Ask Kurt Busiek

[Speed Force League Unlimited]

Hi dude (can I call you that?), sir. What did it feel like writing for a Video Game? I remember seeing a post from you in old CBR commenting on different writing style for mediums outside comics, and I've wanted to ask you what it was like to write for LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2. And did you write the Gwenpool missions?


It seems that a lot of writers forget that Superman's weakness against magic requires it to be very powerful and not just magic, so I really appreciate that you wrote the plot of him on a quest to determine how powerful is magic he is vulnerable against.

[Ichijinijisanji]

................

[Ascended]

I want to say "thanks" to Mr. Busiek for posting and engaging with the fans here. It's always great to see a pro interact with the community and I've loved reading the questions *and* answers here. Interesting stuff! So man, thanks for taking the time to pop in.

So Mr. Busiek, I'm curious about your methodology. Haven't read all the pages so apologies if this was already asked. But when you get on a character you haven't written before, how much research do you do? What are the elements you look at most closely? And in cases where there's different continuities (like with Superman at DC) do you look at older continuity at all or focus exclusively on the current version while "figuring out" the character?

Thanks again, and all the best, brother!

[Kurt Busiek]

Hi dude (can I call you that?), sir. What did it feel like writing for a Video Game? I remember seeing a post from you in old CBR commenting on different writing style for mediums outside comics, and I've wanted to ask you what it was like to write for LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2. And did you write the Gwenpool missions?

I didn't write the Gwenpool missions, no.

Mostly I worked on the overall structure, on how the story would flow from mission to mission. I made suggestions for some of the gameplay sequences (bigger suggestions as we got further into the game and moved toward the climax), but my main focus was story structure and character consistency.

It was fun.

It seems that a lot of writers forget that Superman's weakness against magic requires it to be very powerful and not just magic, so I really appreciate that you wrote the plot of him on a quest to determine how powerful is magic he is vulnerable against.

I don't think I wrote a plot like that. As I understand it, magic works on Superman. What's key is what the magic is supposed to do.

[Kurt Busiek]

Hey Mr Busiek

When you wrote Carol Danvers back in the avengers, did you do some research into Depersonalization/dissociation disorders with the whole "my memories are there, but they don't feel like mine" and behaviors resulting from it?

Not particularly, no. I thought that kind of thing was dry and required too much explanation, which is why I kind of folded it into her becoming an alcoholic, which I thought was more immediate and more dramatic in the space we had to deal with it in a team comic.

Also, I know this is the marvel forum, but have you been interested in writing a batman ongoing. I remember seeing your input on how batman should be a socially savvy individual instead of a grouch, something I think grant morrison has also echoed?

I could have a lot f fun writing a Batman ongoing, but I don't think my approach would be what DC is interested in at present, and I'm not sure it'd be what the audience wants, either.

[Kurt Busiek]

I want to say "thanks" to Mr. Busiek for posting and engaging with the fans here. It's always great to see a pro interact with the community and I've loved reading the questions *and* answers here. Interesting stuff! So man, thanks for taking the time to pop in.

My pleasure.

So Mr. Busiek, I'm curious about your methodology. Haven't read all the pages so apologies if this was already asked. But when you get on a character you haven't written before, how much research do you do?

As much as I can.

When I took on POWER MAN/IRON FIST, for instance, I bought and read complete runs of POWER MAN and IRON FIST, as well as the previous runs of POWER MAN/IRON FIST. When I wrote AVENGERS, I got and read full runs of AVENGERS, AVENGERS WEST COAST, SOLO AVENGERS, Captain America, IRO. MAN, THOR, MS. MARVEL, WONDER MAN and on and on. Whatever I might need.

When I wrote SUPERMAN, I didn't read the entirety of Superman (that's just too much stuff), but I had access to all of post-Crisis Superman and I'd read all of the Julie Schwartz Superman. So I had pretty much steeped myself in Superman from 1971 on, and had read a bunch of what came earlier.

What are the elements you look at most closely?

Whatever seems interesting. From the stuff that forms the character's personality to interesting villains that it'd be fun to bring back.

And in cases where there's different continuities (like with Superman at DC) do you look at older continuity at all or focus exclusively on the current version while "figuring out" the character?

The current continuity is the stuff you need to know for "what actually happened," but lots of stuff in the older stuff might be useful.

When Steve Englehart wrote Batman, he got both Deadshot and Hugo Strange from stories that had been relegated to Earth-Two, but that didn't stop him.

[edpower]

Since, again, you're one of my 2 fave Amalgam Comic creators, I wanted to share with you....THIS! MY MOST PHENOMENAL WASTE OF TIME TO DATE!!!

Original Doom Patrol + Original X-Factor = Doom Factor
Teen Titans + X-Men = The Teen Mutants/New Teen Mutants

Elasti-Girl + Angel = Elasti-Angel (both upbeat characters with money)
Negative Man + Iceman = Negative Temperature Man (both solid white colored characters retconned to be gay)
Chief + Cameron Hodge = Head Hodge (both humans involved with the team, both become disembodied heads after betraying their team)

Robotman + Professor X = Professor Techs/Cereborg (both mentor the new teams, and recruit them to avenge/rescue the first team)

Beast + Cyborg = Cyber-Beast (science based characters, both members of X-Factor/Doom Patrol [due to the DP TV show], X-Men/Teen Titans, New X-Men/New Teen Titans, as well as long-standing members of the JLA/Avengers)
Beast Boy + Cyclops = Boyclops (due to the Phoenix Contract story-line )
Mento + Jean Grey = Jean Dayton, Mental Girl, Mind-Phoenix, Crime-Phoenix (both are from the original team, both break bad)

Nightwing + Gambit = Blackjack (ties into Dark Devil foe Wildcard)
Donna Troy + Storm = Thunder Girl (ties to Thunder Woman, both characters goddess adjacent)
Starfire + Rogue = Rouge Star (ties to Kree Lantern/Carol Jordan)
Raven + Nightcrawler = Night Raven (both demi-demon, teleporters)
Terra I + Goblin Queen = Terra Queen (see where I'm going?)

I gotta work on some more, but I think that's a good foundation.

I think I want their main foes to be called The Brotherhood of Evil, Evil Mutants.

Also, Crazy Jaime, the Multiple, Multiple Woman is coming soon!

...

(crickets chirp)

....

Thanks again for responding here. It really is cool!

[Ichijinijisanji]

Not particularly, no. I thought that kind of thing was dry and required too much explanation, which is why I kind of folded it into her becoming an alcoholic, which I thought was more immediate and more dramatic in the space we had to deal with it in a team comic

hmm I did enjoy some of the complexity added from it regardless, depersonalization/derealization is more unique than alcoholism, atleast in the broader scope of characters, better than the typical amnesia and not quite multiple personality disorder

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

https://www.newsarama.com/48268-kurt...snapshots.html

[DrNewGod]

https://www.newsarama.com/48268-kurt...snapshots.html

Busiek, Ross and Orway?!? I am happy clapping now!

[K7P5V]

Busiek, Ross and Orway?!? I am happy clapping now!

Me too. Totally looking forward to this.

[IamGroot]

Hi Mr. Busiek,

I was hoping to learn some more about the Charcoal character situation in Thunderbolts if possible?

Who had the idea originally to run the contest? and was it solely your decision which creation won? Did you have more long term plans for the character before things came to an abrupt end? if so, can you tell what they were?

Pretty much anything you can share from the time or if you have any opinions on the entire matter would be really interesting to hear.

Thanks in advance!

[Ascended]

As much as I can.

When I wrote SUPERMAN, I didn't read the entirety of Superman (that's just too much stuff), but I had access to all of post-Crisis Superman and I'd read all of the Julie Schwartz Superman. So I had pretty much steeped myself in Superman from 1971 on, and had read a bunch of what came earlier.

Whatever seems interesting. From the stuff that forms the character's personality to interesting villains that it'd be fun to bring back.

The current continuity is the stuff you need to know for "what actually happened," but lots of stuff in the older stuff might be useful.

When Steve Englehart wrote Batman, he got both Deadshot and Hugo Strange from stories that had been relegated to Earth-Two, but that didn't stop him.

Thanks for the reply.

Yeah, I suspected the methodology went along those lines. Used to freelance as a graphic designer (I wasn't half bad either) but never put any thought into the other sides of the process.

[ARkadelphia]

Hi Mr. Busiek,

I was hoping to learn some more about the Charcoal character situation in Thunderbolts if possible?

Who had the idea originally to run the contest? and was it solely your decision which creation won? Did you have more long term plans for the character before things came to an abrupt end? if so, can you tell what they were?

Pretty much anything you can share from the time or if you have any opinions on the entire matter would be really interesting to hear.

Thanks in advance!

I’m not Mr Busiek but you’ve got some info wrong here. The contest was originally in FOOM magazine back in the 1960’s. Charcoal was declared the winner but for some reason I forget, he never appeared in a Marvel comic as stipulated in the comic rules. Busiek, being aware of the history, decided to add him to Thunderbolts 2 decades later.

[IamGroot]

I’m not Mr Busiek but you’ve got some info wrong here. The contest was originally in FOOM magazine back in the 1960’s. Charcoal was declared the winner but for some reason I forget, he never appeared in a Marvel comic as stipulated in the comic rules. Busiek, being aware of the history, decided to add him to Thunderbolts 2 decades later.

I am almost certain it was a contest through Wizard magazine as I don't think I considered entering a contest decades before I was born haha, so I am not sure what you're remembering?

However I did forget that Mr. Busiek was no longer writing Thunderbolts when the rights issue came to a head and was actually Fabian Nicieza at the time. In saying that, I'd still like to know a little more of the origins if possible.