Abnett & Lanning (DnA) Interview on Guardians of the Galaxy, Nova, & more!

[muppet1962]

There is a new two part interview with Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning posted over at the Comixfan Forums. They discuss stuff on GoG, Nova, Nova AND Green Lantern, The Authority, and more too.

You can see the interview here:

DnA, Round 1
www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=45776

DnA, Round 2
www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=45781

I've read just about everything these two have put out recently, and I have not yet been disappointed. DnA, keep it up!

[Mia]

I only read the portion of the interview pertaining to the Authority. Since I like the Midnighter. I like the fact that he's a tough guy who isn't a pig. I also like that the fact that he's completely happy with himself, and doesn't care less what you think of him--without being obnoxious.

I do think the interviewer made a bit of a mistake in his questioning. I don't think that the controversy about the two only comes from so called parents who are afraid of that their children be exposed be exposed to homosexuality .
I also think that the main controversy comes from gay readers themselves who insist that the couple be portrayed in such a way. Or they get all up in arms.

I remember reading a feature about Dixon's upcoming Grifter/Midnighter mini, and the writer was accusing Dixon of changing The Midnighter (or some such nonsense) simply by virtue that the reader thought that Dixon wouldn't touch on A&M relationship (Dixon did). I pointed out to him that Bruce Wayne/Batman (at that time) had hardly been shown on a date, but everyone knew that the character was a womaniser.


The way in which Ellis wrote them was absolutely perfectly. He wrote them like adult males. Adult males with testosterone. Not two gay men from some teenage girls Yaoi fantasy. Further there was no preaching and no need for politcal correctness. Yes they were a couple and it was quite clear that they were a couple. But we weren't hit over the head with the fact adnauseum.

Unfortunetly some writers have bent over backwards to treat the characters with kid gloves, lest they get attacked. The stories and characters suffered because of it. I never touched Midi's solo book because I just found it too preachy and gratting,

[muppet1962]

Wow, great insights! Thanks for sharing them and illuminating the discussion. Let me begin with an apology for the length of my reply, but I think you raise some great points.

I agree with almost everything you've said. Actually, I've only recently begun to read The Authority, and as a Wildstorm book I was concerned about how much sex (heterosexual or homosexual), profanity, whatever, would be bandied about in the name of making the title "edgy" and "mature". I'm happy to say that I've found the book to be a pretty freakin' awesome post-apocalyptic superhero adventure.

I think Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning have struck a good balance in their portrayal of Midnighter and Apollo. Their relationship is more about the need to feel unconditional love and support in times of trouble than about the fact that they are gay. I mean, it's the END OF THE WORLD. I don't care if you're Bruce Wayne, Tony Stark, or whoever, your primary goal is not going to be the expression of your sexuality.

The first three issues of The Authority: World's End have been great. I'll close here with some thoughts from issue three that I had posted over on DC's Wildstorm boards, I think they are kind of relevant:

"Ok. Authority #3--this was a great freakin' issue. Brutal fight scene, even more brutal psychological beatdown, emotional turmoil, and a heck of a hook at the end.

I've got one comment though, particularly about how the Midnighter/Apollo scene is being reviewed. I think this is probably the most touching scene between the two ever in the history of The Authority. However, I've read on several BBs something to the effect of, "oh this scene was so great because it's just perfectly romantic." --That may be a bit of an exaggeration-- But, I don't think the point of this scene is romance at all. This scene is not about how Apollo and Midnighter keep their flame alight for one another even though they are separated by the End of the World.

See if you follow me here. The whole first half of the issue is about Midnighter trying to protect what's left of his world; he's trying to fix the world the only way he knows how--and that's by breaking the bad guy. But what do you do when you can't break the bad guy? And what do you do when you realize no matter how many bad guys you break, you cannot FIX the world. Because at this point, even if Midnighter could kill all of the bad guys, that would not save the day.

Midnighter is at last forced to face what he's never really had to face while everything was right with the world: He is broken too.

Midnighter has no where to turn, and like a child running into his father's arms, he runs to Apollo, not to "romance" him (nor to be romanced), not to reaffirm their passionate love for one another, but because Midnighter needs to be comforted; he needs to feel the support and connection that can only be found in true, and unconditional love. And such love is worth scaling the heights of the demolished Carrier, its worth braving the harsh cold of a broken world, its worth having to gasp for every last breath--all of this is worth it, if only to feel the comfort of unconditional love and the connection with one who truly cares for you, even if you can't always feel the strength of that connection.

With this much packed into a comic book, it's a shame that it's not selling better... "

Oh yeah, also DnA are great on Nova! Woot! (please don't move this thread)

[John Lynch]

DnA: Super-Skrull. It would just mess with peoples’ heads.Given the continuity snaffus (wasn't Super-Skrull suppose to be impersonating Tedd from Young Avengers? If so, what was he doing in Annihilation: Super-Skrull?) I thought perhaps he had been impersonated by another Skrull.