PAUL CORNELL ON YA PRESENTS: VISION

[MattBrady]

by Benjamin Ong Pang Kean

Tom Brevoort and CB Cebulski announced at the Mondo Marvel panel at Baltimore Comic-Con in September that there will be a five-issue mini-series in January that will focus on the Young Avengers, with each issue done by a different writer and focusing on a different one or two characters.

We’ve talked to writers Brubaker, Reed and Aguirre-Sacasa about The Patriot, Hulkling, and Wiccan & Speed, respectively.

There is nothing top secret about who the fourth writer is going to be – Paul Cornell. He is a British writer who’d previously written Wisdom for Marvel’s MAX imprint. He’s also been tapped to take over Excalibur from veteran X-Men scribe Chris Claremont when the title relaunches in 2008. Apart from comics, he’s a sci-fi novelist and TV scriptwriter. His Doctor Who episode 'Father's Day' was nominated for a Hugo Award in the Best Drama: Short Form category.

Newsarama.com spoke with Cornell about writing The Vision (with art by Mark Brooks) in Young Avengers Presents #4, due out in April.

Newsarama: Paul, why the Vision? Was this a character that you'd always wanted to tackle as a writer?

Paul Cornell: Tom B suggested him, and that I take part in the miniseries, and I've always been a fan of the character. Originally he was the love child of Spock and the Martian Manhunter, but, as the technological character, he's always been a mirror of what tech in the real world is like. And emotion/no emotion is always in play, so loads to deal with there.

NRAMA: What aspects about Allan Heinberg's Young Avengers concept appeal to you as a writer?

PC: It's like the Marvel universe suddenly reimagined as a hit TV show. I think the shift in perspective was hugely influential. We're right inside the points of view of the kids, and when older Marvel characters appear, they've got this distant gravitas to them. And the way it’s packed with emotion, that feels fresh as well. YA and Runaways both made this same adjustment at the same time. It's not the only way to do exciting modern Marvel stories, but it's a very fun one.

NRAMA: What was your first exposure to the Avengers in the UK?

PC: The British weekly Avengers comic, in black and white, with scary Dr. Strange in the back. It started with the team finding Cap, and I was mesmerized by it. And I was heartbroken when everyone left and Hawkeye and co. came along, because Giant Man was my favorite. And this doesn't seem to have been a minority opinion, because shortly after that it became 'The Avengers, starring Master of Kung Fu' and I wasn't allowed it any more.

NRAMA: Did you always have a liking for the synthezoid/android known as the Vision?

PC: Oh yes, from the moment I first laid eyes on him in a treasury edition. That run of Buscema art he was introduced in. Fantastic stuff. I always liked the love triangle he couldn't quite fully participate in. He's pretty damn powerful in the Marvel trumps card game too.

NRAMA: Your first American comic gig was writing the Wisdom MAX series for Marvel, correct? What was the whole comic book writing experience like?

PC: I've been so enjoying myself. I expected Marvel editorial to be all drawn by Jack Kirby, square jawed and chomping cigars and yelling about me being a gold brick, whatever that was. But it turns out they're drawn by Frank Brunner, and are all gentle and swirly. Apart from Tom B, who's drawn by Gil Kane, so I'm looking up his nose all the time. Basically, if I'm a reasonable chap, they're reasonable and enthusiastic right back, and I like that a lot. Loads of creative back and forth, and the thrill of getting art pages in your inbox. I was really proud of Wisdom, with its big old ending, and I love how we're getting more attention now it's been collected.

NRAMA: Young Avengers' Vision was originally a younger, teenage version of Kang the Conqueror who traveled back to the present from the future before he "left" his armor behind which then resulted in the Vision's operating system being activated. What do you have in mind for this new Vision?

PC: Good synopsizing skills, there. Obviously, I'm keeping all that (actually, this being comics, it's probably not all that obvious). I wanted to define him a bit more, give him some life experiences, see what his relationships are like, and make it clear that he can talk with contractions when he wants to.

NRAMA: Both the Vision and Runaways' Victor Mancha (or Static Cling Lad or Mr. Roboto or Man of La Mancha) were created by Ultron. With "daddy" on a quest for universal domination in the pages of Annihilation: Conquest, and another more feminine version battling the Mighty Avengers, will you be bringing "daddy" to the pages of Young Avengers Presents too?

PC: No. Sorry. I do love Ultron, though.

NRAMA: Who have you got to illustrate this? What does he bring to the project?

PC: Mark Brooks. I love his style, he's great with character expression and with action. There's a lot of unspoken and spoken passion in this, so it's great he's onboard.

NRAMA: Where do you see the Vision heading to next? After all, original Young Avengers creator and writer had once revealed that his plans for the new "season" of the series would involve a love triangle between the Vision, the teenage Kang and Cassie (Stature)…will this story be touching on that?

PC: Yes - I'm here to start that off, by sending the Vision and Cassie out on a very awkward date. (Yes, I know, opposite sides, that's why it's so complicated.) I'm very fond of Allan, and I feel that my job is to put the pieces into place for his plan to go ahead in the future. I'm a caretaker manager, and I hope I've motivated the team (the characters, I suppose, it's Christmas, my metaphors are asleep on the sofa) to a win, but I'm not going to be a regular face in the dressing room (whatever that might be).

[HieuLeBui]

Looks good.

[Brian009]

I love Paul's work, particularily Dr. Who, but I also enjoyed Wisdom (and was always curious what Warren Ellis thought of it). I wasn't looking at any of the YA books, but now that he's writing this one...

Cheers,

B

[I-Ching]

I'm really getting excited for these one shots, glad Marvel didn't let YA collect dust.

Who's the artist on this one? Mark Brooks?

[WildcardZ]

Sweet, Mark Brooks is doing the art. I haven't had much exposure to Cornell, but I have heard great things. Since he is kicking off an idea that Heinberg was going to use, maybe that means the YA relaunch isn't far behind.

[HieuLeBui]

I always thought Mark Brooks should have gotten the Ultimate Spidey job after Bagley left but then I'm glad that he didn't because he would not be all that comfortable with be comparing with Bagley because their style is so similar to each other.

[sniperboyz]

The Vision used to be one of the most powerful Avengers. Boy, they sure de-balled him when they came out with the Kang/Vision in Young Avengers. Now the Vision is just a limp noodle. I wish they would bring back the "real" Vision.

[Marius665]

I've asked this question before on here and no one had a decent answer. Maybe you guys can help. In Young Avengers, the Vision stated that he has a the GPS location of all the next generation of Avengers(YA and others). With Stark aware of this information, wouldn't he gather up these young heroes to add to his 50 state plan

Oh, and this issue looks great and I will be picking this up

[Chief Jon]

Vision is really cool. I was originally just going to get the issue by Brubaker but reading these articles I think I might get the whole series. How many issues are there going to be? Does anybody know if Stature and Hawkeye will each get their own issue?

[Chief Jon]

Originally Posted by Marius665

I've asked this question before on here and no one had a decent answer. Maybe you guys can help. In Young Avengers, the Vision stated that he has a the GPS location of all the next generation of Avengers(YA and others). With Stark aware of this information, wouldn't he gather up these young heroes to add to his 50 state plan

Oh, and this issue looks great and I will be picking this up

Does Stark even have access to those files still? And if so maybe he already has and that's where the likes of the Liberteens and a lot of the recruits in the initative came from.

[Ace]

This is fun, but you really should have asked the Excalibur question.

[whitemarkd]

Incredible art - the way the female face is drawn, it's almsot a cross between Jim Lee and Nicola Scott (especially the way she draws Misfit).

[Marius665]

Originally Posted by Chief Jon

Does Stark even have access to those files still? And if so maybe he already has and that's where the likes of the Liberteens and a lot of the recruits in the initative came from.

majority of them have their own origin which was explained in the A:I Annaul(spelling?)

and as long as the Vision is active, that bastard Stark can access the files when even he wants

and the Liberteens suck major balls man

[btjs]

MUST HAVE EXCALIBUR

CORNNNEEELLLLLL

[markfdavis]

Looks great!!!


www.grandcanyoncomics.com

[HartyPotter]

Man, i know it's not relevant to the interior story, but that Cheung guy... he's just something else.

[deathmasterj]

Originally Posted by Ace

This is fun, but you really should have asked the Excalibur question.

I was also hoping for some more info on Excalibur. Wisdom was bloody great (and so are his Doctor Who episodes), so I'm really looking forward to someone taking on Excalibur that knows what they are doing.

[Bevbos]

Great writer, and the pages look gorgeous. Can't wait. BUT...

As with the other one-shots detailed so far, it bothers me that none of them are obviously tying in to any of the other big stuff going on at Marvel right now. They all seem to be character pieces. Part of what makes YA so great is that they do have these odd ties to the rest of the Marvel U. With Secret Invasion on the horizon and Anihilation: Conquest going on right now, it seems odd that a half-Skrull half-Kree character would not be involved in some way, and that the young Vision here wouldn't have any interaction with Ultron.

I suppose leave it for another day, but still, I think a Young Avengers/Runaways II is called for at some point, perhaps as a Secret Invasion tie-in or in response to the conclusion of the Captain Marvel and Anhilation: Conquest minis.

But I reiterate: loved Cornell's Wisdom and very much looking forward to this.

[Supremeo]

Originally Posted by sniperboyz

The Vision used to be one of the most powerful Avengers. Boy, they sure de-balled him when they came out with the Kang/Vision in Young Avengers. Now the Vision is just a limp noodle. I wish they would bring back the "real" Vision.

Actually the vision now is much more powerful than his previous incarnation. His previous body all it could do was become intangible and have some density control and shoot lasers from it's crystal in it's head.

This current vision has the armor of kang the conquerer which is about 20 centuries into the future. That means he has all the capabilities that kang did like anti matter shields,cobalt gravity weapons,time travel.

He is the most powerful member of YA and he is powerful enough to go toe to toe with most of the top tier people in Marvel.

[Marius665]

Originally Posted by sniperboyz

The Vision used to be one of the most powerful Avengers. Boy, they sure de-balled him when they came out with the Kang/Vision in Young Avengers. Now the Vision is just a limp noodle. I wish they would bring back the "real" Vision.

they need to bring back the all white vision, God I miss that guy

[CaptainCanad]

Smooth, Vision, very smooth.

Cassie's reaction to seeing him is hilarious (pretty overconfident to do that while the guards are still there).

[I-Ching]

It's nice to see a new writer like Cornell from a different background come into the fold with little pressure/expectation...unlike say Whedon or even Damon Lindelof (does one issue count as "into the fold"?...anyways)....but what do we know about this new Excalibur??

I was a HUGE fan of the Alan Davis version...and anything Davis pretty much...and even after he left I stuck with it for a bit and it was okay overall.

When Claremont rebooted it I loved the concept of them rebuilding a society on Genosha but hated the poor execution/writing...then when they rebooted it again I didnt' bother because it seemed so lackluster and the depiction of Dazzler was just weak/90's throwback.

Hopefully Cornell has something special for us...Capt. Britain, Meggan, Dazzler, Nightcrawler, Kitty, etc.

[Jiminy Snick]

looks interesting.

[DaVeO]

Originally Posted by I-Ching

It's nice to see a new writer like Cornell from a different background come into the fold with little pressure/expectation...unlike say Whedon or even Damon Lindelof (does one issue count as "into the fold"?...anyways)....but what do we know about this new Excalibur??

I was a HUGE fan of the Alan Davis version...and anything Davis pretty much...and even after he left I stuck with it for a bit and it was okay overall.

When Claremont rebooted it I loved the concept of them rebuilding a society on Genosha but hated the poor execution/writing...then when they rebooted it again I didnt' bother because it seemed so lackluster and the depiction of Dazzler was just weak/90's throwback.

Hopefully Cornell has something special for us...Capt. Britain, Meggan, Dazzler, Nightcrawler, Kitty, etc.

Dazzler's evolution was the best thing that came out of the last run. She can do some pretty amazing things with her powers now. So I too hope she stays. BTW was it ever explained why she seemed to be immortal now. I didn't get X-Men Die by the Sword (the first issue was awful) so I don't know if that was explained.
I'm hearing enough good buzz on WISDOM that I think I'll pick it up.

[zengoth]

Originally Posted by Marius665

they need to bring back the all white vision, God I miss that guy

The all white Vision ROCKED!!!

I loved YA as a series, so I will definitely pick up the one shots...