Baltimore 2006: 'Joss still at Marvel' - Printed matter

Good stuff, as I really want to add a S.W.O.R.D. category at Whedonesque.

Runaways?? Please be Runaways.

If not that, then Spiderman.

I think it's actually starting to look like it might be Runaways. Staying tuned.

(or, hope against hope, something like an 'All Star' Spiderman title ? Or even better, IMO, something totally new, totally new universe, totally new characters etc.)

Saje | September 10, 18:12 CET

Marvel already has an "All-Star" Spider-Man title. It's called Ultimate Spider-Man. :)

And any of the four suggestions made here I'd love to see. Also, S.W.O.R.D. investigating Karolina and Xavin and the interplanetary war their wedding managed to cause? Sign me up for that.

daylight | September 10, 18:15 CET

Given that Astonishing got me into buying X-men stuff it looks like the wallet is about to take another Joss-induced hit... ;)

Grounded | September 10, 18:39 CET

Astonishing Runaway Spider-S.W.O.R.D.!

Pointy | September 10, 18:57 CET

With added something totally new !

Saje | September 10, 19:11 CET

I'm not 100 %, but I wouldn't be suprised if Joss wrote Runaways for a while. I think I'd rather see that than the start of a new title/characters.

CaptainB | September 10, 20:18 CET

Well Wizard is going to announce who is writing Runaways on Monday and there will be an annoucement on Joss soon, so it makes sense. Would BKV hand pick Joss? Seems like a no brainer.

theyarescientists | September 10, 21:13 CET

*ponders upon Joss writing Nextwave*.

Simon | September 10, 21:26 CET

Hah, that's mad enough to be genius. So long as there was still plenty of kicking, i'd be there.

(and Ellis' schedule is potentially going to fill up with TV scriptwriting if his pilot gets picked up so it's not like 'totally impossible' impossible just 'mildly impossible' impossible)

Saje | September 10, 21:58 CET

The new Runaways writer will also be named in Monday's delayed edition of Joe Fridays on Newsarama, so we'll know then.

S.W.O.R.D. and Runaways seem like the best guesses. Those wouldn't be my first picks to have Joss on, but I'd read Joss even if he wrote Ultimate 3-D Man.

The big question is, will Cassaday be sticking with Joss?

Niels van Eekelen | September 10, 22:27 CET

*gasp*
Joss writing Runaways? Let it be so! I was about to un-order Runaways given the last announcement... hold the phone...

WhoIsOmega? | September 10, 22:33 CET

Am I alone in wishing Joss would stay on Astonishing X-Men for a year or two more?

Hjermsted | September 10, 23:39 CET

Split on this news, only because of possible ramifications-

Even though it seems to take forever for film (and tv) projects to get off the ground, Mr.Whedon right now seems to be in the position to fight for them while he's in the Hollywood mix.

I'm just guessing, but if he dives into comics and takes his hat out of the ring in Hollywood (aside from Wonder Woman), will the doors always be open for Mr.Whedon to dive back in if he leaves it for a number of years?

I'd assume that if comic companies were smart, they'd leave an open invitation for Mr.Whedon indefinitely-
.... but will Hollywood always have the door open?

If Orson Welles had to fight to stay in the halls of Hollywood full-time during his entire career after "Citizen Kane" - is Mr.Whedon endangering his position if he chooses comics over continuing to fight in Hollywood for tv shows (if he's interested in creating another tv show, something I haven't heard about)?

Hopefully it's not one or the other, but:
If given a choice, would Whedonesque fans prefer Joss to do comics only or tv shows from this point on?

Again, hopefully it's not either/or.

harvey chin | September 11, 01:04 CET

My guess, harvey chin, is that Joss personally needs to make movies, since, as I incoherently rambled toward the bottom of this page, movies were his first love. I think he does comics as an outlet for his beloved serial storytelling while he pursues his childhood dream. It ain't what I want, but it's probably what he needs.

If Wonder Woman rakes in massive amounts of moolah, which I expect, then he'll be in the position to make more movies and get back into TV at the same time.

By the way, it took me a while to get around to watching them, but I wanted to say I very much enjoyed the Muffin clips. I particularly liked the guy who played Vangelis.

[ edited by Pointy on 2006-09-11 00:40 ]

Pointy | September 11, 01:15 CET

Hjermsted--Course not. But sadly, he's already said he's leaving that book. Of course, doesn't mean he can't start a Kitty Pryde solo book. (Though I'd only accept that if it was Kitty Pryde & Lockheed. ;-) Wherewas our favorite little dragon that last issue?)

Harvey Chin--writing one (bi)monthly book (assuming Joss won't do more Buffy and Serenity than he's already working on now) is hardly a full-time job for most writers. Some do four or more monthlies. And sadly, Marvel has shown itself willing to wait as long as necessary for scripts if a writer lets his work in any other medium take precedence.

Niels van Eekelen | September 11, 01:40 CET

And sadly, Marvel has shown itself willing to wait as long as necessary for scripts if a writer lets his work in any other medium take precedence.

And DC as well, just to be fair and balanced.

Simon | September 11, 02:38 CET

Look at Frank Miller's All Star Batman and Robin.

Buffyfantic | September 11, 02:57 CET

And Allan Heinberg's Wonder Woman as well. I love that the two publishers get in these writers from Hollywood and TV land as they do bring new stuff to the table. But from glancing at various comic book forums, the delays do piss off the diehard fans.

Simon | September 11, 03:05 CET

So, I guess that means Joss won't be writing Betty and Veronica after all (but wouldn't those two unempowered female teens start kickin' major a** if he did!). ;-)

billz | September 11, 05:06 CET

To Pointy: oh, thanks so much for the words on my fan stuff. Too kind! :)

To Telltale and Simon: Good points on both companies bending to accomodate some of the superstar writers but sometimes to a fault when they keep fans hanging for awhile for a second part .. (Kevin Smith's "Daredevil/Bullseye" books come to mind)...

On one hand, with comics' companies (especially Marvel) pinching pennies, I can see money-wise why they'd want to cash in on 'name writers' asap, even if a second half of a story isn't ready...

...On the flip side, I agree that it's really not fair to the reader to release a story half-done and have them wait years for the second part. Not cool.

harvey chin | September 11, 08:24 CET

A few months back when Kevin Smith was promoting Clerk II,he said he still hasn't written the next issue of that Daredevil mini.

Buffyfantic | September 11, 08:41 CET

This CBR report (http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=8327) of the same panel contradicts what Newsarama reported...

Quesada says he's always asking Whedon to stick around, and revealed that he's "talking about doing something."

Wow, that's not the same thing at all.

Later in the article it says that you'll find out who the new team on Runaways is in a week. So even if Joss does stay, he's not writing Runaways.

betwixt | September 11, 10:11 CET

There seems to be differing reports coming out. Wizard has this to say:

Quesada teased an upcoming Whedon project when a fan asked if Whedon would be done with Marvel after his run on Astonishing X-Men ends in 2007.

“Joss is an amazing writer and he’s always surprising me,” said Quesada. “There’s news coming up.”

Simon | September 11, 12:25 CET

And Allan Heinberg's Wonder Woman as well. I love that the two publishers get in these writers from Hollywood and TV land as they do bring new stuff to the table. But from glancing at various comic book forums, the delays do piss off the diehard fans.

The thing is, we've gotten used to delays (which is sad in itself when you think about it). What I find so frustrating is that quite often writers consider their comic book work as something extra that can just wait until their other, real work is done. The publishers don't seem to object to that at all, and all the while they're complaining that comics aren't taken as seriously as other media.

Of course, no matter what many people seem to believe, being bimonthly is not the same as being late, so Joss is doing fine in this department and I'm just ranting in an inappropriate place. Oh well. :-)

Niels van Eekelen | September 11, 13:05 CET

"What I find so frustrating is that quite often writers consider their comic book work as something extra that can just wait until their other, real work is done. The publishers don't seem to object to that at all, and all the while they're complaining that comics aren't taken as seriously as other media."

My understanding is that comic books just do not pay that well, so for many writers from other media doing comic books is a work of love. If obligations from jobs that pay the bills get in the way sometimes, I can see why publishers would be understanding. When you are paying someone a fraction of what they can get somewhere else, you need to be understanding to keep them at all.

newcj | September 11, 15:29 CET

Yeah, that's a fair point though it sometimes seems to border on contempt for the medium (don't think you can hide, Lindelof, i'm looking at you ;).

An obligation is an obligation and if you can't meet it then you shouldn't agree to it, IMO. The terms of the obligation are pretty clear with a monthly comic, there's even kind of a hint in the name ;).

Saje | September 11, 15:37 CET

I find that a pretty weak argument--everyone knows going in that comics will pay less than TV or movie bucks, but if you commit to doing something monthly, you should do everything in your power to get it done. Lindelof's last issue had a cover date of April, 2006. That would have given him Lost's summer break to work on the remaining issues.

Of course, it is true that editors are equally at fault if they give writers with timing issues work that ties into a universe and thus relies on timely publication. But again, my main problem is that some writers don't seem to take comics seriously as work, rather than as an occasional hobby.

Niels van Eekelen | September 11, 19:56 CET

September 10 2006