Interviews

DECONSTRUCTING MARVEL

By Koncise
September 28, 2005 - 21:19

Easy Cats :)

Have you ever wondered where the good Cosmic stories are from Marvel?

Most cats probably think it’s kind of like waiting for the English national football team to win the world cup (actually, this analogy could work for so many sports lol)………never going to happen in your life time lol

Well, maybe things are just about to change. Sci-Fi Channel has Battlestar Galatica, ABC has Lost. And now Marvel has……Drax???

We decided to holla at Might Marvel’s Andy Schmidt, for the low-down:

Drax: The Destroyer #1

DESTROY AND REBUILD!


(1) Koncise: Easy Andy :)

Thanks for stopping by.

I hope you brought your gum shield, cuase your cheque didn’t clear.

So, are you ready to proceed?

Andy Schmidt: You know it!

(2) K: Cool, ding, ding….

In recent years, Marvel had cosmic books, but nothing has really resonated with the fans. Why do you think this is?

AS: I can’t be sure why they haven’t resonated with the fans but they haven’t with me because I don’t think Marvel’s done a cosmic book right since the 1970s. Sure, we’ve published a bunch of comics with those characters, but those have almost entirely been built on the foundation of what Jim Starlin did 20 years ago. Jim did great things, but it’s twenty years later now. The cosmic characters have been stagnant. Don’t get me wrong, I grew up on the Starlin stuff, but I do think it’s time to progress or update these characters.

(3) K: In 2003 (September, I think) Marvel tried to revamp Silver Surfer. It seemed they were trying a M. Night Shyamalan vibe, but that didn’t work either.

What do you think went wrong here?

AS: Ouch, throwing a book I worked on back at me. That’s cold, man.

I think I have a pretty good idea what went wrong. Dan (Chariton) and Stacy (Weiss), the writers, were fantastic to work with and a lot of what was planned was based on a very particular art style. Once the intended artist fell off the book and issue 2 was delayed for months, almost all of the momentum for that series was dead.

The new artist that came on board had a very tough job, and did the best he could, but ultimately, probably wasn’t the right fit for the book. Don’t get me wrong, I like Lan Medina’s work, it just didn’t quite fit the book. I still think Dan and Stacy’s take on SILVER SURFER has merit.

The idea was that the Surfer was completely alien and that the best way to capture that feeling was through realistic human characters who would experience him briefly but in very profound ways. I’m convinced that concept could make a great book but it got derailed due to circumstance more than anything else.

(4) K: Circumstances definitely ruined the book’s chances. I found the first issue really interesting, but the delays made it hard to feel invested.

I think if the first arc could have been compressed into less issues, it may of helped too.

With J. Michael Straczynski’s Silver Surfer limited series scheduled to drop soon. Do you think everything Dan and Stacy wanted to implement will be forgotten?

AS: I think, but I'm not 100% sure, that JMS is going down a different route with the character.

(5) K: Are you going to have any involvement with his (JMS’) Surfer mini?

AS: Other than making sure it fits within the context of the Marvel Universe, no. DRAX doesn’t have any contact with the Silver Surfer, so the two projects are currently separate. That being said, don’t be surprised if effects from both limited series are felt in later cosmic related books.

(6) K: For you, what do you think makes a good “Cosmic” book?

AS: It’s simple because it’s the same thing that makes a good story. Engaging characters in unique and interesting situations. The “cosmic” part of the book is more about the setting and the characters abilities. It’s the icing, but the cake foundation is drama.

(7) K: So do you think grounding these “cosmic” characters on Earth, is a bad idea?

AS: That depends on what you mean by grounding them. If you mean keep them on Earth all the time, then yes, probably. But if you mean using Earth as a starting point, then it’s a great idea. The cosmic characters are like Thor in that they have different realms in which they play. For Thor, it’s Earth, Asgard, and space. When you find the right balance of stories in all three realms, your making some great THOR comics. When Thor spends too much time in Asgard it gets boring. And that’s true if he spends too much time in space or on Earth also.

The cosmic characters have a similar sort of structure. If it’s all space opera, it doesn’t quite work—there has to be that emotional connection and that means making the characters relatable. In order to make them relatable, you’ll want to put them in an environment like Earth that the readers can easily relate to. So you find a balance between the space opera and the Earth stuff and I think you’ve got a good shot at producing some great books. That’s why SILVER SURFER has lasted longer than most others. He’s got a clear connection to Earth and space. Both connections are valid and keep him going between realms. It’s a format that works.

(8) K: Yeah, I meant grounded permanently on earth.

So, don’t you think a book set entirely in space would work?
Say a S.H.I.E.L.D in space type of thing, as Joss Whedon has created S.W.O.R.D. It could be an interesting thing to look at?

AS: I like that you don't mind drilling me on these. A book set all in space can work. Absolutely. It's a difficult thing to pull off. The trick is the same. The characters have to have some sort of resonance in the reader's life or perception of his life. STAR WARS works because the themes and archetypes are universal. We understand immediately the kind of character that Luke Skywalker is, Or Princess Leia and Han Solo. We've all met people like these characters in our lives. It's the setting and circumstances that are far out there. But honestly even the settings are clearly based in large part on historical events and people. That makes it easily accessible and relatable to the viewer.

(9) K: Well, sometimes you have to drill, that’s where you find the gold lol

Themes and archetypes is an interesting point to bring up.
Do you think this is where previous efforts (regarding space books) have fallen down?
They’ve tried too hard to create weird, out there stories, due to the fact that their in space. And didn’t have anything that resonated with the reader?

AS: I’m sure that’s how some failed. But that’s how plenty of stories that take place right here on Earth fail as well. What I see is that some of these characters were relevant to the 70s but they got stuck there. I feel like we’ve kept telling relevant stories to people in the 70s but not the 90s or 00s. It’s time to put away the mushrooms and start telling stories about the world as we see it today.

(10) K: Why do you think it’s a good time to bring back Marvels “Cosmic” books?

AS: I’m not sure now is better than five years ago or five years from now. What I do think is that now is the time for me to take my swing at it. And the fact is, it’s not me swinging the bat, it’s Keith Giffen and Mitch Breitweiser. They’re stuff is going to blow you away.

I’ve had a bit of success with this kind of thing before. I put together the MADROX series last year that reinvented that character, and so I think my bosses (Tom Brevoort, Joe Quesada, and Dan Buckley) have a little more confidence in me to pull it off.

I originally pitched doing a grand sweeping epic that would have taken two years to tell and at least three ongoing series in which to do it. I got four issues of DRAX to show what kind of thing I was talking about. So, we’ll see how it goes.

I’m hoping it will lead to more cosmic stuff down the road and I think it will. I have to be confident in what I’m doing, otherwise I wind up compromising and that usually takes away the point of view my books have tended to have. Now I just hope I have a point of view that other people like!

(11) K: I totally agree, if you want something, you can’t start half stepping, you gotta go hard, or go home.

A potential good sign for sci-fi projects, is the huge success of the new Battlestar Galactica series. Do you think your ideas can capture that new audience?

AS: I’d love it if I could, but I’m not aiming for that specifically. For one thing, I haven’t watched the show, but I’m a huge FARSCAPE fan if that counts for anything. I think what you’re really getting at is (and correct me if I’m wrong) do I think I can expand beyond the existing audience for these characters. The truth is I don’t know, but I’m counting on Keith, Mitch, Tom Brevoort, and Joe Q to help guide the book and the characters to new places.

I am trying to streamline some of the convoluted back story just to make it easier to jump in the pool with us. But once you’re in and we’ve established our take on things, you better bet we’re turning that wave machine on and things are going to get really bumpy.

(12) K: You hit what I was trying to say, man.
Even though the story may be different in tones, the potential audience could be there.

Are you going to try and get interviews and promotion in different venues?
Places like Sci-Fi magazines, Sci-Fi Channel even.

AS: I'd love to. Unfortunately, I'm not (despite my background in both) a marketing or advertising guy for Marvel. I'm happy to work with John Dokes and David Gabriel, our marketing and sales heads, but I'm just concentrating on making the best DRAX book I can. And after that's done, I hope to do more with these characters.

(13) K: Well, hopefully John and David take the promotion of the book……..to a galaxy far, far away :)

Ummm, yeah, sorry bout that…….anyway…..

Did you ever think of using a “tent pole” to help orchestra your plans?

AS: Yes. I go back and fourth on this kind of thing. It’s very difficult to make this feel organic. Probably because it rarely is. The last book I worked on that was set up some place else was NEW INVADERS. It rolled out of an AVENGERS event but it just didn’t find its own voice once the creative switched hands.

On the other hand, Peter David, Pablo Raimondi, and I just came straight out of the gate swinging with MADROX and the sales weren’t as good, but we pulled together a more positive fan reaction. So, I don’t know, if I thought that it was organic, I’d try it, but I’d be really careful about it.

(14) K: Maybe doing one of those “Fifth Week Events” could work. Have Whedon do a S.W.O.R.D book then spawn the others from that.

Do you think something like that is feasible, as you have the big name behind it?

AS: You never know. Joss has a hundred ideas from what I hear. But he's only got time in the day to put so many down on paper. If Joss wanted to be involved in a cosmic event and I was doing one, you bet your bottom dollar I'd ask him to join in the fun.

(15) K: Well, if something does start cooking, you need to mosey on over, partner :)

You mentioned you have a huge 2 year sprawling idea for Marvels Cosmic characters. Can you tell us a little bit about this (wet appetites, build anticipation), or is it too early?

AS: I said I "had" a 2 year sprawling epic. But so much has changed since I first pitched it two years ago that it just isn't feasible at this point. But don't worry, I've got something in the works that should seriously make some waves.

(16) K: What do you want to achieve with your Sci-Fi plans?

AS: I'm just trying to tell great stories with great talent and great characters. Ultimately, when we’re done with them, if we've told some great stories and the characters are left more viable and rejuvenated, we’ve accomplished our goal. At the end of the day, I want to put the characters back in the Marvel toy box so other (greater) minds than mine can pick them up and use them in new ways.

(17) K: Out of all the cosmic characters floating around (did you see what I did there lol), who are your favourites?

AS: I don't know if I'm allowed to say this, but NEW GODS. They're the best. And as soon as DC sells those characters to Marvel I am SO THERE!

If you're asking about Marvel characters, the truth is I don't know. I'd really like to get my hands on the Super Skrull. I always felt like he's just a great character and is mis-used as a villain only. He's got a warrior's spirit and intense loyalty to his people. Now that's a great character to deal with.

I also love Gladiator from the Imperial Guard. He's loyal to the Shi'ar throne which is awesome. He's got the power of a god and he's loyal only to that throne-not the person in the throne, because that person can change. Its moral relativism at it's finest. It doesn't matter if it's George Washington or Adolf Hitler sitting in the throne, Gladiator does as he's told. That could lead to some challenging and fantastic stories.

Oh, man, there are just so many of these guys that have been under used and under sold for so long. I think we need some key creators and editors to look at them with fresh eyes.

(18) K: I don’t really know much about the Super Skrull or Gladiator, but those points you’ve mentioned could definitely lead to good stories.

The key is though, to get readers to care about the characters.

How do you go about that?

AS: Well, that’s the trick. In the current market place that’s a difficult thing. The first requirement is a commitment from the publisher. That is to say, Marvel needs to decide that these characters have value that can grow.

Then, like in the case of DRAX, Marvel has to be prepared to look at the fan reaction more than sales figures. If the fan reaction is good buzz, then we’ve successfully grown the value of the character. And all that really means is people are starting to care about Drax.

The second crucial ingredient is to tell a story about Drax that you can’t tell about some other character. Drax must be the most interesting character you’re reading about that and every month.

From there, its finding connections between Drax and the readers. It’s not easy and there’s no sure fire way to do it. What DRAX has going for it is a commitment from Marvel. They’re going to be looking at the success of this series on a creative level as well as a sales level. I think there’s a good chance that you’ll see Marvel invest resources and time in some of these cosmic characters. At least, I hope so. But that all depends on how much or little the fans like DRAX the book. I hope they like it a lot because I really want to do more with Drax and the rest of the cosmic characters.

(19) K: Does this mean we’re going to be getting away from the garish, down right horrible costumes?

AS: I'm glad you asked. I'll say this: we'll be getting away from the 70s garish, down right horrible costumes. I leave it to the current readership to determine if we've swapped some of them out for new garish, down right horrible costumes.

(20) K: lol

And is there a way to maybe change some of the goofy arse names? lol

AS: I think the names will be staying. The idea isn't to come up with something new, it's to chisel away the layers of non-essential stuff that's washed up onto these characters over the years. Keith and I are keeping as much as we can that works.

(21) K: S’pose we can live with that :)

How are you going to be monitoring the buzz. Are you going to put polls on Marvel.com after each issue comes out, etc?

AS: I don't spend much time on the Internet. It would drive me crazy if I did. All those opinions would tear me up. So, I usually keep moving forward and I'll know if something is getting good buzz through fan mail (yep, we still read it), the couple of online reviews that get posted, and if there's a lot of buzz on something, someone in the office will definitely let me know. If there's not enough buzz that other people in the office don't notice, then (as a quicky gage) there probably isn't enough buzz out in the world to do another series.

(22) K: So, what’s the first step in your Cosmic Plans?

AS: That's easy. Make DRAX: THE DESTROYER as cool as possible. And I think we've done that. Check out the art on this page and take my word for it, the story starts off good and revs up every issue into a fantastic finish!

(23) K: OK man, I’m sure cats are wondering. Out of all the Cosmic characters out there, why pick Drax?

AS: I actually address that briefly in the text page in the first issue. The real reason is Keith and I like the character. We like what he’s about and what he could be. But also, he’s relatively undamaged. He hasn’t been done and re-done a dozen times over like Silver Surfer and Warlock. In Drax’s case, while he’s undergone significant changes, his history is still easy to boil down and at its heart a relatable one. Keith, Mitch, and I liked the character at the end of the first script, but we’ve all really grown to love him as we’ve poured our sweat and tears into the project.

(24) K: So what is it about the character you love?

AS: Drax's simplicity is great. He's the galaxy's most destructive force and he was built to kill Thanos, the mad titan. He's the Terminator, or Rambo. Single-minded, and unstoppable. What's not to like?

In our case, we also felt that for 4 issues, he needed to get a little more depth. So at some point along the way, he learns about his past and his connection to Earth. And in remembering his life before Drax, he begins to find that there's more to existence than killing Thanos. Don't get me wrong, Thanos is still his goal, but he begins to have other thoughts as well, and that leads to a more interesting and compelling character.

(25) K: Y’know, how bout a little Drax 101, drop some knowledge on the readers :)

AS: Okay, if you're reading this you probably already know it all, but here goes. Drax was originally an Earth man who was travelling in a car with his daughter when they spotted Thanos' ship. Thanos blew up the car and (essentially) turned his daughter into Moondragon (a former Avenger). Drax's earthling body was reanimated and turned into an engine of destruction (hence the "Destroyer" part of the name) for the sole purpose of tracking down and killing Thanos.

Here's where it gets mixed up. First, Thanos died (and not by Drax's hand) so there was no real conclusion to Drax's story. That led to a bunch of meandering stories with Drax where he lost his intelligence and was played for fun most places. His character was completely lost, which could have made for a cool story (the guy with the thirst for revenge who’s enemy is already dead, so what's he do now) but that didn't happen.

Now Thanos is alive again (cuz, you know, dead is dead and all) and so we can re-establish that original dynamic with a modern twist.

That's a little abridged, but you get the idea.

(26) K: Damn, that sounds kinda interesting. So who created Drax? Or is that a mystery.

AS: You mean creatively? That’s Jim Starlin. If you mean in the story sense, Chronus, the Titan created him to destroy Thanos.

Jim Starlin

(27) K: So once you decided on Drax, how did you find the creative team that fit?

AS: Keith was writing THANOS at the time that I was pitching the idea around. I got along really well with Keith and we were developing DEFENDERS.

I'll be honest, I didn't particularly like THANOS the series. Love the character, didn't love the series. (No disrespect to what Jim Starlin had done with these characters-he was the one that made them come alive in the first place-he's the reason I like them so much today.)

When Jim Starlin quit the book, I saw it as an opportunity to do something new with the character-super excited about that. I recommended to Tom (who was editing THANOS) that Keith might fit the bill. Tom liked the idea and called him up. I liked what Keith did with THANOS. I had quibbles with some of it, but I liked that he was trying new things. So, he seemed like the right place to start. That, and he has a sick sense of humour.

(28) K: Thanos got cancelled though, due to low readership (I don’t think it was as bad as some books though). So were you at all worried that maybe, fans were resonating towards Keith’s cosmic ideas?

AS: Actually, THANOS was cancelled because we were trying to figure out where to go with the cosmic characters. As we’ve talked about, the latest SILVER SURFER, CAPTAIN MARVEL and THANOS books were all very different. So we decided to regroup and figure out what we’re doing with these characters. Let’s face it, they’re ripe for a revival.

(29) K: OK, I feel stupid now lol

We here about the Spider-man summits and other getaways for some of the other books.
Did you ever have any of these to iron out a strategy for the cosmic characters?

AS: Well, I don’t fly creators in all the time to chew the fat, but yeah, Keith and I sat down and started hammering out ideas for characters. Then we took those ideas to my bosses and started playing around. The really complex thing here is that the cosmic characters belong in several different camps. Look at it this way, all the Shi’ar characters came from X-MEN books, so they are controlled by the X-MEN editor. The Skrulls came from FF so the FF editor can approve or disapprove of any Skrull related project. The AVENGERS editor has control of the Kree. So, internally, what we’re trying to do is kind of a nightmare.

Mike Marts and Tom Brevoort have both been extremely generous in terms of listening to me ramble about their characters. But beyond the editors, the writers of all the individual books have to sign off on this as well. So, at this point, Joe Quesada, Tom Brevoort, Mike Marts, and Dan Buckley (our publisher) have all heard my ramblings. But now Brian Bendis (NEW AVENGERS), Allan Heinberg (YOUNG AVENGERS), JMS (FANTASTIC FOUR), and other writers would have to approve of our plans in order for them to go further.

I was really surprised by the amount of support that all these guys gave to starting something new. No one likes to give up their toys. I’m not asking anyone to stay away from these characters—that’s the opposite of what I want. I want these characters to grow and be embraced and used and be in meaningful stories.

Fortunately, right now at Marvel, we’ve got an extremely cooperative and imaginative group of writers and editors. So, hopefully, you’ll see a lot more of these characters.

(30) K: Well I know there are a bunch of Quasar fans with their little fingers crossed :)

In the back of your mind, did you ever think of trying to get Brian Herbert, Ian Hamilton. Even giving Kevin J Anderson another bite of the apple, so you could maybe draw readers from another demographic?

AS: I haven’t given them a whole lot of thought at this point. Before going outside of comics with these characters I thought I’d see what our little industry has to offer. There are hundreds of talented writers and artists who aren’t getting comics work because we’re fishing outside the industry an awful lot. I like making comics. I like reading novels. And creators in both media can cross over, but I work in comics. I have to really love a novelist to try and track him or her down.

(31) K: I like that attitude.

Did Keith come up with the story, or did you have the core of it in place already?

AS: All I had was that this would be a dark version of Lilo and Stitch. The ins and outs of the story came from him. He created all the new characters and we picked the other characters together. It was great fun really creating something from the ground up with an incredibly talented guy like Keith.

(32) K: Oh, so is this story set in Hawaii and will Drax sing?

AS: Lot’s of singing. Tons of it!

(33) K: Did you have an art style in mind for this series. Or did Mitch’s work just click with you?

AS: I had one goal with the art-it had to look nothing like Jim Starlin's vision of these characters. Again, I'm not bashing Jim, I just felt that the material, while brilliant, was also dated. I wanted to make this distinctly "not classic" Marvel cosmic adventures. Once the story was shaping up, it was clear to me that a hyper-realistic style would be perfect. It took me months to find the right guy and Mitch was my first pick. He's the only guy I offered it to and I was thrilled that he took it.

(34) K: Other cats at Marvel right now have that hyper-realistic style, Steve Epting, Greg Land, etc. What stopped you from hitting them up with this gig?

AS: Hey, it’s like a movie, I’ve got a budget. I do the best I can with the tools I’m given. My budget doesn’t allow me to go after the big guns on a 4 issue limited series. But make no mistake, you’re not going to have any idea reading these issues that my budget was low. This feels like big action blockbuster comics! Mitch’s artwork is going to blow you away. The only thing that top-talents in the industry have got that Mitch doesn’t is a big fan following, and that’s about to change.

(35) K: How did you stumble across Mitch, was it through his Epic pitch, or somewhere else?

AS: Mitch moved back to New York recently and he came by the office and started dropping off sample pages. He came in almost every week for months before anyone gave him work. Those samples just kept getting better and better. And his persistence was amazing. He was also very polite and would put every critical remark to good use in his next batch of samples week after week after week. Mitch earned this gig himself.

(36) K: Didn’t you sign up as Mitch’s number one cheerleader? It sounded like you were a factor in him getting that Exclusive contract recently.

AS: I was the first guy to hire him at Marvel. It’s not like I gave him his first gig in comics. He’s a tremendous talent and it was only a matter of time before someone snatched him up. Let’s be honest, I’m the lucky one. I’m lucky that someone else didn’t snatch him up before me.

(37) K: True, true.

Once you’d got Mitch locked down, how did you decide on a colourist?

And who’s decision was it to go for the colour tone, which the book has?

AS: I worked with Brian Reber on MADROX and found that he was extremely versatile. He can really do just about any style I can ask for. In the case of MADROX, he delivered a very realistic, gritty, film noir style just as I asked.

In the case of DRAX, I wanted some of the same, but I really wanted you to feel the weather and smell the forests. I never doubted for a minute that he would do beautiful work over Mitch’s art. And Mitch is a real collaborator. He has notes and comments of his own and Brian will make minor adjustments without complaining.

Everyone on the team is driven to produce the best book possible, and egos are really not an issue. It’s been a great working experience with these guys. You have no idea how lucky I feel to have them.

And let me say this: the lettering on this book was no easy feet. Few have seen it yet, but Cory Petit created a new font and a new balloon border that has driven him mad. I’ve asked him to colour code balloons and do all kinds of crazy stuff that really isn’t fair. Cory is stellar.

(38) K: That’s nice of you to give props to the letter, man. You should send him a bucket of chicken, nothing say’s thank you better than chicken :)

So how many issues is this story going to be?

AS: Four issues. And each one is better than the one before it. That's due to three major factors I think. The first is that the story works really well as it escalates from issue to issue in terms of the conflict, the stakes, and the emotion. And the second reason is Mitch’s work gets noticeably better with each issue. And last, this series is building to establishing more than just Drax, it's establishing a whole new tone for the cosmic characters. We have the potential to build off this series for years to come.

(39) K: How did you decide on the length of the story?

And had you thought about doing it as a big One-shot. Or putting the story in existing comics, as a back-up story?

AS: No, I always figured it in my head as four issues. That just seemed right for a story featuring a solo character that wasn’t terribly well known. As a comic buyer and fan I could see myself taking the chance on a first issue of a 4 issue limited with a character that I don’t love. It just seemed right. I’m hoping we pick up a lot of people who aren’t already Drax fans.

(40) K: Which imprint is this story falling under?

AS: This is Marvel Universe, baby! The real deal!

(41) K: I believe we’re getting an Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Cosmic Characters. Is there any of support you’d like to see, maybe some cosmic Essentails, Masterworks or TPB’s?

AS: I leave that up to Jeff and David in trades. I’d love it, but we’ll see. I’m just happy to be able to pick up the ball and run with it for now.

(42) K: OK, is there anything else you’d like to tell us about Drax and why we should pick it up?

AS: Not really. I figure if you’ve read this far into my long winded answers, I’ve probably hooked you already (wink, wink).

(43) K: lol

Well, Andy, we really appreciate you shooting the breeze with us, man :)

Would you be up for doing this again at some point?

AS: I’d be happy to do as many interviews as people care to read. Frankly, I’m still astounded that fans want to hear from editors. It’s really nice though.

Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity. I hope everyone who reads this likes where I’m coming from and comes out to at least give DRAX a try.

And, of course, thank you fans of the cosmic characters, I hope to do a lot more books for you. Let me know if I’m doing this right. And if I’m not, let me know how to do it better. I aim to please.

Take care,

Andy


K: Thanks a lot man :)

If you want to check for releases and other info on Drax, checkout Marvel.com

And please stop by our Message Board and give us your thoughts and feedback :)

Also don’t forget to run down to your local comic shop and cop a copy of Drax: The Destroyer #1.


Koncise an out :)

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12