VIRGIN COMICS WEEK: TALKING TO JEFF PARKER

[MattBrady]

As was mentioned earlier, in our conversation with Dave Stewart, the seed for his new Virgin Comics five issue miniseries, Walk In was planted by him a while back. But who took that seed and watered and tended it until it turned into the fresh comic book on shelves this week? That would be Jeff Parker.

Having earned his first real attention as a writer thanks to his original graphic novel The Interman, Parker has turned that success into a blossoming career in comics, especially at Marvel, where his Agents of Atlas and X-Men: First Class are currently hitting the right notes with fans. He’s one of the go-to guys at the publisher when it comes to ideas that arte slightly off the beaten path, so it only makes sense that he’s be a guy Virgin Comics would go to when they needed someone to script Stewarts ideas about blackouts, cephalopods, strip clubs and…well, we’ll just let him tell it.

Newsarama: To start with Jeff, how did you first join the Virgin crew? Were you reaching out to them, early on, or did they come looking for you?

Jeff Parker: They called me. I had worked with MacKenzie Cadenhead before at Marvel, and she invited me along with a batch of other writers to pitch ideas for a younger reader's book. That's a very Marvel approach, the secret cattle call where you don't know who you're competing with. Mine got the nod and I wrote the first story, which then got put on hold while they try to figure out format, ways to market it, and so on. Which paved the way for me being asked to adapt these ideas by Dave Stewart. So I was brought in to plan out a franchise for children and have been writing a book with strippers and gangsters that involves a dystopian reality.

That's the comics industry in a nutshell!

Click here for the full interview.

[Impulse2k1]

Man I love me some Jeff Parker

[Kolimar]

Originally Posted by MattBrady

Having earned his first real attention as a writer thanks to his original graphic novel The Interman, Parker has turned that success into a blossoming career in comics, especially at Marvel, where his Agents of Atlas and X-Men: First Class are currently hitting the right notes with fans. He’s one of the go-to guys at the publisher when it comes to ideas that arte slightly off the beaten path, so it only makes sense that he’s be a guy Virgin Comics would go to when they needed someone to script Stewarts ideas about blackouts, cephalopods, strip clubs and…well, we’ll just let him tell it.

Yep. Good choice.

[Kolimar]

Originally Posted by MattBrady

JP: They've been very smart about setting up shop all along, from what I can tell. They're not making wild boasts; not building compounds to put the creators in-- just conservatively entering the marketplace and looking for things that aren't being overdone. Most importantly, and here's how you can tell they're being a real publishing entity and not another unrealistic new kid- they are not trying to set up a shared universe of characters and launch a zillion titles all at once.

Ouch.

[Kolimar]

Originally Posted by MattBrady

He meets a dancer named Astrid who will figure into his life in a big way later. It's easy to tell she'll be significant, he briefly notices that a living octopus is wrapped around her head, then loses the image.

I can see why she wouldn't have a problem with guys drooling when she's dancing.

[ShinAkuma666]

Nice interview, will keep an eye out for the title to see how it goes ?

Is this set up as an ongoing series ?

[Kolimar]

Originally Posted by MattBrady

JP: Except for the weird visions of sea life - and maybe including them, I think readers will find a lot of things they can relate to personally in Walk In. A recurring element is dreams, which are more universal than we would assume. And the notion that each of us could realize our potential if someone wasn't secretly keeping us down.

I knew it.

[Kolimar]

Originally Posted by ShinAkuma666

Nice interview, will keep an eye out for the title to see how it goes ?

Is this set up as an ongoing series ?

First paragraph:

Originally Posted by MattBrady

As was mentioned earlier, in our conversation with Dave Stewart, the seed for his new Virgin Comics five issue miniseries,

[tiso_spencer]

Originally Posted by MattBrady
JP: They've been very smart about setting up shop all along, from what I can tell. They're not making wild boasts; not building compounds to put the creators in-- just conservatively entering the marketplace and looking for things that aren't being overdone. Most importantly, and here's how you can tell they're being a real publishing entity and not another unrealistic new kid- they are not trying to set up a shared universe of characters and launch a zillion titles all at once.

Well they may not have a shared universe but don't they got a zillion titles at the moment? Sadhu, Snakewoman, Devi, Walk In, Seven Bros., Rayaman, etc? And ummm aren't the first 3 sort of super-heroish without being totally super-heroish?

[hadez]

I'm liking this comic!
Gonna read it when it hits!

A girl+An Octopus= GENIUS!!!!!!!!!!!

[astronato]

Jeff Parker is a talented guy. I'll be checking this out because of him.

Plus, there needs to be more cuttlefish in comics.

Strippers are nice too.

[James_R_Rat]

Jeff Parker is a talented guy. I'll be checking this out because of him.

Plus, there needs to be more cuttlefish in comics.

Strippers are nice too.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

His writing style is such a welcome change from all the people who think comics need to be all-dark-and-gritty-and-depressing-all-the-time.

Other than him owing me money, he's one of the most awesome guys I know.

[bishop-m]

Big fan of Jeff Parker. I need an Interman fix!!
I'll have to check this out!