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Hopefully something where he writes some really cool, forward-thinking stories, but fanboys piss and moan about it endlessly because they fear the unfamiliar, and then editorial comes in and mucks everything the hell up until the end of his run is a hollow parody of all that came before.

Y'know, something different.

Hopefully something where he writes some really cool, forward-thinking stories...

...and then meanders around pointlessly for a few years before squandering any potential to be found in the cool ideas and applying all that forward thinking to backwards-looking stories?

Can't wait!

Something about school lunch programs. I need to know his thoughts on this topic.

Hopefully something where he writes some really cool, forward-thinking stories, but fanboys piss and moan about it endlessly because they fear the unfamiliar, and then editorial comes in and mucks everything the hell up until the end of his run is a hollow parody of all that came before.

Y’know, something different.

The last time editorial interfered with a JMS story, it was to keep him from bringing back Gwen Stacy and erasing not just the Peter/MJ marriage, but the whole Peter/MJ relationship, so it doesn't seem to me that it is really a clear-cut case of "editorial bad, JMS good."

I hope he starts doing more of his own stuff. JMS is at his best when he's playing in his own sand-box: Babylon 5...Rising Stars...I'd take more of either (hey, maybe he can finish the story he started in Crusade).

Agreed, Dan.

I liked Midnight Nation, for the most part!

Captain Power revival!

I liked Midnight Nation, for the most part!

It was enjoyable if you turned a blind eye to the flaws, most of which were minor, but did lessen it's impact as a whole.

It was enjoyable if you turned a blind eye to the flaws, most of which were minor, but did lessen it’s impact as a whole.

That's a beautiful description of the work.

"The last time editorial interfered with a JMS story, it was to keep him from bringing back Gwen Stacy and erasing not just the Peter/MJ marriage, but the whole Peter/MJ relationship, so it doesn’t seem to me that it is really a clear-cut case of “editorial bad, JMS good.”"

Undoing the marriage was editorial's idea in the first place.

Come on, Mike. He did not like the marriage. He wanted it gone as much as anyone else (okay, maybe not as much as some others, but still, he was totally down with the idea to get rid of it). And his idea was WORSE than what they ended up with.

This being said, I like JMS' work, on the whole. I'm excited to hear what new works he is going to be doing. I think he is a good writer.

I just differ with the whole "JMS = good guy, Editorial = Bad guy" thing.

There aren't many DC properties that I'd want JMS on that don't already have a good writer. Possibly a Hawkman mini from him might be interesting.

I'm not a big fan of JMS' not because of the spidey stuff.Just,I don't think his very good.But,I am curious to find out what DC books he may write.

I very much doubt he would write for DC anything. I thinks his deals with Warner soured him and he is not open to dealing to any of the affiliated company, DC included. I remember some difficulties related to Babylon 5 comics, and other things... so I would think much problably that he would do something for TV or concentrating on the B5 Lost Tales specials then writing Superman or something like that.

I've never heard JMS didn't like the marriage. And it seems counterintuitive; if he didn't like it, why didn't he just keep MJ and Peter separated forever, like they were when he came on the book?

And while any retcon of the marriage is stupid, "change one thing and everything else follows logically from it" is certainly better than "we're not going to say what exactly changed, but the marriage is gone, nobody remembers Peter's secret identity, and Harry Osborn is alive, and we're not going to bother explaining it beyond 'magic, now shut up and enjoy the comics we read when we were 13 all over again.'" If only for maintaining the pretense of giving a damn about good storytelling.

if he didn’t like it, why didn’t he just keep MJ and Peter separated forever, like they were when he came on the book?

The very same editorial interference you mentioned before.

The very same editorial interference you mentioned before.

That and everyone was demanding it - he was constantly asked over and over in interviews at the time about bringing her back in.

But,I am curious to find out what DC books he may write.

I find it odd that so many are assuming he'd go to DC - he's enough of a name (and probably has a good amount of F-You money) that he could go to any company and they'd be happy to have him.
I'd prefer him to go back to doing his own finite books.

MIDNIGHT NATION - what flaws? It was Perfect!

At least compared to RISING POWERS - that was disastrous at least artwise (with the exception of Brent Anderson and Stuart Immonen).

MIDNIGHT NATION - what flaws? It was Perfect!

There were few odd moments of characterisation, motivation and overall plot.
Especially with those goblin looking villains - they seemed to change what they were all about whenever the plot demanded it - like what were they doing in 'our' world in the first issue, they never do anything alike it again etc
Also a bad idea to have these villains that are meant to be really powerful keep getting clobbered so easy...

If I re-read it I'll compile a list for you.
Not saying it was bad at all, just saying there were some flaws that you have to consciously ignore.

I seem to recall reading (in an interview ?) somewhere that there was a Superman book with JMS's name on it whenever he wanted to come and do it.

I also seem to recall JMS saying writing Superman was an ambition. Therefore I'll; not be surprised to see JMS Supes

(I can't remember where I saw either of those !)

My hunch is that he'll stick away from DC for the time being and go to someplace where he'll have a little more freedom. The message seems to point to him picking up an established book or working in an established line, but after the spider-mess I could see him being a bit gunshy.

I thought Midnight Nation was an excellent early attempt at doing a maxi series by someone with very little comics experience but a great deal of writing experience.

We've been rewatching Babylon 5 during the writer's strike and that's really what I want more of. I want him to play off the success of the Buffy comic and do Crusade how he would have wanted.

Midnight Nation ruled, as did Supreme Power. Rising Stars and his Spider-Man both started well, then went downhill. Hven't read his other stuff, though I'm planning to buy Requiem.

I think he'd fit well at Wildstorm. Or maybe with Gary Frank on a Superman title. hmmmm...

I thought Midnight Nation was an excellent early attempt at doing a maxi series by someone with very little comics experience but a great deal of writing experience.

Shame then that JMS as a comics writer dates back to the 80's.

I know he's expressed interest in writing Superman before, so I wouldn't surprised to see him do something with the man of steel somewhere down the line.

Not as excited about that as I would've been 5 years ago, frankly. His Spider-Man run really lowered my opinion of him as a writer (Gwen having kids by Osborn... UGH).

I'd like a JMS Checkmate, if only to see him write Mister Terrific.

JMS says he is now in a position to not have to be exclusive. I think this is because of the movie he has written that is being produced by Ron Howard and directed by Clint Eastwood.

The last time editorial interfered with a JMS story, it was to keep him from bringing back Gwen Stacy and erasing not just the Peter/MJ marriage, but the whole Peter/MJ relationship, so it doesn’t seem to me that it is really a clear-cut case of “editorial bad, JMS good.”

I thought the editorial interference was to make Gwen Stacy's affair and subsequent children be with Norman Osborne rather than Peter Parker. Really I preferred JMS's version.

And I never really get the hate thrown at the art in the early part of Rising Stars. Yeah it's crappy 90's Image house style art, but then so are the books drawn by Jim Lee, Michael Turner etc...

Not great, but certainly not bad enough to get in the way of me enjoying a cracking story.

I thought the editorial interference was to make Gwen Stacy’s affair and subsequent children be with Norman Osborne rather than Peter Parker. Really I preferred JMS’s version.

That was a previous instance of editorial interference.

Do note that even there, they told him, "If you don't want to tell the story with it being Norman as the father, it's okay, you don't have to tell the story at all," and JMS chose to tell the story anyways. So while yeah, editorial told him Peter couldn't be the parent, they also didn't force him to actually do the story.

While I can't really blame any creator who goes for the benefits & other advantages of signing an exclusive, if there is one thing that exclusives have not brought about, it's better comics.

Not great, but certainly not bad enough to get in the way of me enjoying a cracking story.

You have a higher pain tolerance than I. That Turner/Lee/flat Image crap makes my eyes bleed.

Do note that even there, they told him, “If you don’t want to tell the story with it being Norman as the father, it’s okay, you don’t have to tell the story at all,” and JMS chose to tell the story anyways. So while yeah, editorial told him Peter couldn’t be the parent, they also didn’t force him to actually do the story.

Good point. That probably was a bad call by JMS