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Tom Brevoort is one of Marvel's most respected editors by online fandom.
Fans that frequent the usenet rec.arts.comics.marvel.universe group will
often see him answering questions by readers and correcting false
information. Currently he is editing Avengers, Avengers Forever, Avengers #1
1/2, Avengers / FF Domination Factor, Avengers: United They Stand, Blaze of
Glory, Captain Marvel, Heroes Reborn: Doomsday, Marvel Mystery Comics, Hulk,
Timely Presents All-Winners, Thor, and Thunderbolts. As you can see he's a
busy guy! I've made it my goal to try and get through this interview without
any "Wait and See" responses, as online fans know he does so often. Wish me
luck!
Coville:
What did you do before becoming an editor at Marvel?
Brevoort:
Coville:
How did you break into the editing biz?
Brevoort:
I started out as a college intern in the summer of 1989, and ended up hired
as an assistant editor in December of the same year.
Coville:
Did you ever want to become a freelance writer or artist? If so will you
ever try again?
Brevoort:
I've written a number of stories for Marvel, and have no doubt that I will
eventually do more in the future. And my background is as an artist--I was an
illustration major, though I'm not good enough to do monthly work for Marvel.
But I like the structure of a regular 9 to 5 work-week, so I'm not really
looking to go freelance.
Coville:
Unlike most editors, you hang out online answering readers comments and
even debating with us once in a while. Why?
Brevoort:
When I was simply a fan, if access to the internet was as easy as it is now,
I would have been on those boards constantly. That being the case, it seems
like the right thing to do to make my self available, and try to eliminate
some of the more egregious misinformation that gets disseminated through the
electronic forums.
Coville:
Where do you get your assistant editors from?
Brevoort:
There's a company in Iowa--three for a dollar.
Coville:
How do you decide on which freelancers will do fill ins or take over a
title?
Brevoort:
There's not a formula to it. I determine who's around who can bring something
to the series--either by being similar to the guys they're subbing for, or by
being radically different, or by having some sort of historic connection to
the character, or by just being cool--and then I call them. It's all
gut-level instinct.
Coville:
Has there been any changes to the writing situation on Hulk and Iron
Man?
Brevoort:
I don't edit IRON MAN, but the plan is still for Joe Quesada to take over
with #26 in January and do at least 4 issues--more, if things work out to
everyone's satisfaction. As of this writing, there is still no regular writer
on HULK--Ron Garney and Jerry Ordway will be co-plotting #9-11, with Jerry
scripting, however.
Coville:
It's well known that Erik Larsen really wanted to be the Hulk's regular
writer. Why hasn't he gotten the job?
Brevoort:
I try not to hand out assignments in an off-handed way. Erik has certainly
made his desire known, and has sent me a treatment. Whether or not he gets
the series depends on what he wants to do, what ideas get pitched by others,
where I think the book should go, and how strongly the sales and marketing
guys feel about the plusses and minuses of any given approach. But Erik is
hardly out of the running, and he's writing #8.
Coville:
I understand that Busiek and Perez were picked for the Avengers before
you became the titles editor. If you were the editor first and had to
pick a creative team for the Avengers, what freelancers would you have tried
to get?
Brevoort:
Probably Kurt and George. I wasn't the one who called George, but I was
involved in the discussion before the call was made. And I became involved
again when George asked about Kurt writing the series--since we were already
working together, Kurt sent me his AVENGERS treatment to get some feedback
before it went in.
Coville:
Practically all the books you edit have high or stables sales. To what
do you owe to your success?
Brevoort:
Um...people reading the books, mostly. There are some really terrific people
working on those titles, and I'm glad that the audience is enjoying their
work. But I don't think it's any sort of "golden touch" or anything.
Coville:
There was a Great Lakes Avengers (or Lighting Bolts) mini series
planned. Is it still coming out?
Brevoort:
Not to my knowledge. That was something that Matt Idelson wanted to do with
Joe Kelly. Now that Matt is at DC, it seems unlikely that this project will
happen.
Coville:
Hey, who keeps sticking in the Pro Wrestling references in Thunderbolts?
Is it Kurt Busiek or Mark Bagley?
Brevoort:
Kurt if they're in the script, Mark if they're in the artwork.
Coville:
You mentioned that you were interested in bringing back the Official
Marvel Universe Handbook in one form or another. Has there been any
progress on that?
Brevoort:
None to speak of. We've got around two and a half issues finished at this
point, but the market is simply too weak for us to proceed with it--I don't
want to bring the book out and have it get canceled with 'L'. Until the
market improves, the HANDBOOK is on hold.
Coville:
Between The Essential Volumes and various reprint TPB's you've been in
control of re-selling Marvel's past. What other projects are coming up?
Brevoort:
I think this is a misreading of the situation, as I've never edited any of
the ESSENTIALS books (though I do consult on things like mistakes that were
made in the MASTERWORKS printings so they can be fixed for ESSENTIALS.) But
in the immediate future--October--I'm doing both TIMELY PRESENTS ALL-WINNERS,
which reprints the first appearance of the All-Winners Squad, Marvel's first
super-team, in a format like that of the recent HUMAN TORCH reprint, and
MARVEL MYSTERY COMCIS, and 80-page comic-book collection of golden age
stories. And there's some initial talk about producing new MASTERWORKS
volumes, although it remains to be seen if that'll work out.
Coville:
With the popularity of Avengers, we've seen several spin off titles like
Avengers Forever and the soon to be published Domination Factor. But we
don't see more ongoing Avengers title's like Spider-Man or X-men have.
Why?
Brevoort:
I think regular secondary titles tend to dilute the core concept of a series,
so I'm adamantly opposed to there being another regular, ongoing AVENGERS
title. We'll do limited series and one-shots when we have interesting ideas
for them, but I think the Avengers are better served by only headlining in
one title. One team, one book.
Coville:
Why was Black Panther moved from the Marvel Knights group and brought
into normal Marvel Publishing?
Brevoort:
Jimmy and Joe want to do other things, and there are only so many hours in
the day. but PANTHER is still selling decently, so there's no reason to just
cancel it. So it's moving over to mainstream editorial--which shouldn't
really impact on it too much, in that Priest will remain as writer.
Coville:
Who will be the editor for Black Panther when it comes to the normal
Marvel publishing? Any idea on if it will keep it's 'almost vertigo'
style stories?
Brevoort:
Ruben Diaz is editing PANTHER. I don't expect that it'll change from what
it's been up till now.
Coville:
Avengers Forever #8 was loaded with retcons and changing Marvel History,
what was your reaction when you saw the script? Was their any uneasiness?
Did you have to request any changes?
Brevoort:
First off, I don't think FOREVER #8 was "loaded" with retcons and changes to
history--there's only one major one that I can think of. And I was involved
in the conception of that issue, so I didn't have any problem with anything
that was in it.
Coville:
With much of the comic industry news being so glum, how do you stay
positive?
Brevoort:
There are more good comics available today, from a variety of publishers,
than ever before. So yeah, there's a lot of crap, and sales could certainly
be better. But how bad can it be when I can get a hardcover volume of the
earliest PLASIC MAN stories?
Coville:
Who came up with the idea for the Marvel Militia? How can you gauge if
it's working?
Brevoort:
The Marvel Militia was conceived and largely executed by my assistant, Gregg
Schigiel. I don't know that you can tell if it's working--but doing something
is better than doing nothing. And anything that helps bring readers into the
hobby is something to be encouraged.
Coville:
Where do you see the comic industry 5 years from now?
Brevoort:
Hopefully still around, and expanding in new directions.
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