Mark Millar is one of the biggest writers in the world of comics today.
Whats the fascination with the idea?
Its funny that you bring this up, actually.
And what Im finding out, almost by accident, is that people want three-dimensional superheroes.
Each generational shift is slightly more realistic and radical than the previous.
So Dave Lizewski, the hero ofKick-Ass, follows that lineage, back through Peter Parker to Clark Kent.
Clark was envisioned as an amazing guy with superpowers, who pretended to be a bit of a nerd.
Peter Parker was a bit of a nerd, who then got superpowers.
Dave Lizewski… is just a nerd!
So were just getting closer and closer to, well, the people who write the comics, basically!
In reality, Im more like Dave Lizewski than I am like Peter Parker or Clark Kent.
In business terms, it fills a gap in the market.
I think it would have been quite odd if Stan had just writtenSupermanandBatmaninstead of creating the Marvel universe.
And I just started thinking, Wouldnt it be awful if Stan had never created the Marvel universe?
Maybe its time to create the next iteration of those characters.
Is that the sort of thing you mean?
Well…Kick-Assisnt intentionally violent.
As such, I was just trying to portray things realistically.
And that happens to involve violence.
Let me give you an example.
And those little details …are cool!
It makes it more realistic.
And my mouth was a different shape!
If you dont follow through and show that, its failed.
Ive seen the movie and it actually feels much less cynical.
How do you feel about the tonal shift there?
I think maybe when you see it acted out, it just seems different.
I didnt writeKick-Assas a cynical thing.
The story is, at its core, about a wee guy who wants to help people.
But if that happens to Dave, hes dead.
Which is kind of what I wanted as a kid too!
I think theres something quite charming about it, rather than cynical.
Yeah, thats true.
Its just not going to happen!
However, in movie terms, you do need that.
Theres got to be a moment where he kisses the girl.
In comics, you dont need the girl.
Batman never has the girl.
But in the movies the audience wants it to happen.
No, Im not so interested in doing, say, a Red Mist miniseries, you know?
I always sawKick-Assas the 21st CenturySpider-Man.That was what I had in my head.
And the same is true ofKick-Ass.
So you are planning moreKick-Asscomics?
I wanted to leave as quickly as possible.
Ive got three planned out, anyway, and if any more comes, then great.
And now that theyre making that movie, how would you feel if thats how it was used?
Well, theyve already admitted theyre doing it that way.
Im not speaking out of school, theyve publically said this.
And Im flattered by it.
People have asked if Im pissed off, but I just see it as a compliment.
When you do work for hire, you have to realise you wont see money for that.
If youve done a good job, and it reaches other mediums, then great.
That would be bleak.
Ennis, Ellis, we all do it as well as our Marvel stuff.
Given that youve basically got your pick of the industrys artistic talent, what made you choose Romita?
John, I think, is genuinely the best artist in the industry.
And hes got the most amazing work ethic, too.
Theres nothing more dispiriting than when an artist takes three months to draw a script.
Its heartbreaking, and you know that sales are going to be affected by it.
But Johnny can turn an issue around in a weekend and it still looks incredible.
But I think itll work, and if you dont do it, I just wont bother doing it.
And he said, Really?
And I meant it.
If you try and imagineKick-Assdrawn by someone else, it doesnt quite work.
It was annoying, actually, because I couldnt visualise anyone else doing it.
Luckily, he said yes.
But then the first issue outsoldSpider-Manimmediately, which was great, then we did five printings.
Right, so you do split things with the artists?
So all these guys McNiven, Yu, the next one is Dave Gibbons we split it all 50-50.
Thats why Ive lucked out and got all these good artists.
Id like to make a point of that, actually.
Its a bit uncomfortable to talk about, almost, because people I like are doing it.
Back in the Sixties, artists and writers would go to the company and get ripped off.
Now artists are going to the writers …and getting ripped off.
The artist is getting some revenue from publishing, but nothing on merchandise, or movie deals.
I want to set the standard by making it 50-50 in terms of cash and producer credits.
Nobodys talking about it yet, but I think its going to be a big scandal.
So, since you mentioned movie deals youre often accused of writing movie pitches rather than comics.
Is there any truth to that?
No, none, Im just a comic guy.
That never happens with films.
Its hard enough to write something once, let alone twenty times.
Compared to that, comics is the best gig in the world!
You never have to look at actors, or budget, youre limited only by your imagination.
I love the idea of what I write making it into peoples hands as I wanted it to be.
Other than novels, comics is the only thing that can offer that.
So, yeah, no interest in becoming a screenwriter.
Im doing a wee bit of that, but not screenwriting.
Well, I only like reading stuff that Ive never seen before.
And I remember the exact caption.
It just said Im worried about Buck.
And it sticks in my head because it was a shocking image, and an interesting one.
Someone age 19, strolling down that corridor and knocking a guy out weve seen it before.
Its not that interesting.
So, to me, you visually juxtapose two things to get something youve never seen before.
And to me, thats my job as a writer.
I like the idea of something that wakes you up a little bit while youre reading it.
But I dont think Hit-Girl is offensive.
Its visually shocking, but, to me, thats different from offensive.
All of my friends are sending each other the Hit-Girl trailer, because theyve never seen anything like it.
Nobodys offended, theyre all saying, Look, heres something weve never seen before.
In fact, Hit Girl and Big Daddy are so successful in the movie that they almost overshadow Dave.
If wed made Dave a cartoon character, then viewers wouldnt have had an entry point.
and it was like, But she wont be cool if shes in it all the time!
[laughs] So, you need the ordinary guy.
And thats what makes the rest seem so spectacular.
And with that, our time was up.
Mark Millar, thank you very much!
Kick-Ass the movie arrives in the UK on 26th March, and the graphic novel is available from Titan.
