Hey folks, Happy Memorial Day! Ambush Bug here with an extra special Q&@ with writer Marc Andreyko and artist Michael Gaydos, the creative team from the relaunched and reduxed MANHUNTER, set to hit the stands in June. We had a chance to ask the creators a little bit about all things MANHUNTER.
@: First things first: how does it feel to be back? I have to imagine with a book like this, which seems more to be a labor of love than just your basic stint on *insert title*, that it was very strenuous watching it go on the roller coaster ride it has battling cancellation back. Y'know, the "Spider-Girl-a-whirl" so to speak.
MARC ANDREYKO (MA):It’s exhausting, exhilarating, and completely humbling. The fact that MANHUNTER has gotten two reprieves continues to blow my mind. And the devotion and love of the die-hard fans have for the book and for Kate energizes me. I would love to write MANHUNTER for the foreseeable future. And, in a perfect world, it would be like James Robinson’s STARMAN, something that I see through from beginning to end. And if we're half as good as the brilliant STARMAN was, I'll be happy :)
@: What do people new to MANHUNTER need to know going into this relaunch?
MA:Not much, actually. We do a 2 page recap of #1-30 that brings you up to speed. And anything that isn't answered fully is pretty easy to pick up. It's a serialized story but I try to write it thinking "every issue is someone's first". The more you know, the richer the story becomes, but it's pretty accessible and interesting (I hope) if you're a newbie. And hopefully, there will be 5-10,000 newbies when we start up again!
@: Now that we're back, are we going to be jumping right back into where we left off with Kate, or is this going to be sort of a "getting to know you" designed to welcome a new audience to the book?
MA:See the first part of my answer to #2 :) and we're jumping right back in. This is a new storyarc, obviously, but I trust everyone will be up to speed in short order. And, hopefully, intrigued enough to pick up the 4 trade paperbacks collecting MANHUNTER #1-30! Available at finer comic shops everywhere! (sorry, but every new reader helps!)
@: Are all the old familiar faces going to be coming back as well? One thing I loved about the book was the use of oh so many completely off the radar characters from the DCU. Cameron Chase, Obsidian, Director Bones, etc. It was just such a lovable bunch of misfits.
MA: I love having a large supporting cast. Whether it's Altman's film NASHVILLE or the Wolfman/Perez TITANS, I love huge casts. And the more "real" characters you have surrounding your lead, the more that's revealed about the character. Plus, I am an old time comic geek and loved INFINITY INC. so Obsidian was a no brainer (and has turned out to be a blast to write).
And CHASE is one of the best series no one read. I really would love DC to put out a trade or two of Cameron's adventures. The stories were so ahead of their time and you get stunning J.H. Williams art! So, write DC and demand a CHASE trade today! LOL!
@:And while we're talking about the old crew, I figure I should ask about any new recurring faces showing up to join the shenanigans. Or at least some guest appearances, like a certain Amazonian made before the book last went on hiatus, or some of the BIRDS OF PREY that our MANHUNTER "freelanced" for during that time off. What's the deal?
MA:Some new characters will be gradually introduced, but this first arc takes place outside of L.A. so the supporting players we already have don't even get much time.
I'd love to get Kate dating again. I already know how her speed-dating session would go :) and Iron Munroe is a bigger presence now, too.
@:How much legalese do you have to know to write this book? Were you familiar with the legal system before taking on this title?
MA:I have a decent knowledge of extremely basic stuff, and I also have friends who are lawyers (who now dread my phonecalls), but I don’t adhere to our laws exactly. I try to apply how they would work in a superhero universe, and sometimes, for drama’s sake, I fudge things a little :)
@: So how did the stroke of genius of adding Michael Gaydos onto MANHUNTER come about? It seems so obvious having an artist like him on the book, given his past with books involving more confrontational and acerbic female leads. Did the stars just happen to align and he just fell into the book, or did one party actively seek the other?
MA:Well, at the San Diego Con last year, I bumped into Michael for the first time in years and forced him to do a sketch in my MANHUNTER Sketchbook. What he gave me was absolutely freaking amazing! So much so, that I showed my editor, the Great Joan Hilty, and said how great it would be to get Michael on the book.
One cancellation and uncancellation later, the artist we were originally going to use moved on and we were looking. I went to a Con in Spain where Michael was a guest too, and started chatting him up. A few phone calls later and “Voila!” We have a gorgeous looking book!
@: For Michael, what is the most challenging thing you've had to draw so far with MANHUNTER?
MICHAEL GAYDOS(MG): Really, getting comfortable with the main characters and finding the right look for them within my style is the most challenging thing. I'm hoping after a few issues under my belt, everyone will be in place. Kate is obviously the main concern. My rendition is a bit different than the previous artists in the book. I wanted to hold true to some of what they brought to the character while still making her my own.
Bones is a lot of fun to draw and in the first issue you'll see I got to draw yet another skull-headed character. Maybe I can get Marc to make this some sort of ongoing theme :)
@:What lessons that you've learned from working at Marvel on ALIAS & THE PULSE are you bringing to MANHUNTER?
MG: Most of the books that I have worked on are very much character driven. I have also seemed to be blessed with the fact that they are females. The opportunity to be able to try to portray real feeling and emotion through the characters is something that I really enjoy. While working on ALIAS and PULSE, I learned to appreciate what subtlety can bring to a character and the story. This is especially true when juxtaposed to a lot of action. Although easier to do with actors in movies, I still think it is something that works really well in the comic form.
@: Are there any characters in the DCU that you are itching to draw? Here's your chance to let Marc know about what characters you'd like to have Manhunter team up with or go up against in MANHUNTER.
MG:I'm sure like everyone else, Batman is up there on my list, but there are a few characters that would be fun if they happened to show up in Kate's world. Hmmm...let's see--Green Arrow, the Demon, Dr. Fate, Mr. Miracle, Constantine, I really need to take a look through my WHO'S WHO books.
@: In comics we're used to seeing big breasted, all hips, no waist, amazonian goddesses. With ALIAS, did you know that you were going to make Jessica Jones "a real woman" from the start or was that tonality set by Bendis, and are you planning on bringing that type of realism to MANHUNTER?
MG:The tonality was somewhat set by Brian and what he wanted to accomplish with the series. He had some basic ideas for her look, but she eventually evolved into the Jessica that we now know and love.
I think MANHUNTER is ripe for that type of realism. Especially considering the topics that Marc is wanting to tackle. In much the same way as Jessica did in the Marvel universe, Kate is dealing with a lot of the underbelly of the DCU.
Portraying Kate in the "real woman" sense is also a bit different because she regularly parades around in a costume. Learning to balance the two Kates in a believable way is a challenge as well. Having to draw a woman in a hot costume isn't too bad in itself.
@:Although it’s set in a more realistic corner of the DCU, there looks to be much more spandex and capes in MANHUNTER than in ALIAS. Do you plan on adjusting your more realistic style to fit the colorful costumes and superpowers?
MG:Only slightly, if at all. I'm finding myself trying to make things a bit cleaner, or I should say finer, with my line in certain areas. Overall, as I said, i think this book is a good fit for a more realistic approach. I'm having a lot of fun with it and i hope everyone else does as well.
@: Back to Marc: now that Michael is on the title, will his brand of realistic art change your storytelling style, possibly ground your stories a little more in reality?
MA: Well, the stories will have a more "real" feel (as real as you can get with superheroes flying around anyway), but I am not making any conscious change because of Mike. His art does exactly what it did on the late, lamented ALIAS - it gives a veneer of earthiness to the craziness of the DCU.
@: What about our chain-smoking heroine’s role in the DCU? Around the time of INFINITE CRISIS, there seemed to be a little push to get her more in the eye of readers with event banners across the top of the book, or her obvious insertion into some more major panels of the event book itself. Is our MANHUNTER going to get a more prominent push into the DCU limelight, or are we going to continue to just see her working in her own little corner of the Universe with the other misfits that fill out her supporting cast?
MA: Kate and her cast will interact with the DCU as is needed for the story, but, for the time being, the title will not be "banner"-involved in big events. That doesn't mean Kate's actions won't be felt in the DCU, though. Just wait. It'll be cool.....
@: With all of the titles out there that end too soon, there only seems to be a handful that gets second chances like MANHUNTER has. What are you going to do this time around that will help ensure us that MANHUNTER won't be on the chopping block in another eight months?
MA: I'm gonna try and tell the best stories I can, and with the team of Michael Gaydos, Jose Villarrubia on colors, Liam Sharp on covers, and the amazing edits of Joan Hilty, I have a lot of great people to make me look good :)
Other than that, I'm sure I'll still be sending free copies of the book to unbelievers and trying to make MANHUNTER a book you can't wait to read.
And animal sacrifices to the elder gods.
@: What other projects do you have coming up?
MA: I have a bunch of stuff in the works, both comics and film/TV, but, as they say, nothing far enough along to comment about yet. A number of projects will be announced at the San Diego con this year, tho'.
@:Is there anything else you want us to know about MANHUNTER?
Buy it. It'll cure what ails you!
@:Will do. Thanks so much for answering our questions!
And now, the news!
