Marvel’s chief creative officer Joe Quesada used to post his own column on Comic Book Resources, but had to give it up when his regular gig became too demanding. But when Axel Alonso, Marvel’s current editor-in-chief had to take a week off, Quesada was glad to step in and reprise his ‘Cup O’ Joe’ panel and spill the beans on what to expect from the upcoming ‘Daredevil’ Netflix series. Of course Quesada, as an artist, made his name by drawing the ‘Daredevil’ comic series, so this has to be a project that’s near and dear to his heart and he’s taking a very hands-on approach to this particular series.
Quesada stated:
“I’ve been working very, very closely with the entire team on all levels of the show. I think everybody knows my relationship with the character of Daredevil, and how important the character is to me — not just on an emotional front, but on a professional front. How DD brought me back here to Marvel, and how instrumental he was to even me being in this particular position I’m in today. I’m very involved with the show, as well as everything that we’re doing with the Netflix shows. I’m incredibly excited, plus the dark and gritty noir world of DD and the Netflix characters, it’s kind of where I live so it naturally attracts me to begin with.
Let me be clear, we’re not going into this show with the idea of trying to erase the memory of anything that came before [the Ben Affleck movie that didn’t do so well at the box office] or really any preconceived notions whatsoever. We’re going into the show trying to create something that’s incredibly exciting, incredibly engaging, and will give our fans something that they love, something that’s unexpected, something that’s going to keep them coming back for more. That’s really, ultimately, the goal of this: How do we produce a “Daredevil” TV show on Netflix, that’s going to be viewed the way that people view content on Netflix, in a way that’s going to be compelling, feels unique, while bringing something that is not only true to the character, but providing something unexpected as well. “
ABC announced that it was renewing ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ and was also adding an’ Agent Carter‘ limited series that would detail the creation of Marvel’s top espionage agency. But these shows focus more on the human side of the equation. The four new Netflix shows will actually feature super heroes. How will these differ from the network shows?
“You can’t deny that there will be binge-viewing. You know that there are going to be some Marvel fans that when this show premieres, they are going to go on to Netflix, and they are going to sit there for 12 to 13-plus hours, and watch the entire thing all the way through. It’s going to happen. The Netflix model offers us the advantage of being able to construct the show in a manner that is very different than a weekly network TV show. Even the way that you parse out information and reveals within the show can be different than you would on weekly TV. With weekly TV, you sit there and go, ‘The audience may not want to wait two or three weeks to get this particular bit of information.’ Whereas with Netflix, we might be able to hold onto a particular piece of information, because they may just watch it two hours later.
It’s a different kind of construction. The simplest way to put it in comic book terms is that it’s the difference between writing a monthly comic series as opposed to writing a graphic novel. You can tell the same story within the same page count in both formats, but you may parse out that information or construct your story differently because of how it’s going to be delivered and consumed.”
Though ABC’s ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.‘ has taken its freshman lumps, Quesada is quick to defend the series.
“I’m proud of everything about the show — the writing staff, the cast, the crew, everything we’ve been able to do to integrate into the Marvel Universe. Remember, it’s a very difficult assignment because the Cinematic Universe, like the comics universe, is constantly growing and changing and our show has to grow along with it and reflect those changes. But I’m also proud of how we’ve been able to keep the secrets, and keep everything about not just what was going to happen with ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D,’ but the secrets of what was going to happen in “Cap: The Winter Soldier” out of the reach of prying eyes and noses. That could very easily have leaked out, and it never did. I’m very, very happy with the way that the show has turned out, the way the show is wrapping up, and more importantly what we’re setting up for season two which brings us right back to an earlier point in this interview. I’m bursting inside to talk about all the cool things that are coming up, all the changes and twists and turns, but now I have to sit here for the next several months biting through my lip.”
Are you pumped for the ‘Daredevil’ series? Or are you more favorable to Luke Cage. Iron Fist or Jessica Jones/Diamond. Well, at least all of them will come together as ‘The Defenders’! Do you plan to binge this show or will you dole them out one episode at a time.
