All released preview pages, lettered or not, will be here.
That's pretty interesting.
>Janus Jardeesh
OC
>Marvel.com: Matthew, how did you come into the project? What sorts of things shaped its overall story?
>Matthew Rosenberg: Last year I was lucky enough to write a couple things for Marvel and have been hoping to get a chance to do more since then. I pitched a few ideas that weren't right for the time and place, but when Civil War II started my editor Wil Moss thought I could transition the stuff I do into that...so here I am.
>As for what shapes the story? I just really love villains like Kingpin. He's not just some monster; he's a very human character. I think examining why he will go farther and do things normal people won't is fascinating. It's what makes him matter. But also, the chance to glimpse the real person underneath it all is such a great opportunity as a writer. Seeing Wilson Fisk in a different light allows you to really hold him up against heroes like Spider-Man and Daredevil, and it makes all of them more relevant. He has real tragedy, and vulnerability, and pathos we can learn from, and that makes him as relevant as any hero.
>Marvel.com: Who is Wilson Fisk at this moment in time? What motivates him toward crime?
>Matthew Rosenberg: Wilson Fisk is an opportunist, first and foremost. Under his selfish motives, his brutal exterior, or even the facade he puts up as a pillar of his community, he is a man who sees ways to benefit himself and he takes them. He's smart and very capable. When we first meet him the crime business is not an easy one to still be a part of, and he is adjusting to that. But when Fisk figures out a way to make things work for himself he has no choice. It's his nature to go for it.
>Marvel.com: How does his crime enterprise operate and what are its goals?
>>84164356
>Matthew Rosenberg: Fisk's goals in this are the same as Fisk's goals almost always are: He wants to get whatever he can, however he can, and see how far he can push things. He is in the business of furthering Wilson Fisk, and the new Civil War will provide him a unique opportunity. He is a Civil War profiteer.
>Marvel.com: What other villains will we see in the book? Which ones are particular favorites of yours and why?
>Matthew Rosenberg: There will be some fun bad guys popping up but we're going to keep them close to our vest for now. Personally, I love the villains who are a little grounded. I love the villains who you can see where it could have gone differently for them and they could have been great villains, normal people, or even heroes. Folks like The Hood, or Jigsaw, or even Bullseye. The guys that are always "also rans" make for great villains.
>Marvel.com: And the other side of the coin? What heroes might we see?
>Matthew Rosenberg: A lot of this book is about what the mice get up to when the cats are at war with each other. So it is very villain-heavy, but of course some good guys are going to be sniffing around Fisk. There are certain characters in the Marvel universe who aren't going to let people like Fisk runaround unchecked, even with everything else going on.
>Marvel.com: What's it like working with Ricardo on CIVIL WAR II: KINGPIN?
>Matthew Rosenberg: Ricardo is amazing. I've known him for a bit and have been in love with his work for a while. He just has a really unique style that stands out in a sea of comics. His characters are so unique and full of kinetic energy they practically explode off the page, but he never sacrifices anything for storytelling. That is pretty hard to find in comics. He is a great storyteller doing really unique stuff, but for folks who just want a truly beautiful book to look at he is going to deliver that 110% as well.
>>84164364
>Marvel.com: Ricardo, what were your initial thoughts on the project when you were invited to be part of it? What really attracted you to it?
>Ricardo Lopez Ortiz: Is it possible to just insert a picture of "Heavy Breathing Cat" here? Because that was my reaction. Which was then followed by a slew of amazing artists popping into my head who have all left their stamp on the Kingpin. So getting the chance to leave my mark on such an iconic character was all the incentive I needed to be a part of this series.
>Marvel.com: Okay, how will you approach the Kingpin visually? How will you put your own artistic stamp on him?
>Ricardo Lopez Ortiz: That's something that I'm still in the midst of figuring out, and so far I keep visualizing him with a sinister tenderness, somebody that scares the hell out of you but you can't really figure out why.
>Marvel.com: What's it like for you to be working with a writer like Matthew?
>Ricardo Lopez Ortiz: I was instantly sold. I met Matt last year during Special Edition: NYCC, because he had the table next to mine. He was incredibly nice and easy to talk to, and he ended up giving me some of his We Can Never Go Home books, which are amazing. So I'm extremely excited to be working with a writer as great as him on this series.
Interview sauce: http://marvel.com/news/comics/25980/exclusive_the_kingpin_turns_civil_war_profiteer_in_new_limited_series
>>84164372
>Dynamic Forces: Matthew, tell us how this Civil War II event miniseries came about.
>Matthew Rosenberg: Last year, I was lucky enough to get to do some work for Marvel. I did a short X-Men story for Secret Wars Journal and I wrote the SHIELD: Quake one-shot. Off of those I had been talking with a few folks at Marvel about doing more stuff. I really wanted to do a villain book but the timing just wasn't right. When Civil War II started rolling Wil Moss reached out to me and we figured out a way to make my villain idea tie into Civil War II. It worked out nicely because the story I wanted to tell fits really well into the shadows that the larger Civil War II casts.
>DF: Norman Osborn really cashed in big-time during Secret Invasion, almost conquering the U.S. government AND the Avengers – and as a hero! What does Wilson Fisk have in mind for Civil War II?
>Matthew Rosenberg: Well, Norman and Wilson operate on different levels. Both of them are probably megalomaniacs, the scope and scale of how that manifests is different, though. Partially because Wilson Fisk isn't insane. He has a very twisted moral compass and is willing to do a lot of awful things, but he understands his boundaries and his needs. Where Norman Osborn wants to rule the world, Wilson Fisk just wants to rule his tiny piece of it. So this story is more about Wilson Fisk trying to carve out his piece of the world and using the backdrop of Civil War II to help him get it. Wilson Fisk wants nothing more than to have his plans succeed and be left alone. It just happens that his plans are to run all crime in New York.
>DF: Tell us, in your mind as a writer, what makes the Kingpin such a fascinating character to write. What aspects of his character do you enjoy?
>>84164381
>Matthew Rosenberg: It's hard to differentiate the “writer” side of me from the “fan” side, so I'll try to answer for both. The thing that draws me, and I think most fans, to Marvel books is the nuanced characters. The idea of the troubled, imperfect, fallible hero is so relatable, so inherently optimistic and beautiful in a lot of ways. What the early Marvel architects did was build a template for characters that were both aspirational and almost attainable. But the Kingpin is the opposite side of that coin. He is human, relatable, and proves to be a cautionary tale. Like a lot of the greatest heroes his rough childhood, his unfortunate circumstances, his differences, they all met head-on with his drive and his determination. But where Peter Parker, Luke Cage, Matt Murdoch or Scott Summers went in one direction, Wilson Fisk went in the other. And in doing so he became a truly tragic figure in a lot of ways. Fisk is smart, determined, strong and passionate. He could be one of the great heroes, but his own greed and lack of empathy turned him into something we are supposed to hate. For me, watching his plans fall apart, the woman he loves leave him, his own child betray him... just watching him get beaten over and over, it is heartbreaking in a way. But it's his own doing and I love that about him.
>DF: Will we see any of the feuding Marvel heroes in this four-issue series?
>Matthew Rosenberg: Yup. The war for the soul of the Marvel Universe will hit every corner. Even the shady ones that are trying their best to stay out of the spotlight.
>DF: Will there be any other big-bads perhaps going against Fisk’s finely-tuned plans? There’s a lot of competition out there!
>>84164342
>heanous
>>84164393
>Matthew Rosenberg: It's a hard time for the bad guys to operate. Watching Fisk rise up is going to bring a few of the big baddies out of the woodwork, for sure. But when Wilson Fisk is going there aren't a lot of people who are going to rush out to stand in his way. Also, Fisk isn't going to climb to the top without stepping on a few backs on the way. So you will definitely some unsavory types come and go.
>DF: I know this is a limited series, but can you tell us (non-spoilery, of course) if there are any major turns in the overall Civil War II event coming in Kingpin that those perhaps not reading the “side” books may need to look out for?
>Matthew Rosenberg: I think what we are trying to do is do a book that matters if you read Civil War II and stands on its own if you don't. It's a bit of a tightrope act, for sure. Wilson Fisk's plan definitely plays into the bigger world and he is going to interact with a lot of pieces of that world. So if you want to see Civil War II from multiple sides, we are definitely giving you a Civil War story you won't get anywhere else.
>But if you want to read a book about one of the best bad guys in the Marvel Universe as he fights his way back up to the top of the heap... we got that book for you too. As for major changes to the status quo? You'll have to read it and see.
--snip--
Interview sauce: http://dynamicforces.com/htmlfiles/interviews.html?showinterview=IN05251644345
>Marvel.com: How does your take on the Kingpin not only bring your own style to the table but also make the character recognizable to longtime fans?
>Ricardo Lopez Ortiz: To be completely honest, I’m still getting a feel as to how to properly draw the Kingpin and still make it my own version. So, he might change ever so slightly here and there. Kind of like how Kei, Kaneda, and Tetsuo slowly change into the versions we know and love throughout the “Akira” manga. I definitely want some kind of controlled anger just bubbling under the surface waiting to explode and have that come through one way or another. The Kingpin is such an iconic character that as long as you hit his basic visual cues—bald head, massive frame and white suit—he’s instantly recognizable.
>Marvel.com: As you mention, Kingpin has a very specific and dominating physical presence. How does that affect the way you compose the panels he’s in?
>Ricardo Lopez Ortiz: You have to get a little bit more creative with how you lay out your panels, because he can be a little tough to squeeze into close ups with others since he’s so much bigger than everyone else. On the other hand, he’s great for open, wide shots since he’s so big you can spot him a mile away. So it’s a bit of a blessing and a curse. You just have to find the right balance.
>Marvel.com: Wilson Fisk tends to surround himself with rather colorful characters. Have you been able to put your own spin on some of them?
>Ricardo Lopez Ortiz: Yeah! Matt definitely surrounded him with a pretty interesting slew of characters. I stayed pretty true to their original iterations, but I really enjoyed taking some small liberties with them. You’ll just have to wait and see when the book comes out and let me know what you think.
>>84164415
>Marvel.com: While Civil War II revolves around heroes deciding how to handle criminals, Kingpin operates right under their noses with this new endeavor. Are you enjoying getting into some of the grimier parts of the Marvel Universe?
>Ricardo Lopez Ortiz: Oh yeah, I was pleasantly surprised at how dark the script got. Really looking forward to people’s reactions when they get to read it.
>Marvel.com: From the pages we’ve seen this book seems to have a very theatrical feel to it. Was that something that came from you, Matthew’s script, or a combination of the two?
>Ricardo Lopez Ortiz: Good question; it’s probably a combination, but Matt does such a good job of setting these really nicely nuanced scenes and at the same time leaving me with a lot a room to play with. I think we got a good thing going here!
Interview sauce: http://marvel.com/news/comics/26289/hail_to_the_kingpin
>PREVIEWSworld: What sparked the idea to show Wilson Fisk benefiting from heroes fighting heroes in Civil War II: Kingpin #1?
>Matthew Rosenberg: One of the things that makes Fisk fun is that he is an opportunist. He sees and tries to play every angle. And he does that all the time when the heroes are watching for it. It just make logical sense that he would go for it in a bigger way when all the heroes are off going to war with each other. Watching Wilson Fisk take advantage of bad situations is half the fun.
>PREVIEWSworld: Will this story be more plot driven, or will you be spending more time to show the complexities and traits of the character?
>Matthew Rosenberg: I like to think it will be a healthy mix of both. Characters are what drive plots, or good ones anyway. And Fisk is a great one. Who he is, his complexities, drive the plot. For people looking for a crime story about a man building an empire, this is for you. And for readers who want to see a troubled character willing to do whatever he can to try and make a mark in the world, then this is also for you.
>PREVIEWSworld: Did actor Vincent D'Onofrio's large-yet-vulnerable performance as Kingpin in the Netflix Daredevil series have any impact on how you think about the character? Did you think of the character differently once the first season of Daredevil concluded?
>Matthew Rosenberg: Not really, no. I think Vincent D'Onofrio did a great job as the Kingpin, but so much of what I loved in his performance was very influenced by some of my favorite Kingpin comics. The Steve Dillon / Jason Aaron Punisher Max series, the Alex Maleev / Brian Michael Bendis stuff, and obviously all of Frank Miller's various Daredevil issues had a huge impact on the show and on me. And Ed Brubaker and David Aja's Daredevil #116 may be my favorite Marvel comic of all time. So I'm pulling a lot of influence from all those places.
>>84164430
>A weird story though- when they were still casting the Daredevil show I was working in a comic shop in New York to make ends meet. Vincent D'Onofrio came in and asked me for good Kingpin stories he could use to study up on. I recommended all of that stuff to him and we discussed the character for a long time. In the end he walked out with an armload of books and thanked me for the help. So in a way you could say I influenced his portrayal of Kingpin. Well... no, you really couldn't say that at all. But it is a funny story in hindsight. Also, he was Thor in Adventures in Babysitting so that was pretty cool.
>PREVIEWSworld: Why write about a villain? What attracts you to get inside the mind of a man who (in the MCU) will sacrifice his own son to save his own skin?
>Matthew Rosenberg: For starters I think the villains are just as important as the heroes. Especially in the Marvel Universe. Standing up and fighting for something is great, but only if we really know what you are fighting against. In that way I think the villains are just the other half of the bigger picture. They help us understand the heroes better, they help us understand the conflicts, and they make it all matter. But the heroes can't exist without the villains, while the villains would almost always exist without the heroes. Heroes are reactive, villains are active. So it makes sense to stop and follow the villains sometimes.
>>84164441
>But more specifically I think Wilson Fisk is one of the best characters in all of comics. He isn't pure evil like Red Skull or Thanos, he isn't a madman like Norman Osborn or Loki. Fisk is smart and determined, but his desire to succeed overpowers his sense of right and wrong. He is as driven as the great heroes, it's just that his moral compass doesn't work. In that way I think he is a classically tragic figure. He wants to be great, he wants great things for himself and his city, but his willingness to do anything to get those things is his undoing. It's easy to imagine a world where Wilson Fisk is a great man, he certainly does. But because of what he is willing to do to get there, he never will.
>PREVIEWSworld: The heroes see Fisk as a villain. Fisk sees himself differently. Anyone with a knowledge of Satan’s character in Milton’s Paradise Lost knows this is a time-tested conundrum. Where do you stand on judging Fisk? Is he more Fisk, or more Kingpin?
>Matthew Rosenberg: There are a lot of parallels between Milton's Satan and Wilson Fisk. Both are characters who are "self-raised," both command armies based on their hatred of being subjugated, and both of them would tell you that that it is "better to reign in hell than serve in heaven." But the difference is that in Paradise Lost Satan is really leading a civil war against God. He is a tragic figure in many ways because there is some truth to his argument but he can't possibly win. But Fisk isn't leading an army in Marvel's civil war, he is looking for ways around it. He is looking out for himself. And, in doing so, he becomes something very different from Milton's character. Wilson Fisk isn't tragic because he loses the fight of good vs evil, he's tragic because he never even chooses a side.
Interview sauce: http://www.previewsworld.com/Home/1/1/71/977?articleID=178304
>>84164451
Layouts by Ricardo Lopez Ortiz
Wahh wahh I forgot to upload the black-and-white, unlettered version of >>84164356 first.
Here are the variants.
>>84164402
Typo.
>>84164488
>>84164498
FIN
I'm interested because Matthew Rosenberg is actually a pretty interesting writer. We can never go home and 4 kids walk into the Bank are fantastic.
>>84164334
Why Kingpin? What relevance has he had to Civil War II or Marvel Comics as of late? I want to see what happened to all the villains who escaped Silent Hill tho.
>>84164430
Did Jigsaw just die again?
>>84165711
>Silent Hill
>>84164342
Kingpin really went to San Francisco? He just can't leave daredevil alone can he?
Or did dd go there after kp
Looks pretty cool desu I'll check it out
When's it due out? Next week?
>>84165917
>When's it due out? Next week?
Yes.
>>84165711
>Silent Hill.
I laughed out loud.
