Bulletproof Monsters
Welcome back!
The spring to summer transition has finally kicked into full gear, and I couldn’t be happier. I don’t mind the cold, and I love snow, but for me, the spring and summer means more of this:
I don’t ride as much as I’d like for a number of reasons - most psychological, some because too many people scroll instagram while driving their two-ton kill boxes - but I’m trying to get in more seat time this year. The plan is to set aside some sacred time to ride a little more each week, ultimately building confidence and skill until I find myself ready for a longer trip.
Riding and Writing sound very similar,
don’t they..? 🤔
But while I’m sitting at my desk, let’s talk comics! Specifically:
Spider-Man vs. Godzilla!
When I heard that this series of battles between the King of the Monsters and characters of the Marvel Universe was happening, I leapt across the table, grabbed my editor by the collar and threatened bodily harm if didn’t get to participate. I mean, come on! I get to write two of my favorite characters squaring off— in the 1980s!? No brainer.
There was one goal for this book: FUN. Fun for me. Fun for the immensely talented Nick Bradshaw. Fun for the fans.
Naturally, Nick kicked into sicko mode and delivered that 80s goodness:
If you look at that page of script, you’ll notice a few devices that we don’t see much in mainstream books anymore, but were in big use in the 80s. Thought bubbles - which frankly need to come back into fashion - they are uniquely “comics” and serve to create an immediacy that captions just don’t nail for me. If I’m playing armchair historian, this is likely the influence of Frank Miller on all of us, specifically his work on The Dark Knight Returns, Daredevil, and Elektra Assassin. Regardless of why it went away, I think the bubble deserves a comeback.
Editorial captions are another artifact of the 80s. We still use them when necessary, but back in the day they were everywhere. I saw a few people online complaining that “Nick” was too intrusive in this issue, but I wrote all of those captions. I thought it was funny to reference books that did and didn’t exist as if the Marvel Monolith demanded constant clarification for the reader.
(If you’re interested in seeing more of Nick’s stuff or even picking up a page of your own, check out his stuff on Art by Canucks. If I accidentally purchased a page from this book, I will share it with you all when it arrives. : )
Now if you are as big of a Godzilla fan as I am, then you are very aware of the masterpiece Godzilla Minus One by writer/director Takashi Yamazaki. This film is heavy, and considered by many to be among the best of the 70 year run of films. It deals with PTSD, guilt, the relationship between soldiers and the countries that use them as human bullets, as well as a titan destroying Japan with breath that literally hits like an atomic bomb. Heavy.
“So why did you make this a funny book you fake Godzilla fan?!”
Here’s the cool thing about Godzilla… he is a big enough character to handle both comedy and drama, even in the same story. In Godzilla Minus One, the big boy is undone by a combo of science and a balloon company… and it’s legit harrowing and legit silly.
Godzilla is a bulletproof character.
For me, a “bulletproof” character is one that feels right in almost any milieu. Comedy to drama to horror, they can work without being “broken” by the story.
Not every character has this “bulletproof” status. I would argue that some Spider-Man stories don’t “feel” right if Spidey’s characterization is too dark or curt. Dark and gritty Superman..? I’ve shared my thoughts on that loudly and often. (TL;DR I hate it.)
Batman on the other hand can handle the camp of the ‘66 TV show and the grit of the Nolan films and people get it. Godzilla can suplex a Kaiju and do a victory dance in one film and provide a bloody allegory for ineffectual government bureaucracy in another. (That’s Shin Godzilla by Hideaki Anno, the master also responsible for Neon Genesis Evangelion.)
So what makes a character “bulletproof”? It’s not just the lifespan of the character, or we’d all be okay with “chiropractor Superman” snapping necks. I don’t think that it’s as simple as exposure to different takes either, or “gritty reboots” and “silly reboots” of characters would endure beyond flashes in the cultural pan. I think that it’s got something to do with the themes around which the characters were built:
The more primal the DNA, it seems to me, the more widely a character can be played.
A lot of these characters feel like they share relatable fears as a foundational element. Batman is born from the loss of his parents. Godzilla grows out of man’s nuclear folly in war. The Zombie represents a fear of what happens after our inevitable death. The list goes on. Does fear make the funny, tho’?
If you have ever been nervous or scared in your life, your first reaction might have been to scream… but it may also have been an uncomfortable laugh. The triggers of horror and comedy lie very close to one another in our society, and that’s reflected in our storytelling. It’s why horror-comedy is a genre onto itself. It’s how we can use humor to break tension in a scene without giving the reader whiplash or ruining the drama.
Now, if you’re an aspiring creator, do you want a bulletproof character? Maybe not - Superman is an icon for a reason… but he can’t go around vaporizing people for “justice” and still feel right. He’s made of different stuff. It’s a trade off you should think about as you’re cooking up your own characters.
Next time, back to Spider-Man proper. Meanwhile, if you’re out driving and you see a motorcyclist on the road, give ‘em a little extra space as a favor to me?
Best,
-JK
Books & Appearances:
Comics!
The Amazing Spider-Man #3 - On sale 5/7
The Amazing Spider-Man #4 - On sale THIS WEDNESDAY! 5/21
The Amazing Spider-Man #5 - On sale 6/4
The Amazing Spider-Man #6 - FOC today 5/19 - On sale 6/18
The Amazing Spider-Man #7 - FOC 6/2 - On sale 7/2
Immortal Sergeant - Order from your LCS!
I Kill Giants - Order from your LCS!
Appearances!
Hurricon - 6/14
Heroes Con - 6/20-6/22
Terrificon - 8/8-8/10
I'm not sure if you're answering questions in this newsletter, but if you are, I'm curious: Godzilla Vs Spider-Man played fast and loose with established continuity, especially around Eddie Brock and Sin Eater.
Was this just another case of it not being in continuity so you had fun with it (like what MJ knew)?
Totally! With only 25 pages and an out-of-continuity story (unless they change that!) I could play fast and loose. We wanted to get Eddie in at the end as a coda, and this was the fastest way.
Thanks for checking it out and thanks for the question!
If you'd allow me another question (honestly, I could go until you stop me really): I just read issue #4 of Amazing Spider-Man. It was wonderful and made me cry, you monster!
But I wonder if you had any pushback on showing Peter drinking, especially underaged drinking?
Glad you liked it and I'm glad it got the intended emotional response! (I am a monster!) It was a BIG DEAL to get this approved. Peter canonically doesn't drink, but I wanted to show why. More importantly, I wanted to show how that moment connected to Peter's relationship with May. I took it extremely seriously, made sure we didn't glorify it, and thankfully it was approved.
I'm really glad it was. It's also nice to see this kind of raw and rebellious Peter, that absolutely speaks to who he grew up to be. Great work! Also, I do hope that Itsy Bitsy is okay.
Hey, Joe! Amazing Spider-Man is tremendous, so congratulations- you are killing it! On a slightly unrelated note, do you happen to be a fan of the animated show Common Side Effects? Since we first saw Brian’s mushrooms, I’ve wondered if there was any inspiration there… And lastly, on an even more unrelated note, have you ever listened to 1999 by Joey Badass? Great record from the current king of New York!
One character that definitely falls in the camp of being a bulletproof character is the Hulk because he honestly is the most versatile character that Marvel has.
A character who I would argue is not bulletproof is the Joker but that's likely more me not really being a fan of how every take in the last decade or so has to be increasingly edgier then the last.
Though maybe Superhero characters in general really aren't bulletproof by the very nature of the world they inhabit. Points to Identity Crisis.
Will we see any nice romantic moments in this comic? Either with Shay or another character if you decide to have them break up? I love romance, and just want to read nice moments of Peter being a good boyfriend or having the support of a partner.
Will we see an end to the whol non-exclusive relationship thing? I don't feel it fits Peter character such a thing, I always saw him as someone commited, not a fan of him being with different girls lately at the same time like Shay, Felicia and Lynda.
I really don't see the point of 616 Peter being in a relationship with anybody that isn't MJ at this stage of the characters history. Like we all know that the Shay stuff isn't going to really advance that far and the best we can hope for is enough character work that she becomes a solid supporting character.
Though before you can really get Peter back with MJ, you have to deal with the baggage the Wells run put on her and now the Venom stuff.
I think that this misunderstands storytelling somewhat. It's not about the end goal, it's about the journey. Otherwise we can say there's no point in Spider-Man fighting villains at this point in his history, because we know he's going to win.
That he is with Shay (for example), and learning stuff from her, and experiencing the world with her, is the point. Who he ends up with is immaterial.
This, so long as they do interesting stuff, and maybe explore things showing Shay as her own character and maybe giving her and Peter an interesting relationship, don't mind reading about her more.
Just want a good story in my favorite comic, like romance as well, so just want to have something to enjoy.
Eh, after the devil undoes your decades long marriage- its kinda pointless to really care about any romances afterward.
This is how I feel about it for sure. If we default to "the good guy always wins" or "of course they're going to get together" then what's the point?
As a side note, I just want to thank all of you in this thread for having an actual conversation as opposed to just flaming out. Respect all around!
If you are going to have Peter have a non-MJ relationship for the time being. Can you please bring back Marcy Kane aka the love interest who got revealed as an alien in a non-Spidey book and Peter never found out?
Because at least that would be something different.
Also its weird how Hobgoblin never became a Wasp villain considering they both have a background in the fashion industry.
RIP Peter David. What a great Spider-Man writer and comics writer in general.