Iron Fist
We know that Ed Brubaker asked to work with you in Iron Fist when he saw your work in Casanova. How did you feel when you knew? Could you tell us how did it happen?
Flattered! And excited. I’ve been a fan of Ed’s for a long time and I was excited to be able to work with him and hopefully learn from him.
He asked me out of the blue if I’d be willing to do it, and I said yes. He knew my work and liked it and needed a cowriter on the book. So Ed just called me, and that was that.
Which elements from Casanova do you think that made him think you were the right person?
The madness. The fight scenes too, but mostly the abject insanity of it all.
Ed has told that the reason to find a co-writer is because he wanted to be envolved with the project somehow. How is this colaboration going?
Great! Very smoothly, very organic. I’m having a great time.
Could you tell us what is the process you two follow to write a script together?
We talk on the phone or by email, hammering out the big points of the issue. We argue back and forth until the thing takes shape, and then we make a list. The list becomes a page breakdown, and that breakdown becomes the script. Lots of back and forth.
At this time you should have seen the work of David Aja for the series. What do you think about it?
I love it. I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it. He’s tremendous. An utterly astonishing talent, and a gentleman and professional to boot.
Iron Fist is a character with lost of stories. Is there any specific period of the character you have used the most as a base for the current stories?
We’re setting the core of the book in the present day. This is Danny Rand, post CIVIL WAR. He’s becoming more active in the Marvel Universe, both as Danny and as Iron Fist, if that makes sense.
What is your vision of the character?
He’s the coolest comic character going– an ultrarich corporate god, infused with holy kung fu energy that goes around kicking people in the face and his girlfriend is hotter than fire. He’s Batman without all the baggage! He’s the perfect comic book character.
Could you explain us briefly what will be the mood of the series, what characters will be there and how do you want to focus the main carácter?
The mood is action packed and exciting. We’re making a kung fu comic, so it’s ultra-adrenalized and turbo-charged.
The characters are a combination of Danny’s classic cast– you’ll see Luke Cage, Misty Knight, etc.– and new. Including those who have held the mantle of Iron Fist throughout history.
Our focus on Danny is that, after Civil War, he’s profoundly affected by his time spent masquerading as Daredevil and wants to re-engage the Marvel U as Iron Fist. So our story is about Danny re-embracing his mantle as Iron Fist in the same way we hope readers will.
Punisher War Journal
Your second series in Marcel will be Punisher war Journal, with the artist Ariel Olivetti. How did you get the job?
I was asked by editor Axel Alonso if I wanted to try it, and I decided I did. I sent some sample pages and that was that.
The Punisher has been trough many different stages: first, punisher of the unfair and immoral, angel of redemption, then he started being cinical, and finally he is a serious killer again. How will your Punisher be?
He’s the Punisher, and his arena is the Marvel Universe. So he’s the ultimate underdog, forever outgunned and outclassed by freaks with powers he’s dedicated his life to stop. Our Frank Castle is driven and outgunned, but all the same a relentless optimist. He’s a man that loves his job and has no doubt he’ll find a way to kill whomever he has to kill, whether it’s a guy on 50 storey stilts or a guy dressed up like a weasel or whatever.
What kind of stories you would like to develop for Punisher War Journal?
Big, sprawling, imaginative, action packed, dangerous, and unpredictable. A little funny, and a little sad. Lots of explosions.
What is your opinion on the Civil War to the moment?
I can’t believe how far they’re going to take it– but you’ll get no more out of me!
Being The Punisher and Iron Fist envolved, can you tell which side are you on? And Frank? What are his motivations?
I’m on the side of telling great stories.
Frank, however, is sort of the ultimate Libertarian superhero. He hates being told what to do and loathes weak law enforcement. He’s brought out of the underground to help and protect the “real people”– like the victims of Stamford– that he feels the superhero population have turned its back on.
If in Iron Fist you work with David Aja, in Punisher you have the pencils of Ariel Olivetti. What is your opinion on his work?
I LOVE ARIEL OLIVETTI. I’m writing this book first and foremost as a fan of his work, so every issue has a degree of me thinking “What would be cool to see Ariel draw?” in its conception. I love Ariel’s work and I love working with him.
Oh, by the way, Ariel Olivetti (we know him) wants to ask you if you are enjoying the series as much as he is doing. He says that killing and killing characters is cool as hell…
Absolutely! I’m having the time of my life.
Casanova
Casanova is the second title with the “Fell format”, although they couldn’t be more different. Was it a problem for you to know that from the very beginning Casanova was going to be compared with such a successful title?
Oh, gosh no– I knew we’d be compared, and that’s quite an honor. I knew we weren’t doing anything like FELL, at least superficially, so any comparisons are strictly a bonus as far as I’m concerned.
If there is something both series have in common (and I would say it’s the only thing) it is that the stories and the art work so great together that it is really hard to imagine the stories illustrated by other artist. How did Gabriel Ba arrive at the project?
Gabriel’s twin brother Fabio recommended him for the project. I’d approached Fabio, initially, about the book and they decided he was wrong for it but Gabriel was right.
Although Fabio will draw the second volume of CASANOVA starting this spring.
In a review of the first issue of Casanova it is described as “Michael Moorcock writing for 2000 A.D., and we think that they have a point!. What do you think about this?
Well, that’s a flattering comparison. I’ve read about as much Moorcock as I have 2000 AD stuff, though (which isn’t too much, honestly) so I’ll have to trust your judgment.
In Casanova you mix concepts from a number of genres: sci-fi, noir, action…and what is more, every script could be made into a miniseries by itself. Was it the plan form the beginning, or you add new concepts while you are writting every script?
That was always the plan, yeah– I want those 16 pages to be the most satisfying and densely packed pages on the market. Writing the book is an art unto itself.
What is the formula to make a comic book with buddist monks, dimensional gates, a retro feeling and a rude main character such a fun ride?
If you’re good to CASANOVA, CASANOVA will be good to you. Trust the process and the process will teach you more than you knew you had to learn.
Thanks!
