ANT EXTREME: GULLY APOLOGIZES

**MattBrady** · 08-23-2006, 12:04 PM

by Benjamin Ong Pang Kean

Newsarama note: thumbnails link to images which are not work safe or appropriate for all ages.

Last week saw the release of issue #8 of Mario Gully’s Ant. No big deal, you say?

Well, it was if you’re a retailer thinking it was appropriate for all ages, or a kid reading it for the first time.

While Ant’s been labeled as a pure T&A book by critics and non-fans alike, the series has never been this… exposed.

“Issue #8 was the first book that profanity and nudity was ever in Ant in this manner,” creator Mario Gully told Newsarama. “I am not against swearing in my book but in this issue, it was clearly excessive. Also, there is a stripper scene that was a little rough. This, combined with the fact retailers weren't forewarned… upset many fans and distributors. I have received e-mails and much criticisms. Distributors whom I respect mentioned that the issue was offensive and a shock to unexpecting fans.

“My book has been pretty racy but it always was story-driven. In this case, some of the elements got out of hand and it was a bad call on my part. I almost believe that any comic with a nice looking and well developed girl will be labeled T&A. Some will disagree. I don't have a problem with that. But in this particular story, I introduced some rough characters - characters from a different background than what has been seen in the book to date, and sometimes you go too far.”

How will this affect what's coming up? Just who is Gully reaching out to with his Ant series? “There will be major changes in my book,” Gully admitted. “Major. I have spent hours working out the issues that I just mentioned. The art will be more focused with the storyline I originally conceived. People will see a difference in future issues. This is my book, my creation, and I am the one who, in the end, is responsible. I am changing the writing direction on this book which will not ignore my original fans while giving new readers a more focused book that will bring them back to the original Ant days. Image is a company that has always been a place for creators to do great things and this issue wasn't so great and that was my fault.

“First off, this issue will be edited in the trade paperback,” he continued. “The book will be corrected there and the profanity and nudity won't happen again. Secondly, I am going to give every retailer [not customers] who want to return unsold issue #8s a refund. The books can be sent to an address I am providing and I will personally reimburse them for the price they had to pay Diamond. Let me make this clear; that I myself, not Image, will return [to] the retailers per unit cost. The reason why this offer is only available to retailers is that I could never afford to pay for all [the] issues at the cover price. I would like to thank retailers for supporting me with my work and I apologize for this issue. I am proud of the work and characters I have created but have to leave my bubble every once in a while.

With Joe Keatinge previously announced as coming on board as co-writer, how does this incident affect the future of the series? “Well, I can't really can't release any future stuff from Ant more than we did about 1992. To be honest, I have put a halt to Ant #9. I've had to re-think this issue and future issues based on what happened with issue #8. The story needs to be altered a bit and the pages I drew won't be used. I will be glad to send new stuff once it's developed.

“I'm not saying that 1992 would have had more T&A shots. I don't know because I draw what I feel like drawing. Well, I did. I think it's time for me to get serious with this book. I'm making tweaks because I feel that Ant has gotten away from me. I feel that Ant is totally different from my original concept

“I guess my eyes were opened when the complaints from issue #8 came in,” he admitted. “This started off as a character based off of my daughter and truthfully, I feel that I got side tracked by what will be more widely accepted from comic book fans, rather than what was truly in my heart. I can't do that anymore.

“The overall story will convert back to my original concept where the characters and the story driven plots were driving the series. I lost that somehow. But enough is enough. Starting with issue #9.”

Retailers wishing to return unsold copies of Ant #8 can mail them to Gully at:

Mario Gully
Attention: ANTHILL
151 WYMORE ROAD SUITE 7000
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, FLORIDA 32714

Gully’s e-mail is: Anthill@imagecomics.com

kingofcities · 08-23-2006, 12:13 PM

Wow, I don't think I've ever heard of a creator doing something like this on their own title.

skeletorjr · 08-23-2006, 12:14 PM

I really respect this decision.

charles · 08-23-2006, 12:18 PM

ebay gold!

defjoe · 08-23-2006, 12:20 PM

I give him credit for putting that stuff in! Making it more realistic.

Ziggy · 08-23-2006, 12:21 PM

wait, are people really going apeshit over a "____" and a girl dancing in a bikini?

listen, i think ant is an atrocious book, but if the pages post there are the worst to happen in the book, i can't believe people are making a big deal about it.

people still deserve to get their money back for it, but only because it sucks.

Bird Flu Man · 08-23-2006, 12:22 PM

On the bright side, at least no one was smoking.

JoeGKushner · 08-23-2006, 12:23 PM

Remember, T&A bad but images of violence okay! (Good old America!)

**MattBrady** · 08-23-2006, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ziggy

wait, are people really going apeshit over a "____" and a girl dancing in a bikini?

listen, i think ant is an atrocious book, but if the pages post there are the worst to happen in the book, i can't believe people are making a big deal about it.

your need to offer a street critique aside, the book was not labeled as being for mature readers, and as such, the language, and caboose nudity pushed it over the edge for selling to minors for retailers, and as such, lost money for those retailers.

MattB

Arvandor · 08-23-2006, 12:25 PM

Well ____ me with a chainsaw.

I don't buy Gully's half-assed explanation for a second. He's chickened out, and sold-out his personal vision to appeal to the prudish mainstream.

Wimp.

skeletorjr · 08-23-2006, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arvandor

Well ____ me with a chainsaw.

I don't buy Gully's half-assed explanation for a second. He's chickened out, and sold-out his personal vision to appeal to the prudish mainstream.

Wimp.

You're quite the class act.

Camelot3000 · 08-23-2006, 12:29 PM

Wait, you're going to take out the profanity and nudity from the TPB? I would of liked to see what you originally intended ... not the censored version. Maybe you can make two versions? Kudos on offering retailers their money back.

mike101 · 08-23-2006, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeGKushner

Remember, T&A bad but images of violence okay! (Good old America!)

Right. As long as creators remember this all will be fine. Cut of limbs, freeze people and smash them into little pieces, that's ok, but for all that is holy - don't show an ass.

Cray_ws · 08-23-2006, 12:32 PM

All I can do is laugh at Mario Gully's responses. He's deluded himself into believing that Ant is a wholesome book for the family to read, yet by his own hand he draws a few panels of half-naked stripper and coarse dialogue. Then apologies for it.

Classic.

I got nothing against T&A comics as long as the publisher isn't in denial about it.

deadjacket · 08-23-2006, 12:34 PM

This is not about T & A and violence being in a comic book, this is about a issues 1 - 7 of a book being marketed for one type of audience. and a wholly seperate audience being catered for once issue 8 has come along. with no prior warning

DAV!S · 08-23-2006, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arvandor

Well ____ me with a chainsaw.

I don't buy Gully's half-assed explanation for a second. He's chickened out, and sold-out his personal vision to appeal to the prudish mainstream.

Wimp.

It's his book and at the end of the day he can do want he wants. He took it in one direction, it didn't work with his fanbase, so he's gone back. Dosn't make him a wimp if he wants his book to sell to the most amount of people it can.

Camelot3000 · 08-23-2006, 12:40 PM

I think there are worse crimes than adding a little nudity and profanity ... how about when a perfectly awesome book all of a sudden sucks booty becuase the writer dropped the ball or a new artist comes aboard. I never recieved a notice that the issue was going to suck. Now that's a crime!

I can't blame Mario for trying to make amends. Retailers were threatening to stop ordering future issues of Ant and many are. This could be a big hit to Ant. Mario did what he had to do. I lot of retailers can't sell a book with the "F" word to younger readers. The wider the audience, the more money a retailer can make. They have limited space.

Royharper · 08-23-2006, 12:41 PM

To me this sounds like the only way he could get some attention and press. No one reads his tripe and even a hormonally challenged preteen would buy Frank Cho's Shanna the She Devil over this garbage. I'd rather have to read the Leifeld run on X-Force than look at that derivative ninties crap. This book is bad and I think he should reimburse the fans not the stores, but I can't think of a way to give back lost IQ points.

kdmelrose · 08-23-2006, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattBrady

... caboose nudity ...

Ha! Now there's a phrase you don't see every day.

Brent Sweeting · 08-23-2006, 12:54 PM

I really support your decision to take those filthy dirty perverse issues back for refund!

...um...uh...now that you have them....like, um....what are you gonna do with them? Cuz like if you have an extra copy on your hands now....

skip · 08-23-2006, 01:02 PM

This is a just a fairly clever way to get/keep Ant in the spotlight. Hand Matt a couple 100 words and some racy images and get a Newsarama top story. Contaversy, even ficitious contraversy, ought to move some books.