Fabian Nicieza is a name many of you are familiar with, especially
if you've been reading Marvel Comics over the last 10 years. He has
written many different comics and even worked as an EIC of Acclaim
Comics at one point. Currently he is working on Thunderbolts and with this
interview I ask him all about that, about some previous X-men related work
and where the comic industry is going.
* Special Thanks to Jason Bourgeois and Sheryl Roberts for providing some questions *
Coville:
I can't help but notice a few people on usenet keep called
Thunderbolts #50 a 'good jumping off point'. Does that worry you at all?
Nicieza:
If 5 people say they're leaving, I shrug my shoulders. If 5,000 people say
they're leaving, THEN I'm worried! So no, I'm not surprised if a reader
chose Mark's leaving the title and a temporary status quo shake-up as a
reason for stopping. Just like I wouldn't be surprised if an equal number
use it as an opportunity to jump ON the book. I also wouldn't be surprised
if the vast majority of people who might not buy the book anymore don't
peek at the coming issues and - based on all the fun stuff we have planned
-- slowly start to come back into the fold.
Coville:
Between your start on T-Bolts and issue #50 there have been a
whole lot of changes to several characters. Jolt died and came back with
different powers, Atlas has died after his powers went into overdrive,
Techno died but but the Fixer is back, The Beatle (Abe Jenkins) became
black. What is it with you and making major changes to characters?
Nicieza:
A better question to ask is why WOULDN'T I do these things? The
lifeblood of monthly superhero comics are good characters and good
soap opera. In TBOLTS, I feel we have both.
Coville:
Do you feel there is an area where too much change can be a bad thing?
Nicieza:
Sure, but the writer is usually the last to know! Hopefully, you have an
editor who can see the bump in the road before the readers do!
Coville:
With Thunderbolts #51 you added a number of members and the
remaining (alive) original criminal members are out of costume. You also
replaced Hawkeye with Captain America as the teams trainer. What made
you believe the title needed this much of a drastic change?
Nicieza:
If you read the issue, you'll know it's not a drastic change at all.
The core characters needed a chance to breathe and reflect on having
attained a pardon for their crimes without the need for involving them in
superhero action. I felt the best way to do that was to smack them in the
face with unexpected freedom and the illusion of redemption and let them
all start seeing if the grass is really greener on the other side. Between
subplots in the monthly title and the LIFE SENTENCES TBOLTS special, I
feel we get a look into their minds in ways that we haven't had a chance
to do since I took over the book. The book still remains about THEM, not
about the Redeemers. But it's a superhero comic, so we still need some
slapping and kicking, and we can show that for a few months through the
Redeemers. And, with Cap leading them, through those characters, we can
also show other sides of the thematic coin in regards to what the book is
all about.
Of course the TBOLTS will be back together again and back in
action. The question is not if, but WHEN, WHY and HOW?
Coville:
I assume your writing the LIFE SENTENCES TBOLTS special, who is doing the art and when will it come out?
Nicieza:
I have written it. Charlie Adlard is doing the art. I have no clue when it
comes out. I think between issues #52 and #53.
Coville:
Why are Meteorite, Mach-1 and Songbird out of costume? I think
most fans know it's only a matter of time they'll be back in them.
Nicieza:
Asked and answered. We can learn just as much if not more about them
by seeing them trying to maintain 9-5 jobs as we can watching them
fight bad-guy of the month.
Coville:
Do you think the new Thunderbolts characters will be published
after their time in Thunderbolts is done?
Nicieza:
I don't understand the question. The Thunderbolts characters ARE the
Thunderbolts comic. ;-)
If you mean the Redeemer characters, I can unequivocably say NO, they will
not be published after their appearance in TBOLTS is over.
Coville:
Do you know how Patrick Zircher got the job to take over T-Bolts
after Mark Bagley left? I know he took over the art cores on New
Warriors when you left that title.
Nicieza:
We ran through a list of potential artists and Pat was at the top of
that list. Being able to get him is a privilege. His art gets better
on the book each and every month!
Coville:
Have you had to change your writing any to compensate for
Zircher's strengths and weaknesses? If so, how?
Nicieza:
In very little ways. No more or less so than with any creative team
change. You feel your way out slowly over the course of a few issues
and develop a rapport where you know each others' strengths and
weaknesses. Pat is an excellent storyteller and draws elegant figure
work, so I have to do more character interaction. He hasn't worked on a
group book in a long time, so he needs to get the hang of choreographing
multiple characters in movement through a scene, so I have to pay
attention that my plots are clear in regards to action. But like I said,
Pat's doing great work. I'm sitting here scripting #54 and I think it
looks like dynamite!
Coville:
How do you feel about the event like "Silent" month on all Marvel
Books and do you have any ideas on how your going to do your silent
TBolts issue?
Nicieza:
Well, part of me thinks it's a bit forced, like any editorially
enforced crossover tends to be, but the other part of me likes the
creative challenge. I am more than half way through plotting and doing
rough 8-1/2 x 11 breakdowns for the pages and it has been fun.
It helps that the timing fit perfectly for a Songbird story I had
intended to do all along, so the "stunt" fits in smoothly to the
normal flow of the TBOLTS storyline. In fact, the silent pages make
the surprise ending work even better!
Coville:
I noticed in both Gambit and in Thunderbolts you played around
with character power levels. Why?
Nicieza:
I find it to be an entertaining way of putting a character through a
physical and emotional ringer.
Coville:
You seem to have a penchant for using past works of your own
in your latest projects, like Nomad in Thunderbolts recently. Why?
Nicieza:
It's easy to use what I know and apply it in the right ways. The two
main reasons for using NOMAD supporting characters was to A) point out
obviously the clues needed to guess Scourge was Jack Monroe and B) to get
Andie Sterman into the V-Battalion because I wanted her POV in that
organization. Why create a new superhuman psychotherapist, reporter, FBI
agent. etc. when there are pre-existing characters that are begging to be
used? And why not use characters I'm comfortable and familiar with since
it makes their application into a crowded story easier?
Coville:
What are your feelings on leaving Gambit and then having the book
promptly canceled so soon after?
Nicieza:
Better to have been canned and then see the book canceled than to have it
canceled while I was writing it! For those who liked my work on the Gambit
character, there may be an interesting non-comic Gambit announcement soon.
Coville:
Can you give us any hints?
Nicieza:
Not yet. It's not real until it's real.
Coville:
Did you accomplish everything you wanted to do with Cable and if you
were offered the chance, would you go back to writing him?
Nicieza:
Coville:
What didn't you accomplish with Cable that your really wanted to?
Nicieza:
Pass. Not worth getting into.
Coville:
Is there any chance the Sinister miniseries, which was
cancelled/put on hold may still have a chance of seeing the light of
day?
Nicieza:
Coville:
Nicieza:
I think the core editor and core writer simply preferred I not play in
that particular sandbox.
Coville:
Can you give us a hint of the premise?
Nicieza:
4 self-contained stories set in different time periods all linked
together by an underlying story thread, all pretty harrowing stories
of Sinister's emotional devolution. And all a moot point.
Coville:
Acclaim Comics is dead, they just recently removed all mention of comics
from their website. Was your book Troublemakers owned completely by
Acclaim or was there any creator owned deal like Priest had with Quantum
and Woody?
Nicieza:
I had the same deal as Priest, but having been a co-author of that
deal, I know how the lawyers got involved in it to the point where it is
too much of a hassle for me to bother with.
Coville:
Are Acclaim lawyers fighting the contracts on creative owned deals?
Nicieza:
In order for lawyers to fight, someone usually has to throw the first
punch. I am not aware of that having been done by anyone.
Coville:
After your experience being EIC of Acclaim Comics, would you be
up for another EIC job at another publisher?
Nicieza:
Sure, but it would depend on the circumstance and the place. I loved
my time with Acclaim - the EiC job moreso than the President/Publisher
job, which was too much responsibility regarding details I lacked
experience, or interest, in attending to.
I am a social creature, but I'm also very happy working out of home
and trying my hand at a variety of different things. If a company were to
call with an interesting 9-5 opportunity - and not just a comic company -
I would certainly listen.
Coville:
Over the last few years you have been bouncing between Marvel,
Acclaim and DC. Have you ever thought of self publishing?
Nicieza:
I've thought about it. Then I look at the finances involved and
realize it would be just as easy to throw my money off a bridge.
Coville:
So the success of Dave Sim, Jeff Smith, Terry Moore & others
doesn't convince you to take a gamble?
Nicieza:
Define success? Creative fulfillment? Financial fulfillment? If the
gentlemen above have been successful enough that they can pay the
mortgage and their kid's college educations without concern, then more
power to them. I would prefer not to jeopardize my family's financial
comfort for the sake of my own ego. There are plenty of other, more
enriching ways, for me to flex my creative muscles than self-publishing
comics.
Coville:
It seems the comic book industry is moving away from monthly
titles and into TPB's or Original Graphic Novels. Do you see this as a
good or bad thing for comics?
Nicieza:
I see that as good if it expands the horizons for distribution and
content. I think it's bad if it forces the continued whittling away of the
comic book specialty shops and the regular weekly customer visits.
Coville:
Some think the market is moving towards comic specialty shops
that rack only or mainly TPB's and customers come in and buy on an
somewhat infrequent basis, very much like the typical bookstore. Is that
good for the industry?
Nicieza:
I don't particularly think that would be a successful financial
business model, but I'm not informed enough to be certain. Whatever
floats their boat.
Coville:
Marvel's no reprints policy have caused a stir among retailers.
Do you think this will be to Marvels benefit?
Nicieza:
As I'm not privy to enough information from either side of the issue, I
have no comment.
Coville:
Speaking of reprints, I tried to buy your new Citizen V mini at
my comic shop today so I could ask you about it. But it was sold out and
they can't get anymore. So tell me about it, what are you trying to do
with the Citizen V character?
Nicieza:
CVB is about old soldiers facing the end of their fight and new
soldiers who don't think they want to ever become old ones! It is
about a sleek paramilitary organization that has been "fighting the
good fight" for so long, that they might be willing to compromise
their methods and ethics in order to finally win that never-ending
battle. Citizen V is their point man, a covert op. He's the kind of
character you hate to love and love to hate. He has style, panache,
wit and intelligence, but he is also very arrogant, very selfish and
very indifferent to the obstacles he has to walk over on his way to
accomplishing a given assignment.
It's a fun adventure book that explores aspects of the Marvel Universe
rarely visited -- namely older characters and the mantle of responsibility
borne on the generations that followed the soldiers of WWII.
Coville:
Do you have any other work coming out soon?
Nicieza:
None that I know of. That could always change tomorrow.
