"Hey there, folks, before we begin this weeks Joe Fridays, let me just be clear on one thing from last week. I see that the no smoking policy has caused quite a stir and quite a bit of speculation. Let me try to make my point as clear as possible and as bluntly as possible. There are no political reasons, there are no behind the scenes reasons for the no smoking policy, it has nothing to do with advertisers, it has nothing to do with fear of a litigious world. It has to do with one thing and one thing only…

"I don’t want to see it in my comics!

"See, again, people react to these Joe Fridays as if I’m an elected official, keeping creators from writing and drawing Wolverine without a cigar in his mouth is CENSORSHIP! Let's be clear, I am not an elected official, I am the Editor-in-Chief of a line of comics. Our line of comics is not the free press, we pay people to write our stories and we have the right to enforce any policy we want. Is it censorship that we don’t let our writers use profanity in our mainstream comics? So, the reason our characters don’t smoke in our books is because I don’t want them smoking in our books, it’s as simple as that. Say what you will, it doesn’t matter, smoking causes cancer.

"CANCER!

"Now, add to this the fact that this policy has been in play for nearly four years, it is beyond me that it’s suddenly an issue other than people read this article and just like to take exception with anything I say. Well, in that case, all I can say is read on, you’ll love this!

"As a young man I lost my grandfather who meant the world to me, to complications due to his smoking most of his life, a few years ago I lost my dad to the same thing. On top of that, I’ve lost at least four relatives to the horrible habit. Sorry, but yes it’s personal for me. If I can prevent one person, one human being from one day becoming a lifetime smoker then that’s a good thing and it will have been worth taking that disgusting thing out of Logan’s mouth. Don’t tell me comics don’t have an effect; comics are a reflection of our culture. Why do so many American youths get hooked on smoking? Because the culture makes it look cool, it makes it seem like an act of rebellion. What rebellion? The act of rebellion would be the courage to say no to peer pressure and to not smoke despite all your pals telling you it’s cool. There is no reason that anyone picks up their first cigarette other than they’re trying to be cool, hip or more adult than they are, it’s not like it taste good. The tobacco companies worked very hard during the 40's, 50's, and 60's to develop this image and the majority of American youth fell for it hook, line and sinker.

"So, lets look at Logan, does smoking make him a rebel? No, it makes him a lemming. See, when someone first takes that puff of a cigar or cigarette, it doesn’t matter who you are, it tastes horrible. But, if you want to be a smoker, you have to work at it, you have to work real hard at it, you have to practice it until you don’t cough and throw up anymore. You have to WORK at trying to look cool! And before you know it, you can do it and look as cool as James Dean. Oh yeah, and that’s when the nicotine gets you and you can’t quit even if you want to. So, what does that say about Wolvie? At one point he must have seen someone smoking a cigar and thought to himself, that’s cool, I want to look cool. He wanted to be cool like everyone else. Does that truly sound like Logan? I mean, smoking would be easy for him, he has a healing factor and if the nicotine doesn’t effect him then he’s doing it for one reason and one reason only, too look cool. Because despite his healing factor, there’s one thing that it can’t do, it can’t make something that taste like crap taste good. In other words, smoking makes him a follower, a slave to fashion, peer pressure and way too self aware of his own coolness. Sorry, this doesn’t sound like a rebel to me, this sounds like a poseur. If Wolvie is to be a rebel, he would have tried the cigar and said something like, “You smokers are nuts, this taste like $#!@!”

"Also, once Wolvie joined the X-Men, he would have become immediately aware of how many kids surround him and how many look up to him. Secondhand smoke can kill as well and yes, he is someone who every young X-Men would love to emulate. So, based on that alone, the hero in Logan would quit. Why not, it’s easy for him, he wouldn’t be addicted to the nicotine, he could drop it in a second. Unless you’re telling me that he’s so aware of his rebellious reputation that he would keep it up just to LOOK cool? How uncool is that?

"My Wolverine, the Wolverine in my world, he doesn’t smoke, he’s too cool for it. He’s not a follower, he’s not a poseur, he would no sooner smoke a cigar than wear a pair of designer jeans. Bad guys, villains, they can smoke all they want, hopefully the symptoms will catch up with them.

"Now, for those of you who think that I somehow want to emulate Hollywood at every turn, here’s the good news for you, if you want a Wolverine that smokes, go to the movies.

"Another bit of good news is that I won’t be Editor in Chief forever. Perhaps the day that I’m gone, the next EIC will somehow think that smoking is the coolest thing ever and let all your faves pick up a nicely lit stogie and go to town. That’s fine by me, that call will be made by the EIC who is not an elected official and who has every right in the world to do so, it’s his or her Marvel. But as long as I’m here, sorry folks, but no cigar."

Newsarama: All right Joe, like we did after the New York Comic-Con, we’re going to take a last walk-through your full WizardWorld: LA slate of announcements (for a full index of all WWLA stories, click here), but let’s start by asking you your impressions on the show overall? The New York show exceeded all expectations by pretty much all accounts, but the anecdotal reactions we’re hearing from L.A. aren’t enthusiastic. We’re hearing low panel attendance, and a pretty slow weekend in general.

What’s your take?

Joe Quesada: The panels seemed like they weren’t attended as well as they have in the past, but I found that the panel rooms were nearly impossible to find. They were two floors up with no signs until you got to the panel room. I have a sneaky suspicion that this may have had something to do with it.

As for the weekend, well in reality unless you get gate numbers I think it would be hard to tell. I wasn’t there on Sunday but I did hear that the marathon caused a bit of problems, but Saturday there seemed to be a good crowd there. Remember, this was a bigger floor than the when the con was at Long Beach and the aisles were much, much wider. They could have had more people there than last year on Saturday (which I suspect they did) and wouldn’t look like it because of the space.

NRAMA: Generally speaking, with New York now apparently looking to make a run at major annual status, and Boston already being a non-starter last fall, think we’re in danger of having too many cons?

JQ: I think it could be a huge problem. While the comic’s industry is growing at a very nice conservative rate, which hopefully means lasting growth, the convention circuit has grown exponentially faster - a lot faster! The New York show was brilliantly marketed, they took out ads on TV and every major paper covered it. I suspect that next year they will do the same. I think in order to have that kind of growth and special-ness, a considerable amount of money needs to be spent on marketing, but that’s tough to do with so many shows.

Currently we have dozens of cons including big shows like, Wonder Con, Mega-Con, New York, Pittsburg, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Heroes Con, Comic-Con, Chicago, Dragon Con, Baltimore, Texas, Mid Ohio and a host of smaller shows sprinkled about. That’s a lot of shows and with each new one you divvy up the audience a bit more and a bit more.

NRAMA: All right, let’s get to your announcements. Like we did last time, we’re just going to rattle them off and ask for your reaction. Tell us something we all don’t already know? What you think is particularly cool about it? Explain Marvel’s motivation behind it…? Whatever comes to mind...

Beyond! by Dwayne McDuffie and Scott Kolins?

JQ: Just a fun self contained story that’s sort of a throwback to classic Marvel storytelling in which an odd group of characters find themselves thrown into an adventure. I guess you could say that this is in keeping with the spirit that brought groups like the Defenders or the Champions together.

NRAMA: Is Dwayne McDuffie someone readers may see more of at Marvel in the foreseeable future?

JQ: Possibly, but that’s between Dwayne and my editors.

NRAMA: HALO OGN and possible future HALO projects?

JQ: The OGN has been done for a while and we’re thrilled that they chose us as the publisher for the project. I personally hope that this develops into a bigger long lasting relationship with Bunge.

NRAMA: Jack Kirby’s Galactic Bounty Hunters?

JQ: This is the feel good project of the decade. When Dan [Buckley] and I heard about this project we wanted to make it happen in the worst way at Marvel. The name "Kirby" has been associated with Marvel since the very beginning. We all felt in our heart of hearts that if there was an unpublished Jack Kirby concept out there, we would love to be the ones to publish it, especially knowing that Jack’s family was involved with it. That and that alone makes creating and having the ICON imprint one of the best concepts to come to Marvel in years. So, this is just one of those projects that makes me smile every time I think about it. Lisa Kirby has been nothing but a joy and a class act to deal with and all I can hope is that Jack is looking down and smiling.

NRAMA: Robert Kirkman & Phil Hester’s Ant-Man ongoing series?

JQ: I love this project. The Irredeemable Ant-Man! The world’s most dislikable hero. Let’s just say this, if you’re a fan of the TV show Rescue Me, then you’re going to love this book. By the way, if you haven’t seen Rescue Me, do yourself a favor and watch it, it’s a great show!

This is the kind of project that only Kirkman can write. How do you get the most dislikable character in the story to be the mot interesting and cared about character? How does this guy somehow manage to be the hero that always saves the day? Kirkman’s going to take you on a ride and show you how!

NRAMA: Matt Fraction & Ariel Olivetti’s Punisher: War Journal Ongoing Series

JQ: This is that Punisher book so many of you have been asking for. This Punisher title is knee deep in the Marvel Universe and will interact with many if not all of the Marvel superhero characters. This will also give fans two different styles of Punisher titles. If you like your Punisher more as a hard hitting, adult, noir, crime drama, then Garth is your guy and the Punisher MAX series will continue. If you want to see the Punisher interact with Civil War and the rest of the spandex world, then War Journal will be the book for you. But don’t be mistaken, it’s still the Punisher, so there will be a body count.

NRAMA: Sorry to have to ask the “glass-half-full” question, but that’s our job sometimes… Any concerns about a younger reader perhaps becoming a fan of the less-“mature” War Journal title, and then wanting to follow the characters adventures in his other title, as so many comic book fans do?

JQ: There’s always a danger, but then again, the book is called Punisher and the adult version is clearly labeled. I don’t think a mom would mistake a title like Punisher in any incarnation as something appropriate for an 8 year-old. This is more of a problem with characters like Spidey who are marketed on so many levels as kid friendly.

NRAMA: In the nutshell, its been the basic concept behind DC’s policy of keeping the DCU and Vertigo “Universes” separate, so as not to make a younger fan of say - John Constantine - in a DCU book, and then having a book starring that character he or she isn’t supposed to read?

JQ: Well, I can’t speak to DC’s policies, that’s a question only they could answer. That said, I do believe Arkham Asylum was labeled for mature readers when it came out and that featured Batman and all his cast of colorful villains. Also, both Animal Man and Doom Patrol which were DCU proper eventually ended up at Vertigo, yet doesn’t Animal Man appear in Crisis? And isn’t Doom Patrol considered part of the DCU proper? By the way, this is not a criticism of DC; I’m just addressing your question with the fact that there are exceptions to the supposed rule your stating.

I would venture to say that with respect to this, like so much of publishing, there is no hard and fast rule, there is no spoon. However, I believe that since the inception of the MAX line, we’ve proven, on the Marvel front, that Marvel has some characters that can crossover into the adult realm without any consumer confusion issues. Punisher has been one of those characters as has been Cage, War Machine, heck even the Eternals. What’s important is that you have to be careful when you do crossover these characters from the world of general to mature content.

NRAMA: Moving on, a crowded slate of new exclusives, including Yanick Paquette, Tommy Lee Edwards, Zeb Wells, Skottie Young, and another name we’ll get to in a few moments?

JQ: Yup, what can I say, it’s been a great year so far. The Marvel talent pool just gets better and better. Here, let me show you a sampling of Tommy Lee Edward’s art on J. Michael Straczynski’s Bullet Points. This series is going to rock so hard!

NRAMA: Ultimate Power by Straczynski, Brian Bendis, Jeph Loeb, and..???

JQ: And you’re just going to have to wait a bit. I have to say, I was very surprised that a lid was somehow maintained on this project, I was sure it was going to leak somewhere.

This is going to be a very unusual crossover, believe me, I’ve been privy to the creative meetings and the email discussion chains. When this is done, there will be lasting effects on both Universes. I know stuff gets promised like that all the time with inter-universe or company crossovers, but nothing has ever been attempted quite like this.

NRAMA: How so?

JQ: Come on now, if I answered that what would be the point of reading the story? Let me just say I can guarantee that things will happen in this event that will be reflected in both Universes for some time to come. This is not an isolated event.

NRAMA: And we asked this of the writers, but we’ll ask you as well. Why did this crossover make sense, as opposed to an Ultimate/”616” crossover, or a “616”/Squadron Supreme crossover?

JQ: I don’t really have a better answer than it just felt right. It was something in my gut that said it made sense, sometimes that’s all you need. I heard someone say that since Supreme Power has been sort of the 'Ultimazation' of the old Squadron Supreme, that that was the reason why. You know, perhaps that’s it; it’s certainly as good a reason as any. The bottom line is that it’s just going to be cool as all heck!

NRAMA: Can readers consider this a first step in the relaxing of the no Ultimate crossover edict? If this goes well, will an Ultimates/New Avengers (for example), or FF/UFF crossover be any more likely than it was before?

JQ: No, especially since the no crossover rule was specifically about the Ultimate Universe crossing over with the classic Universe. I mean, we’ve crossed over into the Zombie Universe haven’t we?

NRAMA: Finally, last by not least, J. Scott Campbell exclusive, and on an unspecific Spider-Man project with Jeph Loeb?

JQ: Yup, that’s a pretty big catch I’d have to say. Here, let me ask a simple question - since Todd McFarlane, has there ever been anyone whose inherent style is more perfect for drawing Spider-Man than Jeff Campbell? When Jeff is done with the character, I personally believe he will redefine the look of the character much in the same way that Todd did so many years ago.

NRAMA: That comment, combined with Jeph Loeb’s comments over the weekend identifying this as – and we’re paraphrasing here – “a substantial run”, kind of suggest we might be talking about an ongoing series, rather than a limited series. Any comment?

JQ: Let me just say that Jeph and Jeff have been watching and are great admirers of what Whedon and Cassaday are doing with Astonishing X-Men.

NRAMA: Actually, that was our next question - if this was an ongoing series, would it likely take place in an existing series, or might you try to launch it into a new “flagship” title, ala Astonishing.

JQ: I think I’ve said enough.

NRAMA: Also, this was named as a 2007 project, can you say whether this will be on the shelves by the time Spider-Man 3 hits theaters?

JQ: The goal would be to have it out in conjunction with the movie.

NRAMA: Backing up a bit, any insight as to how and when this signing came about?

JQ: We’ve been speaking to Jeff for years about doing a run on Spider-Man but due to contractual obligations and projects he had to get through, it just never worked out. Bringing Jeph Loeb to Marvel is really what turned the tables. Jeph and Jeff have wanted to work on a huge project for sometime and once Jeph landed at Marvel that and the opportunity to do Spider-Man tipped the scales. I wish I could take credit for this signing, but it was all Loeb and Dan Buckley.

NRAMA: Like his former Cliffhanger mate – Joe Madureira – before him, Jeff Campbell obviously brings also questions regarding his “pace”. First of all, how are things going with Madureira? Here is your opportunity to align expectations with how many Loeb/Mad issues of Ultimates 3 readers are likely to see, and how often when the book launches later this summer (is that right?)

JQ: Actually, what just occurred to me is that we now have all three Cliffhanger boys working at Marvel, Ramos, Madureira, and Campbell.

Joe is doing well on his schedule so far, all fingers are crossed, but it’s still a little early to make predictions as to scheduling and absolute ship dates. What I can tell you is that the work is just unbelievable! Mad has grown so far beyond the great artist he was already. And while the style of work is 180 degrees from what Bryan Hitch does, it’s just as detailed and intricate.

NRAMA: And as for Campbell, will this be a “get as far ahead as you possibly can before launching” type situation? Or given that Campbell will be drawing someone else’s scripts on an established character, rather than his own creation, do you expect they’ll be a whole other dynamic going on?

JQ: I think that working of someone else’s script will be liberating for Jeff. That said, yes, we will be looking to have as many issues done as possible before launching.

NRAMA: You mentioned Todd McFarlane a few moments ago. Not to slight other creators, but you now have projects with Campbell, Madureira, Mike Turner, Marc Silvestri, Neil Gaiman, and even Stephen King in the works.

Assuming Jim Lee isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, who’s #1 on your list of creator “Holy Grails”? And no saying you won’t name him or her because it might ruin a deal, like you have in the past. Pick the creator on the list you don’t have a deal with… McFarlane? Frank Miller? Brad Meltzer? Alan Moore?

JQ: No slight to any of the other guys, Brad Meltzer.

NRAMA: Joe, a new question stemming out of WWLA – a couple of comments rang some bells for us last weekend, about the future of the New Avengers. One of those comments was that there is a clear winner in the Civil War, which we all know will be led by Captain America and Iron Man, respectively. The other was Brian Bendis’ response to the question - will Stark Tower still be the Avengers headquarters after Civil War? He replied “It will be somebody’s headquarters.”

JQ: How about that!

NRAMA: This, combined with the hints you and Bendis have been giving for the last few months about a second Avengers-related title, put a thought in our head.

JQ: You’re scaring me.

NRAMA: Speculation has centered on a West Coast Avengers branch, or even a Canadian branch involving Alpha Flight. We’re now wondering if post-Civil War, Cap and Iron Man will both form their own Avengers team, perhaps even at odds with one another, competing for “official” sanction as “the” true Avengers team…

JQ: Well, that’s a great theory, but not quite. By the way, I guess you missed when Tom Brevoort said at the Civil War panel that there would be no West Coast Avengers.

NRAMA: Well, okay… but if one of these respective leaders recruited some long-time members, perhaps took up residence in a rebuilt Avengers Mansion, not only would it allow you to have your cake and eat it to from a satisfying old school fans and new fans perspective, but set up a pretty interesting ongoing dynamic.

Comments?

JQ: Man, that would be sneaky of us, wouldn’t it?

NRAMA: Okay, one last unrelated question before we let you go this week…

Your’s and Jimmy Palmiotti’s revival/return of Painkiller Jane at Dynamite has been met with success and a sellout. Did you anticipate that at all? What do you think is responsible for that? JQ: Not at all, I thought it would do okay, but the sell out was great news. I attribute it to Dynamite's great marketing and the great job Jimmy did with the story and script.

NRAMA: So...the inevitable - what does this mean for the return of Ash, possibly at Dynamite?

JQ: Anything is possible but that have been no talks as of yet.

NRAMA: Finally, and wrapping up for this week - anything we missed or overlooked in terms of WWLA news or notes? A new project or bit of news not getting the attention you think it deserves?

JQ: Yeah, who won the marathon?

Friday afternoon around publication time of Joe Fridays, Marvel released a 5-page preview of April's Wolverine: Origins #1, which we include below...

Joe Quesada also provided photos (courtesy of Marvel editor Jen Gruenwald) from last weekend's convention, to help readers put faces to some of the names he mentions in his Q&A's. Those follow as well, along with a key to whom is whom...

1. CB Cebulski & Greg Pak; 2.) Bendis & a tattooed man
3.) Jen Gruenwald; 4.) Lisa Kirby
5.) Charlie & Daniel Knauf & Tom Brevoort; 7.) Jeph Loeb & Damon Lindelof
7.) J. Scott Campbell & Loeb; 7.) Brevoort & Nick Lowe

If you'd like to submit questions for Joe, click this link.

New to Joe Fridays Catch-up on the previous 5 editions via the following links:

Week 42
Week 41
Week 40
Week 40.1
Week 39

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