NYCC '08: LIVING IN THE RUINS: WS Editor Ben Abernathy on 'Worlds End'

[MichaelDoran]

by Chris Arrant

Armageddon.
Revelations.

Those titles don't leave much room for the bright and cheery in the WildStorm universe, and this train is coming into the station with the currently running Number of the Beast miniseries. But what can be next? Well, the light at the end of this tunnel might be a train coming, if this new title's to mean anything.

Worlds End. That's the next stop on this recent worldwind ride that WildStorm has taken readers, and for this end-of-world scenario it's all hands on deck. WIldStorm is releasing three new series and announcing a new creative team on a currently ongoing series. Where do we go in all this confusion and excitement to find out more? WS Senior Editor Ben Abernathy, whom we spoke with while flying from the WS offices to New York Comic-Con.

Newsarama: Thanks for talking with us, Ben. There's a lot of things going on in the WildStorm U. Number of the Beast debuted earlier this month, and now we hear of a several new series under the moniker of "Worlds End". What can you tell us about it, Ben?

Ben Abernathy: Well, it’s something that I’ve been stressing for a while—between interviews and posting on the WildStorm message boards—that everything we’ve been doing is evolving the line and leading to something drastic and big. And after the conclusion of Number of the Beast., the status quo of the WildStorm Universe will be drastically changed...and I guess World’s End is a pretty good hint as to what the nature of it will be! Ha!

These are new on-going books, not simply mini-series. And they will be new-reader friendly, so despite the build-up with other titles, it won’t be necessary to have read those books to understand what’s happening in the World’s End material!

NRAMA: Let's talk the first one, Wildcats: Worlds End. The solicits for it bears some interesting secrets, mentioning "a wholly new vision to the classic Wildcats team, reuniting the classic team with some surprising new members". That's bound to whet some long-time fans tastebuds, but I'd like to get some steak with that sizzle. What can you tell us about that quoted statement?

BA: Well, I can tell you what the line-up is: Grifter, Zealot, Spartan, Maul, Warblade, Ladytron, and Voodoo from the first volume of Wildcats...and then a pair of our heroines from WildStorm Revelations: Nemesis and Backlash! It’s almost a Kheran family reunion! And the “wholly new vision” has a lot to do with what the world’s become and their new roles in it following Number of the Beast.

NRAMA: In addition to Wildcats, you have a new Authority book kicking off, StormWatch PHD returning, and you've also got a new creative team coming onto Gen13. That’s a lot going on--what do they have planned to wow us with?

BA: Where to begin!

NRAMA: How about The Authority? That series in the past has broke some big ground and made some big names for creators.

BA: We do have a new Authority series debuting and of all the books, I think their current state will shock people the most. Writers Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning, who should be familiar to WildStorm fans from their acclaimed Majestic run, have brought so many different and cool ideas to the property, that they’re literally redefining it with each page they write! And joining them on art duties is the incredible Simon Coleby, who lent pen-and-ink to last years Midnighter: Armageddon, and is definitely on the fast-track to becoming an “elite” level artist. I can say honestly, based on the four issues of script and art that are already in-the-can, people will NOT be disappointed!

Fans of the critically-acclaimed StormWatch: Post Human Division. will be glad to know that August is the return of the series—starting with issue #13! (The first 12 issue available in trade paperback!). Writer Ian Edginton, who worked on The Establishment for us a few years back and landed an Eisner nod for last year’s Scarlet Traces, brings a gritty eye to the rag-tag team and like Wildcats, they have a completely different cast. Joining him on art is the fantastic team of Leandro Fernandez and Francisco Paronzini, who also worked on last year’s Armageddon series—incredibly enough, on StormWatch PHD (maybe there’s a pattern here?). And much like with Authority, I can judge from the first four finished issues that Ian, Leo, and Francisco mean REAL business with this new direction. It’s not for the faint of heart!

NRAMA: Four issues in the can? It really is a new day in the WildStorm universe. What's the scoop on Gen13?

BA: And finally, there is a new creative debuting on Gen13 #21 (following a planned, two-month hiatus) and I couldn’t be more excited to announce it as: word wizard Scott Beatty and pencil/ink warlord Mike Huddleston! Picking up where issue 20 leaves off, and reflecting the new status quo of World’s End, this talented pair will be taking the book in a direction that none could have imagined! And they have some remarkably cool stuff in store for fans, lemme tell ya...doing balloon placements on issue 23 as I write this and it’s a BLAST!

NRAMA: Looking over WildStorm books in recent history, I see that Scott Beattyand Christos Gage are names that keep popping up. What's their role in WildStorm?

BA: Yeah, interesting how that works, eh? Christos is someone who’s been doing dynamite work over here for years, having touched upon nearly every main-stay property during his time and so as the World’s End concept developed, he was a natural choice to have at the center of it all. He’s also contributing back-up stories that will be serialized in each book, further fleshing out this world and touching upon some characters that haven’t appeared in quite some time. I guess his role is the veteran field commander!

If Christos is the veteran, then I guess that would make Scott the rookie!

NRAMA: A rookie who's been doing it since the mid-90s, working on titles like Batman: Gotham Knights, Robin and Batman. Oh right… you were saying?

BA: That's right, Chris. While a relative newcomer to the WildStorm Universe, he has made an immediate impact with his terrific work on Revelations and Number of the Beast. When looking at the World’s End line-up, I wanted to keep Scott involved with what we were doing and Gen13 seemed a natural choice. I loved the work he did on Batgirl Year One several years ago and so I knew he could handle the complexities of writing a youthful lead—and he’s immediately clicked with the material, providing some of the most entertaining scripts I’ve read in quite some time!

Check back with Newsarama early this coming week for an interview with new Wildcats writer Christos Gage, and later this month… WildStorm Week!

Return to the NY Comic Con mini-site

[adama]

WSU, back to form.

[C_Striker]

Frak Yea!!!

[Tweekin56]

Wait, Abnett and Lanning are writing the Authority??? That's much more exciting than Marvel Apes!

[circularbell]

So what's the Authority series? The Authority: Aftermath?

Ooh, maybe Aftermath is something else, nvm.

[Dave_Garcia]

Why isn't Gage returning to PhD?

[Melville10]

Originally Posted by Dave_Garcia

Why isn't Gage returning to PhD?

That's a real good question. I stopped reading PHD when DC announced its cancellation. Not too excited about the new PHD writing team though. Gage is really talented so it doesn't make sense. Perhaps Gage will catch a break and be awarded Thunderbolts for the departing Warren Ellis. I was glad to see Bedard get assigned to Birds of Prey. He's another talented writer who seems not to be able to catch a break.

Grant Morrison's Authority may never see the light of day from what I've read from articles posted on here. I would like to see it published as well as WildCATS but there are conflicting stories that artist and writer have been very slow to finish them.

[C_Striker]

Originally Posted by Dave_Garcia

Why isn't Gage returning to PhD?

Gage is taking over Wildcats

[BrikHed21]

Well I would prefer to see Gage on The Authority or Stormwatch - but I am just happy to hear that both titles are back.... let's get behind these books and make 'em last.

[C_Striker]

Originally Posted by BrikHed21

let's get behind these books and make 'em last.

I'll certainly do my part

[Melville10]

Originally Posted by C_Striker

Gage is taking over Wildcats

He is? If so then I assume Grant Morrison's WildCATS will be in permanent limbo : (

[BrikHed21]

Originally Posted by C_Striker

I'll certainly do my part

I am in for Stormwatch and The Authority and on the fence for WildCATS. Since Gage is writing it though that will likely throw me over the top with that book as well.

[C_Striker]

Originally Posted by BrikHed21

I am in for Stormwatch and The Authority and on the fence for WildCATS. Since Gage is writing it though that will likely throw me over the top with that book as well.

I'd give it a shot for Gage alone

[EMeadow]

Originally Posted by Melville10

He is? If so then I assume Grant Morrison's WildCATS will be in permanent limbo : (

No its simply going to be "pre" all this new stuff.

[Tomwaitsfan]

Looking forward to Gages WildCATS. Not sure about Grifters new look though.

[Arnout]

Originally Posted by Melville10

Not too excited about the new PHD writing team though. Gage is really talented so it doesn't make sense. Perhaps Gage will catch a break and be awarded Thunderbolts for the departing Warren Ellis.

I thought it was a done deal that Gage was taking over T-bolts. At least one of Ellis' Bad Signals said so.
I like Edginton. Not all his WFH is all that good, but I've faith in him on Stormwatch at least for 4 issues, ESPECIALLY with that art-team attached!

[DaVeO]

Wow, my return to Wildstorm seems immenient. Is Welcome to Tranquility still ongoing?

[Stalzer2002]

[Moored]

Originally Posted by DaVeO

Wow, my return to Wildstorm seems immenient. Is Welcome to Tranquility still ongoing?

Nope. No set date for when it will return.

I too am really looking forward to these titles especially Edginton's Stormwatch.

[C_Striker]

Originally Posted by Moored

I too am really looking forward to these titles especially Edginton's Stormwatch.

Make me want to go back and dig up his Establishment series form Wildstorm

[Burnt Frog]

Hmmmm.....

Well, as much as I'm not impressed by the new "status quo", those are a good selection of writers. Gage on WildCats, DnA on Authority, and Edginton on StormWatch? That's a lot better than I was expecting. Will order WildCats and Authority at the least, although I much preferred the professional look Spartan and Grifter had in version 3.0. And variant covers make me nervous.

I kind of wish the whole DC fixation with religious themes wasn't quite so prevalent in the WSU. Titles like Revelations and Number of the Beast give me a very uneasy "Kingdom Come feeling." I don't want these characters to be hit over the head with Alex Ross-style didactism, they're better than that.

Hopefully there won't be any ____-ups this time, from either coast. (crosses fingers)

[C_Striker]

I'm freaking excited that Gage will be doing a Team Achilles back up story, finally some closure for those characters

[FilterKing]

Wow...not impressed. What happened to Morrison's authority? will that ever be finished?? Wildstorm will no longer get anymore money from me. This is ________!

[Notredame]

If they have issues in the can prior to relaunch and can hold it together this could be really good. Ill have to see if i can scare up the PHD issues out of the dollar box, and why no mention of wetworks. I liked that series, it and Gen13 were the only ones i kept buying when the wheels started to come off the WSU, and books looked imperiled 8). Hint if you want to keep this WSU relaunch going: Step 1: bar Jim lee from anything but covers(he is about as reliable for punctuality with his work as george w bush is smart(AKA Not at all) 2. Keep the pace with issues in the can if possible. 3. When signing people up look at their plates and make sure they aren't packed already, big names mean squat when the book isnt out on time and fans get miffed.

[C_Striker]

Originally Posted by FilterKing

Wow...not impressed. What happened to Morrison's authority?

Wildcats is still happening; "The Authority was just a complete disaster." Though part of the disaster was due to "52" getting in the way and Gene Ha getting sick, Morrison said "then I saw the reviews for issue one and said, well ____ this."

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?p...ticle&id=16093

In reference to World Storm's previous misfires like The Authority and WildCats, Keith Giffen will finish up Grant Morrison's scripts for The Authority while Grant and Jim Lee will finish their take on WildCats, which they're saying is now considered an All-Star-like look at the Cats.

http://www.wizarduniverse.com/041908nyccwildstorm.html