JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV ON PILOT SEASON: CYBLADE

[MattBrady]

by Chris Arrant

Comics publisher Top Cow has brought something new into the comics field, borrowing a bit from television but executing it in comic form. Their new initiative, Pilot Season, showcases five characters from Top Cow's library and gives it over to some of today's up & coming and top creators to see what they'd do. Then it's up to you – you get to decide, by voting, which of the five you'd most like to see turned into an ongoing series.

This week, Top Cow releases Pilot Season: Cyblade by Joshua Hale Fialkov and Rick Mays. The character is one of Top Cow's core characters, debuting in their first book Cyberforce way back in 1992. The character has been a central part of the team, but this one-shot takes the character out on her own to get deeper into who Cyblade is.

But what do we know already? First off, her powers. Cyblade has the ability to generate blades of electromagnetic energy, and just happens to be a helluva fighter. In terms of her own story, she's in his first years of adulthood, and is dealing with issues normal for her age and those that come with the powers, skills and history she posseses.Writer Joshua Hale Fialkov takes that in the vein of Alias-inspired espionage with the help of artist Rick Mays. We talked with Fialkov to find out more.

Newsarama: Pilot Season: Cyblade is said to be less 'superhero' and more espionage. Can you tell us about it, Joshua?

Joshua Hale Fialkov: What I did was to take some of the implied origins of the character, which saw Cyblade as this master ninja/assassin being mind controlled, and sort of extrapolated on that. There's an origin issue out there from a few years ago, and in it you see that side of the character for a few panels, and that's really the stuff that grabbed my attention.

So, essentially, Cyblade is a powerful mutant, capable of producing psychic blades (and by extension psychic blasts) who's being mind-controlled by a group of evil corporate overlords. Our story follows her realizing that she's being controlled, and having to decide where she stands and what she can do about it.

NRAMA: How would you describe the character of Cyblade?

JHF: Well, as we see her, she's very much torn in two. There's the part of her that's this bad ass, extremely competent super spy. But, that's not really her. She's this scared, awkward 19 year old girl with these tremendous powers and no idea what she's capable of. Where the drama lays, for me, is in how she manages to merge these two personas into one.

NRAMA:What were the challenges for you when you set out to write this one-shot?

JHF: I really wanted to execute the idea of a pilot. Telling a complete story, while being both an origin and a perfect example of what a regular issue of the series would be. And, what I want that series to be is just the most explosive-laden action story this side of Alias, but, trying to succeed where I think Alias often times failed, by giving the character a true personality and identity that we actually care about.

NRAMA: If this issue gets voted in for an ongoing series, do you have some ideas in store of how the series should go?

JHF: Oh yeah, it's pretty clearly set up as part one of a bigger story. Our first arcs would follow Cyblade as she's sent on an assassination mission of someone very close to her, and it forces her to decide between blowing her cover and killing someone she loves. From there, we'd get into the fun spy vs. spy stuff as she tries to stay undercover with the bad guys while supplying info and help to the good guys... lots of fun double and triple agent stuff. It's so much fun to write, I really hope I get to do it!

NRAMA: How did you get involved with Top Cow and end up writing this?

JHF: I think it started on a thread on The Engine forum, actually. Rob Levin was looking for guys, and somehow my name came up. We met up at two San Diego's ago, and at the time, I was so swamped I couldn't take on the extra work, but, Rob kept on me, and after we talked again about what characters were available, and I came up with a take for Cyblade that I really liked, and that, I'd assume, they really liked also. And that, is as they say, history.

Pilot Season: Cyblade is written by Joshua Hale Fialkov with art by Rick Mays. Published by Top Cow, it is scheduled to be in stores on September 12th. For more information, visit Top Cow.

[wazuzu53]

Is it me, or do they look and sound like the same character?

[elnino]

Originally Posted by wazuzu53

Is it me, or do they look and sound like the same character?

each time i see that picture, i keep expecting news about x23!!

[Spy_Smasher]

... this master ninja/assassin being mind controlled ... a powerful mutant, capable of producing psychic blades (and by extension psychic blasts) who's being mind-controlled by a group of evil corporate overlords. Our story follows her realizing that she's being controlled, and having to decide where she stands and what she can do about it. ... torn in two. There's the part of her that's this bad ass, extremely competent super spy. But, that's not really her. She's this scared, awkward 19 year old girl with these tremendous powers and no idea what she's capable of. ...

Am I insane or have I heard this story told ninety million times?

[NewChad]

Originally Posted by MattBrady

what I want that series to be is just the most explosive-laden action story this side of Alias, but, trying to succeed where I think Alias often times failed, by giving the character a true personality and identity that we actually care about.

****you! I loved Sydney Bristow!!!!

[I-Ching]

Eh...I dunno...

I agree she looks likes x-23 and sounds like her backstory is similar and there's even still that lingering "Psylocke" similarity that's bugged me about her since the Cyber Force debut.

At least give her the Cyber Force mask she had, make her look different or a costume that's less Cyboobs.

[MNM]

Originally Posted by NewChad

****you! I loved Sydney Bristow!!!!

Well said that man!

Instead of having an Alias style book with a X-23/Psylocke charcter staring in it, why can't we have an actual Alias book?

I remember seeing artwork for such a book back sometime around 2004, it looked great, sadly nothing ever came from it

[j.hopkins]

Rick Mays is a damn fine artist but what a played out story. Pass.

[Phatdaz]

Cyblade just reminds me of Psylocke everytime i see her! plus Ripclaw looks like a proper Ripoff of Wolverine. Not sure about the rest tho.

Luv the art but gonna give this series a pass as well

though an Alias book does sound like a great idea

[Sluggo]

Originally Posted by NewChad

****you! I loved Sydney Bristow!!!!

I'm with you. This quote made me realize this guy doesn't know what he's talking about, as "Alias" was all about making you care about the character. I don't know what show he was watching, but it sure wasn't "Alias".

Oh, and this is still an obvious ripoff of Psylocke just like it was when Cyberforce first debuted, with the added bonus that they've now made the character look almost exactly like X-23.

[Nate-Earth 2]

Originally Posted by Phatdaz

Cyblade just reminds me of Psylocke everytime i see her! plus Ripclaw looks like a proper Ripoff of Wolverine. Not sure about the rest tho.

Well, yeah. I mean. I never read Image really, at least the superhero stuff, when they came out because most of their characters, looked to me, like ripoffs of Marvel characters, and for good reason, since Image was formed by people who used to work for Marvel; wanting to still tell stories with those characters, they just made facsmiles. When i was younger, I guess around 9, when Image first came out, all the kids were like "woah, Image, man, its the best", it was the coolest thing out. But I didn't really see the point. Either, I could read fake X-Men, or i could read real X-men. Since then I've picked up other stuff from Image, and i like some of their new stuff (Dynamo 5's been awesome) but, as far as their initial launch characters (Youngblood, Cyberforce, Shadowhawk, etc) I always saw them as copies, and still do, to be honest.

[painters_eye]

Originally Posted by I-Ching

less Cyboobs.

Agreed.

Doesn't look original. Idea is just a re-hash.

CyImplants.

[LaughingJak]

Originally Posted by Sluggo

I'm with you. This quote made me realize this guy doesn't know what he's talking about, as "Alias" was all about making you care about the character. I don't know what show he was watching, but it sure wasn't "Alias".

Oh, and this is still an obvious ripoff of Psylocke just like it was when Cyberforce first debuted, with the added bonus that they've now made the character look almost exactly like X-23.

The one thing that really always bothered me about Cyblade was that when Psylocke first came back in her 'ninja form' was that her weapon was referred to as a Psi-blade... and it was a psychic knife that came out of her hands... I mean COME ON. lol. I'm sure over the years she's become her own character, but she was copied from someone with Psi-blades.... and her name is Cyblade... I don't know if i can ever get past that.

[rdevil]

Damn it! I just finished developing my own maxi-series, "Psi-Humps," the story of shy, awkward - and of course barely legal - gorgeous young girl with whose revealing outfit serves as a direct contrast to her awkward, nervous state. The series is top-heavy with scenes of Psi-Humps wandering down dark-alleys where considerably pumped-up gang-members call her "girlie" and try to sexually assault her, but her uncontrollable powers - which are somehow connected to her unstable female emotions - ERUPT and save her each time. She discovers that her abilities are connected to a Shadow Organization, whose attempts to create the Perfect Weapon have backfired. Of course the head of S.O. is later revealed to be her dad. Her memories both hazy and possibly implanted, Psi-Humps is terrified of her powers because they make her a "freak." Ashamed of her body, she cloaks herself in giant, floppy hats and trench-coats because her costume doesn't come off. Originally, I planned for Psi-Humps to be a secure, confident woman in control of her abilities, but I'd hate to break convention and disappoint all the fans who enjoy seeing young, vulnerable barely-dressed girls with no self-esteem get exploited by groups of men (and usually one steely-eyed Emma Frost-ish knock-off...I mean homage.). Psi-Humps is exactly the type of girl that so many male comic readers look for at parties before slipping GHB in their punch. Well, I guess I'll have to start all over again. So much for breaking the Internet in half this week.

[Mega Gear X]

19?!!!

So is this before Cyberforce? Doesn't this conflict with the Madamne Jocelyn storyline introduced in Cyberforce Origins#1? Dominique Thiebaut, or Cyblade has an origin. And her blades are electromagnetic or electricity, not psionic. She's English. She was the leader of Cyberforce after Heatwave died, but stepped down after Heatwave returned.

Man, from Psylocke to X23...the woman had her own identity, now she has to get one again...

[boomboom]

Loved Fialkov's VAMPIRELLA

And finally some Rick Mays again!! SIGH...he is amazing!!

[Caleb Gerard]

All of the above character assasination aside y'all are missing the big picture, which was touched on in the original annoucment for Pilot Season:

Top Cow is giving (mostly) indie creators a chance at prime time.

Remember, there are no bad characters or ideas just bad presentation and I'm thinking that Josh is bringing IT to this project.

You go boy!

CJG

[mhawkins]

Big fan of what Joshua did with this!

[MNM]

Originally Posted by Caleb Gerard

Remember, there are no bad characters or ideas just bad presentation and I'm thinking that Josh is bringing IT to this project.

Contemplate this:

A arthritis riddled ninja who farts worms every half hour, who's sole mission in life is to hobble around Japan looking for the mythical cream of totes, so he can finally get rid of his belly rash.

Now tell me there's no such thing as a bad idea

[Akcoll99]

Just like with the Velocity special by Kevin Maguire, I'm buying this for the art, which is something i almost never do. Rick Mays is a favorite, and I wish we saw him on more titles...

[HazMatMan]

Everyone's bandying about the X23 comparison which made me think how the preview for the New X-Force bares more than a little resemblance to CyberForce.

[MaSaKaRi]

You do know Cyblade was created wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy before X23, right? Cyblade is a Psylocke ripoff, not X23.

[foxhound421]

Cyberforce's entire linup was nothing but complete X-Men ripoffs:

Cyblade = Psylocke
Ripclaw = Wolverine
Stryker = Cable
Velocity = Quicksilver (to a lesser degree)
Impact = Colossus
Heatwave =Cyclops

[hmm... actually that doesn't sound like a bad X-Team]

so anyone coming into a Cyberforce story looking for original material is looking in the wrong place.

i do like the Rick Mays artwork though. i loved his old Kabuki miniseries but i'd honestly forgotten about him since. looks like he's toned down the manga influence a bit.

[lanzajr26]

Originally Posted by MaSaKaRi

You do know Cyblade was created wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy before X23, right? Cyblade is a Psylocke ripoff, not X23.

Doesn't mean her current image isn't X-23 inspired.

[mpg]

Originally Posted by I-Ching

Eh...I dunno...

I agree she looks likes x-23 and sounds like her backstory is similar and there's even still that lingering "Psylocke" similarity that's bugged me about her since the Cyber Force debut.

At least give her the Cyber Force mask she had, make her look different or a costume that's less Cyboobs.

the kicker is that they couldnt even come up with a different classification for them...

i can almost forgive every other similarity, but jeez, a team of mutants??

that is not covering your tracks very well