Interview with Marv Wolfman

Editors Note: For those of you who don't know who Marv Wolfman is, you're missing out. He's had something to do with the development and creation ofso many DC and Marvel Comics characters that it's unreal. He helped create the post Crisis Luthor, making him more of a businessman than criminal scientist. He, along with George Perez, created the Nightwing personna for Dick Grayson. He brought back an obscure super-group called the Teen Titans, a group which looks pretty similar in makeup today. If you read Robin, give him credit for that, too. Nova? That's him. There isn't enough space here to tell you how much Marv Wolfman has done. Aside from creating all the above characters, he also spent a little bit of time as Editor in Chief of Marvel Comics. To see how great this man is, read The Judas Contract in New Teen Titans, Who is Donna Troy in that same title, and Crisis on Infinite Earths (which is in print now).

Marv was everything I could expect in this inteview. He was honest and thoughtful. It bothers me that he doesn't get as much work as he would like. He should be able to write whatever he wants, whenever he wants.

The interview was conducted by myself and Features Editor, Dennis Wilson.

Ramsey

Redoubt: For a while now, you've been away from the world of comics, occasionally coming back for a mini series or one shot. Is there any reason why you no longer write any monthly comics?

Marv Wolfman: I would write much more if I got more assignments. The companies seem to prefer working with younger talent. A few editors here and there don't seem to have a problem so I work with them when I get the work. I'd love to be doing regular assignments but they don't seem to come.

Redoubt: Comic book writers are quasi celebrities, while animation writers tend to be fairly anonymous. Is there a benefit to the anonymity? Do you miss the "fame" of being a comic book writer?

Wolfman: Comic book writers are so quasi celebrities it's ridiculous. My view of celebrity is if you can go into a super market and be mobbed, you're famous. If the only place you are known is at a comics' convention, it's not celebrity. Also, very few writers care about celebrity. We tend to be quiet as we work alone in an office in front of a computer with very little interfacing with real humanity. I don't care if comic book writers get known and animation writers aren't, as long as I'm enjoying my work.

Redoubt: You've just finished writing the treatment for Beast Machines Transformers. After this, what's next for you?

Wolfman: I'm working on my fourth Beast Machines script. Also the Elfquest movie. Hopefully, a Raven mini-series and a Superman mini - if they get accepted.

Redoubt: You created the New Teen Titans as well as Beast Machines Transformers. Is it easier to create a story with established characters or to create something whole cloth?

Wolfman: It takes more work to create something out of whole cloth because you have to worry whether the characters you are creating can work with each other on all levels and still be interesting a hundred stories from now. When you work with already existing characters your job is different. It's how to keep them exciting and surprising.

Redoubt: Beast Wars tied brought characters back from the original Transformers series. Which characters from Beast Wars will we see on Beast Machines?

Wolfman: I'm not allowed to talk about Beast Machines. You'll all have to wait and see.

Redoubt: Beast Wars was intended to entertain both kids and adults who grew up on Transformers. What age group is Beast Machines intended to reach?

Wolfman: I'd say it's aimed at all audiences. Hasbro want this to be intelligent and they push for more and more character-driven material.

Redoubt: Since you were known for bringing some fairly sophisticated comics, was it a major change of gears to create and write Pocket Dragons, which appeals to a younger group?

Wolfman: I began by writing kids comics and I love doing it. Whimsy is often much more fun to write than melodramatic super-heroes. Besides, I like making people laugh.

Redoubt: Do you think that CGI animation like that of War Planets, Beast Wars and Beast Machines is the future of TV cartooning, or will the cost keep the use down?

Wolfman: CGI is a tool which, when used properly, is wonderful. But it's only a tool and it stands next to hand-painted cel animation, not above it.

Redoubt: Your resume states that you're going to be having more than a little to do with the Elfquest movie. Is that going to be a live action movie, or will it be animated?

Wolfman: Elfquest is an animated feature. I'm the co-Executive Producer and the co-writer.

Redoubt: It's been nearly fifteen years since the Crisis on Infinite Earths. While it was a such a ground breaking event, many fans feel that DC's continuity woes are even murkier now then before. Later efforts to patch things up like Zero Hour and Hypertime seem to only make things worse. The Crisis itself has become an overworked cliche, giving writers the freedom to ignore anything that happened before 1985. Looking back on how things have changed, what is your perspective on the Crisis? Did it accomplish its goals? Would you do it again and, if so, what would you do differently this time around?

Wolfman: The only differences in what I'd do today as opposed to 1985 are: 1. I would have insisted all characters had NO memory of the Crisis - which was my intent but I was overruled by the other editors at the time. 2: I would have insisted all books began over with issue #1 starting in Jan. 1985, which was the original intent. 3: I would have stayed in New York to make sure all this was done instead of immediately moving to Los Angeles. If that had all happened then nobody would have been able to veer from what we accomplished. Under the new and current DC editorial they have worked hard to fix what was done wrong by those who were there immediately after Crisis, but the mistakes never should have been made in the first place.

But the Crisis, in and of itself, did the job it was intended to do. What followed wasn't always good.

Redoubt: I remember you mentioned that killing Kole was a mistake that you made because other writers wanted you to kill one of your characters before you killed theirs. Why was it a mistake?

Wolfman: I don't remember this. Sorry.

Redoubt: Was Crisis planned to be the major housecleaning event that it was, or would you have been able to write a company wide crossover without the destruction of the multiverse?

Wolfman: The Crisis as conceived is 98% what you saw, minus what I said two questions up.

Redoubt: Your best known work comes from collabortating with George Perez. Would you work with him again, if you had the chance?

Wolfman: George and I are good friends. We just did a signing together. I'd work with him in an instant. On any project.

Redoubt: Is it a compliment to say that Wolfman/ Perez ranks up there with Lee/ Kirby, or would you rather be known as an individual?

Wolfman: I certainly don't mind being compared with Lee/Kirby, but it's not true. They completely revolutionized the way super-hero comics were done. We just did them well. Secondly, I have plenty of top credits without George (Dracula, Spider-Man, Nova, etc.) as he does without me (Crimson Plague, Avengers, JLA). Still, the work we did together was excellent and I'm proud of all of it.

Redoubt: What is it like to go from being someone's editor, to being his co creator? Do you feel pride in watching him grow?

Wolfman: I feel great in seeing how George began to what he became. I had no problem going from his editor to his co-creator. I'd have no problem if he were editor and I was just the writer. This happens all the time as jobs shift.

Redoubt: You were an art teacher, not a writing teacher. How did you get into writing instead of art?

Wolfman: I always wrote my stories so I could draw them. I was just a better writer than an artist.

Redoubt: Does your background in art better help you relate your scripts to artists?

Wolfman: I think so.

Redoubt: You were Editor in Chief at Marvel Comics. Is that a position a person would really want to have?

Wolfman: I loved it until the job became more business than creative. Were it creative only it would be a great job.

Redoubt: In the old days, writers would graduate into positions as editors. You and Perez became co-editors on your own books after some time. Now editors are taking a hand at writing. Why has the dynamic changed?

Wolfman: I think it's best the way we did it - we already proved we could write so we completely understood story. It doesn't always work the other way around, but it does occasionally - such as in Louise Simonson.

Redoubt: Who, in general, have more say in the creative process, writers and artists, or editors?

Wolfman: Whoever is most powerful in the eyes of the publisher. The titles are meaningless. It's all political, unfortunately.

Redoubt: DC had a real problem with you having an opinion on the rating system as an editor. They even removed you from your position as editor of your own title, but you remained on the book for years after that incident. Were there any hard feelings?

Wolfman: Not on my side. And since they continued to give me work I doubt it was on their side, either. This was a difference of opinion that, against my wishes, was made public instead of staying private with DC. Frankly, no ill-respect intended, this was nobody's business but ours and DCs and it should never have made it to the fan press.

Redoubt When you wrote in the '80s, projects like Crisis, Dark Knight, and Watchmen brought mainstream attention to comics. Manufactured "events" like the "Death" of Superman have brought similar attention, but sales haven't risen to match that attention. What can the industry do to get the momentum that it had when you were writing New Teen Titans and Crisis?

Wolfman: We've lost too many readers, I think, to have any one story make much of a difference. If the average comic is only selling 30,000 what difference is there. We need to simultaneously find new means of distribution, stop doing bad stories and find new packages. We need to do stuff that is unique to comics. Super-heroes no longer are. In my mind they are completely redundant because for the first time people can get their super-heroes in every other media out there. And, generally, they are done better in movies, animation and video than in most comics. Sorry, but it's true.

Redoubt: In an interview with us last month, Erik Larsen said that he pictured you looking on with horror as he wrote Nova, a character you created. Do you get that feeling when someone messes with your "baby"?

Wolfman: I never read what other people do with my characters because I would scream in horror.

Redoubt: Do you feel a sense of pride seeing your characters Tim Drake, Nightwing (the redefined Dick Grayson), and many of your New Titans having such success?

Wolfman: Of course it's nice to see my characters are still popular. Of course, with the exception of the Titans book itself I should probably still be writing them. Re. Titans, I wrote everything I had to say and then some, about the group. On the other hand I could write about the individual characters for a long time. Which leads to...

Redoubt: I haven't heard anything about the Raven comic book. Could you tell us a bit about it? Publisher? General storyline? Artist?

Wolfman: Without saying too much it is about someone who manipulates emotions and needs Raven.

Editor's Note: D'oh!!!!! Should have realized who the character was by name!!!

Redoubt: You're the editor of the Modern Curriculum of Simon and Schuster. What does that position entail? Is it as hard as being Editor in Chief of a comic company?

Wolfman: I'm not editor-in-chief of Modern Curriculum. I'm the editor. For the first set of comics I just tried to fix up what they had already begun before I got there. For the second set I plotted all the stories, assigned and edited them as well as wrote one of the books.

Redoubt: Is it more satisfying when you create educational work?

Wolfman: I love doing educational material. I was a teacher, after all.

Redoubt: Of all your work, comics, animation, or otherwise, which is your personal favorite?

Wolfman: Sitting behind my computer and writing. The form doesn't really matter much. But I find comics give me the most freedom to do what I like. Unfrotunately, sales aren't allowing us to do that now.

Redoubt: Which character is your favorite?

Wolfman: Superman.

Redoubt: Finally, for those of us who grew up with your work, how would you want us to remember Marv Wolfman?

Wolfman: Oh, Gee. As someone who writes stories people enjoy reading, and who created characters people enjoyed seeing and following. That would be for the readers and fans out there. For my friends and loved ones, well, that's personal And not for this forum.

http://www.primenet.com/~marvw/

Redoubt is Copyright © 1999-2000, Ramsey Rusef. All articles contained inside are Copyright by their original authors. All characters and comic books reviewed in Redoubt are Copyright and Trademarked by their respective owners.