ROBERTO AGUIRRE-SACASA ON YA PRESENTS #3

[MattBrady]

by Benjamin Ong Pang Kean

While Young Avengers Presents #2 will tell the tale of a hybrid offspring of a Kree/Skrull mating meeting his plucked out of space/time father for the first time, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa’s story in March’s issue #3 will see the Young Avengers’ resident warlock and his super-fast twin brother on a quest to find their mother, who’s one of the most reviled, misunderstood mutants in history: Wanda Maximoff aka the Scarlet (“no more mutants”) Witch.

We caught up with the openly gay playwright/comic book writer about writing a gay character and his twin brother.

Newsarama: Roberto, were you approached to write this standalone one-shot or did you bring the idea to Marvel after having read about these characters in Allan Heinberg's Young Avengers?

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa: Awhile back, Tom Breevort and Warren Simons and I were talking about what characters I might be interested in writing, and Wiccan came up early and often, for a lot of reasons. I liked that he had supernatural/magical powers, I liked his “voice,” I like his relationship with Hulkling, I liked his weird origin, with ties to Wanda and Mephisto. I remember thinking that Wiccan could be the Marvel Universe’s version of Harry Potter. So when Young Avengers Presents came together, Tom e-mailed me and said: “Do you still want to take a crack at Wiccan…?” And I was like: “Yeah, absolutely.”

NRAMA: Did you enjoy Young Avengers? What was it about the concept that caught your attention?

RAS: I loved Young Avengers, of course. I think it worked not just as a kick-ass super hero adventure—which it did—but also as a crackling, soapy teen relationship drama with the punchiest dialogue this side of an Aaron Sorkin script, which is what really appealed to me.

NRAMA: Now, how different was it to write a one-shot where you've got to cramp everything into 22 pages as compared to exploring the characters in an arc, say as you did in Marvel Knights 4, Nightcrawler or Sensational Spider-Man?

RAS: You know, there’s something really liberating about the one-shot. You have to get in and get out fast, and really zero-in on your target. You really aren’t structuring your story like a movie or a five-act play by Shakespeare (which is what I do sometimes). What was cool about this project was how much dialogue there was among the writers. I mean, I got an e-mail from Ed Brubaker, for God’s sake! As synopses and scripts were turned in, Tom would circulate them to the rest of us, so there really could be some cohesion to the series. I know that I, for instance, definitely picked up on some threads from the other books. Not so much in hard plot, but in tone, character, and style.

NRAMA: Like Wiccan, you're an openly gay playwright/comic book writer. Do you think that Allan did a good job portraying the relationship between Wiccan and Hulkling in the pages of Young Avengers?

RAS: Allan’s great with character, period. He’s great with straight characters, he’s great with gay characters, and he’s great with non-human characters. What was especially fresh about Wiccan and Hulking, I think, is that readers got to see the bloom of young love (a dynamic we read about all the time, in everything from the X-Men books to Mary Jane Loves Spider-Man) happen between two teenaged boys. And Marvel’s always had gay characters, but they’re usually older, right? And not a whole lot of time is spent exploring their personal lives.

NRAMA: Was it tough for you to write a gay character?

RAS: I’m not sure, but I think that one of the dangers of being a Gay Writer writing a Gay Character (note capitalization) is that everything becomes about them being Gay—and, therefore, reductive. I know that when I’m writing a play that has gay characters, I’m really conscious of keeping the play from becoming a Gay Play—as opposed to a play that happens to have gay characters, if you know what I mean... Look, I think representation is great—and if a character I’m writing can be gay or straight, I’m happy to make them gay (and usually do)—but I become less interested in the project or character when they become mouth-pieces for Gay Issues. (Not that there aren’t gay issues worth exploring—coming out, homophobia, gay marriage—but you want to sneak that stuff in, I think.) Was I glad for the opportunity…? Definitely. It makes me want to dust-off that Northstar pitch Warren Simons and I have been talking about for months… (Which is basically Queer as Folk set in Toronto, following around Northstar and his, uh, pals…)

NRAMA: Allan has said in an interview that his plans for Season 2 of Young Avengers involved both Wiccan and Speed searching for their mother. And you're doing just that in your one-shot, aren't you? How much of this story came from you?

RAS: When Tom called me, he had very basic parameters, some very basic suggestions. He wanted Speed included in the Wiccan one-shot, for instance, and if it could focus on them looking for Wanda, that would be great. Then, when I started to hear what the other writers had planned, it seemed that a unifying theme to the whole series could be the Young Avengers coming to terms with their past, their parents, etc. So why not, you know? And anything that lets me include some of Marvel’s supernatural characters—in this case, Master Pandemonium—is a good idea, as far as I’m concerned. Also, I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for speedster super heroes—(Mark Waid’s run on Flash remains one of my favorite uber-stories in comics)—so it was great to be able to throw Speed into the mix… And I have an older brother, so that’s a dynamic—sibling rivalry between brothers—that I’m always happy to explore.

NRAMA: Where do you see the Young Avengers heading next?

RAS: Oh, man, I have no clue… I mean, I know Alan has strong, specific ideas, but I’m not sure what they are… Though now, with the WGA Strike a reality (maybe a long-term reality), Season Two of Young Avengers may happen sooner that later... (I know that while I’m taking this, uh, break from writing for Big Love, I’m focusing on my comic book writing and playwriting…)

Young Avengers Presents #3 (featuring Wiccan & Speed) is due in stores on March 26, 2008.

Related stories:
ED BRUBAKER ON YOUNG AVENGERS PRESENTS: PATRIOT

BRIAN REED ON YOUNG AVENGERS PRESENTS #2: HULKLING

[DrBat]

Looking forward to it.

[Marius665]

I'm getting all of these Young Avengers one-shots

looking forward to all the talent taking on all the so different versions

is there going to be a Vision one-shot?

as for the Vision, he has a GPS of all the next wave of Avengers in his head, wouldn't Stark use this to build up his 50 state thingy???

[RoiVampire]

Wiccan looks very feminine in that pose

[DrBat]

Originally Posted by Marius665

is there going to be a Vision one-shot?

That's #4. It'll be written by Paul Cornell.

[red-maverick]

Originally Posted by Marius665

I'm getting all of these Young Avengers one-shots

looking forward to all the talent taking on all the so different versions

is there going to be a Vision one-shot?

as for the Vision, he has a GPS of all the next wave of Avengers in his head, wouldn't Stark use this to build up his 50 state thingy???

Isn't Vision anti-reg?

But yeah I agree, this should be pretty awsome. I hope there'll be a Vision one-shot and also a Stature.

[DaVeO]

Originally Posted by RoiVampire

Wiccan looks very feminine in that pose

Well, if you had the ability to levitate, would you always hover around with your legs splayed wide-open so any low flying bird could crash into your jewels?

[CaptainCanad]

Originally Posted by red-maverick

Isn't Vision anti-reg?

He registered post-war (see Mighty Avengers #1).

The creative teams/characters for issues five and six haven't been announced yet; there were originally only five issues, suggesting the girls were going to share one. Now there are six, so they may each get their own, or the sixth may be a team issue.

[Timberoo]

looking forward to it

[Flint Reloaded]

Can't wait....very interested in the Speed character. I usually dig the arrogant and/or cocky heroes (Namor, Quicksilver, Human Torch, etc)

When Young Avengers was first announced, I HATED teh idea. Marvel teased another Avengers book. Sweet! Maybe we'll get a classic team instead of the Defenders cast we had/have running around (New ) Avengers. Color me disappointed.

Then I read it and really enjoyed it. My only dislikes in the book is Kate taking teh name Hawkeye and the Vision being a kid.

I guess with the parenting theme the Vision book will focus on the Vision and Ultron and maybe some Kang or Henry Pym thrown in.

Stature will feature Scott Lang somehow

Hawkeye (Mockingbird dammit!) will either be about her rich daddy or maybe Clint himself

[xdemon]

It makes me want to dust-off that Northstar pitch Warren Simons and I have been talking about for months… (Which is basically Queer as Folk set in Toronto, following around Northstar and his, uh, pals…)

That could be fun!

[Marius665]

when Patriot and Hawkeye ran into Clint Barton dressed as Cap, did either of them ever tell anyone 'cause I know Clint hasn't in NA?

I wonder how Luke and the rest of the team would feel knowing Clint dressed up as Cap and conversed with Stark?

anyways, Young Avengers 2 needs to hurry up and come out, all I keep hearing about is a Young Masters of Evil, instead of calling it YA 2 why dont they just issue it # 13

[DrBat]

I agree it should be #13, but I'm guessing they've decided to reboot it because of the long hiatus.

[gjskier]

So, because of the WGA strike... there's a better chance of Young Avengers (season 2) starting up again?

Too bad something like that has to occur to get the comics we've been wanting, also that I'll have to wait on new shows in exchange for new comics. Such sacrafices. Tisk.

[ryanrhome]

What are the remaining YA spotlights? Someone above said the next one is Vision and then? I like how each cover has old pictures of the characters they are emulating or related to (Captains America and Marvel, Scarlet Witch).

[von Doom, M.D.]

As I mentioned on the board for the article on Hulkling, I love these characters, but cannot see what makes them so special that only Heinberg can write them.

And Kristoff Vernard as Kid Doom or else the entire concept fails.

[DrBat]

Originally Posted by ryanrhome

What are the remaining YA spotlights? Someone above said the next one is Vision and then? I like how each cover has old pictures of the characters they are emulating or related to (Captains America and Marvel, Scarlet Witch).

There was originally going to be five issues in all, now there's six.

So either #5 and #6 will focus on Kate and Cassie separately, or #5 will focus on Kate and Cassie and #6 will focus on the whole team.

[Scarlet Mage]

Let me get this straight: Speed and Wiccan's souls found new bodies after they were dissolved as babies. That means they were basically reincarnated and born to other women who conceived them with their husbands.

The women that conceived, gave birth, and raised these kids are their mothers. Scarlet Witch is their mother in a past life. It just seems disrespectful to say that a woman who had nothing to do with making them who they are is their mother.

[Ace]

I think I'd rather see Sacasa on a season 2 of Young Avengers than Heinberg, actually.

[know_access]

Originally Posted by Marius665

when Patriot and Hawkeye ran into Clint Barton dressed as Cap, did either of them ever tell anyone 'cause I know Clint hasn't in NA?

IIRC, Patriot and Hawkeye II never knew it was Clint under the CA mask.

[DrBat]

Originally Posted by Scarlet Mage

Let me get this straight: Speed and Wiccan's souls found new bodies after they were dissolved as babies. That means they were basically reincarnated and born to other women who conceived them with their husbands.

The women that conceived, gave birth, and raised these kids are their mothers. Scarlet Witch is their mother in a past life. It just seems disrespectful to say that a woman who had nothing to do with making them who they are is their mother.

I think it's similiar to an adopted child wanting to find his biological mother. It's not like anyone's arguing their other mothers don't count.

[Marius665]

Originally Posted by know_access

IIRC, Patriot and Hawkeye II never knew it was Clint under the CA mask.

but they know it wasn't the real Cap right?

[TheWay]

Originally Posted by Scarlet Mage

It just seems disrespectful to say that a woman who had nothing to do with making them who they are is their mother.

Wow! Before we get all upset let's consider other possibilities. It's been a LOOOONG time since I read YA, but I don't remember ever hearing how these two characters came into existence. Isn't it possible that they were found abandoned in separate locations and raised by foster parents? Or maybe they appeared (came into existence) in teenage form with amnesia. I don't recall them being explained. Some one refresh my memory please. Regardless I can excuse the writers not clarify 'conception-mother'.

I think the possibility of Wanda being their mom is an interesting aspect.

Ass for the feminine pose, well he is homosexual. And if I remember correctly he is the more feminine one of the couple.

[DrBat]

[DrBat]

Also, this is a minor criticism, but Billy stated in Young Avengers he doesn't like the term Warlock (on being called a warlock: "Witch, actually. 'Warlock' means 'Oath-Breaker.' It's not a nice word."). Is he going to be referred to as a warlock in Young Avengers Presents?