The One character you always wanted to write?

[Super Sonic]

Two questions for y'all, Gail can only answer one I think, if she wants.
I'm not sure o.O

1. You can write for one Superhero (Marvel or DC), dead or alive, or even a past incaranation of a character, who would it be?

2. What would you have him/her do? Would you change much? Kill off characters? etc.

[cactusmaac]

1. Superman

2. I'd make it a lot more character-based. There's a lot of untapped potential there.

[Super Sonic]

1. Beast Boy


2. Give him his own mini-series atleast, a humerous series, light-hearted and fun, and if it became an ongoing a couple of funny cameos. I'd give him his own arch nemesis too, one he can call his own.



Oh yeah!!!!!

[Gail Simone]

1) Mary Marvel. Spider-Man. Iron Fist.

2) No. No. No. :)

[Just_A_Rat]

I have lots of ideas...

A character who I would love to write if given the chance? Golden Age Green Lantern, Alan Scott.

What would I do with him? Tell stories both then and now, and develop the idea of his being the elder statesman of the hero set these days. I would also work on his relationship with his kids. And I can't see myself killing anyone off.

[LibrarianThorne]

Two questions for y'all, Gail can only answer one I think, if she wants.
I'm not sure o.O

1. You can write for one Superhero (Marvel or DC), dead or alive, or even a past incaranation of a character, who would it be?

2. What would you have him/her do? Would you change much? Kill off characters? etc.

1. Superman/Clark Kent

2. I'd focus much more on the relationship Clark has with Lois, his friends and co-workers at the Daily Planet. I'd like to write an issue simply about how Clark Kent writes his stories. Of course, there's also the cosmic goings-on that I'd want to cover. I'd like to write The Return of Darkseid, where the Lord of Apokolips decides that Earth has caused him enough trouble, and he is going to snuff it out. He will casually dismantle the Justice League, and attempt to do the same with Superman. Things will look their bleakest, the League lying unconscious arund Superman as Darkseid hold up the nearly unconscious Man of Steel, and gives him one final offer. "Join me, Superman, or face annihilation." Clark, one eye screwed shut with pain, the open eye burning with defiance, would say "Earth will never fall to tyrants, and neither will I." Then, battered but defiant, Superman would throw everything he has at Darkseid. The New Gods would show up, and Darkseid would withdraw. It would end with a splash page of Lois and Clark (as Superman) embracing each other.

[Kevinroc]

1) Mary Marvel. Spider-Man. Iron Fist.

2) No. No. No. :)

Well, that DC exclusive kinda prevents Spider-Man and Iron Fist but why haven't you done anything with Mary Marvel?

[Trey Krimsin]

1) Batman

2) Can't say, since I'm working on the story right now.

[Pól Rua]

1. Power Man and Iron Fist. Why? Because it's such an amazing concept. Two astounding 70's Icons, the blaxploitation hero and the kung-fu fighter become superheroes, and team up to be private eyes. And I don't think it's ever been done in a way to live up to this potential.

2. What would you have him/her do? Would you change much? Kill off characters? etc.
First of all, I'd change Danny Rand. Having a multi-millionnaire doing superhero stuff for money always struck me as kind of dumb. I'd either change it so he lost control of Rand-Meachum Ollie Queen-style, or replace him with someone else - probably Bob Diamond of the Sons of the Tiger (an actor who learns kung fu to make him more 'bankable' just as the kung-fu craze dies in the arse).
I'd either set the series in the 70's - give it a kind of 'Carlito's Way' kind of vibe - or just have it hearken back to the 70's as a kind of nostalgia piece, and try and include a bunch of Marvel's most 70's specific heroes including Ghost Rider, Son of Satan, Shang-Chi, Doctor Strange (I have this weird urge to do a version of Doc Strange based on Australian actor Peter Wyngarde), The Cat, Blade, The Disco Dazzler etc...

[blackcanary_416]

Black Canary and Phil Urich Green Goblin. Gail does an amazing job with her. It's scary how she had Dinah and the rest down and hopefully I could write BC someday or some incarnation with the Crisis and all.

There was so much more that could have been done with Phil. I understand the reasons why Norman is basically here to stay but I loved the fact that we had a budding hero in Phil and Marvel had him give it up.

[Corrina]

1. Lois Lane.

2. Have her be an investigative reporter, with witty banter with the husband at home ala Nick and Nora Charles or at work, with Jimmy as the straight man there.

Second choice? See avatar.

[Selina Quinzel]

1. Harley Quinn

2. Bring her back to her light hearted, funny & crazy self. She'll open up a private psychiatry office for B-list (and lower) villians with emotional issues. Poison Ivy would be her partner/secretary, always ready with a piping hot cup of joe and a wry/sarcastic comment. When not shrinking heads, they go out on wacky adventures while looking for the perfect man. Think One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest meets Frasier meets Sex and the City- except completely unique! ;) :confused:

[blackcanary_416]

1. Harley Quinn

2. Bring her back to her light hearted, funny & crazy self. She'll open up a private psychiatry office for B-list (and lower) villians with emotional issues. Poison Ivy would be her partner/secretary, always ready with a piping hot cup of joe and a wry/sarcastic comment. When not shrinking heads, they go out on wacky adventures while looking for the perfect man. Think One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest meets Frasier meets Sex and the City- except completely unique! ;) :confused:

I'd buy that. I always loved the idea of her going back to psychiatry. I would like to find out why some villians have obsessions with boomerrangs and dressing up as a quilt. Hmmm...

[Cam63]

1. Lois Lane.

2. Have her be an investigative reporter, with witty banter with the husband at home ala Nick and Nora Charles or at work, with Jimmy as the straight man there.

Second choice? See avatar.

But, but... Gary Oldman isn't a comicbook character !

[Cam63]

1) Mary Marvel. Spider-Man. Iron Fist.

How about Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys ?

[Oracle_0128]

1) Mary Marvel. Spider-Man. Iron Fist.

2) No. No. No. :)


You can write Nightwing for all of us!!! Is that close enough? Same wise ass humor. Better costume. Even cuter red head. And we already know where he keeps his wallet!

[Legato]

1. Batman

2. He'd be close to his animated counterpart but with some changes. He would be less of a dick and dont have to always rely more on his detective skills and less on his gadgets. Have him fight street-level villains only instead of the type of villains that the JLA usualy fight.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

If I had a free hand to actually do whatever I wanted with him....Superman.

And while I'm dreaming, I'd also like a million dollars and my own harem

[Cam63]

You can write Nightwing for all of us!!! Is that close enough? Same wise ass humor. Better costume. Even cuter red head. And we already know where he keeps his wallet!

In his other pants ?

[SUPERECWFAN1]

1.Green Arrow: Oliver Queen


2. I'd really depart from what Judd Winick and others have done. I always see Mike Grell's influence on Oliver more than anything. He shouldn't care really about what Villain A has planned for Earth. Its saving some lives and letting the big guns do thier thing.

I'd take Ollie into a more charateristic path. I'd bring back Fryers and Shado and have Oliver traveling again. Because thats what made the charactor. Him traveling to Europe or Japan for some justice that was needed.

To me Oliver is also the radical of the DCU. He's against Big Brother and pretty much is a liberal dude to a tee. He pretty much would express his views on the Patriot Act and Iraq I think.

[Copper]

Not that I'd ever get it, but I'd want to try writing Dr. Strange.

I kind of see him as a mix of Sherlock Holmes, Alison V. Harding's Damp Man with a healthy dose of Lovecraftian horror and mysticism.

[The Mirrorball Man]

There is no character I've "always wanted to write". I harbor no secret dream of becoming a comic book writer. However:
1. You can write for one Superhero (Marvel or DC), dead or alive, or even a past incaranation of a character, who would it be?
Clark Kent.

2. What would you have him/her do? Would you change much? Kill off characters? etc.
He would act like a reporter: following leads, checking on his sources, correcting everybody on their grammar mistakes, getting passionate about all kinds of silly stuff, trying to meet deadlines, etc. You know, a reporter, not some weirdo from a Frank Capra movie.

[Azrael52]

Two questions for y'all, Gail can only answer one I think, if she wants.
I'm not sure o.O

1. You can write for one Superhero (Marvel or DC), dead or alive, or even a past incaranation of a character, who would it be?

2. What would you have him/her do? Would you change much? Kill off characters? etc.

1. Waverider!

2. Everything! He's freakin' Waverider!

[Magneto_X]

Just One? :(

1) Ultimates,Ultimate Blade, The Shadow, Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers & Six Million Dollar Man

2)Ultimates:

Hydra/S.H.I.E.L.D war.

Ultimate Blade:

Gory, no-holds-barred, R-rated.

Make it as close to the movies (except Blade: Trinity) as possible. Make Dracula Blade's ultimate enemy. Use the movie versions of the Blood Pack, Nomak & Deacon Frost.

I'd give Blade more "humanity" like have him listening to rap occasionally, interacting with humans a bit more and dealing with the FBI/police.

The Shadow:

Make the comics as close to the pulps as possible. keep Shadow as a martial arts master, detective, killer, intellectual and geniune badass.

Flash Gordon:

Revamp the comic strip (ala New Battlestar Galactica).

Buck Rogers

Revamp the 70's tv show. Make Buck come from the present and alter characters, tech to reflect the current climate.

Six Million Dollar Man

Takes place in the present with Steve Austin's son as the protogonist.

[Rabid Trekkie]

Two questions for y'all, Gail can only answer one I think, if she wants.
I'm not sure o.O

1. You can write for one Superhero (Marvel or DC), dead or alive, or even a past incaranation of a character, who would it be?

2. What would you have him/her do? Would you change much? Kill off characters? etc.

1. Batman

2. First story would be about how Batman gets sent to Arkham by Nightwing and Robin who finally decide he's gone over the deep end. Somehow he would get to keep his identity though. While there he starts to work through some of his bigger issues (like how he's such a dick) as well as deal with being in the same place as Joker, Scarecrow, Mad Hatter, and so many others. Finally he comes out as normal as he ever gets. Pretty much it would bring him back to his dark loner self but without all the qualities people have come to loathe in him.
After that I would start focusing on more mystery stories for the World's Greatest Detective. Show him actually investigating once in awhile. Probably rip off a couple stories from old mystery and noir movies or tv shows like 24 but give them that Batman twist. I'd also use the supervillains less, I mean there's so much crime in Gotham and there have got to be times where the Rogues Gallery are either locked up or recuperating.

[rismo63]

I've also got two, both influenced by boyhood reads of first issues:

(1) Goodwin and Ditko's The Destructor. Flesh out the origin story, relationship to his father, and life when not wearing the mask.

(2) A separate Moon-Boy series would be worth doing. He's a brooder, an outcast whose only friend is a gigantic red dinosaur; how does he tackle life's problems (existential doubt, loneliness, romance) when he's not riding on DD's neck?

[Oracle_0128]

In his other pants ?


He has other pants? When did he raid my closet and take them back????

[PatrickG]

1. Triumph. Superman. The Fantastic Four.

2. I think I'd go for an emotional arc in each character's case that surveys the stuff that I think is cool in their universe with a keen eye on where the character came from.

Ex. Triumph is restored only to learn that he is not what he seems as the underlying sources behind his anger and resentment unravel. With unconceivable forces from beyond reality trying to hunt him down, he must compare what he really is with what he wants to be and at the center of it all is the Justice League... But not in the way you might expect!

Ex. Superman discovers a man cryogenically frozen since 1938. The man is an old sci-fi/pulp enthusiast ala Julie Schwartz or Ray Bradbury and he marvels at what the world has become even though he knows he is dying. Superman acts as tour guide in this marvelous look at what the DCU has become since the dawn of super-heroes. But there is far more going on than is first apparent and the consequences may put the DCU in jeopardy...

Ex. With the space program dwindling and the government fearful of alien attack, the Fantastic Four must struggle to respark humanity's desire to explore the universe even as the governments of the world begin to systematically shut off every portal of exploration. As the gateways to the Negative Zone, outer space and other realities fall, one by one, Reed Richards mourns the loss of countless discoveries and so it's up to him and his family to unite and thrust humanity headlong into the unknown in a desperate gamble to avert a new Dark Ages.

I wouldn't tinker with the core character too much in any case, except emotionally. No fancy new costumes or long lost half-brothers. The characters are who they are and that's why people like them. I'm a firm believer in playing inside the sandbox with that regard. No deaths or missing arms or divorces.

However, like Weisinger (regardless of his faults) or Kirby, I would introduce new spinoff concepts LIKE crazy. New vehicles, friends, neighbors, sidekicks, enemies, locales. And some of them might die or change or get distorted in new, strange ways over my run.

Think Supergirl or Krypto. Think the Inhumans or Galactus. Think Xorn or Aztek or Zauriel. Think Batgirl.

None of those introductions really prevented the kind of stories that came before. Nothing is eliminated really. But a new dimension is added and that's something to be explored.

[Spackling Compound]

Archangel (Marvel)

I would write him as an ultra-rich connected heir of a major fortune that has roots in Masonry and even to Apocolypse. His powers would be the same but he'd be more cereberal and less "nice". People will die.

[PatrickG]

BTW:

Honorable mention - The Phantom (Think ULTIMATE), Buck Rogers (Think STAR WARS), JSA (Think RADIO RETRO REMIX -- haunting pop art), Batman (Think THE LONG HALLOWEEN in space!), X-Men (Powerless! and working with deadly criminals as freedom fighters!), Wolverine (Think Lethal Weapon Spring Break), Jimmy Olsen (on the run from EVERYBODY!), Green Lantern (No ring + Deep space), Steel and Plastic Man (On the Road to Apokalips)... The list goes on.

[Legato]

1. X-Men

2. Would follow close to the movie versions. The Hellfire Club would be the X-Men's main enemies. Unlike Magneto and The Brotherhood they are more careful in taking over the world. They're actions are more political than forceful and they are not interested in eliminating the human race. All they want is to be at the top of the food chain while the lesser races are used as puppets for them to control.

Have the X-Men interact with humans instead of being secretive. Id switch the story focus to different members of the team or have the focus be about the team in general, like what JLU did, instead of the focus being entirely on Wolverine.

Id get rid of The Sentinals. X-2 proved that humans, with the right tech, can be much more dangerous than some giant robots.

[Converge]

1. Ragman

2. Ragman has been called to avenge the brutal killing of a 10-year-old girl and finds himself rags-deep in the nightmare of Gotham's dark underbelly. He finds a morbid web of corruption and conspiracy that reaches up to the highest levels of the government and corporate foundations of America.
Very grim and very gritty. Lots of darkness. A story about cannibalism... and hope.

[Slam_Bradley]

1. The original Crimson Avenger.

2. A period piece set at the end of the 1930's. To some extent a companion to Sandman Mystery Theatre. However, I see the Avenger focusing more on fighting the mob, whereas Wesley seemed to get mixed up with serial killers. With Lee Travis' newspaper connections it is a natural for him to take on mob influence in distribution, trucking, unions, etc. Also, his populist stances make for a natural foe for political corruption, always rife in New York City. And as the first DC hero, it would be a great venue for perspective on the rise of the costumed hero in the early years.

[PatrickG]

Lee Travis, we hardly knew ye!

And Wing too!

I'd be halfway tempted, much as I love the Nightwing Kandorian connection and various writers' efforts to keep it in place, to make Dick Grayson's evolution into Nightwing a nod to the then-recently deceased Wing.

I wish the boy sidekicks would stick together more. It would make for a cool team, y'know?

And I think it's a shame that today's teen heroes aren't really sidekicks at all. Sure, we have a Robin but I swear it's been a good decade since he complimented Alfred's cooking and he seems like a fairly independent hero.

Not that Bruce should have his own personal errand boy, entirely, but if Robin doesn't need Batman's active involvement to fight crime more often than not, it doesn't feel entirely like Robin to me (unless it's Dick Grayson, who I suppose OWNS the name as the one who created the role).

[Cam63]

He has other pants? When did he raid my closet and take them back????

He didn't have to.

You really gotta be careful what you put out with the garbage.

[Nick Kal]

Nightwing.

I'd write him like no other.

[Cam63]

Nightwing with regular guest appearances from the BoP Lassies would rock muchly.