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Radiation Interrogation: Dan Slott
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Location: Blogs Atomic FalloutRadiation Interrogation |
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| Posted by: Jake Bell |
Sunday, April 08, 2007 7:57 PM |
Because is was being solicited before Civil War ended, Marvel's description for this book was nothing more than "CLASSIFIED INFORMATION." Now that the veil has been pulled off, explain the selling points of Avengers: The Initiative.
Basically, the Initiative is America's new Superhuman Armed Forces program. It's a training facility that's molding the next generation of Marvels into an elite force of super powered first responders. The series will feature new characters, classic characters, and fan favorite C-listers. Stories will cover about everything from intense superhuman combat, government conspiracies, secret missions, and the trials and tribulations of heroes in a post Civil War world.
This is one of the step in Tony Stark's 100 steps to utopia revealed in Civil War. How is the government going to screw it up?
Oh... I don't know... Maybe by promoting long-term-Avengers-pain-in-the-ass Henry Peter Gyrich to the post of Secretary of Superhuman Armed Forces. I mean, that'd be crazy right? Kind of like making someone like outspoken-about-the-United-Nations-blowhard John Bolton to the post of America's representative to the U.N. And c'mon, something like that would NEVER happen in the real world, right?
This series deals with training superpowered people to become licensed heroes. What about those who don't have any interest in saving the world or fighting crime? And what happens to the people who flunk out, don't get their license, but still have powers?
Heh heh heh. Sorry? I didn't hear that. I was too busy twirling my sinister looking moustache. You were saying?
Gyrich makes it clear the ultimate plan of the Initiative is to create a superpowered army. At what point will the UN be inspecting Camp Hammond?
That's a very good question. Now get out. This area's closed. Next question.
You're better known for doing humorous books like She-Hulk, GLA, and Thing. When you pitched this, was the Marvel brass waiting for the punchline? Were you in any danger of being pigeonholed because of your success writing funny stuff?
Nah. I don't think so. I mean, I'm still the guy who wrote Arkham Asylum: Living Hell. Seriously. You write a "drop the soap" with the Joker, or show someone chopping up the grandmother, and you pretty much have a get-out-of-jail free card from the pigeonhole.
This first issue takes some time developing a new character who becomes a shocking victim of the dangers of superhero-ing. Will there be more?
That is a very good question. Hey, look over there! Shiny red ball! Look!
Some of the characters you're using in the Initiative are originals, but others--like Slapstick--have been around and long since forgotten. Which is more fun to write, creating a tabula rasa or making treasure out of another man's trash?
Both are a blast. The Marvel U is over-flowing with great C-listers and hidden treasures. Who wouldn't want to bring back all of the Dragon Lords, Slapsticks, and Bengals that are floating around out there? And, on the flip side, who wouldn't leap at the chance to create new stuff and have it become part of the Marvel U tapestry?
Really! Didn't you have a bunch of characters that you scribbled down the sides of your notebooks? Guys that you'd love to see having adventures alongside the Vision or Nighthawk? I'm such a Marvel Geek that this is the perfect book for me!
You're working on another Great Lakes Aveng--um, Champion... er, X-Men...? You're doing another story with those heroes from the Great Lakes region. How has the Initiative affected them?
A lot! In fact, they're now the GLI, the Great Lakes Initiative! And, as we speak, I'm co-writing a GLI/Deadpool Summer Fun Spectacular one-shot with Fabian Nicieza! It should be a lot of fun!
Will any of them be showing up at boot camp?
Probably not. Or at least, not in the near future. I think Slapstick is about all the comic-relief the Initiative can handle at Camp Hammond.
On the day after Easter, when all the candy is half price, what's the first thing you load into your cart?
A rice cake and a bottled water. No foolin'! If my girlfriend catches me off my diet, I'll be the one going to bootcamp! |
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