The Bendis Tapes Dec 2007 Pt 1

Time again for another Word Balloon edition of The Bendis Tapes. Host John Siuntres and Marvel Comics scribe Brian Michael Bendis answer fan question from his Jinxworld.com message board. Among the subjects covered they discuss the recent Marvel creator retreat, some tidbits about the upcoming Secret Invasion storyline, and many plots questions involving Powers, Daredevil: End of Days, Ultimate Spider-Man, and the two Avengers titles. Here are some highlights from Part 1... Bendis has two Hollywood projects he's due to start once the WGA strike ends, He can't talk about them until after the strike is settled. Could Powers continue after the death of either Christian Walker or Deana Pilgrim? Bendis: "Sure. How do you know I haven't (written) that already?" Don't speculate that the Hood's group of villains in New Avengers books represents Bendis new take on the "Masters of Evil". That story is still coming. There will be rotating artists on New and Mighty Avengers due to the nature and pacing of the Secret Invasion story. This will allow a bunch of artists to jump on the books whose schedule would only allow one or two issues. After that there will be a regular artist on New Avengers, and a surprising announcement about Mighty Avengers. Secret Invasion will deal with The Hand's reaction to their being led by the Skrull/Elektra, and we'll see more of the Infinity Gem in Black Bolt's possession (a dangling plot line from The Illuminati mini-series). What does the future hold for Quicksilver? Bendis: "He was a big topic of the last Marvel retreat... in fact a vote was put about his future as a character, so you'll be seeing a lot of him." Daredevil: End of Days has been delayed due to artists David Mack and Klaus Janson getting other front burner projects that have to take priority, but work continues on the DD story. Bendis: "I've seen pages and they're gorgeous." The Bendis/Alex Maleev Spider-Woman book starts, "The moment Secret Invasion ends." Bendis defended his story choice of having Wolverine confront Spider-Woman in the shower. In New Avengers #36. Bendis: "Wolverine would wait till she's in the shower, at her most vulnerable. Plus Jessica and Logan have had an intimate relationship in the past. I know nudity and sex makes people uncomfortable, but I don't care...It's never done cheaply (by Bendis)." If Bendis' voice is raspy it was due to his loud disagreements with Jeph Loeb at the Marvel retreat. Bendis: "When we're yelling we're like it's the end of civilization...Sometimes the argument brings out better ideas for both of us, but it's really like Joe putting two pit-bulls in the same room..." Siuntres says, "That story is truly one of the funniest creator anecdotes I've heard since starting the Word Balloon podcast.”