Monday, October 02, 2006

Wetworks:where are we?

There's seems to be (to put it mildly) a PR mix-up as to where Wetworks fits in to the Worldstorm relaunch and whether Worldstorm is a relaunch or what.

Let's handle that quickly, as stated Wetworks in this new incarnation is a collaboration by Mike Carey and myself. We started it awhile ago and then were asked to postphone it for what was then strictly a relaunch of only the original books of Wildstorm from the Image days. In the context that an event would happen prior to the launch of the new books that would render all continuity that went before it to naught. Meaning we would re-start each book as if new with whatever continuity we wanted to keep from the old books or not. It was to be a mature readers line so as to give creators space to really modernize the books.

That having been established we were told to write our books totally within their own world. Meaning it was decided editorially that there would be no need of prefacing or acknowledging the big event that would create this new status quo. There was actually talk of rewriting Wetworks issue #1 (four months after we did it) to incorporate said big event, but that was soon deemed unnecessary. So Wetworks proceeded.

But since we needed to postphone Wetworks to coincide with the new Universe

(I mean if we launched Wetworks months before the big event then when said event actually happened we'd have to start Wetworks all over again. If not we'd look silly being the only book that didn't react in some way to the fact that there was a new status quo. In essence we'd have Rebooted the book twice.)

All this time since Wildcats would return to be the flagship book everything about the event and relaunch would center around this book. It was therefore promised to keep Wetworks in the tail end of the relaunch's if not the last as originaly planned.

So it was decided that in between said big event and way back when there would be released small back-up stories to gear up the audience for the new Wetworks books. Ergo our preface lead-ups to the launch of the book, which were originally written for issue one.

Now we jump ahead in time to two weeks before Wetworks is scheduled to come out and we find due to circumstances Wildcats is not ready but Wetworks is so to my surprise Wetworks is the first book in the relaunch and labeled such. The book that was decided a year ago would not need to acknowledge the Worldstorm event.

So Wetworks (the most thought out and planned of all the books, years in advanced) gets slapped for not having aything to do with Worldstorm and therefore not being planned and in fact being downright confusing.

Now these things happen, we're all human so you take what you can and make the best out of it. So we plow ahead with Wetworks as planned as per how Mike and I have mapped this whole Wetworks tale.

My only real regret is to not have pushed for the republishing of the back-up preface stories that set-up issue #1. I am working on that, even if I have to make a flash storyboard using those panels and retell those short stories online. For clarities sake and for the total package it should be done. At the very least the TPB should have it all in it.

(to be continued)...next post retelling of the back-up stories...

12 comments:

syrtheone said...

I am not sure I understand everything that was said there whilce. I guess I will understand the big event more when I get wildcats #1, hopefully later today. Are you saying that wetworks is now in it's own universe, or that it just will go on while big things are happening in their universe and not be affected, while other heros are? If it's the later, I could see how would want it to seem like one big family...but no one is probably going to care much, nor do I see (especially) how it would be required for continuity.

I wouldn't fret too much if I were you...

Whilce Portacio said...

Syrtheone,

My post relates how when Mike and I started Wetworks the relaunch of the books were going to be handled in a certain way. Such that we or any of the books would not have to acknowledge the events that led up to the relaunch.

An event (I can't tell you what that event was) would happen in a special series of books and the aftermath of that event would be explained in those books and also tell why the Wildstorm Universe got rebooted. Then the relaunch of the individual books would happen as if they were new books.

It's just interesting that in all the time in-between how many times the relaunch and the event leading up to it has changed. The biggest change being that Wetworks was the first book launched (which has nothing to say about the events leading up to the relaunch) when it was always been planned to be the last book relaunched.

You're right at the end tho' no one will care one way or the other when this is all over...all that will matter is if the individual books are good within themselves...

My real point being even the best of plans can come to naught...this blog will show you the whole experience of creating this version of Wetworks from the beginning. Not only how the ideas of the book itself come about but how books are spun in and out of whole Universe's like Wildstorm...

Whilce Portacio said...

Oh and Wetworks is not in its own Universe, it is part of Wildstorm. It's just I wanted to start Wetworks as a very small quiet story, the hunt for one vampire, and evolve it into the very big picture that is Wildstorm.

Anonymous said...

Dude, I have been telling everyone on the WS boards a similar tale in regards to what Was going on in Wetworks. Manye people were confused and lost in regards to what was happening. Unfortunately many of my posts got deleted along with many others when the boards lost 2 days worth of posts. I've been trying to explain to people what had happened but many just seemed to want to have an issue with what was happening. Anyway This new series has me more interested than the original run. Although I am somewhat confused, I understand there was originally some nudity in Wetworks 1 but it has been redrawn. Is it still a mature readers book?

Whilce Portacio said...

Satsujinki,

Yes, I've been following the threads but did miss the two days deleted but heard about it.

Thanks for your support and really appreciate your efforts, I mean this boils down to whether the books are good as they stand themselves...

But alot of people seem to be right now swayed by things that have nothing to do with the book, really. In the end as the issues come out and you see what Mike and I have in store for you people will stop and listen...

Wetworks has never been a business as usual book, we've always taken chances. For the ole fans they'll remember the confusion of just the title Wetworks, remember all the plumber jokes? Now look, the title of this book is a common term used within society. Now I'm not saying this comicbook made that term popular but we dared use that name when we knew people would initially laugh, we took the chance that after reading the book people would then start to understand why this book had to be called Wetworks.

So it seems the questions still linger as to what is this book...well just like before you'll have to read it to find out, because that's the way this medium was meant to be. If you dare to be one of those that reads it I think you'll be pleasantly surprised that it wasn't what you thought it was but find out it is what it has to be...

Russ Sheath said...

I have to say that Wetworks was the one Intial Wildstorm books that outside of the hype 'really' intrigued me. I think it was the combination of so many genre that really made me see it outside of the usual capes and super powers stuff and I have to say Whilce that from issue one of the latest series that Intrigue has returned. I can't wait to see how the story develops.

I know you are focusing on the current release and incarnation of Wetworks Whilce, but I'd be intrigued to see some of your designs from 'back in the day' when first coming up with the series....if possible please?

Cheers

Russ

Whilce Portacio said...

Thanx Russ,

Yes, Wetworks has always been about how people deal with being super-powered, that's why the original series started out with them being men.

Also with the Vampires and Werewolves, they weren't just magical beast, they were people with a certain set of circustances that they had to live by and they dealt with it.

Interestingly when Mike said in an interview that he loved Wetworks because it brought all genre's together, believe it or not that is the first time I had ever thought of Wetworks in that way. He's right and it makes sense, because if all thses powers ever became reality our life would now be a hodge podge of genre's co-existing together whether they wanted to or not...

After I finish the post about the prelude short stories to this new WW's #1 I will definitely try to dig up my old designs, unfortunately most of my designs are on backs of actual WW's pages, but we'll see what we can find...thanx dude...

Anonymous said...

Hey Whilce,

Just got Wetworks #1 last week. Shame to hear about the PR mix-up, but it didn't really make a difference to how I read the story. It's cool to see you're online blogging all the behind the scenes stuff here, and can't wait to see what direction you take the rest of the story (Looking forward to Batman Confidential too).

Anyway just dropping by to say hi ('cause I haven't in a while). Hope everything is going cool for you, Joann and the fam.

Best,

David

P.s. How many preface stories were there before the new issue #1? I've only got the Coup D'etat Afterword.

Whilce Portacio said...

Hey David,

People...David is one devoted and dedicated guy. Years ago he left Australia and tracked me down one summer in Manila, for his show of guts alone I took him on and trained him...honestly I have to put him side-by-side with Leinil for how quickly their talent developed those months long ago.

So nice to hear from you again...how's your family? You gotta write to Jo at portacio@comcast.net she'd be thrilled for a simple "hullo"...

About the preface stories there were two...one dealt with the discovery of Mother-One, and the other with the recruitment of Dane by the government to hunt down a new vampire...I'll soon be placing those stories in one form or another on this blog...

antonio said...

I just open my inbox today....and the only thing I can say is THANK YOU!!!!

JESUS ANTONIO

Whilce Portacio said...

Many people have been asking about Grail, don't fret he will be coming back, he is alive and well. Grail was created as an ironic figure, how does someone who is so familiar with people become the best Human killer there is? How can someone appear to love people as much as Joel but have such a cold, dark side to him. We've never had a chance yet to explore his hidden secrets, the secrets that make him Grail. His secrets have been in my head from the beginning just waiting for the proper time, with your support there will be time this time around...oh and all of his secrets of course lie in the Philippines...

Anonymous said...

As long as Danes in Wetworks...I'm buying. Just one question Whilce....how strong physically does the symbiote make Dane?