YOUR 20 Questions for Jim Shooter, Dark Horse interview DONE

[leonmallett]

Just finished reading the 20 Q's , great questions everyone ! And thanks again to JCVaughn for doing this. I love Jim's enthusiasm , he really sounds pumped up.

And just for the record , I really liked Jim's artwork on Magnus and Rai.

I agree about the enthusiasm. It sounds like there is a little working out to be done, but that Mr Shooter knows the economics of the business well suggest to me that between him and Mike Richardson we could be looking at a very well planned launch.

Jim Shooter has had his successes and failures, and I think it is important to recognise both simply for balance, and I feel he is a very good writer although (strike me down if you must folks) not necessarily a great writer in my view (great is a word bandied around too readily in this medium I feel), but in all he has said enough to get me really excited by this launch. He recently turned around a generally turgid LoSH (the threeboot which was also helped out by Tony Bedard's good-but-brief run prior to his after what I felt was work unbecoming of the title from Mark Waid - its architect). I look forwards to the DH GK-realted ouput with optimism.

[leonmallett]

EXCELLENT interview, JC! Thanks so much for doing this. I was really disappointed at VEI not getting these properties AND Jim Shooter, but after reading the interview I am quite excited about this endeavor.

I wish [VEI] well, but I won’t work for them anymore.

Now I want to know just how that was meant and what the story is behind it!!

...

I think we all do.

[SolarGod]

I think this has to be my favorite Shooter quote from the interview .....

" When I redeveloped them for VALIANT back when, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to bring to life some of the vast potential I always knew they had. I thought we got off to a good start with them, but my watch ended abruptly and too soon. I didn’t get to do many of the things I had in mind. I’ve had years to think about those things, and I’ve added many more to the list. Also, there were a few things I did during my first try that I’d often thought I’d do differently, given a second chance…. "

This fills me with lots of good vibes

[Heath]

I think this has to be my favorite Shooter quote from the interview .....

" When I redeveloped them for VALIANT back when, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to bring to life some of the vast potential I always knew they had. I thought we got off to a good start with them, but my watch ended abruptly and too soon. I didn’t get to do many of the things I had in mind. I’ve had years to think about those things, and I’ve added many more to the list. Also, there were a few things I did during my first try that I’d often thought I’d do differently, given a second chance…. "

This fills me with lots of good vibes

Agreed!

[Daniel Jackson]

Nice interview.

Sounds like Jim is really pumped up to have another chance to do these characters again. After seeing the shabby way Valiant treated the GK characters when he left, it's nice to see the man himself back in the drivers seat.

Disappointing to see that he won't be working with VEI again. I guess we all kinda expected that though when we first heard the news.

[Draco]

EXCELLENT interview, JC! Thanks so much for doing this. I was really disappointed at VEI not getting these properties AND Jim Shooter, but after reading the interview I am quite excited about this endeavor.

I wish [VEI] well, but I won’t work for them anymore.

Now I want to know just how that was meant and what the story is behind it!!

...

I think we all do.

I think if you read the rest of the quotes, it basically means he has made a decision to stick with one job at a time.
Not something DH asked of hi, more something he feels better about himself.
Of course the flip side is that he maybe found the guys at VEI very lacking in experience and possibly a bit amateurish

[Crow331]

my watch ended abruptly and too soon. I didn’t get to do many of the things I had in mind. I’ve had years to think about those things, and I’ve added many more to the list. Also, there were a few things I did during my first try that I’d often thought I’d do differently, given a second chance…. "



Yeah this is going to be awesome. It sounds like we might actually get some old "valiant" ideas that are still in his head that no one but Jim probably knew about

Jim saying "I won’t work for them anymore". That doesn't sound good at all. That tone is the sound of someone who did not like the experience at all. Then we add in VEI's deafening silence for a while now and this is just bad. I really am losing all hope for VEI at this point.

Well at least this world is being resurrected in another alternate universe I am sooooooooooo excited for this. I can't wait to buy the original cover art and hang it on my wall! I wonder who else Jim is going to bring on board? Any artists from the old days?

[Heath]

EXCELLENT interview, JC! Thanks so much for doing this. I was really disappointed at VEI not getting these properties AND Jim Shooter, but after reading the interview I am quite excited about this endeavor.

I wish [VEI] well, but I won’t work for them anymore.

Now I want to know just how that was meant and what the story is behind it!!

...

I think we all do.

I think if you read the rest of the quotes, it basically means he has made a decision to stick with one job at a time.
Not something DH asked of hi, more something he feels better about himself.
Of course the flip side is that he maybe found the guys at VEI very lacking in experience and possibly a bit amateurish

I could be wrong, but I bet it's also related to this quote:

Recently, I opted out of another gig...

[turborip]

Heath Fitts, Pineville, LA: I really enjoyed the new stories you did for the Harbinger and Archer & Armstrong hardcovers. Does this deal with Dark Horse prevent any future collaboration with Valiant Entertainment, Inc.?
Jim Shooter: I wish them well, but I won’t work for them anymore. Mike never asked me to be exclusive. He didn’t have to. This is what I want to do.

Extra emphasis is mine. Interesting. It can be read a couple of ways that I can see, but I feel this was one of the most interesting answers. I wouldn't want to speculate what he intended (it certainly wouldn't be fair to Mr Shooter for me to try to read his intent), but my gut feeling is that it isn't a good sign of VEI's position. I could be very, very wrong of course.

Yeah, I'll back you up here. That's way to 'final' an answer.

Look at how bands that have a broken-up answer about reunions...usually you get a lot of 'no plans at this time', 'never say never', 'we'll see, you never know' type responses.....as long as there is no bad blood, it seems the door is always open.

This sounds like a pretty shut door here, especially because he said it while still making the point that he wasn't asked to be exclusive.

[StarBrand]

I was wondering if that was VEI he opted out of myself. We may never know.

[dave]

Here's the link, gents:
http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com/publi ... 5&ai=85738

Thanks for doing this, JC! Lots of exciting stuff there!

My pleasure! And as there are actually more details on which for us to base more quesitons, Jim will do it again.

"Radical!"

[vikingspawn]

I wanted to ask if the books are going to be $3.99 by the time they come out next year....

[StarBrand]

I wanted to ask if the books are going to be $3.99 by the time they come out next year....

[sonicdan]

Great questions and answers! I am really looking forward to these coming out.
It looks like most Dark Horse comics are currently $2.99 with a few at $3.50.
Regardless I will be buying these no matter what the cover price is
(may just have to drop some $3.99 Marvels to do so!)
DAN

[StarBrand]

I will be buying these no matter what the cover price is

DAN

+1

[dave]

Jim Shooter has had his successes and failures, and I think it is important to recognise both simply for balance, and I feel he is a very good writer although (strike me down if you must folks) not necessarily a great writer in my view (great is a word bandied around too readily in this medium I feel), but in all he has said enough to get me really excited by this launch. He recently turned around a generally turgid LoSH (the threeboot which was also helped out by Tony Bedard's good-but-brief run prior to his after what I felt was work unbecoming of the title from Mark Waid - its architect). I look forwards to the DH GK-realted ouput with optimism.

Strike, strike, strike.

No, really, point taken-but I think that his greatest strength is coordinating a story that overlaps and has a broader scale than your standard story/plotline. I'm never sure who to attribute writing credits too anyway when there is a writer/plotter/scriptor etc.

My favorite part of the interview is this:

I used all Manning’s brilliant conceits—broadcast power, Central Rob, psychoprobes, the Goph Lands, more—and I tried to develop it all inward and onward. Advance the frontier. Fulfill the potential. Fulfill the destiny. I think it is all too common these days for creators, even talented ones, to take the easy way out, to go for cheap, bottled drama. I developed Leeja, Magnus and the rest, as naturally as I could. Most creators, I think (I fear) would have instantly “modernized” Leeja and given her robot-fighting powers, or at least a big gun. Most, I think, would have instantly taken Magnus’s relatively positive future and wreaked apocalyptic havoc upon it. Cheap, easy drama, short term. Then, once you’ve destroyed the essence, whatcha gonna do? You have to build, not destroy.

That is The Thinking behind the genius!

[StarBrand]

Congrats Magnusr on getting three questions selected.

[leonmallett]

Jim Shooter has had his successes and failures, and I think it is important to recognise both simply for balance, and I feel he is a very good writer although (strike me down if you must folks) not necessarily a great writer in my view (great is a word bandied around too readily in this medium I feel), but in all he has said enough to get me really excited by this launch. He recently turned around a generally turgid LoSH (the threeboot which was also helped out by Tony Bedard's good-but-brief run prior to his after what I felt was work unbecoming of the title from Mark Waid - its architect). I look forwards to the DH GK-realted ouput with optimism.

Strike, strike, strike.

No, really, point taken-but I think that his greatest strength is coordinating a story that overlaps and has a broader scale than your standard story/plotline. I'm never sure who to attribute writing credits too anyway when there is a writer/plotter/scriptor etc.

Strikes accepted dave.

I think he is a great innovator in themedium (note that I don't use 'great' lightly as I said before). He also occupies a fairly unique position in that he has been successful as creator and as top boss (although not exclusively so), I cannot think of anyone that comes close in that regard given the changes his career has seen in the medium.

I think he is a good writer, but I don't find his work to have that spark or magic that I associate with true greatness.

He deserves a position near the very top of the comic book pantheon, of that I am absolutely sure, but for the breadth of his accomplishments I feel rather than for his writing alone.

[dave]

I think I know where you are coming from. I'm not really disagreeing with you...I think I might even feel the same way. To me, everything that I see with his name attached has a certain something-something that is more than just the usual drivel put out month after month. Mind you, I'm not saying that everything is always alpha and omega-but the footprint seems to be there.

[magnusr]

Congrats Magnusr on getting three questions selected.

Thanks, **cough** four **cough**

And congrats to all who got to ask Jim. I liked the multiple questions from you and Heath.

/Magnus

[StarBrand]

Congrats Magnusr on getting three questions selected.

Thanks, **cough** four **cough**

And congrats to all who got to ask Jim. I liked the multiple questions from you and Heath.

/Magnus

I never could count past three.

[Elveen]

Great interview.

I am a bit bummed about Jim not working with VEI.

[robb77]

cool article - cant wait for these to hit the stands

[terreth]

Here's the link, gents:
http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com/publi ... 5&ai=85738

Thanks for doing this, JC! Lots of exciting stuff there!

My pleasure! And as there are actually more details on which for us to base more quesitons, Jim will do it again.

"Radical!"

[Draco]

Here's the link, gents:
http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com/publi ... 5&ai=85738

Thanks for doing this, JC! Lots of exciting stuff there!

My pleasure! And as there are actually more details on which for us to base more quesitons, Jim will do it again.

"Radical!"