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Post by jensaltmann on Jan 14, 2010 2:57:12 GMT -8
3.) You are working for one of the big two. You are told to make an event. You have four years to plot. Total control. But so much has been done before. What do you do which will draw readers and attention away from the competition? I'm gonna tie this one into my distaste of how superhero comics have evolved over the years to actually celebrate evil, instead of showing the good guys fighting and defeating the bad guys. The heroes (regardless of which publisher's) realize that they've let things slide too much. The bad guys are out of control. So the heroes declare TOTAL WAR on the villains. The heroes band together in groups and hunt down all the villains in order to capture and incarcerate them. If I did this for DC, it'd tie into my idea on how to use Barry Allen as inspiration for a new heroic age. Things backfire of course, as the villains retaliate, some aren't captured but are instead being driven into hiding, where they plot their new schemes. But at the end of the day, Good will have won a decisive victory over Evil, and the common people sleep better knowing that the heroes watch over them and protect them. Except for those who believe that these heroes need to be taken down a peg or two, of course...
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Post by michaelpaciocco on Jan 14, 2010 8:36:58 GMT -8
Very nice Jens. Well thought out, in-depth analysis and all. Kudos.
And I shudder at what you're gonna ask the next bastard.
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Post by jensaltmann on Jan 14, 2010 9:43:49 GMT -8
Thank you.
And yes, my revenge shall be terrible (insert evil laughter).
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Post by jensaltmann on Jan 15, 2010 0:39:57 GMT -8
Oh, Miiichael.... Don't worry, I'll go easy on you. 1) You get the chance to adapt three TV shows to comics. Restrictions: a) the TV shows is currently not cancelled. (Not currently broadcast because it's between seasons is okay.) b) There is currently no other comics license out for the series. For the purpose of this, we assume that if even one comic has been published within 2009, we proceed on the assumption that there is an active comics license out there. Which TV shows do you adapt, and who are the creators you assign to it? Why? 2) Joe Quesada was fired. As his final act of pettiness, he has had Warren Ellis write a story where Galactus eats the 616 MU. It falls to you to Zero Hour the MU. Disney tells you to reboot the MU from scratch. Who are the creators you call upon to define the new MU? Who are the writers you call upon to create the new MU's backstory, and who are the artists you call upon to redesign the characters? Which are the first three series you use to launch this new universe? 3) This time, you get to pick a non-Big 2 comic for the BBC to turn into a TV series. 4) Fix Iron Man. I'm kind of stumped for what else to ask (it hasn't been long enough since the last time I did it), so I'll forfeit on the last question. Esepcially considering how that last one is a doozy.
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Post by Anders on Jan 15, 2010 10:00:42 GMT -8
Very nice questions, Jens.
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Post by michaelpaciocco on Jan 15, 2010 16:09:48 GMT -8
Oh, Miiichael.... Don't worry, I'll go easy on you. 1) You get the chance to adapt three TV shows to comics. Restrictions: a) the TV shows is currently not cancelled. (Not currently broadcast because it's between seasons is okay.) b) There is currently no other comics license out for the series. For the purpose of this, we assume that if even one comic has been published within 2009, we proceed on the assumption that there is an active comics license out there. Which TV shows do you adapt, and who are the creators you assign to it? Why? Actually, given how little new genre TV I watch these days, this might actually be the hardest question. 1) Leverage - John Rogers (duh!), and Kevin Maguire (because facial expressions are important and there's really no one better for this kind of job). 2) Torchwood (this counts, right?) - Paul Cornell and Leonard Kirk - because they've had plenty of experience with this sort of thing with Captain Britain and MI:13 3) The Venture Brothers - Evan Dorkin - because he's got the right wrathful parody vibe down Ok, it's a bit hard not because of limits on the BBC budget (they've been good at working around that sort of thing) but more because of the cultural things and accents and so forth. For the BBC however - Love and Capes. If it were non-BBC however, my priority list would go something like this: 1) PS238 2) Atomic Robo 3) Love and Capes and I'll get to 2 and 4 later tonight or tomorrow night.
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Post by michaelpaciocco on Jan 15, 2010 19:16:42 GMT -8
You do realize that I never owned a single issue of Iron Man until just before the movie came out, right? All things considered I can honestly say I've always actively disliked the character. Chew on that irony if you will. But fine, and I'm assuming that by "fix" you mean "ignore what I said in 2) and proceed to find a redemptive path for his Civil War dickery." First, a point of notice. Fuck you Matt Fraction and Dan Slott - fuck you both to death with a rusty goddamn chainsaw - no one, and I mean NO ONE gets to one-up Reed Richards on a level of intellect. I don't just say that because Reed is my favorite character - it's because he (and Victor - and I would probably make a case for T'Challa) should generally be portrayed as a few steps above EVERYONE else in the Marvel Universe whom has not had their intellect enhanced by COSMIC means (i.e. The High Evolutionary). To grasp Reed and Victor and T'Challa, you have to imagine a being with the combined talents of Mozart, DaVinci, Nikola Tesla, and Goddard and then bring it to the Nth power. They were never really human - their thinking can't even be defined in our current terms as anything other than ALIEN. In that way, these guys are like the Garbage Man in Dilbert - you really aren't in a position to judge the action of the Smartest beings on the planet because by definition, you aren't as smart as they are. So yeah, Pym as Scientist Supreme? That was Hank's subconscious telling him to man the fuck up. And Tony - well, Tony likes to think he's on that level with Reed, and Reed doesn't mind indulging him because Tony has his uses... Now, while Tony isn't on the level of these superhuman brilliances - he is a genius, make no mistake, and he's got something else - he's genuinely good with working WITH people and understanding what they want - this is why he's successful in business and it's what levels the playing field. Now, onto the meat of how to redeem Tony (and incidentally exonerate Reed Richards): The first thing we have to do? Yeah, we have to deconstruct Reed and Tony's attempt at Psychohistory. Not just for poaching on Asimov, but doing so badly. It's stated early on that the "calculations predicting disaster" that Reed developed (and primarily him) were ESTIMATES, and as such were subject to some error. Secondly, it's stated that they knew there was a good chance of it all going to hell, but they had to do something with the government clamping down because all the alternatives without their assistance would have been universally WORSE. Reed just neglected to tell Tony this because he wanted to spare Tony (and everyone else) from knowing how bad the options were. Now, as to Tony? Tony has a lot to atone for, and his penance is going to be high - very high. I'm thinking a year long arc of redemption to start making amends. Step one is going to be downsizing Stark Industries from its Microsoft-level super-duper-monopoly size and power to something a little less omnipresent - still considered the best in quality, but not as monolithic as it is in current Marvel - and incidentally this puts a capstone on Tony's ability to throw money at any problem - no more unlimited budgets (also, same w.r.t. Ultimate Tony - sorry Warren, but suck it up.) Step Two is taking away the one thing his money can never buy him. He has to bring Happy Hogan back, even though it will mean the end of any hope he has to win Pepper. Retconning - Tony didn't actually unplug Happy during CW, he shut him down and tried to "reboot" him by restarting his heart (this, for the record, is why he knew what to do this time around with Thor and Cap and all). However, he can't get it to work. How do you win back a man's soul? You visit a Doctor. Doom, that is. After all, if you're going to invade a place beyond the realm of death, it helps to get a man who isn't afraid of it in the first place. Now, why would Doom agree? Several reasons: 1) It amuses him to see a man do something noble and damn himself at the same time - it's also something he can relate to. 2) Doom can't access heaven by himself - his soul is far too tainted for that - he needs Iron Man as a willing participant. 3) Knowledge and Glory - to be the only known being to storm the gates of both Hell and Heaven is a heady thought to one of Doom's ego. 4) The chance to see his mother again. And so we've got our armored knights on their crusade, and it would eventually end with the return of Happy Hogan, and Happy and Pepper walking away into the sunset, with Tony looking on. "That's how you know it's the right thing Tony - because it's never easy." Tony turns and there's Cap and Thor and the other Avengers, and they're smiling. END
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Post by michaelpaciocco on Jan 15, 2010 19:40:15 GMT -8
2) Joe Quesada was fired. As his final act of pettiness, he has had Warren Ellis write a story where Galactus eats the 616 MU. It falls to you to Zero Hour the MU. Disney tells you to reboot the MU from scratch. Who are the creators you call upon to define the new MU? Who are the writers you call upon to create the new MU's backstory, and who are the artists you call upon to redesign the characters? Which are the first three series you use to launch this new universe? Creators I call upon will include (but are not limited to) - Tom DeFalco, Dwayne McDuffie (who has done this sort of thing before), Tony Isabella, Fabian Nicieza, and a huge fucking sign located in all conference rooms reading "What would Mark Gruenwald Do?" would be my primary braintrust/Editorial. Artists I would call up are anyone who can draw competently on a complete story on time - this would eliminate approximately 95% of current Marvel Artists. However, for conceptual redesigns I might contract out to a few different players - Chris Sprouse, Gene Ha, Adam Warren, and even John Byrne might get a nod (and cash for their hard work). As far as writers - I'd be throwing the floodgates open to the fans and some of the better indy writers (yourself included, Jens). I keep saying this again and again - I get more superhero entertainment out of some of the bloggers and Youtube Videos and guys like that than I have out of the comics in YEARS. So yeah, let Christopher Bird pump out a Doctor Strange book - Christ knows he can probably end up selling more copies than Waid can at this point. Now, as for launch titles (monthlies) - the following three are the ones I would use Amazing Spider-Man - Tom Beland and Thom Zahler - and oh yes, Peter and MJ will be goddamn married you will LOVE IT. The Uncanny X-Men - Randy Milholland and Adam Warren - Because Randy doesn't believe in perfectly happy endings and can juggle a huge cast of characters who are massively dysfunctional but would probably work well in a group together, and Adam Warren will make things look sexy and pretty and that's really all you need to sell the books to teenagers. Marvel Superheroes - Anthology book, as per Marvel Adventures. Most importantly, there would be quarterly anthology books of different sizes and formats that would be sold to the bookstore format - some color, some black and white, and for a couple years data would be collected to see which formats sold and which didn't - everythign ranging from Manga-size books to TPB-size. Because what's killing American comics is that while the Manga is all uniform size and neatly ordered the American comics look like freaks and monsters and no one can find shit.
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Post by jessebaker on Jan 15, 2010 19:43:59 GMT -8
Given that Reed Richards has been generally been portrayed as a self-absorbed asshat willfully WITHHOLDING the fruits of his genius for a corporate paycheck in order to keep the status quo, I'm all for Reed Richards being demoted to a fifth rate genius.
Hell, it might ACTUALLY MAKE HIM A BETTER CHARACTER if Reed is permanently denounced as a fraud as far as being a just another smart guy who somehow bamboozled everyone into thinking HE WAS THE SMARTEST MAN IN THE WORLD. Fuck, he couldn't even cure his best friend of his crippling deformity CAUSED BY HIS OWN FAULTY SPACESHIP SHIELDING DESIGN!
And hell, after his shit in Civil War, he deserves to be snubbed by the sentient version of the universe. After all, for all of his mistakes, AT LEAST HANK ADMITS TO THEM. I don't think Reed has EVER apologized for Civil War or even shooting Hulk into outer space!
So demoted him to fifth rate intelligence and have Hank and Doom and Beast and T'Challa all treat Reed like a loser who's made his way in life tricking everyone into thinking he was the smartest guy in the world. After all, if Tony can get treated like shit for Civil War, the least Marvel can do the same for Reed as far as knocking him down a couple of pegs and making him be kicked down to the status of being in the bottom ten percentile of the smartest people in the Marvel Universe is perfect karmatic justice.
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Post by michaelpaciocco on Jan 15, 2010 19:48:36 GMT -8
Anders, your turn
1) You get to launch one comic related property as a TV series with a limited budget - what do you do and how?
2) Your absolute, all-time favorite "not a classic" comic story - meaning it can't be Watchmen or other big name, constantly lauded comic, but it has a huge personal meaning to you - what is it and why?
3) You can cure one great comic professional of his biggest character flaw - Dave Sim's sexism, Neal Adams or John Byrne's crazy, Miller's...uh, whatever he's got - who do you pick and why?
4) What one real world thing do you wish comics would tackle more of?
5) What non-Big-Two comics brings you the most joy?
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Post by michaelpaciocco on Jan 15, 2010 19:51:58 GMT -8
Given that Reed Richards has been generally been portrayed as a self-absorbed asshat willfully WITHHOLDING the fruits of his genius for a corporate paycheck in order to keep the status quo, I'm all for Reed Richards being demoted to a fifth rate genius. Hell, it might ACTUALLY MAKE HIM A BETTER CHARACTER if Reed is permanently denounced as a fraud as far as being a just another smart guy who somehow bamboozled everyone into thinking HE WAS THE SMARTEST MAN IN THE WORLD. Fuck, he couldn't even cure his best friend of his crippling deformity CAUSED BY HIS OWN FAULTY SPACESHIP SHIELDING DESIGN! And hell, after his shit in Civil War, he deserves to be snubbed by the sentient version of the universe. After all, for all of his mistakes, AT LEAST HANK ADMITS TO THEM. I don't think Reed has EVER apologized for Civil War or even shooting Hulk into outer space! So demoted him to fifth rate intelligence and have Hank and Doom and Beast and T'Challa all treat Reed like a loser who's made his way in life tricking everyone into thinking he was the smartest guy in the world. After all, if Tony can get treated like shit for Civil War, the least Marvel can do the same for Reed as far as knocking him down a couple of pegs and making him be kicked down to the status of being in the bottom ten percentile of the smartest people in the Marvel Universe is perfect karmatic justice. Actually, no. Disagreed on all points. First, it's not that Reed willfully withholds - it's that again, his concepts are so unique that no one but him can make them work -again, DaVinci, except he can get the helicopter and submarine to work. Second, Reed's had to pay his penance with his family, and that's a hard thing to mend. And no, it's stated fact Jesse - Reed (or Doom, and Maybe T'Challa on a good day) are the top tier.
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Post by michaelpaciocco on Jan 15, 2010 19:56:33 GMT -8
and I'm going to ask and answer a fifth question just to be fun, and I'm taking it from the questions I asked Anders:
Gruenwald's Squadron Supreme - it doesn't get enough credit for being a thoroughly thought provoking look at the limits of power and moral slippery slopes. It's beautiful. Hell, in my RPGing, I've run multiple versions fo the SS scenario in my games, and everytime it makes me think it over again.
Now, if you don't count that, then one other contender
"The Nearness of You."
'Nuff said.
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Post by jensaltmann on Jan 16, 2010 0:52:10 GMT -8
Squadron Supreme has been on my "I really want to read this" list for years, but somehow I never got around to it. Probably not this year either.
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Post by michaelpaciocco on Jan 16, 2010 6:30:36 GMT -8
Well, I recommend it, but...
Ok, here's the thing - in a lot of ways it isn't a very good comic. Well, no, that's not right - it's in most ways a very traditional type of Late-Silver Age comic - the art is simplistic, and the dialogue can at times be almost Claremont-level wince-inducing.
Butttttt, I've always viewed that as a subconscious, if not DELIBERATE effort on Gruenwald's behalf - by using the comfort of cheesy-Silver Age JLA style comics (his inspiration) to slowly show the moral backslide and just how creepy the SS became.
Now, that's just a personal opinion - I have nothing to back it up except - well, Mark Gruenwald - if anyone would have tried this stunt, it would be him, you know?
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Post by jarddavis on Jan 16, 2010 9:52:25 GMT -8
I think, if there's one team right now who could do the FF the way it should be done outside of Byrne?
Scott Lobdell and Alan Davis. That three issues they did wasn't enough. I wanted more.
I'm not a big fan of Lobdell's work on X-Men. Mostly because I spent the entire time wondering what exactly his problem was with Colossus. It's like it was a personal vendetta against the character. But I liked his short take on the FF.
But there's a huge part of me that would like to see Warren Ellis take over the FF as writer vice X-Men, so that I can say "Hey. You now have your Mystery Archeology team. Go excavate the Marvel Universe." Give me 24 issues. No more, no less. No big subplots or crossover stories.
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