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Friday, December 11, 2009

Frank Castle and Me



As maybe some of you have read on Bleeding Cool, I am writing a Punisher MAX book. I have a pretty busy schedule today, but I'm taking a few minutes just to say some words about the project.

Rich Johnston's article might sound like a lot of hype, but I guarantee you this is a book that not only lives up to the hype but surpasses it. It is an unique experience in the realm of comic books (which I realize you hear all the time, but it's true in this case), and I think you will enjoy it.

I remember first reading the Punisher's adventures when I was in middle school. It was that first miniseries by Steven Grant and Mike Zeck. I wasn't even allowed to buy these sort of comics, I had to borrow them from other kids and read them in school. And that miniseries had a big impact on me. I never read anything like that before, only funny animal & superhero books.


Theoretically, Punisher was in the same universe as Spider-Man and the rest. But this was a different type of comic book. Everything about that mini-series, including Zeck's dynamic & bone-crushing art, blew my mind.

So when at the ripe age of about 13 I decided I was going to pitch to Marvel and become a famous comic book writer, I pitched a Punisher story. And I got a call back from an editor at Marvel telling me he liked the story & offering me an internship. But alas I was way too young to qualify for the internship. I remember the editor being shocked as to how young I was.

I never got any sort of patronizing spiel from this editor as to the Punisher not being the appropriate subject matter for a girl. His biggest advice for me was that as I got older, I would gain more life experience, and that this increased life experience would enrich my writing. So he told me to just be patient, get that life experience, and come back to Marvel when I was older.

And you know? That's exactly what I did.

18 comments:

  1. Well that is a funny turn of events.

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  2. I thought you were going to be writing Rick Castle! Bah!

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  3. What happened to Cloak and Dagger?

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  4. Read your Memoir thanks to Rich Johnston yesterday great stuff very sad and funny at the same time, when this series puts your name on top of the comics world, do you think Gilgongo! Comics will come looking for you???

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  5. Anonymous11:34 AM

    That's pretty cool. I'm looking forward to it.

    What ever happened to C&D? Is that a sore subject, or did I just miss the boat?

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  6. Very cool. Congratulations.

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  7. I think Jim Shooter should have said "I remember what it's like to be 13 and want to write comics" and gotten you that internship. But it sounds like it's worked out pretty well as it has! Congratulations.

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  8. Congrats! I can't wait to read it!

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  9. Yay Val! One shot, mini, an ongoing arc? Or can't you say yet?

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  10. I've not read The Punisher for a few years but I'll be getting this for sure.

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  11. Thanks for the well-wishing, all!

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  12. Yey! Congrats Val! Looks like it will be the first time i read Punisher :D

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  13. WWOWW!!!!!!!! Write a Punisher!! Great!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congratulations!!!!

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  14. What they said. I haven't read The Punisher in....decades? Will pick this up. Congrats on the sweet gig!

    Also, if you end up never writing that Cloak and Dagger story, any chance you could blog about your plans? If you do plan to use the story, all the better.

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  15. Anonymous7:49 AM

    Any chance of getting Mike Zeck to draw your story?

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  16. I haven't read Punisher since Ennis ended his run, but I'll keep an eye out for this.
    Also, add me to the chorus of curiosity about the Cloak & Dagger thing.

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  17. I really like Steven Grant and Mike Zeck's mini-series, especially since I first read it when it was reprinted in a B&W magazine during the time when the original issues were going between $20-$50 (early 90's). Something about reading the story without color in a magazine that was only distributed in a gas station down the street made it that much gritter.

    I also have a giant soft spot for the mid 70's Punisher, with the sharp widow's peak and angry Dracula eyebrows.

    I'll be looking out for this...

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