Ask Kurt Busiek

[Kurt Busiek]

Mr. Busiek i have a question i have been discussing with a few friends i wonder if you could give your perspective on it. In regards to Bruce Banner and Hulk.

There has been some point of contention over the years whether or not Hulk has accidentally or intentionally killed people in his rampages. Where do you fall on the matter? Do you believe Hulk has accidentally or intentionally killed innocent people at some point and if the answer is yes, do you think that taints his character or diminishes it in some way? Do you think it makes Bruce Banner irredeemable?

I think it would be almost impossible for him not to have killed anyone, and whenever someone in a story says he hasn't, I think it ruins the suspension of disbelief -- it makes the stories seem artificial and forced, rather than making the character seem more noble. It just says that he could have killed people, but by sheer coincidence, a coincidence repeated over and over and over again through hundreds of stories, it just somehow never happened.

It doesn't feel credible to me.

As for whether it diminishes the character, since I never thought it was credible that he hadn't caused any deaths, it doesn't change my perception of the character either positively or negatively. That's just who he is.

I think it's hard to assign moral guilt to him for actions taken in a rage as the Hulk, when he's not really capable of making moral choices.

And I'm not really that interested in whether Bruce is redeemable, because unless you mean that in Christian terms, it's kind of meaningless. In Christian terms -- whether he can be redeemed of his sins and go to Heaven -- I don't care, because he's unlikely to age much or die and ever have to face the question. Plus, I don't actually believe in Heaven.

In terms of earthly redemption, well, the Hulk is fictional. What I want from him is for him to be interesting, not for him to be someone I'd elect to the school board. I think it's interesting for Bruce to feel guilt at what the Hulk has done, and try to stop or minimize that -- if Bruce got told that there was some mysterious cosmic force that has somehow prevented him from ever killing anyone, I think that would be bad for the stories, on top of not being credible. So I like the idea that Bruce is, in part, motivation by feelings of guilt and of fear of what he might do as the Hulk.

He doesn't need to be Captain America.

Nor does he need to be Wolverine, who has killed people who didn't deserve it, and feels no guilt about it. He's an interesting character too, but he's driven by things the Hulk isn't, and vice versa.

I don't think the Hulk is ever gonna stop busting up towns and tanks and stuff, at least not as long as people want to read stories about him. So I don't think "is he redeemable" is an interesting question, because we're never going to get to the part of his life where it'd be answered. I think a better question is "how would he react to the fear of killing people" and "how would other people react to him as someone who can become suddenly deadly when he's angry"? These are questions that can make for good stories, and that's what I want from the Hulk.

kdb

[Kubert]

"Can a thread like this be created in the DC Comics section," then anyone can go ahead and do it, sure.

kdb

Thanks Mr. Busiek!

Ask Kurt Busiek / DC Comics

[Intothevoid]

I think it would be almost impossible for him not to have killed anyone, and whenever someone in a story says he hasn't, I think it ruins the suspension of disbelief -- it makes the stories seem artificial and forced, rather than making the character seem more noble. It just says that he could have killed people, but by sheer coincidence, a coincidence repeated over and over and over again through hundreds of stories, it just somehow never happened.

It doesn't feel credible to me.

As for whether it diminishes the character, since I never thought it was credible that he hadn't caused any deaths, it doesn't change my perception of the character either positively or negatively. That's just who he is.

I think it's hard to assign moral guilt to him for actions taken in a rage as the Hulk, when he's not really capable of making moral choices.

And I'm not really that interested in whether Bruce is redeemable, because unless you mean that in Christian terms, it's kind of meaningless. In Christian terms -- whether he can be redeemed of his sins and go to Heaven -- I don't care, because he's unlikely to age much or die and ever have to face the question. Plus, I don't actually believe in Heaven.

In terms of earthly redemption, well, the Hulk is fictional. What I want from him is for him to be interesting, not for him to be someone I'd elect to the school board. I think it's interesting for Bruce to feel guilt at what the Hulk has done, and try to stop or minimize that -- if Bruce got told that there was some mysterious cosmic force that has somehow prevented him from ever killing anyone, I think that would be bad for the stories, on top of not being credible. So I like the idea that Bruce is, in part, motivation by feelings of guilt and of fear of what he might do as the Hulk.

He doesn't need to be Captain America.

Nor does he need to be Wolverine, who has killed people who didn't deserve it, and feels no guilt about it. He's an interesting character too, but he's driven by things the Hulk isn't, and vice versa.

I don't think the Hulk is ever gonna stop busting up towns and tanks and stuff, at least not as long as people want to read stories about him. So I don't think "is he redeemable" is an interesting question, because we're never going to get to the part of his life where it'd be answered. I think a better question is "how would he react to the fear of killing people" and "how would other people react to him as someone who can become suddenly deadly when he's angry"? These are questions that can make for good stories, and that's what I want from the Hulk.

kdb

Thank you for the answer, it's interesting to see writers have a very different perspective of this over the years. Dan Slott for instance wrote a blog years ago saying pretty much the exact opposite, Greg Pak also had an in-universe explanation for why Hulk doesn't kill and wrote it when World War Hulk event happened, but i think if i am being honest your interpretation is way more realistic. No matter how smart or how prepared or how much Banner has some kind of subconscious control over Hulk, you can't realistically stop everyone dying in a rampage Hulk caused.

Yes i was talking more of a redemption of Banner as a hero, does his alter ego taint him in this way, the heavenly stuff doesn't interest me either. And yea i like the questions you asked, they can make for good stories i think they are being explored as we speak in the current Hulk series.

Once again thanks for the answer.

[Wall-Crawler]

Have you been keeping up with Thor and Spider-Man comic books ? If the answer is no, then what was the last you read of them ?

[Kurt Busiek]

Have you been keeping up with Thor and Spider-Man comic books ?

Not really, no.

If the answer is no, then what was the last you read of them ?

I read a bunch of Stuart Immonen's run on art, and I read the first few issues of the current run, but haven't gotten beyond that yet.

For THOR, I think the last time I read a stretch of it in a row was the beginning of the Kieron Gillen run.

As I keep noting, I'm waaaaaay behind on most things.

kdb

[Elmo]

Hi Mr Busiek.
Your work on Avengers and Thunderbolts was deeply impactful in my early years, two runs I always go back to and still find the same level of enjoyment.

My question is about crutches. I feel that a lot of crutches are harmless, but sometimes when coming up with new characters and plot elements I find that I'm mirroring something I've already written. It feels convenient to go back to an idea that works--but what are your key steps to making the new ideas completely independent from stuff you've already done?

Thank you so much! Hope you're having a great day

[Kurt Busiek]

Hi Mr Busiek.
Your work on Avengers and Thunderbolts was deeply impactful in my early years, two runs I always go back to and still find the same level of enjoyment.

Thanks.

My question is about crutches. I feel that a lot of crutches are harmless, but sometimes when coming up with new characters and plot elements I find that I'm mirroring something I've already written. It feels convenient to go back to an idea that works--but what are your key steps to making the new ideas completely independent from stuff you've already done?

I don't have a formula to it -- and honestly, I don't feel a burning urge to make sure new ideas are completely independent from stuff I've already done. After all, I did THE LIBERTY PROJECT, about super-criminals on the path to redemption as superheroes, and then later I did THUNDERBOLTS. And in ASTRO CITY I've done Steeljack, an ex-supervillain seeking redemption, and I wouldn't be surprised in I explored that idea a few more times.

I'd say if it feels like you're doing something with an idea that you didn't get to before, then by all means revisit it. If it feels like you're just repeating yourself, do something else.

But there's no rule to it. Just case-by-case stuff, and experience.

kdb

[James Hunter]

Kurt,

I apologise if this has already been answered but has the Covid-9 pandemic had any effect on your up-coming THE MARVELS series? Is it still coming (digitally or in print)? Is there anything you can tell us?

[Kurt Busiek]

Kurt,

I apologise if this has already been answered but has the Covid-9 pandemic had any effect on your up-coming THE MARVELS series? Is it still coming (digitally or in print)? Is there anything you can tell us?

The pandemic has affected all of comics, sure. Right now, we're not working on THE MARVELS, because Marvel backburnered a large portion of their line, and since THE MARVELS hadn't debuted yet, it's an easy one to say "Hold off on that until we know when everything's coming back and can make plans for how best to release books again."

So it's currently on hold until they tell us to start up again, but that's all I know at the moment.

kdb

[Wall-Crawler]

Not really, no.

I read a bunch of Stuart Immonen's run on art, and I read the first few issues of the current run, but haven't gotten beyond that yet.

Oh yeah, I love Immonen's art, I believe he was on the book when the legacy numbers returned and Peter lost his company, then got back to work to the Daily Bugle as the science editor, not Slott's strongest work but enjoyable nonetheless.
Have you read Big Time ? It is IMO Slott's strongest era on Spidey. Also, the current run by Nick Spencer has been really good, I'd recommend you to get back to it if you can.

For THOR, I think the last time I read a stretch of it in a row was the beginning of the Kieron Gillen run.

I see, Kieron was pretty good, wish he could have stayed longer on the book, even though he went on to write an amazing Loki story in JIM.

As I keep noting, I'm waaaaaay behind on most things.

Sorry if you've spoken about this before, but is there a particular reason ? Do you plan on getting up to date on some characters ?

[James Hunter]

The pandemic has affected all of comics, sure. Right now, we're not working on THE MARVELS, because Marvel backburnered a large portion of their line, and since THE MARVELS hadn't debuted yet, it's an easy one to say "Hold off on that until we know when everything's coming back and can make plans for how best to release books again."

So it's currently on hold until they tell us to start up again, but that's all I know at the moment.

kdb

I knew the pandemic had effected all comics but I wasn't sure if you were thinking of making it digital only that's all. Thanks for the answer though, I appreciate it.

[Kurt Busiek]

Have you read Big Time ? It is IMO Slott's strongest era on Spidey.[/QUOTE]

Not yet, no.

Sorry if you've spoken about this before, but is there a particular reason ? Do you plan on getting up to date on some characters ?

There are a lot of comics out there, as well as other books, and I just don't have the time to read everything like I used to.

I'm sure I'll catch up on some of it, but probably not all of it -- I've got lots of other things to do.

kdb

[Kurt Busiek]

I knew the pandemic had effected all comics but I wasn't sure if you were thinking of making it digital only that's all.

No plans for that, no.

kdb

[Kubert]

Any habits your fellow creators do (however quirky) that attribute to productivity?

[Kurt Busiek]

Any habits your fellow creators do (however quirky) that attribute to productivity?

I don't really know. I guess you'd have to ask them.

Regular schedule is a big help, though.

kdb