Post by Mark Caringer on Jul 23, 2006 0:47:26 GMT -5
JEPH LOEB & SIMONE BIANCHI TAKE ON WOLVERINE
Since Jeph Loeb was announced as a Marvel exclusive creator last convention season, he’s had a knack for landing on high profile Marvel characters with brand name and top-notch artist talents. His latest newly announced project will be no exception.
Today at Comic-Con Marvel announced that Loeb and artist Simone Bianchi will take the reins of the monthly Wolverine title for a finite run beginning with the anniversary 50th issue this January. But even details like those Loeb isn’t too sure of - or concerned with - at the moment
“What I can be sure of is that as soon as people see Simone’s artwork, they are going to tear down the doors at the stores to get these issues,” the writer said.
But details are our business, and Loeb did offer a few - like (for the moment) his and Bianchi’s run will be six-issues, #’s 50-55. Whether or not they’ll be more? Well…
“As with everything I do, the story dictates the length,” he explained. “This particular story is told in six parts -- so we’ll actually be done at #55. As folks will see, it’s a self-contained tale, but it will raise an important question that easily lends itself to another six-parter. That’s going to be up to Simone. If he wants to play some more -- I’m in!
As to that aforementioned knack for landing on comics biggest franchises – now Marvel’s – is that a part of a pre-meditated plan to work on publisher’s “big guns”??
“You guys know me better than that!” he exclaimed. “There’s never any plan!” [laughs]
“Seriously, I get interested in characters by the stories I think I can tell and by the artist who brings them to life. I had a Wolverine story -- but after [Mark] Millar had his run, I figured I’d stay away from the book. Then two things happened. After House of M, Logan got his memories back and that made it possible for him to reveal one of the biggest secrets in his world.
“The other was when Joe Quesada called and asked if I wanted to work with Simone. I had seen the black & white pages to the Green Lantern story he did and to the unfairness of the colorist who I think is terrific, the issue was printed badly. Bad paper, bad scoring, bad ink… just bad! It made everything that Simone does turn to mud. And so, the issue is by and large, disappointing - and I love the story and guy who wrote is the best - Geoff Johns. But, if I hadn’t seen the pen and ink, I’d have never known it.
“When Joe Q. called, I knew it was a different situation. Joe’s an artist and the books at Marvel are about having a look that is higher end. It makes their collections more exciting as well. Nobody ever thinks about this stuff when they are starting a project, but I do. And if I was going to work with Simone it had to be under the best conditions. And to be honest about it, only Joe Quesada could deliver on that promise.”
As Loeb says, it’s all about story, so we asked the writer about his. Since a significant part of the appeal of Wolverine seems to be his mysterious past, and his interaction with the other X-Men, which has now become the domain of Wolverine: Origin and the X-titles, respectively, we wondered what the writer what the key to Wolverine’s appeal is, or what the defining characteristic of the character is, in terms of being the solo star of this series?
“The appeal is the subject matter.” Loeb responded. “ I had always wanted to do a “Wolverine/Sabretooth Year One”. In my head, he’s the best villain for Wolverine - has known him the longest and their pasts, while somewhat illuminated, are still shrouded in mystery.
“We’ve heard it all. Sabretooth is Logan’s father. He’s Logan’s brother. He’s Login’s clone. What is the deal? I talked to Joe Q. and to Axel Alonso and given that Sabretooth is running around in Mike Carey’s X-Men, it seemed like the timing was right. The story takes place in several different years much like what is going on in Origins. The contemporary story is what happens when Logan finds out that Creed is on the team and has been given safe haven at the Mansion. It can pretty much be summed up in Logan’s lines: ‘They say that there are only 198 of us left. I don’t see why one of them has to be him’
“And there are backstories that are moments that will help define and in some cases re-define the relationship between these two.”
And while currently the Wolverine ongoing series proper is smack dab in the middle of Civil War, Loeb and Bianchi’s story arc won’t ignore it, the after-effects of the war won’t be center stage.
“Let’s let Mister Millar have his fun with the Civil War,” Loeb said. “Wolverine and Sabretooth predate any of that and will continue long after that is over. We’ll respect that story (not Millar - unless he’s buying the beer [laughs]), but you won’t have to know it to appreciate what we are doing.
And because he seems to think so highly of Bianchi’s work, we asked Loeb if he finds himself writing in any way to suit Bianchi's abilities?
Yes!” came the reply. “As always, I try and write to an artist’s strengths. I spent a lot of time talking with Simone - about what he liked to draw - who he liked to draw. That determines more that anybody knows. My imagination is one thing, its his imagination I need to inspire. And if you talk to Simone, you can’t help but get excited. He’s a wild man!
“Have I mentioned that it’ll be a a showcase for Simone,” Loeb asked rhethrorically, making sure we understood his message for the day. “That after you see his stuff, he’s going to raise the bar on Wolverine. The last time anybody did that was Lenil Yu. Time to put it up above everyone again…”
preview pics in preview section:
loganfiles.com/w-preview.html
Since Jeph Loeb was announced as a Marvel exclusive creator last convention season, he’s had a knack for landing on high profile Marvel characters with brand name and top-notch artist talents. His latest newly announced project will be no exception.
Today at Comic-Con Marvel announced that Loeb and artist Simone Bianchi will take the reins of the monthly Wolverine title for a finite run beginning with the anniversary 50th issue this January. But even details like those Loeb isn’t too sure of - or concerned with - at the moment
“What I can be sure of is that as soon as people see Simone’s artwork, they are going to tear down the doors at the stores to get these issues,” the writer said.
But details are our business, and Loeb did offer a few - like (for the moment) his and Bianchi’s run will be six-issues, #’s 50-55. Whether or not they’ll be more? Well…
“As with everything I do, the story dictates the length,” he explained. “This particular story is told in six parts -- so we’ll actually be done at #55. As folks will see, it’s a self-contained tale, but it will raise an important question that easily lends itself to another six-parter. That’s going to be up to Simone. If he wants to play some more -- I’m in!
As to that aforementioned knack for landing on comics biggest franchises – now Marvel’s – is that a part of a pre-meditated plan to work on publisher’s “big guns”??
“You guys know me better than that!” he exclaimed. “There’s never any plan!” [laughs]
“Seriously, I get interested in characters by the stories I think I can tell and by the artist who brings them to life. I had a Wolverine story -- but after [Mark] Millar had his run, I figured I’d stay away from the book. Then two things happened. After House of M, Logan got his memories back and that made it possible for him to reveal one of the biggest secrets in his world.
“The other was when Joe Quesada called and asked if I wanted to work with Simone. I had seen the black & white pages to the Green Lantern story he did and to the unfairness of the colorist who I think is terrific, the issue was printed badly. Bad paper, bad scoring, bad ink… just bad! It made everything that Simone does turn to mud. And so, the issue is by and large, disappointing - and I love the story and guy who wrote is the best - Geoff Johns. But, if I hadn’t seen the pen and ink, I’d have never known it.
“When Joe Q. called, I knew it was a different situation. Joe’s an artist and the books at Marvel are about having a look that is higher end. It makes their collections more exciting as well. Nobody ever thinks about this stuff when they are starting a project, but I do. And if I was going to work with Simone it had to be under the best conditions. And to be honest about it, only Joe Quesada could deliver on that promise.”
As Loeb says, it’s all about story, so we asked the writer about his. Since a significant part of the appeal of Wolverine seems to be his mysterious past, and his interaction with the other X-Men, which has now become the domain of Wolverine: Origin and the X-titles, respectively, we wondered what the writer what the key to Wolverine’s appeal is, or what the defining characteristic of the character is, in terms of being the solo star of this series?
“The appeal is the subject matter.” Loeb responded. “ I had always wanted to do a “Wolverine/Sabretooth Year One”. In my head, he’s the best villain for Wolverine - has known him the longest and their pasts, while somewhat illuminated, are still shrouded in mystery.
“We’ve heard it all. Sabretooth is Logan’s father. He’s Logan’s brother. He’s Login’s clone. What is the deal? I talked to Joe Q. and to Axel Alonso and given that Sabretooth is running around in Mike Carey’s X-Men, it seemed like the timing was right. The story takes place in several different years much like what is going on in Origins. The contemporary story is what happens when Logan finds out that Creed is on the team and has been given safe haven at the Mansion. It can pretty much be summed up in Logan’s lines: ‘They say that there are only 198 of us left. I don’t see why one of them has to be him’
“And there are backstories that are moments that will help define and in some cases re-define the relationship between these two.”
And while currently the Wolverine ongoing series proper is smack dab in the middle of Civil War, Loeb and Bianchi’s story arc won’t ignore it, the after-effects of the war won’t be center stage.
“Let’s let Mister Millar have his fun with the Civil War,” Loeb said. “Wolverine and Sabretooth predate any of that and will continue long after that is over. We’ll respect that story (not Millar - unless he’s buying the beer [laughs]), but you won’t have to know it to appreciate what we are doing.
And because he seems to think so highly of Bianchi’s work, we asked Loeb if he finds himself writing in any way to suit Bianchi's abilities?
Yes!” came the reply. “As always, I try and write to an artist’s strengths. I spent a lot of time talking with Simone - about what he liked to draw - who he liked to draw. That determines more that anybody knows. My imagination is one thing, its his imagination I need to inspire. And if you talk to Simone, you can’t help but get excited. He’s a wild man!
“Have I mentioned that it’ll be a a showcase for Simone,” Loeb asked rhethrorically, making sure we understood his message for the day. “That after you see his stuff, he’s going to raise the bar on Wolverine. The last time anybody did that was Lenil Yu. Time to put it up above everyone again…”
preview pics in preview section:
loganfiles.com/w-preview.html
