PHANTOM JACK LEAVES HOME, MOVES TO IMAGE

**MattBrady** · 11-13-2003, 07:14 AM

The Epic picture at Marvel continues to morph and change as Phantom Jack creator and Newsarama columnist Mike Sangiacomo has confirmed that he has pulled his series from the upcoming Epic Anthology, and will publish it through Image instead. Sangiacomo told Newsarama the details.

“With all due respect to Marvel, I didn't enter into the Epic agreement almost a year ago to be one fourth of an anthology,” Sangiacomo said. “The Phantom Jack crew put way to much work into the series to have it wind up that way. The way I read it, there will be one anthology and, if sales warrant, another one three months later. That's no way to run a comic book, at least not the way I want to. The first Phantom Jack story arc was written as a five-parter, which means it would take 1.3 years for the whole story to be told. And that is very iffy.

“It's clear to me that Marvel's heart just isn't in it. I've been in enough bad relationships to know when my partner is just going through the motions.”

While Epic changed its original submissions policies so that no creator-owned properties would be allowed under the imprint, Sangiacomo explained that he came in under the imprint prior to the ban on creator-owned characters. “In the beginning, any character that had no connection with the Marvel universe, and was wholly original, was deemed creator-owned. This was the understanding going in.

“At some point, maybe five months into the writing process, about the 3rd draft, Marvel abruptly announced that there would be no creator owned properties. It seems the board of directors wigged out when told of creator-owned works. So I was offered a choice to make Phantom Jack, who may have been Nowhere Man at that time, a Marvel creation or lose the project. Since the deal offered me, as creator, a pretty generous bonus for any television, film or project rights, I accepted it.

“When Marvel changed the deal by announcing that the book would become part of the anthology, I first talked to Image about bringing the book over. Since it was a new deal, the Image work would be creator-owned.

”I got the contract back from Phantom Jack from Marvel by asking first Bill Jemas as in, ‘You got me into this, you gotta get me out.’ He put me in touch with new Publisher Dan Buckley who was great. He felt bad about the whole Epic situation and was happy to cooperate. I called Marvel the next morning and was told that the contracts would be returned, no harm, no foul.”

At Image, Sangiacomo found that publisher Jim Valentino was already familiar with the project. “Eric [Stephenson, Marketing Manager] and I had been following Mike's ‘progress reports’ for the last few months on Newsarama,” Valentino said. “The book seemed conceptually interesting, and it was obvious Mike was doing a bang-up job promoting it.”

One thing Valentino wanted to stress was that by taking Phantom Jack in, it was not the revival of the animosity between the two companies that dated back to Image’s formation. “This is not a dis at Marvel,” Valentino said. “Joe [Quesada] is a friend, and he and Marvel have been nothing but gracious to us over the last few years. This is about giving a good book that found itself homeless, a home. Image does creator-owned/creator-generated books, it's what we're best at. It just seemed the right thing to do.”

Phantom Jack will launch in late winter/early spring in the “monthly-series-as-long-as-it-sells format” according to Sangiacomo, who’s already extremely enthused the be free of one issue that, as readers of his My Epic Journey will know, became a problem: “The most exciting part of it is that I will be able to write the character my way, without editorial steering, regardless of how well-intentioned.”

Being that it was set to be included in the anthology which was due to ship in February, issue #1 of Phantom Jack is completed. “Mitch Breitweiser has done layouts for issue two,” Sangiacomo said. “I've scripted the first five issues and about half of the second five-issue arc. The story for the second arc is done, just not scripted.

“Actually, I'm very excited about the second story arc because it answers all the origin questions about Jack and introduces Jack's nemesis: Nowhere Man. Since Image's Eric Stephenson has dibs on the name Nowhere Men [one of the reasons Sangiacomo changed the name of his series in the first place], I'm hoping he'll let a colleague slide and let me use the singular as a villain. He doesn't know that yet…well, now he does, I guess.”

Sangiacomo said that he’s planning on continuing the track he was on, creatively, before Epic effectively ended, and is polishing what would have been his second Epic project, which will now be pitched to Image instead.

Sangiacomo will address the publisher switch in greater detail this weekend in a special edition of his My Epic Journey column, which will, he guarantees, have a catchy new name.

RyanMcLelland · 11-13-2003, 07:35 AM

When life gives you lemons...make lemonade.

Big congrats Mike and I won't just wish you all the best...I'll be there at the store picking up issue one when it hits.

Jeffreak · 11-13-2003, 07:38 AM

Congratulations! I'm glad that your work, and everyone else's who worked on the project, isn't going to waste.

So I'm guessing Phantom Jack (still keeping that name?) won't be on the anthology book.

Brendan · 11-13-2003, 08:16 AM

I'd like to wish Mike, Mitch and the rest of the creative team all the best with the move to image. I have been following the 'My Epic Journey' columns since they started, and am looking forward to reading the book when it comes out.

projectsky · 11-13-2003, 08:17 AM

smart move.

all the best of luck dude!

Greg O · 11-13-2003, 08:20 AM

Mike I'm thrilled about this, what a hell of a ride you're first foray into comics has been (warrants a couple of articles from TCJ to Wizard at least!). Whilst I enjoyed the articles and the behind the scenes look at 'Epic' and the whole creative process, who knew the story would have such a twist at the end!

I'm delighted that Marvel ended up going some way to help this new move as smooth as possible and Image have got themselves a debut book with a built in audience and an unprecendented 'word of mouth' preceeding it!

I'm adding the book to my pull list asap a lot happier than I would have been adding the Anthology (how do you support the creators witjout supporting the skewed practices of the publisher?).

Kudos in fairness to Marvel for making the end of your relationship a lot less messy than the experience themselves.

I dunno, I think this is great news all round, Phantom Jack is coming out as originally intended in a format to showcase all it's contributers talents with their own book rather than a quarter of a doomed Anthology, you get a chance to undo some of the editorial changes you felt diluted the story (which I felt also reading the pieces) and Image get a great book with a lot of coverage.

I can't see anything negative about this at all?

Won't stop the posts though

Congratulations Mike, Mitch, Jaime and Ray and best of luck to rest of the folks turned over by the Anthology deal.

GOD

Riliss · 11-13-2003, 08:30 AM

Shit yeah, I'm SO there.

Chesscub · 11-13-2003, 08:30 AM

Congratulations on the move! I think there are a lot of people who'll be happy with this move. Will issue one come out from Image or from Epic?

I wonder if any of the others that can (Gun Theory, Strange Magic) will try to go this route. I realize Strange Magic had ties with the Marvel Universe, but they were just hinted at in the story from my understanding. Not sure how much it would take to rewrite it so that it had none of the ties. And I don't know if Strange Magic is creator owned or not (if it fell into the period of time when creator-owned was allowed)

Jeff

Zadillo · 11-13-2003, 08:31 AM

Very good news.

It's too bad this seemingly wouldn't be an option for some of the other creators whose titles are more closely tied into the Marvel universe (i.e. "Strange Magic").

-Zadillo

Charles RB · 11-13-2003, 08:36 AM

And there was much rejoicing.

gvalley · 11-13-2003, 08:49 AM

Congrats, Mike. Sounds like the best possible thing to have done.
Imagine that! A double-twist ending! Ah, life is, indeed, stranger...

sythspawn · 11-13-2003, 09:02 AM

Hell, I think you need to be congratulated for getting your contract back. I would have NEVER imagined such a thing would've been possible. Thanks to Image for stepping up and giving the book a home.

Fazhoul · 11-13-2003, 09:25 AM

I guess there's no chance now of using the Nowhere Man title since Eric Stephenson is going to be doing Nowhere Men for Image also. Too bad, I really liked the name.

Bullwinkle · 11-13-2003, 09:37 AM

Well, this is certainly GOOD NEWS!

Like many I've followed the 'Epic Journey' on the site here and was slowly won over to the enthusiasm that Mike has for 'Phantom Jack'.

At first, I was a touch dubious about a comic journalist turning pro and doing a good job of it (I'm studying to be a journalist myself, so I know there's often a big gap between journalists and writers), but my concerns were dispelled as I saw just how rich 'Phantom Jack' was in both story and content (or so it seemed).

I was ultimately disappointed to hear that it was relegated to the very iffy Epic Anthology and thought that might be the early demise of yet another potentially good project, but it looks like 'Phantom Jack' is gonna get a decent chance to rise or fall on its own. Here's hoping for the former .... Once more I'll be on Mike's journey, and this time I'm bringing my dollars along to back me up.

Best of luck to you, Mitch, and the rest of your crew, Mike! You've certainly earned that ....

- Chris

Tom Daylight · 11-13-2003, 09:38 AM

Great news!

You could always do a Nowhere Man/Nowhere Men crossover

agentg · 11-13-2003, 09:51 AM

congrats Mike!!!!
Im happy. Real Happy!

Aaron Weisbrod · 11-13-2003, 09:54 AM

Wow... what a nice way to start a blustry and windy morning!

CONGRATS team!

Lovin' a happy ending,
Aaron Weisbrod

saiyanspider · 11-13-2003, 10:12 AM

Good deal man, sweet. Good luck, and congrates! I know I will pick up a copy I wish you the best dude.

Cartoon Jay · 11-13-2003, 10:51 AM

This whole Epic situation may be the best argument I've seen yet for self-publishing.

Great news, Mike, and a very smart move. Best of luck. I'll definitely be buying a copy when it hits.

carazan · 11-13-2003, 10:58 AM

It is, indeed, lemonade from lemons (I hate to crib from another post, but my first thought had to do with, "When someone hands you a pile of crap .." but I really couldn't think of a refreshing beverage that would result, so ...).

Let us know when to pre-order this monkey. I am very impressed with your handling of a rotten turn of events.

Best of luck and keep on truckin'.

Prozac Man · 11-13-2003, 11:01 AM

So cool that this is still coming out! I can’t wait for it!
Given the image connections, does this mean that we might some day get a Phantom Jack clear plastic action figure from McFarlane Toys? I’d buy that for $12.

J.D. Lombardi · 11-13-2003, 11:11 AM

Wow...what a lot of stuff happens "behind the scenes" of the comic's biz! Mike Sangiacomo comes across as a very level-headed and determined guy. A very good article to show what can happen to a person's creation in the middle of making a dream into a reality. This stuff should really be put together into some sort of compendium or novella.

Not that he needs it, now being at the mighty "I"...but Mike, if you want some free hype/press for your book, stop by my website and drop me a line...I'll help you out man.

-JD

Hooks · 11-13-2003, 11:16 AM

Congrats, Mike and the crew! Best of luck.

(X)

IanZL · 11-13-2003, 11:16 AM

Wow, this is amazing. Glad Image saw so much potential (and months of publicity and hype) that they picked it up.

Was probably going to buy it from Epic will DEFINITELY buy it through Image.

punkmonkey · 11-13-2003, 11:41 AM

Whew! Congratulations, Mike! I'm glad I don't have to buy the surely-doomed Epic Anthology just to try out your particular title. This was the best move you could make, in my opinion. Here's wishing you great sales -- I'll be one of 'em!