Post by D. Golightly on Dec 9, 2008 11:59:35 GMT -5
With the launch of two new Ultimate books in Marvel 2000's Alternate Branch, we thought it would be the perfect time to pick the brains of our writers. Neil Gow, who writes a damn good Green Lantern over at our sister site (DC Infinity), is the scribe behind this new version of the FANTASTIC FOUR. Talk about the perfect jumping on point!
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M2K: Why Ultimate Fantastic Four?
Neil: I'm a self-confessed team book addict, so that side of it was a given. What attracted me to this title in particular was the chance to do something new with what is a very formulaic title and indeed, one of the few team books I haven't bought regularly in my time. Why THIS Ultimate Fantastic Four? Well, I have written for a number of sites over the years, but I have never done anything for M2K so it was about time. It is, in my eyes, one of the 'big' fanfic sites that remain, so I'm excited to be writing something for it. Beyond that, the Fantastic Four brings with it some interesting ideas. You have a fixed cast, you have pretty much some fix personal relationships, you have a solid premise - and everyone 'knows' the FF. Its a good place to start.
M2K: You have the first couple of issues written and it looks like you'll be doing a slow-burn as the plot unfolds. There's a lot of story established in just the very first issue. How does this slow-burn tactic help in the writing process?
Neil: Well, usually I like to layer in sub-plot after sub-plots, sometimes taking 10-12 issues to come to a conclusion. Its a style I am very comfortable with and it delivers a pacy story. However, I also like to set myself challenges and in this title, my challenge has been not to do that. I'm wanting to unfold something a little bit deeper and more immediate. So the first four issues each introduce the 'ultimate' version of each character and the underlying threat within the entire title. The changes I have made to the characters necessitate a thorough introduction.
M2K: Who's your favorite FF character?
Neil: At a push, it would be Reed Richards but I have to be honest and say I have no great love for any of them in particular. Reed hits the spot the most because of his intelligence and the place that puts him within the Marvel Universe. As powers go, stretching sucks and everytime a writer tries to make it interesting, I cringe. The man has the biggest brain on the planet and all we seem interested in is whether he can expand his *ahem* you know *wink*. In the 616 MU, Reed desperately needs to grow a spine and start asserting himself. I suppose this is my chance to let him do that.
M2K: What villains can you tease us with?
Neil: Well, early on in the story you are introduced to the Hellfire Club and Anton Diablo. Later on, the gang will be visiting the Circus Maximus, home of the goat-footed freak and the man-fish. (That'll be the Inhumans). Oh and Reed is trying to stop Project:Annihilus, so you can guess that the Negative Zone et al. might well be making an appearance.
M2K: The Fantastic Four has typically been seen as the premiere hero team of Marvel. Your vision sees them as a much more clandestine group. Why the switch?
Neil: Ah right. Well if you think back to the genesis of the Fantastic Four, science was still quite hidden and outside of the realms of the common man. So a story based in science then was special and quite literally out of this world - we'd not even landed on the moon. Nowadays every school kid knows how to work computers, we each have personal communicators, the Net exists and science is everywhere - and we hate it. Oh yes we do. We distrust science, we blame science, we think our planet is being torn apart by science. Social ills are blamed on the internet, violence is blamed on computer games, social networking websites are destroying our productivity and anything with the world 'genetic' in it is basically the work of Satan! Now, imagine a Fantastic Four - a group grounded in science and exploration and higher thinking in this world and they would be burned at the stake. Thats the theme that was rattling around my head when I was dreaming up this ultimate FF. They are an underground freedom fighting group battling against The Man - that being the Hellfire Club. They live with all of the prejudices and horrors of modern science, conspiracy theories and corporate special interests. Its a very different world and they are a very different team.
M2K: What will we not see in Ultimate Fantastic Four that is commonly associated with the title?
Neil: Right - no Baxter Building in the middle of Manhattan. No Silver Surfer or Galactus. No Dr Doom in the first instance. No HERBIE or Willie Lumpkin. I'm still 50/50 on some Atlantean action. At the start of the story Reed and Sue are not together and Ben is not made of bricks. No big flaming 4 in the sky, no Fantasticar. Look, it's like Casino Royale and James Bond? The silly bits have been stripped away.
M2K: What would you say to encourage someone that hasn't been a Fantastic Four fan in the past to get them to read this series?
Neil: If you read the other M2K Ultimate titles, you need to read UFF. If you don't read the other M2K Ultimates titles, this is the place to start. If you hate the Fantastic Four and everything they stand for in the MU, this is not that title. If you love the Fantastic Four and everything that they stand for, come and see what the nasty man did to your heroes! Its a title with something for everyone.... read it. Read it now. Or the man walking behind you in the street might be Reed Richards and that is NOT a good thing anymore....
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Make sure to read Neil's first issue of ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR at: m2k.omegacen .com/ultff !!!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
M2K: Why Ultimate Fantastic Four?
Neil: I'm a self-confessed team book addict, so that side of it was a given. What attracted me to this title in particular was the chance to do something new with what is a very formulaic title and indeed, one of the few team books I haven't bought regularly in my time. Why THIS Ultimate Fantastic Four? Well, I have written for a number of sites over the years, but I have never done anything for M2K so it was about time. It is, in my eyes, one of the 'big' fanfic sites that remain, so I'm excited to be writing something for it. Beyond that, the Fantastic Four brings with it some interesting ideas. You have a fixed cast, you have pretty much some fix personal relationships, you have a solid premise - and everyone 'knows' the FF. Its a good place to start.
M2K: You have the first couple of issues written and it looks like you'll be doing a slow-burn as the plot unfolds. There's a lot of story established in just the very first issue. How does this slow-burn tactic help in the writing process?
Neil: Well, usually I like to layer in sub-plot after sub-plots, sometimes taking 10-12 issues to come to a conclusion. Its a style I am very comfortable with and it delivers a pacy story. However, I also like to set myself challenges and in this title, my challenge has been not to do that. I'm wanting to unfold something a little bit deeper and more immediate. So the first four issues each introduce the 'ultimate' version of each character and the underlying threat within the entire title. The changes I have made to the characters necessitate a thorough introduction.
M2K: Who's your favorite FF character?
Neil: At a push, it would be Reed Richards but I have to be honest and say I have no great love for any of them in particular. Reed hits the spot the most because of his intelligence and the place that puts him within the Marvel Universe. As powers go, stretching sucks and everytime a writer tries to make it interesting, I cringe. The man has the biggest brain on the planet and all we seem interested in is whether he can expand his *ahem* you know *wink*. In the 616 MU, Reed desperately needs to grow a spine and start asserting himself. I suppose this is my chance to let him do that.
M2K: What villains can you tease us with?
Neil: Well, early on in the story you are introduced to the Hellfire Club and Anton Diablo. Later on, the gang will be visiting the Circus Maximus, home of the goat-footed freak and the man-fish. (That'll be the Inhumans). Oh and Reed is trying to stop Project:Annihilus, so you can guess that the Negative Zone et al. might well be making an appearance.
M2K: The Fantastic Four has typically been seen as the premiere hero team of Marvel. Your vision sees them as a much more clandestine group. Why the switch?
Neil: Ah right. Well if you think back to the genesis of the Fantastic Four, science was still quite hidden and outside of the realms of the common man. So a story based in science then was special and quite literally out of this world - we'd not even landed on the moon. Nowadays every school kid knows how to work computers, we each have personal communicators, the Net exists and science is everywhere - and we hate it. Oh yes we do. We distrust science, we blame science, we think our planet is being torn apart by science. Social ills are blamed on the internet, violence is blamed on computer games, social networking websites are destroying our productivity and anything with the world 'genetic' in it is basically the work of Satan! Now, imagine a Fantastic Four - a group grounded in science and exploration and higher thinking in this world and they would be burned at the stake. Thats the theme that was rattling around my head when I was dreaming up this ultimate FF. They are an underground freedom fighting group battling against The Man - that being the Hellfire Club. They live with all of the prejudices and horrors of modern science, conspiracy theories and corporate special interests. Its a very different world and they are a very different team.
M2K: What will we not see in Ultimate Fantastic Four that is commonly associated with the title?
Neil: Right - no Baxter Building in the middle of Manhattan. No Silver Surfer or Galactus. No Dr Doom in the first instance. No HERBIE or Willie Lumpkin. I'm still 50/50 on some Atlantean action. At the start of the story Reed and Sue are not together and Ben is not made of bricks. No big flaming 4 in the sky, no Fantasticar. Look, it's like Casino Royale and James Bond? The silly bits have been stripped away.
M2K: What would you say to encourage someone that hasn't been a Fantastic Four fan in the past to get them to read this series?
Neil: If you read the other M2K Ultimate titles, you need to read UFF. If you don't read the other M2K Ultimates titles, this is the place to start. If you hate the Fantastic Four and everything they stand for in the MU, this is not that title. If you love the Fantastic Four and everything that they stand for, come and see what the nasty man did to your heroes! Its a title with something for everyone.... read it. Read it now. Or the man walking behind you in the street might be Reed Richards and that is NOT a good thing anymore....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Make sure to read Neil's first issue of ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR at: m2k.omegacen .com/ultff !!!