Ye Olde Scribe David Michelinie on Creating Camelot's Final Chapter

Back in November 2007, I asked Bob about the creative process on his end in crafting the upcoming IRON MAN: LEGACY OF DOOM four-issue mini-series, which constitutes the third and final part of the Iron Man/Doctor Doom"Camelot Trilogy." I hope to build and expand upon Bob's comments in the following Q & A with writer David Michelinie.

    Thanks and welcome back, David!

1. THE PITCH: According to Bob, you guys discussed the basic premise and exactly what you hoped to accomplish in the story, over the phone. The initial chat session was followed by in-depth plot-point discussions, action-sequence choreography, and conflict structuring. Afterwards, you put together a written plot submission for Marvel.

QUESTION CLUSTER 1: How did you prepare for your initial phone conversation with Bob to discuss the pitch for L.O.D.? But even before that, how did you arrive at your own initial ideas for the mini-series, and how detailed did you get with the ideas? In general, during your conversations with Bob, did you guys start with specific, possible "scenes" and then construct an overall four-issue outline from them? Did you start with the ending first and then write "backwards" to the beginning? When you two had settled and agreed on the contents of the pitch, how long did it take you to write it, and was the final draft read by Bob before it was sent off to Marvel? What was the most difficult and challenging aspect of creating the pitch? In the time prior to the pitch's approval for the mini-series -- a few weeks, according to Bob -- did you jot down any further ideas for the story, or was it shelved until approved?

1. MICHELINIE: The initial plot conversations for what became "Legacy Of Doom" actually took place six years ago. And to be honest, I don't remember a lot of details such as how specific we were at any given point in the process, how long it took me to actually write up the pitch, etc. So I'm afraid I can't be much help there. I know we didn't start with an ending; we started with a desire to put Tony Stark and Victor Von Doom into a conflict that would showcase their similarities and differences, which we figured would make for an entertaining -- and hopefully, surprising storyline.

Yes, Bob read the final draft of the pitch before it was sent to Marvel. For the individual plots, I send Bob a copy when I send one to Marvel, since any changes I make after our phone sessions are usually just to fill in details, or add clarity for the penciler. With an initial pitch, however, I think it's important to make sure all collaborators are on the same page from the start; miscommunication can get compounded if it isn't caught early.

I don't remember what the most challenging aspect was. Probably trying to do something completely different, but which still followed the situations set up in the first two parts and kept the same general tone. And I doubt that I jotted down any more ideas after the pitch was turned in. It's a waste of time and energy to put more effort into something that might be rejected. (Which, as it turned out, is exactly what happened to the initial pitch six years ago.) I mean, it's not like we could just change the names and try to sell it as a Superman story.

2. WRITING THE MINI-SERIES would seem VERY pressure-packed to me. A LOT of people depending on YOU -- namely, Bob, your co-plotter and inker; the editor; the penciler; and right on down the line!

QUESTION CLUSTER 2: Once L.O.D. was approved, what was the work flow timeline for each issue: with on-going discussions with Bob, writing the script, and discussions with editor Molly Lazer? What is your personal writing routine like? How do you keep on schedule? How do you write a script, like movie script with "stage directions" and notes for the penciler? To me, at first, it seemed a real risk to produce a "flashback" miniseries, since you once stated that if there were ever to be a concluding chapter to the "Camelot Trilogy," the action would take place in the present time. But now, with today's convoluted nature of the Marvel Universe, a current-continuity story would seem impossible to create. Did you ever consider alternate approaches to the story, other than the flashback?

2. MICHELINIE: "Legacy Of Doom" is an atypical project in that it had such a long lead time that I've had the luxury of waiting until I have all 22 pages of pencils before I start scripting. And, since I¹ve never been given a deadline, I can set my own schedule. When deadline pressure is heavy, I usually set myself a goal of a certain number of pages to rough draft per day, so that I'll be finished in time to get the book in when it¹s due. With L.O.D., I've been scripting in specific sections; that is, on any given day I'll write one entire scene, beginning to end, or maybe two scenes if they're short. That way I don't have to break the story up at an awkward point and then have to work to make it fit when I start on the next page the following day.

The one-shot, IRON MAN: THE END, was written like a screenplay, with art directions and dialogue all part of the script. That's the method I'm told Marvel prefers these days. But L.O.D. was written plot-pencils-dialogue, which I think often makes for a better overall flow. If the writer can see the pictures before he adds the dialogue, he can use words to clarify something that may be confusing in the art. Conversely, if the art tells the story clearly, then he can minimize words, and avoid bogging things down with reams of Precious Prose.

We considered several angles when deciding how to tell this story. The flashback method seemed to work best for a number of reasons. The first two parts had a similar look to them, and the character of Tony Stark was consistent. If part three had been told in current continuity, the look would be vastly different, the characters and setting would be different, and Tony Stark would have a different personality. That could have been jarring for readers familiar with the first two parts, and for readers who come to the story new when all three parts are eventually collected in book form. So a "forgotten episode" approach seemed to work best for consistency. But by setting the beginning and ending in modern times, we at least anchor the story in the current Marvel Universe.

3. THE PENCILER: Ron Lim worked with you and Bob on METALLIX for Future Comics, so it must have been a homecoming of sorts when he signed on for L.O.D.. Same with colorist Moose Baumann.

QUESTION CLUSTER 3: At what point in the creative process was Ron brought in to discuss the plan of attack for L.O.D.? When you sent script pages to Ron, did you send pages as you completed them, or the entire script for a whole issue? Briefly, explain the work flow cycle with the writer, artist, inker, and editor -- who gets what, when, and how. Bob revealed that he sends you xeroxes of Ron's penciled pages for you to make the word balloon placements on them. How does that process work? How much artistic freedom is Ron given in developing things? I noticed that he made a design tweak in the post-Armor-Wars Iron Man armor in L.O.D.  -- the chest plate, shoulders, and trunks are all ONE PIECE! Bob has always used Tony Stark's EYES for dramatic effect, as Tony peers through the eye ports in the faceplate of his helmet. (At times Bob even has taken creative license in having the eye ports themselves show emotion by the way he positioned them! In current continuity, the armor¹s eye ports are sealed -- no peek-a-boo capability there.) Did you insist that Tony's eyes be visible in L.O.D.? During the whole process of the writer-penciler collaboration, how many times did you speak with Ron?

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3. MICHELINIE: Ron (both Bob's and my first choice, and one of Molly's faves) was brought in after the project had gotten a green light. As I mentioned earlier, the stories are being done plot-pencils-dialogue, so Ron is sent the complete plot once it's been approved by the editor. He then draws the story according to the plot (which is broken down into a series of scenes with suggested page lengths). The pages are sent physically to Bob and electronically to Marvel. Since Marvel doesn't have the actual pages, Bob has been making xeroxes and sending them to me for the addition of dialogue -- also known as scripting.

Ron isn't involved in the development of the story, but has a fair amount of freedom in how he interprets the art directions. He's a terrific storyteller, so we rarely have problems -- any surprises are generally good ones.

I really haven't paid any attention to whether Tony's eyes are visible in the armor or not. If it matters I'm sure Bob will say/do something about it.

4. PRESENT STATUS OF THE MINI-SERIES.

QUESTION CLUSTER 4: Once the work leaves your hands, and is sent off to the colorist and letterer, do you get status updates on the project from Molly Lazer? Right now, where is L.O.D.  in terms of completion? As the mini-series gets closer to its publication date (April, right?), does Marvel set up you and Bob and Ron for interviews with the comic book media? Otherwise, do online reporters just keep up with things and contact you guys on their own?

4. MICHELINIE: So far I haven't had any input after I send in the script. I'm hoping I'll at least be able to proofread the lettering since, as the man who made up the words, I'm probably the one most likely to spot errors in that area. But I haven't discussed it with Molly yet.

Right now, all four plots have been approved and the first two issues have been pencilled, scripted and inked. The first eleven pages of issue #3 have been pencilled and are in the process of being inked. I'll script them when the rest of the pencilled pages arrive.

Yes, as I understand it the mini-series is scheduled to be published on a weekly basis in April.

Marvel made an official announcement about the project last summer, and a number of interview requests resulted from that. I'm not aware that Marvel has actually set any interviews up, but I'm pretty sure they make contact information available to the press, and that likely leads to some of the requests that reach me.

5. THE BEST FOR LAST.

QUESTION CLUSTER 5: As you look back on the previous two chapters of the "Camelot Trilogy," why, in your mind, will "Legacy of Doom" top them? Is there anything special in terms of story or art that will make L.O.D. really stand out from the prior two? Bob said he wants fans to feel that you guys "hit it out of the park." Did you? To me, you already have -- just by being back on Iron Man. I've been waiting for this since IRON MAN: BAD BLOOD in 2000. It's been a long seven year wait for us Iron Fans.

5.  MICHELINIE: Thanks for the compliments. (That pink glow you see on the eastern horizon is me blushing.) I really didn't think about topping anything with L.O.D. I guess the readers will be the judges of that. The only goal I have in writing any story is to do the very best I can under the circumstances that surround a given assignment. Whether it's the third part of a popular trilogy, or a 5-page back-up in an annual no one's gonna read, I pressure myself to write the most entertaining script that I can. Some are better than others, but all are the best I can do under the circumstances (meaning health, deadlines, editorial requirements, etc.). So if we hit one out of the park, that¹ll be great. But even if it's a slide-into-second double, I'll have given it my best swing.

David Michelinie