CIVIL WAR ROOM 4: BREVOORT & MILLAR ON CIVIL WAR #4

[MattBrady]

Ho-kay - Thor's back…or is he, a hero falls, defections start to take place, and the Pro-Registration pulls out a new weapon.
What does it all mean?

We corralled Civil War writer Mark Millar and Editor Tom Brevoort to talk about this week's issue - in detail. Yup - you read that right. In detail. So…

Spoiler warning!!!

If you haven't read Civil War #4 yet, you probably want to skip this. Otherwise, come on in.

Newsarama: To begin with - page one…was Thor always cast for this role, that is, the "secret weapon" to be pulled out at a moment of great need by Tony? Was there ever anyone else?

Mark Millar: Yeah, I had Thor pegged since the beginning for the simple reason that I wanted to see him in this book. It was honestly that simple. I'm very old school with Marvel and the fact we were missing Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, The Hulk and Thor (among others) really diminished the visual element of the book for me as I was putting the story together. My inner ten-year-old just enjoys seeing big spreads with all these varied characters lumped together. It's what makes a crossover special to me. So Thor was always coming back, one way or another.

Originally, I thought we could maybe have his big return in the book, but when I realized a new series was in the works I rejigged my plans a little and followed this approach instead. It actually works better this way too because it pulls the rug out from under the readers and has given us quite a frightening character in subsequent issues.

Click here for the trailer/War Room.

[Clem]

Wow that wording of events is so biased. I mean "Iron Man reaches out to Cap"? Last time i checked he blew up one of his own plants and lured Cap there with the promise of helping people, only to jump him from behind with an army of flunkeys.

Forget the Irredeamable Ant-Man, it should be Iron Man, he's such a tool.

[victor lanza]

COOL TRAILER. But I hope what I'm hearing about issue #4 is not true. My LCS doesn't open for another two hours.

[Bird Flu Man]

It looks like Marvel is outsourcing their trailers . . . they're getting much better. I especially liked the effects for Speedball's balls. But they could have done something much more dramatic / creative with that final Thor image.

[Albert Marsh]

Originally Posted by victor lanza

COOL TRAILER. But I hope what I'm hearing about issue #4 is not true. My LCS doesn't open for another two hours.

it's true, Super Pro now wields the hammer

[Prof. Warren]

Man, I just read CW #4 and it was worth the wait. Very cool issue! Lots of s**t hitting the fan here and the developments concerning Thor are sound. Won't say anymore until more people have had a chance to read the ish.

[Funkytable]

That is SWEET!
Best trailer I've seen from Marvel so far.

[Grimm22]

That trailer basicly shows what comics will be like 10 to 20 years from now.

And all I can say is that its awesome

[Darthphere]

Was the trailer late as well?

[Mk.III]

Originally Posted by Clem

Wow that wording of events is so biased. I mean "Iron Man reaches out to Cap"? Last time i checked he blew up one of his own plants and lured Cap there with the promise of helping people, only to jump him from behind with an army of flunkeys.

Forget the Irredeamable Ant-Man, it should be Iron Man, he's such a tool.

I agree with Cap that it was underhanded for Iron Man to knock out Caps teleporters but it's not like they were seriously hurt or anything, forgive me for not feeling for the poor unconscious superfolk since Cable was shouting about running away only seconds earlier. Iron Man wasn't even offering an ultimatum about doing what's, in my opinion at least, the right thing; he actually offered to talk it out and hear caps side.

Captain America has a right to be distrustful but he still threw the first punch when there was a chance to resolve things without anyone getting hurt, I hardly think a 'trap' was Iron Man's singular intention, otherwise his side could have taken down the 'secret avengers' with a suprise attack straight off, especially with SHIELD backup.

[LostMarauder]

"I especially liked the effects for Speedball's balls."

Ba Dum Bump!

[defjoe]

These trailers are the dumbest things ever. It's not a MOVIE!

Spend the energy and time getting the issues done on time!

[MattBrady]

Originally Posted by defjoe

These trailers are the dumbest things ever. It's not a MOVIE!

Spend the energy and time getting the issues done on time!

Motherland.us is not invovled in making the comics in any way, and used resources that were previously released to make the trailer.

MattB

[Jon Yeager]

Originally Posted by Clem

Wow that wording of events is so biased. I mean "Iron Man reaches out to Cap"? Last time i checked he blew up one of his own plants and lured Cap there with the promise of helping people, only to jump him from behind with an army of flunkeys.

That was BEFORE they stopped the presses to re-write how the SHRA side is being portrayed.

Before #1 even hit the stands, I'd mentioned how they would vilify Stark and everyone associated with him to make us sympathize with Cap's group, and they did. I also said they would delay publication right around issue #4 because reviews of the first issue(s) will have come in to point out the same thing I did, and they did. I also added that the reason for the re-write was to present the SHRA side under a better and fairer light, and...

Well, you tell me.

But hey, Joe Q. continues to deny there was ever any vilifying of the SHRA side. So there's nothing to fix, right?

Jon

[HourmanLives]

Clones, Spider-Man... Ben Reilly?!

Me hope so.

[mistknight]

They just could not leave the Iron Age crap in the Ultimates Universe. 32 years a Marvel fan just to have it all turn out like this. Oh well, $60.00 save a month.

[Valorific]

Okay...yes, Cap threw the first punch but Tony's team took down two of Cap's guys before that punch was thrown. If Tony really wanted to talk he would not have attacked first.

[Rotter]

Another issue filled with major elements that I simply don't buy...!

I wonder if I'd be enjoying this series if it were going to twelve issues, and MM had enough room to really lay some proper groundwork and context, and truly get into the characters' heads. Or if Marvel had spent a whole year before CW #1 slipping little events and scenes into play here and there to make the events of the series -- and the actions of the characters -- seem less abrupt, arbitrary and off-note. I mean, there are details and ideas in this interview that are interesting and engaging, but it's just not there in the book.

As it is, every other page I seem to be wondering "Now how the devil could that possibly happen?" or "Now why is this person suddenly acting this way?" And if I were truly engaged in the story, I'd stick with it, but with #4, CW moves off the pull list on and down to the "flip through it when it comes out and see if it's worth buying" level.

Your Mileage May Vary, o'course.

[Ace]

So can we be jerks and coin the name Thor-Prime for the Thorclone?

[Superfrick]

I'm glad they killed of Golliath. The Marvel Universe has FAR TOO MANY positive black superheroes. It's good that they start killing them off so the ones that remain are that much more special for it.

Yes, the above is sarcasm. But I hope the statement hits home and gets people to take notice and hopefully, write in to Marvel Comics with an opinion.

[I am MODOK]

Ski mask man has got to be Punisher, since they delayed his books for the main title. I mean, it is pretty obvious, isn't it?

Thor clone. Ugh. Double Ugh.

[TS24]

Ski mask guy better be- Hawkeye!

[Beefy McHuge]

Clones - a clear sign of lazy storytelling.

[cncoyle]

That trailer was amazing!

[Spaz_Monkey]

Ummm.....

Yeah.

Uh, No.

Really?

Whatever.....

Originally Posted by rotter

As it is, every other page I seem to be wondering "Now how the devil could that possibly happen?" or "Now why is this person suddenly acting this way?"

Superboy Prime. His punches were really powerful...