The original comic-book industry rumour and news column, by Rich Johnston.
"The Drudge Report of comics..." -- Don Simpson

 Elmo Health Warning: 

This column is RUMOUR. Do not take anything here seriously. These RUMOURS are presented here as GOSSIP for their ENTERTAINMENT value.

Cable Guy.

Rec.arts.comics.marvel.xbooks exploded this week over what was seen as the general crapness of Cable 75. And it wasn't just the Liefeld writing, but no, Joe Pruett was listed as writer and it was considered that this was just as bad, if not worse than the art therein. And so Joe Pruett came to respond.

"Let me tell you about my role on Cable #75. I wrote a 36 page plot involving Cable, Apocalypse, Stacey, Irene, Blaquesmith and Mr. Sinister (as a matter of fact, I wrote at least 2 drafts of it). For reasons I'm not completely aware of (they didn't like the plot or thought Rob had a better idea for it then I did), my plot was not used. I was told Rob had turned something in and they were hoing to go with it. I got the pages as they were done and proceeded to dialogue them as best I could. I didn't have a written plot to work with, just the pages. I asked to have my name removed from the credits as one of the "storytellers" and just credited with script, but, again, for whatever reason, it wasn't changed (I assume it was just forgotten). As a matter of fact, I never even saw the first and last pages of art from this story until it saw print, so that is not my dialogue (as are none of the splash pages).

This is not my story. Even if you loved it, I wouldn't want to take credit for something I really had no hand in creating. For good or bad, it is Rob's. Now let me state that I don't have a problem with Rob going out with a bang with both plot and art on his final issue. I just wish credit went where credit was due.

Issue #78 is my last issue on Cable. My regret is that I feel I was never allowed to show what I could do. I came in with Rob and was immediately thrown into the 12 saga. I had very little leeway with what I could do (in Cable and in Unlimited) as most of the main focus of the saga was in the X-Men titles and there wasn't much left for me. I knew what I was getting into when I agreed to come aboard and have no regrets in that aspect. I still have a good working relationship with Mark Powers, my editor, and don't begrudge him one bit. They decided to make a change at the end of Feb.'s issues across the board on X-Men titles and that didn't include me remaining on Cable. That's life. I'll still be working with the X-offices on various projects and, who knows, maybe I'll get another shot down the road on Cable. Stranger things have happened."

What does seem bizarre is that despite severe editorial interference over creators such as Pruett, Kelly, Seagle and others, that Warren Ellis seems to be getting such a free reign? There does seem to be a creator-tier system at Marvel where some can do as they please and others quite simply can't. Remember guys, today's B-list creator is tomorrow's A-list sales driver. It wasn't too long ago that Warren Ellis was writing Hellstorm and seeing project upon project cancelled...

Missing Missive!

Well, blow me down, a Ramblings report seems to have gone astray... this originally went out on the 12th of November but seems to have vanished in the ether. I blame the government. Or Bill Gates. Anyway, what you missed out on was...

What Goes Around, Comes Around.

Responding to our recent Marvel/DC rumours, one source writes "As for Marvel going after DC writers, one small twist is that word came down for them to do that over two years ago, but up until then, most stars were happy at DC. It's only RECENTLY, with the major goof ups going around there that stars are willing to pack it up and leave. Marvel editors are ALSO getting a rep for giving more freedom to creators than their DC counterparts, which is a ridiculous move on DC's part. Hey, have you done anything on the fact that Marvel owes DC a TON of money for crossovers and refuses to pay? It's causing a lot of friction at a bad time."

That'll be why we haven't seen any Marvel/DC crossovers for ages. And just think, Marvel used to say that it was just because they wanted to save crossovers for something special...

An A-list creator also writes "Your DC stuff sounds spot on. All the good guys are giving DC a wide berth at the moment... it's crazy over there. Heard an interesting theory that DC and Marvel have swapped place just like the did in the early eighties. DC used to be the assholes/ control freaks and Marvel, in the 70s, was were anything could happen. Shooter changed all that and turned Marvel into an uncreative corporate nightmare while Giordano (an ex-freelancer) made DC a very creator-orientated company."

"Now DC's the market-leader and the creators are having their balls crunched on a weekly basis. Very unhappy environment over there (the editors are suicidal), but Jimmy and Joe (ex-freelancers) have made Marvel a honey-pot for good writers and artists to get treated right. A local store-owner I know dazzled me with the brilliant analogy that the Siegel and Shuster thing is the 2000 version of the Kirby artwork and a creative reason to hate the biggest company. Dunno if it's as simple as that, but it's interesting that Kirby created Marvel and S&S effectively created DC."

And now something up to date... ish.

Thanksgiving Bollocks.

I am not American. Therefore I have nothing to be thankful for.

 Cyclops Takes Up Smoking Shock Horror!

The Comics Continuum (www.comicscontinuum.com) have just published this cover from an upcoming issue of X-Men, suggesting the death of a major character! We agree, if Cyclops has taken up the evils of nicotine and is using his visor as an ash tray, then he may only have 30 or 40 years left to live (210-280 years Marvel time). What's next? Kitty Pryde chewing shadow
khat?

Back On the Bat

We hear that Frank Miller is working on a new Batman book for DC. Another rumour adds that he way be working on it with his old Elektra Assassin partner Bill Sienciewicz. Editor Bob Schreck has good history with both, at Dark Horse and at Oni.

Majestruck Off

Mr. Majestic, the Wildstorm book that has gained favourable reviews from evern The Comics Journal has been cancelled according to a source close to one of the creators.

Superstopped

One reader writes "First, as you reported on Superman's lacklustre relaunch, part of it was due to NO PROMOTION (no house ads, no in store promo) on DC's part. What I heard was Berganza wanted to promote, but Carlin killed it!

Kosovo Kontinues...

Okay, I plugged this to death a month back when it was launched. It's a benefit book with an illustrated story by Alan Moore and comic stories by Garth Ennis/Dave Gibbons, Pete Hogan, Al Davison and... well, me.

Anyway, this weekend (Sunday, 28th November), there'll be a big signing at the TUC Comic Mart, on Great Russell Street, just up from Gosh. There'll be quite a few of the creators signing there, including me, but probably not Mr Moore. As ever, I'll be available for Ramblings Live, telling the kind of rumours that I know I could never get away with printing. Turn up about midday on.

It's printed on heavy glossy stock, and available in next months Previews. So that means that all you in the States won't get a copy until then.

Unless...

Unless my old mucker from University, Richard Davies (now head of Red Route Distribution) sends them to you. If your shop, wherever in the world, has a Red Route account, you can get a copy of the book in days. Rivhard Davies writes "I know you've been blurbing the Kosovo book on Ramblings, but Diamond won't have it until next year. We have copies now and can arrange shipping to the US as well as the UK. Also, we are not making a profit on this book. We are taking a very small cut to cover packing and banking costs etc, but basically we are distributing this at cost. Details are available if required. Of course if any US retailers wanted to bump up their orders with Gemma Bovery, What's Welsh for Zen (the John Cale bio designed by Dave McKean), Iron Fist Chinmi, Raymond Briggs' books, Tom Baker's poetry/ cartoon (not drawn by him) book "The Boy Who Kicked Pigs" or any other UK -produced stuff, then I'd be happy to take their cash." So there you have it. Contact, or get your shop to contact Richard Davies in the following ways: Richard Davies @ Red Route Distribution, Unit 24, 10 Acklam Rd, London, W10 5QZ ENGLAND (T) 01144 20 8960 5855 (F) 01144 20 8968 7614

Bat Spin.

A good DC inside source writes about our recent Denny O'Neill story, "Denny isn't being let go from the Batman books. He's long wanted to spend more time writing, and has been persuaded from doing this for at least five years. Now, I would guess, he's finally going to do what he wants. In fact, NO MAN'S LAND is selling very well, and the DC folks are quite pleased with it. I love gossip as much as the next person, but Denny is my oldest friend in the business, and I hate to see what is, for him, a good thing that he's wanted for a very long time, turned into something negative."

And another source writes "Denny O'Neill won't be fired, but will move into another capacity at DC. Other DC Bat-team members will be fired."

So there you go!

What The Foulkes?

Will San Diego stories never die? Apparently not... remember the recently fired Marvel bigwig Winston Foulkes? One attendee writes "I attended his presentation at San Diego (and met him later, seemed a really head-screwed on publishing type to me), and the thing that struck me a strange at the time was that he half-jokingly pleaded with the retailers to keep him in a job until after the millennium, so he could lead Marvel into a new era etc etc. It must be a really strange corporate experience where you are recruited from outside the industry to head a leading player, and within 2 months of your appointment, you are thinking about when they're going to fire you! Hard luck Winston, didn't quite make it to the new millennium after all!"

Tripwire Across The Net.

We recently ran the news that Tripwire and SubMedia were moving to the net. Joel Meadows, editor and publisher of Tripwire clarifies this a bit. "TRIPWIRE has published continuously since March 1992 but,as of November 1999, TRIPWIRE will be switching to appearing on the Net, sharing web space with Krypton Komics. This is only a temporary measure, as come April 2000, TRIPWIRE will be relaunching in a 48 page bimonthly format, priced £1.99. The five month changeover will give the magazine the opportunity to fine tune its contents, while still maintaining a presence on the Net. TRIPWIRE Monthly is cancelled as of #4, which shipped at the beginning of October. The contents of the remaining issues of the monthly which were solicited through Diamond (Monthly #5, #6, #7 and #8) will appear on the Web Site, so people who want to see the Frank Miller, Jeph Loeb, Chris Bachalo, Tim Sale and Kyle Baker interviews will have to check out the Web Site... Look out for us at Comics 2000 in Bristol where we'll be launching the new volume. TRIPWIRE is dead, Long Live TRIPWIRE!"

Ramblings has had a good relationship with Tripwire and we wish it all the best. Britain needs a regular feature-led comics magazine, and Tripwire's been doing a storming job in that respect for ages. So get yourself to www.kryptoncomics.com immediately!

Just Say No!

A source writes "Ran into Tim Burton on plane from Hawaii. Says he is not doing Superman. At all."

Quinn Mobile.

One source writes "David Quinn is rumoured to be finishing Eo, the series that Tim Vigil did with another writer, Henkel, for Rebel studios a few years back. He's alluded to it on his message board as well as to other people who have spoken to him.

As well, he has a lot of ideas for Doom Patrol. But does DC want to see them? He has stated that he could reconstruct the entire book, and start fresh, to give the characters a whole new perspective.

Jenny Finished?

We also hear that Dark Horse may be finishing the Jenny Finn mini series that started (with two issues published) at Oni Press. Ironic really, in that Bob Schrek left DC for Oni originally to publish projects he felt weren't being attempted at Dark Horse (they must really be kicking themselves over Clerks...)

Fragamouth Cut!

We have a great story to end this Networks on... but I've chickened out. I want to run this past Dan Fraga... anyone got a contact? Cheers...

Gorilla Go!

As all the major comic newspages will be reporting now, Gorilla has gone official. The Mid-Ohio Con website at http://www.wfcomics.com/midohiocon/?mocpage=news.shtml has listed the following news.

MID-OHIO-CON REVEALS THE SECRET BEHIND IMAGE'S GORILLA COMICS!

Kurt Busiek, Mark Waid, Joe Kelly, Barry Kitson, Mike Wieringo & their monkey pals invite you to the debut shindig of this new Image Comics imprint. A Mid-Ohio-Con exclusive!

Along with this little picture: Isn't that sweet? Ramblings was the first source to print news about Busiek and Waid's creator-owned imprint many months ago and we've kept as up to date with it as we can since then. Many rumours were way off (Bulldog? Grant Morrison and Garth Ennis??) but a fair few seem to have been bang on. You certainly didn't hear 'Gorilla' mentioned anywhere else...

Right, right, enough of all that self-congratulatory bullshit. We look forward to the barrage of confirmed creators, book titles and release dates from the usual sources.

Marvel/DC Crossovers

An Marvel insider source wrote in with a whole host of titbits... about DC, mostly. Now, this person shows their Marvel influences very strongly but it might show some company insight.

It's no secret that Marvel and DC staff interact socially with each other. One such metting at a strip-joint on Broadway near the Letterman Studios led to some DC plans slipping to the Marvel guys. The headline rumour? DC are shifting promotional focus from the talent to the editors.

This isn't something new, but in recent years it's true - the creator of the book has often been lionised above the book itself. DC's exclusive contracts have fed that approach... but this may all be changing.

DC's big problem is that the freelancers move around too much and aren't loyal. The exclusive contracts have been costly and are but temporary. However, editors are usually there for life... or until they get fired. It's already started with the DC News pages focusing on production staff/editorial; the most recent pic being a bizarre shot of the DCU line of eds in DCU jackets.

The word is that Executive and Group Editors feel the creators (particularly the writers) shoot their mouths off a little too much and DC want to make stars of people they can control.

This could be good news for Marvel as Bob Harras's plan for 2000 was to steal the cream of DC - and DC are just giving them away. Marvel have generally had the more popular characters and artists (well, until Image happened) and now they're up for the popular writers too. Our Marvel source says "DC are getting our cast-offs (the guys who's books we've either cancelled or are on the VERGE of cancelling) and, in the last few months, we've picked up their stars. Grant Morrison was Bob's number one target - a guy who took JLA from 20,000 sales to 100,000 in four months. Morrison's been a money-making machine for DC for the last four years and now he's going to make cash for us!"

The source continues "Who do DC have left? Brian Augustyn, Abnett and Lanning, Joe Kelly, 11 pages of James Robinson a month and Larry Hama - come on, that doesn't exactly measure up to Kevin Smith, Paul Jenkins, Grant Morrison, Garth Ennis, Mark Millar, Ty Templeton, John Byrne, Warren Ellis, Kurt Busiek and (you never heard it from me) the very strong possibility of a certain Mr Moore..."

Well, that last one is a little dubious. Just think about Moore's distaste over Marvel's corporate nature, the firing of a much loved editor, the use of Alan Moore owned characters in X-Men, the unauthorised printing of his Doctor Who stories, etc, etc... mind you, if Marvel can built a strong enough Firewall... do they still own Bongo? And remember, a number of those names have strong DC work... at Wildstorm. Hell, Ellis is getting his own imprint. Before the DC buyout. Marvel were in talks with Jim Lee over the purchase of Wildstorm, and they didn't go for it. Regrets, they may have a few... okay, what else does our Marvel source have to say?

"Marvel are going to kick DC's ass next year! Vertigo in particular... how's their line going to look minus Ellis, Ennis and Morrison?" May we suggest that if Marvel really want to lift their creative status, they consider providing a home for Gorilla? In all the fuss, Marvel have never been rumoured as a home for this successful imprint waiting to happen.

Hoist The Flagships

Denied by Mania, but still doing the rumour circuit, and yes it's our lovely Marvel source again so, you know, bear that in mind, the word still is that Denny O'Neill isn't getting his contract renewed at Christmas and will be replaced as Bat supremo - it seems DC are gutted by the performance of the Super-titles this month - this being the first time a facelift hasn't increased sales by a fraction - and they're worried the Batman revamp is going to go the same way. "DC senior editors have already started scouting for other possible creative teams to salvage the ailing Super-books, but who can save them now?" Can I suggest Grant Morrison, Mark Waid, Tom Peyer and Mark Millar? Just a thought...

And still we hear more rumours from different people about high-level sackings at DC, but still we see no sign of them being realised at all!

Sign Posted

Peter Hogan will be doing a signing for the Tales Of Midnight Kosovo Refugees Benefit Comic at the TUC Mart, London (Great Russell Street, Near Tottenham Court Rd) on November 28th (usually starts @ 12 noon). He says "Don't know who else will be there, but I know they're trying to persuade everybody (Garth, Dave Gibbons, Al Davidson, Bryan Talbot etc - kinda doubt Alan Moore will agree, though)." Well, Pete, I'll be there signing too (I did a four page story which seemed to go down well). So, I hope to see as many who can make it to London there. Maybe I'll even do a Ramblings '99 Live, featuring some of the stuff that I know I could never print on this page!

Go to http://www.bluesilver.com/kosovo.shtml for more details on this book.

Gorilla Strikes Back

A few people e-mail us to tell us that the Waid project picked for Gorilla is called Empire, and that it was planned to be drawn by Barry Kitson and published by Homage. Thanks chaps!

One source tells us " I think your list of who's involved with Gorilla is a bit off, unless there's been a lot of personnel changes with the Image/Wildstorm tug of war. (Please god, don't let them go to Shamus.) Oh, and last I heard, that book was only one of three Waid was considering to use for his first Gorilla project. Thanks fella but another source tells us that the deal with Wizard is progressing while the deal with Image is stalling at the last count.

We also hear that www.gorillapress.com is registered to The Gorilla Press: Books For Kids. That's another one down... hey guys, if you ever consider using the name Twist And Shout Comics, just give us a shout!

Warren Behaving Godly.

Like everyone else, we've been following Ellis' new role at Marvel with the Xbooks with glee, thanks to coverage from Mania and Comic Wire. We've also read Mania's explanation of how it came to happen with interest. Well, we've heard another version to add to the melting pot.

Bob Harras held a big meeting where he ripped into all the editors present. He's very unhappy with the Board coming down on him for constant lacklustre and falling sales at Marvel. He asked them all who is terrific out there, and then told them to get anyone they mentioned. Warren Ellis and Brian Bendis were two prominent creators mentioned and sought after but we've been told that many more turned Marvel down straight. We hoe to have more on this when our source returns from other shores...

What interests us at Ramblings however is just what creative team Warren Ellis might pick for the second-tier Xbooks that he's overseeing books? So, based on previous Ellis collaborations and our own personal wishlist, here's where we could see the books going creatively. As Peter Snow loves to say "Just a bit of fun! Just a bit of fun!" This is all from my failing memory of course, expect a huge errata next column!

Cable

Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Gary Erskine

The creative rationale:

A man from the future who was born in the present and lived in the past? Just take a few Invisibles meta-plotlines and transplant with some of the energy in select issues of JLA. Add an artist who is unsurpassed at drawing technology and humans in combination and there's a storming book that could hit the top ten.

The old boys rationale:

Warren has been an admirer of Grant's, and Warren's review of Doom Patrol 19 from Speakeasy magazine was pinned up by Grant for the occasional needed ego-boost. Warren and Gary have worked on a couple of abortive projects.

X-Man

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Steve Pugh

The creative rationale:

Bendis writes people ever so well. This book has no real purpose in the X-canon, what's essential is the cast play off each other well and form a purpose from that. And he's currently working with Bill Sienciwicz's project.Steve Pugh is wonderful at creating emotional characters too, plumbing their depths and revealing it in their faces and stance. If he has the time and inclination for his 'build-up' style of art, this many-locationed book would truly benefit.

The old boys rationale:

Brian has worked with Warren briefly before and Ellis has shown himself to enjoy Bendis' work and company, giving his forewords where appropriate. Steve Pugh has worked occasionally with Warren, and received a fax of his Hellstorm cover from the DC offices with 'SLUT' written upon it. He's also a lovely, lovely man!

Generation X

Writer: Lea Hernandez
Artist: Brian Wood

The creative rationale:

Of the second tier books, Generation X has had more luck tapping into younger female readers. Lea's voice in her Image work is a very 'female' one (distinctly different, on that score, from Coleen Doran's work). She writes believable, internally intriguing characters. Brian on the other hand can offer a dark, nihilistic view of teenage life, the kind of time when you painted your bedroom walls black and tried to look like a panda.

The old boys rationale:

Lea's been slavering over Warren and he's kindly given her a foreword for her second Image book and a promise of work to come, presumably in his Pop Comics line. Brian Wood has also slavered on occasion and is also up for some future work.

X Force

Writer: Mark Millar
Artist: Phil Winslade

Creative rationale:

Phil Winslade, mistaken by Bob Wayne as a retailer who looks like Steve Pugh, does some stunningly detailed work, drawing man and machine alike and alive with equal force. His work on Goddess could be a blueprint for much of X-Force.

The old boys rationale:

Mark Millar is very much one of the third-tier of Brits to break America, along with Warren Ellis and have a similar writing mindset. Often complimentary about each other's work, Mark was Warren's choice to replace him on Authority. Phil Winslade is part of the general group that hang together at conventions... he might have had an abortive project with Warren, I've forgotten... oh I don't know. I'm making this up as I go along, can't you tell?

Oh we might need a few inkers too hm? Well, take Matt (D'Israeli) Brooker, Mark Buckingham, anyone else who's around and generally sprinkle. A few covers by Glenn Fabry and we're away. Who knows, Warren might find a role for Ian Edginton somewhere...

Errata:

Re: last column, we meant Tom Grummett, not Larry Grummet. Apologies.

Got Wood?

I've enjoyed Ashley Wood's work since the Ghost Rider 2099 days and he seems to be having a ball at the Todd McFarlane factory. So what rumours have we heard? Well...

A source close to Ashley Wood reports that Ashley's working on a top secret Batman Spawn project... top secret till now that is. He and Grant Morrison will be doing their graphic novel project together and hope that Todd's enthusiasm for the project will extend to the final script that Grant will write in January and February

That Shelley Roeburg/Ashley Wood/Invisibles rumour lives on, despite being denied by a source close to Grant Morrison. This rumour, from the above source, states that Grant brought Ashley on for a few pages in the last Invisibles issues, but that Shelley demanded samples first. Shelley was then told by Grant that he chooses the artists, not her. On the back of this upset, Shelley then offered Ashley various projects as an apology, none of which Ashley took up.

That's this version of the rumour. Others differ.

Moving Stories.

Comic magazines SubMedia and Tripwire have left their published forms for internet versions.

SubMedia caused a lot of fuss with its first issue, printing Big Numbers unpublished pages and acting sycophantically towards Barry Windsor Smith. However, the lack of a second issue caused much upset in some shops with many customers harranging their retailer for news (I've seen it myself, I've done it myself). I look forward to the web version... hopefully it'll me a tad more legible than the print version. It shouldn't be short of money as a major online company will be bankrolling the publication.

Tripwire had a slight cashflow problem when it overestimated the popularity of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace and had a little difficulty with a printer's estimates. It's now raising funds for a relaunch, but until then will run a regularly updated web page.

URLs when we have them. Or when they have them. Look for them both by the end of the year.

"Real" Comics News on the Web, for those of you craving a low-rumour diet: 

• Mike Doran's Newsarama 
• Steve Conley's icomics 
• Digital Webbing 
• Indy Magazine 
• Comicon.com 
• The Comic Wire