Jeff Mariotte's Responses

Query From: Jon Huff

Any plans to do something with The Early Voyages? I think this was one of the bright spots of the Marvel line and had quite a following.

Response From: Jeff Mariotte

I don't have any proposals in at this point about the Early Voyages, but I wouldn't rule it out if a good enough story came along.

Query From: Tammy

I don't understand why new publishers always want to get new people to create TREK books when the sales were higher with great fan support in the days that DC and Malibu did the books. It seems arrogant to keep throwing out the baby with the bathwater--especially when the newer creators today aren't usually all that skilled. It takes time to learn to draw the faces right and sound like the original characters. We'd especially like to see the best guys like Peter David, Jerome K. Moore and Gordon Purcell back doing the good TREK material again.It's like never hiring Spielberg again 'cause he's already directed a bunch of movies. Wouldn't it be better to use the best people out there, along with a few new guys?

Response From: Jeff Mariotte

I understand your argument -- and I have never said we would never use those guys -- but part of our goal is obviously to do our own thing with the Star Trek license. We don't want to just do what others have done, not because that was bad but because we strive for originality and because we want to put our own stamp on things. That said, I disagree that new writers and artists can't do just as good as those who've come before. Many of the writers we have working on the line are very skilled and popular science fiction writers, some of whom, like Nathan Archer and Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Dean Wesley Smith, have quite a bit of experience writing Star Trek. Give these people, and the new (to Star Trek) artists we'll be using a chance to show that they can do it before you decide they can't. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Query From: Roger

I don't suppose there's a chance that you could release a special to tie up Marvel's "Starfleet Academy" or "Early Voyages" series? (Legal problems, I know...) By the way, I'm pretty sure that Claremont's sequel to "Debt of Honor" was published by DC in ST:TNG Special #2.

Response From: Jeff Mariotte

No, I'm afraid stories started by Marvel are doomed to be unfinished, unless Marvel gets the license back at some point in the future.

Query From: Emily

Would you want 'real' Star Trek writers (from the episoes) to write comisc for you?

Response From: Jeff Mariotte

Yes, that's something we've considered and are going to follow up on. Writers from the show, or those actors who also write, would all be welcome to contribute.

Query From: GUSTAVO LEAO

Dear Mr. Mariotte,

Well, first of all, i want to tell that the URL of my Trek homemade comics in the Sci-Fi Headquarters site has changed today to

http://media.interpeed.net/videos/humor/humormain.html

Your opinion will be appreciated, thanks.

Second (and finally) my question :

The Marvel series (and specially Early Voyages) has ignored the Pocket Books novels events because they are not "canon". Are about Wildstorm ?

GUSTAVO LEAO
BRAZIL

Response From: Jeff Mariotte

According to Paramount, with vary few exceptions, only the TV shows and movies are "canon." We have to look to those as our ultimate guidance as to what has "really" happened. That said, since we plan to do some co-publishing events with Pocket Books, we'll definitely be paying attention to what happens in the books.

Query From: Andrew

Jeff - Are you planning any crossovers between the startrek series? Kirk and Picard, for instance?

Response From: Jeff Mariotte

If we get good enough stories that make sense in the Star Trek universe, yes, I think that would be fun to do.

Query From: Roy Gales

I know everyone is asking about Peter David's New Frontier series, but I would like to know if you plan on doing adaptations of any of his other books featuring some captains that aren't shown that often, such as:
Capt.Sulu in "The Captain's Daughter"
Capt.Riker in "Imzadi"
or
Capt.Pike in "The Rift"

Response From: Jeff Mariotte

As I mentioned earlier, we really don't have much interest in adapting existing novels. We'd rather provide new adventures to the fans rather than re-hashing old material in a different medium.

Query From: Chris

Are you planning on doing a Wizard 1/2 Star Trek issue through the Wizard magazine?

Response From: Jeff Mariotte

There are no plans for that at this time.

Query From: GUSTAVO LEAO

When DC was producing Trek comics in the mid-90s, Chris Clameront wrote a sequel to his TOS Graphic Novel Debt of Honor with the TNG characters, but was never published because Marvel got the rights (as Clameront told a lot of magazines at the time). How about finally do it ? (Go ask Clameront !)

Gustavo Leao
Brazil

Response From: Jeff Mariotte

Interesting idea. We'll give it some consideration.

Query From: Andrew

Jeff how well do you know startrek? Did you see all the episodes to prepare you for this job?

Response From: Jeff Mariotte

I haven't watched every episode, but I've seen a lot of them. My background is in science fiction -- I've been a science fiction bookseller for almost 20 years, and still co-own a store even while working in the comics biz. I've also written science fiction, and I know many of the professional writers in the field. That background, combined with much of a lifetime's worth growing up with Star Trek, and lots and lots of research (yes, I've read just about every reference book at this point) got me ready for the Star Trek part of the job. Of course, just knowing Star Trek isn't the whole job -- you also have to know how to edit comic books.

Query From: Andrew

Jeff sorry me again but I have another question: How can i write for the startrek comics? Thanks, Andrew

Response From: Jeff Mariotte

We're not accepting unsolicited submissions for the Star Trek comics, and our first year is closed at this point.

Query From: Nathan Linely

Y'all announced all the new writers of the first batch of TREK comix--I'd like to see a DS9 book soon but I'm sure it'll come soon--but you didn't announce the artists. I'd like to see you use the best 3 artists that worked on the books before-Adam Hughes, Gordon Purcell and Jerome Moore--and team them with some of the hot new inkers like Danny Miki, Scott Williams, Karl Story and then color it with your full computer processing. Then you could have some new to comics talent to write (as you announced), skilled storytellers who can do the likenesses well to pencil and hot newer inkers and colorists tomake the art pop out more. I'm afraid that if you use too many new guys to pencil, you'll run into the problems Marvel had in getting approvals and meeting deadlines. It might be better to sell this as a combination of the best of the TREK artists teamed with newSF writers to make the best TREK books ever. What do you think?

Response From: Jeff Mariotte

We've certainly thought about going that way, but are still determined to bring some fresh new pencilers to the Star Trek line as well. We're not too worried about the deadline factor you mention -- part of the beauty of doing minis and one-shots instead of ongoing books is that we can get a lot of things going at once, so if something falls behind there'll be another one farther along. We'll be announcing new artists periodically, as we get closer to releasing their projects.

Query From: Bob Manojlovich

New Frontier comics will be exciting. What about the USS Challenger that we'll see introduced next year in Pocketbooks' six part NEW EARTH series featuring the original Enterprise in its second five year mission? USS Challenger and her crew may become a regular series much like NF.

Response From: Jeff Mariotte

It's a little early to tell if we'll do anything with the Challenger. If it proves as popular with the fans as New Frontier, then we'll probably want to do something. NF is also attractive to us because we know that Peter David is an accomplished comic book writer.