1. What's your view on the current Marvel_b0y controversy and internet spoilers in general?
2. There have been a number of people that have gone from editing to actually writing comics and vice versa, have you ever considered writing and if so what book would be your ideal to do so?

Posted by Omega Flyer on 2008-03-27 17:42:01
1. Who is the one character (or group of characters if you wanna take the easy way out) that you feel really closely connected to, or identify with the most?

2. What is the hardest editorial decision you've ever had to make?

Posted by Anson17 on 2008-03-27 17:42:44
What makes a bad editor?

How much of what we see is dictated by executives.

Posted by welleshadow on 2008-03-27 18:41:50
weel, let's talk about the elephant in the ro
1)
someone really should ask this at one point or another, so...

Is Marvel_BOy real?
Anything you would like to share on the argument?

2)
A real question now, not too much unrelated:
How spoilers affects your mood? I mean, one day you find out that the super-secret plot of a project edited by you is around the net and it's being talked massively days before the comic hits the stores.
Would you be pissed, very pissed or you'd just say "whatever"?
Or none of the above?

Thanks
Your blog is one of the best on the 'net...

Posted by gala81 on 2008-03-27 18:44:06
Questions, questions...
1. Really, right now I just want to know if the SI: Prologue will make it in print (preferably not just collected later in the SI TPB) and not just be an online exclusive. I don't know if it's my settings or not (good chance it is), but I've never really been pleased with reading my books online. I also stare at a screen all day, so looking away into a book is a welcome change.

2. I guess my 2nd question is is there anything regarding OMD/BND that you maybe would have done different in retrospect? I think overall the changes were for the best and I really have nothing overly negative to say when I think back in retrospect. But if there was anything you could have done different from the actual books, to marketing decisions, to even your blogs... what would it have been? Another rephrasing of this is did you learn anything from the whole OMD/BND experience even after working in comics for quite a while now?

Posted by causeitwasfunny on 2008-03-27 18:46:00
Questions
What's the one storyline you really wanted to move forward with but couldn't due to administrative/editorial edict or conflicts with another editor?

What's the best pitch of the last year that you received but couldn't greenlight?

Are there any projects/titles/characters that you are dying to get out there again but don't have the right pitch for currently?



Posted by Binaryan on 2008-03-27 19:00:19
Question
Whats your take on this http://www.4thletter.net/gregland.gif

and

Is marvel b0y some kind of viral marketing

Posted by sickboy_ukuk on 2008-03-27 19:31:19
Putting aside questions specifically about Marvel Boy for a sec (not vetoing, though)...

Would it, theoretically, be ethical for a company to deceive fans by having someone go out and pretend to be spoiling a book for the purposes of marketing? Do you think such actions might engender negative feelings towards the company that would be detrimental to the business?

Posted by CylverSaber on 2008-03-27 21:26:24
yeah,
I veto all marvel boy questions cause I think they are stupid.

Is there any person you wish you had gotten a chance to work with but didn't?

Also what work outside of comics do you like, books, tv shows? movies?

Posted by Pezdro on 2008-03-27 21:54:35
Why does Marvel not pay royalties on trades to the families of dead creators, when DC doesn't have the same practice?

Posted by wishlish on 2008-03-27 22:04:58
In the kindest way possible, I would like to veto all OMD/BND questions because that horse has been dead for months and there is a great need to move on.

Now for some slightly less dead horses...

1. What is the likelihood of, and what would be involved in any decision to reset a title's numbering back to where it would be if its original numbering had not been restarted (e.g. resetting New Avengers numbering back to Avengers numbering)?

2. What would it take for Marvel to bring back the character of Rom: Spaceknight?

Extra question that must be asked: If and when you finally tire completely of writing this blog, might you at least consider using it as a place to tantalize fans by at least continuing to preview art? You haven't done that for quite some time come to think of it!

Posted by Loob on 2008-03-27 23:23:23
Completely random questions?

1) Wouldn't it have made sense for a Venomized Scorpion to sometimes use a symbiotic tail. It was his weapon of choice, for what, forty years?

2) Would you please look at my blog?

http://kencase.blogspot.com/

Posted by Ken Case on 2008-03-28 01:40:14
I veto the marvel boy questions because I'm tired of hearing about that ****!

Posted by Maestro on 2008-03-28 01:44:20
Iceman after HoM
I was wondering about Bobby Drake's power loss (and power return) just after House of M. Do you know if that was always planned as a fake-out? Or did someone come up with a story idea for him at the last minute, causing a quick turnaround?

Posted by tech knight on 2008-03-28 01:55:44
Abandoned Characters
I veto Ken Case's questions, since they're not serious to begin with.

A few posts ago, a commenter named motteditor asked a question I found very interesting:
"Tom, can you talk about why characters from those minis seem to fade into obscurity while others (Hood, the irredeemable Ant-Man, Agents of Atlas etc.) seem to continue on in other titles? Just writers' choice? I'm struck, for example, by Ultra Girl, who labored in obscurity for like a decade after her three-issue mini before suddenly re-emerging in AI and NWv.4. Is that just because Slott, for example, likes her or is there ever anything deeper to the process?"

I too would like to know why some characters are brought back by other writers, while others with lots of potential -like Livewires, or Sean McKeever's short tease of a "Positron" story in Amazing Fantasy 15- are never touched again. It's not for lack of things to do with them- for instance, Livewires could guest-star in any of the million stories about going against SHIELD or government agencies, and Positron would be a perfect fit for the Runaways!

So to reiterate the question, what does it take for a character to get noticed by other writers?

Posted by MoriartyL on 2008-03-28 02:50:25
Hello,

1> What weight does marketing have in editorial? Do they interfere a lot in your work for fear that you might "ruin the franchise"?

2> Have you ever met Steve Ditko? Do you have any interesting stories about him?

thanx

Posted by baxtos on 2008-03-28 03:46:20
I'm vetoing any and all Marvel-b0y questions because - get real, Tom's never going to answer them!

Posted by Fetsur on 2008-03-28 04:27:39
My question: What's the current thought within Marvel to the possibilities of expanding into new markets by publishing more comics about non-American heroes? I grew up reading Marvel UK titles such as Motormouth and Killpower, Captain Britain, Knights of Pendragon and I see it as a real shame that kids today don't have the same choice. There's the Panini comics (aimed at younger kids) or the more "typical" American faire.

Posted by ukdavew on 2008-03-28 06:47:46
Dr. Strange ?
Tom -

What do you believe is needed to turn Dr. Strange into an ongoing monthly book i.e. pencils, plot, packaging, etc. I am not interested about what hasn't worked in the past, or why it hasn't worked, but what WILL work in the future !

Mon Morn Lunatic !

Posted by Mon Morn Lunatic on 2008-03-28 09:16:29
Will you ever start a fantasy editor game again?

Can I be in it?

Posted by kyle-latino on 2008-03-28 09:41:23
Questions
Alright, veto Kyle-Latino's self serving "Can I be in it?" question, just on principle. But his other is fine.

Veto Rom: Spaceknight question. I don't even know who that is, and it's too obscure to stay on the list.

Veto Wishlist's question because it doesn't make sense. He's basically saying: "Why does Marvel NOT pay royalties when DC ALSO doesn't?" He's going to have to reword that for it to be an answerable question. I can only assume he's saying that DC does, Marvel doesn't, why? But no one can be held accountable if the question isn't clear.

Veto Binaryan's first question about editorial conflicts and greenlighting projects despite them. Because he's only allowed two, and that one seems the least likely to be answered.

Veto Omega's editor/writing question. Tom has already written a book or two, and already had a blog way back when about his own interests in comic writing. You can click "Prev" to get that question answered.

If it isn't caught by the Marvel Boy vetoes: Veto CylverSaber's question about ethics in advertising. Advertising is based on deception and trickery, and it's naive to think that a company owes it to their consumers to not trick them into purchasing their items. This is capitalism, and unless you're overtly lying about the product they'll receive, you're actually encouraged to put one over on your buyers. Seeing as how every successful company does it, and people are still consuming items, I doubt it'll create any lasting bad feelings.

My questions:

1. My biggest interest: What is it that Marvel editors, being as general as you can be, look for in hiring writers that haven't previously written for Marvel? In other words, is it only previous, professional writing experience, or is there a chance for someone unproven to prove writing ability?

(Joe Q's answer at a con that was taped and put on this site was that writers have to show they know the Three Act Structure. But if no one ever bothers LOOKING at a writer's work, it's like saying you have to prove to a blind man how bright you can paint the color red.)

2. What do you, personally, think Marvel should or could do to keep the comic field alive - or better yet, flourishing - in the face of dwindling attention spans and TV/Movies/Video Games dominated media to avoid becoming a movie/video game company based off of characters that "once were in comics?"

Posted by PseudoSherlock on 2008-03-28 11:07:22
Will Marvel get behind a wholly new title (new concept, new characters) in the future that has no direct ties to anything, like it did Runaways? I feel like there's a stagnancy in the Marvel lines, and it's not for lack of creative talent to do it. There's a fertile universe for new ideas and we get the millionth issue of Daredevil or Ghost Rider. Not that there's anything wrong with either title, but... Marvel didn't gain its reputation by doing the same old stuff. In fact I seem to recall it pretty much happened because they didn't.

Posted by Fetsur on 2008-03-28 12:46:31
Questions I'd Like to Know the Answers to.
1. With succesful comic book based movies (Spider-Man movies, 300) why aren't more people going to a comic book shop and picking up the comics after seeing the movies?

2. The general market for comic book retailers are older collectors and small seven year old children. Why is it hard for comics to break into the market of teenagers?

3. Why don't we see more DC/ Marvel crossovers?

4. Where does Marvel look to find new writers?

5.Lastly, with Marvel starting thier Digital Comics program, do you think digital comics will eventually replace print comics in the future?

Posted by themexican734 on 2008-03-28 12:54:56
1. When you guys get interviews, how do you get them? Does a creator or a representative contact you or do you guys seek them out?

2. How do you feel about a person like Marvel boy working for your company? Will you fire him?

Posted by acomicbookgirl on 2008-03-28 13:05:23
Marvel Boy
Why the vetos for the Marvel Boy questions? It's one of the biggest issues right now and no one on an editorial level has addressed it. I'd like to know a) if it's real, how is it he hasn't been identified; and 2) if it's a marketing stunt, who on earth thought it was a good idea?

Posted by joeshan on 2008-03-28 13:54:24
What goes into a good 1 page pitch?
I tried writing up a pitch for a comic idea awhile back, but looking back on it later, it was more of an outline of the issue than a real pitch. So what goes into a good 1 page pitch? How much detail on characters, how much on plot, how much detail on the first year (if it is an ongoing), and whatever else.

Also, here's an idea for blog posts after the Q&A is done. How about a pitch contest? Maybe not 'contest' as in prizes, but something where you set up the rules and then we submit stuff.

I'm not so much looking for winners and losers as much as a critique. You can pick several, some good, some bad, and in your blog posts give us analysis not just of the idea, but how it is presented. Pretend your an editor talking to new writer and tell us what we need to do to improve.

If you want to keep this from seeming like a writing audition, you could say "no Marvel characters" in the rules. Maybe we'd all use DC or Image characters, or something. I was thinking it would be like those mock editorial exercises you've done with fans.

Posted by Jason M Bryant on 2008-03-28 13:58:11
1.) In comic books characters fight, kill each other, have sex, swear, and drink alcholic beverages. Why is it that smoking nicotine is so taboo? I understand that Joe Quesada wants to save the children, but aren't these other influences just as dangerous as the evils of smoking?

2.) I understand that Spider-man and Wolverine are popular characters, but is their prevalence in Marvel books a sign that Marvel doesn't trust many of its other characters to carry books?

Posted by Joshaw on 2008-03-28 14:41:03
I will grant permission to be interviewed for your blog.

Posted by Steve Zoovie on 2008-03-28 15:15:54
I veto the questions of everyone who vetoed the Marvel Boy questions.

Posted by CylverSaber on 2008-03-28 16:24:31
Isn't there a more interesting blog at
http://www.marvel.com/blogs/Spider-Office

Posted by spider-office on 2008-03-28 16:40:56
Only one question really.

Last time you posted, you touched on a subject that worries me. Namely, that trends in comics made people in the '70s like Flo, and even Stan believe that the zeitgeist for superhero genre of comics was only a passing trend.

Today, given the huge number of other activities available to modern teens, do you worry that fewer and fewer new readers are picking up any genre of comicbook, as evidenced by the fact that comics today with so-called "Big Numbers," would have been relatively small sellers as little as fifteen years ago. In other words, does the possibility that comics could potentially be a dying medium worry you, (or am I just being overly pessimistic?) and if so, what do you think can be done over the long term to ensure a healthy future for the business?

Posted by cjmcaree on 2008-03-28 17:06:03
Marvel Boy: the great mini
Is the Marvel Boy Premiere hardcover (hopefully !) planned ?

Thanks.

Posted by underworldeve on 2008-03-28 18:10:58
Vetoing all Marvel_BOy questions because they are mainly irrelevant and you will not get a straight answer anyway (thus a wasted question).
Well see eventually who it is- just enjoy it or let it be...

(My question is about the COMIC and the CHARACTER who will be in Secret Invasion).

Posted by underworldeve on 2008-03-28 18:16:19
Jason M Bryant (on 2008-03-28 14:58:11) vetoe
1)Smoking: Quesada just adressed this in latest Cup'o Joe. So what ? You want it all to disapear ?

2) Those 2 characters...SELL. Actually I think they do trust more minor characters with their own series...

Posted by underworldeve on 2008-03-28 18:21:48
My 2nd question:
Why not make an effort to include more bonus material at the end of HC/trades (i get both single and trades sometimes) ?

Here 's an example I posted on the boards :

"As a friend of artist Olivier Coipel, here in Paris, I would just like to let you know he recently told me how much material (sketches, roughs, layouts...) he had for House of M, and was dissapointed so little was used in the hardcover.

Please do not make that mistake again !

Contact him for extras in the Thor HC (whether it be the #1-6 or better yet oversized #1-12 issues), he'll be glad to share !

Let the trades office know...

Thanks."

Doesnt cost you anything but a few extra pages.
Makes the reading experience better (like a double disc DVD) !

Posted by underworldeve on 2008-03-28 18:31:39
Matt, I would advise against taking vetoes personally - and, for that matter, making them.

Tom is not going to tell us anything interesting about the Marvel-b0y situation. If it's a staffer, then he's restricted in what he can say. If he's a plant, then he's restricted in what he can say. If he's fabrication on the part of some deluded fan, then there's not exactly much he can say, certainly nothing we can't think for ourselves. And the fact is, as Marvel-b0y has himself admitted, a lot of what he posts on that blog is completely made-up rubbish.

We get five questions. Best make them good ones.

Posted by Fetsur on 2008-03-28 18:44:10
I veto PseudoSherlock getting to veto a million vetoes, especially ones that veto me. Haha

Posted by kyle-latino on 2008-03-28 20:10:32
Silly Season
"I veto the questions of everyone who vetoed the Marvel Boy questions."

Yeah? Well, I veto your veto of the vetos.

Posted by Jason M Bryant on 2008-03-28 22:27:02
1) It's related to the earlier question about royalties to dead creators, but a little different - how can Marvel ethically justify not paying creators for foreign reprints or media use of their stories/art (cartoons & movie storylines, t-shirts, etc.).
2) One good thing Joe Q did when he took over was "prune the tree" and pare down titles that weren't as strong or didn't have a separate "vision". But now, when I look through the previews order form each month and send my order to the comic shop, I just keep going "wow, there is a lot of VOLUME coming out". Especially the mini-series, king-sizes, annuals, giant sizes, marvel spotlights, etc. Do we really need 3 or 4 giant size hulk specials in a 3 month span, or 5 Iron Man books in a month? Are you diluting the product and risking some future implosion?

Posted by mcross76 on 2008-03-28 22:28:59
What are the top 3 collections which haven't been collected yet that you'd like to see quickly?

Posted by Dusty. on 2008-03-29 00:24:29
"Yeah? Well, I veto your veto of the vetos."

No provision in the rules for that :p

Posted by CylverSaber on 2008-03-29 00:31:58
"Tom is not going to tell us anything interesting about the Marvel-b0y situation."

Sometimes what someone doesn't say is what's interesting. And I am personally very interested in Marvel's stance on deceptive marketing (which, contrary to PseudoSherlock's assertion, not all companies engage in).

Posted by CylverSaber on 2008-03-29 00:34:57
Employees
Apart from a comment or two about the human body within comic books from before, which I think is a good subject, here are two questions:

1) Being at the bottom of the totem pole within the corporate world, I'm kind of curious about the "unsung heroes" that work within Marvel comics. We all know about the writers, artists, the EiC, and the odd editor or two, but what about the employees that work underneath you and others, from your assistants even down to the symbolic "mail-room". What is a day in the life of Tom Brevoort's assistant's assistant like? Joe Q's assistant, etc... (Truthfully, all that being said, and I'm pretty sure you mentioned before what a day in your job is like, but still, what about a day in yours?)

2) What does the business side (non-creative side) of Marvel do on a daily basis? Is there a difference between your office and the accounting, legal, etc... or do you have to deal with it all in your position. What does Dan Buckley and his world within Marvel do exactly? (I know that is really bad grammar).

3) Sorry, but I"m curious so... From start to finish, what are the steps that go into producing a comic book?

Thanks

Posted by Thomas More on 2008-03-29 14:59:20
question
is there anyway that Emma could be a skrull? Please?

Posted by domino21710 on 2008-03-29 17:39:13
Tom, what are the chances of Mr. Fish popping up in a GLA or Dan Slott related project?

Posted by Dr. Chaos on 2008-03-29 20:48:35
Editing
Just how would a Skrull go about impersonating the Vision (I) convincingly?

I’m not sure anyone at Marvel Editorial has considered that point regarding SECRET INVASION (SI), or any other plot point, besides trying to make as many heroes suspects as the writers can. It’s odd that, in Ms. MARVEL #25, Stark jumps to the conclusion that the Carol Danvers look-alike *must* be a Skrull, forgetting that there are other means of impersonating people.

In a way, I can understand why, in SI #1, Bendis tries to eliminate all known means of detecting impersonators, even without a basis for doing so, because his storyline would fall apart if anyone started testing the heroes. Still, there will be readers who know something about DNA tests, EEGs, MRI of the brain, and other means of differentiating species. It’s more than a little ironic that H. G. Wells was able to refer to biology in WAR OF THE WORLDS, whereas Bendis is apparently unable to, but, considering that there might not be a storyline if the Illuminati hadn’t acted like posturing idiots in ILLUMINATI #1--is it too late to cancel SECRET INVASION?

Perhaps the single weakest aspect of the Marvel Universe as a concept as this point is the cosmology, which seems geared to grade-schoolers. Interstellar distances have been handled badly in Abnett & Lanning’s ANNIHILATION: CONQUEST, but not as badly as Mantis has been handled. Doesn’t anyone at Marvel Editorial know that she’s never been a pyrokinetic, Giffen’s claim in STARLORD #1 notwithstanding?

The attention that Marvel Editorial pays to critical plot points in its storylines seems to be declining fairly steadily.

SRS


Posted by Steven R. Stahl on 2008-03-30 13:22:27
Has Mystique been replaced by a Skrull?

Posted by Fetsur on 2008-03-30 14:26:54
Veto of Steven R. Stahl's question
Sorry man, but that question is never going to get a straight answer...keep reading and find out.

Posted by underworldeve on 2008-03-30 17:25:11
sorry i meant Fetsur

Posted by underworldeve on 2008-03-30 17:27:07
Veto: The spider-office question. They know why.

Question: Without getting into specifics, has there ever been an approved project that was completely derailed because of an impasse between a writer and editorial?

Posted by friskydingo on 2008-03-30 18:48:51
Topic is Closed
All right, folks, it's Monday morning, so this topic is closed--any questions after this will not be counted.

Tom B

Posted by Tom Brevoort on 2008-03-31 09:02:43
Not a Question
Really, asking about Marvel_B0y is pretty useless. Worse, asking Tom's opinion on the ethics of his own company is even more useless. There really is no response he could give about the situation that wouldn't sound like a press release.

Posted by PseudoSherlock on 2008-03-31 10:16:39
Veto all Psuedo Sherlock's questions just because he vetoed a sh**tload of everyone else's.

Posted by Moorish on 2008-03-31 10:33:11
Tom B
Thanks a lot Tom for doing this !

I hope we (kinda) played by the rules and youll answer as many unvetoed questions as possible.:)



Posted by underworldeve on 2008-03-31 12:11:35
question
Mine is something of a "meta" question. Why do you (and other)
editors continue interacting with the on-line community when,
for the most part, the attitude is that we represent a very small
minority of the fanbase and one with a rather negative attitude
for that matter?

Posted by izzatrix on 2008-03-31 12:58:20
Eve, I hope you got the gag... Mystique, replaced by a shapeshifter. I mean come on, how silly!

Posted by Fetsur on 2008-03-31 19:38:23