New Interview Reveals More Details About Upcoming M.A.S.K. Comic Series
Just a week after IDW formally announced the return of M.A.S.K. to comic books, more details are now emerging about the new series. Writer Brandon Easton was actually the one who brought the new Comic Book Resources interview to my attention! I'm very excited that he is being very active and actually seeking out our fan community on social media!
The new interview with Easton and artist Tony Vargas adds a few more details to the original USA Today story about M.A.S.K. origins, characters to be included (and excluded), and mask capabilities. It also provides some insight into Easton's and Vagas' individual history with the franchise and inspiration moving into the new series. Here a few things I took away as we continue to compile more exciting details:
V.E.N.O.M. will be much more organized that M.A.S.K. in the beginning
From Easton, it appears V.E.N.O.M. will be a vicious group of terrorists that "will have no problem going after M.A.S.K. in broad daylight, or they might attack using stealth, or they might try a long game of intimidation." However, M.A.S.K. agents will seemingly be less organized with characters having "dark and/or complicated pasts" and having to "prove they deserve to pilot these sophisticated machines on what could be described as suicide missions." What we don't know yet is who will be recruiting the agents.
The masks' capabilities will be a mix of new tech and what's was originally depicted in the cartoon series.
When referring to the masks, Easton says "those things were blocky and unwieldy. I wanted the modern versions to be streamlined, like our smartphones and tablets...I see these masks as weaponized Google glasses." I'm excited to see the new tech and how something like Hocus Pocus or Whip will could potentially perform in the 21st century.
Eight total characters are planning to make a reappearance in the new series
Other than the obvious leaders Matt Trakker and Miles "Mayhem" Manheim, Easton says in "the first year or so we'll see Gloria Baker, Vanessa Warfield, Sly Rax, Bruno Sheppard, Brad Turner, and Julio Lopez. Absolutely no T-Bob." First, those are some interesting choices like Bruno and Julio seeing how they both didn't arrive until the 2nd half of the original series. I'm anxious to see why they were chosen and secondly, why frequent cartoon series characters like Alex Sector, Dusty Hayes, Hondo MacLean, and Cliff Dagger were omitted from the origin. And with no T-Bob, does that mean Scott won't be a part of the story either? Can't say I blame Easton for them not making the cut, but part of me thought maybe new less-involved characters would have worked.
Expect more background and more explanation into M.A.S.K.'s origins.
If I could change one thing about the cartoon series, it would include a detailed origin story. While it is nice to get right into the battle, I would have loved to just have a more elaborate beginning. It sounds like the new comic series will really take the time to setup the characters and the organization. When asked about what to expect in the first issues, Easton responds with "Action, intrigue, widescreen style adventure and a strong emphasis on establishing what makes these characters tick...readers (will) get to know the 21st century versions of the heroes and villains and we're working hard to make sure that fans of the old show and this new take will be satisfied." So it sounds like it may take awhile to get full-fledged wars between the factions, but I am definitely okay with that in order to get a grasp in this new M.A.S.K. world!
Read the full interview at Comic Book Resources.
What are you most excited for in this new comic series? We'll keep you posted and hopefully get the opportunity to get more first-hand knowledge as the summer passes.
The new interview with Easton and artist Tony Vargas adds a few more details to the original USA Today story about M.A.S.K. origins, characters to be included (and excluded), and mask capabilities. It also provides some insight into Easton's and Vagas' individual history with the franchise and inspiration moving into the new series. Here a few things I took away as we continue to compile more exciting details:
V.E.N.O.M. will be much more organized that M.A.S.K. in the beginning
From Easton, it appears V.E.N.O.M. will be a vicious group of terrorists that "will have no problem going after M.A.S.K. in broad daylight, or they might attack using stealth, or they might try a long game of intimidation." However, M.A.S.K. agents will seemingly be less organized with characters having "dark and/or complicated pasts" and having to "prove they deserve to pilot these sophisticated machines on what could be described as suicide missions." What we don't know yet is who will be recruiting the agents.
The masks' capabilities will be a mix of new tech and what's was originally depicted in the cartoon series.
When referring to the masks, Easton says "those things were blocky and unwieldy. I wanted the modern versions to be streamlined, like our smartphones and tablets...I see these masks as weaponized Google glasses." I'm excited to see the new tech and how something like Hocus Pocus or Whip will could potentially perform in the 21st century.
Eight total characters are planning to make a reappearance in the new series
Other than the obvious leaders Matt Trakker and Miles "Mayhem" Manheim, Easton says in "the first year or so we'll see Gloria Baker, Vanessa Warfield, Sly Rax, Bruno Sheppard, Brad Turner, and Julio Lopez. Absolutely no T-Bob." First, those are some interesting choices like Bruno and Julio seeing how they both didn't arrive until the 2nd half of the original series. I'm anxious to see why they were chosen and secondly, why frequent cartoon series characters like Alex Sector, Dusty Hayes, Hondo MacLean, and Cliff Dagger were omitted from the origin. And with no T-Bob, does that mean Scott won't be a part of the story either? Can't say I blame Easton for them not making the cut, but part of me thought maybe new less-involved characters would have worked.
Expect more background and more explanation into M.A.S.K.'s origins.
If I could change one thing about the cartoon series, it would include a detailed origin story. While it is nice to get right into the battle, I would have loved to just have a more elaborate beginning. It sounds like the new comic series will really take the time to setup the characters and the organization. When asked about what to expect in the first issues, Easton responds with "Action, intrigue, widescreen style adventure and a strong emphasis on establishing what makes these characters tick...readers (will) get to know the 21st century versions of the heroes and villains and we're working hard to make sure that fans of the old show and this new take will be satisfied." So it sounds like it may take awhile to get full-fledged wars between the factions, but I am definitely okay with that in order to get a grasp in this new M.A.S.K. world!
Read the full interview at Comic Book Resources.
What are you most excited for in this new comic series? We'll keep you posted and hopefully get the opportunity to get more first-hand knowledge as the summer passes.
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