interview by Mikespins

For people not familiar with The Loners can you give us a little recap on who they are?

The Loners actually used to be called Excelsior and debuted in Runaways Vol.2 issues 1-6. They're a superhero self-help group who are trying their best to put their pasts as teenage heroes behind them and live normal lives out in L.A. But once you have their powers, can you ever truly give up the lifestyle?! The current members as we start the series are Darkhawk, Ricochet, Turbo, Green Goblin, Julie Power and Spider-Woman. There will also be a few surprise guests along the way as well.

Who came up with the idea behind those Jason Pearson covers? Was that all Pearson, or do the retro-John Hughes themes tie in with the comics themselves?

As an admitted John Hughes nut, I had the original idea which I suggest to editors Molly Lazer and Bill Rosemann. They shot it over to Jason who we knew was going to be doing the covers, and he batted it around for a bit and mulled over the posters. He finally decided he could make them truly unique by adding his own style and textures and he really changed them from simple homages to amazingly original pieces of art. He added things like the wonderful L.A. map background and text on issue one, and then the incredible chair imagery above Ricochet's head on issue two! No one does it like Jason!!

The Loners are really a support group for heroes trying to get away from the super hero gig. How hard is it to pitch a book about a cast who no longer want to be heroes, at least on the surface?

It wasn't easy, let me tell you that. I pitched it in May two years ago after I quit Marvel and it is finally seeing the light of day this week. Phew! It originally started out with them as an actual team again picking up where they left off in Runaways, but Tom Brevoort encouraged me to explore the self-help angle more. A couple conversations with Brian Vaughan about how he handled the characters helped me get my head around them more. Ultimately, everyone has habits and vices that we try to shake and quit, but can't, so we've all been there. This book is about the emotional attachment we all have to certain things we love but want to give up. While no one really knows what it's like to be a superhero, everyone can relate to the core emotions and feelings these kids are going through in making the decision to try and cast away one of the things they love most.

The support group idea is an interesting one. In the Marvel Universe mutants are standins for the disenfranchised and marginalized. Metaphorically who are The Loners?

I think each of the Loners is in the group for a different reason. One might be compared to an alcoholic, who knows he's addicted to his power and is afraid he might get out of control if he doesn't stop. Another might be the outsider, who's uncomfortable in the super hero clique and is trying to put their costume behind them to fit in with the "normal" crowd. Each character ends up being a different metaphor.

How much fun has it been to take a cast of "forgotten" characters and try to bring them back front and center? Are there any new members coming up we haven't seen yet?

It's been a blast! I'm a comic book geek if there ever as one and I read all the books starring these characters as they were coming out; Power Pack, Slingers, New Warriors, Darkhawk, Green Goblin... It's a thrill for me to be able to write them all into one title. There are some new members coming too. We've already seen the Mattie Franklin Spider-Woman character in the first issue previews. Rumor has it the Gen Xer formerly know as Penance joins as well. :) Plus, there is that mystery character that everyone keep guessing about that no one has gotten right yet. Plus, I just got approval for a villain's appearance that will have people scratching their heads at first, then begging for more!

Will Rick Jones continue to play a role in The Loners?

No, while Rick financed the Loners first mission as Excelsior, he's going to be kept busy with the impending return of the Incredible Hulk from space.

What role do you see the Loners occupying in the post-Civil War Marvel Universe?

They're taking registering to the extreme. They decided to sign up, but it's simply a gesture as they're trying to get out of the game entirely. They want no part of the post-war antics that are going on in New York. But that said, L.A. is their turf now, and when some of the Civil War fallout spills over to the West Coast, what will they do?

The first issue features a few characters falling off the wagon so to speak. Is this going to be a continuing theme in the book?

Yes, there will always be the worry that they won't be able to stay away from their costumes and their powers for various reasons. Peter Parker had Uncle Ben to teach him that "with great power their must also come great responsibility". These kids are trying to learn that lesson all on their own and at a different time in their lives.

Do you have longterm plans for the group? What's coming up?

While we're only scheduled for six issues for now, if sales are up and we get to continue, I have the next two arcs, up to issue 18, planned out. There are a few other "blasts from the past" that I have slated to show up that I'm sure people will get a kick out of!

For people who might not know about The Loners what would you say to get them to give the book a try?

I look at the series as more of an ensemble cast teen drama than a superhero comic, which I hope many readers will find as a breath of fresh air. Even if you're not a fan of capes and tights, you might dig Loners as the main characters in the book don't really want to be there anyway. :)

Review of Loners #1.

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