Jeph Loeb talks Ultimates 3

14rdb

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Word Balloon has just posted a lengthy interview with Jeph Loeb and among the topics that are covered is his upcoming run on The Ultimates. I would recommend downloading it for anyone interested (http://www.wordballoon.com), but it's a pretty big file (40 megs), so I took notes on what he says about The Ultimates for those of you that can't listen to the original version.

Loeb is well spoken and has a dry sense of humor, so not everything he says comes across perfectly when transcribed -- especially when paraphrased. So don't take anything below to be the gospel:


Loeb began down the journey of writing The Ultimates by having lots of talks with Millar.

Weird thing -- he told Mark where he saw his run starting and Millar said that's good because that's also where his was ending. It lined up perfectly.

Loeb is concerned that people are going to get to the end of Mark's run and there are a series of twists that happen at the end. No matter what he, Mark, and Marvel say, some people will believe that editorial or Loeb made MM compromise his vision in the end. But that's not true, the ending has been MM's plan all along and it just happened to fit Loeb's ideas of where he wanted to go.

Had Mark wanted to end it a different way, Loeb would have picked up from there as well. It was just a happy coincidence that MM was going where JL hoped.

Also, Loeb wanted to remind people that MM built in a year-long gap between U1 and U2. U3 will also start up following a year-long gap, but he knows people will claim it's a DC guy coming over and doing the 'year later' DC thing.

The gap will be helpful -- he knows people are concerned about whether The Ultimates will be different with him and Joe Mad than it is now and he says indeed it will be. He will always be in awe of Millar/Hitch and there is nothing at all wrong with the book now. But Millar/Hitch are not just leaving the kingdom, they're looting it on the way out. It's not really an option to continue on with the status quo.

The story will probably be a little less politically minded because Millar's 'pinko, liberal, anti-American slander that he used to turn the book into a monster hit' (relax, he's joking -- sort of) is not something Loeb would attempt to duplicate.

Also, people expect Loeb and Joe Mad to be a little bit more superhero-y, but don't worry, that doesn't mean the book is turning into the Avengers. It also doesn't mean it won't include topical hot buttons that get people excited.

Loeb thinks it's interesting to consider the morality in the country and the division between the right and the left. There is a very natural division within the team and what they consider acceptable and unacceptable behavior -- and what does that mean to them as public figures? In that way, it will have its currentness -- they just won't be invading Iraq.

There will be some changes to the team. There will be some things that happen at the end of Mark's run that necessitate that. Also, there are some things that will happen during the U2-U3 one-year gap that you don't see that will necessitate changes as well. U3.1 will start up with events already in motion and you kind of join in the middle. It will take a little while for you to catch up and you will be going, 'Who's that?' and 'How did they get on the team?' and 'Where is such and such?'

It will unravel and you'll be clued in as the story goes along.

It's all based on the extraordinary characters Millar and Hitch created. They did all the heavy lifting by doing the set-up character work in the first two volumes. That's another reason why Loeb and Mad can move into more action earlier, but it's not as if Loeb is just going to have them running around all the time.
 
Re: Loeb talks U3

14rdb said:
The story will probably be a little less politically minded because Millar's 'pinko, liberal, anti-American slander that he used to turn the book into a monster hit' (relax, he's joking -- sort of) is not something Loeb would attempt to duplicate.

*Finds himself, the only one clapping*

Anyway this interview looks good. And I'm lookin' forward to Loeb.

*Bass opens his mouth and MWoF knocks him out from behind before he can say anything*
 
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Re: Loeb talks U3

Straight away, I'm hesitant about Loeb's confirmation that big changes will happen during the year-long gap.

See, between U1 and U2, there was just a change in status quo, with regards to how the public and society-at-large responded to the group, and their increasing role in world affairs. It was simple enough to just pick it up, and fill in the blanks, if you happened to be new to the series.

But the plan Loeb has just officially announced is not only disorienting -- with roster changes and drastic reversals of fortune, it seems -- but it appears designed to court all kinds of wild speculation from the very beginning of the series, rather than building up to it, the way U2 did.

This isn't necessarily better or worse, and I'd rather not make any hasty pre-judgements, but it will probably take a little bit of getting used to.

All in all, the interview does nothing to reassure me, but it hasn't made me any more cautious or skeptical, either.
 
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Re: Loeb talks U3

14rdb said:
There will be some changes to the team. There will be some things that happen at the end of Mark's run that necessitate that. Also, there are some things that will happen during the U2-U3 one-year gap that you don't see that will necessitate changes as well. U3.1 will start up with events already in motion and you kind of join in the middle. It will take a little while for you to catch up and you will be going, 'Who's that?' and 'How did they get on the team?' and 'Where is such and such?'
Oooooh, 'Lost' vibes! :D
 
Re: Loeb talks U3

Not the Avengers, good thing. More superhero-y, bad thing.
Less political, probably for the best.

I don't know, I'm not looking forward to it, I just hope the property isn't destroyed.
 
Re: Loeb talks U3

I haven't downloaded the interview yet, but going by the highlights I'm iffy. I'm hoping Loeb doesn't try to get really clever in writing U3 and then get tangled up in a web of his own twists and turns. Still, I will be interested to see the book taken in a different direction and light just to see how it works.
 
Re: Loeb talks U3

I'm interested in seeing how different it is because while Millar's work is really definitive on the Ultimates, thats becasue he's the only one who's done anything with them really, so it will be interesting to see if it can fit together right still.
 
Re: Loeb talks U3

Yeah, I don't envy the guy having to follow Millar. I just hope he keeps it clear where he's going. Not to be too like Millar, or too different from Millar. If he just sticks to the characters and the situation laid out for him he'll do fine.. of course he will.
 
Re: Loeb talks U3

Oh god i think he's going to make Quickie disapear too, It really seems like the thing to do right now, like put Wolvie in everything.... oh God... is he going to put Wolverine in the Ultimates??? :shock:
 
Re: Loeb talks U3

Ultimate Quicksilver said:
Oh god i think he's going to make Quickie disapear too, It really seems like the thing to do right now, like put Wolvie in everything.... oh God... is he going to put Wolverine in the Ultimates??? :shock:
Chill out! There's absolutely nothing in the interview that suggests it. You're just being paranoid. Let's not begin worrying until we've seen a few preview pages of the story ;)
 
Re: Loeb talks U3

I do think Quicksilver is going to disappear though. Which I don't like. Nor do I want him to bring the Hulk back in. But it's not up to me. And if the story's there...

Does anyone have any Loeb recommended reading for me?
 
Many thanks 14rdb for posting this news and a nice summary of the important parts.

I too am a little hesitant about this, but there's no reason not to give the guy the benefit of the doubt, no matter what Bass says. :D

I'm glad he's not trying to duplicate Millar, at least according to him. I just hope the changes he makes are logical and fit what's already been established.
 
Re: Loeb talks U3

Guijllons said:
Does anyone have any Loeb recommended reading for me?
I made a similar request on a different thread, and here's what Thee Great One suggested:

Thee Great One said:
Batman "Hush" (one of my favorites)
Batman "The Long Halloween
Superman/Batman "Public Enemies"
Superman/Batman "The Supergirl From Krypton" (one of my favorite stories)
Superman/Batman "Abosulte Power"
Superman/Batman "With A Venegage" (Still Writing)
Hulk Grey
Spider-Man Blue

The original post is here, with a commentary from Bass following.

I've also read Superman for All Seasons, which seemed like an almost whimsical character study. It relied a great deal on the art to show what the author didn't say, rather effectively in this case, I thought.
 
I think Loeb is a good fit for the follow-up. Honestly, I'm not versed with what's going on in the Ultimates right now (Well, I am vaguely) because I don't read it, but a lot of wht he was saying about change made sense to me. The things that he thought may need some attention, I agreed with and the things he was going to change needed to be changed in my opinion... So, do I think U3 will be good? Absolutley. I may even pick up the individual issues.
 
I have no idea why I read superhero comics. I'm sure I don't like them.

Loeb wants to make the Ultimates more into traditional superheroes, that's the only insight we have into where he wants to take them isn't it?
 
U3.1 will start up with events already in motion and you kind of join in the middle. It will take a little while for you to catch up and you will be going, 'Who's that?' and 'How did they get on the team?' and 'Where is such and such?'

i like this idea........ i guess we will c how the 1st and 2nd issue go, before i think bout dropping it
 
PREPARE FOR THE RANT.

14rdb said:
He will always be in awe of Millar/Hitch and there is nothing at all wrong with the book now. But Millar/Hitch are not just leaving the kingdom, they're looting it on the way out.

:lol: That's a good analogy.

THAT WAS THE RANT.
 

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