Joss Whedon

BOSTON: MARVEL PANEL REPORTS, "THE 10 TERRIFIC" AND MORE

At his usual "Cup o’ Joe" panel and in a follow-up panel called "Mondo Marvel," Marvel Comics’ Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada talked about numerous happenings in the future of the universes he manages, as well as a new writers incentive called "The 10 Terrific."

"The 10 Terrific" are Joss Whedon ("Astonishing X-Men"), Reginald Hudlin ("Marvel Knights Spider-Man," "Black Panther"), Allen Heinberg ("Young Avengers"), Dan Slott ("She-Hulk"), Roberto Sacasa ("Marvel Knights 4"), Greg Pak ("Warlock," "Iron Man: House of M," "Marvel 1602: The New World"), Daniel Way ("Venom," "Bullseye: Greatest Hits"), David Hine ("NYX," "Mutopia X"), Sean McKeever ("Sentinel," "Mary Jane," "Gravity"), and Robert Kirkman ("Marvel Team-Up," "Fantastic Four: Foes").

"These guys are going to be getting a super boost from Marvel," Quesada said. "Each [writer] will be getting a regular series or a major mini-series that will hopefully push them to that next level."

Later, Quesada said Sacasa will be writing "Marvel Knights Spider-Man" starting at issue 23, after "The Other" crossover. It will be penciled by new exclusive artist Angel Medina (see our interview with Medina for further details on his future at Marvel).

Another major announcement was the unveiling of a new series, "Underworld," written by Frank Tieri and drawn by Staz Johnson.

"The basic premise is a guy has been in jail for being one of the biggest gangland thugs in many years," Quesada said. "He’s been in jail for so long that he’s kinda missed on the whole superhero/supervillain thing. He learns the hard way what its like to be an unpowered villain in a supervillain world, and can he or can he not adapt.

"It’s literally the making of a supervillain."

A cast for Warren Ellis’s "Next Wave" was announced. The characters involved are Monica Rambeux; Aaron Stack, the Machine Man, Boom Boom, Elsa Bloodstone and "The Captain."

"[The Captain] is basically every failed captain zero that’s ever walked the Marvel Universe at one point or another," Quesada said.

When a fan noted that novelist Steven King said in a web interview he’d be doing some work for Marvel, Quesada had this to say, "Let’s say, hypothetically, that we were doing business with Steven King. Would that be cool?"

The crowd responded enthusiastically "Yes."

"Let’s leave it at that, then."

"Mondo Marvel" ended with a mysterious slide featuring the cover of "New Avengers" number seven with these words over it:

"Marvel 2006: Whose side are you on?"

Key points from both presentations and their following question and answer sessions:

* J. Michael Stracynski and Gary Frank’s "Supreme Power" will become "Squadron Supreme" when it moves from the Marvel MAX imprint to Marvel Knights. The new book will get an issue number one. - [Editor’s Note: Added 8:00 PM Sunday night]

* "Amazing Fantasy" number seventeen will feature a re-imagined Death’s Head 30.

* "X-Statix" will be returning, as well as "X-Factor," to be written by Peter David.

* "NYX" will end at issue seven. X-23 will join the New X-Men.

* Brian K. Vaughan’s "Runaways" will be interacting with other groups in the MU. "I can’t tell you who, but there’s a big push for them to become mainstays," Quesada said. "I think those characters are going to be around for a very long time thanks to you guys."

* When asked about Vaughan’s "The Hood" and the possibilities for a sequel, Quesada said that they would love to do a sequel, but that Vaughan’s current schedule would not allow it. Quesada also said "five or six different projects" are being discussed for Vaughan in the Ultimate Universe after he finishes his run on "Ultimate X-Men." For more Ultimate plans, check our CBR’s interview with Joe Quesada.

* Joe Maduera will have other projects at Marvel after he finishes "Ultimates 3" with Jeph Loeb.

* There are currently no plans to distribute or license manga through Marvel.

* Jae Lee is working on a "very, very big project for [Marvel] right now," said Quesada, ’You’ll be hearing an announcement on that pretty soon. I think this is... going to be his breakthrough book."

* There are more Franklin Richards books on the way.

* The future of the M2 Universe includes digests of "Spider-Girl" and "J2," as well as "Last Hero Standing 2."

* Spider-Man is going to lose an organ in "The Other." "There will be a vicious fight, and Spider-Man won’t come out whole," said Quesada.