WOLVERINE, X-CUTIONER: AN INTERVIEW WITH MARK MILLAR

Alex Groff · Feb 24, 2005, 09:25 am

<A HREF="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/marvel/0205/WOLV025_COV.jpg" TARGET="_blank"><IMG SRC="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/marvel/0205/WOLV025_COV_T.jpg" ALIGN="LEFT" ALT="Wolverine #26" WIDTH="100" HEIGHT="150"></A>By Jordan T. Maxwell, Staff Writer

Mark Millar should be no stranger to the True Believers out there as his work can be found in multiple imprints at Marvel. A pioneer in their Ultimate Universe, Millar helped create the bestsellers Ultimate X-Men, The Ultimates and Ultimate Fantastic Four. More recently, Millar has been lending his talents to their Marvel Knights line with acclaimed work on Spider-Man and Wolverine. We recently got the chance to chat with Mark Millar on his response to the reaction of fans to the controversial death of an X-Character in Wolverine #25 and what's in store for everyone's favorite Canadian after the shocking conclusion of Enemy of the State.

SPOILER WARNING: This interview contains discussion of the death of an X-Man in Wolverine #25.

ComiX-Fan: So Wolverine #25 has finally come out, and the mystery death that's had X-fans speculating with fear and anticipation has been revealed as former Alpha Flight member Northstar. Was he your initial choice for Wolverine's victim while plotting this story, or did you have to go through a few different choices with Marvel prior to settling on him?

Mark Millar: The way these things work is actually pretty laborious. You're working in a shared universe and there's a thousand plans for a hundred characters and so you don't really have the authority to decide who lives and who dies. I just knew, in the plotting stages, that I wanted to have Wolverine kill a member of the X-Men because this was important to some plans coming up in the second arc. I presented Marvel with this idea and asked which characters were available to be offed. Which characters were less involved in upcoming plans.

This immediately negates the likes of Kitty Pryde and Cyclops, but I was quite surprised to see Northstar on the list because I felt I could have a little something to play with given the past history he has with Wolverine. They're hardly great friends, but their shared heritage and experiences of Alpha Flight as well as their membership of the X-Men seemed like a good way of putting Wolverine through a little hell when he's de-programmed by S.H.I.E.L.D. and he realizes the extent of what he's done. Wolverine hasn't done anything truly awful for a long time and I think he's at his best when he's carrying around a lot of guilt and feeling bad about himself.

CXF: Given that you depicted the first gay adoption and gay marriage in mainstream superhero comics with the Midnighter and Apollo over in The Authority, earning a G.L.A.A.D. award along the way, as well as writing a homosexual Colossus in Ultimate X-Men without making his sexuality the focal point of his character, do you find it at all strange that some fans are now accusing you of being homophobic or forwarding some kind of anti-gay agenda?

MM: Oh, it's just ridiculous. I'm probably best known as comics' most drippingly-wet liberal and I saw some people spouting this garbage. It really was insane and honestly irked me quite a bit, given that I was all over the tabloid press here three years ago and being personally attacked by the head of my own church for writing the adventures of a gay super-couple. There was a huge furor at the time in this country because some anti-homosexual legislation had been introduced in the form of Section 28 and several Scottish millionaires had been funding anti-gay hate campaigns against anyone seen as promoting homosexuality in a positive light.

<A HREF="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/marvel/x/2005/wolverine/WOLV026001.jpg" TARGET="_blank"><IMG SRC="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/marvel/x/2005/wolverine/WOLV026001_T.jpg" ALIGN="RIGHT" ALT="Wolverine #26"></A>The crap my family and I took for standing up for something we believe in was enormous and I was involved in a one year legal dispute with one newspaper here because of the way the story had been represented. I've also been heavily involved in liberal politics since I was in high school and then to have this kind of garbage thrown at me because one of many characters killed in this book just happens to be gay was disgraceful. That's like saying the Vietnam war was an attack on heterosexuality because the vast majority of American troops killed by the Vietcong were of the heterosexual persuasion. It's just utterly irrelevant and silly. This was an equal opportunities kill.

CXF: Some have said that the only reason Northstar was chosen as the victim is because of his recent lack of activity and his misuse before that. So, really, in the end do we only have Chuck Austen and Scott Lobdell to blame? Or did the fact that he was not currently on any of the teams or featured regularly in any other book just make it easier?

MM: In all honesty, that's all it was. It's nobody's fault. He just found himself on the fringes and not appearing in any central plot-lines. It's a shame for old Jean-Paul really; it must be like being an actor in a soap and seeing your lines getting smaller and smaller...

CXF: While Northstar's death may not have been a case of homophobia, do you feel that his recent expulsion from the X-Men in the wake of the Reload event is a sign of what many have considered to be a shift towards a more "conservative" attitude for Marvel?

MM: No, he's never been a central X-Men character. What's interesting, though is that he was probably the most high profile in the international and American mainstream throughout the 90s. I think just about every paper covered his coming out story. But nothing else really happened after this. He was never really utilized in a particularly interesting way. I have a plan, though. This story isn't quite over yet. As for Marvel's conservatism, I think it goes in waves. Marvel was very innovative in the early eighties, but much less so after 1987 and didn't really become especially risky again until Bill and Joe took over in Summer 2000.

What's interesting is that they tend to make more money when they're taking less risks. The dullest books, at least to me, are probably the enormously successful period when the artists were writing the stories circa 1990 and those things sold like crazy. My suspicion is that Marvel will make a lot of money over the next five or ten years, but there won't be anything that pushes the envelope in terms of taste or language or violence. But I don't think that's what the market needs right now either. The fact that I can let kids in the family read maybe a quarter of my comp box is slightly weird so maybe it's a good idea to do stuf aimed at a more general audience for a while.

CXF: With Enemy of the State now wrapped up, what can we expect to see in the Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. storyline?

<A HREF="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/marvel/x/2005/wolverine/WOLV26COV.jpg" TARGET="_blank"><IMG SRC="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/marvel/x/2005/wolverine/WOLV26COV_T.jpg" ALIGN="LEFT" ALT="Wolverine #26"></A>MM: The two arcs are very distinct in the sense that Wolvie is the ultimate bad guy in one and the angel of vengeance in the other, but I really see them as two halves of the same story. They're both satisfying reads on their own, but this is where things really kick into high gear and we see a lot of new things that change the landscape of the Marvel universe a little. Baron Strucker has been deposed as the head of Hydra and executed by his young rival, The Gorgon, and he has a whole new plan up his sleeve. The Gorgon and Strucker's widow have a more extreme, hardcore agenda than simply watching American democracy crumble or seizing Washington or any of the traditional Hydra pursuits. They both belong to the ancient serpent cults from which Hydra, The Hand and several other real-world secret societies originate and their plan is pretty horrible and quite awesome in scale.

I won't spoil it too much, but Wolverine has been a pawn in something much bigger here which is initiated in our first two episodes. However, from a character point of view, Wolverine has done pretty much the worst things he's ever been forced to do and so there's an enormous amount of payback and an enormous amount of blood to be spilled over the next few episodes. The books I'm writing at the moment all have very different flavours. Ultimates 2 is quiet and political and very character driven, Ultimate Fantastic Four will be a big, idea-driven book that a seven year old could read with his grandpa and Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. is a revenge book. There's just something infinitely satisfying about seeing a large number of bad guys getting their asses handed to them in a variety of interesting ways.

After seeing Wolverine kicked around like an old can for six issues, it's going to feel nice seeing him going out there and kicking a little ass. I wanted The Punisher movie to deliver on this level and was disappointed when it didn't. I think I'm tapping into something here because our sales are going up every month and the first part of Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. just came in at 116K. People just seem to want to see a little ass-kicking right now.

CXF: It's recently been announced you're returning to Ultimate Fantastic Four after handing the reins off to Warren Ellis. What are your plans for that title?

MM: Like I said, I want to make the book enormously idea-driven and packed tight with content. No story runs for more than three issues. This won't be a Junior Reader book in the same way that my Superman Adventures books were, but I really like writing material children can enjoy and my Superman Adventures books were very popular with adults too. Nobody actually BOUGHT my bloody stuff in those days, but the people who bought them really liked them and I was lucky enough to be nominated for a few Eisners and so on.

I'd really like to tap into that sense of fun and wonder that's really at the heart of the FF and do the kind of book that a kid can enjoy as much as all those people who buy Ultimates 2 every month. The first storyline is called Crossover and it's a meeting between our young Reed Richards and the denizens of a parallel universe he discovers featuring a Reed and Sue who tied the knot a few years back, have a couple of kids and have an Avengers where the Ultimate FF have The Ultimates. Sound familiar? After this, we have Tomb of Namor and the undersea pyramids of Atlantis and then we round off the year with two other three parters I can't talk about yet.

<A HREF="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/marvel/x/2005/wolverine/WOLV026002.jpg" TARGET="_blank"><IMG SRC="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/marvel/x/2005/wolverine/WOLV026002_T.jpg" ALIGN="RIGHT" ALT="Wolverine #26"></A>I'm writing the Namor story at the moment and they've given us an extra couple of issues head-start (courtesy of Mike Carey and Jae Lee) so the brilliant Greg Land can draw all twelve issues of our run without delays or interruptions. I'm really surprised how much I'm enjoying this book. I'm really having a good time on everything at the moment, but this is such a change of pace for me that I just can't wait to get stared in the mornings.

CXF: Speaking of the Ultimate Universe, careful readers (read: obsessive compulsive fanboys, like yours truly) have noticed a small continuity glitch in the titles. Early in your first volume of The Ultimates as the team is forming, you make mention of the Fantastic Four. But in the first story arc of Ultimate Fantastic Four during their first adventure, the Ultimates are mentioned. So...which came first? Is this the first Ultimate time paradox? Is Kang involved somehow? Or should we all just relax and enjoy life?

MM: Just blame bloody Bendis for not reading Ultimates #2!!! Actually, he was laughing about this recently and asked me to cover this as soon as possible in Ultimate Fantastic Four and I have this little thing that covers it all in two panels in my first issue. I won't spoil and it's so tiny that only the eagle-eyed will even spot it.

CXF: The Millarworld line of books seems to have met with mixed results. Chosen and Wanted were acclaimed, while The Unfunnies seems to now be on a Kevin Smith-like release schedule and the one-shot Run seems like it may never see the light of day. What are your feelings on the success of the line?

MM: Yeah, one half had more luck and praise than anything else I've ever done and the other two just got cursed. Wanted and Chosen get picked up by Mark Platt at Universal and Chris Columbus and poor Unfunnies ends up in a legal suit and Run doesn't even cross the starting line. I have a break in my Marvel contract before it ends to do something in the place of Run so this will come out around Summer-ish as the little last project of Millarworld Phase One. The Unfunnies' legal problems are done and dusted, the books having been finished over a year ago. They're ready to go as soon as we sign the new contracts. But they all sold like mad and had lovely reviews so me and the artists couldn't be happier.

Obviously, The Unfunnies was a tough sell and would never do Wanted numbers, but we still did 13K and that's twice what Avatar would consider a huge hit. Likewise, Chosen outsold Hellboy over at Dark Horse and Wanted outsold most of the X-Men books. Each issue did four printings and totaled close to 100K when you count all the convention editions. It was nuts. The hardcover already has advance orders of 5K which is crazy. But I wrote most of this stuff for free and didn't expect anything like these sales. I just knew I couldn't do a Jesus book at Marvel or material so bad taste at the big two. I just wrote what I was into at the time and am just grateful other people got into it.

CXF: The twist ending of Chosen seemed to leave the door wide open for an apocalyptic sequel. Any plans to revisit President Christianson, or have we seen the last of him?

MM: Peter and I were just talking about this today, funnily enough. I have an idea, but am also tempted just to leave it as is because it's a nice little book by itself. That said, the sequel means sense and the idea I have isn't really like anything else and would be very timely. It won't appear in Millarworld Phase 2 (those books are already lined up), but possibly later.

CXF: While the first five issues of Wanted were well received, there has been a lot of criticism regarding the last issue, especially the epilogue with some saying it felt a bit gratuitous, which for a title featuring regular doses of murder, rape and a guy made of crap is really saying something. What was your intent with that moment and do you think it got across to most readers?

<A HREF="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/marvel/x/2005/wolverine/WOLV026004.jpg" TARGET="_blank"><IMG SRC="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/marvel/x/2005/wolverine/WOLV026004_T.jpg" ALIGN="LEFT" ALT="Wolverine #26" WIDTH="100" HEIGHT="150"></A>MM: It's funny, but those last two pages just really alienated about half the audience. The other half absolutely caught what I was doing and that was inverting the whole structure of a superhero comic and it ends with the opposite of the formula we've become used to over the last six decades. Even Anti-Hero comics tend to end with a wink to the reader and also follow this satisfying structure, but it just seemed like a cop-out to me and I ditched the two safer endings I had on stand-by.

It just felt more in-keeping with the material for Wesley (who had been talking to the reader since the first panel of issue one) turns around and hits us with the same life-changing monologue that the supervillains were saying to him from the moment his series of initiations began. Wesley seemed to really resonate with readers in a big way and I think they identified with him a lot in the same way, as kids, we maybe identified with Peter Parker. His belief system was torn apart and trashed and Wesley turns around and does the same thing to us on the last page. Some people misinterpreted this as the writer-insults-his-audience, but nothing could be further from the truth. He's looking at us and pointing out that we're all just well-paid slaves and we have the capacity to step outside the system just like he did.

CXF: Some of your earliest work in the industry was with Vertigo and Wildstorm. Is there any temptation to return to these imprints?

MM: Only if I wanted less readers. *smiles* They turn out some good books, but I think their time has passed and it's evident in the sales. Wanted would have sold 20K at Wildstorm and Chosen would have been doing typical Vertigo horror numbers. Maybe 15K tops. It's nice to have the security of the pay-cheque these guys give you (and that's always tempting when this is how you make your living), but I'm interested in reaching a wider audience.

CXF: Any other upcoming projects you'd like to talk about?

MM: My Marvel Knights: Spider-Man run finishes next month, Wolverine finishes in August and Ultimates 2 wraps around the end of the year. The only other book I'll have out from Marvel in that time is Ultimate Fantastic Four and I'll have them all finished by August (even though they'll be running until a little after Easter next year). That means the only other projects is a mini I mentioned elsewhere (possibly) and a short biography one-shot I'm definitely doing, but I'm really just winding everything down towards the end of the year and then disappearing for at least six months.

<A HREF="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/marvel/x/2005/wolverine/WOLV026005.jpg" TARGET="_blank"><IMG SRC="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/previews/marvel/x/2005/wolverine/WOLV026005_T.jpg" ALIGN="RIGHT" ALT="Wolverine #26" WIDTH="100" HEIGHT="150"></A>The output for '05 is probably the stuff I'm most pleased with (Ultimates 2, Marvel Knights: Spider-Man, Wolverine and Ultimate Fantastic Four) and so having a big chunk of top ten and top twenty books out there like this seems like the perfect time to just bugger for a while. Get off the stage while they're still clapping and then come back with something new when people least expect it. Personally, I've got a few things I need to do and I'll get them done at the same time as preparing all the Millarworld 2 stuff for late Summer/ Fall '06.

There won't be any company-owned projects for a little while, but when I come back and do them I think people will be quite surprised with what Hitchy and I have in mind. I'm also going to be co-directing a self-financed movie with one of my friends from the Millarworld boards and finishing the book I started a year ago. It's going to be nice, just having a little time with the family and getting time to sit and read again. It's nice, but weird having all these top ten books one after the other. After years of toiling in obscurity, it's actually quite surreal, so it'll be quite nice to disappear for a bit and catch my breath. It'll be fun coming back and surprising everyone.

CXF: Okay, hand on the Bible swearing to God honest truth time now: you've become somewhat renowned for your online personality and self promotion. How much of that is the real Mark Millar and how much is just a persona to build a kind of brand identity for yourself?

MM: That's a weird question. I can understand it if you ask one of the pop-star types something like that, but I'm the most completely and utterly ordinary person in the world and have nothing resembling a persona. I'm just exactly like all my friends and am the same in the pub with them as I am in the house with my wife and daughter or on the boards or at a con. I really can't stand phonies. People are only disappointed when they meet you if you've cultivated some kind of act. I'd rather disappoint them in advance so they're expectations are nothing special. *smiles*

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Baltimore Footstomper · Feb 24, 2005, 10:08 am

Northstar got killed, huh? That's too bad. Being a gay man, I've always felt it was cool that Northstar was around (albeit in a really reduced capacity). It was great to see him actively involved in the recent past.

A couple things:

I don't think it's accurate to say Northstar was taken out of the X-men titles after "Reloaded" since he was shown teaching in the "New X-men" title.

How does his current death align with his involvement in the "X-men:The End" series, where he's shown rescuing Cyke from an exploding X-mansion? Is this "possible future" to be treated as an Elseworlds-esque title?

R.I.P. brother (or is it sister?)

Alex Guillen · Feb 24, 2005, 10:16 am

:OMG: wolverine killed northstar? Can't beleive that. That's awful. JP was a good character and had untapped potential so why not kill off unus or someone like that?
I hate wolverine alot right now

elm · Feb 24, 2005, 10:37 am

I am beginning to dislike WOLVIE!

how could this guy be in many places at a time! he appears in Uncanny,Astonishing and Adjectiveless X_MEN. plus there is "NewAvengers" They over use this character

Alex Groff · Feb 24, 2005, 10:42 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by elm

I am beginning to dislike WOLVIE!

how could this guy be in many places at a time! he appears in Uncanny,Astonishing and Adjectiveless X_MEN. plus there is "NewAvengers" They over use this character

True or not, this is a discussion of Wolverine in his own book. Let's see if we can't stick to the topic at hand.

Filthy Mutie · Feb 24, 2005, 10:45 am

"X-Men: The End" is a giant "What If" story.

If Wolverine would've killed Unus, he wouldn't have killed an X-Man, nor would he have killed a character that has enough of a following to polarize reactions. I think it's perfectly obvious what's going on here with Northstar's death... not sure why everyone's freaking out.

I do find it amusing that every time a B-lister, or even C-lister, gets killed, the boards are ripe with posts about them being "a good character with untapped potential." At least JP was in tune to that than, say, Maggot. Besides, if B-list characters weren't ever killed, pretty much no one would die, even if it's only for a few months.

CrazyFool83 · Feb 24, 2005, 10:55 am

Ok, Northstar's not "Dead" Dead. Look at the cover for the May issue, the shadowy figure on the cover is definately Northstar. From the solits I've read, I believe that Northstar's going to be resurrected by the Hand. So it's possible after Millar's run Northstar will be restored to normal.

trouble · Feb 24, 2005, 11:03 am

Betcha a nickel that the Hand ressurects Northstar and makes him an assassin before Millar leaves the book.

evilomar · Feb 24, 2005, 11:12 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrazyFool83

Ok, Northstar's not "Dead" Dead. Look at the cover for the May issue, the shadowy figure on the cover is definately Northstar. From the solits I've read, I believe that Northstar's going to be resurrected by the Hand. So it's possible after Millar's run Northstar will be restored to normal.

I thought it could be Sunfire on that cover too, but if its Northstar, then thats another reason I'm glad I quit getting this book.

Rednax310 · Feb 24, 2005, 11:22 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baltimore Footstomper

I don't think it's accurate to say Northstar was taken out of the X-men titles after "Reloaded" since he was shown teaching in the "New X-men" title.

Before Reloaded he was actually on an X-Men squad. After reloaded he was only shown in guest appearances in New X-Men. He became a character who was at the mansion, but wasn't a mainstay in any of the books or on any of the squads.

Quote:

How does his current death align with his involvement in the "X-men:The End" series, where he's shown rescuing Cyke from an exploding X-mansion? Is this "possible future" to be treated as an Elseworlds-esque title?

R.I.P. brother (or is it sister?)

X-Men The End is never going to match up with current storylines that happen after The End started being released. The End has Phoenix coming back, but Endsong has her coming back. It is just a big "What If?"

Angelophile · Feb 24, 2005, 11:33 am

The thing is, even B-listers have fans and the whole thing has become tired.

When you kill a character, minor or not, you should ensure that there's going to be a justifyable reason for it and a good, memorable story coming out of it.

The deaths of X characters like Jean (the first time), Thunderbird, Doug Ramsey and Illyana were good issues that led on to plenty of character moments further down the line. Even Maggott's death was a shock and justified within the story. There fans are disappointed when their fave dies, but at least they can see rhyme and reason for it, it's justified within the confines of the story and long term plans.

Sadly we just see waaay too much of minor characters being killed just... because. Their death's don't really advance the story, they do little for long term plans, they're just there for a brief "anyone can die!" moment.

But that's a lie. Not everyone can die. The characters putting themselves into deadly situations month after month are fine. It's the characters that have small fanbases and rarely ever appear in dangerous situations that get chopped down like flies, on the assumption that no-one will much miss them and that it will still have the desired dramatic effect.

But it doesn't. A character like Colossus dying? That's a shock. But you know they'll be back. Big characters always are, so any shock value is negated.

And, frankly, most readers don't really give a damn if someone like Skin, even Moira McTaggart, Sunpyre, Risque or Bedlam. If you don't care about their deaths, what dramatic impact their death may bring is completely negated. If killing them off serves no purpose in the story, isn't picked up in following issues as a plot point and doesn't have any value to the lot term plot, why assume killing them will serve any point.

It's telling when the death of someone like Sophie during Morrison's run has more dramatic effect than the death of someone we've followed for years. Because those deaths serve the story well.

In short, don't kill someone unless there's a point to it.

Since Northstar's death lacked any drama and was just a case of "wrong place, wrong time", Millar failed to make his death meaningful.

Hopefully in the next few issues he can pull that back. But frankly the death scene was badly written and Northstar was undeserving of such a poorly contrived end.

Alex Groff · Feb 24, 2005, 11:38 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angelophile

Since Northstar's death lacked any drama and was just a case of "wrong place, wrong time", Millar failed to make his death meaningful.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angelophile

The deaths of X characters like Jean (the first time), Thunderbird, Doug Ramsey and Illyana were good issues that led on to plenty of character moments further down the line.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Millar

They're hardly great friends, but their shared heritage and experiences of Alpha Flight as well as their membership of the X-Men seemed like a good way of putting Wolverine through a little hell when he's de-programmed by S.H.I.E.L.D. and he realizes the extent of what he's done. Wolverine hasn't done anything truly awful for a long time and I think he's at his best when he's carrying around a lot of guilt and feeling bad about himself.

Ann Nichols · Feb 24, 2005, 11:51 am

Who says characters have to be killed? The overuse of killing off characters as a plot device was one of the reasons I stopped being an American comics fan for 20 years. Yes, death was shocking at first, but after awhile it was dull, and finally, annoying.

I want Jean-Paul Beaubier back. I came to like him through "Uncanny" (particularly when he handled Cain's rude and ignorant comments about his sexuality with humor) and "New Mutants" v.2 (his speech to Julian, when Julian wanted to switch to Emma Frost as his advisor). I wanted to see more of him, not less.

disturbed_dsmw · Feb 24, 2005, 12:27 pm

Great interview! I love all of MIllar's books. They are some of the things I look forward to the most each month. I'll be sad when all of his arcs are finished up.

Filthy Mutie · Feb 24, 2005, 01:19 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Groff

I wish I knew what that meant.

The last thing I have to say on the matter is you can't please everyone--especially the comic-reading community--and I'm sure your concerns will be alleviated in the next arc.

:abyss: And chew on these totally sweet smileys.

spinarakboi · Feb 24, 2005, 02:02 pm

I'm gay and don't have a problem with it. Maybe I just don't comicbooks as seriously as others. It's sad when an xman dies and i like it when they die unexpectedly. i don't feel a characters death needs to be justified because to me that is more realistic. We don't all get justified deaths. We don't all die in glory and i think comicbooks should do the same. That said, Northstar is a character, and characters can always come back so in the scheme of things, it's no biggy. I hope that made sense.

Rory · Feb 24, 2005, 03:53 pm

I may be pissed off with Mark Miller's choice but the fact that people are calling him a homophobe is sad and pathetic. Why not call Chris Claremont a racist(I'm not saying he is by the way) for killing one of the only Russians(Collosus) or Apaches(Thunderbird)? Moaning about the writer and insulting him is no way to go about getting a character ressurected. And don't say that it was because Northstar was the only gay because he wasn't. We had Phat and Vivisector(Where were the complaits to Peter Millagan when they died?) Ultimate Collosus. No one complained when Weapon X ended and after a lot of requests its getting a miniseries. So if Northstar is resurected then thats great

but if he dosen't well serves everyone right for only caring about him when he died... Man i'm tired

Gouki · Feb 24, 2005, 05:02 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gambit rmc

Why not call Chris Claremont a racist(I'm not saying he is by the way) for killing one of the only Russians(Collosus) or Apaches(Thunderbird)? Moaning about the writer and insulting him is no way to go about getting a character ressurected.

CC didn't kill Colossus. That was Scott Lobdell. As for Thunderbird? We got James Proudstar almost 8 years later. Not to mention other Native Americans such as Forge and Mirage.

Jordan T. Maxwell · Feb 24, 2005, 05:03 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gambit rmc

I may be pissed off with Mark Miller's choice but the fact that people are calling him a homophobe is sad and pathetic. Why not call Chris Claremont a racist(I'm not saying he is by the way) for killing one of the only Russians(Collosus) or Apaches(Thunderbird)? Moaning about the writer and insulting him is no way to go about getting a character ressurected. And don't say that it was because Northstar was the only gay because he wasn't. We had Phat and Vivisector(Where were the complaits to Peter Millagan when they died?) Ultimate Collosus. No one complained when Weapon X ended and after a lot of requests its getting a miniseries. So if Northstar is resurected then thats great

but if he dosen't well serves everyone right for only caring about him when he died... Man i'm tired

well, to clarify on a few things, Claremont didn't kill Colossus...that was Scott Lobdell. and being Russian is not a race. it's a nationality. and people complained a LOT when Weapon X ended. That's why it's getting a mini series, though what that has to do with anything i'm not sure.

and yeah, given the context of the story so far...Wolverine goes off to kill other heroes so they can be resurrected as agents of the Hand/Hydra...and the cover to the upcoming issue, it's pretty obvious that JP is coming back as a bad guy. so, y'know, something might actually get DONE with him now rather than Chuck Austen just having him stand around, talking about how he's gay.

Quote:

Originally Posted by disturbed_dsmw

Great interview! I love all of MIllar's books. They are some of the things I look forward to the most each month. I'll be sad when all of his arcs are finished up.

what? there was an interview here?

thanks for noticing, and for the praise.

Paul Shinn · Feb 24, 2005, 05:10 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by trouble

Betcha a nickel that the Hand ressurects Northstar and makes him an assassin before Millar leaves the book.

See, when I first heard about Wolverine killing an X-man at the end of Enemy of the State, I thought to myself, "They'll just be bought back as an assassin of The Hand in the next arc"... but then I found out that Logan killed Northstar...!?! Can anyone possible take the idea of Northstar as an assassin of The Hand, seriously...?

Jordan T. Maxwell · Feb 24, 2005, 05:19 pm

hmm...an undead assassin with superspeed and light based powers. yeah, i can take that pretty seriously.

Princefan0(+> · Feb 24, 2005, 05:45 pm

I was sad about northstars death, but i can't wait to see where the title goes from here.

nightwing · Feb 24, 2005, 06:47 pm

ya know, it's really annoying reading all these detractors of Millar's story. Millar is obviously a fan of Northstar and is using this Wolverine story to bring him into the spotlight since no one else is using him. anyone who thinks Northstar is staying dead shouldn't forget this is a comic book. chances are he's the one who's being resurrected as a Hand assassin. (and yes, a superfast ninja who can fly would be pretty dangerous)

OuterCircle · Feb 24, 2005, 07:08 pm

Re: Phat & Vivesector: Everyone "died" at the end of X-Statix. Phat and Vivesector were used, not just brought out of obscurity to be killed. They were killed in a book that parodied superheroes, including deaths.

The problem I have with the motives of this story is JP was killed to further Wolverine's character development. I don't see how that was necessary.

Plus, unlike the aforementioned X-Statix characters, he did pop out of limbo to be killed. He was labeled "expendable". Killing of B-list characters happens too often.

BoomBot · Feb 24, 2005, 07:09 pm

Great interview, Jordan.

Millar's always a fun guy and I don't think the exaggeration that people criticize him for was in this interview. It sounds like the first arc of his Wolverine turned out well but I dropped it early. I might try the second part out.

Feb 24, 2005, 10:16 am	#3
Alex Guillen Jedi Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Panama Country: Posts: 1,687	Re: WOLVERINE, X-CUTIONER: AN INTERVIEW WITH MARK MILLAR :OMG: wolverine killed northstar? Can't beleive that. That's awful. JP was a good character and had untapped potential so why not kill off unus or someone like that? I hate wolverine alot right now __________________ Comixfan's Love Doctor & formely known as kotsin

Feb 24, 2005, 10:37 am	#4
elm Chibi Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: muntinlupa city Country: Posts: 5	Re: WOLVERINE, X-CUTIONER: AN INTERVIEW WITH MARK MILLAR I am beginning to dislike WOLVIE! how could this guy be in many places at a time! he appears in Uncanny,Astonishing and Adjectiveless X_MEN. plus there is "NewAvengers" They over use this character

Feb 24, 2005, 10:45 am	#6
Filthy Mutie Mutant Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Boston Country: Posts: 593	Re: WOLVERINE, X-CUTIONER: AN INTERVIEW WITH MARK MILLAR "X-Men: The End" is a giant "What If" story. If Wolverine would've killed Unus, he wouldn't have killed an X-Man, nor would he have killed a character that has enough of a following to polarize reactions. I think it's perfectly obvious what's going on here with Northstar's death... not sure why everyone's freaking out. I do find it amusing that every time a B-lister, or even C-lister, gets killed, the boards are ripe with posts about them being "a good character with untapped potential." At least JP was in tune to that than, say, Maggot. Besides, if B-list characters weren't ever killed, pretty much no one would die, even if it's only for a few months. __________________ We were in Guitar Hero II, and now you can check us out in Rock Band! Bang Camaro's MySpace Page and Bang Camaro's regular ol' page.

Feb 24, 2005, 10:55 am	#7
CrazyFool83 Human Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Kettering, OH Country: Posts: 100	Re: WOLVERINE, X-CUTIONER: AN INTERVIEW WITH MARK MILLAR Ok, Northstar's not "Dead" Dead. Look at the cover for the May issue, the shadowy figure on the cover is definately Northstar. From the solits I've read, I believe that Northstar's going to be resurrected by the Hand. So it's possible after Millar's run Northstar will be restored to normal.

Feb 24, 2005, 11:03 am	#8
trouble Human Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: USA Country: Posts: 108	Re: WOLVERINE, X-CUTIONER: AN INTERVIEW WITH MARK MILLAR Betcha a nickel that the Hand ressurects Northstar and makes him an assassin before Millar leaves the book. __________________

Feb 24, 2005, 10:08 am	#2
Baltimore Footstomper Clone Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Indianapolis, IN Country: Posts: 64	Re: WOLVERINE, X-CUTIONER: AN INTERVIEW WITH MARK MILLAR Northstar got killed, huh? That's too bad. Being a gay man, I've always felt it was cool that Northstar was around (albeit in a really reduced capacity). It was great to see him actively involved in the recent past. A couple things: I don't think it's accurate to say Northstar was taken out of the X-men titles after "Reloaded" since he was shown teaching in the "New X-men" title. How does his current death align with his involvement in the "X-men:The End" series, where he's shown rescuing Cyke from an exploding X-mansion? Is this "possible future" to be treated as an Elseworlds-esque title? R.I.P. brother (or is it sister?) __________________ Sodomy is between God and me.

Feb 24, 2005, 11:33 am	#11
Angelophile Human Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: England, UK Country: Posts: 150	Re: WOLVERINE, X-CUTIONER: AN INTERVIEW WITH MARK MILLAR The thing is, even B-listers have fans and the whole thing has become tired. When you kill a character, minor or not, you should ensure that there's going to be a justifyable reason for it and a good, memorable story coming out of it. The deaths of X characters like Jean (the first time), Thunderbird, Doug Ramsey and Illyana were good issues that led on to plenty of character moments further down the line. Even Maggott's death was a shock and justified within the story. There fans are disappointed when their fave dies, but at least they can see rhyme and reason for it, it's justified within the confines of the story and long term plans. Sadly we just see waaay too much of minor characters being killed just... because. Their death's don't really advance the story, they do little for long term plans, they're just there for a brief "anyone can die!" moment. But that's a lie. Not everyone can die. The characters putting themselves into deadly situations month after month are fine. It's the characters that have small fanbases and rarely ever appear in dangerous situations that get chopped down like flies, on the assumption that no-one will much miss them and that it will still have the desired dramatic effect. But it doesn't. A character like Colossus dying? That's a shock. But you know they'll be back. Big characters always are, so any shock value is negated. And, frankly, most readers don't really give a damn if someone like Skin, even Moira McTaggart, Sunpyre, Risque or Bedlam. If you don't care about their deaths, what dramatic impact their death may bring is completely negated. If killing them off serves no purpose in the story, isn't picked up in following issues as a plot point and doesn't have any value to the lot term plot, why assume killing them will serve any point. It's telling when the death of someone like Sophie during Morrison's run has more dramatic effect than the death of someone we've followed for years. Because those deaths serve the story well. In short, don't kill someone unless there's a point to it. Since Northstar's death lacked any drama and was just a case of "wrong place, wrong time", Millar failed to make his death meaningful. Hopefully in the next few issues he can pull that back. But frankly the death scene was badly written and Northstar was undeserving of such a poorly contrived end.

Feb 24, 2005, 11:51 am	#13
Ann Nichols Jedi Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Sierra Vista, AZ Country: Posts: 2,854	Re: WOLVERINE, X-CUTIONER: AN INTERVIEW WITH MARK MILLAR Who says characters have to be killed? The overuse of killing off characters as a plot device was one of the reasons I stopped being an American comics fan for 20 years. Yes, death was shocking at first, but after awhile it was dull, and finally, annoying. I want Jean-Paul Beaubier back. I came to like him through "Uncanny" (particularly when he handled Cain's rude and ignorant comments about his sexuality with humor) and "New Mutants" v.2 (his speech to Julian, when Julian wanted to switch to Emma Frost as his advisor). I wanted to see more of him, not less. __________________ Some of my spoiled summaries: Astonishing X-Men v.3, #27 , Captain Britain & MI 13 #9, pp1-8 only , CB & MI #9, pp. 9-14 , CB & MI #9, pp. 15-19 Runaways v.3, #1, Uncanny X-Men #503 , Wolverine and Power Pack #2 , Wolverine: First Class #6 , Wolverine: Origins #29, only , X-Factor v.3, #28 , X-Force v.3, #7 , X-Men: First Class, v.2, #16 , X-Men: Legacy #217 , X-Men: Manifest Destiny #3 of 5 (brief) , X-Men: Original Sin one-shot , Young X-Men #7

Feb 24, 2005, 12:27 pm	#14
disturbed_dsmw Human Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Jackson Country: Posts: 157	Re: WOLVERINE, X-CUTIONER: AN INTERVIEW WITH MARK MILLAR Great interview! I love all of MIllar's books. They are some of the things I look forward to the most each month. I'll be sad when all of his arcs are finished up. __________________ I made mine Marvel!

Feb 24, 2005, 02:02 pm	#16
spinarakboi Mutant Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Omaha Nebraska Country: Posts: 661	Re: WOLVERINE, X-CUTIONER: AN INTERVIEW WITH MARK MILLAR I'm gay and don't have a problem with it. Maybe I just don't comicbooks as seriously as others. It's sad when an xman dies and i like it when they die unexpectedly. i don't feel a characters death needs to be justified because to me that is more realistic. We don't all get justified deaths. We don't all die in glory and i think comicbooks should do the same. That said, Northstar is a character, and characters can always come back so in the scheme of things, it's no biggy. I hope that made sense. __________________ (Yahoo & IM: anarcticsin) How am I not myself? -

Feb 24, 2005, 03:53 pm	#17
Rory Metahuman Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Cork Country: Posts: 400	Re: WOLVERINE, X-CUTIONER: AN INTERVIEW WITH MARK MILLAR I may be pissed off with Mark Miller's choice but the fact that people are calling him a homophobe is sad and pathetic. Why not call Chris Claremont a racist(I'm not saying he is by the way) for killing one of the only Russians(Collosus) or Apaches(Thunderbird)? Moaning about the writer and insulting him is no way to go about getting a character ressurected. And don't say that it was because Northstar was the only gay because he wasn't. We had Phat and Vivisector(Where were the complaits to Peter Millagan when they died?) Ultimate Collosus. No one complained when Weapon X ended and after a lot of requests its getting a miniseries. So if Northstar is resurected then thats great but if he dosen't well serves everyone right for only caring about him when he died... Man i'm tired

Feb 24, 2005, 05:19 pm	#21
Jordan T. Maxwell Jedi Join Date: Feb 2002 Country: Posts: 3,377	Re: WOLVERINE, X-CUTIONER: AN INTERVIEW WITH MARK MILLAR hmm...an undead assassin with superspeed and light based powers. yeah, i can take that pretty seriously. __________________ bang.

Feb 24, 2005, 05:45 pm	#22
Princefan0(+> Human Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: ct Country: Posts: 97	Re: WOLVERINE, X-CUTIONER: AN INTERVIEW WITH MARK MILLAR I was sad about northstars death, but i can't wait to see where the title goes from here. __________________ Forget michael jackson king of pop cause the prince is so much cooler0(+> did you know prince had a comic book?(i bought it too) http://www.fictionpress.com/~thetribestale my poems

Feb 24, 2005, 06:47 pm	#23
nightwing Clone Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: chicago Country: Posts: 56	Re: WOLVERINE, X-CUTIONER: AN INTERVIEW WITH MARK MILLAR ya know, it's really annoying reading all these detractors of Millar's story. Millar is obviously a fan of Northstar and is using this Wolverine story to bring him into the spotlight since no one else is using him. anyone who thinks Northstar is staying dead shouldn't forget this is a comic book. chances are he's the one who's being resurrected as a Hand assassin. (and yes, a superfast ninja who can fly would be pretty dangerous) __________________ i want to see your eyes

Feb 24, 2005, 07:08 pm	#24
OuterCircle Psylocke/Revanche Acolyte Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: In My Skin, TX Country: Posts: 665	Re: WOLVERINE, X-CUTIONER: AN INTERVIEW WITH MARK MILLAR Re: Phat & Vivesector: Everyone "died" at the end of X-Statix. Phat and Vivesector were used, not just brought out of obscurity to be killed. They were killed in a book that parodied superheroes, including deaths. The problem I have with the motives of this story is JP was killed to further Wolverine's character development. I don't see how that was necessary. Plus, unlike the aforementioned X-Statix characters, he did pop out of limbo to be killed. He was labeled "expendable". Killing of B-list characters happens too often. __________________

Feb 24, 2005, 07:09 pm	#25
BoomBot Slayer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: OK, USA Country: Posts: 1,205	Re: WOLVERINE, X-CUTIONER: AN INTERVIEW WITH MARK MILLAR Great interview, Jordan. Millar's always a fun guy and I don't think the exaggeration that people criticize him for was in this interview. It sounds like the first arc of his Wolverine turned out well but I dropped it early. I might try the second part out. __________________

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