Eric J. Moreels
Mar 14, 2002, 11:39 pm
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpool065.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpool065t.jpg" align=left alt="Deadpool #65 preview"></a>Whilst rumours of a possible title change and relaunch for Deadpool in July circulate around the Internet, the series is first set to face another revamp at the end of this month in the form of a new regular creative team as of issue #65 of the series.
X-Fan recently caught up with writer Gail Simone, Erik Ko from artist collective UDON, and editors Mike Marts and Mike Raicht to find out more about what's in store for the Merc-With-A-Mouth come March 27.
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpool065001_150c.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpool065001_150ct.jpg" align=right alt="Deadpool #65 Page 1 preview"></a>But first, here's a reminder of how the first issue by the new creative team was solicited by Marvel in the March Previews catalog:
THE SCOOP: Brand-new creative team! Brand-new storyline! Same old Deadpool! (Or is it?)
THE STORY: Did Wade Wilson survive the events of last issue or is there a new Deadpool in town? How does Deadpool, Master Assassin, grab ya? The Merc-With-A-Mouth finally gets his due, but at what cost?! And who is the mysterious man waiting in the shadows with designs on our hero? We'll tell you one thing about him: he's pretty angry with the 'Pool! Plus: find out more about Deadpool's new... oops! Guess we can't give everything away, can we?! Then you wouldn't need to buy the book!
THE CREATORS: All will be revealed by brand new writer, Gail Simone, (<b><i>Simpsons</i></b>, <b><i>Night Nurse</i></b>) and art group UDON (<b><i>Taskmaster</i></b>, <b><i>X-Men: Evolution</i></b>)!
THE FORMAT: 32 pages, with ads.
X-FAN: First of all, how did Gail come to land the gig as regular writer for Deadpool?
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpool065002_150c.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpool065002_150ct.jpg" align=left alt="Deadpool #65 Page 2 preview"></a>MARTS: Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada had recommended we read Gail's "You'll All Be Sorry" column on ComicBookResources.com, saying it was some of the funniest stuff he'd read in a long time. He was right. At the time we were accepting proposals for a new direction on Deadpool (since we knew Frank Tieri and Georges Jeanty would be moving on to Weapon X), so it only seemed natural that we ask Gail to pitch for the series. We received a handful of good pitches, a few from well-established, respected writers... and not to knock their work in any way, but Gail's really stood apart from the rest of the bunch.
RAICHT: She had a real nice sense of who Deadpool was and some real great story ideas that you'll be seeing soon enough.
SIMONE: If I remember correctly, the winner was chosen by a pie-eating contest. Which I lost, but the first place winner, Alan Moore, turned out to have a low meringue tolerance.
OR! A bunch of people pitched and I got lucky. I'm happy. I love the editorial team, I love the artists, and I love Deadpool. Also, pudding.
X-FAN: How did UDON come to be added to the mix?
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpool065003_150c.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpool065003_150ct.jpg" align=right alt="Deadpool #65 Page 3 preview"></a>MARTS: I had met Erik Ko, UDON's chief, at WizardWorld Chicago last summer and was immediately impressed by his professionalism and the level of quality work that his studio was producing. Marvel editor Brian Smith had been praising their work for a while, so I was glad I finally had the chance to meet Erik. I knew it was only a matter of time before we would work together. Not too long after, I had Deadpool to offer.
RAICHT: We'd all seen UDON's stuff in Smitty's office for the Taskmaster limited series and X-Men: Evolution and we thought they would fit perfectly with Gail's stories. Their stuff is so dynamic and the colors pop off the page so it was easy to give them the job.
KO: Yes, at that time we had just finished the X-Men: Evolution promo for Burger King, as well as the Spider-Girl #39 cover. I met Mike at the Marvel booth and he showed me a mock up cover for the Spider-Girl issue. We talked about working together on some stuff, which we started with the cover to Deadpool #63. Then one day, Mike calls us up and ask if we are interested to do Deadpool on a monthly basis! OH BOY! We just could not turn down this job offer!
X-FAN: Given that the first issue of this new chapter in Deadpool's life has him billed as a "Master Assassin", can you give an overview of the direction that the title will be going in?
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpool065004_150c.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpool065004_150ct.jpg" align=left alt="Deadpool #65 Page 4 preview"></a>SIMONE: Deadpool gets more respect than he's ever gotten in his career. It's fun to see the underdog get his props.
RAICHT: Gail has some great ideas about where the book will be going, but if we give too much away than it will ruin the fun. I would say she has a nice feel for his human side and the wackiness that seems to follow him around.
X-FAN: How is this new era shaping up when compared to previous tenures on the title, such as Kelly's and Priest's humorous runs or Palmiotti's, Scalera's, and Tieri's more serious stories?
SIMONE: I like all those guys, and they've been great about offering support. I'd guess we're somewhere in the middle... I've found myself taking out good gags because they just intruded on the story too much. I don't see Deadpool as Robin Williams, thank God.
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpool065005_150c.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpool065005_150ct.jpg" align=right alt="Deadpool #65 Page 5 preview"></a>MARTS: In my opinion, this is classic Deadpool... probably somewhere in between the wackiness of Kelly's or Priest's runs and the seriousness of Jimmy's or Frank's. While Gail does have a lot of humor surrounding Deadpool and the adventures he finds himself in, there are also several serious undertones running along with the storylines, as well.
KO: I agree. There is so much action in this but yet there are gags everywhere. The challenge for us is to keep a balance of both in the art, which I think Alvin Lee and crew has been doing a very good job on!
RAICHT: I think it's a nice mix of the two. Gail has a nice way of making serious things funny and twisting them around a little bit. The stories are full of hijinks but deep down there's something deeper that I think the readers will definitely pick up on.
X-FAN: The solicitation copy for #65 also featured a tease with "Same old Deadpool! (Or is it?)" - can you elaborate on that at all?
MARTS: Haha! That would be telling! Pick up #65 to find out!
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dp66.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dp66t.jpg" align=left alt="Deadpool #66 preview"></a>X-FAN: Who is the Black Swan? And what other villains or opponents can fans expect to see Deadpool clashing with?
SIMONE: I don't want to say too much about the Swan, except that he and Wade are like the Odd Couple with flesh wounds.
{And} I love the Rhino. If it were up to me, he'd be in every issue. He's a guy in a rhino suit! That's just brilliant!
RAICHT: The Black Swan is a lot tougher than he sounds and he's got a pretty cool power. Let's just say he'll be giving Deadpool headaches for awhile. We also get to see the Rhino, who is featured on our second cover. There'll be some other baddies popping up as well that are familiar faces but we probably don't want to give them away just yet.
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpool067cov_150c.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpool067cov_150ct.jpg" align=right alt="Deadpool #67 preview"></a>X-FAN: With issue #66 featuring the Rhino and #67 featuring Dazzler, will fans see guest appearances such as those on a regular basis?
RAICHT: Deadpool will be popping up in the mainstream Marvel Universe as well as the X-Universe. He's one of those rare characters who can bounce back and forth in tone and with his main villains.
SIMONE: Yeah... we have some big and not-so-big names coming in, but the book is Wade's so they're on HIS turf. We make them behave.
X-FAN: Are there specific UDON artists that are working on the series, or are there individual talents being utilized depending on the circumstances surrounding a given issue?
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpskt1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpskt1t.jpg" align=left alt="Deadpool character redesign sketch by UDON"></a>KO: It is Alvin Lee leading the team, with Eric Vedder, Rob Ross, A-Zero & TR2. Vedder & A-Zero are fairly new to comic readers, but they have been involved in the art field for quite a while doing game designs and other art related projects. Rob Ross' past credits includes working on Monster Fighter for Image. And you also can see TR2's beautiful colors on Christina Chen's Jubilee story in an upcoming X-Men Unlimited issue. They are all very fine artists and great members of the UDON team!
MARTS: I must say that we are so happy with the work that Alvin Lee is doing on Deadpool.
X-FAN: Who is Deadpool to you? What is it about the character that appeals to you? What, do you think, makes him tick?
SIMONE: I think of Deadpool as the guy who refuses to see things a certain way just because everyone tells him that's the way it is. I admire that. Despite all his firepower, his best and truest weapon is always going to be his bull detector.
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0602/deadpool_68.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0602/deadpool_68t.jpg" align=right alt="Deadpool #68 preview"></a>RAICHT: I liked what Frank Tieri said about him, that he's a failed villain. He wants to do all the awful things that we all want to do deep down. And he almost always does the wrong thing, but before he can his good side gets in the way.
X-FAN: What of the future of Deadpool, with rumours of a relaunch and a name change to Agent X?
MARTS: It's still too early to divulge any of the details right now, but what I can say is that July will be a very special month for Deadpool and that both Gail and UDON remain on as the creative team. Details to come!
Pre-order Deadpool online now from X-World Comics and save! (http://www.x-worldcomics.com/x/bstore/recentdeadpool.html)
X-Fan recently caught up with writer Gail Simone, Erik Ko from artist collective UDON, and editors Mike Marts and Mike Raicht to find out more about what's in store for the Merc-With-A-Mouth come March 27.
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpool065001_150c.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpool065001_150ct.jpg" align=right alt="Deadpool #65 Page 1 preview"></a>But first, here's a reminder of how the first issue by the new creative team was solicited by Marvel in the March Previews catalog:
THE SCOOP: Brand-new creative team! Brand-new storyline! Same old Deadpool! (Or is it?)
THE STORY: Did Wade Wilson survive the events of last issue or is there a new Deadpool in town? How does Deadpool, Master Assassin, grab ya? The Merc-With-A-Mouth finally gets his due, but at what cost?! And who is the mysterious man waiting in the shadows with designs on our hero? We'll tell you one thing about him: he's pretty angry with the 'Pool! Plus: find out more about Deadpool's new... oops! Guess we can't give everything away, can we?! Then you wouldn't need to buy the book!
THE CREATORS: All will be revealed by brand new writer, Gail Simone, (<b><i>Simpsons</i></b>, <b><i>Night Nurse</i></b>) and art group UDON (<b><i>Taskmaster</i></b>, <b><i>X-Men: Evolution</i></b>)!
THE FORMAT: 32 pages, with ads.
X-FAN: First of all, how did Gail come to land the gig as regular writer for Deadpool?
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpool065002_150c.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpool065002_150ct.jpg" align=left alt="Deadpool #65 Page 2 preview"></a>MARTS: Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada had recommended we read Gail's "You'll All Be Sorry" column on ComicBookResources.com, saying it was some of the funniest stuff he'd read in a long time. He was right. At the time we were accepting proposals for a new direction on Deadpool (since we knew Frank Tieri and Georges Jeanty would be moving on to Weapon X), so it only seemed natural that we ask Gail to pitch for the series. We received a handful of good pitches, a few from well-established, respected writers... and not to knock their work in any way, but Gail's really stood apart from the rest of the bunch.
RAICHT: She had a real nice sense of who Deadpool was and some real great story ideas that you'll be seeing soon enough.
SIMONE: If I remember correctly, the winner was chosen by a pie-eating contest. Which I lost, but the first place winner, Alan Moore, turned out to have a low meringue tolerance.
OR! A bunch of people pitched and I got lucky. I'm happy. I love the editorial team, I love the artists, and I love Deadpool. Also, pudding.
X-FAN: How did UDON come to be added to the mix?
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpool065003_150c.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpool065003_150ct.jpg" align=right alt="Deadpool #65 Page 3 preview"></a>MARTS: I had met Erik Ko, UDON's chief, at WizardWorld Chicago last summer and was immediately impressed by his professionalism and the level of quality work that his studio was producing. Marvel editor Brian Smith had been praising their work for a while, so I was glad I finally had the chance to meet Erik. I knew it was only a matter of time before we would work together. Not too long after, I had Deadpool to offer.
RAICHT: We'd all seen UDON's stuff in Smitty's office for the Taskmaster limited series and X-Men: Evolution and we thought they would fit perfectly with Gail's stories. Their stuff is so dynamic and the colors pop off the page so it was easy to give them the job.
KO: Yes, at that time we had just finished the X-Men: Evolution promo for Burger King, as well as the Spider-Girl #39 cover. I met Mike at the Marvel booth and he showed me a mock up cover for the Spider-Girl issue. We talked about working together on some stuff, which we started with the cover to Deadpool #63. Then one day, Mike calls us up and ask if we are interested to do Deadpool on a monthly basis! OH BOY! We just could not turn down this job offer!
X-FAN: Given that the first issue of this new chapter in Deadpool's life has him billed as a "Master Assassin", can you give an overview of the direction that the title will be going in?
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpool065004_150c.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpool065004_150ct.jpg" align=left alt="Deadpool #65 Page 4 preview"></a>SIMONE: Deadpool gets more respect than he's ever gotten in his career. It's fun to see the underdog get his props.
RAICHT: Gail has some great ideas about where the book will be going, but if we give too much away than it will ruin the fun. I would say she has a nice feel for his human side and the wackiness that seems to follow him around.
X-FAN: How is this new era shaping up when compared to previous tenures on the title, such as Kelly's and Priest's humorous runs or Palmiotti's, Scalera's, and Tieri's more serious stories?
SIMONE: I like all those guys, and they've been great about offering support. I'd guess we're somewhere in the middle... I've found myself taking out good gags because they just intruded on the story too much. I don't see Deadpool as Robin Williams, thank God.
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpool065005_150c.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpool065005_150ct.jpg" align=right alt="Deadpool #65 Page 5 preview"></a>MARTS: In my opinion, this is classic Deadpool... probably somewhere in between the wackiness of Kelly's or Priest's runs and the seriousness of Jimmy's or Frank's. While Gail does have a lot of humor surrounding Deadpool and the adventures he finds himself in, there are also several serious undertones running along with the storylines, as well.
KO: I agree. There is so much action in this but yet there are gags everywhere. The challenge for us is to keep a balance of both in the art, which I think Alvin Lee and crew has been doing a very good job on!
RAICHT: I think it's a nice mix of the two. Gail has a nice way of making serious things funny and twisting them around a little bit. The stories are full of hijinks but deep down there's something deeper that I think the readers will definitely pick up on.
X-FAN: The solicitation copy for #65 also featured a tease with "Same old Deadpool! (Or is it?)" - can you elaborate on that at all?
MARTS: Haha! That would be telling! Pick up #65 to find out!
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dp66.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dp66t.jpg" align=left alt="Deadpool #66 preview"></a>X-FAN: Who is the Black Swan? And what other villains or opponents can fans expect to see Deadpool clashing with?
SIMONE: I don't want to say too much about the Swan, except that he and Wade are like the Odd Couple with flesh wounds.
{And} I love the Rhino. If it were up to me, he'd be in every issue. He's a guy in a rhino suit! That's just brilliant!
RAICHT: The Black Swan is a lot tougher than he sounds and he's got a pretty cool power. Let's just say he'll be giving Deadpool headaches for awhile. We also get to see the Rhino, who is featured on our second cover. There'll be some other baddies popping up as well that are familiar faces but we probably don't want to give them away just yet.
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpool067cov_150c.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpool067cov_150ct.jpg" align=right alt="Deadpool #67 preview"></a>X-FAN: With issue #66 featuring the Rhino and #67 featuring Dazzler, will fans see guest appearances such as those on a regular basis?
RAICHT: Deadpool will be popping up in the mainstream Marvel Universe as well as the X-Universe. He's one of those rare characters who can bounce back and forth in tone and with his main villains.
SIMONE: Yeah... we have some big and not-so-big names coming in, but the book is Wade's so they're on HIS turf. We make them behave.
X-FAN: Are there specific UDON artists that are working on the series, or are there individual talents being utilized depending on the circumstances surrounding a given issue?
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpskt1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/dpskt1t.jpg" align=left alt="Deadpool character redesign sketch by UDON"></a>KO: It is Alvin Lee leading the team, with Eric Vedder, Rob Ross, A-Zero & TR2. Vedder & A-Zero are fairly new to comic readers, but they have been involved in the art field for quite a while doing game designs and other art related projects. Rob Ross' past credits includes working on Monster Fighter for Image. And you also can see TR2's beautiful colors on Christina Chen's Jubilee story in an upcoming X-Men Unlimited issue. They are all very fine artists and great members of the UDON team!
MARTS: I must say that we are so happy with the work that Alvin Lee is doing on Deadpool.
X-FAN: Who is Deadpool to you? What is it about the character that appeals to you? What, do you think, makes him tick?
SIMONE: I think of Deadpool as the guy who refuses to see things a certain way just because everyone tells him that's the way it is. I admire that. Despite all his firepower, his best and truest weapon is always going to be his bull detector.
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0602/deadpool_68.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0602/deadpool_68t.jpg" align=right alt="Deadpool #68 preview"></a>RAICHT: I liked what Frank Tieri said about him, that he's a failed villain. He wants to do all the awful things that we all want to do deep down. And he almost always does the wrong thing, but before he can his good side gets in the way.
X-FAN: What of the future of Deadpool, with rumours of a relaunch and a name change to Agent X?
MARTS: It's still too early to divulge any of the details right now, but what I can say is that July will be a very special month for Deadpool and that both Gail and UDON remain on as the creative team. Details to come!
Pre-order Deadpool online now from X-World Comics and save! (http://www.x-worldcomics.com/x/bstore/recentdeadpool.html)