MILLAR, LAND MOVE TO ULTIMATE FF IN MAY

[MattBrady]

There’ll be no Millar Time for Thor. Despite published reports claiming otherwise, writer Mark Millar and artist Greg Land will not be teaming for a relaunch of Marvel’s Thor in 2005. While the proposed revamp/restart of the “Thor” concept and character within the Marvel Universe is still on the table – based on an original idea by Neil Gaiman while was further developed by J. Michael Straczynski, Marvel has confirmed for Newsarama that the book will not feature the Millar-Land team.

Instead of haunting the halls of Asgard, Newsarama has learned that Millar and Land will move to the Ultimate version of New York, and sign on as the new creative team for Marvel’s Ultimate Fantastic Four with May’s issue #19. For Millar, it will mark a return to the series, as he and co-writer Brian Bendis together wrote the first arc for the series, “The Fantastic,” which established the team in Marvel’s “Ultimate” continuity.

Millar and Land will replace the current creative team on the title, Warren Ellis and Adam Kubert.

When asked for comment about returning to the Ultimate Fantastic Four, Millar told Newsarama:

“It's a little frustrating because there's only so many hours in the day and so many fingers on my hand. I was in New York the week before last and Joe and Dan just asked me if I'd jump onto Ultimate FF. They knew I hadn't really been involved much with the book before and had been itching to get my hands on the characters. I'd plotted the first six issues, but plotting really means writing a page and a half per issue and letting the scripwriter do all the hard work and it's just completely different from the way I'd write the book if someone had given it to me solo. So this was intriguing because I really do like the FF and am just kind of 'mildly into' Thor.

”Joe and Dan also played the guilt card massively in the sense that Brian and I really do feel like the Mummy and Daddy - he's the Mummy - of the Ultimate line and there was just nobody lined up to replace Warren the month before a bloody FF movie was coming out. The top-selling FF book didn't have a creative team while Ultimate Spider-Man had Bendis and [Mark] Bagley, Ultimates has me and [Bryan] Hitch and Ultimate X-Men has Brian K. Vaughan and Stuart Immonen. Joe and Dan said how cool it would be if Greg and I committed to Ultimate FF and we kept the Ultimate line to just four books for a long time. No more minis. No more Ultimate Fing Fang Foom or whatever. The books have maintained a lock on the top ten for four entire years now and it's pretty remarkable. It's the most successful Marvel or DC imprint of the last decade and all these factors were swimming around my head as I looked at my Thor pitch and realized that it could wait another year or whatever if it meant retaining the purity of the Ultimate line.

”Also, like I said, I'm a lot more interested in the FF than Thor. This idea that started with Neil and was embellished by JMS and eventually plotted out by me is really nice, but it could be done anytime. I walked out of The Incredibles thinking it was the best FF story I'd ever stumbled across and it's nice to be able to utilize the flood of ideas that came to me for the FF in the taxi home. Details of the first arc will be made available the second week in January. This requires some big co-ordination on the part of Marvel and the other writers so we can't release details yet. But in terms of a stunt it's probably the biggest and most ambitious thing the Ultimate Universe has attempted so far. This will be the most fast-paced and idea-heavy book in the Marvel line as of May. Just the way the FF should be.”

[LK_]

Greg Land on Ultimate FF4!!!

I will definitely be picking this up.

[Biggest Nimrod]

Originally posted by MattBrady
Joe and Dan said how cool it would be if Greg and I committed to Ultimate FF and we kept the Ultimate line to just four books for a long time. No more minis. No more Ultimate Fing Fang Foom or whatever.

PRAISE THE LORD!
Yes, for christ's sake, yes, keep the Ultimate universe SMALL!!!
Whew.
Anyway...
It's a shame Warren Ellis'll be dropping off this title, because he was so perfectly suited for it, but I'm willing to let Millar and Land take a shot or two at the FF. For my tastes, Millar is hit and miss (Ultimate X-Men? MK Spidey? ehh.), but if his FF is near as cool as Wolverine is right now, count me in.

[Simon DelMonte]

1. So, if Gaiman and JMS developed the Thor idea, why isn't one of them - JMS especially - being given the job? Clearly, this is not a priority for Marvel.

2. I know a few people who love the Eliis run on U-FF. I suspect that these people didn't like the Millar/Bendis issues before that. I suspect that these people will not like Millar any more now.

3. I don't get why Ellis takes these jobs for such short runs. If I were a fan of his work, I would never, ever buy it except in TPB form, so I would know how long the story he wrote ended up being.

[comicbookguy_uk]

One word........... Quality.

Ultimate + Millar = less £ for me.

Incidentally, whats up with the Thor relauch? I thought he was dead and Asgard was pretty much rubble. Anyone actually know what Gaiman and JMS actually had planned?

[Rob Helmerichs]

Originally posted by Simon DelMonte
1. So, if Gaiman and JMS developed the Thor idea, why isn't one of them - JMS especially - being given the job? Clearly, this is not a priority for Marvel.

Or it's not a priority for Gaiman or JMS. I suspect that if either one wanted to write the book, Marvel would be all over it. They probably just had enough of an interest to come up with some ideas, but not enough to commit to the book itself.

[Evil Rick Shea]

I am very glad to hear that Marvel is going to keep the Ultimate line to four titles total instead of several needless mini-series. I think this is a great long term move on their part and hopefully will expand to the rest of their imprints. "Less books, better books" would be a great motto for them to adapt instead of spreading their talent pool so thin over so many books.

Great move, Marvel, keep moving in this direction please.

[jedifish]

Awesome. I really love the Ultimate Universe and Ellis had ruined that for me with his lame Ultimate FF. I look forward to getting this again with #19.

[tridon]

I would've prefered to see Millar and Land on the Thor relaunch over Ultimate FF... so much so that I actually put the Thor relaunch on my card at the comic shop as soon as I read it in the Wizard while there. Guess it's coming off my card.

[Amoebas]

As a Thor fan all I can say is GREAT NEWS!

Millar's style and me don't usually work anyway, but to find out he's only "midly into" Thor means someone who IS into Thor get's to tell his tales (hopefully).

I also am not a fan of the Ultimate line anymore, so good luck to them but this team isn't enough to get me back (Land is tempting by just by himself tho).

[Bolt1033]

I suppose it's just me, but Millar seems to get more and more pompous with every interview-he certainly thinks highly of himself-not saying he hasn't earned it, just don't want to hear him open his pie-hole anymore.

I know, I know, then don't read the interviews. But then I can't bitch.

[glecharles]

Originally posted by comicbookguy_uk
Incidentally, whats up with the Thor relauch? I thought he was dead and Asgard was pretty much rubble. Anyone actually know what Gaiman and JMS actually had planned?

Apparently, chunks of Asgard fall to Earth as powerful artifacts which an evil corporation then hoards somewhere in Utah (or Iowa?) at their headquarters that is built around the immovable Mjolnir. A group of kids collect some of the final artifacts and make a trek out to evil corporation's headquarters only to be transformed into Thor, Loki, etc.

No, really!

So yeah, I can see Millar being more psyched about returning to UFF than in reviving Thor. Can't say I'm more excited about it, though, after reading the lame Ultimates 2 #1.

[kilroy]

LOL wow i really enjoy Ultimates and it is my favorite book from the line because the characters are so different from there MU counterparts. The whole concept I find interesting. Just could not get into UXmen( feels like just another age of apocalypse). I have to say anything Greg Land draws I will buy so Im excited about this. I also have to say Im happy that Millar is writing the book. Ellis doom arc had to be the biggest piece of %^&$. Six issues of full splash pages and maybe five lines of Dialogue. And what is going on with Immones work since he signed to marvel. This guy was amazing on Legio and his art on the recent superman prestige series was breathtaking. He signs with marvel and hi stuff on UFF and what I have glanced at in UXmen is just dreadful.

[Marxist 64]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

This means Ellis is off. I knew it was coming but still...

But at least we get Millar.

[gOgIver]

This is great news IMO!

[mendrakis]

"But in terms of a stunt it's probably the biggest and most ambitious thing the Ultimate Universe has attempted so far."

I'm glad we're getting another 'stunt'. Can't have too many 'stunts', you know?

[Donster]

"Joe and Dan said how cool it would be if Greg and I committed to Ultimate FF and we kept the Ultimate line to just four books for a long time. No more minis. No more Ultimate Fing Fang Foom or whatever. "

Ultimate Iron Man doesn't count?

[THB]

Originally posted by Donster
"Joe and Dan said how cool it would be if Greg and I committed to Ultimate FF and we kept the Ultimate line to just four books for a long time. No more minis. No more Ultimate Fing Fang Foom or whatever. "

Ultimate Iron Man doesn't count?

I was just thinking the same thing, my friend.

[tralfaz]

why waste Greg Land's talent on ultimate FF... oh, thats right, theres a movie coming along

I would rather have Land on Thor

[Calibre Freeze]

Originally posted by Biggest Nimrod
PRAISE THE LORD!
Yes, for christ's sake, yes, keep the Ultimate universe SMALL!!!
Whew.

I must reciprocate these feelings. I'm really impressed by Marvel's commitment to keeping the line pretty contained. They've detracted a couple times, but it sounds like Marvel really knows what they have on their hands.


Josh Kibbey


PS: Happy Holidays and New Year to anyone and everyone!!!

[bob_at_york]

I was actually interested in their ideas for Thor. I wonder what is going to happen now.

[Gordon Lee]

What will this mean for the other Ultimate mini's Ellis was/is involved with? From the hints dropped at Dragon Con (in Atlanta) this past September, they may never see the light of day as he commented about the lateness of the artists involved with the projects and his contempt for their lateness.

Then again, since the EIC is an artist himself, and can't meet his own deadlines, how can he set an example for his employees??

[JimShelley]

Wow - I guess we can look forward to more 6 issue Mole Man story arcs.

Millar/Bendis <--- You know Marvel, there are *other* writers on your payroll who could probably write an Ultimate book.

I for one would rather see some new blood like Tony Bedard on the title. His Negation was the BEST thing to come out of Crossgen and would have been a runaway hit at any other company.

One thing that is unintentionally funny (and telling) in this interview is the fact that Marvel's editorial staff seems to have been caught unaware that either Warren Ellis was only going to do 2 story arcs. So, they had a year to find a replacement and no one thought about that?

On the positive side - good to see Greg *Land* on his feet with such a spotlight title. Too bad DC didn't snap him up when he was a free agent.

[Jeremy Williams]

Originally posted by tralfaz
why waste Greg Land's talent on ultimate FF... oh, thats right, theres a movie coming along

I would rather have Land on Thor

Who said it won`t happen after the Ulti. FF run?

To me it feels right, Ellis just didn`t fit on this book it was all talking heads, he would have been more suitable for a MK FF book. And Millar WOW his first 6 issues with Bendis were off the hook, what a wild ride.

p.s. why has Ellis the attention span of a toddler?

[Gordon McAlpin]

Originally posted by Gordon Lee
Then again, since the EIC is an artist himself, and can't meet his own deadlines, how can he set an example for his employees??

Gimme a break, Gordon. His "employees" (freelancers, you mean) don't have to oversee an entire line of comic books on top of meeting their deadlines. YOU try it sometime.

Granted, he shouldn't have committed to that work in the first place, but jeez ...

Gordon