NYCC 2010: Mark Waid Interview

Posted by Babs (17357 posts) - 2 years, 7 months ago - Show Bio

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#1 Posted by Mainline (1127 posts) - 2 years, 7 months ago - Show Bio

Awesome interview, Mark Waid's also one of my favorite people / creators.

He signed my copy of Birthright HC and even sketched a Superman Crest freehand inside saying he's been drawing that logo / symbol since he was eight. :-)

#2 Posted by Constantanius (2 posts) - 2 years, 7 months ago - Show Bio

“Stan Lee the guy that invented the super-hero in the 20th century” Huh?? What?!?!? I guess
Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, Bob Kane etc didn’t exist in Mark Waid’s reality……

again wtf and Babs just sits there and nods….sigh and I do like Mark Waid but WTF seriously

#3 Posted by carnivalofsins00 (938 posts) - 2 years, 7 months ago - Show Bio

cant wait for all three of the books. Starborn sounds the most interesting one to me though. =]

#4 Posted by ImperiousRix (1069 posts) - 2 years, 7 months ago - Show Bio

Absolutely love Mark Waid. He's just so enthusiastic about, not just the characters themselves, but the breadth of the mythos surrounding them. His Spider-Man he's writing right now isn't the most complex story arc, but it is fun as hell and I can't wait to see how it ends.
Intrigued to see all three of these titles (specifically Soldier Zero). I don't really get into many titles outside of Marvel and DC, but I'm excited to see how these turn out.

#5 Posted by FoxxFireArt (3354 posts) - 2 years, 7 months ago - Show Bio

Solider Zero reminds me of a TV show that was on years ago. For the life of me the name is escaping me. It was about a man who was crippled after the riots that followed the verdict of the police officers that beat Rodney King. He was either beat of hit with a stray bullet. This man uses a power suit to be a super hero. Also, the alien weapon of war falling into the hands of someone. That reminds me of the Cartoon Network series Ben 10 or Megas XLR.

So, the protagonist of The Traveler is a self righteous ass who doesn't take into consideration how his actions will effect people and the future? The idea that he takes actions of his own, then deals with the consequences. That seems more akin to manufactured drama that you get out of soap operas. I seriously hope there are some stronger motivations for these actions other than playing God for his own ego.
Sometimes death is what inspires others to do great things.
To use a comic analogy. Just imagine what would of happened to Bruce Wayne if someone had gone back in time and prevented his parents death. Would we of ever had a Batman? It was that one tragic moment that influenced his life.

Starborn sounds as if it's a mixture of Spider-man and the Wanted movie. That was about a guy who lived an average life with a guy wanting more until he discovers he has super powers and the child of a skilled assassin. It's also the theme of numerous manga, such as BLEACH. Those series are littered with stories about "average person" who discovers he isn't so average, and is dragged into a larger world that the lead never knew existed.

What I do respect about Stan Lee is that in the years he was creating some of the most iconic heroes. He was the person taking the chances. He was one of the first to try and take heroes away from the whole Nietzschean ideal that so many others mimics. For all the things people told him that he couldn't do with a hero. He did. He started the all rolling of giving characters complexity.
When you listen to the stories he tells about the creation of many of these characters. It always seems to begin with how a comic was going under, and the publishers give it to Stan Lee. Look at Spider-man. This was published in what was suppose to be the last issue of Amazing Fantasy 15. He used that opportunity to take a shot the higher-ups we not willing to give him.
With mutants I think he hit the jackpot. That a character wasn't the cause of some simple twist of fate, but they were secretly born that way. That feeds into so much of the human condition and you can connect it to various groups that feel discriminated against for how they were born. It's more impressive when you consider the time.

It's almost ironic. Seeing how it was Marvel that was really the flagship of social change in comics, but look at them today. They are still trying to get their heads around making comics of female characters that isn't just about sex appeal, such as that God awful X-Men: Ragazze in fuga. Though DC has had several books that starred strong female leads (Wonder Woman, Catwoman, Batgirl, & Birds of Prey).

Well, I've rambled on long enough. Don't ask me why I went on in this manner. I don't quite get it myself.

@Constantanius said:

" I guess Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, Bob Kane etc didn’t exist in Mark Waid’s reality…… "

While what they did was also impressive. Stan Lee was the first to give his heroes real personal flaws and real life situations. They had actual lives that readers could identify with. Superman had a near perfect life and was invincible to harm, Though Batman had some serious drama in his past. He was also independently wealthy and didn't have to work a day in his life.
Spider-man, on the other hand. He was an awkward teen who had skin trouble, struggled to pay the bills, and had a job that pretty much tried to vilify his actions as a hero. No hero had those kind of problems before.

Though, I do agree that it's going a tad overboard that there wouldn't be comics without Stan Lee. I really don't think we would be at the stage we are without him, and the industry seriously might not be as large. Just look at the number of heroes that have come out of his creation of the mutants.

" again wtf and Babs just sits there and nods….sigh and I do like Mark Waid but WTF seriously "

What are you expecting of her? It's an interview about coming projects. Not an interrogation. She asks a question, then lets him answer it to the extent he wishes. It's the polite thing to do when you ask someone a question is to let them finish.

#6 Posted by Eyz (3094 posts) - 2 years, 7 months ago - Show Bio

Great stuff~
Love Mark Waid!
Not my fav' writer, but great reads nonetheless!

#7 Posted by NXH (1031 posts) - 2 years, 7 months ago - Show Bio

@FoxxFireArt:
Jesus! That is a big ass comment. =/

#8 Posted by Mainline (1127 posts) - 2 years, 7 months ago - Show Bio

@FoxxFireArt said:

" Solider Zero reminds me of a TV show that was on years ago. For the life of me the name is escaping me. It was about a man who was crippled after the riots that followed the verdict of the police officers that beat Rodney King. He was either beat of hit with a stray bullet. This man uses a power suit to be a super hero.

Ah, M.A.N.T.I.S. I think I've caught one or two syndicated episodes back when there was a UPN. :P

I love this Wiki entry, especially the last line:

The original two-hour TV pilot was produced by Sam Raimi and developed by Sam Hamm. It starred actor Carl Lumbly. The show was unique, inasmuch as it depicted an African-American superhero.

Lumbly's character, Dr. Miles Hawkins, was a wealthy, mild-mannered doctor who was shot in the spine during a riot while helping a kid. He claimed he was shot by a cop and filed a lawsuit but lost the suit. He decided against appealing. Paralyzed from the waist down, he uses his company's resources to invent a powered exoskeleton that not only enables him to walk but gives him superhuman abilities. He utilizes a vast array of technology, including a large underwater lab and a hovercraft called the Crysalid to fly around the city. With his newfound power, he vows to fight crime and assumes the hidden identity of the vigilante "M.A.N.T.I.S." (Mechanically Augmented Neuro Transmitter Interactive System).

The bulk of the series' run depicted the M.A.N.T.I.S. operating in a vigilante role, frequently pursued by police, and battling industrialist Solomon Box (Brion James / Andrew J. Robinson). Poor ratings led to an extensive retooling of the concept. Midway through the show's run, minor characters were jettisoned, and more fantasy adventure elements were incorporated into the premise, including parallel universes, super-villains, and monsters. In the series' final installment, Miles Hawkins (and Lt. Maxwell) meets his death disposing of an invisible, prehistoric dinosaur.

#9 Posted by FoxxFireArt (3354 posts) - 2 years, 7 months ago - Show Bio

@NXH said:

" @FoxxFireArt: Jesus! That is a big ass comment. =/ "

I know. I was originally just writing my thoughts as I watched the video. Looking at it now. It seems rather silly.

You have to understand. The editorial content on Anime Vice has become so stagnant that it's quickly becoming boring. There are basically only two article types going on over there for the whole week. That's it.

@Mainline:
That's right, it was M.A.N.T.I.S.

#10 Posted by zombietag (1424 posts) - 2 years, 7 months ago - Show Bio

mark waid. always wearing a hat.

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