Monday, January 29, 2007

Reggie Hudlin interview

zpower from the McDuffie forum shared the following link to a Reginald Hudlin interview: http://www.mania.com/53441.html

Mr. Hudlin directed Boomerang, House Party, Serving Sara, and other notable movies, he's the President of Entertainment at B.E.T., and he happens to be the current writer of Marvel Comics "Black Panther" series.

He's the guy catchin' so much flak for having married off the character, Storm, of X-Men fame.

An exerpt: "MANIA: When you were just starting your journey with the Black Panther, what were some of the long term goals you had for the series and character? Where did you want the character to be in a year? In a few years?

HUDLIN: How can you be a King and not have a Queen? Isn't a big part of that job to produce heirs? So I knew I wanted him to get married, and Storm was the perfect choice. They have shared history, and many points of commonality. I also knew having two powerful leaders in a marriage would lead to many interesting stories."

4 comments:

Casey Malone said...

I keep trying to give Black Panther a chance, but the writing is just not very good. Especially frustrating is the passive, doting way Hudlin has written Storm.

Why does she take Panther's "You're my wife, so be quiet!" shit? Isn't this the woman who used to have a mohawk and took over the X-Men?

West said...

I'm surprised to see you say that.

I've found it exceptional, at times, and okay at other times.

As far as Storm's fire and fury, I've seen her give as good as she gets - including with T'Challa.

How much of it have you read?

Casey Malone said...

I read the first issue, because after Geoff John's Avengers run, I really liked the character, and I love John Romita's art... but I really hated the writing, so I didn't go back for issue #2. I jumped on again during the Bride of the Panther story because I read a lot of Uncanny X-Men growing up and really like Storm.

Unfortunately, that's where things passed "Meh" and got kind of "Infuriating" for me... Some major problems with the characterization of storm:
- She became "goddess" not because of her powers and upbringing, but because T'Challa dumped her.
- Storm's characterization is off on the trip home, she seems playful and childish instead of nobel and strong, and the scene where she freaks out about her hair on the way to Wakanda makes me cringe.
- Hydra and the Panther can find Storm's family, but with the resources of Charles Xavier, she couldn't? Even the excuse of "The X-Men are my family!" seems pretty thin.
- Charles' monologue during the wedding was infuriating. Storm has fought in potentially world-ending battles, led the x-men, led the morlocks, but the most important thing she could do according to Xavier (who is meant to sound wise by my read)is get married to T'Challa.
- The doom issues was one of the most frustrating. I felt when Doom told T'Challa to put Storm in her place, Storm as I know her would have said something herself, instead T'Challa spoke to Doom FOR Storm as if she was a possession. Then when Storm steps in to save his bacon from Doom, T'Challa acts like a complete JACKASS. His pride could provide interesting drama between the two characters! Why would such a strong, prideful man pick a strong woman to be by his side if he didn't want her to be strong? If she was truely a part of his family, why would he mind her fighting along side him? Instead, Storm never really stands up to his whining, and how does she diffuse the situation? WITH A KISS AND A JOKE. That reads as completely wrong for the character to me.
- What's the resolution of this? In the inhuman's issue, she actually feels the need to ASK permission to join a fight?

This trend just sort of continues through the Namor and Cap issues. Another favorite moment was Black Panther refusing to fight a woman, which is completely ridiculous to me.

So those are my problems with the book, really. I never saw a moment where Storm gave "as good as she gets" or really at all.

To be honest, that wasnt all from memory. I remembered general problems, but couldn't remember specifics, so I downloaded and re-read all the issues I'd already read so I could cite particular examples accurately.

What I didn't say in my last comment is that I like your blog, and please don't think this is some random internet guy coming and attacking your taste, I just don't really like Black Panther that much.

West said...

I haven't taken any of your opinion as an attack on mine. No worries there.

I was just surprised that you felt that way. As it turns out, you seem to have read more of the series than I.

I don't remember those moments well enough to respond worth a darn, so I may revisit the topic at a later date.

Btw, welcome.