What’cha Wanna Know?

Posted By: Peter DavidPosted On:

We haven’t done a general Q&A thread in a while. Feel free to ask about any upcoming projects, general comics questions, etc. One question per person, please.

PAD

200 comments on “What’cha Wanna Know?”

  1. You teased Rahne’s son Tier in X Factor 214as “The Beast” and he talked about the Apocalypse, are we going to see more of what that’s about?
    .
    Yes, absolutely. Actually you’re going to see some of the ground work being laid for that at the end of the very next issue of X-Factor.

  3. How willing would you be to write a “Harry Potter” comic if JK Rowling okayed it and what angle would you take if you had your druthers and how successful do you feel it would be?
    .
    Oh, I’d jump at such an assignment. In terms of how to actually write it, I think that between the original books and the movies, you don’t need another iteration of the already existing material. So my inclination would be either to follow up from the end of the last book and track with the new generation, or else to do a sort of “Tales of Hogwarts” that explores the copious background that Rowling has laid out.

  4. Any word on New Frontier?
    .
    I’d love to say there is, but Pocket has remained resolutely non-committal. All they’re doing is simply watching how the latest book sold…because when you put a book out with no promotion during a point when the entire industry is collapsing and a whole book chain has just gone out of business, that’s exactly the time you want to judge the future of a longstanding series based on the performance of a single book. Meantime the fans keep asking me. In my opinion the fans have to find a way to let Pocket know, in terms so plain and firm as to command their assent, that they want to see more NF. That’s the only thing I can suggest at this point.

    1. In my opinion the fans have to find a way to let Pocket know
      .
      Buy the books. That’s probably about the only way Pocket will listen any more.

  5. How would you pitch a Doctor Who/Star Trek crossover for IDW?
    .
    I’d develop a story that causes the Doctor to have to deal with some sort of time-spanning menace (maybe the Rani. Haven’t seen her in a while) that prompts him to travel from one series to the next to the next in order to solve it.

  6. Have you ever considered doing a follow-up to the old Fallen Angels miniseries, since you’ve got two of the major characters (Madrox and Siryn) in X-Factor?
    .
    Not really, no. Sorry.

    1. I’d only buy it if it was a Fallen Angel/Fallen Angels crossover. Lee versus Bill the lobster, no holds barred.

  7. Any idea if/when IDW might reprint Fallen Angel Omnibus 1?
    .
    Nope. They’re waiting until they have sufficient request for backorder to go back to press with it. Which is, of course, a Catch-22. If people don’t know the book exists, they don’t order it. If they don’t order it, the book doesn’t exist. This particular downside of publishing is part of what led to the impetus for Crazy 8.

  8. This has been bugging me for a while: “See” Cwan or “Sigh” Cwan?
    .
    “See.” Wouldn’t have been bugging you if you’d gotten one of the audio books.

    1. I’d usually pronounce it (in my head, of course) as either “sesh-wan” or “seech-wan.” (My reasoning: “Si Cwan” compared to “Sichuan” which is the Chinese Pinyin spelling of “Szechwan.”)
      .
      I know I’m probably wrong, but it always seemed to fit with my interpretation of PAD humor.

    4. Now you’ve got me imagining Mel Blanc doing a rountine in the style of his old Jack Benny Show “Si” bit.

  9. Anything with Apropos coming down the pike?
    .
    Yes. We have all the rights back to the existing three books and will be making them available through Crazy 8. Also next year Crazy 8 will be publishing a new book in which Apropos winds up in Egypt and accidentally frees the slaves and parts the Red Sea while simultaneously unleashing a mummy’s curse. Working title: “Pyramid Schemes.”

  10. When DC Comics obtained the Charlton Comics characters, they offered Alan Moore an opportunity to write a series of books using these characters. Watchmen eventually became the result. If DC Comics offered you the same deal, what kind of story would you have written?
    .
    I was in a slightly similar situation in that that’s what they did in terms of saying, ‘Hey, want to write Atlantis Chronicles.’ And I came up with a big, sprawling generational epic. But in terms of the Charlton characters, I honestly have no idea; I never gave it any thought because I was never that much of a fan of the Charlton characters. Then again, by all accounts, neither was Moore since the story he came up with apparently changed them beyond recognition. I have to admit, that’s why it always breaks me up when Moore declares that DC screwed him somehow. He was originally perfectly willing to write a straight-up work for hire with characters that he would have no ownership over. And instead of rejecting the story outright, they said, “Tell you what: rewrite it with new characters in which you’ll have a financial stake and ownership interest.” Which he does, and it’s one of the most successful comic stories of all times, and he refuses to accept the checks for it and talks about how ill-used he was. I can’t fathom it. But, you know…at least a landmark of comics literature came out of it and the artist made a ton, so that’s something. Meanwhile fans have been asking me for decades when “Atlantis Chronicles” will ever be collected as a trade and I say to them with utter conviction, “Never.” But Alan got screwed. Go figure.

    1. Actually David S.; when Moore heard that DC had acquired the Charlton characters, he pitched a limited series idea to DC featuring them.
      DC passed because they had other plans for the characters, but liked the plot. Moore rewrote his pitch and that became Watchmen.
      Moore was never actually offered the characters.
      Hope the above answers your question.

      1. Thanks Lee Houston Jr. I wasn’t exactly sure whose idea it was first, but it makes sense that Alan approached them first despite Peter’s assessment that Alan wasn’t really a fan of the line. I think I read somewhere that Alan lost interest in the characters after Steve Ditko left Charlton like he lost interest in Dr. Strange & Spiderman post-Ditko. I guess he’s just a guy who knows what he likes and doesn’t like geting his chain yanked by Corporate America, even when he can profit from it.

    2. Thanks for your answer, Peter. One day, I’ll visit a few out-of-state comic book stores to hunt down “Atlantis Chronicles.” Do you think a letter writing campaign to DC would get a response?
      .
      Doubtful.

  11. Downloaded CAMELOT PAPERS and enjoyed it. How has your self-publishing venture gone so far, and what’re you gonna do next?
    .
    It’s been going about as I expected, which is to say slow to start. We depend entirely on word of mouth and social networking to get word out, and it’s a slow process. We need word to get out, we need positive reviews, we need a ton of stuff that we need the fans to do if we’re going to be able to continue offering new work at low prices. In terms of “next,” the next Crazy 8 title will be by Aaron Rosenberg entitled “No Small Bills,” a sample chapter of which is available in the back of “Camelot Papers.” As for me, my next C8 book will be the long-awaited sequel to “Darkness of the Light.”

    2. Peter, I just made a wall post praising the book on my Facebook, as I have been really enjoying it.
      .
      Speaking of which, thanks again for agreeing to help my friend. I feel a bit bad that I ended up bothering you for nothing, but as much as my friend was grieving and dealing with various issues related to his bereavement, I really appreciate your willingness to help.

  12. No matter what I do nothing seems to help my dry scalp except going whole hog, shaving my head and applying lotion all the time. Do I resign myself to that or should I get suck it up and get a prescription shampoo?
    .
    Easy solution: Go to your local bowling alley and stick your head in the ball polisher. Do that once a week and you should be fine.

  13. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
    .
    A shitload.

  14. If you could add one question to the Australian Census, what would it be?

    (It’s census night, tonight.)
    .
    How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

  15. How many more characters are you going to make Gay. Thus ruining the fledgling careers of new writers?

    On a serious note, do you prefer writing comics, books or screenplays (on a pure writing basis, not considering pay scales.)
    .
    I enjoy writing all of them. From a creative point of view, probably novels, since that’s the purest form of storytelling short of standing on a box and declaiming for a group of listeners.

  16. With Fallen Angel gone for now, do you have plans for any more creator-owned comics?
    .
    We actually have more plans for Fallen Angel, so stick around. As for other creator-owned, well, not unless they’re being published through Marvel at this point.

  17. Is there a 12 step program to help end comic book addiction? After collecting since 1982 I have lately felt like I have seen it and read it all and now its just the same story lines repeating over and over again. Yet I cannot stop collecting. Help!
    .
    In my case, it was discovering girls. That got me out of it for a good long time pretty quick. But I eventually relapsed.

    1. Oh, boo hoo. I really started collecting in 1960, when I discovered Supergirl and developed an immediate crush on her, and haven’t stopped since.

  18. You’ve done tie-in work for a wide variety of franchises. Are there any that you haven’t worked in yet that you want to (or that you want to do something different in – a serious Star Wars novel versus “Skippy the Jedi Droid”)?
    .
    “Supernatural” would be cool, but otherwise it’s not something I think about all that much. Not interested in “Star Wars”; don’t really want to have to deal with the whole Lucasfilms hierarchy.

  19. Does there seem to be any likelihood of you writing additional Star Trek comics for IDW, possibly including characters you haven’t worked with much before (Voyager, Enterprise, Abramsverse)?
    .
    Not terribly likely at this point.

  20. Sorry, I’m more of a past work guy than an upcoming work guy. When you had Rom appear in human form at Rick Jones’ wedding in HULK #418, did editorial (or possibly legal) say anything or did it simply slide on by?
    .
    Nope. Nobody said anything, probably because I had him in human form rather than as a robot.

  21. In your novels, who was emotionally the most difficult character to kill off and why? I understand this question can be very spoilerific. Perhaps you could just name the book the death occurs in? Do you as a writer ever go through some kind of grief cycle when saying goodbye to a character?
    .
    That’s easy. “What Savage Beast,” when one of Betty’s twin newborns died. I was sobbing as I was writing it and was a wreck for the rest of the day. In more recent days, one of the character deaths in my novelette “Bronsky’s Dates With Death” (in the current issue of F&SF) caused me some grief. When I do readings of the story I still have trouble getting through the end without choking up.

    1. Not so much a question, but since you mentioned “Bronksy’s Date With Death,” I wanted to tell you that I absolutely loved that story. I was reading it on a plane and the ending had me so choked up I’m sure the folks sitting next to me were a bit concerned. But that’s what good reading is all about; thank you for that.
      .
      Thanks, Ali.

  22. Anything new about the “Cain” project you talked about at Dragoncon last year?
    .
    Not at this point, but I’ll certainly keep people apprised when something changes.

  23. Are you planning to collect your short stories / novellas / etc. in book form (mass market or POD)? If so, is there a target date for it?
    .
    Yes, we plan to collect them. No, no target date.

  24. What did you think of the new Battlestar Galactica’s series finale? I enjoy your Cowboy Pete articles, and I was disappointed not to find your opinion on Daybreak.
    .
    I didn’t comment on it? Hunh. Okay, well, I thought it was pretty great, actually. Not perfect, but overall pretty powerful, with some moments that just stay with you.

  25. You have probably answered this either at one of the cons or in some interview at one point, but I would like to know if reincarnation has anything to do with your fascination about the Legend of King Arthur?
    .
    Not really. Sorry. What fascinates me about Arthur is how the tale has all sorts of grand themes which continue to resonate into our current political structure and climate.

  26. What was your favourite practical joke of the last year?
    .
    I honestly can’t think of any. I’m pretty sure I didn’t pull any. If you mean that someone did to someone else, nothing’s coming to mind, although I’m sure I could look over Youtube and find a few candidates.

  27. Are you satisfied with the current Star Trek movie universe, or are there things you would have done differently? (Especially regarding the destruction of Vulcan, which particularly p.o.’ed me.)
    .
    Well, you have to admit that the destruction of Vulcan sent a definitive “this universe has changed” message. Honestly I thought it was rather clever how it was a reboot that still managed to leave all established Star Trek canon intact. If I’m dissatisfied at all, it’s because I have no idea when the next dámņëd film will come out.

    1. They’re reportedly hoping to start production early next year, so it’ll either be December 2012 or Summer 2013.

      1. Last I knew the next trek film is slotted for June 29, 2012 which would make next year a MONSTER year. they won’t have Khan but are talking about having another classic villain updated and featured like Harry Mudd or Trelane or Gary Mitchell or the Talosians or the Horta.

      2. Jerome, that’s the old date. They realized there was no way they’d be able to have it done by then, not having even started production yet, thus the push back of either 6 months or a year depending on how they decide to market it.

  28. You read from an original novel, Pulling Up Stakes, at conventions last year. Any movement on selling it or might you release it through Crazy 8 Press?
    .
    Yeah, that’s been frustrating. But not surprising. Basically it’s a novel that makes fun of all the other vampire book series, and strangely enough, publishers aren’t interested in putting out a book that lampoons other books they’re publishing. For instance, when you have a protagonist who says that the Twilight books are such a relentless stream of šhìŧ that vampires refer to it as “Vampiarrhea,” that doesn’t earn you any fans at Little Brown. So we’ll probably be publishing it next year through C8.

  29. I thought that Tracer, the villain you created in your part of Spider-Man: The Other, was a really fascinating character. Any chance we might see him come back any time soon?
    .
    I wasn’t planning to have him in X-Factor anytime soon, but if I ever wind up back on Spidey, then yeah.

  30. What would you think of the possibility of publishing Fallen Angel comics electronically using the Crazy 8 Press?

    I think that the majority of people now own computer screens that are capable of reproducing art in good quality so I don’t think the product would suffer.

    Just a thought!
    .
    The problem is whether we could afford JK Woodward to do the art. It’s a lot of work to wait to be paid on the back end, y’know?

  31. Any chance NF: Double Time will come out as POD on Crazy8Press? Can’t find a reasonably priced copy anywhere on the internet or at ANY bookstores/comic stores in Canada…it’s the only one I’m missing and I’ve been dying to read the story…
    .
    No chance since we don’t own the rights.

      2. Thanks Corey! That gives me another avenue to search! It’s incredibly annoying to read all these references to it in the rest of the books and not be able to find it. Feels like I’m missing a huge piece of the puzzle, ya know?

  32. Which movie director who has NOT yet done a superhero movie would you choose for a Marvel Character and what would that character be?
    .
    Stan Lee Presents: DOCTOR STRANGE. A film by Terry Gilliam. Close second: BLACK PANTHER. A Spike Lee Joint.

    1. Nice.
      .
      Though I’d wait and see How Spike does with OLDBOY before giving him the nod.
      .
      DOCTOR STRANGE would be the one superhero movie I would insist on seeing in 3-D.

    2. I don’t know, I don’t think Gilliam would take it seriously enough. He’d turn Strange into some sort of quixotic dreamer, which isn’t what the character is about. I’ve always wanted a Dr. Strange movie made by David Lynch. His movies already feel like they were made in Nightmare’s dream dimension.

      1. I could go with either Gilliam or Lynch, I think — both of them have this sense of stumbling into/through someone else’s acid trip, which I think is a good match for Dr. Strange. Spike Jonze might possibly fit that same feel.

  33. Any chance you would make a guest appearance on “Big Bang Theory”? I personally would love to see you mix it up with Sheldon 🙂
    .
    Sheldon? No. I’d mix it up with Raj, who has a mad on for Aquaman. Would I make a guest appearance? You’re kidding, right? Of course I would. But they’d never want me on the show; I’m not high profile enough. If they had a writer on, it’d be someone like Neil. Or maybe Brian.

    1. For various reasons, I strongly suspect the next comics writer to do a cameo (they have had Stan Lee on after all) would be Len Wein.

    3. But they’d never want me on the show; I’m not high profile enough.

      Are you kidding? A bunch of geeks hotly debating who’s best among underrated comic book creators? Having a geek be a raging fanboy of a not-superstar comic book writer? Comedy gold!

      (As analogy, imagine a storyline revolving around a well-known character actor — like Alfred Molina, Steve Buscemi, or Brad Dourif — instead.)

    4. Actually, Peter, on Bob Newhart’s (IIRC) last TV series, the one in which he played a cartoonist, there was an episode in which he went to an industry Awards show, and I seem to recall a few cameos of industry notables, playing themselves as nominees of the award. I can’t remember for certain who they were, I’m thinking maybe Marc Silvestri was one, and I seem to recall one of them being a Latino, like Sergio Aragones, but I’m not sure.
      .
      On any other show, sure, but on a show filled with comics-loving nerds? It wouldn’t be that shocking if they had you make a cameo, kinda like how Mike Allred did a cameo in Chasing Amy. (I’m also wondering if that’s where Marc Silvestri cameoed too, and not the Newhart series, and my memory is intersecting them.)
      .
      Well, I assume if they wanted me, they’d get in touch with me. It’s not as if I’m all that difficult to find. But I very much doubt it would happen.

      1. Jim Lee was also one of the cameos.

        Well, I assume if they wanted me, they’d get in touch with me. It’s not as if I’m all that difficult to find. But I very much doubt it would happen.

        I seem to recall you telling a story where René Auberjonois found you very difficult to find, PAD.
        .
        I think this calls for a fan-driven “Draft PAD” petition to be directed to the creators of BBT. Or not.

  34. Hey PAD,

    First, I wanted to thank you for being so nice when I met you back at a Chicago Comic Con (C2E2?) a year or so back. My question though is this: you are one of a handful of creators who will share his/her views on just about anything, and the result has sometimes been a fan backlash. Sometimes this has even resulted in words from other creators. Are there any creators you’ve had these semi-public exchanges with that you really enjoy their work, or has it ever jaded your opinion of their output?
    .
    No. It’s never turned me off from their work. I always separate the creator from the creation. I have no trouble reading and enjoying John Byrne’s work, for instance.

  35. Why does Monet speak not french or arab sometimes? Even a curse word…
    .
    I actually thought I did have her speaking French or cursing from time to time. I haven’t? Hunh.

  36. Was that you at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con that, after getting a poster signed by Chris Evans, mugged for the video camera and yelled, “THIS IS SO COOL!”?
    .
    Dunno. Sounds like something I’d do.

  37. By next year, “X-Factor” will eclipse “Supergirl” as your second-longest continuous comics run – looking back on the series as a whole, are there any “untold stories” you could share with us, ie: characters you would’ve liked to add or remove from the mix, loose threads you weren’t able to address, that sort of thing? 🙂
    .
    Well, I wanted to have Nightcrawler and, when I was told he wasn’t available, I wanted to use his daughter from another dimension, who I was also told wasn’t available. That would’ve been cool. And Dan Slott and I were talking about doing an XF/Avengers crossover except he left that title before we could make that happen. Other than that, though, no. I’m good.

    1. Do you think Marvel would let you have a Bamf, from Kitty’s Fairy Tale?
      .
      J.
      Kind of doubt it. I’m not sure that would fit in with XF in any event.

  38. What are your thoughts on the currently-running season of Torchwood?
    .
    I liked it well enough initially, but I’m starting to get annoyed. Mostly I think they’ve been totally wasting Jack Harkness, who’s gone from being a swashbuckling dynamo to this guy who basically stands around accomplishing nothing at all. I like the way they’ve thought through all the ramifications of what absence of death would be like, but they’ve become so caught up in it that they seem to have forgotten to invite the viewers along for the ride.

    1. One of my problems with ALL seasons of TW is that I feel they have NEVER used Jack to his full swashbuckling potential…he has all the makings of an iconic action hero, but he very rarely gets written in a way that supports that.

    2. The societal ramifications have been decent, yeah — but we’re still waiting for at least one sizable reveal. Lisa’s take on it is that she’s worried it’s going to be something like the original V — a really interesting initial idea that is then all put in service to an exceptionally stupid rationalization.
      .
      I like Esther and Dr. Juarez; I think Rex is a bore. Bill Pullman’s doing masterful work. I’m intrigued enough to see the other half, but I like your take — they’ve forgotten to invite us along for the ride.

  39. What is your writing process for prose? (i.e., the nature/number of outlines, drafts, revisions, etc.)
    .
    Depends on the book. It really does. For hired work, there are outlines and drafts and revisions. On the other hand, for books such as “Apropos,” I just kind of wing it. In terms or revisions, again, no set rule. Sometimes there’s a lot of reworking. Other times, aside from copy editing, it sees print much the way I wrote the first draft.

  40. What was the first thing that attracted you to your wife?
    .
    Her eyes. I liked the total number of them.

  41. You recently mentioned on Facebook what issue you were on in regards to writing X-Factor, compared to what issue was actually on the stands, and why.
    My question.
    Does Marvel still use their method (plot first, then script to the finished art) or have they finally adopted the “write the full script/then draw the art” approach that most other companies use?
    .
    I don’t know about Marvel in general, but I know *I* write full script. What other writers do, I couldn’t say.

  42. Any chance Strong Guy isn’t dead already?
    .
    He’s not dead. He’s just resting.

  43. When you do work for Marvel beyond your regular X-Factor and Dark Tower assignments, such as the upcoming John Carter miniseries, do you pitch for it or do editors solicit you?
    .
    They come to me.

  44. What do you think about the dc comic’s 52 revamp, is it insane or it will be Successful?
    .
    Let’s just say that I’m skeptical that fans are really interested in reading the monthly adventures of even half of these characters. It doesn’t mean they’re bad characters; it doesn’t even mean that they won’t be great books. But I can tell you from experience that there are readers who will say, “I don’t care if this is the greatest story ever written about (fill in the blank), I just don’t give a dámņ about (fill in the blank).” And there are QUITE a few characters in the upcoming slate who fill that bill. I just somehow suspect that six months from now the title list is going to look quite different. Meanwhile every jumping on point also serves as a jumping off point. For the former to happen, you have to get people who aren’t buying comics to put aside their prejudices and sample them. I’m not convinced that’ll happen. In the meantime they’ve sent a message to their existing readership that says, “Hey, everything you’ve invested in until now? It’s gone.” That was a tricky enough needle for Marvel to thread with Spider-Man’s marriage, and even then at least it was part of the story, as opposed to, “Okay, it’s over because we say so, no story explanation, done.” The time to do this was after “Crisis” two decades ago. All of that said, personally I hope it succeeds, because comics as a whole need all the success they can get.

    1. I could be wrong, but from what I understood the current DCU is being “put on hold” as part of the current Flash Point mini. When/if DC wants to return to the current Universe they can.

      In the meantime, I’m a Marvel reader who is very eager to pick up a few of these new books. They’re cheaper and are being released digitally (to work with my new iPad :D)

      1. Interesting response from Peter… while I too agree that the comic book industry as a whole needs all the success it can get, I also have a feeling that six months down the line, the 52 titles remaining on shelves will be greatly reduced (for the above reasons PAD noted).

        Also, I disagree with how DC’s going about introducing the DCnU – can’t they just call it their attempt at the Ultimate universe and call it a day? But, of course, I digress…

    2. I think Peter’s hit on the real danger here: it’s an ideal jumping off point. There are a lot of readers who are finding their comics habit too expensive to support. The DCU they love appears to be comming to an end, being replaced by a new DCU that fans are still very unsure about.
      –
      I know I’ve been on the fence about just quitting at this point. I have a very limited income, and I’m not sure I’m happy with a lot of the changes they’ve announced or hinted at. I eventually decided I’ll sample the new 52 and drop the ones I don’t like.
      –
      And to be honest, this whole DCnU thing smells more like Heroes Reborn to me than the Ultimate universe.

  45. After writing the Transformers: Dark of the Moon novelization (which I thuroughly enjoyed, by the way), do you intend on returning to the Transformers universe any time soon?
    .
    I have no plans to do so. Then again, I didn’t plan to do the novelization until they asked me, so…

  46. If you were currently working for DC and were allowed to start three #1 titles with the relaunch, which three would they be and how would you have pitched them?
    .
    I never answer questions like this because somehow they always wind up being repeated and making the rounds as, “Peter David said he didn’t like the way this title is being written and would have done it totally differently.” Although just between us, I sure wouldn’t have minded saying, “I want to go back to writing Young Justice exactly the way I was doing it before; give me those characters just as they were and Todd Nauck drawing it and I’d be happy.”

  47. Will the rest of the Space Cases story arc ever be released, even if just in summarized/note form?
    .
    Mmmmmmmmaybe.

  48. How soon do you know about various secrets before they are revealed? What do they do to keep things close to the vest or make sure it does not mess up other things. Like when did you know about Human Torch dying and etc… Do they send out a memo “Don’t put Johnny storm in any issues starting from October on”

    Just curious on how things are done.
    .
    Depends. Generally I know about stuff anywhere from three to six months ahead of time. On the other hand, I didn’t know about Banshee dying until it happened, which sure caught me flat-footed in X-Factor.

  49. If Marvel did a universe reboot ala DC what character would you want to work on?
    .
    Thor.

    1. Thor. Hmm…

      Unexpected but, thinking about it a bit, I can see it. I’d even read it. And I haven’t read Thor for a long, long time.

  50. Hello PAD,

    I just read that you had been contracted to do a series of books, based on the “John Carter of Mars” books. My question is, are these stories going to be a “graphic novel” format, or paperback novels. As I’ve loved your “Dark Tower” series of graphic novel.
    .
    Oh, definitely a comic book series, not prose.

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