GREG PAK: HULK EXILED AND PHOENIX RETURNS

[John Gleason]

By John Gleason, Comixfan Reporter

Greg Pak has been making quite an impact over at Marvel Comics in recent years. He is responsible for the current Planet Hulk story in the The Incredible Hulk and the soon to be released sequel to Phoenix Endsong- Phoenix Warsong. Greg Pak recently found some time to give Comixfan a few details regarding his upcoming work with the Hulk, the X-Men, and his own creation Mastermind Excello.

Comixfan: Are there any plots from Phoenix Endsong that will be followed up on in Warsong specifically dealing with a certain Cuckoo related cliffhanger?

Greg Pak: Absolutely. The Cuckoos will play a huge role in Warsong. I can’t say too much for fear of spoilers, but we’re delving into some of the dark corners of the Grant Morrison stories while building on the Phoenix mythos established by folks like Chris Claremont and Morrison. It’s going to be a trip — a mindbending story that takes the Cuckoos and the X-Men to some shocking and unexpected places while clarifying some key elements of the Phoenix mythos.

Comixfan: Which X-Men can we expect to see pop up in Phoenix Warsong?

Greg Pak: The Astonishing team plus the Cuckoos plus a surprise or two.

Comixfan: What kind of role will Jean Grey play or not play in the series?

Greg Pak: I’m going to go out on a limb here and just say it -- it’s too early for the X-Men and for the Marvel Universe as a whole for Jean Grey to return. But Warsong is an essential Phoenix story, which means that it’s also an essential Jean Grey story. We’re going to be delving into some key ideas for the Phoenix which will respect and help explain the past while laying the groundwork for the future — fans of Jean Grey should not miss this series.

Comixfan: Is there anything else you would like to say to help plug the series?

Greg Pak: I’m loving the way the series is pulling together threads from completely different storylines and characters in surprising ways which nonetheless make perfect thematic sense and take the mythos to the next step. I’m also loving Tyler Kirkham’s art, which reminds me of the Silvestri’s pencils from Morrison’s Here Comes Tomorrow storyline and which I suspect is going to get trippier and trippier as the story progresses.


Comixfan: Now on to some Planet Hulk related questions. Part one of Planet Hulk just came to an end and Anarchy is fast approaching. Are there any details you can share on what to expect in the upcoming issues?

Greg Pak: If the Exile story arc of Planet Hulk was Star Wars, the Anarchy arc is The Empire Strikes Back. Just as thrilling, but darker and deeper. We’re learning more about the horrors of the Emperor’s rule, the mythic role the Hulk seems destined to play, and how their growing rage is affecting the Hulk and his crew. Big, big things are in store for several of the supporting characters -- Miek, the four-armed Native, and Caiera, the gray-skinned female Shadow Guard Lieutenant, in particular. They’re going to become major characters in the Hulk’s life — keep an eye on ‘em! And of course, the smashing continues.

Also, don’t miss the Planet Hulk: Gladiator Guidebook which hits stands on July 19. It’s an incredibly detailed guide to the history and inhabitants of Planet Sakaar — with tons of juicy details about the members of Hulk’s crew that you won’t find anywhere else.

Comixfan: Hulk recently went head to head with the Silver Savage. Will any other Marvel characters be stopping in for a brawl or two?

Greg Pak: Jarella of K’ai, who some say was the Hulk’s greatest love, made an appearance in Giant Size Hulk last month. And don’t miss Incredible Hulk #100 — a slew of major Marvel characters will pop up there.

Comixfan: Are there any other characters you would like to work on or will be working on in the future?

Greg Pak: The X-Men I think about the most these days (aside from the characters I’m working with in Warsong) are Storm, Nightcrawler, Angel, and Magneto. I’m hoping to get my hands on some of those characters someday. Other characters I’ve always loved include Deathlok and Morbius. But the character I’m probably the most excited about this instant is Amadeus Cho, aka Mastermind Excello, the genius kid on the run who first appeared in a story I wrote for Amazing Fantasy #15. Marvel.com polled readers to find out which character from Amazing Fantasy #15 should get a miniseries, and Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada recently announced at Newsarama that Mastermind Excello won. I’m working on plans for him to appear in an upcoming comic I’m writing now — keep your eyes open!

To find out more about these exciting projects stay tuned for more Comixfan coverage, or you can visit Greg Pak's personal website at www.pakbuzz.com .

[WolverAce]

Greg Pak: I’m going to go out on a limb here and just say it -- it’s too early for the X-Men and for the Marvel Universe as a whole for Jean Grey to return.

Now, what can you say to that??

Why kill off a character if you're planning to bring her back each and every time?

[Radiate]

Well...her name IS PhoeniX lol!

RADIATE!

[WolverAce]

Originally Posted by Radiate

Well...her name IS PhoeniX lol!

RADIATE!

You got me there.

[James Groves]

which would be great if a new, young Jean Grey was born... but we see the same character come back again at approx. the same age. It's repetitive and negates any danger to her character - and it's also quite boring too.

[Phil Hunn]

Originally Posted by James Groves

which would be great if a new, young Jean Grey was born... but we see the same character come back again at approx. the same age. It's repetitive and negates any danger to her character - and it's also quite boring too.

... and there it is. Phoenix = character death for Jean Grey.

GET A FREAKIN' CLUE, MARVEL!

[Anthony Devlin]

Originally Posted by James Groves

which would be great if a new, young Jean Grey was born... but we see the same character come back again at approx. the same age. It's repetitive and negates any danger to her character - and it's also quite boring too.

I hope she doesnt come back.. i'm sure i have a bet going with Will that we see her retrun over in AXM, before the end of Joss' last issue. but i do agree totally with what u've said here.

[Slung]

Originally Posted by Anthony Devlin

I hope she doesnt come back.. i'm sure i have a bet going with Will that we see her retrun over in AXM, before the end of Joss' last issue. but i do agree totally with what u've said here.

And here I was wondering if it was worth reading a book about Phoenix without Jean in it. I don't think Jean being able to come back from the dead makes her uninteresting or is character "death" - if we realize that is part and parcel with her as a character and we don't have to deal with any more stupid deaths. It could be an unusual and emotional facet to her. How does she deal with being someone who can always resurrect? Her friends and lovers can die around her but she can't? Sounds intriguing and outside of the box. Not saying its great, but its something different at least.

The problem isn't that she keeps being resurrected, it's that she keeps dying. We get it. The X-Men are sad when Jean dies. We've seen it before. I think the worst part of Morrisson's run was killing Jean - it had been done once before and much better. It would have been a much more interesting book if Cyclops had died or Wolverine (as if). And I mean, really died. But instead, we have to rehash Scott dealing with Jean's death, hooking up with some other woman who resembles Jean in some way (and lets face it, Emma has become "Jean" - phoenix and all - only snobby, self-absorbed and cynical) and the other characters mourning their dear friend's death. It was more interesting the first time. Killing Jean off waters down her character and the x-books' relevance.

As for the Phoenix problem. I'd like to see Jean be "Phoenix" without the cosmic mess. Just a little bird effect without the "cosmic song welling like a symphony within." I think Jean is a more marketable and better recognizable character with the imagery (like Wolverine and claws) but she is just so...unusable being god-like. So, if they can tear out the force and leave the effect, I'd be happy.

As for Warsong. Eh, I'm a bit tired of Emma Frost. I enjoy her quite a bit in Astonishing, but wish she wouldn't make appearances in every other x-book and be the x-spokesperson for every non-x-book appearance. She just isn't that interesting to me. I think Monet over in X-Factor has the same MO and does it alot better. I wouldn't mind seeing Storm, Rogue or Kitty in the role Emma has usurped. Emma isn't the premier "x-woman" that the powers-that-be have turned her into. I'm actually getting tired of Cyclops too (and he is one of my favorites) - but at least I feel he deserves to be a front and center character.

I'm guessing a comic about the Phoenix without Jean will not sell as well as a comic about Jean as Phoenix, but thats just a guess. Jean is one of the most popular of the x-characters (she usually polls within the top five), so her return is finacially viable and thus probably around the corner. Just, not this next corner.

[Kurse]

Greg Pak is doing an awesome job on Planet Hulk right now. So much happens in every issue, and it also has tons of great dialogue and action. Pretty much anything a Hulk fan could ask for.

He also kicked ass on Pheonix Endsong.

Good work, Mr. Pak!

[Scratchy]

Maybe he should turn Jean Grey (easily the most boring X-Man or X-Woman ever) into Mrs. Immortal, so her deaths and rebirths will be funnier and she'll become even more of an enethma. Or is that enema

Pak writes, well, don't he?

[cindercatz]

......
I love Jean as Phoenix (cosmic force intact). The two things that bugged me to no end about her through the nineties was the relationship with Cyclops and the denial of Phoenix. To me, Jean is Phoenix, and that's her most interesting, powerful (as in, impactful, not mutant powers) form. Jean was dulled down so, so, so much in between her Phoenix days (with the exception of a few stories here and there) that it nearly destroyed her character. She became the stock matriarch of the X-Men. No good. As Phoenix, she's unique, and I prefer her to herald something big. From this point on, if Phoenix shows up at all, you better know something major is about to happen. The books don't need Ms Matriarch (which is what Emma's turned into that people don't like) crowding out other characters, taking up two or three roster spaces. I'm all for Jean being the central figure of the X-Men (sans Scott) when it makes sense, but I'm more for Kitty to move up into that role and Jean to fully blossom into hers.

And wow, you've got the fundamental force of the cycle of life pulling a Trinity with an X-Man. And it pulls the best character traits she has out to the forefront as bonus. How cool is that? Infinitely. And hey, her daughter's an X-Man too. They could always do a communing with the spirts or spirit advisor setup with Jean and Rachel. That would be different. Might be an interesting dynamic to help set Rachel apart while Jean's out of the books.

[dr.maikel]

I am so looking forward to the Phoenix warsong.
Its the only comic book i orderd for two months now.
Cuse i dont like the X-universe that much annymore.
But i hope the warsong wil bring something special.

Huh...I thought I was the only one that felt this way...I've always wondered why the writers didn't do anything different with Jean...Logically you'd think that with her control over her powers that she'd make a really good team leader or a one woman army....There are other aspects to Jean aren't there? They could've done a LOT more with her family, if claremont hadn't killed them all off for no reason.

[jannepie]

How long is Planet Hulk? Till #105?

[Kurse]

Originally Posted by Janne Pietikainen

How long is Planet Hulk? Till #105?

Part 1: Exile. Feb - May 06 (#92-95)

Giant Size Hulk #1. June 06. (28 pages of new story-Planet Hulk tie in. Also reprints "Hulk: the End".)

Part 2: Anarchy. July - Oct 06 (#96-99)

Part 3: Allegiance. Nov 06 - Feb 07 (#100-103)

FINALE: Armageddon. Mar - Apr 07 (#104-105)

OVER A YEAR OF PLANET HULK!!! Hope this helps!

[steve2275]

Originally Posted by John Gleason

Also, don’t miss the Planet Hulk: Gladiator Guidebook which hits stands on July 19. It’s an incredibly detailed guide to the history and inhabitants of Planet Sakaar — with tons of juicy details about the members of Hulk’s crew that you won’t find anywhere else.

really good read

[jannepie]

Originally Posted by Kurse

OVER A YEAR OF PLANET HULK!!! Hope this helps!

Thanks!!!

[Will Carper]

Originally Posted by Anthony Devlin

I hope she doesnt come back.. i'm sure i have a bet going with Will that we see her retrun over in AXM, before the end of Joss' last issue. but i do agree totally with what u've said here.

We do? How much did I put down?

I think Jean Grey constantly returning as Phoenix could be cool if they gave her Phoenix-worthy tasks to complete and didn't bog her down with the X-Men (as Phil and I both agree that she could defeat the X-Men's Rogues Gallery in about a quarter second).

[Anthony Devlin]

Originally Posted by Will Carper

We do? How much did I put down? .

and all the money you make this summer. i cant remember which way the bet went now though.

[JK135]

Hmmm just a side note. Is it me or do you think jean made a hotter phoenix? the blonde and fire thing just doesnt seem to work