A brand new novelization of Alex Ross and Kurt Busiek’s 1994 seminal mini-series Marvels by writer Steve Darnall captures the prose history of Marvel’s Silver and Bronze Age in a new package from Abrams ComicArts.
Darnall, who collaborated with Ross on the DC Comics’ Uncle Sam and also helped craft the original proposal for the Marvels series, dives right into the history and spectacle of the early Marvel Universe, accompanied by four new full-color paintings and four new black and white illustrations by Ross.
We spoke to Darnall about the challenges in adapting such a popular and influential series and his favorite aspects of the Marvel Universe in this exclusive interview with the author.
Where did the idea to create a new prose version of Marvels originate and how did you get involved in the project?
Steve Darnall: As far as I know, the idea started with Abrams or Marvel. My own involvement with the book came about through a conversation with Alex Ross, who mentioned that Abrams was hoping to publish a novelization of the story but that they didn’t have a writer. I responded in a very dramatic voice, “All right, I’ll write it.” We laughed at the time but the more we talked about it, the more everyone seemed to like the idea.
What are your memories of the original Marvels comic series pitch?
Darnall: You mean the Human Torch story? That was actually sort of a collaborative exercise that came out of my friendship with Alex, when we were both young and interested in seeing if there was a place for us in the field of comic books. I was both surprised and delighted when he told me that he’d been working on a story about the original Human Torch and asked if I’d consider taking a pass at writing the text. He showed me his version, I came back with my version, he plucked his favorite bits from each one, and when all was said and done, he had something that he felt he could show to Marvel. Thankfully, Kurt Busiek saw it and the rest is history.
It’s funny, but Alex and I were talking about that collaboration the other day and I had to admit I wasn’t entirely sure why he came to me, since I didn’t have much of a writing resume at that time. Whatever motivated him, I’m certainly grateful that he did.
Comics adaptations of novels have been around since the days of Classics Illustrated. What is it like to plan and execute this in reverse with Marvels?
Darnall: It was actually great fun from start to finish. I mean, I knew from the start that I’d be telling a great story and I appreciated the freedom that comes with writing prose. In that format, I had the chance to present a little bit more of Phil Sheldon’s life and maybe fill in some blanks, as it were.
Which section of the comic did you have the most fun expanding upon in the novel and which part was the most challenging?
Darnall: The most fun? Oh, man… I will say that I enjoyed the “interview” segments with Phil and Marcia Hardesty, which allowed me to fill in some details about Phil’s life and bridge some of the chronological gaps in the original story without getting bogged down in minute-by-minute minutiae. I also appreciated getting to pay a tribute of sorts to the work of Bill Everett by including a scene with Phil and Betty Dean as they discussed her relationship with the Sub-Mariner — which, in turn, forced Phil to think about some of his own relationships.
I’m hard-pressed to think of what was the biggest challenge — obviously, there was the challenge of telling a comic-book story with no artwork — but there was one area that I knew would need a little adjusting, involving the arrival of Galactus and the city watching his battle with the Fantastic Four. I hadn’t remembered until I re-read the story that the original story cuts away to scenes across the city, which makes it one of the few times that the action is taking place outside of Phil Sheldon’s direct line of sight, as it were. As the novel is told entirely from Phil’s perspective, I knew we’d have to make some changes to the story and I’m actually quite happy with the result.
Memories of working on Uncle Sam with Alex Ross in 1997?
Darnall: My goodness, so many memories! I remember it as a collaboration in the very best sense of the word. One thing that stands out as I look back is that Alex had committed to producing a certain number of pages each month — as you can imagine, some of them get pretty labor-intensive — and he’d show me his initial pencils before producing the painted pages. That turned out to be great for two reasons: one, it meant I could see how he visualized what I’d written and two, it gave me a chance to go over my work and sometimes adjust the writing to have an even greater impact. I hope I’m right in remembering that we brought out the best in each other.
Impressions of the four full-color paintings and four black and white illustrations by Alex Ross for the novel?
Darnall: One thing I love about Alex’s new illustrations is that they remind me of what you used to see in the old Frank Merriwell books, where you’d have a full-page illustration and a single line from the text of the story right beneath it. As for the work itself, it’s magnificent, of course. Mark my words, I think that young man will go far.
Which era of Marvel history from Marvels holds the most appeal to you as a fan?
Darnall: Well, one by-product of writing the Marvels novelization is that I got to immerse myself in some eras of Marvel with which I hadn’t been entirely familiar. That included the Human Torch and Sub-Mariner stories of the late ‘30s and early ‘40s, but also some of the early 1970s work of folks like Roy Thomas and John Romita and Gene Colan and the late Gerry Conway. I wouldn’t say that’s my first go-to era for Marvel but you could tell these folks were aiming to do some big, ambitious, emotional stories with these characters.
That said, I’m still drawn to the Marvel of the early 1960s, when Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko and their colleagues were forging ahead and creating amazing work month after month after month. Getting to re-read some of the work Kirby and Ditko were doing with Captain America and the Fantastic Four and Spider-Man and Dr. Strange, I was reminded that those books still have an energy and an enthusiasm for storytelling that’s utterly infectious.
The 368-page hardcover Marvels: The Novelization is available now from Abrams ComicArts.
