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06-13-2007, 04:14 PM
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RON MARZ - WORKING AT VIRGIN
 When we last spoke with Ron Marz about his upcoming editorial gig at Virgin Comics, he was just getting his feet wet in the line and its various Indian-themed characters. He’s a few months into the job now, and as Virgin Comics readers know, the Shakti line is seeing relaunches with new #1s, apparently new series, and more shakeups. We spoke with Marz to get the lowdown on the changes at Virgin. Newsarama: Ron, it's been a little while since we last spoke about you taking an editorial role at Virgin, so - broad strokes, what have you been up to in the last few weeks? Ron Marz: Last few months, really. I’ve been reading a lot scripts I didn’t write, reviewing a lot of thumbnails, approving artwork. All the usual editor stuff, and I do it from the comfort of my home office. This kind of thing wouldn’t have been possible a decade ago, but everything is digital now. A page drawn today in Bangalore, India hits my desk as soon as someone scans it. Editing is a whole different mindset, because you’re basically sitting in judgment of someone else’s work. I’m dealing with the overall direction of the three books in my care, which are Devi, Sadhu and Ramayan. I’m working with the writers on overall arcs, as well as the nuts and bolts of specific scripts. All that, along with my writing commitments, keeps me plenty busy. NRAMA: Something that seems a little...different in terms of the production - just as trades are coming out of the longest-running series, both Sadhu and Ramayan are being relaunched, with slightly different names and some new creators. First off, why was the relaunch needed?  RM: I think when people hear “relaunch” they think starting over from scratch. That’s not the case here. We’re bringing out new #1 issues of Sadhu and Ramayan because we’re starting new storylines. We’re not scrapping everything that came before, we’re just giving readers a comfortable place to jump on to the books. It’s more like what Dark Horse does with a lot of its titles, like Hellboy or B.P.R.D. or even my own Samurai: Heaven and Earth. These are continuing stories, but that #1 issue every so often gives new readers an obvious place to jump on. Sadhu will continue as a series of mini-series, each with a different subtitle. Ramayan needed some refocusing in terms of the way the story was being told. Now that we’ve done that, I expect we’ll just continue it as a monthly presence from this point onward. NRAMA: In this market, as you well know, a relaunch with a new #1 for a young series...well, it doesn't say things that fans read as necessarily...good. What can you say to readers, both current and potential about placing their confidence in these titles? RM: Well, in a lot of ways, you’re damned if you, damned if you don’t with a relaunch. The truth is, it’s a lot easier to get someone to try a #1 issue than a #13 or a #27 or whatever. Retailers will order more copies of a #1 issue, so there should be more copies on the stands for readers to try. Readers are more likely to try something if there’s a sense of starting at the beginning, rather than coming in halfway through. So these #1 issues have been designed to be welcoming as possible.  It’s an uphill battle, certainly, at least in the U.S. market. I think a lot of readers are more prone to continue buying Superhero X or Superteam Y just out of habit, even if they’re not particularly enjoying the book, than try something new. I was recently on a chat panel where different books were being discussed, and one of the hosts held up a book – I don’t recall which one, but a mainline Marvel or DC book – and said, “I haven’t liked what’s been going on in this book for the last year!” So I had to ask, “Why the hell are you still buying it?” If you’re buying books you don’t like, the only message that sends to the publisher is, “This is great. Let’s have more just like it.” Buy what you like, and try new things so you can find out what you like.Anyway, the point is, superheroes rule the roost in the business. Readers even buy books they don’t like. So as a publisher, you need to do everything possible to get the audience to pay attention to a non-superhero book. That’s what we’re doing with Sadhu and Ramayan, giving people an obvious place to try something different. From a personal standpoint, if I didn’t think these were series with potential, I wouldn’t have taken the job. And if I didn’t think I could make each of these series better, I wouldn’t have taken the job. NRAMA: Let’s get into the stories some - alphabetical order - how's Sadhu: The Silent Ones different from the original series? RM: Actually, “R” comes before “S” in alphabetical order. An editor knows these things. You’re just trying to test me, aren’t you? Damn it, I am qualified for this job. NRAMA: Alright, alright, good catch… RM: Okay, we’ll do Sadhu first. A “sadhu” is an Indian mystic. The real short version of Sadhu is that a British soldier in 19th-century India loses his family in tragedy, and discovers that his destiny is to become a sadhu. I’ve heard the book described as an Indian Hellblazer, but there are elements of Indian Jones-style adventure thrown in, as well as the historical context of the British occupation of India. There’s a very cool East-meets-West vibe.  The Silent Ones is the next chapter in the story, as the main character, James Jensen, comes to realize his son, Jack, may still be alive. But Jensen has to confront the aptly-named mystical villains of the story – the Silent Ones – if he wants get his son back. There’s magic and martial arts aplenty. NRAMA: Over to Ramayan. How does Ramayan 3392AD: Reloaded differ from what's come before? Also - with Ramayan, you're going to be handling back-up features, correct? RM: Ramayan, or more properly, the Ramayana, is the quintessential Indian epic. For Western audiences, it’s most often compared to The Lord of the Rings or even Star Wars. Ramayan 3392AD is a retelling of the story, but in a post-apocalyptic, science-fiction setting. It’s an ancient story told in a new way. The new #1 issue continues the story, but gives readers an appropriate jumping-on point, with everything that’s gone before conveniently encapsulated. The previous issues gave a real sense of the epic scale, but I didn’t feel as invested in the characters. It’s like watching the battle at Helm’s Deep, but not really knowing Aragorn or Legolas very well. The battle’s still cool, but you’re not on the edge of your seat because you’re not wrapped up in the survival of the characters. So the first decision we made was to add a first-person narrative to the book, so the reader could identify with someone, and see things from a much more personal point of view. The focus is now very much on the characters We also brought in Jeevan Kang on the art. Jeevan was coming off of the John Woo-Garth Ennis book 7 Brothers, and he’s certainly the most accomplished artist in the Virgin studios.,. Jeevan took a month just to work on design pieces, so he could bring a real cohesive sensibility to the world and the characters. He’s doing absolutely beautiful work. The backups are give short features I’m writing meant to flesh out each of the main characters a bit more, something to give the reader more familiarity with the cast. Each is being drawn by a different artist – Mike Oeming in issue #1, Jim Starlin in issue #2, David Petersen of Mouse Guard fame in issue #3, and two guys we haven’t announced yet for issues #4 and #5.  NRAMA: Rounding out your Virgin workload - Devi #12 kicks off a new arc that you're spearheading - "spearheading" is solicit-talk, so what does that mean? RM: The first issue I worked on was actually #11, which is on the stands now. We split the issue up into three shorter stories, both to catch up some deadline space, and also to delve into the backgrounds of three main characters. “Spearheading” sounds sexier than “overseeing,” I guess. I’m making sure the overall storyline is headed in the right direction, as well as working with the writer on pacing and panel breakdowns, as well as the dialogue. I don’t want to be the kind of editor who forces the talent to tell the story in the way that editor would tell the story. I’ve worked for a few of those, and it’s no fun to be someone’s creative proxy. I’m trying to guide the talent in telling their story the best way they can. It would be easier and quicker to just do it myself – rewrite scripts and make the work more mine than theirs. But that doesn’t serve anyone in the long run. Better to teach a man to fish than just give him a fish, right? So it’s a process of suggestion and guidance, rather than just “Do it my way.” If any of the Virgin titles have a superhero vibe, Devi is the one, though of course it’s got a definite Indian/mystical bent to it. Devi is facing supernatural foes, as well as earthbound foes like organized crime figures. She’s in the process of learning how to be a hero, that’s what the current arc is about. Truthfully, that’s a theme in all three books, the idea of becoming a hero and the hero’s journey, very much Joseph Campbell kind of stuff. NRAMA: With all of this explained, and basically, you coming in and at least, putting a "Western voice" on three of Virgin's four lead titles - in your view, was something...wrong with how things were being done? RM: I don’t really see my job as putting a Western voice on Virgin’s titles. My job is to help the talent on these books learn their craft a bit better, and just generally bring up the level of their game. It’s a learning curve. You have to realize that there’s never been much of a comics industry in India, and certainly nothing close to the way a modern publisher functions today. Most of these guys have only been doing this a year or two, and learning as they go. I’ve been doing this for 17 years – it kind of boggles my mind to even say that – so I’ve got some experience to share. The books we’re doing now are better than the ones done a year ago. I fully expect the books we do a year from now to be better than the ones we’re doing now.  NRAMA: Looking ahead, what else will you be doing with Virgin? Are you helping to shape new launches in the Shakti line? RM: For now, my plate is full enough with these three. Everybody involved wants to make these books as good as they can possibly be, which takes a fair amount of time and effort. We’re concentrating on what’s in front of us now, rather than reaching for something else prematurely. Walk before you run. At some point I might do some more writing for Virgin, but that’s a bridge to cross later. NRAMA: In your view, you've worked on all sides of the industry - what does Virgin Comics represent in the larger picture? What can readers find there that they can't elsewhere? RM: Virgin is telling different kinds of stories – some based in mythology, some hatched by creative minds like John Woo and Guy Ritchie, with more coming. Pretty much the only thing they’re not doing is straight superheroes, because frankly, if that’s what you’re interested in reading, you’re already buying Marvel and DC and you don’t need someone else’s variation on the same theme. One of the things that attracted me to Virgin is that the company isn’t just focusing on the U.S. direct market as it exists now. The world is getting smaller. The global marketplace is here, and there’s a wider audience for comics than ever before. Sharad Devarajan, Virgin’s CEO, said something to me, specifically about Ramayan. He pointed out that 20 percent of the world’s population hears that story from the time they’re in the cradle. That’s not 20 percent of the U.S. population, or 20 percent of India’s population, that’s one-fifth of the entire planet. Gives you a little perspective, doesn’t it? |
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06-13-2007, 04:37 PM
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so....when's the Ramayan Relaunch??
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06-13-2007, 05:22 PM
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so ... anyone reading these?
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06-13-2007, 05:34 PM
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I'm curious about the same thing. I've heard next to nothing about them and I'm pretty indifferent. Nothing jumps out at me, despite the attempt to give us a more global perpective on comics. How about a big, fat inexpensively-priced (or even free) preview book that has several pages from each series? That might help. |
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06-13-2007, 06:19 PM
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A free sampler was released about a year ago just before the Virgin Comics launch. I don't know if there are plans for another. |
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06-13-2007, 06:46 PM
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There was another on FCBD, about a month ago. These are some very beautiful, very interesting books, and while Ramayan wasn't quite the comic I wanted to read, Sadhu is very good and most of the Director's Line titles (7 Brothers, Gamekeeper) are stellar. |
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06-13-2007, 07:30 PM
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iunno, i''ve loved Ramayan
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06-13-2007, 07:52 PM
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Marz really screwed up his career with his jump to CrossGen and coercing/conning all those other creators to move to Tampa. Now he's stuck working for Virgin Comics b/c he couldn't get in with any of the big events like Inifnity Crisis or Civil War.
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06-13-2007, 08:10 PM
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Neither of the two mentioned, but I've tried several Virgin titles and found them to be fairly different from a lot of the mainstream stuff. I especially like Snakewoman and I'm enjoying Gamekeeper right now. |
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06-13-2007, 08:13 PM
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MattB |
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06-13-2007, 08:21 PM
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I pre-ordered the Ramayan and Walk-in tpb, will probably get Game Keeper later on also.
I am glad to see this article because the reason and the details of the relaunch were not clear to me, both from the FCBD book and from their website. Glad its not a retcon and just a continuation. The only title that left me cold was the 7 Brothers, when I read the free issue that was posted on Newsarama, I only like the art but could not get into the story and dialogue, pretty ironic, since I am a HUGE fan of Garth Ennis.... |
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06-13-2007, 09:27 PM
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These books are in extremely capable hands, Ron Marz is highly underrated writer. From the stories I've read of his, I really think he'll make a fine editor. He brings a certain quality that appeals to wider audience on just about every book he's written. I have no doubt he can influence Virgin's 3 other titles. I hope this leads to big things. I can see Marz being an editor-in-chief of major publisher one day.
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06-13-2007, 11:58 PM
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I enjoyed 7 Brothers quite a bit, although the ending seemed a little rushed and not with an extreme wow factor. (But it seems many storylines lately have a great buildup only to be let down by the ending). And I have also been picking up Gamekeeper and have enjoyed the 1st 2 issues so far.
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06-14-2007, 12:58 AM
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I didn't know Marz was working for Virgin Comics .
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06-14-2007, 02:05 AM
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So far I've only tried Gamekeeper (mainly because my being a fan of Guy Ritchie, despite Revolver), but the Free Comic Book Day got me interested in possibly trying some of the others, particularly Ramayan (even if the title gives me a taste for Asian noodles). Marz has often been hit or miss with me, but I think his involvement in an epic tale like this may suit him, much like his excellent Samurai titles at Dark horse.
Virgin is doing some interesting things by pairing up well known Hollywood players with some top quality comics creators, which is a natural extension of where the industry looks to be heading. The Andy Diggle/Guy Ritchie combo on Gamekeeper has been solid (aided by the beautiful artwork of Mukesh Singh), so I like what I've seen so far. Virgin is taking chances on their books and that's always a positive for the industry. I'd encourage people to give these a shot, if for nothing else but to take a break from all the capes. turk Last edited by turk9 : 06-14-2007 at 02:10 AM. |
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06-14-2007, 02:13 AM
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I give two thumbs up on Snakewoman,Devi and Shadu
I've tried the others and i liked the ideas but felt the stories didn't impact me as much as i wanted. Not sorry i bought them (Virulents and 7 Brothers) but not enough to pull me in and wish they were ongoing. I still ask that if you are in a store and you see a Virgin book flip through it and see what you think. I feel many people are ignoring Virgin just because of the India connection. |
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06-14-2007, 09:30 AM
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Wow! I cannot believe that you can even say something like that about someone you don't even know. Wow! How can you type something like this. Do you work for DC or Marvel? Comments like this do not belong in here, and I am sure that this type of stuff offends many of us. Any way...I wish Mr. Marz all the luck in the world. So far I have enjoyed the stories, and I would like to see them grow and flourish in the comic world. We need another choice from the Big 2 and their offspring. |
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06-14-2007, 02:56 PM
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Those picks look incredibly good! Especially the guy with the bow and the dark figure with the sword. I'm still not ready to buy their books, though. I don't know why. If something like Crossgen could not get me to buy something else than Marvel and DC because it was too foreign, then Virgin is doomed in my case. I don't know what would make me pick up their books. Maybe a line-wide relaunch with known creators and more familiar concepts. I think a great way to succeed in entertainment is the crossover appeal. And I don't mean the typical characters crossing over with other books but more like taking one audience and bringing them to a new show so to speak. Like in wrestling when Kevin Nash and Scott Hall were hired by WCW(rival to WWF/WWE): suddenly a lot of fans of WWF went the former WWF talent in WCW and it generated something special. When Valiant came up, Barry Smith had finished the successful Wolverine saga Weapon X a year earlier. And when he did Valiant, audience followed. Personaly when I saw this first promotional image with Barry drawing a costume-less God-like Solar, it struck my imagination a great deal. Because I already knew and liked this guy a great deal and he was doing something new and exciting.
Unless any new ambitious company is ready to do that, make it accessible and bring in top talents, super-hero audience will stay away. |
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06-14-2007, 07:31 PM
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I've been following all Virgin series and minis since they launched.
In my opinion Snakewoman and Ramayan are excellent books, much better than most in the market right now. Devi started out all right but had a hug dig in quality (specially art-wise) lately. Ramayan also got an artist that didn't really fit the book not too long ago but it makes me happy to know that Jeevan Kang it taking over art duties, even if I'd rather see the original art team ato come back. I'm also looking forward to the mini series that Mike Caret will be writing for them. As Marz says, people should really stop bitching about books they buy and don't enjoy: just stop buying it and try something new. I've never understood the anal fixation with having to buy every single issue of a series even if the direction/art/writing sucks for compleition's sake. |
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06-15-2007, 09:02 PM
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Yes. I grew up reading the amar chitra katha comic books retelling the traditonal Ramayana story (and other indian mythology). Since then I've read the prose (English, not sanskrit) of many of those stories. I've really enjoyed Ramayan. I'm hoping an adaptation (of some sort) of The Mahabharata is next... |
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