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Cap Day and New York Adventures
First off, let me point out that this is the day Captain Britain and MI-13 #10, the start of our new arc, 'Vampire State', hits comic shops here in the USA, tomorrow in the UK. It's an ideal jumping-on point for those who haven't tried the title previously. This blog, as always, will serve as letters page.
We've been having an amazing time in the city of New York, both personally and professionally. On Monday, we had lunch with Cap editor Nick Lowe, his assistant Daniel Ketchum, and artist Leonard Kirk. Photos were taken (I'll put up all the photos from the trip when I'm back in Britain). We talked about the story arc to follow 'Vampire State', possible additions to the cast, a possible crossover, what's going to happen in the annual. And we celebrated, this being the first time we were all in the same room, the teamwork that's got us this far. Then Caroline and I wandered down the island, stopping in bookshops and cafes and comic shops, taking the whole afternoon to do it, until we were in Greenwich Village, where we found the Peculier Pub (sic), where the New York Doctor Who group meets. That evening they were hosting myself and Tony Lee, who's celebrating the fact that his Doctor Who comic from IDW is now an ongoing. The group turned out to be great fun, full of personality, and many good conversations were had. As well as photos with Daleks and presentations of mugs. If you're in the NY area and you like who, these are the guys to go find. And that night the Podshock team were there too. Many of these folk will be following us to L.A.. I'm not drinking for 2009, but Caroline, on the real ale, had an Old Peculiar and two Arrogant Bastards. (Insert your own joke about how that sounds like a night at the Fitzroy Tavern.)
Yesterday we wandered around Central Park, then lunch with my old friend from Pocket Books, Jen Heddle. Then we made our way down to the Village once more, for dinner with Mary Robinette Kowal and John Scalzi, at a winery where Mary's husband is on the winemaking team, that being his speciality. Again, I lamented my non-boozy state. But Caroline is drinking for two. ('When's the happy event?' someone asked at NY Who when I said that. I just looked at them until all the pennies dropped.) Mary was celebrating the acceptance, that very day, of her first novel. Scalzi is in town being Scalzi, and has much to celebrate himself. Their company, as always, was of the finest. And at the end of the evening, we hunted for, and found, a wandering dessert truck, which provides chocolate bread pudding into the night.
What a humane and excellent city this is. I do think we've evolved to wander around the base of tall buildings like this as if they're trees. And whenever your eyes pine for the savannah, there's that huge park. Today is two more meetings, exciting ones again, and then this continuing convention moves on to the other coast. Until then, Cheerio!
We've been having an amazing time in the city of New York, both personally and professionally. On Monday, we had lunch with Cap editor Nick Lowe, his assistant Daniel Ketchum, and artist Leonard Kirk. Photos were taken (I'll put up all the photos from the trip when I'm back in Britain). We talked about the story arc to follow 'Vampire State', possible additions to the cast, a possible crossover, what's going to happen in the annual. And we celebrated, this being the first time we were all in the same room, the teamwork that's got us this far. Then Caroline and I wandered down the island, stopping in bookshops and cafes and comic shops, taking the whole afternoon to do it, until we were in Greenwich Village, where we found the Peculier Pub (sic), where the New York Doctor Who group meets. That evening they were hosting myself and Tony Lee, who's celebrating the fact that his Doctor Who comic from IDW is now an ongoing. The group turned out to be great fun, full of personality, and many good conversations were had. As well as photos with Daleks and presentations of mugs. If you're in the NY area and you like who, these are the guys to go find. And that night the Podshock team were there too. Many of these folk will be following us to L.A.. I'm not drinking for 2009, but Caroline, on the real ale, had an Old Peculiar and two Arrogant Bastards. (Insert your own joke about how that sounds like a night at the Fitzroy Tavern.)
Yesterday we wandered around Central Park, then lunch with my old friend from Pocket Books, Jen Heddle. Then we made our way down to the Village once more, for dinner with Mary Robinette Kowal and John Scalzi, at a winery where Mary's husband is on the winemaking team, that being his speciality. Again, I lamented my non-boozy state. But Caroline is drinking for two. ('When's the happy event?' someone asked at NY Who when I said that. I just looked at them until all the pennies dropped.) Mary was celebrating the acceptance, that very day, of her first novel. Scalzi is in town being Scalzi, and has much to celebrate himself. Their company, as always, was of the finest. And at the end of the evening, we hunted for, and found, a wandering dessert truck, which provides chocolate bread pudding into the night.
What a humane and excellent city this is. I do think we've evolved to wander around the base of tall buildings like this as if they're trees. And whenever your eyes pine for the savannah, there's that huge park. Today is two more meetings, exciting ones again, and then this continuing convention moves on to the other coast. Until then, Cheerio!
Labels:
Captain Britain,
Doctor Who,
DWNY,
Mary Robinette Kowal,
New York,
Scalzi,
Tony Lee
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Glad you're enjoying NYC - as a transplanted Brit I'm constantly surprised by the city even after a few years.
I'm also glad to hear that plans are afoot for Captain Britain & MI13 following the Doom/Dracula arc!
Enjoy the rest of your stay in the Big Apple!
Paul,
It was great meating you and Tony on Monday. It WAS a fun time.
Taras
Just picked upa copy
of CB MI13
looks good
I plan to GROK it
Dr. Doom on the cover might increase sales?
"UNBEKNOWNST"???
I don't want to say to much about issue #10 since it is not out until tomorrow across the pond, but..a big Thank You Paul and Leonard for choosing that Black Knight armor and for the dialogue between Dane and Faiza. Once again, another awesome issue.
Have just read your interview on Newsarama.....Motormouth and Killpower!!!!!???? Tangerine????!!!!!
Swoon....thud.
Cheers mate!
Darren
You really did your research on the stuff i this issue.. even including in Vlad the Impaler's distaste for Islamic expansion.
The characterization of Blade and Black Knight in the whole series has been wonderful, the best parts of this issue for me were conversations between Lady J and Blade..
Cant wait for more... plus Motormouth and Killpower whooo!!
I just read issue ten....oh my. Wont post spoilers yet, but the ending....wow.
My favourite book out right now, has completely blown me away, and after only ten issues I think I'm addicted.
After seeing a previous comment saying you were considering a Scottish character who was not simply a Scottish stereotype (or not "nationality based" I think your words were)- I would LOVE this. Us Scots are so sorely underrepresented in comics, and it'd be great to see!
Hey Paul,
Since this is the issue 10 letter page.. Is Dane's ex who gave him his stone heart Sersi and will you get into how the real blade was taken from Bloodwraith (Sean Dolon)?
Another great issue!
Thanks
Great issue! I loved it. Vlad's antiquated attitude to Islam is hilarious. Blade's characterisation is pretty cool. The heart bleeds for Spitfire. The Ebony blade subplot is progressing likely.
On a sidenote, what is it with Marvel and Catholicism? With the exploding communion wafers, launching crusades with supervillains in Wakanda, Opus Dei as a paramilitary organisation, the Pope as the anti-Christ and an attempt by a German cardinal to brainwash New York into converting to Catholicism, you have to wonder what they're thinking?
Thanks, all. Govikes: yes, that was Sersi. But I think we've done our Ebony Blade backstory now, time to move on. Niall: I doubt there's any kind of plan to that, I know a few theists at Marvel. For my bit of it, I don't think Opus Dei going after vampires is a bad thing at all. And, you know, this is the Marvel universe, so they're going to be action packed priests!
In general, killing vampires is a good thing, but Opus Dei killing vampires? Dude, have you met any Opus Dei members? They couldn't kill a rumour. It's full of little old ladies and nerdy fat guys.
I'm not suggesting that Marvel has some sort of anti-Catholic agenda, only that the way in which it is portrayed in Marvel books tends to have very little to do with the real organisation and it gets more negative attention than comparable real-life organisations in the MU. Editorial has approved a fair number of projects in which it is portrayed in a very negative light while there haven't been many/if any negative stories featuring, say, scientologists, Jehovah's Witnesses, the Salvation Army or the Republican party. I wonder if it is a case that writers never come up with stories where other real world organisations, cults, religions and political parties feature as villains, or do writers find it hard to get such stories green lit? It's curious.
If writers want to tell (good) stories with the Catholic church (or any other group) as the villain, I'll be happy to read such stories, but it's getting to the point where it'd be easier for the likes of Daredevil or Nightcrawler to justify membership of Hyrda than it'd be to justify membership of the Catholic church. It's a world in which the Pope sent a supervillain to conquer Wakanda. That's like something Doom or Dr. Evil would do!
Rant over.
Excellent! Moving on is good. Hope you are having a great time here in the USofA.
Sorry I missed you in NYC. Maybe next time.
Niall: Marvel aside, I'd agree with you about the rough ride theists get in popular culture, being one myself. But I find, amongst Marvel, that ride to be a bit *easier* than normal. (I'm speaking carefully, because I don't want to out the religious and non-religious people with whom I work.) I think you're reading from too small a sample. Although, of course, within that small sample, you may be right about individual cases.
Great issue, Paul! Glad to see you know Dane's history with Sersi! If this story with Dracula keeps rocking hard like the opening chapter did, I want it collected in HC!!!
Dane is my favorite on the team. Long time fan. You write him well.
Hey Paul!
This was a great issue. I love the downtime issues between the action arcs. Thanks for always giving us a great story. One thing I always appreciate is when writers really research the background of the characters they're writing, and truly stick to continuity. Thanks for putting in all the effort. But it is kind of a double-edged sword, because I dont know most of these characters' back stories. But I look forward to learning more as time goes on.
Thanks again!
I'm RC, been reading Marvel for decades, never noticed any particular bashing.
Drab cover aside (a random bit of vamping, logo colours that don't pop) this was a top hole issue. The confrontation between Drac and Doom was terrific - hey, Doom's no racist, he'll include everyone in his world conquering!
Dracula as a politically aware mad scientist works for me, there's no need for him to be a throwback; maybe you could even update his wardrobe for an issue or two? Maybe a nice suit from Paul Smith. (And if we have a cover with Brian trapped in a coffin, how about Tomb of Captain Britain for the masthead?).
I know Brian can't spend every minute of his day searching for Meggan, but him having an enjoyable drink with random backpackers didn't (Jaspar) sit well with me. Or is Liz someone I've forgottten? Good on him, though, for turning a blind eye to her minxy hints and simply offering his spare room.
The art by Leonard, Jay and Brian was spiffing - I've never seen Leonard asked to work so much with shadows; he did a bang-up job.
Was there a late dialogue change? The lettering doesn't match on page 8's 'good dad'?
It's obvious you're having fun here, keep it up . . . and no emigrating!
Fantastic issue as always, loved the treatment of my two favourite Marvel villains. I always felt that Drac had the potential to be a heavy hitter, but was treated like a second stringer. Blade has never appealled to me before but here he actually has a personality! Just goes to show that there are no bad characters if respect is shown to them (which is something I recently learned whilst reading Incredible Hercules).
And can i just add thank you for showing that it is possible to have a drink in a pub and not be an alcoholic! Brian in the past has been portayed as an absolute wino, but here he's just a bloke who enjoys a tipple. Brilliant.
Looking forward to this arc even more than the last.
Darren
As I think I probably said when #5 came out I'm very big on downtime and bridging issues. They're a big draw to what makes ongoing comics work, for me. And something which there really aren't enough of these days.
A really strong issue. Looking at the other comments here it's hard to add too much to what has already been said. The amount of character interaction this issue was great, I'm naturally very psyched about the Motormouth and Killpower, and I'm so glad to see Baron Blood the younger back around.
But whose side will he be on?
Interesting. And great to see a more three dimensional Blade, too. With all this vampire related madness will we be likely to see Union Jack and Dai Thomas around at some point during this arc? I'm sure the latter would be very interested to see Blade again. Most people forget Dai Thomas first appeared in a Blade story rather than Captain Britain.
So..Dracula has a castle on the Moon. Has someone been reading The Adventures of Dr. McNinja?
Also: your Wisdom rocks. About time someone did him justice after Ellis.
Hi Paul,
May I add my thanks to the chorus above for another great issue.
Like Sword, I'm a huge fan of this kind of 'bridging' story and it helps when they're written as well as you write them! Here's to more in the future...
I'm also continuing to love your take on Dane. The first comic I got into in a big way was the Bob Harras run on Avengers, so I was thrilled to see the reference to Sersi and his heart. I guess there's a story to tell there?
All the best!
Indeed, i think Union Jack may have some unresolved issues with Blade considering the last time the met Blade shot him up and now he seems to be taking away UJ's long time love interest.
One other thing, i know you (Paul) mentioned the D-notice back in the last bridging issue.. and i remember hearing that this Defense Notice was used to remove comics about UNIT in the Dr Who magazine and possibly to stop Marvel UK's Super Soldier comic.. my thinking is, is that why Captain Midlands had to be made to disappear.. where we getting too close to the truth?! lol.
Thanks, all. Mart: I don't think Liz was hinting at Brian at all (and she's not an old character). I just think the two of them were chatting together as a result of Pete's sharking. I don't know what that page 8 thing is, no late change there. Darren: my thoughts exactly, and yes, we're going to update Drac's look a little. Mr. Sword: one out of two. Sokudo: I swear, I hadn't even heard of Dr. McNinja until people started saying I'd ripped it off. What is it, exactly? Any good? Cheers.
Hey, Paul-- I tried to subscribe to Captain Britain & MI-13 and the guy picking up the phone for Marvel's customer service said they weren't offering it.
Dude.
DUDE.
That is super-not-fair. I mean, I'll keep getting it at my local comic shop, because not only is it awesome and kind of like having /every good piece of candy *ever* in my mouth at the same time/, it's also got the only good Pete since Warren (your WISDOM series being the reason I started picking up Marvel again)...
... but *really*.
Is there any way we, your fans, some of whom are frankly somewhat rabid, can *make* them offer it for subscription?
The whole business of Marvel subscriptions is nothing to do with me, I'm afraid. There are many such services available from various comic retailers. Of which I don't think it would be fair to name just one. Sorry!
Dr Mcninja is a webcomic about a Dr who is also a ninja-
http://drmcninja.com/index.html
Its pretty hilarious.
I'm wondering, with these vampires; what kind of weaknesses are going to be applied to them? Vampires always seem to have different strengths and weaknesses within Marvel comics.
Also- are we going to see what kind of things Fazia can do with powers...obviously she has to work it out for herself first, but just any hints you can offer?
(Take-things-apart-girl is probably still open for a super hero codename as well:P)
-Craig
According to Paul on CBR this week (which still seems to think this is an X-book, but I suppose the publicity is good): "She can safely open up a body, see what's wrong with it, and sort it out on a subatomic level. This has the incidental effect of halting shape-changers like Skrulls in their tracks (and anyone else who knows what's good for them). She has trouble doing this to magic beings."
I must have missed something, I remember Faiza turning someone inside out but didn't get what she was doing. Probably I read too quickly for the info to be absorbed.
Paul,
Glad you had a good time in my home town. I'm sorry I couldn't join the fun at the Peculier Pub! (I've had Arrogant Bastard several times; while it's far from my favorite beer, I enjoy drinking a beer that fights you back!)
I just read the interview at Comics Bulletin -- interesting stuff. And I didn't know you were a Grant Morrison/Doom Patrol letter hack, too! That was an awesome letters page (understandable, given the source material), and I was happy that Mark chose to print several of my letters, as well. I'll have to dig up those issues!
Paul,
Glad you had a good time in my home town. I'm sorry I couldn't join the fun at the Peculier Pub! (I've had Arrogant Bastard several times; while it's far from my favorite beer, I enjoy drinking a beer that fights you back!)
I just read the interview at Comics Bulletin -- interesting stuff. And I didn't know you were a Grant Morrison/Doom Patrol letter hack, too! That was an awesome letters page (understandable, given the source material), and I was happy that Mark chose to print several of my letters, as well. I'll have to dig up those issues!
soooo.....It's a way past ten o'clock, here in Italy... I worked all the day, almost untill 8pm (Swet Lord, incredible how the majority of us italian gets crazy about food in Carnival time...) I was tired, and, as always when I'm tired, very, vdry annoyed by people. so, what do I do to bright my day (or what was left of it) up? Simple: after dinner, I finally enter in possession of the Comic that my comic shop takes me from aboard (don't ask me how he menage to do that, 'cause I still don't know...) and that my brother so "nicely" took me while bying His comics...
So, I know, I have the tendency to use the long story and not the short one, but it was just to say a couple of things: 1)im happy that the title hasn't been cancelled; 2)I've spent the last 3-4 years having periods in which I refused to even see a comic book, let out reading one... But I've been an Excalibur Fan, back when I was younger, and I couldn't resist a Captain Britain title. and now I'm buying it. religiously. And it's quite a miracle, considering that there are more times in which I say no to a comics then the ones in which i say yes...
3)I loved to death issue 9, really. I've heard people say that it was the climax ot the serie,a nd that °10 was quite "flat"; personally, I just red it, and it wasn't bad, I think it has to be considered the fact that is just a prologue to the whole arc (and , besides, the whole attacked by space vampire, I don't think it can be considered flat...)
So, all of this, to make you my compliments, and ask you to keep going on with such a good title....
By the way, did you enjoy your time in Nyc? Sigh... I so envy you, it's years that I'm trying to plan a trip in Ny, but I always fail...
Thanks, all. Ta for the McNinja link, No. That is rather groovy. And Mart quotes me usefully on the subject of Faiza's powers, of which we'll see more next issue. Ken: good to hear from a fellow Doom Patrol letter hack. Elisabetta: good to hear from you as always. I'm really pleased we're getting the comic to you! Cheers.
Do you have any idea what you have done?!?! I was out. I had been for 18months. I was quite happy collecting the odd trade here an there but I was done with monthlies, done I tell you! Now you come along and start writing about british superheroes. I figured there would be no harm in picking up the Secret Invasion trade, how wrong I was.
The first four issues, dispite being part of a company crossover, were fantastic. All the character's are well developed. The pace at which the story moves is amazing. Captain Britain is now living up to his potential as lead character under your direction. I love Dane and Fazia. And Blade, all of a sudden he is more than just some catchphases and snarls.
Because of the great work you and the team put into this book I am now collecting around 15 monthlies......I hope you can sleep at night!!
Thanks very much. And sorry!