Eric J. Moreels
Aug 27, 2003, 11:17 am
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/canworms_logo.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/canworms_logot.jpg" align=left alt="Can of Worms logo"></a>Welcome to a special edition of Can of Worms here at ComiX-Fan wherein we delve into the confusion surrounding now former Silver Surfer and Wake The Dead artist Mahathir Buang, better known as Milx... or is it Mo_o? Or both? Well, that will be for you to decide. This column seeks to present the facts of this bizarre situation as they stand in as chronological an order as possible with the intent of letting you come to your own conclusions.
But first, the all-important...
<center>RUMOUR WARNING</center>
Before reading on, we need to make it clear to all that the material contained within this column is presented as rumour, unless expressly stated otherwise, and is intended for entertainment purposes only. Legitimate news can be found in ComiX-Fan's News (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=2) and Features (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=3) sections. If you reprint any information from this column, please clearly label it with an appropriate warning and provide a link back.
This column is brought to you by X-World Comics (http://www.x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=346) and their X-Clusive Creator Edition signed comic books (http://www.x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=346). Want a certified JLA/Avengers #1 signed by Kurt Busiek, or perhaps a certified Transformers/G.I. Joe #1 signed by John Ney Rieber? If you do, then look no further than X-World (http://www.x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=346)!
The hornet's nest of controversy surrounding Milx's recent "disappearance", which forced both Marvel Comics and IDW Publishing to replace the artist on those titles (see 'MILX-ING IN ACTION' (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=21068)), has been stirred up again with Milx himself posting on ComiX-Fan's forums (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?postid=595670#post595670) and speaking with the Newsarama (http://newsarama.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5333) Web site declaring fanfic writer Mo_o to be a fraud, despite some members of the fan fiction community having come forward saying Mo_o and Milx are one and the same.
To refresh everyone's memory, it began with Mo_o having posted details of the new Silver Surfer series on the message board of fanfic group Marvel 2000 (http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?id=92629;article=4166;title=Marvel%202000;date_query=1053911385), which he wrote for, in late May, before the new book had been publicly announced.
"I know it's been a very long time since I have been able to contact you; internet providers is one reason, work load is another. And apparently that workload I've once mentioned in Epic? Yep, it's taking most of my time. So, as a friend and colleague I'm want to ask 2 favours from you guys:
1) Please take me off FF and all the projects that I still have on M2K. I know it's been months past since I've been able to work on them and the prose is still with me, unfinished because I still have to complete my work on that epic title. I cannot do it anymore. It's been a fun ride, and many great moments, but I'm deeply sorry that I can no longer carry the responsibility of writing the further adventures of my favorite team. I infinitely as much sorry and ashamed to those who I worked with, who had future plans with concerning the FF and other projects in overall.
2) Please spread the word to the others I am working with. I trust you guys at M2K to do this for me, for I have no more time to do so.
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/ssv4-01.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/ssv4-01t.jpg" align=right alt="Silver Surfer (4th series) #1"></a>Thanks for the great year working with you guys. Don't forget to catch me on the Silver Surfer this June."
In a follow-up post (http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?id=92629;article=4179;title=Marvel%202000;date_query=1053911385), Mo_o offered up a link between the two aliases, saying, "Just check over the credits for Silver Surfer for Marvel Comcis {sic} and you'll obviously find my credits there under a VERY obvious pen name. :) Oh, and it's coming on July."
After the series and Milx's involvement were publicly announced, one Marvel 2000 member posted an announcement on the M2K board (http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?id=92629;article=4388;title=Marvel%202000;date_query=1055705788) that one of their own had "made good".
"Check out www.newsarama.com for an interview with one of our own who made good. Mo_o (going by the pseudonym Milx) talks about his upcoming artistic run on Silver Surfer for Marvel. Go read it, and then brag to all your friends that you knew him when."
Fast forward to this month, and prior to Silver Surfer editor Tom Brevoort's announcement that Milx had gone missing, Mo_o was back posting on the M2K message board (http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?id=92629;article=4626;title=Marvel%202000;date_query=1060895870) in early August.
"I got the time to finally continue my fanfic whismies, so I've returned with my goodies... er, goods, whatever," he said in one post (http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?id=92629;article=4640;title=Marvel%202000). "It's good to be back. I've managed to grab hold of my old series back, as well as an Alternate M2K title that hasn't been moving for a long while... did I tell you it's good to be back? Oh yeah, I did."
Following Brevoort's announcement, Mo_o made another post (http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?id=92629;article=4673;title=Marvel%202000) in an effort to clear the air.
"Before people start attacking me (AGHAGH! POO! FLYING POO!), I have no real plans to quit just yet. One of the reasons why I've returned to M2K is that I'm having what we can call a very hard time catching detail. I thought maybe going back to writing may give me some inspiration.
So, yes, it isn't very professional not simply end up 'missing', but I still want to cling to my job. That, and I do have contact problems nowadays.
I better go back to my drawing table then and stop writing for now; no offence, but seeing as how this is getting bigger by the minute, I think it's better if I stick offline for awhile and focus my energies on the drawing. One more favour; please DO NOT make this a topic for the community's talkabouts; I would NOT like this embarassment to be something I'll be remembered for.
Thanks for the opinions. You can resume the poo-throwing =) "
After ComiX-Fan reported on the artist's apparent resurfacing, Wake The Dead writer Steve Niles sent ComiX-Fan an e-mail claiming that the M2K posts were not by Milx. "I know him pretty well, having written several thousand e-mails back and forth and I can say without a doubt, that's not Milx," Niles said.
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/300_wake01.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/300_wake01t.jpg" align=right alt="Wake The Dead #1 preview"></a>One of Mo_o's fellow fanfic writers, Cory Wiegel, disagreed, saying, "Well, that really doesn't make any sense... personally the typing style seems just like his, not to mentioned he seemed to remember an old {fanfic} project we had planned."
Marvel 2000 fanfic group chief David Wheatley responded to ComiX-Fan's subsequent inquiries by saying, "As far as I am aware the two of them are one and the same. If they are indeed two separate people then the timing of what's going down has been very coincidental. And if he is a different person then Mo_o has strung along a good amount of people. From the dealings I have had with him over the last year, he's been up front with me and I've appreciated that."
"All I can say is how it went down. He stood down from his various fiction series because he was about to get very busy with what was going on in his professional life, which as I understood he was an artist. Then it came to light he was Milx and that answered a lot of questions, and we wished him well. A couple of weeks ago, maybe less, he wrote to me asking if he could do some specials of his Moon Man, which is his series at M2K. I naturally said yes, because the guy has talent and we decided it'd be fun to play it close to the chest and he did some cryptic things on our message board, but a few of our more discerning writers figured it was him. Then he came clean. A few days later the news came through about what had happened and it was almost certainly a Neo moment."
"What happened between himself, Marvel and IDW, I don't know. I'm not going to ask, because it's not my business and if he wants to tell me then fine. The reason I feel comfortable to comment is that I don't know what's going on any more than the rest, because if he did tell me, I wouldn't tell anyone unless he said I could. My concern is him. People can think what they like, I just hope he has someone he can talk to about whatever happened and is happening. He was a good writer, a good artist and, if they are indeed the same person, the industries loss is fan-fictions gain."
ComiX-Fan then approached both Milx and Mo_o with an offer to go on the record about what happened. ComiX-Fan received a reply from Mo_o declining the offer and instead asking us to run an article declaring Mo_o to be a fraud in an attempt to stop being bothered by this problem, preferring not to have both fanfic and professional communities doubting him. ComiX-Fan refused, of course, as such a thing would be unethical, not to mention that it would have - and subsequently has - caused more problems than it solved.
Mo_o also reportedly discussed the matter with his fanfic colleagues on a private members only discussion list, asking them to "cover" for him when he went public with the declaration.
"It saves me all the trouble. So please, pass this along to your fellow fanfic colleagues and please inform them so. I don't like the idea of pinpointing my fanfic self as a fraud but right now, amidst all the confusion and muck, I am afraid I have no choice."
Milx then subsequently proceeded to publicly declare Mo_o as a fake on ComiX-Fan's forums.
"Well, I better clear things up. I just spoken with Rich Johnson {sic}, and heck, after I've been away, lotsa talk back bout me and yes, I'm the real milx that vanished from earth surface, but I DON'T write fan fic. That'll clear everything bout Mo_o pretending to be me. (plus I can't write a story, my English just bad).
Okay, I dont know how in hell, Mo_o get to know evrything bout Silver Surfer gig, but yet, If he's an artist, he should have come with an artwork or such. Plus, what I know, I never had an electricity or phoneline connection problem stuff.
I left, due to the pressure and breakdown that I had. well, I'm welcome any feedback on this and I love to get Mo_o in here, to clear himself up (and my self)."
"Everyone talking bout the writing due to Mo_o is a fan fic writer! I never wrote anything ('cept for something in Malaysia)
Well, for now, I'm just finishing covers for Wake The Dead."
"Yes, Mo_o is indeed a fraud, sending emails to people bout me, which is he 'created'. I run down some check out, and this other 'milx' is frm Singapore."
"What can i say bout it, how unprofessional of me, handling tasks, by the time i am indeed emotionaly unstable. er.. that sound soo er.. nevermind.
and yeah, I did contact 'em by the time things gone complex. They got 'em self new artist and I'm pretty much 'ok' and 'not ok' with that. Yet they hold the power of the titles, they are indeed doing the right thing for the business. I'm not ok with me self, and by saying that frm time to time, won't help at all. What I do now is just move forward.
well, none to be blame here 'cept me. Life goes on for me."
That was followed up by the posting of an e-mail on the Comic Book Resources (http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=2729) Web site that Milx had sent to the various industry people he had been working. In the e-mail, the artist stated, in part, "First of all, I apologize for my unnecessary action of shutting down and running away from my responsibility. My action had affected everything, the project, others reputation and badly, myself. And by saying sorry over and over again won't do any good at this moment."
"It's should have been smooth ride for me, but due to my greediness and over confident in tackling tasks in hands had lead me into this. People have been put their trust to me, and I wasted them away. A perfect mirror of my life. I run away when ever there's a breakdown facing me. Especially, to Steve Niles, the man that gives everything to me, chances and trust."
"The very reason I wrote this is, I don't want to run away anymore. I going to face the consequences of the action that I made. I know that, from now on, nobody going to trust me or even pitch me a project but let me settle everything up. Sadly my life end up this way."
Milx also discussed potential legal action on Marvel's part for a possible breach of contract, as well as offering apologies to all involved.
The saga didn't end there, however, as the artist again declared his fanfic alias to be a fraud in a recent face-to-face interview at the Newsarama (http://newsarama.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5333) Web site.
"To Mo_o, I know he is somewhere around this region, somebody I know even. Nice stunt, man, but you worsened the whole situation. Go to a forum and show your artwork."
"I am not Mo_o. I don't write fan-fic."
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/0703/silver_surfer_preview.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/0703/silver_surfer_previewt.jpg" align=right alt="Silver Surfer #1 preview"></a>Milx followed this up with another post here at ComiX-Fan (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?postid=597446#post597446), wherein he said, "Finally, i met Ben personally to clear things up. Well guys, now, let me concerntrate on my work and I should be apologizing by keep on drawing and don't miss my deadlines.
one more thing to do, gotta track Mo_o! :mad: "
Avengers 2000 fan fic group (http://www.ironrodstudio.com/av2000/) chief Gary Dreslinski then entered the debate, as Mo_o had previously written for his group, suggesting that Milx "check the mirror first" to "save the legwork" on his search for Mo_o.
"Lying is far from the road to recovery.
I'm rather astonished that anyone would be naive enough to think that he's doing anything other than trying to save his butt at this point.
I'd be a lot more sympathic, as I told him in the email I sent off when I first heard this had happened, if he had mentioned that he was doing this to people *outside* of the Marvel 2000 message list. I'm sure some of them are going to cover for them.
But trust me on this, Milx is Mo_o. Hell, he apparently forgot that the signature on his old Mo_o posts was "Got Mo_o?" and replicated it for the Milx name.
I was behind you man, and then you pull this... it's completely beneath you."
Dreslinski then gave ComiX-Fan a little more insight into the situation from his perspective.
"I wish I knew what he was pulling... but I suspect that Milx is trying to get out of the hole he dug himself into.
I saw some of Mo_o's art *before* Milx came onto the scene, and believe me, that's the same guy.
He must be *really* close to not only know about the Silver Surfer gig before anyone else, but also know when to time the disappearance.
So what we're dealing with is either the most elaborate set up to trick a *fan fic* audience... OR a guy feeling really exposed right now and trying to get out of it.
He's taking a situation that could have been laughed off, and just digging himself in deeper."
One ComiX-Fan poster noted that the Milx who posted at ComiX-Fan "spoke" in broken english, whilst the Milx who was interviewed by Newsarama did not, a point seized upon by Dreslinski.
"Not surprising. He wanted to stay consistant after all. He didn't do a very good job of that, since the story has so many holes you could drive trucks through them, even if you *didn't* know that just before this came out Mo_o made several statements that it was about to happen.
There are a number of people who can verify this. That is unless they decide to protect him.
I like the guy. I really do.
But I just can't rally around a lie.
You have *nothing* to be ashamed of with your fanfic work. NOTHING. It was really good stuff. Coming back, well yeah, that was a miscue. You should have just come back under a different name, in a different group, and no one would have been the wiser. Instead it was almost like you wanted to be found. Either that or you honestly forgot how many people are in both fanfic and the general comics community.
Just own up to who you are, and move on. You can have a solid career ahead of you, or a quick slide into being a punchline.
This is where character matters. You got caught going back to fanfic for a rest, and are now covering yourself.... like I told you, your first priority is to yourself.
But you can't look after your interests with a lie. It will only make things worse."
"I have no doubt it's actually Milx. He said he was going to do it, and then the next thing you know, posts like this and interviews start popping up.
If you're a member of any other comics oriented group out there that is discussing this - Newsarama, Comics Resources, Yournamehere.com (made that last one up) feel free to repost my statements from the long message above.
Or this one: 'You owe it to yourself to be honest. People will understand. They will not understand or respect your position if you're not the one who's coming forward, and coming clean.'"
On Wednesday morning, David Wheatley posted on the M2K board (http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?id=92629;article=4697;title=Marvel%202000) to affirm his group's stance on the matter.
"M2K does not endorse what is going on at the moment. If it did there would be quotes from the staff list about what's going on. That's private access. This is a public forum anybody can use it.
Do we know what's going on? Oh yes. Hell, you look at all available sources and you can work it out for yourself. There's a very fine line being walked here, and those who know can approve or disapprove or whatever. Won't stop me letting Mo_o write for M2K. May stop people reading his stuff, but that's their loss."
The situation has generated much discussion in the fanfic community, given that several fanfic writers had initially come to Milx's defense believing him to be Mo_o only to be caught completely off-guard by what was to follow.
So, after all this, are Milx and Mo_o one and the same? Well, that's a topic that's still up for much debate. The whole truth of the matter may never be uncovered, however this situation has certainly delegated itself a place in the annals of comic book history, if only for its bizarre nature.
But first, the all-important...
<center>RUMOUR WARNING</center>
Before reading on, we need to make it clear to all that the material contained within this column is presented as rumour, unless expressly stated otherwise, and is intended for entertainment purposes only. Legitimate news can be found in ComiX-Fan's News (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=2) and Features (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=3) sections. If you reprint any information from this column, please clearly label it with an appropriate warning and provide a link back.
This column is brought to you by X-World Comics (http://www.x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=346) and their X-Clusive Creator Edition signed comic books (http://www.x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=346). Want a certified JLA/Avengers #1 signed by Kurt Busiek, or perhaps a certified Transformers/G.I. Joe #1 signed by John Ney Rieber? If you do, then look no further than X-World (http://www.x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=346)!
The hornet's nest of controversy surrounding Milx's recent "disappearance", which forced both Marvel Comics and IDW Publishing to replace the artist on those titles (see 'MILX-ING IN ACTION' (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=21068)), has been stirred up again with Milx himself posting on ComiX-Fan's forums (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?postid=595670#post595670) and speaking with the Newsarama (http://newsarama.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5333) Web site declaring fanfic writer Mo_o to be a fraud, despite some members of the fan fiction community having come forward saying Mo_o and Milx are one and the same.
To refresh everyone's memory, it began with Mo_o having posted details of the new Silver Surfer series on the message board of fanfic group Marvel 2000 (http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?id=92629;article=4166;title=Marvel%202000;date_query=1053911385), which he wrote for, in late May, before the new book had been publicly announced.
"I know it's been a very long time since I have been able to contact you; internet providers is one reason, work load is another. And apparently that workload I've once mentioned in Epic? Yep, it's taking most of my time. So, as a friend and colleague I'm want to ask 2 favours from you guys:
1) Please take me off FF and all the projects that I still have on M2K. I know it's been months past since I've been able to work on them and the prose is still with me, unfinished because I still have to complete my work on that epic title. I cannot do it anymore. It's been a fun ride, and many great moments, but I'm deeply sorry that I can no longer carry the responsibility of writing the further adventures of my favorite team. I infinitely as much sorry and ashamed to those who I worked with, who had future plans with concerning the FF and other projects in overall.
2) Please spread the word to the others I am working with. I trust you guys at M2K to do this for me, for I have no more time to do so.
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/ssv4-01.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/covers/ssv4-01t.jpg" align=right alt="Silver Surfer (4th series) #1"></a>Thanks for the great year working with you guys. Don't forget to catch me on the Silver Surfer this June."
In a follow-up post (http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?id=92629;article=4179;title=Marvel%202000;date_query=1053911385), Mo_o offered up a link between the two aliases, saying, "Just check over the credits for Silver Surfer for Marvel Comcis {sic} and you'll obviously find my credits there under a VERY obvious pen name. :) Oh, and it's coming on July."
After the series and Milx's involvement were publicly announced, one Marvel 2000 member posted an announcement on the M2K board (http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?id=92629;article=4388;title=Marvel%202000;date_query=1055705788) that one of their own had "made good".
"Check out www.newsarama.com for an interview with one of our own who made good. Mo_o (going by the pseudonym Milx) talks about his upcoming artistic run on Silver Surfer for Marvel. Go read it, and then brag to all your friends that you knew him when."
Fast forward to this month, and prior to Silver Surfer editor Tom Brevoort's announcement that Milx had gone missing, Mo_o was back posting on the M2K message board (http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?id=92629;article=4626;title=Marvel%202000;date_query=1060895870) in early August.
"I got the time to finally continue my fanfic whismies, so I've returned with my goodies... er, goods, whatever," he said in one post (http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?id=92629;article=4640;title=Marvel%202000). "It's good to be back. I've managed to grab hold of my old series back, as well as an Alternate M2K title that hasn't been moving for a long while... did I tell you it's good to be back? Oh yeah, I did."
Following Brevoort's announcement, Mo_o made another post (http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?id=92629;article=4673;title=Marvel%202000) in an effort to clear the air.
"Before people start attacking me (AGHAGH! POO! FLYING POO!), I have no real plans to quit just yet. One of the reasons why I've returned to M2K is that I'm having what we can call a very hard time catching detail. I thought maybe going back to writing may give me some inspiration.
So, yes, it isn't very professional not simply end up 'missing', but I still want to cling to my job. That, and I do have contact problems nowadays.
I better go back to my drawing table then and stop writing for now; no offence, but seeing as how this is getting bigger by the minute, I think it's better if I stick offline for awhile and focus my energies on the drawing. One more favour; please DO NOT make this a topic for the community's talkabouts; I would NOT like this embarassment to be something I'll be remembered for.
Thanks for the opinions. You can resume the poo-throwing =) "
After ComiX-Fan reported on the artist's apparent resurfacing, Wake The Dead writer Steve Niles sent ComiX-Fan an e-mail claiming that the M2K posts were not by Milx. "I know him pretty well, having written several thousand e-mails back and forth and I can say without a doubt, that's not Milx," Niles said.
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/300_wake01.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/ind/300_wake01t.jpg" align=right alt="Wake The Dead #1 preview"></a>One of Mo_o's fellow fanfic writers, Cory Wiegel, disagreed, saying, "Well, that really doesn't make any sense... personally the typing style seems just like his, not to mentioned he seemed to remember an old {fanfic} project we had planned."
Marvel 2000 fanfic group chief David Wheatley responded to ComiX-Fan's subsequent inquiries by saying, "As far as I am aware the two of them are one and the same. If they are indeed two separate people then the timing of what's going down has been very coincidental. And if he is a different person then Mo_o has strung along a good amount of people. From the dealings I have had with him over the last year, he's been up front with me and I've appreciated that."
"All I can say is how it went down. He stood down from his various fiction series because he was about to get very busy with what was going on in his professional life, which as I understood he was an artist. Then it came to light he was Milx and that answered a lot of questions, and we wished him well. A couple of weeks ago, maybe less, he wrote to me asking if he could do some specials of his Moon Man, which is his series at M2K. I naturally said yes, because the guy has talent and we decided it'd be fun to play it close to the chest and he did some cryptic things on our message board, but a few of our more discerning writers figured it was him. Then he came clean. A few days later the news came through about what had happened and it was almost certainly a Neo moment."
"What happened between himself, Marvel and IDW, I don't know. I'm not going to ask, because it's not my business and if he wants to tell me then fine. The reason I feel comfortable to comment is that I don't know what's going on any more than the rest, because if he did tell me, I wouldn't tell anyone unless he said I could. My concern is him. People can think what they like, I just hope he has someone he can talk to about whatever happened and is happening. He was a good writer, a good artist and, if they are indeed the same person, the industries loss is fan-fictions gain."
ComiX-Fan then approached both Milx and Mo_o with an offer to go on the record about what happened. ComiX-Fan received a reply from Mo_o declining the offer and instead asking us to run an article declaring Mo_o to be a fraud in an attempt to stop being bothered by this problem, preferring not to have both fanfic and professional communities doubting him. ComiX-Fan refused, of course, as such a thing would be unethical, not to mention that it would have - and subsequently has - caused more problems than it solved.
Mo_o also reportedly discussed the matter with his fanfic colleagues on a private members only discussion list, asking them to "cover" for him when he went public with the declaration.
"It saves me all the trouble. So please, pass this along to your fellow fanfic colleagues and please inform them so. I don't like the idea of pinpointing my fanfic self as a fraud but right now, amidst all the confusion and muck, I am afraid I have no choice."
Milx then subsequently proceeded to publicly declare Mo_o as a fake on ComiX-Fan's forums.
"Well, I better clear things up. I just spoken with Rich Johnson {sic}, and heck, after I've been away, lotsa talk back bout me and yes, I'm the real milx that vanished from earth surface, but I DON'T write fan fic. That'll clear everything bout Mo_o pretending to be me. (plus I can't write a story, my English just bad).
Okay, I dont know how in hell, Mo_o get to know evrything bout Silver Surfer gig, but yet, If he's an artist, he should have come with an artwork or such. Plus, what I know, I never had an electricity or phoneline connection problem stuff.
I left, due to the pressure and breakdown that I had. well, I'm welcome any feedback on this and I love to get Mo_o in here, to clear himself up (and my self)."
"Everyone talking bout the writing due to Mo_o is a fan fic writer! I never wrote anything ('cept for something in Malaysia)
Well, for now, I'm just finishing covers for Wake The Dead."
"Yes, Mo_o is indeed a fraud, sending emails to people bout me, which is he 'created'. I run down some check out, and this other 'milx' is frm Singapore."
"What can i say bout it, how unprofessional of me, handling tasks, by the time i am indeed emotionaly unstable. er.. that sound soo er.. nevermind.
and yeah, I did contact 'em by the time things gone complex. They got 'em self new artist and I'm pretty much 'ok' and 'not ok' with that. Yet they hold the power of the titles, they are indeed doing the right thing for the business. I'm not ok with me self, and by saying that frm time to time, won't help at all. What I do now is just move forward.
well, none to be blame here 'cept me. Life goes on for me."
That was followed up by the posting of an e-mail on the Comic Book Resources (http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=2729) Web site that Milx had sent to the various industry people he had been working. In the e-mail, the artist stated, in part, "First of all, I apologize for my unnecessary action of shutting down and running away from my responsibility. My action had affected everything, the project, others reputation and badly, myself. And by saying sorry over and over again won't do any good at this moment."
"It's should have been smooth ride for me, but due to my greediness and over confident in tackling tasks in hands had lead me into this. People have been put their trust to me, and I wasted them away. A perfect mirror of my life. I run away when ever there's a breakdown facing me. Especially, to Steve Niles, the man that gives everything to me, chances and trust."
"The very reason I wrote this is, I don't want to run away anymore. I going to face the consequences of the action that I made. I know that, from now on, nobody going to trust me or even pitch me a project but let me settle everything up. Sadly my life end up this way."
Milx also discussed potential legal action on Marvel's part for a possible breach of contract, as well as offering apologies to all involved.
The saga didn't end there, however, as the artist again declared his fanfic alias to be a fraud in a recent face-to-face interview at the Newsarama (http://newsarama.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5333) Web site.
"To Mo_o, I know he is somewhere around this region, somebody I know even. Nice stunt, man, but you worsened the whole situation. Go to a forum and show your artwork."
"I am not Mo_o. I don't write fan-fic."
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/0703/silver_surfer_preview.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/0703/silver_surfer_previewt.jpg" align=right alt="Silver Surfer #1 preview"></a>Milx followed this up with another post here at ComiX-Fan (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?postid=597446#post597446), wherein he said, "Finally, i met Ben personally to clear things up. Well guys, now, let me concerntrate on my work and I should be apologizing by keep on drawing and don't miss my deadlines.
one more thing to do, gotta track Mo_o! :mad: "
Avengers 2000 fan fic group (http://www.ironrodstudio.com/av2000/) chief Gary Dreslinski then entered the debate, as Mo_o had previously written for his group, suggesting that Milx "check the mirror first" to "save the legwork" on his search for Mo_o.
"Lying is far from the road to recovery.
I'm rather astonished that anyone would be naive enough to think that he's doing anything other than trying to save his butt at this point.
I'd be a lot more sympathic, as I told him in the email I sent off when I first heard this had happened, if he had mentioned that he was doing this to people *outside* of the Marvel 2000 message list. I'm sure some of them are going to cover for them.
But trust me on this, Milx is Mo_o. Hell, he apparently forgot that the signature on his old Mo_o posts was "Got Mo_o?" and replicated it for the Milx name.
I was behind you man, and then you pull this... it's completely beneath you."
Dreslinski then gave ComiX-Fan a little more insight into the situation from his perspective.
"I wish I knew what he was pulling... but I suspect that Milx is trying to get out of the hole he dug himself into.
I saw some of Mo_o's art *before* Milx came onto the scene, and believe me, that's the same guy.
He must be *really* close to not only know about the Silver Surfer gig before anyone else, but also know when to time the disappearance.
So what we're dealing with is either the most elaborate set up to trick a *fan fic* audience... OR a guy feeling really exposed right now and trying to get out of it.
He's taking a situation that could have been laughed off, and just digging himself in deeper."
One ComiX-Fan poster noted that the Milx who posted at ComiX-Fan "spoke" in broken english, whilst the Milx who was interviewed by Newsarama did not, a point seized upon by Dreslinski.
"Not surprising. He wanted to stay consistant after all. He didn't do a very good job of that, since the story has so many holes you could drive trucks through them, even if you *didn't* know that just before this came out Mo_o made several statements that it was about to happen.
There are a number of people who can verify this. That is unless they decide to protect him.
I like the guy. I really do.
But I just can't rally around a lie.
You have *nothing* to be ashamed of with your fanfic work. NOTHING. It was really good stuff. Coming back, well yeah, that was a miscue. You should have just come back under a different name, in a different group, and no one would have been the wiser. Instead it was almost like you wanted to be found. Either that or you honestly forgot how many people are in both fanfic and the general comics community.
Just own up to who you are, and move on. You can have a solid career ahead of you, or a quick slide into being a punchline.
This is where character matters. You got caught going back to fanfic for a rest, and are now covering yourself.... like I told you, your first priority is to yourself.
But you can't look after your interests with a lie. It will only make things worse."
"I have no doubt it's actually Milx. He said he was going to do it, and then the next thing you know, posts like this and interviews start popping up.
If you're a member of any other comics oriented group out there that is discussing this - Newsarama, Comics Resources, Yournamehere.com (made that last one up) feel free to repost my statements from the long message above.
Or this one: 'You owe it to yourself to be honest. People will understand. They will not understand or respect your position if you're not the one who's coming forward, and coming clean.'"
On Wednesday morning, David Wheatley posted on the M2K board (http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?id=92629;article=4697;title=Marvel%202000) to affirm his group's stance on the matter.
"M2K does not endorse what is going on at the moment. If it did there would be quotes from the staff list about what's going on. That's private access. This is a public forum anybody can use it.
Do we know what's going on? Oh yes. Hell, you look at all available sources and you can work it out for yourself. There's a very fine line being walked here, and those who know can approve or disapprove or whatever. Won't stop me letting Mo_o write for M2K. May stop people reading his stuff, but that's their loss."
The situation has generated much discussion in the fanfic community, given that several fanfic writers had initially come to Milx's defense believing him to be Mo_o only to be caught completely off-guard by what was to follow.
So, after all this, are Milx and Mo_o one and the same? Well, that's a topic that's still up for much debate. The whole truth of the matter may never be uncovered, however this situation has certainly delegated itself a place in the annals of comic book history, if only for its bizarre nature.