Avengers Vs. X-Men: War Journals – Breaking In
How did two of Marvel’s big guns break into comics? In our newest Avengers vx. X-Men: War Journals videos, Matt Fraction and Jason Aaron each shared stories about their early days of working with Marvel editor-in-chief Axel Alonso and how he helped get them to where they are today.
Fraction said, “He called me and gave me, GAVE me Punisher: War Journal and said, ‘yeah I’m not really pitching it to anybody else so don’t f#@k it up, you’ll be fine, just don’t f#@k it up, don’t f#@k me, don’t f#@k it up, you’ll be fine, I’m pretty sure you’ll be fine’…and that was my start at Marvel.”
AvX: Getting A Start At Marvel Comics
Aaron shared a similar story about an early run-in with Alonso, “I met Axel for the first time at a San Diego Comic-Con. I kept trying to track him down on the floor,” he said. “We kept missing each other and I saw him one night in the bar…and I said ‘Can we sit down tomorrow and make some time to talk about this idea,’ and he said ‘What do you we have to talk about? Just write the f#@%ing Wolverine and I’ll read it!’” Aaron said. “That was all I needed.
Alonso stressed the importance of being yourself. “If you got the call, it means that the editor likes what you do.” He also added a bit of knowledge that he imparted on Fraction and Aaron. He said, “don’t be afraid to turn down assignments…you have to say ‘no’ if it doesn’t fit, you have to say ‘no,’ it doesn’t mean more offers won’t come, in fact, maybe more offers will come…”
And advice is the theme of out next peek behind the Marvel curtain as Aaron lets us in on some advice Axel gave him and the E.I.C. himself shares some inspiration with up-and-coming comic scribes.
“He said, ‘I will keep using you until you start to suck,’” Aaron said. “So I guess I haven’t started to suck yet.”
Alonso said, “Don’t wait for someone’s permission to make comic books. Do it. It’s never been easier. All you need to do is produce an ash-can, which is a comic you can produce at a Kinkos, or better yet, create a web-comic,” he said. “Go out and do it, that’s the only way to do it.”
Avengers vs. X-Men #7 hits stands Wednesday, July 4! Read a preview by clicking the image below!
Check back each week for another behind-the-scenes look into Marvel Comics’ major event for 2012 in Avengers vs. X-Men: War Journals.
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