Ask Kurt Busiek

[danielsan52]

Long live WarBird! Just saying. Keep her around.
Don't kill her!

My guess is she is Chimera from Femizons.

[JudicatorPrime]

Jessica Drew has Chthon stories as well. Odd how she is also from Wundagore...

I often found the parallel between the magical twins from the old classic Disney movies Escape to Witch Mountain and Return from Witch Mountain (circa mid-1970s) and the early history of Wanda, Pietro and Wundagore interesting.

But to your point, Jessica's ties to Wundagore aren't so strange when you consider that her father partnered with H. E. Wyndham in his genetic experimentations that ultimately produced the New Men. I'm not sure if Marvel has since reimagined Jessica's origin or not, but it kind of made sense that an advanced science which could make hybrid man beasts could also produce a spider-woman.

Wundagore is one of those things that Marvel got right. The perfect confluence of science and sorcery.

[danielsan52]

I often found the parallel between the magical twins from the old classic Disney movies Escape to Witch Mountain and Return from Witch Mountain (circa mid-1970s) and the early history of Wanda, Pietro and Wundagore interesting.

Tony and Tia from those totally remind me of mutants. I’m fact I wonder if Manson and Maxime are modeled after them.

[JudicatorPrime]

Long live WarBird! Just saying. Keep her around.
Don't kill her!

Exactly this! Only whack her if you plan on penning a crazy What If? story where Warbird and the Last Eternal, Hyperion, have a daughter who travels back in time to find her mother's killer. Naturally, we'd like to see said story arc continued in the pages of Marvels, as well. You have room for more new characters and lots of unexpected twists and turns, right???

[Kirby101]

Kurt, 2022 sounds amazing, Arrowsmith is back! Yeah! And the return of Astro City!
Tell us more!

[Marvell2100]

Congratulations Mr. Busiek! This time I'll actually be able to get your creator owned work at the beginning!

Free Agents looks really exciting.

[Superfan90]

Hey Mr Busiek, Was Hercules at half strength in your Avengers run and JLA/Avengers?

[Kurt Busiek]

Kurt, 2022 sounds amazing, Arrowsmith is back! Yeah! And the return of Astro City!
Tell us more!

What, we just told you all that, and you want more right away?

Okay, I'll tell you that we have some pretty damn awesome covers for ARROWSMITH coming in.

[Kurt Busiek]

Hey Mr Busiek, Was Hercules at half strength in your Avengers run and JLA/Avengers?

That was a long time ago.

I don't have any memory that he was, at least.

kdb

[Lukmendes]

I often found the parallel between the magical twins from the old classic Disney movies Escape to Witch Mountain and Return from Witch Mountain (circa mid-1970s) and the early history of Wanda, Pietro and Wundagore interesting.

But to your point, Jessica's ties to Wundagore aren't so strange when you consider that her father partnered with H. E. Wyndham in his genetic experimentations that ultimately produced the New Men. I'm not sure if Marvel has since reimagined Jessica's origin or not, but it kind of made sense that an advanced science which could make hybrid man beasts could also produce a spider-woman.

Last time I read Spider-Woman's on-going, Wundagore was still around as part of her origin, Jessica even returns to it.

Anyways, this might be the best place to say this, I'm reading The Marvels now, it's a bit too slow paced so far, but it's kinda fun, keep up the nice work Busiek.

[marhawkman]

Greetings your Busiek-ness.

Today someone reminded me of the Exemplar story and the Wager of the Octessence... then I noticed your name in the credits for that piece. Soo... now I wonder....

Each Exemplar has a personality, but during the wager of the Octessense story they all felt compelled to do as their patron deities commanded.

We've seen how Cain Marko uses the power of the Crimson Crystal of Cytorrak when he's just off doing his own thing.

But what of the other seven? Inferno (Samantha McGee) was a pilot who (temporarily)worked for Ironman before she was empowered by the Blinding Brazier of Balthakk. How would she use that power if Balthakk wasn't compelling her to participate in the wager?

and so on for the other Exemplars.(I really wish they'd made more appearances)

[Phoenixx9]

Greetings your Busiek-ness.

Today someone reminded me of the Exemplar story and the Wager of the Octessence... then I noticed your name in the credits for that piece. Soo... now I wonder....

Each Exemplar has a personality, but during the wager of the Octessense story they all felt compelled to do as their patron deities commanded.

We've seen how Cain Marko uses the power of the Crimson Crystal of Cytorrak when he's just off doing his own thing.

But what of the other seven? Inferno (Samantha McGee) was a pilot who (temporarily)worked for Ironman before she was empowered by the Blinding Brazier of Balthakk. How would she use that power if Balthakk wasn't compelling her to participate in the wager?

and so on for the other Exemplars.(I really wish they'd made more appearances)

To piggy-on-your-back, I always liked Bedlam (and the Ivory Idol of Ikonn!), but have not seen her since the Octessence.

How powerful is she compared to the powerful psychics we know? So for example, would Olissa be comparable to Moondragon, Psylocke, Jean or Charles? Also, could she fly?

[babyblob]

I have a question. Mr. Busiek. I loved your Untold tales of Spiderman series. I know there wont be another one but since the series was back in 1995-1997 and 25 25 years or so have passed. If you were to do an Untold Tale in todays day and age with all the recons and things that have been added and changed, and new characters and such what would be a fun story that you would want to do in an untold tales kind of way?

Or would it be kind of pointless to do such a series in todays comic book climate with all the mentioned recons and such that seem to be in every couple of issues now a days.

[Kurt Busiek]

But what of the other seven? Inferno (Samantha McGee) was a pilot who (temporarily)worked for Ironman before she was empowered by the Blinding Brazier of Balthakk. How would she use that power if Balthakk wasn't compelling her to participate in the wager?

I don't know -- I was kind of hoping other writers would pick them up and use them, and we'd learn more about them that way.

If I ever write any of them again, I could explore that, but until then, I don't really know.

kdb

[Kurt Busiek]

To piggy-on-your-back, I always liked Bedlam (and the Ivory Idol of Ikonn!), but have not seen her since the Octessence.

How powerful is she compared to the powerful psychics we know? So for example, would Olissa be comparable to Moondragon, Psylocke, Jean or Charles? Also, could she fly?

Again, that's something that could be explored, but it hasn't been.

The way I'd figure it, they're all about as powerful as the Juggernaut, just at different things.

What that translates to in specifics, I wouldn't express in numbers; I'd rather see it done in stories.

kdb