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If you have been reading Marvel or DC Comics you probably know who Peter
David is. If you read Star Trek and other sci-fi books, pay attention to who
writes certain TV shows, movies, cartoons, etc.. you also probably know who
Peter David is. He is all over the place with his writen work and has gained
a fan following and an alt.fan newsgroup devoted to him. Today he talks to
us about the comic titles he writes and his other media work.
Coville:
Will the first year of Captain Marvel stories be earth bound or more in
space?
David:
A balance of both. I think I've actually hit upon a way to do a combination
of adventures that is going to be rather unique. Most of the time when
you're dealing with a character who is earthbound but with space roots, it's
an either/or proposition. And while you're busy doing one, people crab that
you're not doing the other. I'll actually be doing both: Earthbound
activities and visits to far off worlds.
Coville:
Why is Moondragon in the Captain Marvel series? Was there a particular
reason you chose her?
David:
I wanted someone with no sense of humor to play against Rick Jones and Genis.
Coville:
What villains will be popping up in Captain Marvel? Any chance that
Thanos will appear?
David:
I'd have liked to use Thanos, but he's just finishing with an extended stay
in Thor. I think if he immediately jumps over to Captain Marvel, it'd be
overdoing it. Wendigo is in issue #2, then Drax shows up and his appearance
winds up triggering an unexpected series of events. The Hyssta will be back,
the Surfer will probably be showing up, as will Starfox. Possibly Terrax.
Probably Comet Man, who hasn't been seen for a while. And Super Skrull would
be kinda cool.
Coville:
What's happening with Dark Horse's SpyBoy? It got very little publicity.
David:
Actually, Dark Horse has been promoting the hell out of it. It's been
heavily publicized in the Diamond Catalogue, in CBG. They did a big push for
it at San Diego with promotional material, and there's a website. The
problem is that retailers have given it little-to-no support, which is
somewhat annoying. Here on the one hand I've got fans always saying I should
branch out, work for publishers other than Marvel and DC, try characters off
the beaten track. And then the retailers order bare minimum. They don't
order it as they would, say, "Young Justice." They order it like a low-end
Dark Horse book.
Coville:
We don't hear too much about your own independent title, Soulsearchers
and Co. What is going on with that?
David:
Claypool Press doesn't exactly have a huge promotional budget. Look at your
own questions: Dark Horse has been promoting the heck out of Spyboy, and you
say it gets no publicity. So here's Claypool which doesn't even have Dark
Horse's resources, even though ads run for them regularly in CBG. Trying to
get the attention of fans and retailers is a full time job. In terms of the
book itself, we're getting up to issue #40. It really kills me: Fans say to
me, "Write a humorous book for a small indy publisher, something you have
total control of." And I say, "Soulsearchers and Company. Been doing it for
about seven years now." And they say, "What's that?" Retailers swear we
don't exist.
Coville:
You would think that Captain Marvel Jr. would fit in perfectly with Young
Justice. Why is he not on the team?
David:
Too much stylistic overlap with Superboy. But he will become an integral
part of the book, at least for a little while.
Coville:
Will there be any line up changes in Young Justice after the Arrowettte
story is over?
David:
Coville:
You've mentioned that you have a major Supergirl story arc coming up with
issues #45 to 50. Can you give us any information on it?
David:
Matters with Carnivean are going to come to a head, leading to confrontations
between the three Earth Angels, and a showdown between Carnivean and God with
most unexpected results.
Coville:
You also let it known publicly that this story could be used for a major
company event. Has there been any development on that yet?
David:
No, and I haven't been pressing it. I'm still shellshocked after "Sins of
Youth." If I'm just able to go ahead and tell my story and be left alone,
I'll be a happy camper.
Coville:
I have to wonder, was the decision to turn Supergirl into an angel an
attempt to get some religious comic readers to try out the title?
David:
No, it was an attempt to give the book a unique and different tone and feel.
Coville:
Do you plan on keeping Supergirl an Angel for the rest of your run?
David:
Coville:
Are you at all worried about Supergirl's future with the Siegel's
Superman and all related characters copyright ownership legal situation?
David:
I try not to worry about things over which I have absolutely no influence
whatsoever.
Coville:
What is your opinion on the Copyright Termination going on with the
Siegel's and now Joe Simon?
David:
Well, I figure writers have little enough protection. If the law is designed
in a way that they're able to use it legitimately to their advantage, go
right ahead.
Coville:
When the Image founders put out a press release talking about 'Holding
Back' their better characters for creative controlled work you blasted
them. Now that this seems to be happening all over again but with a new
set of big name creators, do you still feel the same way?
David:
I didn't blast them for "Holding Back" their better characters for creative
controlled work. I blasted them for putting out a press release so badly
written that any reasonable reading of it made them look like complete
assholes. I also said that friends and business made a volatile mix, and
that they should either hire or appointment someone to be the single
spokesman. In the subsequent months and years, Image (a) admitted that the
press release was not well worded, (b) forced out founding members, and (c)
hired a single spokesman. In other words, everything I said was true...but
oooo, I "blasted Image." Gimme a break. As for Gorilla, shock of shocks,
their publicity statements and press releases have been flawless. So what's
to complain about?
Coville:
Is there any chance you will join Gorilla/Image with your own creator
owned series sometime down the line?
David:
I have my standards. I would have strict requirements for joining Gorilla.
First, they'd have to ask me to join. Second...uhm. No, that's pretty much
it. But they haven't asked. Never heard boo from them, actually. I figure
they probably feel that the last thing they need when launching a new imprint
is to have some loudmouth schmuck as a loose cannon associated with them.
Coville:
With all your writing in comics and other media you must be a very busy
man. How long does it take you to write an issue and how do you write it?
David:
Most of the time, Marvel style. Takes a few hours to write a plot. A few
more to write the dialogue.
Coville:
Your writing often uses many popular media references/jokes. Do you think
they'll ever be a time where the audience won't find that stuff funny
anymore?
David:
I don't necessarily use it for humorous effect. I use popular media
references to give the stories--which frequently have a very unreal feel to
them--some degree of reality. As for jokes, I don't think it's necessarily
that what I write is funny. It's just that so many other books have
little-to-no humor in them that my stuff is a contrast. I don't say that to
knock other writers: Whatever works for them, more power to them. But
there's plenty of funny lines and situations in, say, the average "Spenser"
novel. No one says, "Whoa, do your read those hilarious Spenser books?" The
average Indiana Jones movie has tons of hysterical bits occurring at even the
most serious of moments. People don't consider those comedic. But throw a
few gags into a comic and people think the whole book is humorous. Usually I
use gags to set up something serious. Hopefully that will never go out of
style.
Coville:
Something you wrote must be coming out soon. Any comic titles, books, TV
shows, movies, etc.. you can tell us about?
David:
More New Frontier books, the three books in the Centauri Prime trilogy. A
short film that Bill Mumy and I are working on. Berkley Books is rereleasing
the Psi-Man books under my own name in the genre of SF, which is how the
damned things should have been released in the first place. That should be
enough to keep folks happy.
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