WATCHING AUSTEN'S WORLD

[MattBrady]

by Benjamin Ong Pang Kean

This July, brace yourself for Chuck Austen and Tom Derenick's seven-part limited series WorldWatch, published through Austen Comics aka Wild and Wooly Press.

Creator and writer Austen has provided Newsarama with never-before-seen sneak peeks at WorldWatch issues #1 and #2, as well as answered a few additional questions.

But first, WorldWatch is about a group of heroes, not unlike the JLA or the Avengers, who have teamed up to combat threats that human authorities aren't capable of dealing with. "Over the years, they become more organized and are sanctioned by the U.N. and given money and equipment needed to operate much like a world level police force," Derenick told Newsarama in an earlier interview.

"Thing is, superpowered beings tend to be very visible people and corporate America realizes that there's money to be made here in endorsement deals, movies, toys, etc. Well like anyone else some of the members get greedy and allow their egos to get in the way. They begin to lose sight of why it was they joined WorldWatch in the first place.

"There are those on the team who aren't willing to give up on the group. War Woman, the current leader, and Doc Gulliver have hopes of bring WorldWatch back to its former glory but they need help. Backstabbing and powerplays are making it too difficult for them to do it alone and there's a fear they may eventually lose control of the group. That help comes in the form of a newcomer named Monarch, who hasn't lost sight of what it is to be a hero. He wants to help people because it's the right thing to do and WorldWatch needs someone like him to be a beacon and lead them where they need to go before the organization crumbles at their feet."

"[Chuck] had an itch to do superheroes in a big soap opera kind of way," Derenick said. "I know technically superhero comics are a soap opera but trust me, Chuck's taking it to a new level here as far as clashing egos and backstabbing. He's mixed it up really well, when you read it you can feel the passion he has for these characters. It's some of the best work I've read from him and I think he's done some great stuff. I received the script for issues #5 and #6 and you'd swear to God he was channeling Alan Moore at some points. This is not really like anything I've ever seen from Chuck and I'm very happy to be a part of it.

"It's very different from JLA and the Avengers in that the members of those teams for the most part get along, plus they only have a certain number of members. WorldWatch is a group not unlike a police force. There are many members. My hand is sore from designing them all. The WorldWatch station is populated much like a small city so you can see the difference in that alone. It's JLA on a grand scale but not as friendly."

Newsarama: It could be called call it "sex, lies and superheroes" but how would you describe WorldWatch in your own words?

Chuck Austen: That works [laughs]. While there are some big fight scenes later in the book, this series is primarily about the inner politics of this organization. Like with any new job you get, particularly one you've admired and longed for, it seems like things are going to be so cool and awesome when you get in, that your enthusiasm overwhelms your common sense with endorphins. On the outside looking in, the job seems like the greatest thing ever. But then when you become more personally involved with the people who work at this job, you learn about all the dark politics, the back-biting, the affairs, and the incessant grabs for control.

Either the good aspects of the job outweigh those negatives, or the job becomes too much and you, and anyone else good leaves, and/or the business collapses in on itself.

Now throw super powers and skimpy spandex costumes into the mix, and that’s WorldWatch. Anyone who's ever worked in a corporation, and I've worked in many of them, knows that there are fewer physical fights and more sexual politics and behind-the-scenes-machinations going on. But if there were super powers and tight costumes and secret identities – woo, would that be nuts. Is it an affair if you cheat on your wife in your "secret identity?"

WorldWatch used to be an organization that was a great place to work, and it's devolved, but it's still considered to be the best, the most prestigious and honored from the outside. Can it be made into a good place again, or will all the crap overtake it and ruin it? Perhaps even destroy it? Well, you learn on page one that the crap overtook and destroyed WorldWatch, and this is just the story of how it all, finally, and profoundly, went wrong.

NRAMA: Looking at the preview art, this is definitely more hardcore than Wildstorm's The Authority.

CA: Yeah. Absolutely. Although I find it interesting that sexuality is considered more "hardcore" than graphic, bloody violence, although it's got it's share of violence later on.

NRAMA: Is this your answer to fans of Ellis/Millar's Authority? Or is this the way superhero team books should be, the way the X-Men, JLA and Avengers should be like in a real world, or in this case, Austen's comic book world?

CA: This is not so much "the answer to" Millar and Ellis Authority, although it owes some of it's reason for existence to that book and to Watchmen, Squadron Supreme, and other books of that ilk. This was begun before Supreme Powers, so that book isn't in the inspirational mix.

The biggest difference in WorldWatch and Authority is that in WorldWatch, there are some characters that you will like, personally, because they're nice people [laughs]. The central character, War Woman [Newsarama Note: War Woman was previously named Warrior Princess. According to Austen, “We had to change the name of Warrior Princess to War Woman. [Mark] Millar names a character Warrior Princess in Wanted, so I altered our character], is extremely likeable, even though she doesn't always do the right thing. Doc Gulliver, also is very likeable, and flawed. He formed WorldWatch, and was once married to Tiger Princess, who is not so likeable. Sergeant Mercury is very sweet and fun. A few others.

But is this how all superhero books should be? God, no. I don't think so, at all. This is a book for people who grew up loving superhero books and still want some of that type of fantasy, but in a more mature vein. Personally I do think superheroes should be more for kids, and that this is just an aberration [laughs]. I see it somewhat as how the JLA or Avengers might be if they truly existed in our world. One interpretation of that, anyway. Sanctioned on some level, feared on others, and with good reason. Some good heroes, some bad, some who are confident, some twisted, some who remained lonely losers when they got the powers, and other who rose above their circumstances and truly became heroes. Just like in the real world, some people are good, some are bad, most are a little of both, and everyone is "the best" in their own mind.

NRAMA: What was the inspiration behind WorldWatch? Surely it's not kids TV...

CA: [Laughs] In a sense, yes! I grew up watching cartoons about superheroes. Fell in love with them on TV, and transferred that love to comics. I always admired the way the super teams got along, had fun, laughed, and worked together. But I never understood why, in my real world jobs, not all people ever cooperated that way. Some did, some didn't, and even those that did had conflict.

Why were there politics and back-stabbing? Why were people having affairs? Why were they stealing? Why were they cheating their jobs, and not always showing up? Why the power plays? I kept thinking “Why can't we all just get along, like the Super Friends?!" Then I matured, got therapy, and realized the real world would never be like Super Friends [laughs]! Well, duh!

In fact, I began to see that Super Friends would, in all likelihood, be more like the real world. Not all the heroes would be so heroic, or nice, or intelligent, or purely motivated. They'd just be regular people. How many, actually-deserving-of-world-stopping-powers-people do you know? Besides you?

So I began to think about how a world of superheroes would react to one another if they were more like the people at my job. Someone's having an affair with the boss. Is she getting special treatment? Is she going to get my job? The survivalist guy in the cubicle next to me with the stutter who always talks about guns and his cabin full of field rations in the woods where he plans to live after the coming economic collapse, and from which he plans to kill all the lawyers? He and I have to work together, but it isn't very often pleasant. What if we both had super powers? I would be good, or mostly good with the occasional foray into 'badness', and he'd be biding his time to kill all the lawyers, and maybe doing it on the side.

Or what about the guy who thinks he's smarter than the owner of the company? And imagines himself running the show better than the owner of the company? Or he's jealous because his boss took one of his ideas from him and claimed it as his own? What about the boss's wife? What if she had super powers and found out about the affairs? The Born Again Christian? The Cuban refugee? The militant homosexual? The bondage girl? The sports buff who sexually harasses every female? The married father of five who is always missing important meetings because one of his kids is always sick? All of them have a very different world view, and all of them believe themselves to be correct, and heroic in their own way. But would they get along?

And then there's always the new guy, who thinks he can make it better, faster, creatively inspired and more impressive. Make the company good again. That's Monarch.

Work in corporate America long enough, and you've got years of this kind of material.

NRAMA: When is issue #1 scheduled for release?

CA: Second week in July.

NRAMA: Have you finished with the scripts for the seven-part limited series? And how far ahead is Tom in terms of art?

CA: I've finished the first seven issue arc, and trade. Tom's almost done with issue #5, now. Norm's inked the first three. If sales hold, and we continue past issue number #7, I plan on some shorter arcs, individual stories, things like that. And then the second arc has some of the surviving heroes of the first arc decide to rebuild WorldWatch. But of course, WorldWatch is no longer legal, or approved, and there's another group of super heroes standing in their way.

NRAMA: Fan-boy question time: X-Men vs Avengers vs JLA vs WorldWatch: Who'd win, and how do they defeat the other superhero teams? Somehow I have a feeling
you'd say WorldWatch…

CA: Of course I say WorldWatch. They'd play dirty! Boy would they. Wait until you see how it gets destroyed. This is what holds back the Avengers and JLA. In the real world, not everyone is heroic or well-intentioned, and playing nice gets you killed. It's great fun for fantasy and lovely to aspire to in a moral way, but it's death for real. We see that now, more than ever, with the situation in the Middle East on both sides.

This is the inherent problem with super heroes, particularly in more recent times. Either you make them as dark as the real world, to make them more relevant, or you make them more fun and escapist and they become irrelevant, but fun entertainment. Both views are valid. But they don't work together.

NRAMA: What's next after WorldWatch?

CA: I adapted the Catwoman movie. Should be out soon. Tom also drew that.

I've got some pitches in at DC, for various things. Action Comics continues to do well. X-Men, of course. The JLA "Pain" arc is due out, soon, and I'm very proud of that. Flywires at Humanoids, which is likely getting a name change, will be out by the end of the year, I believe. There are other pitches elsewhere, but it's too soon to talk about those. And I'm continuing on with WorldWatch as of now, and as long as sales stay up.

[Pascal]

Cool! I waited for Austen to self-publish. A very smart move and this sounds promising. I am definitly going to check this out.

[kingofcities]

This is the best Derenick art I've ever seen.

Kent

[FIG]

Man, I'm in at least for the first issue. The art looks awesome and the concept is cool, you know having an 18 and over comic that looks this good is a first for me. The preview is funny also. Its the XXX Authority.

[aphterburn]

See this is the type of stuff Austen ought to be doin. I'd be on board for this. When he's working with characters he created it should end up very good.

[Victoronehalf]

Holy shit!

[Heffaloo]

I've always tended to enjoy his original work. I just can't stand watching him (Austen) muck with the characterization of established books.

[AlexLothos]

At first I didn't think too much of the concept just looking at the first cover, but after reading the article and seeing more of the inside art I think I'll be checking this out.

[gustavolb]

Gotta say I'm psyched for this. I like tha way he intends his writing to be, but the problem is when he just changes characters personalities. With his book, he'll have no problem with that. Adn also SEX!!!!! Can't have any better than that.

[DarkCrisis]

Now I might read this.

I usualyl hate his writing cause he writes the characters out of character and he messes with continuity

But give his own book and I think he can shine. Welll, until he starts messing with his own continuity... hehe

[Dougie02]

This looks horrible. The art reminds me of Liefield, but with more boobies. OOO naked women! Wow! Like Wonder Woman but slutty! I think I will buy this! Did I mention it has boobies?

This is immature crap.

[FIG]

This art reminds you of Liefeld?-In what warped way?-Stay off the bong water before commenting. Toms art is miles ahead of the other guy.

[Dougie02]

Exaggerated female figures mostly. This just looks like a comic where Austen can get away with his seeming desire to write slutty females. At least he isnt messing with characters I have some interest in.

[Doc Rebel]

This is looking great! I had allready ordered this series at my comicshop, and after seeing these preview-pages I'm looking even more forward to it!

I'm a diehard superhero-fan & collector. I do read other kind of comics & books also, but superheroes remain my #1 interest. When I see spandex, superpowers & art I like I'll almost always give the series a try.

I hope this series will be as good as it seems to be, the only negative I can find is that it's in black & white, superheroes need color! In that respect it reminds me a bit of Bill Willingham's PANTHEON, also a more mature look at superheroes and in b&w. I liked that one too, but I think that WORLDWATCH will be more my cup of tea!

[algertman]

OMG BOOBIES THIS IS SO GONNA ROCK

[FIG]

Its not the boobies that excite me, its the way the comic is so unapologetic about what it is and what its about. Plus the arts awesome so I'm in for at least the first issue.

[Kolimar]

Originally posted by FIG
This art reminds you of Liefeld?-In what warped way?-Stay off the bong water before commenting. Toms art is miles ahead of the other guy.

[JAINITZ]

Originally posted by DarkCrisis
Now I might read this.

I usualyl hate his writing cause he writes the characters out of character and he messes with continuity

But give his own book and I think he can shine. Welll, until he starts messing with his own continuity... hehe

I think every comic book writer has good original material built up in his or her head. We all want to go in directions that aren't suitable for company-owned characters. I'm not saying that's good or bad, just different. I'm willing to see what Austen does with "different".

Jai

[algertman]

Originally posted by FIG
This art reminds you of Liefeld?-In what warped way?-Stay off the bong water before commenting. Toms art is miles ahead of the other guy.

looks just like any non-stand out comic art

but liefield? i wouldn't go that far, i saw some feet i those pictures

[BillReed]

You missed a few Whoa Mama's.

And, well, it's Austen, so, naturally, it's also pornographic. Sigh.

[Kolimar]

Originally posted by Dougie02
This looks horrible. The art reminds me of Liefield, but with more boobies. OOO naked women! Wow! Like Wonder Woman but slutty! I think I will buy this! Did I mention it has boobies?

This is immature crap.

Liefeld is nowhere near Derenick. Not even in the "exaggerated" female figure department.

Derenick is drawing sexy well endowed women on purpose. He is able to draw other types of figures successfully. Liefeld is in no way capable of that.

On to my personal opinion of the book, this looks really nice and I think I'll go have a look-see.

Peace

[Mickey Mouth]

Given Austen's polarizing effect on comic fans, it'll be interesting to see how well a book that doesn't feature established franchise characters (JLA, X-Men, Superman, etc.) sells.

[OcCaM]

Originally posted by Mickey Mouth
Given Austen's polarizing effect on comic fans, it'll be interesting to see how well a book that doesn't feature established franchise characters (JLA, X-Men, Superman, etc.) sells.

We've already seen that effect in books like Eternal. Can't remember off-hand what books like Metropolis and War Machine did.

Ah well, all I have to say about this is that the female's pose looks highly unrealistic and Leifeldish at first glance to me also.

But, since I have nothing really positive to say about Austen (and I've read all his drek, inc. Eternal, Metropolis and War Machine) I'll pass on comments about his work.

As for the artist, well I liked his Tigra artwork sortof, haven't bought anything by him though! Still won't be I guess. Esp. this!

[TheJoeShowLive]

When did Austen stop being the worst writer I've ever? What has he written that's any good? Right, nothing. Too bad this book doesn't have any people with animal heads having sex. This seems to be a very pro-porn comic fan website.

[bumpusth]

the original image comics are back officially now!!!!!!

we asked for this apparently.