If there’s one thing that I love about Greg Rucka, it’s that you can count on him to be honest in interviews. Here’s a prime example, when asked to talk about the origins of upcoming mini-series Punisher: War Zone:
Well, it’s a combination of things. The story in Punisher was reaching a terminus. There was a sort of second act of that terminus which involved the Avengers and always did. At some point a few months ago I was informed that Marvel wanted to end the book and would be spinning Punisher out into a different team book and I wouldn’t be writing it. So [editor Steve] Wacker and I talked about how we were going to wrap this up. It was Steve who proposed that maybe it’ll serve us better if we end the run in the way we want to end it, and then we can do this as its own stand-alone coda to it.
Firstly: It’s sad to see Rucka’s run end; I was a late convert (As in, it took me reading the first collection this month late), but it was an interesting take on the character (“It was a bummer to me too, but you know, this is the name of the game,” Rucka says about leaving the book elsewhere in the same interview). Secondly: The Punisher in a team book? Start speculating on whatever Marvel NOW! book that will be, I think…
July 20th, 2012 at 9:36 am
I’m always surprised (though at this point, maybe I should not be), but how can these companies not want to keep a writer like Greg Rucka writing whatever he wants, for as long as he wants (as long as sales are satisfactory)? More and more, it seems like the only way to be creative in the major comic companies would be to work in the marketing department.
July 20th, 2012 at 12:31 pm
“I’m always surprised (though at this point, maybe I should not be), but how can these companies not want to keep a writer like Greg Rucka writing whatever he wants, for as long as he wants (as long as sales are satisfactory)?”
You said it yourself, guy. The book wasn’t selling. The only Marvel titles selling less than Punisher in June were “Hulk” (getting replaced with She-Hulk), “New Mutants” (canceled/ending), Journey Into Mystery (canceled/ending), and “Captain America And…” (somehow still solicited for October). Good books don’t sell sometimes, and Arrested Development got canceled. C’est la vie.
July 20th, 2012 at 7:40 pm
People complaints about event books or the big books all the time , but somehow dont follow through by buying those smaller books instead .
I’m guilty too mind you , as i can’ see myself buying a punisher book personally , but what i’ve read of rucka’s run was pretty fine
July 21st, 2012 at 10:00 am
Sad to hear. His run on Punisher was good, not great, just good. I still like his Queen & Country material. Sure he’ll land on another title at Marvel, DC or even Image. Guess we’ll have to wait for Garth Ennis to return to Punisher later this year.
September 26th, 2012 at 3:55 pm
Didn’t hear about the canx – hugely bummed out
A fantastic book with brill story and amazing art
Well, down to chew, planetoid, i vampire and batman now!
Holding breath re. Marvel now