Ask Kurt Busiek

[Kubert]

With the rise of A.I. across the globe, a vast entity like Mastermold could / should rise in importance. Yet it's pigeonholed by 1 program (mutants). What if it had different programs (purposes)? "The Twelve" story teased the idea of future Sentinels actually reprogrammed to save mutantkind. Bolivar Trask said Mastermold may actually even threaten greater humankind. Hence this A.I. (of increasing importance) affects the greater Marvel Universe (not only X-books). Thus ever considered stories on A.I., tech, bots, and how it affects greater humankind; in regards to the Mastermold metaphor?


Mastermold by Kirby (can Alex Ross redo this Kirby Klassic)?!?

[Ascended]

Yes.

Thought so. Was there any big reason for that, do you know, or was it just a matter of "we don't need the Code to tell quality stories appropriate for our intended readers?"

There's a big difference between "unfinished stories" and "no more ideas." For example, my SUPERSTAR: AS SEEN ON TV GN is a finished story. But I have lots of ideas for other stories about Superstar and his family.

Ah, true. I should have been more precise in my wording.

I would say I probably have more finished stories than unfinished stories, but I don't think I've ever done a project where I used all the ideas I had for it.

I'm glad you have more "finished" than "unfinished." Is it hard walking away with stuff left to say? Do you ever prioritize and get your favorite ideas out first?

And as always, thanks for your time and input.

[Kurt Busiek]

Kurt Busiek, I Love your work... Do you read any of your co-workers stuff?

Some of it, sure. I just read the latest USAGI YOJIMBO and SAVAGE DRAGON last night, and I've got THAT TEXAS BLOOD, PULP and CRUEL SUMMER up next. And a huge mass of other comics and books waiting. I've been reading through some LEGION eras I've missed, too.

If so what's your take on the alleged polyamory happening on Krakoa?

That, I haven't read. I read the HoX/Pox event, but haven't read anything beyond that, so far.

kdb

[Kurt Busiek]

Was there ever a time when you might’ve gotten the main Hulk book? Would you have wanted to, is Hulk a character that interests you?

I don't think there was ever a time Marvel would have offered it to me, but I came up with a mess of Hulk stories years ago and think there was some good stuff in there.

I like the Hulk a lot.

kdb

[Kurt Busiek]

Thus ever considered stories on A.I., tech, bots, and how it affects greater humankind; in regards to the Mastermold metaphor?

Can't say I have -- that's not really where my mind goes, story-wise. But I think there are a batch of other writers who do think about that sort of thing, so maybe someone will do it.

Mastermold by Kirby (can Alex Ross redo this Kirby Klassic)?!?

I'm sure he could, if he ever has occasion to.

kdb

[Vordan]

I don't think there was ever a time Marvel would have offered it to me, but I came up with a mess of Hulk stories years ago and think there was some good stuff in there.

I like the Hulk a lot.

kdb

Hulk’s my favorite Marvel character so I’d love to see you work on him. You a fan of Ewing’s horror Immortal Hulk take? Honestly his love of continuity and reinventing old concepts to work in the modern day, while also bringing new concepts in to play kinda reminds me of your storytelling technique (insofar as I understand what you’re going for)

Gotta say I would love to see you do an Immortal Hulk one shot like Lemire and Taylor have done, just putting that out there

[Kurt Busiek]

Thought so. Was there any big reason for that, do you know, or was it just a matter of "we don't need the Code to tell quality stories appropriate for our intended readers?"

Pretty much that, I think. The Powers That Be at Marvel didn't understand what they needed the Code for any more, and it was time-consuming, cost them money and occasionally hemmed them in on what they wanted to do, so they dropped out.

Is it hard walking away with stuff left to say?

Sometimes. I keep wanting to do a run of POWER MAN & IRON FIST, to get to do those characters like I wish I'd been able to do them back when. And I've got lots of ideas for AVENGERS. But the situation wasn't right to really develop those ideas, so it'd have been a frustrating experience to stay.

Also, I have far more ideas than I'll ever be able to use, and I keep coming up with more. So if I'd stayed on AVENGERS, then I wouldn't have time to do, I dunno, CONAN, or AQUAMAN, and those ideas would be left unused. After a while, you get used to the idea that you're not going to use up all your ideas anywhere.

Do you ever prioritize and get your favorite ideas out first?

That's not really how storytelling works, at least for me. It's not about doing your favorite thing, but treating the characters and themes well and honestly. And you use the ideas that do that, and then go on to more, and then more. A "favorite" idea might work better in a third arc than a first.

Plus, I find it hard to rank things as "favorites." As long as I'll enjoy working with them, they'll grow into good stories; they're not limited to what the initial idea is.

kdb

[Kurt Busiek]

Hulk’s my favorite Marvel character so I’d love to see you work on him. You a fan of Ewing’s horror Immortal Hulk take?

I've read the first collection and liked it. Want to get to more, but I've got a huge backlog...

Honestly his love of continuity and reinventing old concepts to work in the modern day, while also bringing new concepts in to play kinda reminds me of your storytelling technique (insofar as I understand what you’re going for)

I've heard that said, and it's pretty flattering.

Gotta say I would love to see you do an Immortal Hulk one shot like Lemire and Taylor have done, just putting that out there

No plans, but I guess you never know. My general preference is to be able to do my own run and set the ground rules so I can go in my own direction, rather than telling stories in someone else's status quo. Not that I haven't done plenty of that -- including, sometimes, doing it in very continuity-intense ways, like UNTOLD TALES, but I've done enough of it so that I'd rather have more freedom, most of the time, these days.

kdb

[Ascended]

Pretty much that, I think. The Powers That Be at Marvel didn't understand what they needed the Code for any more, and it was time-consuming, cost them money and occasionally hemmed them in on what they wanted to do, so they dropped out.

Really? I didn't know it cost them money. Did they have to get each script approved or something? I thought it was just a provided list of things they couldn't do, with the threat of legal action if they didn't abide by it or something.

Sometimes. I keep wanting to do a run of POWER MAN & IRON FIST, to get to do those characters like I wish I'd been able to do them back when. And I've got lots of ideas for AVENGERS. But the situation wasn't right to really develop those ideas, so it'd have been a frustrating experience to stay.

I would love to read your take on Luke Cage. Forgive me if this is a inappropriate question, but with everything that's been happening in the country these last couple months, do you think that would influence your work with everyone's favorite hero for hire?

Also, I have far more ideas than I'll ever be able to use, and I keep coming up with more. So if I'd stayed on AVENGERS, then I wouldn't have time to do, I dunno, CONAN, or AQUAMAN, and those ideas would be left unused. After a while, you get used to the idea that you're not going to use up all your ideas anywhere.

That makes sense. Do you ever re-work and adapt an idea you didn't get to use for a different book? Like, I dunno, turning an idea for Avengers into a JLA plot or something? I know there'd be thematic differences to take into account and whatnot, of course.

As always, thanks for your time. You rock!

[Hypestyle]

Mr. Busiek, have you ever been approached by Marvel TV with the interest of adapting one of your story arcs for Marvel characters into an animated film?
I'd still love to see Untold Tales of Spider-Man and your Avengers vs. Morgan LeFay arc adapted somehow.
enjoy the weekend!

[Kurt Busiek]

Really? I didn't know it cost them money.

The CCA was funded by the member publishers. They didn't work for free; they had to pay their staff. So all the publishers who were CCA member contributed to keep it going.

Did they have to get each script approved or something?

Not each script, but each finished comic was (theoretically) run by the CCA for approval before being printed.

I thought it was just a provided list of things they couldn't do, with the threat of legal action if they didn't abide by it or something.

The CCA wasn't a government body -- they were an association of comics publishers. As such, there was no legal repercussions to violating the Code -- both DC and Marvel put out non-Code books, after all -- but if they did stuff the Code didn't approve, they couldn't use the Code stamp.

I would love to read your take on Luke Cage. Forgive me if this is a inappropriate question, but with everything that's been happening in the country these last couple months, do you think that would influence your work with everyone's favorite hero for hire?

I'm sure it would, yeah. Everything around us has an effect.

Do you ever re-work and adapt an idea you didn't get to use for a different book? Like, I dunno, turning an idea for Avengers into a JLA plot or something?

Sure. My plans for what to do with Quasar after MAXIMUM SECURITY turned into part of TRINITY, and some of my unused plans for JLA turned up in SUPERMAN. Stuff I wanted to do with the Red Tornado I wound up doing with the Vision, and in a project that's not announced yet I'll get to use some of the ideas I didn't get to use in AQUAMAN.

Ideas are versatile and adaptable.

As always, thanks for your time. You rock!

Thanks.

kdb

[Kurt Busiek]

Mr. Busiek, have you ever been approached by Marvel TV with the interest of adapting one of your story arcs for Marvel characters into an animated film?

They wouldn't need to approach me -- they already own those stories.

But while they've used stuff I've created here and there, I haven't heard of any animated films in the works based on any of my Marvel stories. Not that I'd necessarily know, ahead of time.

kdb

[Ying Ko]

Sometimes. I keep wanting to do a run of POWER MAN & IRON FIST, to get to do those characters like I wish I'd been able to do them back when.

I for one would love to see that happen!

Would you still go for the comedy angle a la Duffy or something more serious?

[Revolutionary_Jack]

Mr. Busiek,

Who would you consider to be the most complex characters in the 616 Marvel Universe? By complex, I don't mean in terms of continuity or so on (i.e. too many retcons) but in terms of personality and character depth?

[Zelena]

Hello Mr Busiek,

there’s currently a thread in the subforum X-books about the lack of Black characters in X-books: Why haven't any of the Black Male X-men caught on other than Bishop?

The main idea is that it goes hand in hand with the lack of Black authors. I know, of course, that you have nothing to do with the existing situation but I’d like to have your opinion on it: aren’t there a lot of Black authors? Have they problems to sell stories? Or do you think they aren’t interested by this franchise?

If you have no idea at all, it’s fine too…

Thanks.