Speaking of other people with three names, congratulations on sitting three rows in front of Robyn Rihanna Fenty at the Wakanda Forever movie premiere.
Rihanna has made a career out of never using her first name.
(Because Jessica Jones is not the only one who uses an Alias. Great comic book, Alias. So glad that you finally met Michael Gaydos.)
So, "Riri" îs a nickname for her MIDDLE name, which is an alias for an alias.
Which is why Ironheart is called Riri.
Where does Ironheart buy her lingerie?
At Savage Fenty!
Real talk: I just hope that you and Deodato got paid, Bendis
Gaydos and yourself stick the landing in Pearl Vol. 3 issue 6, bridging the fantastical secret established in Pearl Vol. 1 issue 1 to the unsentimental truth about her father. If only Godfather II (1974) had the same grit to call out Don Corleone as you do with Papa Tanaka, here.
Unlike your TORSO graphic novel (1998-1999), Pearl never gets the satisfaction of a confession, but I honestly prefer Takegaki setting the table.
It's hard out there for The Ghost Dragon of San Francisco :D
Not that I would have done any better, but the next time someone asks you to do this (ha!), stand in front of the mound when you throw. If you're not used to throwing off the mound, it'll mess you up.
It reminded me of All-Star Comics #3, which was Sheldon Mayer's justification for bundling minor superheroes' solo adventures under one cover, resulting in the Justice Society of America. The reluctant or unlikely superteam has become the Reese's peanut butter cup of every mainstream comic book publisher since.
Jacob Edgar and yourself also have the long shadow of Watchmen to wrestle with, so having a secretive prophet; regardless of how tasty his potstickers are; gives this fantasy romp some sharp elbows as well.
I love the scene between David and Novus. Dirtbags never learn.
I'm hoping that Ave is the rug that pulls it all together. That's my dream.
Issue #2 should be arriving next Comic Book Day. I'm assuming there's a huge delay between digital and print releases.
You mentioned the similarities between Powers and Top 10 as concepts. Having recently collected TPs of Moore's ABC line, he essentially put out as many different titles as an Atlas or a Charlton, did. Particularly with Tom Strong, Moore integrated his characters in a world with their own rules.
Jinxworld has fewer titles, and there is less interaction between characters within Jinxworld, but Powers enjoyed a much longer run than Top 10 ever came close to hitting. Jinxworld has a different business model than ABC or MillarWorld, but your quality is always high and deserves a percentage of my Wednesday comic book buying budget.
Ever since the glory days of Big Apple Comix (?), top creators have tried to operate outside of big time publishers: usually they go belly-up within 3 issues. Mike Mignola with Hellboy, Matt Wagner with Grendal, Mark Milar with MillarWorld and yourself with Jinxworld have kept your ownership and maintained high quality where dozens have faded away.
It remains amazing to me that many of your long-term collaborators: Michael Gaydos, David Mack, Michael Avon Oeming, Alex Maleev and Marc Andreyko; were relationships formed before you had achieved mainstream success.
Also, that your 10 years of making independent comics entirely by yourself continues to inform what you produce today as primarily a writer.
When Jay Leno (I think) guested as a comedian on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, Carson to fill the time when something had gone wrong had done (I think) a world class bit of sleight-of-hand to get some applause. Carson leaned over to Leno and whispered, "You use everything you've learned along the way to do this job."
D*** right.
I love hearing about how you had done layouts the first few issues of Alias.
I love learning how letting your artists do their full job made you a better storyteller.
I love finding out that you never worked "Marvel Style".
I'm looking forward to reading the "Bendis: 10 years at Marvel" TPB to see what they consider to be representative of your wide-ranging body of work for them.
As you know, the first cut of The Godfather which Francis Ford Coppola showed to producer Robert Evans run under 2 hours.
"Bendis: 10 years at Marvel" will be like that, I bet :D
With CREATION, I am sure you will go over how you created Naomi McDuffie.
To be reductive, I remember when Steve Englehart created Mantis for The Avengers in 1973. Mantis was intended to be a provocative-but-throwaway character. Mantis became a character that Englehart used over multiple Marvel books and books at other comic publishers: she became his unicorn. Having started out as a Saigon sex worker, Mantis evolved into this pagan goddess and; like The Watcher; kept showing up at parties where things were quickly spiraling out of control.
Naomi is an adolescent character of limitless power constantly learning new things. Like Huckleberry Finn, she is equal to any adventure and gains wisdom without ever becoming jaded because she is forever young.
I look forward to hearing how you, David F Walker and Jamal Campbell created this fully-formed character out of thin air!
Hi Brian Michael Bendis!
Speaking of other people with three names, congratulations on sitting three rows in front of Robyn Rihanna Fenty at the Wakanda Forever movie premiere.
Rihanna has made a career out of never using her first name.
(Because Jessica Jones is not the only one who uses an Alias. Great comic book, Alias. So glad that you finally met Michael Gaydos.)
So, "Riri" îs a nickname for her MIDDLE name, which is an alias for an alias.
Which is why Ironheart is called Riri.
Where does Ironheart buy her lingerie?
At Savage Fenty!
Real talk: I just hope that you and Deodato got paid, Bendis
Gaydos and yourself stick the landing in Pearl Vol. 3 issue 6, bridging the fantastical secret established in Pearl Vol. 1 issue 1 to the unsentimental truth about her father. If only Godfather II (1974) had the same grit to call out Don Corleone as you do with Papa Tanaka, here.
Unlike your TORSO graphic novel (1998-1999), Pearl never gets the satisfaction of a confession, but I honestly prefer Takegaki setting the table.
It's hard out there for The Ghost Dragon of San Francisco :D
Sincerely,
Brad Barnes
Not that I would have done any better, but the next time someone asks you to do this (ha!), stand in front of the mound when you throw. If you're not used to throwing off the mound, it'll mess you up.
Hi Brian Michael Bendis!
The best decision Joe Quesada ever made was buying you that Marvel Knights baseball jersey :D
Sincerely,
Brad Barnes
Your pitch was a Spider-Man to Bababooey’s D-Man. Nice job! I completely forgot how bad he got roasted on Stern for that.
Hi Brian Michael Bendis!
I finally got The Ones #1 at my LCS!
It reminded me of All-Star Comics #3, which was Sheldon Mayer's justification for bundling minor superheroes' solo adventures under one cover, resulting in the Justice Society of America. The reluctant or unlikely superteam has become the Reese's peanut butter cup of every mainstream comic book publisher since.
Jacob Edgar and yourself also have the long shadow of Watchmen to wrestle with, so having a secretive prophet; regardless of how tasty his potstickers are; gives this fantasy romp some sharp elbows as well.
I love the scene between David and Novus. Dirtbags never learn.
I'm hoping that Ave is the rug that pulls it all together. That's my dream.
Issue #2 should be arriving next Comic Book Day. I'm assuming there's a huge delay between digital and print releases.
Be good :D
Brad Barnes
Hi Brian Michael Bendis!
You mentioned the similarities between Powers and Top 10 as concepts. Having recently collected TPs of Moore's ABC line, he essentially put out as many different titles as an Atlas or a Charlton, did. Particularly with Tom Strong, Moore integrated his characters in a world with their own rules.
Jinxworld has fewer titles, and there is less interaction between characters within Jinxworld, but Powers enjoyed a much longer run than Top 10 ever came close to hitting. Jinxworld has a different business model than ABC or MillarWorld, but your quality is always high and deserves a percentage of my Wednesday comic book buying budget.
Ever since the glory days of Big Apple Comix (?), top creators have tried to operate outside of big time publishers: usually they go belly-up within 3 issues. Mike Mignola with Hellboy, Matt Wagner with Grendal, Mark Milar with MillarWorld and yourself with Jinxworld have kept your ownership and maintained high quality where dozens have faded away.
It ain't no accident. More power in 2023 :D
Hi Brian and Taki!
MasterClass was SO MUCH FUN :D
Happy Turkey Day,
Brad
Hi Brian Michael Bendis!
It remains amazing to me that many of your long-term collaborators: Michael Gaydos, David Mack, Michael Avon Oeming, Alex Maleev and Marc Andreyko; were relationships formed before you had achieved mainstream success.
Also, that your 10 years of making independent comics entirely by yourself continues to inform what you produce today as primarily a writer.
When Jay Leno (I think) guested as a comedian on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, Carson to fill the time when something had gone wrong had done (I think) a world class bit of sleight-of-hand to get some applause. Carson leaned over to Leno and whispered, "You use everything you've learned along the way to do this job."
D*** right.
I love hearing about how you had done layouts the first few issues of Alias.
I love learning how letting your artists do their full job made you a better storyteller.
I love finding out that you never worked "Marvel Style".
I'm looking forward to reading the "Bendis: 10 years at Marvel" TPB to see what they consider to be representative of your wide-ranging body of work for them.
As you know, the first cut of The Godfather which Francis Ford Coppola showed to producer Robert Evans run under 2 hours.
"Bendis: 10 years at Marvel" will be like that, I bet :D
Sincerely,
Brad Barnes
how exciting! Loved reading this first bit. So much serendipity.
Hi Brian Michael Bendis!
With CREATION, I am sure you will go over how you created Naomi McDuffie.
To be reductive, I remember when Steve Englehart created Mantis for The Avengers in 1973. Mantis was intended to be a provocative-but-throwaway character. Mantis became a character that Englehart used over multiple Marvel books and books at other comic publishers: she became his unicorn. Having started out as a Saigon sex worker, Mantis evolved into this pagan goddess and; like The Watcher; kept showing up at parties where things were quickly spiraling out of control.
Naomi is an adolescent character of limitless power constantly learning new things. Like Huckleberry Finn, she is equal to any adventure and gains wisdom without ever becoming jaded because she is forever young.
I look forward to hearing how you, David F Walker and Jamal Campbell created this fully-formed character out of thin air!
Sincerely,
Brad Barnes