Alias by Brian Michael Bendis ... CANCELLED

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

I thought it was selling well, too, but it looks like that has nothing to do with it.

BENDIS ON THE END OF ALIAS & START OF THE PULSE
As reported from San Diego, Brian Bendis’ MAX series Alias will end with November’s issue #28, at the conclusion of the “Purple” storyline. Lead character Jessica Jones won’t be given a chance to rest – she’ll start up a new series, The Pulse shortly thereafter. We spoke with Bendis about the changes.

A quick note, despite the numbering of the parts of the “Purple” storyline, Alias will end with #28.

Newsarama: How did the idea to end Alias with #28 come about? Was it yours, or did it come from Marvel?

Brian Bendis: I wrote #28 and I was like, “Uh, I think I just wrapped up the series,” which is a weird feeling. I’m used to the series as an ongoing, and this just up and ended on me. It was done.

But I wasn't done with Jessica, just with the idea of this series. It was a weird feeling, and I let Joe know that I thought this might be it, and he said they were toying with the idea of a CSI in the Marvel Universe kind of book but that Alias was already there, and that maybe I could take Jessica, who everybody already likes, and create something that worked all these ideas together.

Very inspiring words.

Then, if I did that, it wouldn't need to be MAX anymore. Things clicked right away,

NRAMA: Creatively, you mentioned that part of the motivation for the move was to start bringing in “bigger” Marvel Universe characters other than the likes of Speedball. Were there rules laid down for you with the series – what you could and couldn’t do under MAX?

BB: Well, they weren't rules - no one sat me down and gave me a talking to, it was more like instinct, some characters just shouldn't be in a MAX book. They are mainstream licensed characters aimed at kids - and I write a bunch of them, I don't want to tarnish them or have a kid buy a comic like Alias by accident. When I was a kid I did, and look what happened to me.

To me, the MAX label had as many pros as cons. The pros were the literary freedom and writing for adults, but I already have that with Powers.

And marketing it was a nightmare. Most of the time I was the only MAX title. It was basically marketed to fans of Powers and that's about who was buying it, which was awesome and I’m grateful. But, I believe the book to also be of interest to the Daredevil audience and it was impossible to let them know because it was MAX.

Also, the only MAX thing in the book was the language. It was the least violent book I write and the sex was very few and far between. The freedom to use the f-word isn't enough of a reason to make it MAX, so I won’t miss it.

I’ll put double the f-words in Powers for those who need it.

NRAMA: How does the conclusion of the “Purple” storyline play into the start of Pulse? Does Jessica have a change in perspective, attitude, or something else that adjusts her worldview?

BB: Jessica will have a major, life-changing event involving one of the mainstream marvel characters. She starts the new series as a different person in an entirely different situation.

NRAMA: With the new series you'll be under "regular" Marvel guidelines, not MAX. How will this in any way affect the stories that you tell?

BB: Well, readers of Daredevil know that I can be adult and gritty without using the f-word. And sex was never the motivation of Alias, I just wanted to be able to express sex as an adult function if I wanted to. The stories of this series will be focused on bigger issues.

NRAMA: What kind of bigger issues? What Will Jessica be doing at the Bugle, and…doesn’t Jonah hate her?

BB: Well, they had a big understanding at the end of the last arc, Jonah has taken a liking to Jessica.

Jonah will hire her in a kind of first look deal. He gets first crack at her p.o.v. of the world and Ben will be her writer. Plus, Ben has been in a slump mentally and physically; so she will be there to keep an eye on him. All of which will help fill a new section of the paper. Jonah is counting on her to help him see the world in a different light.

NRAMA: Explain that different light a little more. As you said at your panel, Jonah realized that his bias against heroes has hurt the paper in the long run. This is one of the ways he’s looking to get readers back?

BB: Yeah - this is a really interesting aspect to me. Newspapers across the country are dying. Circulation's way down. Maybe it is going to come to an end. People don't read anymore. They don't read anything. Books, magazines. They don't read. And I don’t mean the people reading this because obviously, you do.

But this is the first generation where newspapers aren't a habit. The habit is broken. Now you have to put on a real dog and pony show to compete with the four other daily papers, and the five 24-hour news networks, and talk radio, and the Internet, and people don't read.

Newspapers have to decide what kind of stories they tell best and how they are going to present those stories.

Hmmm, smells like the comic industry a little.

The Pulse is loosely based on the New York Post’s Page Six section in that it will center on a section of the paper that covers super human happenings - but with a surprising well rounded tint for Jonah. It’s the mysteries of the marvel universe.

NRAMA: So "The Pulse" is the name of the Bugle's tabloid insert, as well as the name of the book in regards to "the Pulse of the Marvel Universe?"

BB: Right. It’s both.

NRAMA: So, along with Jonah, Ben and Jessica, who else will be showing up?

BB:

BB: Oh the entire Bugle staff - Robby, Cat from Deadline, and some new characters. Jonah is a supporting character; Jessica and Ben are the leads. Jonah is the heart of the book.

So yeah, while The Pulse will focus on Jessica, and Ben Urich, and will be set within The Daily Bugle, the point of the series is that Jameson realizes the effect his anti-hero stance has had on the paper over the years, and how that view may have damaged or even destroyed his paper. The Pulse will show Jameson trying to turn things around, as well as reevaluating his view towards heroes.

NRAMA: So what kind of stories will Jameson, and by default, you be telling in The Pulse?

BB: We have the deconstruction of one of the most famous marvel characters in the first arc. We have a reporter's view of Wolverine’s life, and we have a story I’m really excited to write - a three-generation story of the Marvel Universe a la Once Upon a Time in America.

NRAMA: Will the rest of the team from Alias be coming along, or just you?

BB: I will work with Michael Gaydos wherever and whenever he wants. He's amazing and I am amazed he hasn't been stolen from me. The only difference with Gaydos right now is that he really wants to paint, but can’t paint a monthly, and this isn't a painted book. So we’re looking into how to make him happy and do the book. So look for an announcement soon.

But Gaydos is a major dude, major.

We’re also losing David Mack because his cover work was slowing down a Kabuki relaunch and as a comic fan, I can't be held responsible in any way for that. We’ll have the name of the very exciting new cover artist as soon as his deal is done.

Link here.

[Vitriola]

So, is the continuing Powers story any good? Once you go F, you can't go back.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

You read the graphic novel?

I'd say it's good, yeah. In fact, I think the original storyline was probably the worst of the storylines that the comic has had, but it's all relative: Bad Powers is much better than Good Green Lantern and so forth.

Plus, Deena wears all those little half-shirt jerseys. You gotta love that.

"You gotta love that!" -- Mike Ditka

[pinback]

graphic novel

Comic book.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

graphic novel

Food Seasoning

Curry.

[bruce]

graphic novel

Food Seasoning

Curry.

Expert.

[Guest]

Food Seasoning

Curry.

Expert.

Q*Bert

[Worm]

Curry.

Expert.

Q*Bert

ONE MORE TIME!

[Da King]

Few. I was afraid this was the Jennifer Garner series on ABC that was cancelled.

I love her.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

Few. I was afraid this was the Jennifer Garner series on ABC that was cancelled.

I love her.

You should write a review of "13 Going On 30."

Don't lie. We know you saw it.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

Few. I was afraid this was the Jennifer Garner series on ABC that was cancelled.

I love her.

You should write a review of "13 Going On 30."

Don't lie. We know you saw it.

Still hoping for this review!

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

... Any time now!

[ChainGangGuy]

Reading any comics these days, Robb?

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

The ones I am getting are as follows:

Daredevil. Daredevil has been revealed to be Matt Murdock. In the latest issue, Paladin shoots him with a sniper rifle. I never liked that Paladin!

The Defenders: Some broad had sex with the Hulk. Waiting for a new issue of this one, actually.

New Avengers: Usually pretty good -- I couldn't give a shit that Ronin is actually Elektra or Echo or whatnot, sort of waiting for them to get back to the Sentry.

Powers: Always fun.

Cable & Deadpool: I keep meaning to drop this one, but then they put in fun characters from yesteryear. The last issue had them fighting Power Man and Iron Fist and who can't get behind that?

Not currently collecting anything from DC. They don't have good writers right now in my opinion. Plus, they killed the Blue Beetle and announced that they are starting a Blue Beetle comic with someone else as Blue Beetle. Ha ha ha... assholes.

[ChainGangGuy]

Powers: Always fun.

Tell me more!

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

Powers: Always fun.

Tell me more!

Powers is a comic about two cops (who we first think are just normal people, but then later are revealed to be much, much more) who exist in a world where there are super-powered good guys and bad guys causing havoc, destroying Israel, commiting murder... that sort of thing.

The last one I remember getting dealt with a cop who took a super artifact from evidence. He realized his number was up so he went out and killed as many bad guys as he could before our protagonists could catch him. He has a great speech at the end of the issue to the effect of, "And you know what happened when I killed the first one? Nothing! The world didn't end, the earth didn't split in two..." I'm really doing his actual words injustice. It's written very well and it's the most consistent comic I get (the artist is a co-creator, thus making it unlikely that he'll be shit-canned anytime soon). I don't know how easy it is for a new reader to pick up, but if you get a chance why not drop three bucks on it? There is an actual letters page that extended the read beyond your standard 10 minutes for an average comic. *



*Though I find that the best way to enjoy them is to get a whole bunch and, sure, you read them when they come out, but then you put your sleeves up, dig in deep and read like 30 of them in one sitting three years after you got them. THAT is when the medium truly kicks ass. It's a slow time coming, almost preposterously so, but very entertaining when done like that. I'm flying home, where all my comics are, in a few weeks and I hope to rip off a hundred issues of Spider-Man or the Avengers when I'm back. Actually, I'm just hoping the sump pump doesn't go and they are not all waterlogged, but secondly, that.

[MasterGrazzt]

This just in - Bendis breaks the record for Longest Fictional Pregnancy in the Pulse. Jessica just gave birth. Pulse has been around for 12 issues, and I'm pretty sure it was revealed that Luke Cage came in her in Alias.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

This just in - Bendis breaks the record for Longest Fictional Pregnancy in the Pulse. Jessica just gave birth. Pulse has been around for 12 issues, and I'm pretty sure it was revealed that Luke Cage came in her in Alias.

Ah-hahaahahah!

I actually picked up the Pulse the last time I was at the store because the cover had the baby on it, with a bunch of people all hanging around saying "coochey-coochey-coo" to the baby. But it had not been born yet!

(Quick aside -- I know that's the most feminine thing I've ever written in my life, but for future denizens -- it was Power Man's baby. POWER MAN! The same guy who got stiffed out of $200 from Doctor Doom, so he flew to Eastern Europe in order to beat it out of him, like Doctor Doom was a cheap harlot holding back crack money from her pimp. I can't get enough Power Man.)

I wish *I* were on the cover of a comic before I was born. I have it on reasonable authority that the closest I came to such a wish is being on drawn on a matchbook cover with a Ghost Busters-style circle-slash on it while mom was in delivery. Not quite the same thing!

[Worm]

I feel it's worth noting that there's a new Flaming Carrot series going, and it's pretty magnificent.

[MasterGrazzt]

(Quick aside -- I know that's the most feminine thing I've ever written in my life, but for future denizens -- it was Power Man's baby. POWER MAN! The same guy who got stiffed out of $200 from Doctor Doom, so he flew to Eastern Europe in order to beat it out of him, like Doctor Doom was a cheap harlot holding back crack money from her pimp. I can't get enough Power Man.)