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Editor's Notes
2008-03-31 11:41:26

SECRET INVASION

People constantly ask what editors do (and the snarky ones talk trash about it whenever there's something they don't like in one of our books.) Among other things, each editor reads and responds with feedback to each and every script that comes in, working with the writer to make the story as good as it can be.

So I thought I'd post one of my e-mails here responding to a particular script, so that you could get a sense of exactly what I went back to the writer on. However, I clean out my e-mailbox frequently to avoid running out of space (which is a real possibility when you're talking about the size of some of the art files that we e-mail around), so as it turns out I don't have a good e-mail between myself and a writer about a published book.

So instead, I decided to share the following comments that I sent over to Brian bendis after reading his first draft of SECRET INVASION #1. Now, because we're still a few months from debuting the series, I've had to block out some of the commentary below--but hopefully there's enough left here for you to get a sense as to how this communication goes. After receiving this e-mail, Brian and I call one another, and we hash out the relevant points to both our satisfactions, and then he makes any necessary changes.

Brian,

Here’s some feedback on SECRET INVASION #1, all relatively easy stuff to nip and tuck. This issue came together nicely.

1) From Nick Lowe on SWORD:

S.W.O.R.D. isn’t a wing or subsidiary of S.H.I.E.L.D. or the US gov’t. It’s a completely separate entity that has worked with S.H.I.E.L.D. on occasion. They’re an intergalactic peace-keeping organization that doesn’t operate under any government or world’s control. In ASTONISHING, Brand mentions to Maria Hill that the only reason that S.H.I.E.L.D. knows that S.W.O.R.D. exists is because of her relationship with Nick Fury.

Possible solution- Rather than an inspection, Dugan’s reason for coming to the Peak (what the ship is called) could be one of a regular meeting they’ve set up to share information. It could still be special that it’s Dugan coming (maybe Maria Hill is the usual rep from S.H.I.E.L.D.) and I could imagine that Brand has a prior relationship with Dugan since she had one with Fury. And I could also imagine a few of the S.W.O.R.D. agents being really into meeting him.

Agent Brand’s characterization- She’s not really an excited school girl. She’s a sarcastic, all-business, hard-ass who has little time for…anything, really. But, like I said before, I could see that she and Dugan might have a positive relationship. But we usually treat her like she’s the one with the knowledge. She doesn’t ask questions too much. One place in particular that I might ask for a simple change would be reversing the dialogue on pages 18-19 panel 5 so that the agent asks the question and Brand answers it. The only other thing that I might ask is that Brand, rather than radioing the Helicarrier, might be trying to radio S.W.O.R.D. HQ and it might be jammed by XXX XXXXXX.

2) Tony seems very casual about leaving the autopsy—which is about the most important thing he’s dealing with right now—to go chase the XXXXXX XXX, which is also important. So perhaps he should indicate that he’ll continue to monitor their progress remotely from his armor while en route, just so it doesn’t feel so much like he left two guys he can’t 100% trust alone with his only clue to the conspiracy. Also, a minor thing, you indicate that Tony has his helmet off in this scene, yet we see his POV from within the suit. So he should keep his helmet on for this to work.

3) Minor point on Page 12, Iron Fist has been in the Savage Land before, so maybe give this line to Echo.

4) I expect it’s all a matter of space, but Luke and company respond almost too quickly and too positively to XXXXXXX XXXX's call. They know XXXX stole the body and XXXX XX XXXXX XXXX XX, and they know they’re all wanted men, and that the Mighty Avengers have tried to ambush them at least once before. And yet, Luke immediately jumps to act on the info without even considering that this could be a set-up. So maybe what we need somewhere in here is a line that indicates that XXXX’s info might be shady, but that this is important enough to take the risk on.

5) The Marvel Boy scene in the Cube doesn’t really link up properly with where we left him at the end of CIVIL WAR. At that point, he had liberated himself, and taken over the Cube. I think this is easy enough to address, though—it just means that Marvel Boy isn’t in his cell when XXX XXXXX XXXX, but is instead in the Warden’s quarters, or some other place of authority. And maybe he needs some sort of “It’s time.” Kind of sentiment as he heads towards the hole in the wall and his destiny.

6) I’m not sure the connection between XXX XXX and XXXXX exploding connects clearly enough. All we see is XXX XXX XXXXXX XXX XXX XXX and then the base goes up. I think we need to see some sort of minor action—his pressing a button or something—that makes it a hair more obvious that he’s responsible for the detonation as a suicide bomber. Or even him saying “As it was written…” like the other Skrull agents.

7) When XXX XXXXXXXX XXXX is expanding into XXX XXXXXX XXXXXXXX, I think it would be a good idea to clarify the visual you’re looking for a little bit, so that Leinil draws the right thing. Are pieces of the building just disappearing, as though a bite has been taken out of them? Is there strange crackling XXXXX-energy seeming to consume parts of the building? How do you see this working?

8) Just to make sure that Leinil can draw it properly, in the sequence when the XXXXXX XXX opens and the XXXX XXXXXX come out, I think it would be helpful to specify when it’s X XXXX XXXX XXXXX XXXXXXXX, XXXXXX XXXX XXX XXXXXXX XXX XXXX XXXXX XXXX XX XXXX XXXXX.

So far, so good!

Tom B

I love stuff like this. Not only is there interesting insight into some editorial work, but you've also given us (inadvertently or not) some interesting clues to some elements of the upcoming Secret Invasion, which I find very intriguing. Trying to figure out which names/words you replaced with X's is as interesting as the content of the post itself!

Thanks for these clues/hints (if that's what they are even meant to be), and some all-around good reading!

Posted by Loob on 2007-12-04 20:13:52

Stuff like this is tons of fun to read. Maybe you should start saving these emails in text format so that way maybe you could make a book about the goings on inside the comic industry. If you do remember it was my idea, I demand royalties.

Posted by doncorswhazie on 2007-12-04 21:23:29

Discussion Sparked....
Hi Tom,

Your blog post is being dissected over at the Bendis Board, if you're interested: http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=134842

Thanks for giving us something to chew on for a while! :)

-Max Criden

Posted by Max-Criden on 2007-12-04 22:20:34

Thank you Tom
This is a really clear cut and powerful example of what comic editors do. You really have to know your character histories and storytelling/plots.

thanks for posting this, I'd love to see more.

Posted by coldwarmyth on 2007-12-05 07:44:32

Niiiiice...
I'm gonna be trying to figure out the names until Secret Invasion comes out...

Posted by Venomfan1995 on 2007-12-05 09:54:08

Thank god guys like Tom are around to keep Bendis in check...oy.

You seem todo your job well.

Posted by Dr. Chaos on 2007-12-06 00:18:45

I love these looks behind the scenes. I especially liked minor things like "Iron Fist has been in the Savage Land before, so maybe give this line to Echo."

And Marvel Boy returns? Given his Kree heritage, this promises to be interesting.

Posted by Michael Heide on 2007-12-06 06:39:20

Structured Writing
While SECRET INVASION could turn out to be good, I can’t say that the storyline has gotten off to a good start in NEW AVENGERS. Bendis seems to be unable to deal with the plot hole resulting from Strange potentially using the Eye of Agamotto to detect Skrulls impersonating anything. By having Strange dabble in pop psychology, and then, in ILLUMINATI #5, falsely say that the Elektra-Skrull couldn’t be detected by magic, he’s only drawn attention to the plot hole. Given the problems he’s had writing Strange correctly, from “Avengers Disassembled” to the present, including the character in NEW AVENGERS was a mistake.

Given plot considerations and the obvious discontinuities caused by having Skrulls impersonate any heroes for long stretches of time, I predict that the majority of the impersonators in SECRET INVASION will turn out to be S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, since the agents are fairly anonymous, and only a few named characters, such as Night Nurse, will turn out to be imposters.

BTW, one thing an editor can do is offer overviews of the universe within which the writers work, and introduce concepts which could be used in a variety of stories. For example, it’s become apparent that Marvel’s writers aren’t working with a single X-gene or set of mutant genes in their stories, even though defining particular mutant genes, in terms of their products, is quite doable. The mutant genes can be localized to the brain, with the altered genes producing thrombospondins, neurotransmitters, and postsynaptic proteins. The mutated thrombospondins enable powers to be expressed, the neurotransmitters determine the relative strength of a power, and the postsynaptic proteins determine how a power is expressed. Changes in postsynaptic proteins that occur after a power is expressed are “secondary mutations.”

It would be nice to see writers, and their editors, think more like SF writers and editors in defining characters and their abilities.

SRS

Posted by Steven R. Stahl on 2007-12-06 11:02:07

Zigy
I so want to READ this, but I'm too afraid for spoilers. :-)

Posted by Zigy on 2007-12-07 10:39:40

XXXXX
lots of XXXXXXX

Posted by notapotatoe on 2007-12-07 16:35:54

Editor's notes
Interesting stuff Mr B, thanks for sharing. I don't expect Brian Bendis to have read every Marvel Comic ever, but it seems like he doesn't do much research at all on previously published stories.

Posted by Volthoom on 2007-12-08 03:48:11

Editing for Marvel
Hi Tom,

I've been talking to a lot of different people in the biz about becoming an editor for Marvel and after talking to C.B. Cebulski through myspace, he directed me over here to your blog. Is there a better way to get in touch with you to discuss such things? Any help or pointers you could give me would be greatly appreciated. I'm a recent college grad that's aching to get started working in the "real world," and I couldn't think of a better world to get involved in than the world of Marvel.

Thank you for your time,

Rory A

Posted by RoryA on 2007-12-08 18:30:09

Wow
Thank-you so much, that was a real treat!

-mE!

Posted by Todd Michael Rogers on 2007-12-09 22:15:54

Searching for a master
Hi everybody.
I´m Rika, and i´m trying to find a master,
who can tache me the arts of the drawing.
Please, contact me at
belenp_lupiano@hotmail.com
Thank you all.

Sorry Tom for bothering.
Rika Osutaki

Posted by Rika Osutaki on 2007-12-10 18:52:48

This is totally XXXXXX. I am so XXXXX about this series.

Posted by deworde on 2007-12-11 17:29:44

I need help
I am a penciler who is very ignorant of the way the "Industry" works. A local publisher in my area has told me they wish to sign a contract with me at the beginning of the year to do graphic novels for them. I've done a little 8 pager for them already and they wanted panels changed here and there.

My question is, Once someone like marvel signs a penciler, are there a lot of changes made to the artist's finished pages? If so, does the penciler get paid extra for his effort? If you need a reference of my work to go by, please visit: www.shameous.deviantart.com

Posted by shannon.shameous on 2008-01-02 18:31:40

awesome
that was totally cool! Thanks Tom! I love this type of stuff!

Posted by thorionthei on 2008-02-01 17:46:48

Where is the Mimic fighting in SI
Secret Invasion has Super Skrulls, I want to know where he is fighting.

Posted by mimic616 on 2008-08-13 15:36:03

Array

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About this blog:
Ramblings and musings from the mind of Tom Brevoort. "It won’t be clean. It won’t be fun. It mostly won’t be coherent."

About the author:
Tom Brevoort is Executive Editor for Marvel Comics, and oversees such titles as New Avengers, Civil War, and Fantastic Four.


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