Off the Record...

Writer Mark Waid has been involved in one acclaimed project after another for the last 15 years. And he's never been hotter. Recently nominated for an Eisner award for his work on Crossgen's Ruse, Mark has been a Wizard "Top Ten Writer" for the last 3 straight months. Now, Mark has his sights set on comics' premiere family, the Fantastic Four. We spoke with Mark recently about his plans for the FF, his Super-secret Superman project, and how he was robbed of his rightful place as the greatest comic trivia mind on the planet.

You have had plenty of experience taking over classic characters and titles and making them both critical and retail successes, such as Captain America, The Flash, Legion of Super Heroes, X-Men and JLA. In August, you’re taking over the writing honors for yet another comic icon, the Fantastic Four. Tell us why you didn’t want to write FF at first and how you were convinced to do it.

Shortly after my resignation from CrossGen was announced, editor Tom Brevoort called me and offered me the FF--and I had to think about it, to be frank. The long-running series I tend to have affection for are those I discovered when I was a kid--and by the time I found the FF, they were WAY past their prime, creatively speaking. But after a night or two of wrestling with the offer, I decided that (a) I love the CHARACTERS, and (b) with all due respect to those who have gone before me, many of whom have written better FF stories than I'll probably ever pen, maybe someone coming aboard who WASN'T deeply
wedded to the FF of the 1960s is the shake-up that book seems to need. I was still on the edge--but Brevoort tipped me in by suggesting that we play Reed a little more like Doc Savage by way of Buckaroo Banzai, and that sold me.

We’ve read that you have some major plans for the title. You’ve said that you want to have something "new and different in every issue. Stuff that’s never been done before." What can fans expect from your take on comics’ most famous family?

Hopefully, the new. All the time. I'm using this assignment as an opportunity to reinvent myself, as well--rethink the writers' tricks I've learned over the years, re-examine how I go about putting stories together.

I owe that much to the FF--it's not something people who started reading comics after 1970 tend to remember, but in their day, the FF was the VANGUARD of the new. That book was the X-Force, the Authority of its time, ushering in the Marvel Age of Comics--and the goal is to restore that prominence to the title by spending a lot less time with Dragon Man and Annihilus and a lot more time with ideas and concepts you've NOT seen before. And for that, I'm diving into the physics textbooks deeply.

You have mentioned that you "tend toward applied science in writing." Is that one of the aspects that appealed to writing a character like Reed Richards?

Without question, but that's not the only appeal. I also love writing the Smart Guys AND I love taking characters that no one seems to like and shining them up, showing off what it is that makes them cool and what I love about them. One of my goals is to make Reed Richards a character that appeals to readers under the age of 70. [Laughs]

For your and Mike Wieringo’s Fantastic Four debut with issue #60, Marvel is reducing the cover price to only 9 cents! Do you now consider yourself the cheapest writer in the business?

[laughs] You're just jealous YOU'RE not earning a fourteen dollar royalty on a million-copy print run!

You should see what Comic Books, ETC! pays...ahem. Congratulations on being nominated for Best Writer in this year’s Eisner Awards!

Thank you.

Matter of fact, while you were writer, Ruse has won three rec.arts.comics Awards, or "Squiddies" (the second oldest still-existing comics industry award). Obviously, your work on Ruse has been extremely well received. Unfortunately, we hear that your last issue is #12, and that you are leaving due to a difference of opinion on the future direction of the title. Can you speak of what that different direction was?

Actually, while I contributed some of the ideas that they'll be using through issue twelve--and I don't know which ones or how many--the actual last issue that was "mine" is issue nine. I turned in plots for ten and eleven, but as I say, I have no idea how they might be interpreted or reworked. Other than that, I really--legally--can't talk more about it.

You spent a year and a half at Crossgen as a senior writer and scribing titles such as Crux, Sigil and Ruse. Are there plans to work there again in the future?

I cannot imagine that ever being the case.

You have a knack for writing in different voices. Did you find it challenging to write a female character in first person, like Emma Bishop in Ruse? How do you "get in character?"

Really, all I do is find that part of my own personality that intersects with that of the character's and go from there. In Emma's case, for example, we both make great sport of poking our pins into out-of-control egos and unwarranted arrogance.

Over the years, it has been joked that you are secretly waiting for your parents to tell you that you are adopted and are actually from the planet Krypton. Well, is the next best thing finally getting to do a Superman project for DC this Spring?

[Laughs] Pretty much, yeah.

What can you tell us about it?

At this early stage, there's a limit to what I can say, but it's big. Believe me, this is big. Artist Leinil Yu and I are giving you a whole new, 21st century perspective on Superman, in the process restoring some of the more "Siegel and Shuster friendly" aspects to the legend. But make no mistake, this isn't a look back. It's DEFINITELY a look FORWARD.

Speaking of writing Superman, few writers want to follow Grant Morrison, yet you did on JLA with truly memorable stories. Right out of the gate, you wrote "Tower of Babel" (#43-46), the story of Batman’s betrayal of the JLA. Then, powerful stories such as "Queen of Fables" (#47-49), "Man & Superman" (#51-54) and "Terror Incognita" (#55-58). In general, do you prefer to write in short, 3 to 4 issue story arcs like these?

Anything longer and, because I have the attention span of a toaster, I tend to lose track. [Laughs] Thanks for the kind words--if I listened to internet message boards, I'd be convinced that I was the worst JLA writer ever, even though I really liked "Terror Incognita." Actually, I prefer to write one or two issue stories, but I give good cliffhanger--and I'm in the process of rethinking my instincts for pacing at this time, anyway.

Besides intriguing plots during your time on JLA (like separating the heroes from their secret identities), you kept the dialogue between the characters flowing effortlessly, yet gave each a distinct personality. Do you enjoy working on group books more?

Not necessarily, but I do enjoy working on books where characters can talk to one another with some familiarity.

When you and Ron Garney took over Captain America in 1995, you revitalized the character and brought it back to respectability. How difficult was it for you personally to have the series canceled for the "Heroes Reborn" fiasco?

It was pretty devastating, to be honest. We--and when I say "we," I mean Ron's artwork--had tripled the sales by the time our run was over.

Did you get some sort of small satisfaction to be the one to bring the title back a year later with Captain America Volume 3?

Yes, but it was tempered by the fact that--given 20/20 hindsight--I should never have come back. Something about that second run just never came together, despite the fact that I worked with two of the most talented artists in the business (Garney and Andy Kubert).

How did you get to wear Adam West’s Batman cowl and where is the infamous picture of you in it?

If I'm lucky, it's in a vault somewhere. Actually, it's a replica cowl, a gift I gave Tom Peyer some years ago. It's in his trophy room.

The DC mini-series Kingdom Come has been referred to as one of your finest works. Do you have a particular story, or a series that you wrote that you are most proud of?

FLASH #0 is still the best thing I ever wrote that was published. CAPTAIN AMERICA #14, the Red Skull story, is the best think I ever wrote that WASN'T published--at least, not as written--but I've been told that if and when
Marvel does another Cap trade collecting that run, we can include the original version of the story.

Is there one you would rather forget?

No. There are MANY I would rather forget. If anyone wants their money back for SPIDER-MAN TEAM-UP #1, just find me at any convention and hand it over.

At one time, you served as the cover gag editor for Archie Comics. And in most of your work, humor tends to find its way into the dialogue (it was classic when Plastic Man was asked "YOU read the newspaper?!?" and he answered "No, I copy the funny pages with my hand!"). How important is humor to any story?

It's crucial to most good stories, at least the ones I like reading and writing. I've always said that my job each and every time I'm up is to make you laugh or make you cry, and if I can do both, that's a home run.

You’ve mentioned that you still love running out every Wednesday and getting new comics each week. What are some of your current favorite titles?

INCREDIBLE HULK, X-STATICS, anything by Paul Jenkins...that's a short list, but it's a start.

You’ve been collecting since you were a kid. Do you still have any comics from your childhood that you will never part with?

Yes. All of them.

If you had to do it again, could you take Kurt Busiek in Wizard’s trivia contest? (Kurt got a 101 out of a possible 120, while Mark came in 3rd place with an 89)

I was SO ROBBED! [laughs] Go ahead! Ask Wizard staffer Andy Serwin! I was his first guinea pig on that quiz, so I'm the guy who ferretted out the lame or misleading questions--then, AFTER the quiz was revised, THAT'S when Kurt and Brevoort got their crack at it! Unfair, I say. Unfair.

Are their any other projects on the horizon for Mark Waid?

EMPIRE. Barry Kitson's working on issue three right now, and DC will be relaunching the series early next year.

Cool! What can you tell us about it? What's it about?

This is a continuation of the series Barry and I launched through the
ill-fated Gorilla Comics imprint a couple of years ago--the ongoing story of what happens when a super-villain who wants to conquer the world actually SUCCEEDS--and what his empire is like.

Sounds interesting. We'll be sure to keep an eye out for it.

Okay, now is the time for "2099" portion of our interview. This is where I ask you 20 questions in 99 seconds. It’s basically an "either/or" type of response, but you can answer whatever first pops into your head.

Write or edit: Edit.

On-going or Mini-series: Ongoing.

Late night or early day: Early day.

Better detective - Simon Archard or Batman: Batman.

Big screen or rent: Rent.

Play with toy or keep in box: PLAY!

Cross-overs or One-shots: One-shots.

Plastic Man or Mr. Fantastic: Mr. F.

Fly or drive: Drive.

Run Fast or Flight: Run fast!

First Print or TPB: TPB

Barry or Wally: Wally!

South Park or Simpsons: Simpsons forever.

Cell phone or E-mail: E-mail.

Sleep in or make deadline: Make deadline, sadly.

Squeeze in the middle or at the end: End.

Which is greater - Reed’s understanding of the negative zone or your encyclopedic knowledge of comics:
My knowledge. But Reed's understanding is more valuable. Even if it is fictional.

World Series or Super Bowl: Couldn't care less.

Lou Ferigno or Adam West: Adam West, you HERETIC.

Buffy or Vampirella: Buffy.

CREDITS (Pretty Gosh Darn Close to Being Official)

AWARDS

EISNER: KINGDOM COME

WRITING CREDITS

ACCLAIM COMICS
OPERATION: STORMBREAKER
X-O MANOWAR 1-6

ARCHIE COMICS
ARCHIE 3000 18
ARCHIE'S PALS 'N' GALS 222, 223
RIVERDALE HIGH 5
VERONICA IN ROME 16

BLACK BULL COMICS
GATECRASHER: RING OF FIRE 1-4
GATECRASHER (ongoing) 1-6

CROSSGEN COMICS
CROSSGEN CHRONICLES 4
CRUX 1-12
NEGATION 1
NEGATION PREQUEL
RUSE 1-9
SAURIANS: UNNATURAL SELECTION 1-2
SIGIL 12-19

DC COMICS
ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN 536
BATMAN #433 (one page--not telling which one)
BATMAN: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT ANNUAL 4
DC UNIVERSE HOLIDAY BASH 1, 3
DC UNIVERSE: TRINITY 1, 2
DETECTIVE ANNUAL 2
FLASH 50th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL (1990)
FLASH 62-129, 142-150, 152-159, 162
FLASH 80-PAGE GIANT 1
FLASH ANNUAL 4, 5, 6, 8
FLASH CINNAMON MINI-BONS CEREAL COMIC
FLASH PLUS 1
FLASH SECRET FILES 1, 2
FLASH TELEVISION SPECIAL (1991)
GOG 1
GREEN LANTERN 80-PAGE GIANT 2
GREEN LANTERN CORPS QUARTERLY 2
GREEN LANTERN SECRET FILES 2
IMPULSE 1-6, 8-17, 19-21, 23-27
J.L.X. 1
JLA 18-21, 31, 32, 43-58, 60
JLA SECRET FILES 3
JLA: HEAVEN'S LADDER
JLA: YEAR ONE 1-12
JUSTICE LEAGUE CINNAMON MINI-BONS CEREAL COMIC
JUSTICE LEAGUE QUARTERLY 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 (3 stories), 12
JUSTICE LEAGUE TASK FORCE 13-15, 0, 17-19
JUSTICE LEAGUE: A MIDSUMMER'S NIGHTMARE 1-3
JUSTICE SOCIETY 80-PAGE GIANT 1
KID FLASH 1
KINGDOM 1, 2
KINGDOM COME 1-4
KINGDOM COME COLLECTED (12 new pages)
L.E.G.I.O.N. 49-50, 52-60
L.E.G.I.O.N. ANNUAL 4
LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES 59-61, 0, 62-71
LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES ANNUAL 6
LEGIONNAIRES 16-18, 0, 19-20
LEGIONNAIRES ANNUAL 1, 2
METAMORPHO 1-4
NATIONAL COMICS 1
NIGHTSTAR 1
OFFSPRING 1
PLANET KRYPTON 1
ROBIN PLUS 1
SHOWCASE '96 12
SILVER AGE 1
SILVER AGE 80-PAGE GIANT 1
SILVER AGE SECRET FILES 1
SILVER AGE: DIAL "H" FOR HERO 1
SON OF THE BAT 1
SUPER-SOLDIER 1
SUPER-SOLDIER: MAN OF WAR 1
SUPERBOY (third series) 7
SUPERMAN 114
SUPERMAN: MAN OF STEEL 58, 73
THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD: FLASH AND GREEN LANTERN 1-6
THE LIFE STORY OF THE FLASH
UNDERWORLD UNLEASHED 1-3
VALOR 9, 11-19

EVENT COMICS
ASH WIZARD 1/2 EDITION
ASH: CINDER & SMOKE 1-6
PAINKILLER JANE 1-4
VAMPIRELLA/PAINKILLER JANE 1

GORILLA COMICS
EMPIRE 1-2

IMPACT COMICS
COMET 1-10, 12-18
COMET ANNUAL 1
CRUCIBLE 1-6
CRUSADERS 1-4, 8
IMPACT WINTER SPECIAL 1 (3 stories)
LEGEND OF THE SHIELD 1-12
WEB ANNUAL 1
IMAGE COMICS
WILDSTORM RARITIES 1

MARVEL COMICS
AVENGERS 400-402
CAPTAIN AMERICA 444-454
CAPTAIN AMERICA v3 1-13, 15-23
CAPTAIN AMERICA, SENTINEL OF LIBERTY 1-6, 8-9, 11-12
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE LEGEND 1
DEADPOOL 1-4
FANTASTIC FOUR 60-
KA-ZAR 1-14
KA-ZAR: SIBLING RIVALRY 1
MARVEL HOLIDAY SPECIAL 1996
MARVEL UNIVERSE: ONSLAUGHT 1
SPIDER-MAN 2099 SPECIAL 1
TALES OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE 1
UNCANNY X-MEN 320, 321
X-MEN 49, 51-56
X-MEN UNLIMITED 10
X-MEN: ALPHA
X-MEN: OMEGA
X-MEN: ONSLAUGHT 1

EDITING CREDITS
Amazing Heroes (1985-86)
The Art of W. Simonson
Batman: Gotham By Gaslight
Christmas With The Super-Heroes (1988, 1989)
Doom Patrol (1987-1989)
Legion of Super-Heroes (1988-1989)
The Private Files of the Shadow
Secret Origins (1987-1989)
Secret Origins of the World's Greatest Superheroes
The Golden Age of Superman: The Greatest Covers of Action Comics from the
'30s to the '50s
The Silver Age of Superman: The Greatest Covers of Action Comics from the
'50s to the '70s
Superman Archives, Vol. 1
Superman in the Sixties