CBR: IN-DEPTH: Peter David

[CBR News]

One of superhero comics' most beloved writers, Peter David goes in-depth with CBR News about his storied career, from his earliest work on "Spectacular Spider-Man" to his most recent projects like "Fallen Angel."


Full article here.

[passer-by]

Huge thanks for this interview. PAD is probably the writer I most enjoy reading, be it in the current X-Factor (my favourite Marvel title), on CBR boards or in interviews.

Plus, this interview is really encompassing. I learned here that writing for crossovers at Marvel today is better organised than in the past.

Nowadays, crossovers are handled much differently; most of them have an opt in/opt out policy, and those few that are indeed mandated are done so far more smoothly and effectively with much more notice. When we did “Messiah CompleX,” for instance, I had a half a year’s warning. So not only was I able to clear the decks with time to spare, but I could actually write material that led into the crossover so that it was organic to the series rather than being slapped in.

And I'm glad the "But I Digress" topic was brought about.

Your column for “Comics Buyer’s Guide,” “But I Digress,” has been running since the ‘90s. You have never seemed to shy away from speaking your mind, be it problems you see with publishers, creators or even fans. Do you think it’s important for creators to use their voice to express opposition publicly? Do you think many do not for fear of being “black listed” by editors or officers in publishing companies?

I think it’s important for creators to do what they feel is right for them. I’ve gone out on limbs for other creators any number of times. When I see them being screwed over or getting a raw deal, either from publishers or from fans, I say something. Loudly. I’ve received e-mails and phone calls from the creators in question, thanking me profusely. But they say it privately. They’re relieved that I’ve said the things they wanted to say, because then they don’t have to. They can continue to be beloved by the fans.

Of course, on the occasions I’ve found myself in the center of some shit storm, most of the time—with rare exceptions--I’ve been on my own. In fact, some of the people I’ve helped out earlier wind up joining the dog pile. I suppose the reasoning is that I can defend myself. Whatever. It would be unreasonable to expect others to share my Quixote complex. When I see something that I feel is wrong, I just feel compelled to do something about it. That’s my problem and gotten me into a lot of situations I could easily have avoided if I’d just kept my mouth shut.

Probably, I will reach a point in my life where I’ll decide that it’s just too much trouble and not do anything about it if I see someone being ill-used or screwed over, or if I see obnoxious behavior that I think should be addressed, or perceive a topic that no one else seems to want to discuss and I open up a dialogue about it because, to quote the representative from Rhode Island in “1776,” “In all my years I’ve never heard, seen or smelled a subject that was so dangerous it couldn’t be talked about. Hell yes, I’m for debating anything.” But I haven’t reached that point yet.

This is for me the most important part of the whole interview.

I put the new collection of his columns "More Digressions" in my Amazon shopping cart some weeks ago and I still hope the first one will be reedited.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...X0DER&v=glance



I also hope Marvel will let him use the characters he wants. He's proven quite a few times that with him they're in good hands.

I thought she (Rahne Sinclair) was going to be in both “X-Force” and “X-Factor.” That, like “Mission: Impossible,” she’d be called in to work with X-Force when they needed her but otherwise she’d still be with X-Factor. I didn’t know we were losing her until I was told I had to write her out of the book. I guess I just didn’t understand the concept of “X-Force” requiring that she be exclusive to that book. I still miss her.

I wish PAD a long, happy and creatively fulfilling life.

[ANewHope]

They forgot to mention his Dark Tower series !! I know he's just scripting it, but can't believe the interviewer didn't mention this. It's a big deal !!

[pariah-1972]

Why in the frick would they order him to writer Rhane out and then barely use her ?

She hasn't even been in the book for months and months.

[GoodClone]

PAD is great, and his work on Hulk is essentially the canon. Since he left the stories on the Hulk, with the exception of the Pak and Jenkins runs, have returned the character to the mindless beast that he was before his tenure. Truly sad!!

[RolandJP]

As an off again on again problem internet comic fan, I respect PAD. And he is right...sometimes opinions and posts go to far against creators and publishing companies. Public Apologies.

[passer-by]

PAD is great, and his work on Hulk is essentially the canon. Since he left the stories on the Hulk, with the exception of the Pak and Jenkins runs, have returned the character to the mindless beast that he was before his tenure. Truly sad!!

Yes, I didn't mention it because my post was getting too long already. But it's worth noting how things went out when he left the Hulk book.

Marvel wanted to have the Hulk be nothing but a mindless berserker, issue after issue of the Hulk just going around and destroying everything in sight. Banner would not be a factor in the stories; there would be no psychological underpinning; it would just be an inarticulate Hulk fighting everyone in sight. I felt that it would not be remotely challenging creatively and would be a disaster from a sales point of view. I told them I wasn’t interested in writing that and tried to convince them that it would be a mistake. They didn’t care about the second half of the sentiment; as soon as I said I didn’t want to write that, I was told not to let the door hit me on the way out. (...) And Marvel produced exactly the stories they wanted and sales went straight down the crapper until Paul Jenkins came in and started doing all the psychologically based stuff that Marvel had refused to let me write anymore. Then sales went up. Go figure.

I really find it hard to understand why Marvel don't listen more to a storyteller who's been writing a successful run on a book for more than a decade when he warns them they're going in the wrong direction with this book.

[pariah-1972]

Well the classic interpretation that most people know of the Hulk is the raging beast.
It's just that writing that can be quite boring after a while.

[johnnyhotsauce]

PAD's Hulk is the reason I started collecting. Hulk has always been my favorite hero as a kid, but when I saw that the Hulk was gray, and was intelligent with a badass attitude in the comics, I became intrigued enough to start getting them. I'll always have a soft spot in my heart (and a couple boxes) for PAD's run on Hulk.

I'd have loved to see some Turtlenator action

[Scavenger]

Well the classic interpretation that most people know of the Hulk is the raging beast.
It's just that writing that can be quite boring after a while.

And reading it :-)

A question I'd be interested in hearing..but maybe it's more of a Joe Q one, is with X-Men Forever and Clone Saga being What If Editorial Didn't Screw With Creator books...I wonder if Hulk: The PAD Saga is in the thinking stages...

[pariah-1972]

And reading it :-)

A question I'd be interested in hearing..but maybe it's more of a Joe Q one, is with X-Men Forever and Clone Saga being What If Editorial Didn't Screw With Creator books...I wonder if Hulk: The PAD Saga is in the thinking stages...

Possibly why the movies haven't been that successfull?

[diablo7]

Yes, I didn't mention it because my post was getting too long already. But it's worth noting how things went out when he left the Hulk book.

I really find it hard to understand why Marvel don't listen more to a storyteller who's been writing a successful run on a book for more than a decade when he warns them they're going in the wrong direction with this book.

if i remember right bob harras had a hand in that...i really loved the direction peter took x-factor in during his 1st run on the series...really funny stuff

[mcherniske]

I've always really enjoyed PAD' writing and his books, but this is the first interview I think I've ever read with him, and I'm feeling a bit disillusioned.

Perhaps it's only my perception, but many of his answers felt very negative. This is one of the greatest names in modern comics, and it sounds like he's been screwed over by just about everyone.

I'm having a hard time, either he's never been treated as well as he deserves and he knows it, or he's never been treated as well as thinks he deserves.... I really love his writing, maybe it was just the way the interview was transcribes that brought across such a negative vibe.

[Faded]

I think Wolfsbane being in both books would be good for not only X-Factor, but for Rahne's character as well.

Her presence in X-Force isn't all that strong anyway, and all the other characters still appear in Uncanny so I don't know why Rahne can't lead a double-life as well.

[passer-by]

Perhaps it's only my perception, but many of his answers felt very negative. This is one of the greatest names in modern comics, and it sounds like he's been screwed over by just about everyone.

I didn't feel a negative vibe myself. I don't know, maybe he is a little disillusioned, but he's got plenty reasons to be IMO. And he's simply honest about what he thinks, but at the same time he phrases his answers pretty diplomatically, given the circumstances and the things he's been through.

I think a writer of his talent stands much above the so-called stars Millar, Bendis and Loeb, to name but a few. And he doesn't get the editorial recognition they have. I'd agree that he hasn't been treated as well as he deserves. But he doesn't sound bitter to me. Just realistic.