Post by goldenfist on Jan 10, 2008 10:44:40 GMT -5
Here's an interview with Paul Cornell on the Young Avengers Pres
ent: Vision.
Tom Brevoort and CB Cebulski announced at the Mondo Marvel panel at Baltimore Comic-Con in September that there will be a five-issue mini-series in January that will focus on the Young Avengers, with each issue done by a different writer and focusing on a different one or two characters.
We’ve talked to writers Brubaker, Reed and Aguirre-Sacasa about The Patriot, Hulkling, and Wiccan & Speed, respectively.
There is nothing top secret about who the fourth writer is going to be – Paul Cornell. He is a British writer who’d previously written Wisdom for Marvel’s MAX imprint. He’s also been tapped to take over Excalibur from veteran X-Men scribe Chris Claremont when the title relaunches in 2008. Apart from comics, he’s a sci-fi novelist and TV scriptwriter. His Doctor Who episode 'Father's Day' was nominated for a Hugo Award in the Best Drama: Short Form category.
Newsarama.com spoke with Cornell about writing The Vision (with art by Mark Brooks) in Young Avengers Presents #4, due out in April.
Newsarama: Paul, why the Vision? Was this a character that you'd always wanted to tackle as a writer?
Paul Cornell: Tom B suggested him, and that I take part in the miniseries, and I've always been a fan of the character. Originally he was the love child of Spock and the Martian Manhunter, but, as the technological character, he's always been a mirror of what tech in the real world is like. And emotion/no emotion is always in play, so loads to deal with there.
NRAMA: What aspects about Allan Heinberg's Young Avengers concept appeal to you as a writer?
PC: It's like the Marvel universe suddenly reimagined as a hit TV show. I think the shift in perspective was hugely influential. We're right inside the points of view of the kids, and when older Marvel characters appear, they've got this distant gravitas to them. And the way it’s packed with emotion, that feels fresh as well. YA and Runaways both made this same adjustment at the same time. It's not the only way to do exciting modern Marvel stories, but it's a very fun one.
NRAMA: What was your first exposure to the Avengers in the UK?
PC: The British weekly Avengers comic, in black and white, with scary Dr. Strange in the back. It started with the team finding Cap, and I was mesmerized by it. And I was heartbroken when everyone left and Hawkeye and co. came along, because Giant Man was my favorite. And this doesn't seem to have been a minority opinion, because shortly after that it became 'The Avengers, starring Master of Kung Fu' and I wasn't allowed it any more.
NRAMA: Did you always have a liking for the synthezoid/android known as the Vision?
PC: Oh yes, from the moment I first laid eyes on him in a treasury edition. That run of Buscema art he was introduced in. Fantastic stuff. I always liked the love triangle he couldn't quite fully participate in. He's pretty d**n powerful in the Marvel trumps card game too.
NRAMA: Your first American comic gig was writing the Wisdom MAX series for Marvel, correct? What was the whole comic book writing experience like?
PC: I've been so enjoying myself. I expected Marvel editorial to be all drawn by Jack Kirby, square jawed and chomping cigars and yelling about me being a gold brick, whatever that was. But it turns out they're drawn by Frank Brunner, and are all gentle and swirly. Apart from Tom B, who's drawn by Gil Kane, so I'm looking up his nose all the time. Basically, if I'm a reasonable chap, they're reasonable and enthusiastic right back, and I like that a lot. Loads of creative back and forth, and the thrill of getting art pages in your inbox. I was really proud of Wisdom, with its big old ending, and I love how we're getting more attention now it's been collected.
NRAMA: Young Avengers' Vision was originally a younger, teenage version of Kang the Conqueror who traveled back to the present from the future before he "left" his armor behind which then resulted in the Vision's operating system being activated. What do you have in mind for this new Vision?
PC: Good synopsizing skills, there. Obviously, I'm keeping all that (actually, this being comics, it's probably not all that obvious). I wanted to define him a bit more, give him some life experiences, see what his relationships are like, and make it clear that he can talk with contractions when he wants to.
NRAMA: Both the Vision and Runaways' Victor Mancha (or Static Cling Lad or Mr. Roboto or Man of La Mancha) were created by Ultron. With "daddy" on a quest for universal domination in the pages of Annihilation: Conquest, and another more feminine version battling the Mighty Avengers, will you be bringing "daddy" to the pages of Young Avengers Presents too?
PC: No. Sorry. I do love Ultron, though.
NRAMA: Who have you got to illustrate this? What does he bring to the project?
PC: Mark Brooks. I love his style, he's great with character expression and with action. There's a lot of unspoken and spoken passion in this, so it's great he's onboard.
NRAMA: Where do you see the Vision heading to next? After all, original Young Avengers creator and writer had once revealed that his plans for the new "season" of the series would involve a love triangle between the Vision, the teenage Kang and Cassie (Stature)…will this story be touching on that?
PC: Yes - I'm here to start that off, by sending the Vision and Cassie out on a very awkward date. (Yes, I know, opposite sides, that's why it's so complicated.) I'm very fond of Allan, and I feel that my job is to put the pieces into place for his plan to go ahead in the future. I'm a caretaker manager, and I hope I've motivated the team (the characters, I suppose, it's Christmas, my metaphors are asleep on the sofa) to a win, but I'm not going to be a regular face in the dressing room (whatever that might be).
ent: Vision.
Tom Brevoort and CB Cebulski announced at the Mondo Marvel panel at Baltimore Comic-Con in September that there will be a five-issue mini-series in January that will focus on the Young Avengers, with each issue done by a different writer and focusing on a different one or two characters.
We’ve talked to writers Brubaker, Reed and Aguirre-Sacasa about The Patriot, Hulkling, and Wiccan & Speed, respectively.
There is nothing top secret about who the fourth writer is going to be – Paul Cornell. He is a British writer who’d previously written Wisdom for Marvel’s MAX imprint. He’s also been tapped to take over Excalibur from veteran X-Men scribe Chris Claremont when the title relaunches in 2008. Apart from comics, he’s a sci-fi novelist and TV scriptwriter. His Doctor Who episode 'Father's Day' was nominated for a Hugo Award in the Best Drama: Short Form category.
Newsarama.com spoke with Cornell about writing The Vision (with art by Mark Brooks) in Young Avengers Presents #4, due out in April.
Newsarama: Paul, why the Vision? Was this a character that you'd always wanted to tackle as a writer?
Paul Cornell: Tom B suggested him, and that I take part in the miniseries, and I've always been a fan of the character. Originally he was the love child of Spock and the Martian Manhunter, but, as the technological character, he's always been a mirror of what tech in the real world is like. And emotion/no emotion is always in play, so loads to deal with there.
NRAMA: What aspects about Allan Heinberg's Young Avengers concept appeal to you as a writer?
PC: It's like the Marvel universe suddenly reimagined as a hit TV show. I think the shift in perspective was hugely influential. We're right inside the points of view of the kids, and when older Marvel characters appear, they've got this distant gravitas to them. And the way it’s packed with emotion, that feels fresh as well. YA and Runaways both made this same adjustment at the same time. It's not the only way to do exciting modern Marvel stories, but it's a very fun one.
NRAMA: What was your first exposure to the Avengers in the UK?
PC: The British weekly Avengers comic, in black and white, with scary Dr. Strange in the back. It started with the team finding Cap, and I was mesmerized by it. And I was heartbroken when everyone left and Hawkeye and co. came along, because Giant Man was my favorite. And this doesn't seem to have been a minority opinion, because shortly after that it became 'The Avengers, starring Master of Kung Fu' and I wasn't allowed it any more.
NRAMA: Did you always have a liking for the synthezoid/android known as the Vision?
PC: Oh yes, from the moment I first laid eyes on him in a treasury edition. That run of Buscema art he was introduced in. Fantastic stuff. I always liked the love triangle he couldn't quite fully participate in. He's pretty d**n powerful in the Marvel trumps card game too.
NRAMA: Your first American comic gig was writing the Wisdom MAX series for Marvel, correct? What was the whole comic book writing experience like?
PC: I've been so enjoying myself. I expected Marvel editorial to be all drawn by Jack Kirby, square jawed and chomping cigars and yelling about me being a gold brick, whatever that was. But it turns out they're drawn by Frank Brunner, and are all gentle and swirly. Apart from Tom B, who's drawn by Gil Kane, so I'm looking up his nose all the time. Basically, if I'm a reasonable chap, they're reasonable and enthusiastic right back, and I like that a lot. Loads of creative back and forth, and the thrill of getting art pages in your inbox. I was really proud of Wisdom, with its big old ending, and I love how we're getting more attention now it's been collected.
NRAMA: Young Avengers' Vision was originally a younger, teenage version of Kang the Conqueror who traveled back to the present from the future before he "left" his armor behind which then resulted in the Vision's operating system being activated. What do you have in mind for this new Vision?
PC: Good synopsizing skills, there. Obviously, I'm keeping all that (actually, this being comics, it's probably not all that obvious). I wanted to define him a bit more, give him some life experiences, see what his relationships are like, and make it clear that he can talk with contractions when he wants to.
NRAMA: Both the Vision and Runaways' Victor Mancha (or Static Cling Lad or Mr. Roboto or Man of La Mancha) were created by Ultron. With "daddy" on a quest for universal domination in the pages of Annihilation: Conquest, and another more feminine version battling the Mighty Avengers, will you be bringing "daddy" to the pages of Young Avengers Presents too?
PC: No. Sorry. I do love Ultron, though.
NRAMA: Who have you got to illustrate this? What does he bring to the project?
PC: Mark Brooks. I love his style, he's great with character expression and with action. There's a lot of unspoken and spoken passion in this, so it's great he's onboard.
NRAMA: Where do you see the Vision heading to next? After all, original Young Avengers creator and writer had once revealed that his plans for the new "season" of the series would involve a love triangle between the Vision, the teenage Kang and Cassie (Stature)…will this story be touching on that?
PC: Yes - I'm here to start that off, by sending the Vision and Cassie out on a very awkward date. (Yes, I know, opposite sides, that's why it's so complicated.) I'm very fond of Allan, and I feel that my job is to put the pieces into place for his plan to go ahead in the future. I'm a caretaker manager, and I hope I've motivated the team (the characters, I suppose, it's Christmas, my metaphors are asleep on the sofa) to a win, but I'm not going to be a regular face in the dressing room (whatever that might be).
