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MARVEL, GAIMAN TALK 1602
by Matt Brady (Newsarama)
This afternoon, Marvel held a press conference to discuss
Neil Gaiman’s 1602 miniseries, which
launches in August. Already known to be the Marvel Universe
set in the year 1602, more details were revealed as the conference
progressed.
Marvel released the following information regarding the
miniseries:
"1602 is an 8-issue mini, set in a Marvel Universe
in which, for reasons which will take a while to uncover,
the whole Marvel Universe is starting to occur 500 years
early: Sir Nicholas Fury is head of the Queen's Intelligence,
Dr Stephen Strange is her court physician (and magician),
the Inquisition is torturing "witchbreed", many
of whom have taken sanctuary in England under the wing of
Carlos Javier, and now a mysterious treasure -- which may
be a weapon of some kind -- is being sent from Jerusalem
to England by the last of the Templars. Something that may
save the world, or destroy it, which has already attracted
the attention of such people as Count Otto Von Doom (known
as "The Handsome")...
"It's a race against time in a world in which time
is the enemy --
"It's not a What If or an Elseworlds. And it's really
fun..." - Neil Gaiman
- Interior images are by Andy Kubert and Richard Isanove,
cardstock covers are by Scott McKowen.
8-issue monthly limited series from Marvel Knights debuting
8/13 (7/24 final order cut-off for retailers).
First issue is 40 pages, all subsequent issues 32 pages.
All 8 issues are cover-priced $3.50 (each).
Press Conference
At the opening of the conference, Gaiman explained the high
concept of the miniseries, saying that while it may look
like an Elseworlds, it isn’t. It’s a world where “the
might world of Marvel has come into existence 400 years early
for reasons that will become apparent as the series progresses.”
As such, there will be analogues to popular Marvel characters,
including Sir. Nocholas Fury, the guardian to the Queen,
and Dr. Stephen Strange. Children showing tremendous powers
will appear – the “witch breed” who will
be forced into exile from their native England to a mysterious
Dr. Xavier.
By the end of the first issue, a threat that may be the
end of the world or a great treasure – has appeared,
and Fury must send one of his trusted agents, the Irish balladeer
Matthew Murdock to seek out answers.
Gaiman said that things will become apparent – “how
the world got this way, and how they can get it back” as
things progress.
When asked if the proceeds will still fund Marvels and Miracles,
LLC, in order to fight Gaiman’s legal battle for Miracleman,
Gaiman said that is still the case.
Quesada said that matching Gaiman with the project was fairly
easy – the two met thanks to Stuart Moore, allowing
Gaiman to plant a seed of an idea, although Gaiman said that
Quesada tried to convince him to write the next Secret
Wars.
Gaiman explained that his idea for the story was hugely
influenced by a trip he took to Italy just after meeting
with Quesada. He spent a day in Venice, and decided that
whatever he was going to write for Marvel would not have
skyscrapers or cars, or any modern things. When he returned
to the states and pulled the idea threads together, Gaiman
called Quesada and asked if anyone had tried to do something
like he was pitching before. Quesada said no, which cleared
the way for Gaiman.
Marvel President Bill Jemas added that when he learned they
would be working with Gaiman, he bought and started reading
American Gods, thinking it would take him a month to read
it. After completing it in a weekend, Jemas said that he
was more excited than ever, saying that Gaiman is able to
get to the core of icons in his work, and was extremely enthusiastic
to see what Gaiman could do with the Marvel icons.
When asked, Gaiman said that he would be doing another project
for Marvel, and will start discussing it with them later
this summer.
Gaiman said “We’ll see” to 1603 -
hinting that it might give too much away to discuss too much
about sequels.
Gaiman said that there will be some historical facts that
he’ll be pulling into the miniseries’ story,
including the missing Roanoke colony (which completely disappeared
from the early American coastline, with only the word “Cro” of "Croatoan" scratched
on a tree to suggest they were ever there) as such, Virginia
Dare (who disappeared along with the colony, and was the
first baby born in America of English descent in the new
world) will play a role in the story as well - which in and
of itself has implications. Virginia dissappeared when she
was less than three years old.
The miniseries grew from six issues to eight while Gaiman
was in the midst of writing issue #2, but still had to remove
some historical facts and characters. Gaiman said that the
X-Men analogues of the miniseries will be the originals,
although he said that there will be a switch – of sorts – “Master
John Grey” who will be an obvious woman dressed as
a man.
As for other characters, Gaiman said that he ended around
1969 in regards to when characters originally debuted – although
there are many others included for those who look. Iron Man/Tony
Stark, Gaiman explained won’t be in the miniseries,
as he just couldn’t find a way to make him work to
his satisfaction.
In regards to the events of 1602 effecting the overall Marvel
Universe, Gaiman gave a solid, “wait and see.” He
also added that there will be a good amount of religious
activity going on in the miniseries, but religion, or religious
persecution of the different will not be the focus. The increased
religious activity will be seen because, according to Gaiman,
religion was a larger part of daily life. Gaiman said that
readers would see the X-Men in their chapel praying, because
that’s what people at that time would do.
Gaiman said that there are clues in the first issue to the
Fantastic Four, in the form of “The Ballad of the Fantastic,” which
Matthew Murdock sings.
The writer said that the Arthurian legend would not play
a role in the story – “there’s such a thing
as over-egging the pudding,” Gaiman said.
When pressed on why he chose the particular time to set
the story, Gaiman said that “it was a nice place for
a story, and it gave me America,” as well as “a
sense of wonder and magic.” Gaiman cited the very simple
fact of the time it would take to travel from one location
to another as something that altered the whole view of the
world that modern readers would have to understand.
Gaiman also added that originally, he didn’t intend
to keep the title “1602,” and was using it almost
as a working title, but everyone started to like it. Gaiman
joked that he came to like it as well, saying that it sounds
better than 1601 and 1597.
In regards to characters, Gaiman said that in adapting them
to a different time, he’s come to appreciate and like
characters he never thought he would, such as Nick Fury – “He’s
bigger, he’s older, he’s tougher – he’s
absolutely ruthless. And a joy to write.”
Gaiman also said that he’s enjoying writing Dr. Strange,
as well as a young Peter Parker, who may never get bitten
by a spider. “He’s completely out of his depth,
and a terribly nice person.”
But no – there won’t be a Wolverine analogue.
Gaiman said that the era of the story isn’t Wolverine,
although he would have loved to have been able to include
him. Otherwise, Gaiman said that he didn’t feel like
he missed anybody.
Gaiman said that the “family” feel of Marvel
appealed to him now, but as a kid, he found it very frustrating
growing up in England. The writer said that there were two
rules to Marvel comics when he was a kid: 1) every Marvel
comic was continued in another Marvel comic, and 2) you would
never find that comic.
Gaiman joked that he can still worry about Spider-Man getting
out of 1963 deathtraps that he never read the conclusion
to.
When asked if Thor would be in the miniseries, Gaiman replied, “What
an interesting question.”
Count Doom will play a role in the story as well, as a villain
who is known as “The Handsome.” The head of the
Inquisition, according to Gaiman is a villain he opted not
to name, saying that most readers will figure out who it
is in the first two issues.
It was revealed that the images show Fury and Dr. Strange
walking out of the palace, while Gaiman said that the 1602 analogue
of Daredevil would be perhaps the toughest one for people
to find.
Gaiman said that while he did not formulate the series to
be relevant to current day events, he said that in March,
he did have an eerie feeling, shortly after he wrote about
his characters invading a small country in search of weapons.
Gaiman said that he wrote 1602 to be very
accessible, and opted to jettison the idea of writing it
in accurate Elizabethan dialogue. The decision came in October
when Gaiman spoke with inner city kids in Chicago who had
been given copies of “A Midsummer Nights Dream” which
he collaborated upon with Charles Vess. Realizing that the
kids missed much of the dialogue, he chose to write it in
modern English.
Marvel Editor in Chief Joe Quesada echoed Gaiman’s
sentiment, saying that the story is a fun romp, and an all-ages
story that will appeal to Marvel fans as well as those who
don’t know a Spider-Man from a Black Widow.
Miracleman: When asked about Miracleman,
Gaiman said that Marvels & Miracles has licensed the
character to Randy Bowen to create a Miracleman statue, in
repose, partly to Todd McFarlane’s statue which will
soon be released as an action figure. “We want to show, ‘No,
no – Miracleman doesn’t clench.” Gaiman
said.
Gaiman said that he’s going to be doing “much
too much” press in the coming weeks in advance of his
August-September releases, including a Publisher’s
Weekly insert, an article in Entertainment Weekly, and a “giant
media blitz” for all of his coming works. “People
will be completely sick of me by October,” he joked.
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