Post by brentlambert on Apr 4, 2012 18:04:51 GMT -5
ERIC ZANE INTERVIEW
Marvel Anthology: What appeals to you most about Marvel Anthology as a site?
Eric Zane: I love the community aspect of the site. It’s just so much fun to interact with the writers at the site. You can see that there is really this big tapestry being built and that there are real stakes involved for all the characters from minor to major. I wish the real Marvel Comics would have half as much going on in there world as is planned for the Marvel Anthology universe.
MA: Top three favorite titles at the site. Put them out there. Why do you like them?
Eric Zane: Ok well here goes my favorite three.
X-FORCE: It’s a great black ops series and I feel like it could go blow for blow with Remender’s Uncanny X-Force in terms of using continuity and weaving something new out of it. I just love the unexpected character interactions that take place amongst these guys. It’s incredibly fun.
X-MEN: This series shows why the X-Men are one of the most powerful teams out there. You get big stories, big action and some very high stakes adventure. I think when you contrast this and X-Force, you get a real sense of Brent’s versatility.
AVENGERS: Jamie’s team is so much fun! And even if the roster is a bit outside the norm, I wouldn’t sell these guys short as Avengers for a minute. Jamie writes with a high adventure and grand scope that’s pretty much unmatched at the site. If Marvel Anthology has a crown jewel, I think Jamie’s Avengers would be it.
MA: Who's your favorite writer at the site?
Eric: Ahh this is an awful question lol! I’m torn between Brent and Jamie, but for now I’ll go with Brent because he has a larger issue count at the site and hasn’t disappointed me yet.
MA: What do you like the most about what you get to write at Marvel Anthology?
Eric: I like that I get to interact with some pretty exceptional writers and create this fun tapestry with them. I admit that right now I’m having the most fun with DARK X-MEN and their redemption angle, but I’m sure that SECRET WARRIORS will stick on my imagination as well.
MA: Your dream title. What would it be? And if you're already on it, then what would be your dream title you'd like to see someone else write?
Eric: My dream title hands down would be X-MEN, but I wouldn’t dare take it away from Brent.
MA: Who's your favorite character at the site to read about?
Eric: Havok. He’s just so much more interesting than his brother. He’s got that dark path in front of him and we’re getting to watch him walk down it. It’s kind of a nail biter because you know Alex isn’t going to be the same by the time Brent gets done with him.
MA: Who's your favorite character under your pen?
Eric: Fantomex hands down. I’m surprised how easily he just comes out on the page. He’s going to be sticking around in my plans for A LONG TIME.
MA: Which character do you most look forward to writing?
Eric: Delilah. I’m pretty far ahead on DARK X-MEN at the moment. She’s slated to show up in my third arc and man she’s going to be great once she gets into the mix of things. I love her tenacity and I really just want to build up a great background for her.
MA: What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer? And/or weakness?
Eric: I think my enthusiasm is my greatest strength. If I had to nail a weakness, I think I could do better at setting the scene.
MA: Which writers do you draw influence from and why?
Eric: Mike Carey, Rick Remender, C.S. Friedman, and Octavia Butler are the top ones for me. I love Mike Carey and Remender’s abilities to weave continuity into something new and fun. I appreciate the dark imagination of Friedman and love the brutal honesty of Butler.
MA: Marvel comes to you today and tells you that you can write any comic you want with any artist that you want. What do you write and who's your artists?
Eric: Uncanny X-Men with Chris Bachalo or Tom Raney as the artists.
MA: Tell us about the antagonists you have coming up in your titles.
Eric: Sugar Man, The Reavers, The Shadow King, The Hellfire Club, two Gaunts, and The Assassin’s Guild all pop up in DARK X-MEN. NEW X-MEN doesn’t really have antagonists per se. I’m approaching that title more like a teenage high school drama with all the angst things that entails. SECRET WARRIORS is something that is still very much in the planning stages so I can’t say much about that yet.
MA: Which characters under your pen do you feel are the most powerful and why?
Eric: I’m going to have to say Fantomex is probably the most dangerous person I have under my character arsenal because of his varied powers and skills. The man is pretty damn dangerous. I’d also have to lean towards The Magician as well. I think people will be surprised with how he pops up in DARK X-MEN.
MA: Which character or characters would you want people to pay the most attention to in your coming stories?
Eric: Gambit, Fantomex, Typhoid Mary, Rory Campbell and Prodigy are all characters I would like for people to look out for over the coming year.
MA: What do you like about writing in the X-Line?
Eric: I love the cooperation in the line. Everyone just feeds off each other creatively and it really creates this great landscape to play in. I think all the X-Writers can agree that Brent does a good job keeping the creative juices flowing amongst us.
MA: So you mentioned Delilah. She’s a bit unusual for an X-Title. Any other unusual folks showing up? And is Delilah sticking around?
Eric: Well, yea there are a few other unusual folks showing up. Mendel Stromm will play into things as will Kaine and The True Believers (an obscure offshoot of The Hand). As for Delilah, yessir she is going to be sticking around for the long haul. If The Avengers can have mutants why can’t The X-Men have non-mutants?
MA: You have to use a TV show to describe each of your titles. What would you pick?
Eric: Ok here goes.
NEW X-MEN: Gossip Girl
DARK X-MEN: Leverage
SECRET WARRIORS: Stargate SG-!
MA: Tell us why we should be reading your titles. Go!
Eric: If you want to see some major actions with a collection of unusual characters then I think you’ll find that in Dark X-Men. If you’re looking for some teenage drama then you’ll get it in New X-Men. And in Secret Warriors you’ll get some major alien action along with a group of people trying to grow up.
