Eric J. Moreels
May 10, 2002, 12:08 pm
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/weapX.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/weapXt.jpg" align=left alt="Weapon X preview poster"></a>Wolverine writer Frank Tieri is set to take his recent revival of the Weapon X Program solo in August with the debut of a new monthly Weapon X series. Preceding the ongoing's release will be Weapon X: The Draft, a series of five one-shots that spotlight the various Weapon X members, as well as a special #½ issue that was recently available through Wizard: The Comics Magazine.
X-Fan recently caught up with Tieri, series artist Georges Jeanty, series editors Mike Marts and Mike Raicht, as well as the writers and artists involved with the one-shots to find out more about the Weapon X event, how it came to be and what fans can expect from it.
X-FAN: First of all, Weapon X is set to debut with a series of five one-shots. What prompted that idea?
MARTS: Most readers will already be familiar with the various agents of the Weapon X Program from their appearances in Deadpool and Wolverine. But for those readers that are coming in fresh, the five one-shots give people a great chance of learning who these characters are and what they're really about before the monthly series starts. Think of them as a prologue to the great stories coming in the monthly.
After all of the backstory and character development that Frank generated for the Weapon X agents, it just seemed that we had a lot more stories to tell about them. So rather than take up space in Deadpool and Wolverine, we decided to give them a title of their own.
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/dpaowx4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/dpaowx4t.jpg" align=right alt="Deadpool: Agent of Weapon X #4"></a>TIERI: The whole genesis of Weapon X started in the pages of Wolverine, and it was so popular that Marvel asked me to do a limited series. What that limited series turned into was actually Deadpool: Agent of Weapon X. Considering that made Deadpool jump 42 places {on Diamond Comics Distributor's Top 300 Chart}, Marvel wanted something else! That's when the July fifth week event ,The Draft one-shots, and then the {ongoing} series came about. In other words, Marvel saw that this was something the fans liked, and something that put up good numbers, so obviously they wanted to explore that more.
X-FAN: So The Draft one-shots were originally scheduled for the extra fifth week in July, but now they will be early August and the ongoing late August?
TIERI: Don't quote me on when it's coming out. I'm not really sure, but I think the way it is now is August and then the series debuts in September, I believe. Something like that.
X-FAN: Who are the creative teams and stars of the one-shots?
Wild Child - Matt Nixon, Ethan Van Sciver, & Norm Rapmund
Sauron - Buddy Scalera & Karl Kerschl
Kane - R.A. Jones & Pablo Raimondi
Marrow - Christina Z, Brandon Badeaux & David Newbold
Agent Zero - Frank Tieri, Killian Plunkett & Terry Austin
Plus, Frank serves as an "architect" for the structure and feel of the entire project.
TIERI: Yeah, I guess I'm the quarterback on the team {laughs}. I basically allowed everyone to have their own way. It wasn't like "You have to do this," or "You have to do that," or anything like that. Basically I made sure their stories fit within the framework of what we're looking to do in the series. Certainly all the people involved - the writers like Matt Nixon, Buddy Scalera, Christina Z, R.A. Jones - they're certainly talented enough. When you have people like this, you have them bring their own ideas to the table. You don't want to stifle what they're looking to do.
X-FAN: So who is Agent Zero?
TIERI: Who the heck is Agent Zero - that is the question. Agent Zero is the mystery member of our Weapon X family.
X-FAN: Is it someone fans have seen before?
TIERI: I'm not saying. {laughs} No comment as to who Agent Zero is. That's part of the allure of the character is that we will not know who he is. Agent Zero will have a... let's call it an encounter with Wolverine.
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/wolv-173.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/wolv-173t.jpg" align=right alt="Wolverine #173"></a>X-FAN: For the one-shot creators, what's it been like working on an event such as this?
NIXON: Wild Child has intrigued me from the first time I saw him the pages of John Byrne's Alpha Flight. There was something about the way he reveled in his own grotesque appearance that appealed to the young freak in me. Psychologically speaking, Wild Child is a really meaty character so I felt I had a lot of angles I could explore with him.
The story picks up after the five page back-up story that appeared in Wolverine #173. As in keeping with the draft concept of the one-shots, Wild Child is sent to draft Aurora for membership into the Weapon X Program. It's really just a pretty little love story where everything works out in the end - just like in real life.
Working with Ethan VanSciver has been a privilege. All I can say about him is that he is already a legend - and he has shown us a mere fraction of his awesome potential thus far. I have a feeling that this book will remain one of my personal favorites for years to come because of Ethan's ability to make my vision materialize so vividly. He read between the lines of my script and delivered something that I think is very special.
The entire Weapon X: The Draft experience has been great. Frank and the Mikes presented the other creators and myself with some definitive criteria for the story lines we were to explore and then they sent us off to do our thing. The Mikes really have an understanding of how to make these expansive event type stories work so the are not just exciting but they are also relevant.
VANSCIVER: Working on Wild Child with Matt Nixon was like working on Viva Las Vegas with Elvis. Nixon was the star. I wasn't needed there. I was an extra. A lackey. Sometimes I felt like I wasn't there. Like I was disappearing from sight. But then I looked closer, and there I was. Working with the Mikes on Wild Child was the opposite. If you asked them, they might tell you that I was all TOO present. I was vivid. Perhaps that's the truth. Perhaps there's a compromise, and I'm neither here entirely nor completely absent. Perhaps the answer lies within Wild Child. Perhaps not.
SCALERA: If I had to sum it up, I would say the story that Karl and I did could be described as "Sauron has a bad day." I mean, really, nothing is going for this guy. Thing. Mammal. Whatever. Anyway, Sauron has a really bad day. And he's not a terribly well-balanced individual. In fact, he has a pretty nasty temper. I think part of it stems from the fact that he's sort of a mix between a dinosaur and a man. Then again, so am I, so I don't know if that's significant. Sauron isn't stupid, but he isn't exactly Reed Richards either. He's easily blinded by his rage and tends to forget his mission, which sort of perpetuates the bad day thing. Anyway, this story was a real interesting one for me. I came in on this project just to stop the voices in my head, which start chanting everytime I go to the supermarket. It's always worse at Shop Rite. The voices. And the bells. And the VOICES!!
Sorry, we're back.
Working with the Mikes is always good. They give great editorial direction, so when I go in to write the stories, I feel I know the characters and the stories. But I have to say that because I don't have much to compare it to. One day, when I write five books a month for Marvel, I may have other editors. And I may be saying, "Man, I'm really glad I got away from the Mikes." I'll get back to you on that one.
Frank is always fun. Always, even from the time we were kids and we used to play handball on the concrete divider of the Belt Parkway. Just for kicks, Frank would sometimes whip out his adamantium claws and tear the steel off a passing car. Hah, the good old days. Man, we had fun. I'm glad I had the opportunity to work on Weapon X with Frank, even if I had to give up my page rate, which isn't really all that high.
KERSCHL: This isn't your typical 'flying pterodactyl-man gone berserk' kind of story. Buddy's take on Sauron reminds me of an adolescent kid on a high school football team. He's kind of awkward, not as practiced as the other guys, and insecure about himself and his abilities. And he gets picked on. A lot. Now imagine that same kid just joined the Dirty Dozen. Sauron is an accident waiting to happen on every page.
Working with Buddy is always a delight. His stories deliver the kind of action and abuse of public property that people expect from this genre, but he manages to turn it all around with an emotional twist that reminds you exactly who this character is and why you care about him. Mike and Mike are, as always, a dream to work for. And man, do they do a mean Beatles impression.
It was a scary thing preparing to draw Sauron, in that I couldn't imagine giving a range of emotions to a face that is, when you come right down to it, a pterodactyl's. But I think it worked out okay. I kind of found a middle ground between menace and comedy and it ended up coming across quite naturally. My favourite bits, though, involve a new character named Jack, about whom I'll say nothing more.
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/Wolv-Capcolorb.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/Wolv-Capcolorbt.jpg" align=right alt="Wolverine/Captain America preview"></a>JONES: If I'm not mistaken, my issue of the Weapon X one-shots is unique, in that the character Kane is attempting to recruit for his team is a totally new character. Her name is Rapture, and this is her first appearance anywhere - though she will be the main villain in the forthcoming Wolverine/Captain America mini-series I have written for Marvel (scheduled to begin in December, illustrated by my old buddy Tom Derenick). In the Kane one-shot, we will learn that she is an ex-S.H.I.E.L.D. agent gone rogue. She shares a past with Brent Jackson, and it is through him that she has come to the attention of Weapon X. In the course of my story, I play on the tensions between Jackson and Kane - who, as I see him, has become less human mentally even as he has become less human physically, due to his many cybernetic implants.
At this point, I've only had the chance to see a couple of pages of Pablo's artwork (since I wrote the story full-script rather than in the so-called "Marvel Style") - but what I've seen was very impressive. In fact, it seemed to me that (possibly because I believe Pablo is inking himself here) the visuals are even stronger than what he did on Excalibur.
I didn't have any direct contact with Frank (though I assume he looked over my plot and script), but - just as was the case with the Wolvie/Cap series - it was extremely easy to work with the two Mikes. Mike R. told me he had been a fan of the old Protectors series I wrote for Malibu, so it's not surprising that he, I and Mike M. are pretty compatible both creatively and personally. Having seen the plots of the other books in the series, I think it's going to be a strong summertime offering - and a solid springboard for what is to come.
X-FAN: Who were some of the characters being considered for a one-shot that didn't make the final cut?
MARTS: Woodgod, Two-Gun Kid and Turner D. Century. Sadly, they did not make the final cut.
TIERI: {laughs} Seriously though, none to my knowledge.
X-FAN: What's the basic story premise of each one-shot?
MARTS: The five agents of Weapon X are sent out on a mission from their mysterious leader, the Director, to recruit additional mutants into the Weapon X fold.
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/wolv-174.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/wolv-174t.jpg" align=right alt="Wolverine #174"></a>TIERI: It's basically a recruitment drive by the Program. The way we've set up these one-shots is that they're basically a confrontation between two characters. The concept of The Draft is that Weapon X are recruiting new members. Some are being recruited, some people are telling them, "Go **** yourself!" {laughs} You know, "We're not interested." Most of them fit within the recruitment framework, but not in every case. In my case, for example, {with Agent Zero} it's not a recruitment mission. These one-shots will basically set up some things for the regular Weapon X series.
With Marrow, I realize there's a history with the character as far as her being a good guy and her being a bad guy, but I'm not interested in writing the goody two-shoes Marrow. {laughs}
X-FAN: Is there a character or character(s) central to each one-shot's story, or a common theme that links all five?
MARTS: Each one-shot stands alone, but the Director and his agenda remains central throughout each of the five issues.
TIERI: Yeah, the Director is a character that will appear in all of them. He's basically the focal point of the Program. He obviously has a grudge against mutants {laughs}, and you might say for a good reason. That's why he's an engaging character, because on some levels the Director isn't wrong. He was a guy minding his own business, doing his job as a guard outside the original Weapon X facility and he basically got his face chopped to ****. {laughs}
X-FAN: Will fans find out more about the Director in The Draft? Perhaps even get to see his face?
TIERI: Nah. {laughs} Since he first {appeared}, everybody wants to see the Director's face, and maybe that's all the more reason not to show it. Sometimes the imagination is that much more than you can ever put on paper. Wolverine did quite a number on this guy's face. Just imagine what this guy's face must look like. He's missing parts of it, and he's got the claw marks. The imagination of the fans can do more justice to that than anything we could come up with.
X-FAN: How will the one-shots lead-in to the monthly Weapon X series?
MARTS: At the end of each one-shot, readers will have a clearer look into the life of a specific Weapon X agent. They'll also have a better idea about what the final Weapon X roster will be and who it will include, because after the recruitment process takes place during the one-shots, the basic lineup will change a bit...
TIERI: Basically some of the characters {from the one-shots} will make the jump into the monthly book.
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/weapx-half.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/weapx-halft.jpg" align=right alt="Weapon X #½ preview"></a>X-FAN: How does the Wizard #½ issue fit in with the one-shots and the monthly series?
MARTS: The Wizard Weapon X #½ issue acts much in the same way as the one-shots do: you don't have to read them to know what's going on prior to Weapon X #1, but they will give additional information on the characters and the Weapon X organization. The Weapon X #½ deals more with the Director and his backstory, and how the current Weapon X program came into being.
JEANTY: The #½ is like a cool recap of most of the events that have been going on in Wolverine for the last year, as well as Deadpool. It's a good way to understand the events that have transpired from the Director's point of view as he narrates the issue. It also serves for introducing a new character to the X-universe. This guy I created the look for, {and} I'm really happy with the way he turned out.
TIERI: The new character is one that we will see in the ongoing series. In the #½, the Weapon X Program will have their eyes set on X-Force. I'm not sure on the scheduling, as to which book comes out first, but the new character does appear in X-Force at some point.
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/wolv-175.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/wolv-175t.jpg" align=right alt="Wolverine #175"></a>X-FAN: Who are the stars of the Weapon X monthly?
MARTS: Sabretooth, Kane, Wild Child, Sauron, the Director ... and a few others.
JEANTY: Believe it or not, Kane takes a leading role in the book at first. Sabretooth will be a major character, but it will be a revolving cast with certain issues focusing on certain characters.
X-FAN: With Weapon X being so synonymous with Wolverine, will Logan be the focal point of the series? Indeed, will any one character be the "star"?
MARTS: While Logan will certainly play some part in the Weapon X monthly, don't expect him to be the focal point in any way. This is a chance for other characters to shine for a change.
JEANTY: He makes appearances, but he won't be a major player.
X-FAN: Will stories and characters in Weapon X be "confined" to the X-Men's universe, or will fans see Weapon X branching out into the mainstream Marvel Universe with characters such as Firestar, the Thunderbolts, Spider-Man, the Hulk, etc?
MARTS: Mostly X-related for now.
TIERI: The whole fight between man and mutantkind is not only relegated to the X-books or the X-Men universe. So from that you can draw whatever conclusions you want! {laughs} Weapon X is an X-book, don't get me wrong, but while mainly mutants are involved, the Program itself is not only after just mutants.
X-FAN: How would you explain the one-shots and the monthly book to the casual reader who may not be familiar with the history of Weapon X?
TIERI: When I came onboard Wolverine, the whole thing with the Weapon X Program, the original Program, is that the continuity had gotten to the point where it was too confusing to the casual reader. You know, this was a {memory} implant, this wasn't an implant, this is real, this isn't real. That is why we basically started from scratch with a new Program with the only real link to the old Program being the Director - the man that basically had his life ruined by Wolverine.
X-FAN: What's it been like working on Weapon X with such a variety of creative talent?
TIERI: I've been blessed with being able to work with great talents. From the two Mikes to Sean {Chen, Wolverine regular series artist} to the people on The Draft one-shots and more. They're all talented, and all did a great job. It was really fun to work with these other people and to quarterback this event.
JEANTY: Frank is a real good guy to work with. We've never had to butt heads on anything so far, and he's always inviting me to improve upon something he's written. On Deadpool it was a getting to know you situtation. I can tell Frank was happy with what I was doing with his scripts not because he said he really liked it, but because his scripts started to be come a lot more loose. I knew from that that he trusted me with what he wrote. On Weapon X it was me who started to become more comfortable with his scripts. I now feel like I have a better idea where Frank is coming from. (I keep telling him that I would draw a killer Wolverine story!) I'm still getting the 'feel' of these Weapon X guys, so there wouldn't be any one character I feel totally comfortable drawing just yet. I guess Sabretooth comes a little easier because I drew him a bit in Deadpool. The new character {from the #½ issue} is another easier one just becuse I designed him.
X-FAN: Last but not least, what can the fans expect from Weapon X?
JEANTY: As I understand it, they are a secret organization sanctioned by the Government. It will have a 'black ops' feel to it, I think, like Alias (the TV show, not the comic).
TIERI: I think the fans will have a lot of fun with it.
Marts also provided X-Fan with the solicitation copies and cover previews for The Draft one-shots, and Raicht added a few words about each of the writers and artists involved.
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0802/WEAPX_WCHILD_400.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0802/WEAPX_WCHILD_400t.jpg" align=right alt="Weapon X: Wild Child preview"></a>WEAPON X: WILD CHILD
(Matt Nixon/Ethan Van Sciver/Norm Rapmund)
Cover: J.H. Williams III and Jose Villarrubia
The mysterious Weapon X organization from Wolverine and Deadpool is on the hunt to draft new members! Who will draw their attention and how much will they be willing to sacrifice in order to have their lives changed forever? This is the first of five one-shots designed to give you a special peek into the brand new Weapon X monthly coming your way next month! Don't miss it!
Wild Child is sent to retrieve Alpha Flight member Aurora and offer her a chance to become a member of Weapon X... but in her current state is she in any position to refuse? Plus: Discover what happened when Wild Child and Sabretooth went to Japan to recruit the atomic mutant known as Sunfire! The outcome will leave you speechless!
New X-Men artist Ethan Van Sciver and Matt Nixon (Wolverine 2001, Wolverine #177 and #178) deliver a tale of loss and revenge in this, the first of the Weapon X one-shots! Who will make the cut and end up in the all-new, all-different Weapon X monthly title next month? Find out for sure right here and in the four one-shots to follow!
On sale August 7. 32 pages. $2.25
"Matt Nixon is someone that Mike Marts and I have a few things in the works with and he just keeps getting better and better," said Raicht. "Ethan and Matt clicked from the start and as you'll see from the final story that can be a scary thing! Matt brings a nice amount of tragedy to a character that we haven't seen much depth to in a long time. I think this and his upcoming Wolverine arc (#177-180) are going to establish him as a writer to watch."
"We were psyched to have Ethan VanSciver on board for this project. After seeing his stuff on New X-Men we knew he'd be the perfect guy to bring Matt's story to life... and then we saw the pages! He did an amazing job. Ethan and Matt will be working together again on Wolverine #179, which is a great Wolverine/Alpha Flight team up issue. We've seen the first few pages and they look amazing. These two are really clicking together so who knows what we'll see from them in the future."
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0802/WEAPX_SAURON_400.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0802/WEAPX_SAURON_400t.jpg" align=right alt="Weapon X: Sauron preview"></a>WEAPON X: SAURON
(Buddy Scalera/Karl Kerschl)
Cover: J.H. Williams III and Jose Villarrubia
The mysterious Weapon X organization from Wolverine and Deadpool is on the hunt to draft new members! Who will draw their attention and how much will they be willing to sacrifice in order to have their lives changed forever? This is the second of five one-shots designed to give you a special peek into the brand new Weapon X monthly coming your way next month! Don't miss it!
The most monstrous of the Weapon X crew is sent out to find the team their very own telepath ... and the Director has his sights set on Emma Frost! Will Sauron be able to complete his mission or will it be his last! Also this issue, a brand new mutant is introduced! Who or what is Jack-in-the-Box?! And what does the Weapon X program want with him? The answer will shock you and may very well leave the team in ruin!
Buddy Scalera (co-writer on Deadpool) and Karl Kerschl (Iceman, Deadpool #56) are together again and this time the stakes are even higher! Find out what happens when Scalera's craziness and Kerschl's smooth lines infect Weapon X!
On sale August 7. 32 pages. $2.25
"Buddy is a blast to work with," said Raicht. "He did a great job working with Jimmy Palmiotti on Deadpool, and his humor really got a chance to bust through in his solo issue of Deadpool. He has a knack for looking at the funnier side of things and Sauron is no exception. His stories blend great with Karl's art. Everytime we work with him we can't wait to see what he comes up with next."
"Karl, right now, is doing some really cool stuff. His Iceman limited blew us away, but this Sauron one-shot is even more right on. His Sauron is funny but sad and monstrous at the same time. He gets Buddy's scripts and really brings them to life, which, if you know Buddy, isn't an easy thing to do. (Just kidding, Buddy! :) ) We think Karl is definitely an artist to watch and can't wait for our next opportunity to work with him!"
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0802/WEAPX_KANEc_400.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0802/WEAPX_KANEc_400t.jpg" align=right alt="Weapon X: Kane preview"></a>WEAPON X: KANE
(R.A. Jones/Pablo Raimondi)
Cover: J.H. Williams III and Jose Villarrubia
The mysterious Weapon X organization from Wolverine and Deadpool is on the hunt to draft new members! Who will draw their attention and how much will they be willing to sacrifice in order to have their lives changed forever? This is the third of five one-shots designed to give you a special peek into the brand new Weapon X monthly coming your way next month! Don't miss it!
The man who sold his humanity in order to be a perfect soldier has a new mission... bring in the dangerous woman known only as Rapture! With the aid of the Director's second-in-command, Agent Brent Jackson, Kane searches the streets of New York for this mystery woman. But what isn't Agent Jackson telling Kane... and will it end up causing the end of this bionic-soldier?
R.A. Jones (writer of this month's Wolverine/Captain America limited series) teams with Pablo Raimondi (Excalibur, X-Men: Black Sun) to deliver a pulse-pounding tale of suspense and betrayal! This is also is the second appearance of Rapture this month. Check out her other appearance in the Wolverine/Captain America limited series!
On sale August 14. 32 pages. $2.25
"R.A. is a guy whose stuff I read back when he was writing the Protectors," said Raicht. "Mike Marts and I were working on a Wolverine/Captain America with him and Tom Derenick (who just so happened to work on the Protectors as well.). We enjoyed working on that series so much that we wanted to keep working with him and offered him Kane. He turned in a really cool pitch including a key new character from the upcoming Wolvie/Cap limited."
"Pablo Raimondi did a great job on the Excalibur limited series a couple of years ago, and we thought he would do a great job with R.A.'s story. His action is intense and he does a mean robotic Kane as well. He gets better and better each issue he does. I think people will really enjoy the high octane action he delivers to the page. "
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0802/WEAPX_MARROW_400.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0802/WEAPX_MARROW_400t.jpg" align=right alt="Weapon X: Marrow preview"></a>WEAPON X: MARROW
(Christina Z/Brandon Badeaux/David Newbold)
Cover: J.H. Williams III and Jose Villarrubia
The mysterious Weapon X organization from Wolverine and Deadpool is on the hunt to draft new members! Who will draw their attention and how much will they be willing to sacrifice in order to have their lives changed forever? This is the fourth of five one-shots designed to give you a special peek into the brand new Weapon X monthly coming your way next month! Don't miss it!
X-Men fans have been waiting for this one! It's the return of Marrow! But has she returned as a force of good or evil? Will she be swayed to join Weapon X? What will they be willing to give her in exchange for her services? And will it be worth her soul? Will she become a member of this mysterious organization... or their first victim? It's a brand new era for this former X-Woman and it all begins right here!
Christina Z (Tigra, Witchblade) and Brandon Badeaux (Action Comics, Green Lantern) deliver a tale of loss and rebirth that will leave Marrow changed forever.
On sale August 21. 32 pages. $2.25
"Christina Z turned in a really sexy story for a character who isn't really known for being sexy," said Raicht. "She tapped into a much softer side of Marrow that we have gotten glimpses of before, but never like this. It's a real change for this character and we think it's going to be a change for the better."
"Brandon Badeaux has been doing some really cool work at the Distinguished Competition and we thought it would be great for him to do some stuff over here. We called him and he was excited to be a part of the project. He gives Marrow an attitude in every panel, but also shows her softer side, which is perfect for this story. He's definitely an up and coming star and we hope to work with him again soon."
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0802/WEAPX_ZEROc_650.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0802/WEAPX_ZEROc_650t.jpg" align=right alt="Weapon X: Agent Zero preview"></a>WEAPON X: AGENT ZERO
(Frank Tieri/Killian Plunkett/Terry Austin)
Cover: J.H. Williams III and Jose Villarrubia
The mysterious Weapon X organization from Wolverine and Deadpool is on the hunt to draft new members! Who will draw their attention and how much will they be willing to sacrifice in order to have their lives changed forever? This is the final of five one-shots designed to give you a special peek into the brand new Weapon X monthly coming your way next month! Don't miss it!
The most mysterious man to emerge from the Weapon X program since Wolverine himself! Who is he? Where is he from? What are his connections to Wolverine and Sabretooth? And what role does he play in the Director's mad scheme? Some of these questions will be answered as he hunts Wolverine through the streets of New York City? How is it possible that he makes the most dangerous mutant alive afraid? You'll have to read it to find out!
Frank Tieri (Wolverine, Iron Man, and the upcoming Weapon X monthly) and Killian Plunkett (Wolverine 2001, Unknown Soldier) deliver a tale of suspense in this, the last Weapon X one-shot before the series launches next month! Don't miss the chance to get introduced to this mystery mutant!
On sale August 28. 32 pages. $2.25
"Frank's been a real help in setting this project up and has been a good guide for the other writers," Raicht said. "His Agent Zero character is going to be a force to be reckoned with and is one of our personal favorites of the regular series. Frank gives him the perfect blend of mystery and danger that every new character should have. It's always a blast working with Frank and this project has been no different. (And wait until you see what he has in store for the Weapon X monthly in September!)"
"We love working with Killian. He added a great real world flavor to this character and really nailed the secret ops story we were going for here. People are really going to get into how detailed and gritty this story is and Killian was the perfect artist to pull this off. He seems to have a great knack for this character... maybe we'll be seeing some more Weapon X stuff from Killian in the future?"
X-Fan recently caught up with Tieri, series artist Georges Jeanty, series editors Mike Marts and Mike Raicht, as well as the writers and artists involved with the one-shots to find out more about the Weapon X event, how it came to be and what fans can expect from it.
X-FAN: First of all, Weapon X is set to debut with a series of five one-shots. What prompted that idea?
MARTS: Most readers will already be familiar with the various agents of the Weapon X Program from their appearances in Deadpool and Wolverine. But for those readers that are coming in fresh, the five one-shots give people a great chance of learning who these characters are and what they're really about before the monthly series starts. Think of them as a prologue to the great stories coming in the monthly.
After all of the backstory and character development that Frank generated for the Weapon X agents, it just seemed that we had a lot more stories to tell about them. So rather than take up space in Deadpool and Wolverine, we decided to give them a title of their own.
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/dpaowx4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/dpaowx4t.jpg" align=right alt="Deadpool: Agent of Weapon X #4"></a>TIERI: The whole genesis of Weapon X started in the pages of Wolverine, and it was so popular that Marvel asked me to do a limited series. What that limited series turned into was actually Deadpool: Agent of Weapon X. Considering that made Deadpool jump 42 places {on Diamond Comics Distributor's Top 300 Chart}, Marvel wanted something else! That's when the July fifth week event ,The Draft one-shots, and then the {ongoing} series came about. In other words, Marvel saw that this was something the fans liked, and something that put up good numbers, so obviously they wanted to explore that more.
X-FAN: So The Draft one-shots were originally scheduled for the extra fifth week in July, but now they will be early August and the ongoing late August?
TIERI: Don't quote me on when it's coming out. I'm not really sure, but I think the way it is now is August and then the series debuts in September, I believe. Something like that.
X-FAN: Who are the creative teams and stars of the one-shots?
Wild Child - Matt Nixon, Ethan Van Sciver, & Norm Rapmund
Sauron - Buddy Scalera & Karl Kerschl
Kane - R.A. Jones & Pablo Raimondi
Marrow - Christina Z, Brandon Badeaux & David Newbold
Agent Zero - Frank Tieri, Killian Plunkett & Terry Austin
Plus, Frank serves as an "architect" for the structure and feel of the entire project.
TIERI: Yeah, I guess I'm the quarterback on the team {laughs}. I basically allowed everyone to have their own way. It wasn't like "You have to do this," or "You have to do that," or anything like that. Basically I made sure their stories fit within the framework of what we're looking to do in the series. Certainly all the people involved - the writers like Matt Nixon, Buddy Scalera, Christina Z, R.A. Jones - they're certainly talented enough. When you have people like this, you have them bring their own ideas to the table. You don't want to stifle what they're looking to do.
X-FAN: So who is Agent Zero?
TIERI: Who the heck is Agent Zero - that is the question. Agent Zero is the mystery member of our Weapon X family.
X-FAN: Is it someone fans have seen before?
TIERI: I'm not saying. {laughs} No comment as to who Agent Zero is. That's part of the allure of the character is that we will not know who he is. Agent Zero will have a... let's call it an encounter with Wolverine.
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/wolv-173.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/wolv-173t.jpg" align=right alt="Wolverine #173"></a>X-FAN: For the one-shot creators, what's it been like working on an event such as this?
NIXON: Wild Child has intrigued me from the first time I saw him the pages of John Byrne's Alpha Flight. There was something about the way he reveled in his own grotesque appearance that appealed to the young freak in me. Psychologically speaking, Wild Child is a really meaty character so I felt I had a lot of angles I could explore with him.
The story picks up after the five page back-up story that appeared in Wolverine #173. As in keeping with the draft concept of the one-shots, Wild Child is sent to draft Aurora for membership into the Weapon X Program. It's really just a pretty little love story where everything works out in the end - just like in real life.
Working with Ethan VanSciver has been a privilege. All I can say about him is that he is already a legend - and he has shown us a mere fraction of his awesome potential thus far. I have a feeling that this book will remain one of my personal favorites for years to come because of Ethan's ability to make my vision materialize so vividly. He read between the lines of my script and delivered something that I think is very special.
The entire Weapon X: The Draft experience has been great. Frank and the Mikes presented the other creators and myself with some definitive criteria for the story lines we were to explore and then they sent us off to do our thing. The Mikes really have an understanding of how to make these expansive event type stories work so the are not just exciting but they are also relevant.
VANSCIVER: Working on Wild Child with Matt Nixon was like working on Viva Las Vegas with Elvis. Nixon was the star. I wasn't needed there. I was an extra. A lackey. Sometimes I felt like I wasn't there. Like I was disappearing from sight. But then I looked closer, and there I was. Working with the Mikes on Wild Child was the opposite. If you asked them, they might tell you that I was all TOO present. I was vivid. Perhaps that's the truth. Perhaps there's a compromise, and I'm neither here entirely nor completely absent. Perhaps the answer lies within Wild Child. Perhaps not.
SCALERA: If I had to sum it up, I would say the story that Karl and I did could be described as "Sauron has a bad day." I mean, really, nothing is going for this guy. Thing. Mammal. Whatever. Anyway, Sauron has a really bad day. And he's not a terribly well-balanced individual. In fact, he has a pretty nasty temper. I think part of it stems from the fact that he's sort of a mix between a dinosaur and a man. Then again, so am I, so I don't know if that's significant. Sauron isn't stupid, but he isn't exactly Reed Richards either. He's easily blinded by his rage and tends to forget his mission, which sort of perpetuates the bad day thing. Anyway, this story was a real interesting one for me. I came in on this project just to stop the voices in my head, which start chanting everytime I go to the supermarket. It's always worse at Shop Rite. The voices. And the bells. And the VOICES!!
Sorry, we're back.
Working with the Mikes is always good. They give great editorial direction, so when I go in to write the stories, I feel I know the characters and the stories. But I have to say that because I don't have much to compare it to. One day, when I write five books a month for Marvel, I may have other editors. And I may be saying, "Man, I'm really glad I got away from the Mikes." I'll get back to you on that one.
Frank is always fun. Always, even from the time we were kids and we used to play handball on the concrete divider of the Belt Parkway. Just for kicks, Frank would sometimes whip out his adamantium claws and tear the steel off a passing car. Hah, the good old days. Man, we had fun. I'm glad I had the opportunity to work on Weapon X with Frank, even if I had to give up my page rate, which isn't really all that high.
KERSCHL: This isn't your typical 'flying pterodactyl-man gone berserk' kind of story. Buddy's take on Sauron reminds me of an adolescent kid on a high school football team. He's kind of awkward, not as practiced as the other guys, and insecure about himself and his abilities. And he gets picked on. A lot. Now imagine that same kid just joined the Dirty Dozen. Sauron is an accident waiting to happen on every page.
Working with Buddy is always a delight. His stories deliver the kind of action and abuse of public property that people expect from this genre, but he manages to turn it all around with an emotional twist that reminds you exactly who this character is and why you care about him. Mike and Mike are, as always, a dream to work for. And man, do they do a mean Beatles impression.
It was a scary thing preparing to draw Sauron, in that I couldn't imagine giving a range of emotions to a face that is, when you come right down to it, a pterodactyl's. But I think it worked out okay. I kind of found a middle ground between menace and comedy and it ended up coming across quite naturally. My favourite bits, though, involve a new character named Jack, about whom I'll say nothing more.
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/Wolv-Capcolorb.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/Wolv-Capcolorbt.jpg" align=right alt="Wolverine/Captain America preview"></a>JONES: If I'm not mistaken, my issue of the Weapon X one-shots is unique, in that the character Kane is attempting to recruit for his team is a totally new character. Her name is Rapture, and this is her first appearance anywhere - though she will be the main villain in the forthcoming Wolverine/Captain America mini-series I have written for Marvel (scheduled to begin in December, illustrated by my old buddy Tom Derenick). In the Kane one-shot, we will learn that she is an ex-S.H.I.E.L.D. agent gone rogue. She shares a past with Brent Jackson, and it is through him that she has come to the attention of Weapon X. In the course of my story, I play on the tensions between Jackson and Kane - who, as I see him, has become less human mentally even as he has become less human physically, due to his many cybernetic implants.
At this point, I've only had the chance to see a couple of pages of Pablo's artwork (since I wrote the story full-script rather than in the so-called "Marvel Style") - but what I've seen was very impressive. In fact, it seemed to me that (possibly because I believe Pablo is inking himself here) the visuals are even stronger than what he did on Excalibur.
I didn't have any direct contact with Frank (though I assume he looked over my plot and script), but - just as was the case with the Wolvie/Cap series - it was extremely easy to work with the two Mikes. Mike R. told me he had been a fan of the old Protectors series I wrote for Malibu, so it's not surprising that he, I and Mike M. are pretty compatible both creatively and personally. Having seen the plots of the other books in the series, I think it's going to be a strong summertime offering - and a solid springboard for what is to come.
X-FAN: Who were some of the characters being considered for a one-shot that didn't make the final cut?
MARTS: Woodgod, Two-Gun Kid and Turner D. Century. Sadly, they did not make the final cut.
TIERI: {laughs} Seriously though, none to my knowledge.
X-FAN: What's the basic story premise of each one-shot?
MARTS: The five agents of Weapon X are sent out on a mission from their mysterious leader, the Director, to recruit additional mutants into the Weapon X fold.
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/wolv-174.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/wolv-174t.jpg" align=right alt="Wolverine #174"></a>TIERI: It's basically a recruitment drive by the Program. The way we've set up these one-shots is that they're basically a confrontation between two characters. The concept of The Draft is that Weapon X are recruiting new members. Some are being recruited, some people are telling them, "Go **** yourself!" {laughs} You know, "We're not interested." Most of them fit within the recruitment framework, but not in every case. In my case, for example, {with Agent Zero} it's not a recruitment mission. These one-shots will basically set up some things for the regular Weapon X series.
With Marrow, I realize there's a history with the character as far as her being a good guy and her being a bad guy, but I'm not interested in writing the goody two-shoes Marrow. {laughs}
X-FAN: Is there a character or character(s) central to each one-shot's story, or a common theme that links all five?
MARTS: Each one-shot stands alone, but the Director and his agenda remains central throughout each of the five issues.
TIERI: Yeah, the Director is a character that will appear in all of them. He's basically the focal point of the Program. He obviously has a grudge against mutants {laughs}, and you might say for a good reason. That's why he's an engaging character, because on some levels the Director isn't wrong. He was a guy minding his own business, doing his job as a guard outside the original Weapon X facility and he basically got his face chopped to ****. {laughs}
X-FAN: Will fans find out more about the Director in The Draft? Perhaps even get to see his face?
TIERI: Nah. {laughs} Since he first {appeared}, everybody wants to see the Director's face, and maybe that's all the more reason not to show it. Sometimes the imagination is that much more than you can ever put on paper. Wolverine did quite a number on this guy's face. Just imagine what this guy's face must look like. He's missing parts of it, and he's got the claw marks. The imagination of the fans can do more justice to that than anything we could come up with.
X-FAN: How will the one-shots lead-in to the monthly Weapon X series?
MARTS: At the end of each one-shot, readers will have a clearer look into the life of a specific Weapon X agent. They'll also have a better idea about what the final Weapon X roster will be and who it will include, because after the recruitment process takes place during the one-shots, the basic lineup will change a bit...
TIERI: Basically some of the characters {from the one-shots} will make the jump into the monthly book.
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/weapx-half.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/weapx-halft.jpg" align=right alt="Weapon X #½ preview"></a>X-FAN: How does the Wizard #½ issue fit in with the one-shots and the monthly series?
MARTS: The Wizard Weapon X #½ issue acts much in the same way as the one-shots do: you don't have to read them to know what's going on prior to Weapon X #1, but they will give additional information on the characters and the Weapon X organization. The Weapon X #½ deals more with the Director and his backstory, and how the current Weapon X program came into being.
JEANTY: The #½ is like a cool recap of most of the events that have been going on in Wolverine for the last year, as well as Deadpool. It's a good way to understand the events that have transpired from the Director's point of view as he narrates the issue. It also serves for introducing a new character to the X-universe. This guy I created the look for, {and} I'm really happy with the way he turned out.
TIERI: The new character is one that we will see in the ongoing series. In the #½, the Weapon X Program will have their eyes set on X-Force. I'm not sure on the scheduling, as to which book comes out first, but the new character does appear in X-Force at some point.
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/wolv-175.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/wolv-175t.jpg" align=right alt="Wolverine #175"></a>X-FAN: Who are the stars of the Weapon X monthly?
MARTS: Sabretooth, Kane, Wild Child, Sauron, the Director ... and a few others.
JEANTY: Believe it or not, Kane takes a leading role in the book at first. Sabretooth will be a major character, but it will be a revolving cast with certain issues focusing on certain characters.
X-FAN: With Weapon X being so synonymous with Wolverine, will Logan be the focal point of the series? Indeed, will any one character be the "star"?
MARTS: While Logan will certainly play some part in the Weapon X monthly, don't expect him to be the focal point in any way. This is a chance for other characters to shine for a change.
JEANTY: He makes appearances, but he won't be a major player.
X-FAN: Will stories and characters in Weapon X be "confined" to the X-Men's universe, or will fans see Weapon X branching out into the mainstream Marvel Universe with characters such as Firestar, the Thunderbolts, Spider-Man, the Hulk, etc?
MARTS: Mostly X-related for now.
TIERI: The whole fight between man and mutantkind is not only relegated to the X-books or the X-Men universe. So from that you can draw whatever conclusions you want! {laughs} Weapon X is an X-book, don't get me wrong, but while mainly mutants are involved, the Program itself is not only after just mutants.
X-FAN: How would you explain the one-shots and the monthly book to the casual reader who may not be familiar with the history of Weapon X?
TIERI: When I came onboard Wolverine, the whole thing with the Weapon X Program, the original Program, is that the continuity had gotten to the point where it was too confusing to the casual reader. You know, this was a {memory} implant, this wasn't an implant, this is real, this isn't real. That is why we basically started from scratch with a new Program with the only real link to the old Program being the Director - the man that basically had his life ruined by Wolverine.
X-FAN: What's it been like working on Weapon X with such a variety of creative talent?
TIERI: I've been blessed with being able to work with great talents. From the two Mikes to Sean {Chen, Wolverine regular series artist} to the people on The Draft one-shots and more. They're all talented, and all did a great job. It was really fun to work with these other people and to quarterback this event.
JEANTY: Frank is a real good guy to work with. We've never had to butt heads on anything so far, and he's always inviting me to improve upon something he's written. On Deadpool it was a getting to know you situtation. I can tell Frank was happy with what I was doing with his scripts not because he said he really liked it, but because his scripts started to be come a lot more loose. I knew from that that he trusted me with what he wrote. On Weapon X it was me who started to become more comfortable with his scripts. I now feel like I have a better idea where Frank is coming from. (I keep telling him that I would draw a killer Wolverine story!) I'm still getting the 'feel' of these Weapon X guys, so there wouldn't be any one character I feel totally comfortable drawing just yet. I guess Sabretooth comes a little easier because I drew him a bit in Deadpool. The new character {from the #½ issue} is another easier one just becuse I designed him.
X-FAN: Last but not least, what can the fans expect from Weapon X?
JEANTY: As I understand it, they are a secret organization sanctioned by the Government. It will have a 'black ops' feel to it, I think, like Alias (the TV show, not the comic).
TIERI: I think the fans will have a lot of fun with it.
Marts also provided X-Fan with the solicitation copies and cover previews for The Draft one-shots, and Raicht added a few words about each of the writers and artists involved.
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0802/WEAPX_WCHILD_400.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0802/WEAPX_WCHILD_400t.jpg" align=right alt="Weapon X: Wild Child preview"></a>WEAPON X: WILD CHILD
(Matt Nixon/Ethan Van Sciver/Norm Rapmund)
Cover: J.H. Williams III and Jose Villarrubia
The mysterious Weapon X organization from Wolverine and Deadpool is on the hunt to draft new members! Who will draw their attention and how much will they be willing to sacrifice in order to have their lives changed forever? This is the first of five one-shots designed to give you a special peek into the brand new Weapon X monthly coming your way next month! Don't miss it!
Wild Child is sent to retrieve Alpha Flight member Aurora and offer her a chance to become a member of Weapon X... but in her current state is she in any position to refuse? Plus: Discover what happened when Wild Child and Sabretooth went to Japan to recruit the atomic mutant known as Sunfire! The outcome will leave you speechless!
New X-Men artist Ethan Van Sciver and Matt Nixon (Wolverine 2001, Wolverine #177 and #178) deliver a tale of loss and revenge in this, the first of the Weapon X one-shots! Who will make the cut and end up in the all-new, all-different Weapon X monthly title next month? Find out for sure right here and in the four one-shots to follow!
On sale August 7. 32 pages. $2.25
"Matt Nixon is someone that Mike Marts and I have a few things in the works with and he just keeps getting better and better," said Raicht. "Ethan and Matt clicked from the start and as you'll see from the final story that can be a scary thing! Matt brings a nice amount of tragedy to a character that we haven't seen much depth to in a long time. I think this and his upcoming Wolverine arc (#177-180) are going to establish him as a writer to watch."
"We were psyched to have Ethan VanSciver on board for this project. After seeing his stuff on New X-Men we knew he'd be the perfect guy to bring Matt's story to life... and then we saw the pages! He did an amazing job. Ethan and Matt will be working together again on Wolverine #179, which is a great Wolverine/Alpha Flight team up issue. We've seen the first few pages and they look amazing. These two are really clicking together so who knows what we'll see from them in the future."
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0802/WEAPX_SAURON_400.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0802/WEAPX_SAURON_400t.jpg" align=right alt="Weapon X: Sauron preview"></a>WEAPON X: SAURON
(Buddy Scalera/Karl Kerschl)
Cover: J.H. Williams III and Jose Villarrubia
The mysterious Weapon X organization from Wolverine and Deadpool is on the hunt to draft new members! Who will draw their attention and how much will they be willing to sacrifice in order to have their lives changed forever? This is the second of five one-shots designed to give you a special peek into the brand new Weapon X monthly coming your way next month! Don't miss it!
The most monstrous of the Weapon X crew is sent out to find the team their very own telepath ... and the Director has his sights set on Emma Frost! Will Sauron be able to complete his mission or will it be his last! Also this issue, a brand new mutant is introduced! Who or what is Jack-in-the-Box?! And what does the Weapon X program want with him? The answer will shock you and may very well leave the team in ruin!
Buddy Scalera (co-writer on Deadpool) and Karl Kerschl (Iceman, Deadpool #56) are together again and this time the stakes are even higher! Find out what happens when Scalera's craziness and Kerschl's smooth lines infect Weapon X!
On sale August 7. 32 pages. $2.25
"Buddy is a blast to work with," said Raicht. "He did a great job working with Jimmy Palmiotti on Deadpool, and his humor really got a chance to bust through in his solo issue of Deadpool. He has a knack for looking at the funnier side of things and Sauron is no exception. His stories blend great with Karl's art. Everytime we work with him we can't wait to see what he comes up with next."
"Karl, right now, is doing some really cool stuff. His Iceman limited blew us away, but this Sauron one-shot is even more right on. His Sauron is funny but sad and monstrous at the same time. He gets Buddy's scripts and really brings them to life, which, if you know Buddy, isn't an easy thing to do. (Just kidding, Buddy! :) ) We think Karl is definitely an artist to watch and can't wait for our next opportunity to work with him!"
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0802/WEAPX_KANEc_400.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0802/WEAPX_KANEc_400t.jpg" align=right alt="Weapon X: Kane preview"></a>WEAPON X: KANE
(R.A. Jones/Pablo Raimondi)
Cover: J.H. Williams III and Jose Villarrubia
The mysterious Weapon X organization from Wolverine and Deadpool is on the hunt to draft new members! Who will draw their attention and how much will they be willing to sacrifice in order to have their lives changed forever? This is the third of five one-shots designed to give you a special peek into the brand new Weapon X monthly coming your way next month! Don't miss it!
The man who sold his humanity in order to be a perfect soldier has a new mission... bring in the dangerous woman known only as Rapture! With the aid of the Director's second-in-command, Agent Brent Jackson, Kane searches the streets of New York for this mystery woman. But what isn't Agent Jackson telling Kane... and will it end up causing the end of this bionic-soldier?
R.A. Jones (writer of this month's Wolverine/Captain America limited series) teams with Pablo Raimondi (Excalibur, X-Men: Black Sun) to deliver a pulse-pounding tale of suspense and betrayal! This is also is the second appearance of Rapture this month. Check out her other appearance in the Wolverine/Captain America limited series!
On sale August 14. 32 pages. $2.25
"R.A. is a guy whose stuff I read back when he was writing the Protectors," said Raicht. "Mike Marts and I were working on a Wolverine/Captain America with him and Tom Derenick (who just so happened to work on the Protectors as well.). We enjoyed working on that series so much that we wanted to keep working with him and offered him Kane. He turned in a really cool pitch including a key new character from the upcoming Wolvie/Cap limited."
"Pablo Raimondi did a great job on the Excalibur limited series a couple of years ago, and we thought he would do a great job with R.A.'s story. His action is intense and he does a mean robotic Kane as well. He gets better and better each issue he does. I think people will really enjoy the high octane action he delivers to the page. "
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0802/WEAPX_MARROW_400.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0802/WEAPX_MARROW_400t.jpg" align=right alt="Weapon X: Marrow preview"></a>WEAPON X: MARROW
(Christina Z/Brandon Badeaux/David Newbold)
Cover: J.H. Williams III and Jose Villarrubia
The mysterious Weapon X organization from Wolverine and Deadpool is on the hunt to draft new members! Who will draw their attention and how much will they be willing to sacrifice in order to have their lives changed forever? This is the fourth of five one-shots designed to give you a special peek into the brand new Weapon X monthly coming your way next month! Don't miss it!
X-Men fans have been waiting for this one! It's the return of Marrow! But has she returned as a force of good or evil? Will she be swayed to join Weapon X? What will they be willing to give her in exchange for her services? And will it be worth her soul? Will she become a member of this mysterious organization... or their first victim? It's a brand new era for this former X-Woman and it all begins right here!
Christina Z (Tigra, Witchblade) and Brandon Badeaux (Action Comics, Green Lantern) deliver a tale of loss and rebirth that will leave Marrow changed forever.
On sale August 21. 32 pages. $2.25
"Christina Z turned in a really sexy story for a character who isn't really known for being sexy," said Raicht. "She tapped into a much softer side of Marrow that we have gotten glimpses of before, but never like this. It's a real change for this character and we think it's going to be a change for the better."
"Brandon Badeaux has been doing some really cool work at the Distinguished Competition and we thought it would be great for him to do some stuff over here. We called him and he was excited to be a part of the project. He gives Marrow an attitude in every panel, but also shows her softer side, which is perfect for this story. He's definitely an up and coming star and we hope to work with him again soon."
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0802/WEAPX_ZEROc_650.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0802/WEAPX_ZEROc_650t.jpg" align=right alt="Weapon X: Agent Zero preview"></a>WEAPON X: AGENT ZERO
(Frank Tieri/Killian Plunkett/Terry Austin)
Cover: J.H. Williams III and Jose Villarrubia
The mysterious Weapon X organization from Wolverine and Deadpool is on the hunt to draft new members! Who will draw their attention and how much will they be willing to sacrifice in order to have their lives changed forever? This is the final of five one-shots designed to give you a special peek into the brand new Weapon X monthly coming your way next month! Don't miss it!
The most mysterious man to emerge from the Weapon X program since Wolverine himself! Who is he? Where is he from? What are his connections to Wolverine and Sabretooth? And what role does he play in the Director's mad scheme? Some of these questions will be answered as he hunts Wolverine through the streets of New York City? How is it possible that he makes the most dangerous mutant alive afraid? You'll have to read it to find out!
Frank Tieri (Wolverine, Iron Man, and the upcoming Weapon X monthly) and Killian Plunkett (Wolverine 2001, Unknown Soldier) deliver a tale of suspense in this, the last Weapon X one-shot before the series launches next month! Don't miss the chance to get introduced to this mystery mutant!
On sale August 28. 32 pages. $2.25
"Frank's been a real help in setting this project up and has been a good guide for the other writers," Raicht said. "His Agent Zero character is going to be a force to be reckoned with and is one of our personal favorites of the regular series. Frank gives him the perfect blend of mystery and danger that every new character should have. It's always a blast working with Frank and this project has been no different. (And wait until you see what he has in store for the Weapon X monthly in September!)"
"We love working with Killian. He added a great real world flavor to this character and really nailed the secret ops story we were going for here. People are really going to get into how detailed and gritty this story is and Killian was the perfect artist to pull this off. He seems to have a great knack for this character... maybe we'll be seeing some more Weapon X stuff from Killian in the future?"