One of Marvel’s most prolific mini-series writers over the last couple of years taking on projects involving Bullseye, Wolverine and Nighthawk (from Supreme Power) he tends to produce stories with a bit of bite and a few bloody noses. He is currently writing the ongoing series Wolverine: Origins which tells the tale of Wolverine’s long hidden past and Way is once again partnered with veteran artist Steve Dillon. James Dodsworth caught up with him recently and was able to ask about his work - past, present and future.
How did you get your start in comics?
I started out by self-publishing a book Violent Lifestyle for which I’d been awarded a grant by the Xeric Foundation in 2000. That year, I took the book to SPX, where I ended up meeting Diana Schutz from Dark Horse and giving her some copies of my book. She, in turn, gave my book to Axel Alonso, who had just come to Marvel from DC/Vertigo…and he called me.
The first thing I wrote for Marvel was a miniseries called Detour, featuring Deathlok, for the MAX imprint. Unfortunately, that book was never published (due to content, I believe) but the second thing I wrote, a two-part story for Spider-Man: Tangled Web called “Heartbreaker” came out in September of 2002.
What’s your earliest comic related memory?
I remember buying both an Iron Man comic and a Spider-Man comic when I was little and reading them both over and over again, fascinated. I’m not sure which of the two comics he was in, but one of them featured The Beyonder and something about Breck shampoo (and I think someone poured a beer on his head). I couldn’t tell you how old I was at the time but I do remember that they both cost around 70 cents each.
Proudest moment of your career so far?
Seeing Gun Theory published by Marvel/Epic.
And the lowest?
Seeing Gun Theory cancelled by Marvel/Epic.
You’ve worked on both creator owned and company properties. Which is more rewarding?
No surprises, here…the company-owned stuff rewards you financially and the creator-owned stuff rewards you creatively.
How easy have you found it finding new stories to tell about such well established characters?
Well, it’s not like there’s a finite number of ideas, right? The trick is trying to bend them to fit into a comic story that the fans will accept. In both Origins and Ghost Rider, I think we’re striking a good balance between old and new.
How does your working day pan out?
Get my kid off to school then chain-smoke and drink way too much coffee. Receive and make phone calls from Marvel, figure out what my workload is for the day. Drive out to the studio. On most days, I’ll write five pages but sometimes I have to work on outlines, pitches, revisions…that kind of thing. Around 6 o’clock I call it a day.
Do you listen to music whilst you write?
Nope. Can’t concentrate. Brain’s too small.
How far ahead do you plot a series, is it affected by the perceived “popularity” of the character/title?
With an ongoing series, I like to plot out AT LEAST a year. In the case of Origins, I plotted out the whole thing, which will probably take something like 5 years.
I’d imagine that you must have a roadmap drawn up for the History of Wolverine for the Origins title?
I actually used to LITERALLY have one and it looked like something you’d see in an FBI taskforce briefing room. Lots of intersecting lines connecting this character to that character to this event, etc. It took up an entire wall in my house. My wife made me take it down. Everything’s been filed away, though.
The Nighthawk mini-series was the best of the Supreme Power spin-offs. Any plans for further involvement with the character or that ‘world’?
Thanks. Yeah, I’d love to do another Nighthawk project but the only way I’d do it is if I were allowed to push it further than I did with the first one…which might make it hard to get approved. That first story was pretty goddamned brutal.
What interested you in using the Batman/Joker analogies? Was it a natural continuation of the Squadron Supreme concept?
I think the idea of creating a Joker analogue came from Axel Alonso, my editor. And it was definitely NOT an easy task. We went back and forth a LOT on that character, and that story. Actually, at one point, I had the story ending with Whiteface ending up back in prison, kind of hiding out and laying low until he could, later on down the road, strike again. And I think I did that simply because I liked writing the character so much that I didn’t want to see him go.
In the end, though, that motherfucker had to die.
I think what’s cool about the dynamic we built between Nighthawk and Whiteface is that, unlike Batman and Joker, they’re not both sides of the same coin—they’re the SAME side of two DIFFERENT coins.
You’ve worked with Steve Dillon on a few projects now, is that deliberate choice as artistic partners or have the fates just thrown you together?
If by “fates” you mean Axel Alonso, then yes. Axel approached Steve to do my first Bullseye miniseries…without telling me. He didn’t tell me until AFTER Steve had agreed to do it. Being a huge Steve Dillon/Preacher fan, I was completely fucking blown away. Someday, you’ll have to ask Steve about the first time he called me—I’d love to hear him describe how much of a fucking idiot I must’ve sounded like.
Really, I can’t say enough about how cool it is to work with Steve. It’s truly an honor.
Tell us about BYE BYE HARVEY: A GUN THEORY SHORT STORY #1
Jon Proctor and I have been dying to get back to working on Gun Theory but we’re both pretty busy-me with the Marvel stuff, Jon with The Black Diamond and his illustration gigs. Shortly before the San Diego convention last summer, both of us had enough of a break in our schedules to do SOMETHING Gun Theory-related.
Since we were short on time, I decided to write a short story about the main character, Harvey’s, first days as a hired killer. Since Gun Theory covered his LAST days, I thought it was a cool idea—a nice companion piece. Jon, using a simpler (and faster) high-contrast style, banged out the art and it was really striking—it really nailed the tone of the story. The result is Bye-Bye, Harvey: a Gun Theory Short Story. A black-and-white tale about the grayer areas of morality.
Also in the book, there’s a preview of another project (with artist Ken Knudtsen) called Heavier Than God. It’s about what happens when hard-living rockstars…well, STOP living. Where do they go and what do they do when they get there? I’ll tell you what they do:
They fucking ROCK.
Finally, are you able to tell us what you’re working on at the moment and maybe shed some light on any upcoming projects?
I might be working on an X-related book, here in the near future (I’m supposed to fly up to NY next month to hammer it out). We have big things planned in Origins, not the least of which is the formal introduction of Logan’s son, as well as Ghost Rider. As far as creator-owned I’m working on a book called Stanko Gets The Ladies (with artist Nick Dragotta—who’s a busy guy so it’s taking a while) that I’m hoping to have out before the end of the year, as well as the previously-mentioned Heavier Than God.