TOGETHER AGAIN: RUCKA & BRUBAKER RE-TEAM FOR DAREDEVIL ARC

**MattBrady** · 02-15-2008, 04:02 PM

[Insert line about getting the band back together here]

A few years back, to find writers Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka working together, along with artist Michael Lark, you’d have to go find an acclaimed comic book at DC called Gotham Central.

In May, if you’re looking to see the creators working together again, you’ll have to check out an acclaimed comic book at Marvel called Daredevil.

Yeah.

Starting with May’s issue #107, Rucka and Brubaker will team up for the four-part arc, “Other People’s Problems,” which catches up with Matt Murdock (and Daredevil) who’s still dealing with the repercussions of his recent encounter with Mr. Fear. We spoke with Rucka about the gig, and getting back into this particular saddle (oh don’t worry, we’ve merely scratched the surface of the clichés…)

Newsarama: Greg, it’s been about four years since you’ve done any work for Marvel. What got this job rolling?

Greg Rucka: Ed called. Just out of the blue he called, and asked if I was still exclusive. I told him that there was a big kerfuffle online about it, and that I wasn’t. And from there it was just, “You want to come on and do a Daredevil thing with me?” He said he was thinking back to how much fun we had, and how easy the collaboration was when we were doing Central, and he had an idea for a story that he wanted to do with me.

He had me at “Daredevil.”

And then Ed made a joke about getting the band back together…

NRAMA: You two were just speaking in a code language filled with clichés? [laughs]

GR: Exactly. He got them all out of the way in the first five minutes, and we went from there. I guess he informed Michael [Lark] after the fact, and, given that I haven’t heard anything back, Michael didn’t scream and say, “Oh dear God, no, not him again!” So that’s pretty much how it came about.

It was supposed to be three issues, and by the second conversation Ed and I had about it, we both pretty much agreed that it needed four issues. So it’s four.

NRAMA: Let’s kill one more cliché while we’re at it – is working with Ed just like getting back on the bike again…falling off a horse?

GR: Or getting back on the horse again and falling off the bike [laughs]. Oh God, yes. It really is. Ed and I always maintained a dialogue when we were doing Central and we just collaborate really, really well. Conversations are always really easy. He explained out to me where he was going, and what’s coming up after this arc, and what he’s doing with Matt and where he felt this arc needed to be, and from there, it was all very easy – as if no time had passed at all, to go back into cliché-speak.

NRAMA: You sound like this is something rather casual, almost a spur of the moment type of thing – is that it, or is the door opening here, and you’re testing waters at Marvel again?

GR: See, there’s this weird thing now where people think comics have to be “either/or.” No they don’t. At least not for me. I am in a fairly luxurious position right now where I get to pick what I want to do. There are things that I have room for, and things that I don’t. The new novel has to be written, and things like that – things that obviously have to be a higher priority for me. But if the opportunity comes to do something that I think is going to be good and fun, and it’s something I can be passionate about at Marvel, I’m more than willing to take a look and entertain the idea of doing it. But I’m not doing the “Oh well, good-bye forever” with DC. The irony with DC is that I’ve got three things in progress at DC right now, and none have been announced…and they won’t be for a while yet, and there will be news too, soon, which will make things look even “worse” – like I’ve seriously parted company with DC, but that’s not the case.

The big thing for me coming off the exclusive was that I have the opportunity to do the work that I am passionate about. At the end of the day, that’s the test: can I get passionate about it? Frankly despite all my affection for Ed, Michael and Stefano [Gaudiano], if I wasn’t going to be able to get passionate about the story, I would’ve told Ed sorry. Like I said, that’s a luxury. I’m in this great position where I can get hot and bothered over something and in the end, do it, and be done.

So – that’s a long answer to the question, but yes – if a Marvel project came along that I thought was really cool and I could get excited about came along, sure – I’d go for it. This does not mean however, that I am taking over fill-in-the-blank book. I’m not. Ed and I are doing an arc together.

NRAMA: So this isn’t any kind of “heir apparent” thing such as when Ed came to Marvel, and everyone knew, though it wasn’t said, that he would be working on Daredevil after Brian Bendis…

GR: No – it’s nothing like that. If you listen to Ed talk, he’s got this thing mapped out for another 18 if not 24 issues. Knowing Ed, that means there will be another 24 issues along with that.

NRAMA: We’ll be corralling you and Ed as we’ve done before to talk to you both at the same time as the arc gets closer, but before then…any quick teases that you can give about the story you two are working on?

GR: The electric chair at Sing-Sing.

NRAMA: Roving around like a monster on the loose? [laughs]

GR: [laughs] Yes, exactly. All these people have died in it, and the electric chair comes to life, and Daredevil has to stop it.

No.

I think the thing that made Ed think it would be fun to bring me in is that he and Warren [Simons, Daredevil Editor] had been talking about trying to do more of a story that dealt with Matt as an attorney on top of the fact that he’s also running around in a costume. So, there’s a death penalty case involved, and the case lands in front of Matt via a few intermediate steps, and, in the midst of everything that Matt is dealing with post the Mr. Fear arc, here comes Matt’s chance to either redeem or damn this guy. And it also sets the stage for Ed’s devious future plans, and of course has people getting beaten up.

Billy Parker · 02-15-2008, 04:14 PM

Awesome I love Greg Rucka's writing, especially on Wolverine! First! PWND!!!

victorderas · 02-15-2008, 04:14 PM

The "worse" news....Checkmate cancelled???

Tomwaitsfan · 02-15-2008, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by victorderas

The "worse" news....Checkmate cancelled???

BOOOOOO!!!

bcondray · 02-15-2008, 04:16 PM

I'll buy that!!

lupiniii · 02-15-2008, 04:16 PM

Wow! That's awesome, I may have to start reading Daredevil!

Edogawa1983 · 02-15-2008, 04:16 PM

Rucka need to write Iron Man Director of SHIELD after the after current team leave for Eternals, assuming they leave of course.

UltimateMatt · 02-15-2008, 04:17 PM

Sweet holy crap, thank you Jeebus.

lupiniii · 02-15-2008, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by victorderas

The "worse" news....Checkmate cancelled???

God I hope not...

Ace · 02-15-2008, 04:19 PM

This is good news, but I really don't want checkmate canceled.

Though if we're replacing it with a Rucka/J.H. Williams Batwoman, I can live with that.

BKThomson · 02-15-2008, 04:19 PM

Great news. Even if it is for four issue. I have been really enjoying Bru on Daredevil and with adding Greg to the mix I can only hope the book will be even better. Again, even if it is for four issues.

Oh yeah, Welcome back to the Marvel U, Greg. Now get back to Wolverine.

red-maverick · 02-15-2008, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by victorderas

The "worse" news....Checkmate cancelled???

Doubt it.

Anyways my jaw just dropped when I saw the news headline before I even read it. This is incredibly awsome.

ChastMastr · 02-15-2008, 04:22 PM

Wow. More Marvel mainstream for me to buy! Cool! Things are improving!!

David

matchesmalone · 02-15-2008, 04:23 PM

I'm getting fed up with Mr. Brubaker's "gosh it feels great to beat people up and torture them" interpretation of Daredevil. I read comics for escapist pleasure, and given the realities of torture and the Bush administration's efforts to normalize it, this book just isn't doing it for me anymore. Hopefully with Mr. Rucka's input there will be more going on than that. (I don't like it any better when Batman is portrayed this way.)

ChastMastr · 02-15-2008, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BKThomson

Oh yeah, Welcome back to the Marvel U, Greg. Now get back to Wolverine.

Yes!!! Yes, yes yes yes!!!

David

chap22 · 02-15-2008, 04:25 PM

Matt practicing law...wow! what a novel concept! color me sold.

Gotham Central was the top o' the heap back in the day...i expect equivalent greatness here.

C20Percent · 02-15-2008, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by victorderas

The "worse" news....Checkmate cancelled???

It appears that Eric Trautmann might be taking over soon. Apparently, he's been working with Rucka on Checkmate for quite some time. So, there is hope.

rwe1138 · 02-15-2008, 04:32 PM

Bonus points to Greg for using the word "kerfuffle."

**MattBrady** · 02-15-2008, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwe1138

Bonus points to Greg for using the word "kerfuffle."

I think the entire internet should be renamed "the kerfuffle" some days.

MattB

thejames · 02-15-2008, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lupiniii

Wow! That's awesome, I may have to start reading Daredevil!

You should be reading DD anyway - Bru's doing a great job. Welcome back to Marvel Greg - I can't wait to read the new colab between you and Bru

Gokitalo · 02-15-2008, 04:36 PM

Yes! This just made my day.

grphxkindaguy · 02-15-2008, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chap22

Matt practicing law...wow! what a novel concept! color me sold.

Gotham Central was the top o' the heap back in the day...i expect equivalent greatness here.

Ditto, GC was great (and the last time I enjoyed the Bat-universe)!!! I hope their DD run is equally amazing...

I haven't enjoyed any of Rucka's work since (except for his AK novels)

Duvenge · 02-15-2008, 04:39 PM

Does anyone know if Marvel has plans on collecting Brubaker's Daredevil stuff into nice fat hardcovers like Bendis' run was?

grphxkindaguy · 02-15-2008, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattBrady

I think the entire internet should be renamed "the kerfuffle" some days.

MattB

Saying something "just broke the kerfuffle in half!" doesn't have the same ring to it, though...

Clem · 02-15-2008, 04:40 PM

I was actually thinking of switching to trades for Daredevil after the current arc wraps. Not to say that it's bad in single issues, it just blurs together in my mind and i can't remember what happened the previous month. I'm like "So Matt is doing...something. And Mila is...crazy. There's a Fear guy in there somewhere. Anything else?".