Millar said, going a little off-topic, adding that he personally guarantees it, and will be at SDCC next year if it's not done, and people can punch him in the stomach." It is currently Dec 11th and still no Ultimates #13. So my question is will I be able to punch Mr. Millar or will the book come out by Dec 31st? Either way I'll be happy. Thanks!

JQ: riddlinloser, I can't wait to see you punch Mark!

RQ: LobsterJ - Over in the Marvel forums here there have been a few threads about Daniel Way with people arguing about his ***ish behavior to fans (and detractors) on his own messageboard and through email. Does Marvel have a policy regarding treatment of fans by pros? I assume not, since they are freelancers. Does someone's behavior/attitude have any impact on them continuing to get work from Marvel? Do you think having a disagreeable person on staff can be a detriment in an industry as small as comics with such little divide between creators and readers?

JQ: No, we have no control or say in what freelancers do in public forums. While I'm not familiar with what you're talking about with respect to Daniel, in all of my experiences with him in fan situations like conventions, he's always been incredibly humble and polite with everyone he encounters. Arguably a shy guy, especially in panels, I've never seen him act in any other way than a professional one. But heck, there are people right now reading this that at one point or another or on a consistent basis view me as a huge idiot. It comes with the territory as I see it. If you're on the net long enough (anything over 3 minutes), someone will eventually call you an ass.

But to the latter half of your question, yes, if we felt that a creator was operating in public forums in manners that we deemed inappropriate or harmful, we would absolutely take steps of one kind or another.[/spoiler:e13e9b2104]

robosagogo

I'm happy The Hood isn't being forgotten, but he's probably only going to be in New Avengers to get knocked out in two panels.

Is he serious about the New Warriors? New New Warriors, then?

Whippy

what did daniel way do

who the hell is daniel way

Servo

he's an artist

did some wolverine

i don't know what he did online to fans though

i assume he called them bullshit, like creators sometimes do

Owenashi

WhipstitchZombie wrote:

what did daniel way do

who the hell is daniel way

Here's the thread that explains it. Sounds like a nice guy..

http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=94069

And here's a quick news article on the new Dan Slott project mentioned by Quesada.

http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=94501

Squashua

Slott rocks.

Algertman

Slott rocks

to bad he'll never get huge at MARVEL as long as Bendis/Millar/Quesada are at the reigns constantly pushing their political views down the throats of the masses that continually buy garbage based of what WIZARD tells them to buy

SatanIsMyMotor

Algertman wrote:

Slott rocks

to bad he'll never get huge at MARVEL as long as Bendis/Millar/Quesada are at the reigns constantly pushing their political views down the throats of the masses that continually buy garbage based of what WIZARD tells them to buy

I like Bendis and Millar and I rarely read Wizard.

Algertman

SatanIsMyMotor wrote:

Algertman wrote:

Slott rocks

to bad he'll never get huge at MARVEL as long as Bendis/Millar/Quesada are at the reigns constantly pushing their political views down the throats of the masses that continually buy garbage based of what WIZARD tells them to buy

I like Bendis and Millar and I rarely read Wizard.

Some people think Micheal Turner and Greg Land are good artist

doesn't mean they have good taste

Saph

Algertman wrote:

SatanIsMyMotor wrote:

Algertman wrote:

Slott rocks

to bad he'll never get huge at MARVEL as long as Bendis/Millar/Quesada are at the reigns constantly pushing their political views down the throats of the masses that continually buy garbage based of what WIZARD tells them to buy

I like Bendis and Millar and I rarely read Wizard.

Some people think Micheal Turner and Greg Land are good artist

doesn't mean they have good taste

People who like Mark Millar, however, have excellent taste.

Red or Alive

I'm always surprised at how passionate people get about Mark Millar's "politics", considering that any and all political commentary is muted by the inevitable "America, Fuck Yeah!" endings of his Ultimates arcs.

SatanIsMyMotor

Algertman wrote:

SatanIsMyMotor wrote:

Algertman wrote:

Slott rocks

to bad he'll never get huge at MARVEL as long as Bendis/Millar/Quesada are at the reigns constantly pushing their political views down the throats of the masses that continually buy garbage based of what WIZARD tells them to buy

I like Bendis and Millar and I rarely read Wizard.

Some people think Micheal Turner and Greg Land are good artist

doesn't mean they have good taste

Are you seriously implying that anybody who reads comics period is a person with impeccable "taste"?

I LOL to you kind sir. LOL indeed.

Antibodies

What is this Genext? Is Q referring to Chris Bachalo maybe?

I don't understand why Marvel is bothering with a big Hulk or XMen push when they've got Spiderman 3 out this summer and needing love. All I really want is some status quo and stability in the Universe for a year or so with no bogus roster reshuffles or changing creative teams and not 3 guys controlling the whole universe barely giving any attention to the little books on thier plate. This is why I only buy stuff in trades these days.

Munkus Beaver

Red or Alive wrote:

I'm always surprised at how passionate people get about Mark Millar's "politics", considering that any and all political commentary is muted by the inevitable "America, Fuck Yeah!" endings of his Ultimates arcs.

DO YOU THINK THIS A STAND FOR FRANCE?

The_Lightbringer

Munkus Beaver wrote:

Red or Alive wrote:

I'm always surprised at how passionate people get about Mark Millar's "politics", considering that any and all political commentary is muted by the inevitable "America, Fuck Yeah!" endings of his Ultimates arcs.

DO YOU THINK THIS A STAND FOR FRANCE?

FUCK YEAH!

*SHIELD THROW!*

Fencingsax

Munkus Beaver wrote:

Red or Alive wrote:

I'm always surprised at how passionate people get about Mark Millar's "politics", considering that any and all political commentary is muted by the inevitable "America, Fuck Yeah!" endings of his Ultimates arcs.

DO YOU THINK THIS A STAND FOR FRANCE?

Victim?

VICTIM?

DO YOU THINK THIS E STANDS FOR AMERICA?

Sars_Boy

SatanIsMyMotor wrote:

Algertman wrote:

SatanIsMyMotor wrote:

Algertman wrote:

Slott rocks

to bad he'll never get huge at MARVEL as long as Bendis/Millar/Quesada are at the reigns constantly pushing their political views down the throats of the masses that continually buy garbage based of what WIZARD tells them to buy

I like Bendis and Millar and I rarely read Wizard.

Some people think Micheal Turner and Greg Land are good artist

doesn't mean they have good taste

Are you seriously implying that anybody who reads comics period is a person with impeccable "taste"?

I LOL to you kind sir. LOL indeed.

Dude, it's ok, he's the new Brainiac/Terrorbyte/Hypertime.

Just deal with him and he'll be gone soon enough.

DJ Eebs

Algertman wrote:

Slott rocks

to bad he'll never get huge at MARVEL as long as Bendis/Millar/Quesada are at the reigns constantly pushing their political views down the throats of the masses that continually buy garbage based of what WIZARD tells them to buy

Okay, all of those dudes were just saying how awesome Dan Slott is and how he's really coming into his own.

And they've had Slott involved in all of their recent big planning summits so basically you're just retarded.

Synthetic Orange

vrempire

Wow Synthetic Orange,
that pic of Captain America is very funnily grusome.
feel to have that as a wallpaper

Owenashi

From this weekend's Joe Fridays.

Joe Fridays wrote:

NRAMA: What do you have to move onto the 2007 list?

JQ: Next year we have a lot of stuff ahead of us. We have to take stock of the new and improved landscape of the Marvel U post Civil War, it’s going to be a wildly interesting place.

Captain America will be getting some incredible attention next year, we’re focusing heavily on him and I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets not only major play in the comic’s press, but worldwide as well.

X-Men will be going through some changes, which is to be expected with the introduction of a new driving editorial voice in the person of Axel Alonso.

The second act of our Hulk trilogy begins in World War Hulk and fans will also be treated to the beginning of Act III, which I promise will present them with a Hulk story the likes of which they have never seen.

Speaking of which, I just finished reading the first script for WWH and let me tell you, it is just non-stop action, a Jerry Bruckheimer on speed extravaganza! I mean the story just starts and doesn’t stop, the perfect follow up to the thought provoking story that was Civil War. In other words, lots of punching, YAY!

In the Ultimate U, you’re going to start to see the seeds of a very important story start to bear fruit. We have some major shake ups coming, but as of this Joe Fridays, we’re way to far ahead to even speak of it.

We’ll be launching probably more new stuff in 2007 than in any year previous of my tenure. You can chalk this up to several variables. Civil War of course is setting the table for a bunch of stuff, but also the climate of the comics industry and our trade business is allowing for more variety to the line. I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen next year as I know for a fact, like every year previous, there is a lot I know of what’s going to happen and then there are those amazing surprises that come along that are just the icing on the cake. Who knows what project, what comic, what idea is going to take the industry by storm next year that non of us even have a glimmer of right at this moment. That’s a pretty exciting place to be.

Oh yeah, and then there’s Spider-Man. We have some fantastic Spider-Man announcements coming soon and I promise you, the amount of chatter that will be spouted on message boards, blogs, emails, what have you, will be unlike anything ever seen before in the comic’s history. Guess what, folks, save time, start writing those cards and letters now! [laughs]

Also, write this down, folks. In August of next year, we’re going to be breaking the Internet in half so hard that Al Gore is going to wake up with an ache somewhere he’s most likely never ached before.

NRAMA: Was there any sea changes for Marvel or the industry in general the past year? Anything that made you notice how different it was then how things were in the past?

JQ: The mainstream opening up its arms to us in a very big way. Mind you, this is still the tip of the iceberg, but go back to some of my earliest interviews with you Newsarama guys, go back to some of the first Joe Fridays, I said this would happen, I said it was coming, all we had to do as an industry is put out the best product possible and keep our noses clean. Believe it or not, I think the best thing that happened to the industry was the TV show Heroes. While Civil War garnered a tremendous amount of mainstream press, Heroes was a complete and total validation of what it is that all of us in comics know and believe. Sure, you can watch Heroes and say, hey, it’s X-Men, or it’s Rising Stars, or wait a minute, that character is Rogue and he’s Kitty Pride, but none of that matters.

Hear me out for a second.

The reason that what we’re seeing on Heroes, though fantastically entertaining, isn’t unique to us, is because we’ve seen the Heroes model before. The maturing of the superhero concept happened over 15 years ago and it began with books like Watchmen and V for Vendetta.

Why is Heroes such a huge hit? Well, it’s easy. The mainstream audience is experiencing for the first time what we did when we read those great comics only they’re experiencing it for the first time. Much like myself who came back to comics after reading Watchmen and being floored by the possibility of the medium, John and Jane Q. Public are now looking at comics and comic characters in a whole new light, they’re 15 years behind us. But, that’s to be expected, we’re still a small medium and the exposure to the masses was tough for us. Now, I feel that Heroes may change everything if it continues with its great success. Couple this with Spider-Man 3 and you have a tinderbox of acceptance ready to explode!

NRAMA: Because we speak to you nearly every week, we can look back at the year based not only on what you published, but what we talked about. We spent a lot of time talking about your view of Peter Parker’s marital status but as of today, December 22nd, 2006, nothing has changed. Was it all just discussion of theory, or we still waiting on the practice?

JQ: I think you know guys me well enough to know that I don’t just say anything for no reason [winks]. Now, sometimes that reason may be to foreshadow something or sometimes that reason may be to distract folks from what’s actually coming their way. So, let me just leave it at this, 2007 is Spider-Man’s year, these just no other way to put it.

NRAMA: Speedball was another subject oft-mentioned the last year. You seemed to delight in teasing his ultimate demise. Again, this something readers will have to wait awhile for the ultimate pay-off?

JQ: Absolutely. See, Speedball is exactly a case of me showing fans my right hand while the left was pick pocketing them [laughs]/ Speedball is a great character, and what we have planned for him… well, lets just say it’s going to hurt.

A lot.

NRAMA: Marvel wound up holding onto its market leading position despite a pretty hard charge by DC with Infinite Crisis, ‘One Year Later’ and 52. Why do you think Marvel still manages to hold onto the position you do? It has to be more than just the subjective and always evolving quality of your respective titles, doesn’t it?

JQ: I could sight many reason beginning with our creators. While DC has some great writers and artists, our team at Marvel, our bench if you will, is much, much deeper. I also feel that we have the best editorial group probably in the history of Marvel at this point, It’s an incredible balance of guys and gals that think in a classic fashion and those that think more off the beaten path. But, let’s put all of that aside, and let’s just assume for a moment that all was equal on both sides, Marvel has one distinct advantage, the most important thing in our arsenal, is our characters. I know this will light up these boards faster than you can say “Hawkeye is dead,” but keep in mind that this is just one man’s opinion and it’s one that I had long before I was ever at Marvel.

Superman was the first, no one is arguing that. He was the very first to put on his underwear outside of his pants. He is the Elvis of comics. Sure, was his creation influenced by other sci-fi and classic stories that came before, of course it was, Elvis was influenced by early rhythm and blues. Much like Elvis, Superman and his compatriots shook up the comics world, in essence created it. He flew over tall buildings, he was the model on which every thing else would be built. Elvis shook his leg, greased back his pomp, and created the blueprint for what was to become Rock n’ Roll.

While Elvis had some incredible hits, as did Superman, the music was simple, quaint in many ways. Almost every Elvis song can be boiled down to three chords. We call it a 1-4-5 progression. They would just change the key, tempo, feel or melody in order to decorate it differently. Still, it was the music of its time and it was beautiful. Then in the 60s came this little group called the Beatles, they were funny, articulate, socially conscious and they spoke to us on a whole different level. The core of the relationship between the music and the listener was much deeper, more relatable.

More importantly however, they brought something else into the music. While they themselves worshipped Elvis and had their share of very early singles with the simple 1-4-5 progressions, they learned from their predecessor and built upon it. Suddenly, we were getting songs with minor chords, diminished sevenths, before you could even get accustomed to all of that, they layered harmonies and added orchestras to their compositions, it was a whole new world that was much more sophisticated than what Elvis had first presented. That’s no slight on Elvis, it’s what happens when art moves on.

To me, the creation of the Marvel hero is very much like this. It took what Superman and other DC greats made famous, in many cases lifted whole parts, and added layers never before seen. Heroes with problems, heroes with Achilles heels, heroes who didn’t always make the right decisions, heck, sometimes they didn’t even beat the bad guy. This was a huge variation in the theme, the defining moment for everything.

Today, we can listen to Elvis songs, and they sound great, but because of the simple quaintness of them, I don’t believe they hold up to today’s younger listeners in the same way that the songs of the Beatles and those that followed hold up. Yes, much like Superman, every once in a while, someone does a great cover of an Elvis tune, but, it’s more nostalgia than anything else. I think the Superman movie proved that as well. You watch that movie and put it up against either of the Spidey movies and it feels like the difference between introducing a kid to Pong vs. Wii.

There’s a reason Batman is the greatest DC hero, he’s the closest to the Marvel formula, but the rest of the DC universe I feel suffers from the same flaws as Superman. In his time, Superman spoke of the immigrant experience which was very important in America at the time, but he’s also a paternal figure where as Spider-Man is us. At his core, Superman is also actually a dishonest character in his make up. He has to create a persona in order to be accepted by the people around him, the same for Batman. That’s also an intrinsic difference between the Marvel and DC characters. Spider-Man is the façade, he’s the mask, Peter Parker is the real deal and if we could actually be superheroes, that’s exactly how it would happen and by virtue of that, makes Spider-Man truer.

By the way, if you disagree with this, that’s cool, but then you would have to argue as to why DC, since the inception of the Marvel Universe, has been trying to Marvelize their characters.

So, on an even playing field, I believe the characters leave DC at a disadvantage. Yes, of course there are those that have a huge amount of affection for them, there will always be those that prefer a DC Universe to a Marvel Universe, but I’m speaking in much more broader terms. In order for the DC characters to move into the modern era, it would take such a complete revamping of the character and their origins that it could be beyond prohibitive for them to attempt. Superman is Mickey Mouse, there’s a lot of money attached to the character and the nostalgia behind it, in many ways, he is a prisoner to his once greatness.

By the way, I also think that that’s why you have to do a Crisis in the DCU, because if you take the characters too far in one direction or the other, the only way to get them back to where you need them to be is to hit the reset. That’s also why in a Crisis aftermath, Batman has always been the one who changes the least. You can take the character to extremes, he’s durable and pliable like a Marvel character. The thing of course for me that is very dangerous, is that if you don’t find a way to truly bring the idea of Superman to the 21st Century, there is a very plausible argument that 20, 30 years from now, he will seem as old and insignificant to the kid on the street as the Shadow or Phantom are to my 18 year old nephew.

Ringo

Interesting interview. Still don't understand how "World War Hulk" could be just a sideshow, or how Captain America will be the leading man at Marvel while at the same time 2007 will be Spider-Man's year.


Oh and Civil War described as 'thought provoking' is a laugh. Yeah, it was thought provoking when we all wondered how Marvel was going to play it. Not so much after it turned out to be played so poorly. Civil War will be under the "Had promise - lacked follow through" folder as far as I can see.

awesome_andy

The man is the master of saying nothing yet still filling up damn near 4 paragraphs.

Charmy

I was going to say something sarcastic regarding his claims about Superman and other DC characters, but it's really not worth the effort. It's stupid enough at face value that it really just mocks itself.

Bloods End

Did he just say Batman is a marvel character trapped in DC?

There was a poster in GnT who said the exact same thing. And it sounded just as dumb.

Judas

You guys have to realize that it's his job to be a shill for Marvel, much like any other spokesman for a large entertainment company. All the vapid misdirection and inane silliness that flows from his mouth is the result of years of practice. I'm sure DC has an equally annoying shill doing PR for them.

Which reminds me, there was a Marvel Editor in Chief ( I forget the name ) a few years back who once stated publicly that they were going to take the Sandman concept that Neil Gaiman created and "do it right" for Marvel.

The result?...Sleepwalker

Kuribo's Shoe

Hey fuck you Sleepwalker was awesome.

Doctor Pain

Kuribo's Stocking wrote:

Hey fuck you Sleepwalker was awesome.

whats with the hostillaty dickface ?

Kuribo's Shoe

hey fuck you is just my way of saying "no, I disagree"

Judas

Kuribo's Stocking wrote:

hey fuck you is just my way of saying "no, I disagree"

Ah, well, in that case...

Go fuck yourself you tasteless hippy bastard.*


* = Translation.
"I afraid that I must respectfully disagree with your point of view. And while I may disagree with what you say, good sir, I will defend to the death your right to say it. Good day to you."

awesome_andy

SleepWalker was pretty good from what I remember.
What ever happened to him anyway?

DasUberEdward

robosagogo wrote:

I'm happy The Hood isn't being forgotten

I didn't read the spoilers but i'm glad i'm not the only one who enjoyed that character.

Owenashi

New stuff from this week's Joe Fridays.

Joe Friday wrote:

NRAMA: Finally, what can you tell us about what developed as a result of this latest summit? Any info or hints you can share?

JQ: Some great stuff involving Captain America was a real surprise as was added surprises to an upcoming Avengers storyline. We also worked out some interesting new avenues for the Ultimate Universe.

RQ: “hawkicantmis” - Hey, Joe. I know you're not always able to answer collected editions-related questions but do you know or can you find out what's up with STRIKEFORCE: MORITURI? Last we heard (I believe) was that there was a possible TV series on Sci-Fi called "1000 Days" based on the series/premise and it seemed like a trade would be released to coincide with that but it's been a while since I've heard anything else. I'd love to purchase a trade if we could get one or a new series. Thanks.

JQ: Hawkicantmis, there are no plans currently for a SFM trade, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen, it’s just not on the docket for right now.

RQ: “KryptonSite” - Can we get some more hints on the new Marvel Comics Presents?

JQ: Hey, KryptonSite, how about we go to MCW’s editor Andy Schmidt and see if he’s feeling loosed lipped.

Andy Schmidt: Marc (Wolverine, Blade) Guggenheim is designing a 12-part Marvel mystery story that’ll feature every awesome character of the Marvel Universe. And it all starts with one man’s death. A man, you’ve never heard of.

Each issue will contain two additional stories. Issue #1 will feature the stunning work of Stuart (Ultimate X-Men, Nextwave) Immonen on a Hellcat story and a Spider-Man story by Stuart (Wolverine, Firestorm) Moore and Clayton (Uncanny X-Men) Henry.

In short, it will rock your socks off, KryptonSite.

RQ: “KylePeterson” - Recently a third printing of Marvel Zombies was revealed with an all-new cover. This means that there are currently three separate covers available for the hardcover collection of this title. Don't you think that a collection of a mini-series should include all material of said series? I loved Marvel Zombies and was happy to purchase the original hardcover collection, but it stinks that as a fan I won't be able to collect all of Arthur Suydam's zombie paintings.

JQ: KyelPeterson, while it’s not a unique that a compilation might have a new cover that was never seen a series, here’s the best advise I can offer you.

Save your money!!!

What if I told you that there’s going to be a Marvel Zombies Poster Book with every cover including the ones off of Ultimate FF?

Cool?

RQ: “Trist” - With Marvel joining with Dynamite Entertainment for Army of Darkness vs. Marvel Zombies next year, can we take it as an indication that there may be more big company crossovers down the road? I keep hearing rumbles about a possible Avengers vs. Transformers crossover with IDW (which would ROCK!), anything you can say on that?

JQ: Trist, I can say stay tuned.

RQ: “motteditor” - Joe, I think we've gotten the basics of all the post-Civil War titles now, except for one thing: Who's the creative staff on New Warriors?

JQ: The writer for New Warriors is Kevin Grevioux, we’ll be announcing the artist shortly.

RQ: “sixsh0t” - A long time ago I asked about Hawkeye + Bendis and you told me you had to keep that trick up your sleeve. Now that we've seen the 'plans' he had for him, where can we expect Clint to show up next? If you can't say where, can you at least, for the love of god, tell me that he will show up soon on a recurring basis? We waited so long to see him again.

JQ: sixsh0t, actually, you haven’t seen anything yet. What Brian has shown you is merely the tip of the iceberg (or in this case an arrow), Avengers’ fans are going to give Bendis a ticker tape parade next year!

I’m very serious.

RQ: “EMeadow” - Ok, based on reading your comments in the differences between DC and Marvel that you made in the Q&A on 12/23, here's my question:

Many people say one of the inherent "problems" DC has with their characters, is that they're too "corporate" and you really can't change them because of how it will affect their marketability outside the comic book market. (Hence Joker never dies, status quo is always maintained, etc, etc.)

JQ: Hey, EMeadow, I never said “too corporate”, and I don’t know if that’s truly accurate. I think “too iconic” is more on the money, a victim of their own iconic stature and history is more of what I meant.

RQ: “EMeadow” - How do you feel Marvel is able to buck that trend? By the same notion, you've got the same masters to appease, the movie studios, the stockholders, the higher board members who only see the money and don't know what really goes on... etc…

JQ: Again, that’s not what I’m saying is happening at DC as would have no knowledge of how those things work with them. But, from my experiences at Marvel, there are certain things you can’t do with certain characters because there is an expectation from fans, creative, and business partners. But, because the Marvel characters are flawed from the beginning, we have more leeway with respect to what we can do with them.

The DC characters are so iconic, that they have very little flexibility. I’m not saying that Superman can’t be made more relevant, but, it would take a whole revamping of the concept in order to do it. Not only is that risky, but from a business stand point, I could only imagine how partners would react.

Again, just my opinion, but lets say I’ve licensed Superman from DC for my line of kid’s coloring books and somewhere during the course of my contracted time, after I’ve spent tons of money to produce these kid’s books and I’m about to get the out the door or they’re on the stands, suddenly DC announces that they’re changing Superman, his origin, and all his trappings for a more relevant, edgier one. Suddenly, I’m really concerned because I may have bought good that no longer represent what I’m trying to sell.

The same can be said for Wonder Woman as well. You do realize that Wonder Woman is nothing close to the character she was originally designed as. Whether you agree with that representation of what she originally was or not, what they ended up doing with her over the history of the DCU, to me, is just wholly uninteresting. Yes, there’s the occasionally interesting take on her, but she’s mostly recognizable because of that old TV show. Now, before anyone gets on their soap box to say that they don’t understand why I have to speak about DC, this is a fan question about a comparison, so I’m going to have to speak about them, sorry.

RQ: “EMeadow” - How are you able to keep character development (and in some ways, the ability to radically change it) and not upset the supposed iconic status quo?

JQ: It’s a tricky dance and I wish I could take credit for this, but it’s the toys I inherited. The very construction of Marvel characters is what makes it easier for us. They have flaws, human frailties and the people underneath the costume are more important than the costume. I’ll tell you a little story.

When we were first launching Marvel Knights, I had several conversations with Stan [Lee] about the Marvel heroes and their makeup. Out of the many sage things he said to me, there’s one that really stands out. We were talking about heroes, in and out of costume. The conversation moved over to Matt Murdock. Stan said that before we see Daredevil leap off the precipice of a building to do his magnificent gymnastics, we first need to know who Matt Murdock is. We need to know about his life, his loves, his loss, his handicap, what makes him tick. Once we know that, then when he puts on his red devil suit and jumps off the building, our hearts clutch because we’re personally vested in him. If not, it’s just a red devil suit jumping off a building.

What gives the Marvel characters the advantage is that their human personas are just that much more interesting. And like I said, the Marvel characters are inherently more honest at their core, because it’s the human persona which is the true self and the super powered hero the mask. As much as I love Batman, Bruce isn’t even remotely interesting and just a facade put on by Batman. He goes out and becomes the millionaire playboy about town in order to keep up appearances. Does anyone for a second suspect that Batman really is Bruce Wayne, that he’s that spoiled, self centered, millionaire womanizer? Or is it just an act?

JQ: Sure thing.

NRAMA: First of all, your marketing guys gave us this image for this week's Q&A and said it was from a new Namor title with Michael Turner on covers that spins out of Civil War and Front Line.



The background visuals are interesting to say the least... anything to add?

JQ: More on it next week.

NRAMA: All right, time for Joe Quesada unfiltered. Here’s your chance to say whatever you like to readers… about 2006 … about 2007... whatever you like. We’ll step aside, and the floor is yours…

JQ: I guess all I can truly say is thanks. I know it’s corny, but it’s the truth. Thanks for all your interest in our books, thanks for the incredible support for Marvel, and from me personally, thanks for all you’ve done over my years in comics. From reading the books to reading this column to your kind words at conventions and personal appearances. My six years as E-i-C and eight total at Marvel have been some of the most creatively rewarding years of my life. It’s something I never expected and never take for granted. When I was a fan looking in, I often wished I could ask questions of the top editors from the big companies but that option wasn’t available to me. Now, as E-i-C and with the help of the ‘net, I have the opportunity to offer that option to anyone who’s interested.

I know for some folks on this site, my style of “hucksterism” may not be their cup of tea, and that’s okay. Sure, I’m going to give my opinion on stuff and that may set people off, but it’s merely my opinion, it doesn’t make it a fact, and last I heard, we’re still allowed to cast our opinions in America. So, while I completely respect when someone says they disagree with me, it’s next to impossible for me to grasp the reason why someone would say, “I disagree with him and he’s an @$$#o!@ for having that opinion.”

But, please never mistake one thing, yes, sometimes I do some silly stuff to promote our projects, when I do, it’s always with tongue place firmly in cheek, and perhaps that doesn’t come across as it should on the ‘net. But, the real reason I do this Q&A, assorted interviews, panels, etc., is because I love this industry and the people in it and within it, especially those that call me an @$$#o!@ because at the end of the day, I know they’re probably more interested in what I have to say than the average person.

By the way, did I mention that we’re killing Peter Parker and marrying MJ and Speedball? [laughs]

Oh yeah, and can we put to rest the term “fanboy” moving forward in 2007. First, it really ghettoizes us within the entertainment world. You don’t hear anyone who love musical theater or the world of film call themselves “stageboys,” or “matinee kids?” It’s just an outdated term and I think we should kill it.

Besides, the term “Fanman,” is infinitely more appropriate. How many people who are reading comics today are actually still boys or anywhere remotely close? Yeah, I know, “Fanman” sounds creepy doesn’t it? That’s exactly the point, to someone on the outside, “Fanboy,” sounds just as creepy if not creepier when utter by or with respect to some thirty-something dude.

By the way, I say all of this with the utmost of respect to Scott Hinze and the radio show [laughs], but it’s got to go.

Furu

The whole DC argument bit confuses me. Superman can't be changed because it'll piss off licensors but Marvel characters can be changed all the time because they're "flawed"?

I can't wait for that Iron Man Rounds Up The Dissenters Into The Negative Zone coloring book!

Kaosu Reido

I think what he means is, Superman has become an archetype. Remember, while the core hero may remain essentially the same in Marvel (for example, Spider-Man isn't suddenly going to permanently gain the power to fly and shoot lasers from his eyes), they can do stuff like making Iron Man an alcoholic and get away with it.

Go on, make Supes an alcoholic. How long do you think it'll take for DC to implode?

Hensler

Kaosu Reido wrote:

Go on, make Supes an alcoholic. How long do you think it'll take for DC to implode?

That would actually be pretty fun to read, I bet.

Bad Karma

Kaosu Reido wrote:

Go on, make Supes an alcoholic. How long do you think it'll take for DC to implode?

DC wouldn't implode. Know why? Batman kryptonite ring one punch.

"Snap out of it you whiny little bitch!"

Then he flies off on his jetpack.

Kaosu Reido

Hensler wrote:

Kaosu Reido wrote:

Go on, make Supes an alcoholic. How long do you think it'll take for DC to implode?

That would actually be pretty fun to read, I bet.

I was GOING to say I'd like to see Superman get like Kryptonite Cancer or an addiction to it or something. But if I remember correctly, they DID do the cancer idea.

Then it became a villain.

Owenashi

From this week's Joe Fridays'...

http://www.newsarama.com/NewJoeFridays/NewJoeFridays29.html

Joe Fridays wrote:

[spoiler:81c9cacac5]NRAMA: All right Joe, after what seems to be a very long time, what you’ve seemingly been building up towards in regards to Robbie Baldwin/Speedball for over a year at cons and here on Joe Fridays finally came into fruition – the emergence of “Penance”.

JQ: How ‘bout that!

NRAMA: So let’s start at the beginning. Given the story of how Robbie Baldwin was transformed and explain who the players were?

JQ: The players were real simple. After all my kidding about Speedball and teasing with the fans, Tom Brevoort and I spoke about the inciting incident of Civil War and I mentioned how I wanted Speedball to survive it. I felt like there was something we could do with the character that would change him and perhaps make him a major, major player in the Marvel Universe.

Speedball in many ways is very similar to Peter Parker, so I was thinking along the lines of what if so much stuff was dumped on Peter that his whole outlook on life would be changed 180 degrees, permanently. So, what if this very lighthearted, upbeat character who bounces, changed in ways that no one could expect? Could the tragedy in Stamford be enough to do that to someone like him? To me the answer was yes.

Then Paul Jenkins came into town to discuss Front Line and how the book was to be structured. Paul stayed over my house while in NYC, so we spent a couple of nights just talking Front Line stories, and the one we kept coming back to was Robbie’s.

One night we went to meet a few friends at the pub and we decided to walk across town. During the walk there and back, we pretty much came up with the arc for Robbie and his new name Penance and the fact that here’s a guy who wants to atone for his sins and now finds himself in a very weird situation where he has to feel pain in order to use his powers. It really added an emotional level for me to the idea of a superhero. Here’s a guys who really has to suffer to do great heroic deeds and he also sees it as a way to make up for his past sins.

NRAMA: If you haven’t explained already, why Robbie Baldwin/Speedball? Did Penance come first and you needed a character to fill the suit ala Johnny Bravo, or was it intended just for Speedball all along?

JQ: The name came afterwards. It was always meant to be Speedball and once we had our story, the name came quickly because of that story. It’s always great when you can come up with a name for a character that has a direct relation to either his powers or his makeup.

By the way, we also laughed quite hard when we thought about how Speedball would survive Stamford. You know, bouncing like a superball clear into another state. What we also liked about this is that while Spider-Man was representative of the person who embraces the Registration Act and then rejects it, Robbie was the other side of the coin but in many ways, his journey was much harder than Peter’s.

NRAMA: Why? In Frontline #10, he doesn’t seem overly remorseful to the father of the child he killed. Nor to Reed Richards. He seems angry at the world, so why do this to himself? Is the point some twisted idea of atonement, or is he simply off his rocker at this stage?

JQ: My money is on a little of both. When people in the real world are confronted with things of the nature that Robbie has been confronted with, jail for instance, near death experiences, etc., they tend to gravitate to different extremes. As an example, many inmates find religion in jail and they find great comfort in it, this isn’t something that is out of the realm of possibility. So, to me, Robbie has had a life altering experience. Do you think that when he first became a superhero, when he first joined the New Warriors, that he ever expected that his life would end up where it is right now? I don’t think any of us ever expected it and now here we are.

Also, Penance, going forward has a very interesting origin from the very onset. He was once a happy go lucky, bright and shiny teen hero and now he’s something completely different. Where does he go from here will be a lot of fun to watch.

NRAMA: Sticking with Front Line #10, and the extended sequence between Sally and Ben, both have concluded that Stark has hidden motivations for his actions during Civil War, motivations that will blow the lid off the whole affair.

JQ: Hmmmm, how ‘bout that!

NRAMA: Now we don’t expect you to reveal what that may be now, but it’s just more fuel to the speculative fire that this isn’t a purely philosophical debate with no right or wrong side as you and the Civil War creators and editors have continued to maintain.

It’s becoming increasingly hard to believe this nagging feeling fans have that both sides are not being presented equally and that something is going to revealed to explain it is purely unintentional.

JQ: Tony is the Scarlet Witch! There, I said it. Now, say it with me…

“No more Civil War.”

NRAMA: If it is/was purely unintentional and you maintain this is fight with no right or wrong side, do you consider it a problem fans are still convinced otherwise?

JQ: No, not at all. This isn’t something that surprised us in the least. You don’t think we knew that more fans would jump on Cap’s bandwagon than Tony’s? Of course we knew this would happen, we counted on it. That doesn’t change the way we feel about it.

Look, for me, and this is just me speaking, my opinion - people tend to vote for things with their hearts, not everyone, but most. The Internet is the poster child for this sort of experience and behavior, it defines knee jerk reaction. It’s this kind of behavior that Madison Avenue and politicians and yes, even storytellers, have taken advantage of. It’s used in every advertising and political campaign, every politician, every party uses it; they pull at the heartstrings of the public because they know that for the most part we’ll vote with our hearts before our heads. Readers are viewing this story and they see the little guys (Cap and crew) rallying against the big guys (Tony and the government) and the immediate impulse it to root for the underdog because we all see ourselves in that role. But thinking it through logically, I see that there are merits and faults to both arguments.

Also, many people have a tendency to want to root against the government, but take a close look, in the instance of Civil War, the government is acting responsibly as it is answering the will of the people of America in the Marvel Universe and isn’t that what good government is supposed to do?

So, in the end, let the story play itself out, let’s look back on it in a year when passions and tempers have cooled, and let’s discuss it. Who knows, maybe some points of view will have changed, maybe even mine [laughs].

NRAMA: Okay, would killing MJ affect Peter in such a way to fundamentally change the Spider-Man character? How so? Gwen died? Others he's been close to have died...

JQ: Well, it’s not like Peter has experienced so much death in his life that he’s unaffected by it. Any death is going to change his life. How could MJ dying not effect the character and who he is moving forward? I go back to the Speedball example I mentioned before. Fans want characters to grow? Well, death is a part of growing up and growing old, so what’s left to complain about?

NRAMA: Also on that front - One More Day coming in August. Four parts - will it definitively answer the Spider-Man/MJ question?

JQ: I really can’t say anything about it at this point, especially since the MJ question may be answered long before that.

NRAMA: Will it fundamentally change the Spider-Man character?

JQ: No, One More Day will not change Spidey. At least no more than we’ve seen in the past. Bottom line is that Peter and Spidey will be the same character we’ve all grown to love over the years.

NRAMA: Given his position, both to characters and to readers, can you change the character of Spider-Man on such a level and not have it be reflected throughout the Marvel Universe?

JQ: No, so much of the Marvel Universe revolves around Spider-Man that whatever happens to him will of course send ripples throughout the Marvel Universe. Heck, they’ll even feel it in the DCU.[/spoiler:81c9cacac5]

The Muffin Man

JQ: No, so much of the Marvel Universe revolves around Spider-Man that whatever happens to him will of course send ripples throughout the Marvel Universe. Heck, they’ll even feel it in the DCU.

Now, is this a "Holy shit, Marvel's biggest name, and quite possibly the second biggest name among superheroes and a pop culture icon has had something big happen to him"?

Or is this a "Hey guys we're working on a third Batman/Spider-man crossover that ties into this."

If MJ is killed off, I have to admit I'd laugh fairly hard if Joker killed her. Just for the pure absurdity of it all.

hughtron

[spoiler:248084fcf2]"...Fans want characters to grow? Well, death is a part of growing up and growing old, so what’s left to complain about?"

"...Bottom line is that Peter and Spidey will be the same character we’ve all grown to love over the years." [/spoiler:248084fcf2]

"Peter's going to grow and change, but don't worry he's going to stay exactly the same too."