GAGE & BEATTY ON WILDSTORM: REVELATIONS

[MattBrady]

by Vaneta Rogers

At the end of the Wildstorm: Armageddon crossover, the whole universe stands at the brink of annihilation, and now three individuals are fighting to stop the impending destruction.

Strike that. In Wildstorm: Revelations, the follow-up to Armageddon that begins this week, it's not just three individuals battling against the war-torn future. These are three kick-ass women.

Written by Christos Gage and Scott Beatty with Wes Craig on art, the bi-weekly Wildstorm: Revelations mini-series will follow up on the story introduced in Gage's six-issue Armageddon crossover by following the quest of Nemesis, Backlash and Savant. After warrior-woman Nemesis is shown the post-apocalyptic world that looms ahead, she recruits the others, and the three travel the WSU working to save the universe from destruction -- while encountering lots of fan-favorite Wildstorm characters along the way.

Newsarama talked to Gage and Beatty about what all this means to the future of the Wildstorm universe and what readers can expect from the Revelations mini-series.

Newsarama: For those not familiar with what's been going on in the Wildstorm Universe, can you give us a brief description of the status of the universe's "future" at the end of Armageddon? It’s gone from a “possible” to a “probable,” right?

Christos Gage: Pretty much. We've seen that, in the near future, the Wildstorm Universe has been devastated by an apocalyptic event called Armageddon -- which seems to have involved a massive, global war between immensely powerful superhumans. Most of the world's population has been exterminated. The Authority's ship, the Carrier, has crashed on London. Some Wildstorm characters have apparently died, while others have been altered in shocking ways. Widespread environmental changes have been wrought. Eastern Europe, now perpetually in the shadow of dark clouds, has been overrun by the Night Tribes -- vampires, werewolves and other supernatural creatures who no longer need to fear the sun. New York and Los Angeles are in ruins. Sounds pretty grim, huh?

Scott Beatty: Yeah, the world has definitely turned for the worse. Chris is being kind when he describes it as grim.

NRAMA: Now that the threat of the future has been established, what will be happening within the pages of Revelations?

CG: In the face of Armageddon, the powerful former Wildcat named Void -- who is being held prisoner by a mysterious figure -- has used her astral form to recruit various Wildstorm characters, sending them into the future for a glimpse of what happened, in the hopes that they can prevent it. One of these time travelers was the warrior-woman known as Nemesis. Revelations is about her efforts to save the world. I'll let Scott drop some hints as to what that might entail…

SB: Nemesis thinks that there's a bankable chance to avert the looming Apocalypse by uncovering the secret conspiracy that ultimately sets the dominos tumbling. Since she encounters Backlash in the future, she turns to Jodi-Lyn Slayton in the present-day Wildstorm Universe -- as well as her gal pal/partner-in-troublemaking Savant -- to engage in a series of high-profile raids on various post-human databases to glean information that might just save the world from all the darkness Armageddon predicts.

NRAMA: Why does it not surprise me that it's women who are working to save the universe? How is it writing three kick-ass super-women like this?

SB: Why not women? Or these women specifically? Nemesis has been on Earth a long time -- and fighting for Earth against threats like the Daemonites and their allies -- so she has a real vested interest in preserving the planet. Savant is less long-lived, but she's nearly up there with Nemmy. Backlash brings a completely different perspective. She's chronologically just out of her teens, so she's got plans for her own future that don't include living (or dying) in a post-apocalyptic world. Writing the three of them has been a real pleasure, mostly because their motivations are so different, yet similarly aimed at insuring that there will indeed be a future when (or if) the time comes.

NRAMA: During Armageddon, we got quite a tour of the WSU and its characters. Who will be showing up in Revelations and what will their role be as the characters work to stop the devastation of the future?

CG: We don't want to spoil too much, but you will see the Authority, the Wildcats, the town of Tranquility, and many others, including the reunion of the new Backlash and her father, the original Backlash.

SB: You forgot a shotgun wedding to Kaizen Gamora. Drat! I've said too much!

NRAMA: Christos, having just come off Armageddon and helping to plot this series, who out of all these characters would you call your favorite to write?

CG: I have a sentimental attachment to the StormWatch: PHD characters, of course. But I also found myself really enjoying writing Nemesis, who has basically spent her life as an outsider, a rebel, breaking the rules and following her own code. I was kind of surprised how much fun she was to write.

NRAMA: Scott, same question to you. Which character have you enjoyed writing in this series?

SB: I've liked them all in different ways. Nemesis's wit is as cutting as her swords. Savant is the skeptic. Backlash has a bit of youthful naïveté and perhaps misled optimism that averting the end of the world will be easy or possible. But I have to agree with Chris: Nemesis has been the sleeper hit. There's something quite compelling about a character who considers high-explosives a fashion statement.

NRAMA: How has it been working with Wes Craig on the series? Does his style fit well with the characters and story?

CG: Wes is fantastic. I had liked his previous work on Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but I think he's taken it to the next level.

SB: Yup, Wes is aces. One of his many strengths is a chameleon-like ability to adapt to the series (or story) that he's working on to give it a very different "voice" from his previous works. If you liked him on TCM, you'll love him on Revelations.

NRAMA: Can someone pick up this series without having read Armageddon? Or is it truly a continuation of that story that requires having read it?

CG: Reading Armageddon will give you a broader view of what our heroines are working to prevent, and more of an insight into some things, but readers will be provided with all the information they need in the pages of Revelations to understand and enjoy the story on its own.

SB: Obviously, Chris' Armageddon is the primer and is crucial to understanding the complete story, but if you need to play catch-up, you won't be lost by the narrative in Revelations. Something we can't talk about just yet completes the trinity. All are very different in tone and scope, and can be read alone if necessary, but the "big picture" of the future Wildstorm Universe makes more sense if you understand how all the parts go together.

NRAMA: You say it's a trinity. So is this story going to be resolved by the end of Revelations, or is this something that will spill over into other comics during 2008 and continue for awhile?

CG: Nemesis, Backlash and Savant's quest will reach an end. As for whether the larger story will end with it, that remains to be seen…

SB: Revelations is all about the lengths these women will go to save the world. But as the maxim goes, sometimes the medicine makes the pain.

NRAMA: Chris Sprouse told us at Mid-Ohio Con that he's working on a Wildstorm story with you, Scott. Is that something that will spill out of this one? Anything you can tell us about it?

SB: Not just yet... but it'll be announced soon. As I hinted before, this is the third part of our Apocalyptic trinity... and thanks to Chris, it looks absolutely fantastic.

NRAMA: Comics readers often look at huge universe-altering future events like this with disbelief, because such threats of future destruction are normally prevented by heroes and everything goes back to status quo. DC says Revelations will usher in a "new era" for Wildstorm, but will there really be any long-term ramifications of what is happening within the pages of Revelations?

CG: Yes. Most definitely. This is not the kind of story we've all seen before, where there are no lasting consequences. You've been warned!

SB: Oh, there's no bait and switch here. None of us wanted to go down this road if we were just going to make an eleventh-hour U-turn back to a safe and secure status quo. Bad things are going to happen. The Apocalypse will be televised.

NRAMA: The other thing that gets a lot of disbelief from readers is that you guys are soliciting this as a bi-weekly series, yet Armageddon shipped on time. Is this series in good shape to ship on time? And wasn't there a haircut involved in that series? And will there be any guarantee like that for this one?

CG: We are in excellent shape to ship on time -- and, as you noted, Armageddon shipped every biweekly issue on time without fail. And you're right, at the San Diego Comic-Con, I guaranteed that Armageddon would ship on time or our editor, Ben Abernathy, would shave his head. Fortunately for him, he narrowly escaped a date with the clippers and I think he's a little too happy about it. Scott, would you like to put Ben's curly… uh, crew-cut locks on the line for Revelations? I'm sure he won't mind!

SB: I wouldn't dare wager my long-suffering editor's locks, nor my own, having made it through the bulk of my 30’s with all my hair intact. Chris is right. We shouldn't have any problems shipping on time. None of us want to interrupt the forward momentum of the story -- or the future direct of the WS Universe -- by scheduling snafus.

NRAMA: For those readers who might have skipped Armageddon or aren't sure about this series, what can you tell them about Wildstorm: Revelations that might get them interested?

CG: Hot, ass-kicking women traveling the Wildstorm Universe, crossing swords with its inhabitants with the fate of the world on the line. What's not to love? OK, if you're still not convinced, take a look at the art!

SB: Did we mention hot, ass-kicking women? That and the Authority gets punk'd!

[C_Striker]

Originally Posted by MattBrady

CG: Hot, ass-kicking women traveling the Wildstorm Universe, crossing swords with its inhabitants with the fate of the world on the line. What's not to love? OK, if you're still not convinced, take a look at the art!

SB: Did we mention hot, ass-kicking women? That and the Authority gets punk'd!

You guys had me at hot, ass-kicking women

W00t

[luckybucky]

I still have a feeling that the Armageddon we've glimpsed is actually the aftermath of Monarch's army hitting WildStorm's Earth-50.

Which means that the part three they can't tell us about is actually Final Crisis over in the main DCU.

[C_Striker]

Originally Posted by luckybucky

Which means that the part three they can't tell us about is actually Final Crisis over in the main DCU.

Dan Didio in another interview said Wildstorm was not going to be part of Final Crisis

[-Armando523-]

fantasticccc

[C_Striker]

In case you guys missed the previews in the DC forum

Exploding out of the pages of WildStorm Armageddon comes a biweekly 6-part adventure to save the WildStorm Universe. The rogue Coda warrior Nemesis, following her harrowing post-apocalyptic vision, must find Backlash and Savant to help her unlock the secrets of the coming destruction.

Wildstorm: Revelations #1 Preview

More issue #1 previews Nemesis vs Jet 1, Nemesis vs Jet 2, Nemesis vs Jet 3

more Previews


Wildstorm: Revelations #2 brings the Trio vs The Authority



Wildstorm: Revelations #3 brings the trio to the small town of Traquility


I can't wait to get my copy, T-minus 1 hour and counting w00t

[luckybucky]

Originally Posted by C_Striker

Dan Dadio in another interview said Wildstorm was not going to be part of Final Crisis

Sure, and DC has no recent history of obfuscating its solicits to keep key plots from being revealed.

I want your copy of Flash: The Fastest Alive #15!

[C_Striker]

Originally Posted by luckybucky

Sure, and DC has no recent history of obfuscating its solicits to keep key plots from being revealed.

I want your copy of Flash: The Fastest Alive #15!

We'll see I guess

I do wonder though if this will tie into the Giffen DC/WS x-over planned for the summer

[ViperOneTwo]

Didn't Captain Atom already destroy the Wildstorm Universe?

And since he is Monarch now (which is really horrible) it does make sense that he would know of the existence of the WSU and want to destory it as well.

[C_Striker]

Originally Posted by ViperOneTwo

Didn't Captain Atom already destroy the Wildstorm Universe?.

Nope, Void reset the WSU after sending Cap Atom back to the DCU; she removed a fragment of herself from Aton, which was causing the build up in his body that threatened the destruction of the WSU.

Originally Posted by ViperOneTwo

And since he is Monarch now (which is really horrible) it does make sense that he would know of the existence of the WSU and want to destory it as well.

Don't know, you'd think he would reconized Apollo in Countdown: Arena and why would Monarch bring in someone who tried to kill him once befor

[Binker]

Have those three women appeared before?

[C_Striker]

Originally Posted by Binker

Have those three women appeared before?

Yes, Nemesis Apppeared in the Wildcats: Nemesis mini series, Savant was introduces waaaaay back in Wildcats and joined with Wildcats during Alan Moores runon the series. Backlash is the daughter of the original Backlash and she appeared in the Backlash series and then got her own 4 part mini seres called Jet drawn by Dustin Nguyen


I would love to see Terry Dodson so a Nemesis mini, his Wonder Woman stuff his fan-freakin-tastic

[lunchbooks]

Originally Posted by C_Striker

In case you guys missed the previews in the DC forum

Oh, thanks for these. I read the interview first, and was more impressed with the content of the covers than the actual art. `specially the one with the trio in the Diner was cute.
But now that I´ve seen the inside art I added the series to my shopping list. A good written title with strong female characters and so, soooo sweet artwork is always welcome.
Can someone tell me how many issues this will have ? And if, given a succesfull release, further adventures / an ongoing would be possible ?

Thanks ( in advance ).

[C_Striker]

Originally Posted by lunchbooks

Can someone tell me how many issues this will have ? And if, given a succesfull release, further adventures / an ongoing would be possible ?

Revelations will be a 6 issue bi-weekly mini series.

[lunchbooks]

Originally Posted by C_Striker

Revelations will be a 6 issue bi-weekly mini series.

That was quick. Thanks.

[C_Striker]

Originally Posted by lunchbooks

That was quick. Thanks.

S'ok. always happy tp help promote WS titles

[Knives122]

I got to read the Nemesis mini and absolutely fell in love with the character. I will be getting this.

[hondo]

I didn't come around to WS until DC bought out Jim Lee. I thought that would be a good jumping on point and got into The Authority, Planetary and Stormwatch. I loved what I read. Later it all kind of fell apart and I haven't picked it up since.

I'd really really really like to get into this, and I think WS badly needs a reset or just to pull the plug. Hopefully this will do the trick. My problem with this article is I feel like I know next to nothing of the back story of what they're describing and it's almost inpenetrable to me. That's what I hear a lot of non-traditional fans say about fairly layered, complex titles like the mutant group of titles or the Legion of Super-Heroes.

Hopefully DC will reset this franchise and rebuild from the ground up and make it reader accessible the way that the original Crisis on Infinite Earths was supposed to be for the mainstream DCU. Editorially can take what elements really worked from the original Image days and build on them, throw out the not so good, and officially reboot the whole thing making it their own from scratch. Long-time original fans from back in the day may not like it but I think with the right mix of A-list talent and maybe a cheap reboot handbook like Valiant did back in the day as kind of a primer, WS could be the cutting edge corner of the superhero universe with its own distinct voice and identity, though I'm sure occasionally there will be some DCU crossovers for a marketing boost. I'd like to see that, but it needs to be done with respect for the characters where the WS characters aren't written poorly or out of character, like they were in the Captain Atom mini.

[Contrabandolero]

In which series did Captain Atom become Monarch?
I thought it was CA:Armaggedon but it is not... can someone please tell me? Even more, is it any good? Thanks!
AMV

[TF_Loki]

Originally Posted by Contrabandolero

In which series did Captain Atom become Monarch?
I thought it was CA:Armaggedon but it is not... can someone please tell me? Even more, is it any good? Thanks!
AMV

We've never seen it happen. He got put into the Monarch suit after his return from the WSU in Battle for Bludhaven (I think) but he wasn't acting as twatish as Monarch was when he first showed in Countdown. We're missing some in between stuff...

[Dallas Bar]

Originally Posted by Knives122

I got to read the Nemesis mini and absolutely fell in love with the character. I will be getting this.

Same here, hope she fights some evil Majestic in the future...

" I cannot kill you without bantering sexual innuendo! *slam*" lol

Really looking forward to this though. It's time the WS universe is recognized for what it should be: superhero fun for adults basicly.

[Reliant]

Although I've been with Wildstorm ever since its days at Image, I admit I kinda lost touch with it last year. But I did pick up Wildcats: Armageddon and this first issue of Wildstorm: Revelations, so I'm making my way back into the fold...

I'm not going to mention anything about the status of Wildcats or its place in the Wildstorm Universe, honestly I won't...

[nihil_domini]

Originally Posted by hondo

Hopefully DC will reset this franchise and rebuild from the ground up and make it reader accessible the way that the original Crisis on Infinite Earths was supposed to be for the mainstream DCU. Editorially can take what elements really worked from the original Image days and build on them, throw out the not so good, and officially reboot the whole thing making it their own from scratch. Long-time original fans from back in the day may not like it but I think with the right mix of A-list talent and maybe a cheap reboot handbook like Valiant did back in the day as kind of a primer, WS could be the cutting edge corner of the superhero universe with its own distinct voice and identity, though I'm sure occasionally there will be some DCU crossovers for a marketing boost. I'd like to see that, but it needs to be done with respect for the characters where the WS characters aren't written poorly or out of character, like they were in the Captain Atom mini.

reset the franchise to make it reader accessible:
Captain Atom Mini resets universe so stories could be told from scratch. Especially in Gen13's case.
Check.

A-list talent:
Grant Morrison, Jim Lee, Gene Ha,(yeah, we all know how that worked out), Gail Simone
Check.

Cheap reboot handbook:
Worldstorm 1+2
Check.

DCU crossovers:
Aside from the earlier Majestic run, I hear one is coming


I must be missing something, but almost everything you asked for already happened, and it failed. The only thing that was going to attract new readers to the WSU was Grant Morrison and Gene Ha on The Authority, and Grant Morisson and Jim Lee on Wildcats v4.

DC learned the hard way that Wildstorm isn't attractive to mainstream readers. The level of creative autonomy and the desire to push boundaries is an aspect somewhat discontinuitous with traditional comics, and is really only attractive to those who don't want to read those sorts of stories. And, while DC tried it's best to make Wildstorm more accessible, it can't fully revalue Wildstorm for what it really is: a testing ground for new ideas and new talent.

[aceatkins]

I disagree that the failure of the 2006/07 Wildstorm universe proves that the line just can't work in today's market. That relaunch imploded before it even hit the shelves. Clearly some serious drama went down behind the scenes, and while the lower-tier books like Tranquility and PHD came out regularly, the two cornerstone titles --- Wildcats and Authority --- never got past issue 2 (only issue 1 for Wildcats, I believe). You cannot have momentum when your biggest books are dead in the water. I think that hurt the line more than anything, but there were a couple relaunches that didn't work (I love Carey, but Wetworks was doomed by Portacio's atrocious artwork, and to me, Gen 13 was a rare misfire for Simone). Add to that a confusing "reboot" that only selectively erased certain characters' histories (Gen 13) while leaving others either completely intact (Authority) or only partially changed (Stormwatch) and you've got the definition of bungled.

The responsibility for the Wildstorm universe's current lack of success falls squarely on the editors, who don't seem to have a clear sense of what they want this universe to be. I've said for a while that they should give it up now and come back in five years or so with a really dynamite roster --- and books that ship on time --- and see how it goes, because the bottom line is that I think Wildstorm has a pretty impressive pantheon of characters and a lot of promise. But when handled poorly it is beyond disastrous.

[C_Striker]

Originally Posted by aceatkins

I disagree that the failure of the 2006/07 Wildstorm universe proves that the line just can't work in today's market.

I think that WS's still viable, it just needs to distant itself from DC and their multiverse, bring back it’s political edge and bring it away from DC black & white world and back into the grey area. The Wildcats title is a wash because Lee wants to work with Morrison and visa versa. In Wizard 195 morrsion made it sound like he really didn’t want to write the Authority, but was “talked into it because he had an idea for the title” so he’s gong to finish what’s left in the Utopian arc and let another creative team take it over, which I’m happy about.