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Interviews: Ask Warren Ellis a Question
samzenpus writes "Warren Ellis is an acclaimed British author of comics, novels, and television who is well known for his sociocultural commentary. The movies Red and Iron Man 3 are based on his graphic novels. In addition to numerous other comic titles, he started a personal favorite, Transmetropolitan. Ellis has written for Vice, Wired UK, and Reuters on technological and cultural matters, and is co-writing a video project called Wastelanders with Joss Whedon. Warren has agreed to give us some of his time to answer any questions you may have. As usual, ask as many as you'd like, but please, one per post."
I've noticed that some authors are quite happy to see their works adapted into other formats, but some authors like Alan Moore seem upset, to the point of being hostile when this happens, even though they had to license or sell the rights for this to occur. Did you have control over the rights to some of your work that was turned into movies, and if so, how did you feel about that process and the end result? Have there been works by you or other writers that you felt were especially well or poorly executed in their adaptation?
Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
http://sbmmadiun.blogspot.com/2014/09/sbm.html
He left that series when DC announced, following the Columbine High School massacre, that it would not publish "Shoot", a Hellblazer story about school shootings, although the story had been written and illustrated prior to the Columbine massacre.
Is this common in comic books/graphic novels? Have you experienced this elsewhere in your career? Do you feel that DC and other big publishers are too afraid of another Fredric Wertham to toe the line?
My work here is dung.
In Transmetropolitan you accurately predicted the future of social media to broadcast news/events in real time. Do you feel you get enough credit for that? Are there any other technologies that you can take credit for?
Will Transmetropolitan ever be released as a big single collection? Or perhaps 2 books?
I sweat so much I don’t dare wear a silk top or light colors. Can you help?
Do you find humor in First Post satire on Slashdot?
Mr Ellis,
I enjoy all your work, but I view Planetary as a "love letter to the things I love". I would appreciate it if you just wrote a little bit about what you were thinking/feeling when you were working on Planetary. That work covers a lot of territory, but my reaction on first reading was to weep because you captured so perfectly the essence of all those wonderful stories that I loved as a young man. I didn't think anyone loved that shit as much as I did, but Planetary seemed to capture the essence of all those great stories whilst bringing them in to the modern age and reminding us why they were relevant and maybe still are.
So, if you would, just riff a bit on Planetary and all the things you had in your head when you were working that all out. Planetary as the finished work we have as a reference - I'm interested in the stew in your mind containing all that wonderful stuff that eventually was distilled into Planetary. Talk about that a bit, if you are so inclined.
Thanks.
My feet smell terrible! I’m worried that other people will notice. What can I do?
I don't know very much about comic books. With the exception of my parents' Mad Magazines and silver age Superman comics, I never got into them. Transmet has been one of very few exceptions. By about volume 3, I was rather terrified that this might get horribly adapted into a movie. I just couldn't imagine any way the story could be decently converted into a 90-120 minute format. The animated series adaptation idea, on the other hand, rather intrigued me. I was bummed to see it fall through; the animation looked quite promising (I seem to recall Chris Prynoski/Titmouse Inc. was somehow involved, but can't find confirmation on that). I realize nothing is currently in production, but is there any chance of another attempt at such an adaptation in the future?
Were you sad to see Global Frequency refused a TV series and did you also think Michelle Forbes was pretty much a perfect Miranda Zero ?
I feel that the upcoming crop of Senators and Congressfolk will likely be no better than the last. "Lazy douchebags" is too mild a title for them and I need a fresh approach. What would you recommend?
Do you know if there are any plans afoot to make any sort of cinematic adaptation of The Authority? I would think that this would be a perfect comic to adapt to the wide screen.
Any plans on doing more Global Frequency? Loving Trees by the way.
Smelly, neck-bearded nerds!
I'm trying to grow a beard, and my kids hate it, and it's itchy. What are the upsides of having a full beard?
Can we get a Transmet movie (ideally with Larry David as Spider) already?
- In Soviet Korea, only old people loose all their bases to Natalie Portman's petrified hot grits overlords.
Wondering if you think we are looking at a dystopian future, or utopian future?
Is it easier to do graphic novels for one or the other?
-- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
When you see things you've written become true/real as pop culture/technology moves forward, do you feel a sense of smug satisfaction, or fear? IE, things like the way people obsess and fan over vocaloids, considering they are pure construct, after 'SuperIdol' or now that everyone has a futurefone of some variety, after 'Global Frequency'.
Basically, does your futuretelling make you feel semi godlike, or do you fear for humanity?
Most of the questions you get asked are repeats. "When do we get a Transmet movie?" "Will we ever see GF on TV?" "Do you have all of Spider Jerusalem's tattoos?" (That one's my favorite -- they must assume you're wearing makeup over the spider?) What's something you want to tell us that no one asks you?
Hi Warren,
I haven't really heard of you before but I thought those movies were okay. As someone currently thinking, "what kind of stupid question is this?", what kind of biscuit do you prefer with your tea?
Planetary is practically THE reason I started reading comics again after giving them up for years in favor of manga.
Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens
How do you feel about movie adpatations of your work? Does it annoy you when the look and feel of a book changes significantly between your book, and the resulting movie? The movie Red is much lighter than the comic was.
What's something you wrote that you wish now you hadn't, or you wish you'd written differently?
You can taste your soup hours after eating it.
Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens
Greetings, praises and thankyous Mr. Ellis.
Any plans on doing more stories about historical events, like Crecy?
Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens
Also, thank you for Spider.
Physics is nothing like religion. If it was, we'd have an easier time trying to raise money!
What happened with newuniversal? Why did it fizzle out? How did it get started?
Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. -John Lennon
When writing within a popular series (e.g. X-Men or Hellblazer), there are certain hard limits in what liberties you can take. As a mundane example, you can't kill characters without planning out a large arc that builds up to it and/or quickly bringing them back, all with editorial approval from up on high.
What would you write within a popular series if only you could get permission to do it?
Use my userscript to add story images to Slashdot. There's no going back.
I'm writing my own material and learning to draw because I don't see another way to make what I want to make. I look at your body of work and I wonder: How you were able to slide these incredible missives from the Gonzoverse under the brane, and was there anything you did early on that allowed you to make the incredible defining works in your bibliography (Transmet, Planetary, Authority)?
What's it like working with Nick Cave?
First, must confess Planetary is my favorite "limited series" ever. (Tangential one-shots obviously excluded.)
I work for someone who, I say with minimal hyperbole, is a psychopathic alcoholic. So it bothers me reading about your working in pubs, drinking, etc. I fully realize that this is not a black and white, either/or, binary situation. So as I say, I work with one extreme, as it were. So question: Where do you fit on the whiskey lifestyle spectrum? (Spoiler: I'd like some reassurance, if possible, but would prefer honesty. And I'll always love Planetary no matter what.)
Have you read or been heavily influenced by Philip K Dick? Some of your work does use a lot layered realities (I'm thinking especially of Gun Machine and Supreme: Blue Rose) which is one of his trademarks.
You're a temporary arrangement of matter sliding towards oblivion in a cold, uncaring universe
You obviously have an interest in the boundary of society and technology, so if cybernetic implants became common, what would be your favourite upgrade and why?
You're a temporary arrangement of matter sliding towards oblivion in a cold, uncaring universe
A few of your peers in the comics industry are heavily into Magick (not the card game) and the occult. Are you similarly interested in the occult beyond using it as a plot device (e.g. Gravel)?
You're a temporary arrangement of matter sliding towards oblivion in a cold, uncaring universe
If you could pick any of your works for a movie of HBO series adaptation, which would you most like to see and who would you cast as the main character?