Slush Exclusive:
Quesada Talks Waid Firing
By Alexander Ness
06.18.03
Breaking news:
As previously reported, Mark Waid was let go by Marvel from his run on Fantastic Four. Now in his first interview since the firing, Editor-In-Chief Joe Quesada talked exclusively to Slushfactory.com's Alexander Ness about the affair.
Alex Ness: Mark Waid is fired, and the events surrounding it seem to remain somewhat clouded.
Joe Quesada: Actually, that's really ridiculous. The events aren't cloudy at all, it's the messageboard fanatics who have decided that there is a conspiracy afoot. Mark and I have been very clear as to what happened. This is only an issue because the same six guys on messageboards miss The X-Files.
AN: Was he told to write Fantastic Four as a sitcom? Why would Marvel fire Waid after he returned the title to top-selling status, and finally, in the debates and diatribes online, a main issue is whether he was fired because he wouldn't write what editorial dictated? Mr. Quesada, can you address or make clearer the answer to that question?
JQ: The latter is absolutely true. There is a pecking order in any business. If you worked at a clothing store and there was a dress code but you decided that you wanted to be an individual and dress as you please, what happens if your immediate supervisor asks you to change you attire and you decide not to? Marvel is a business with a pecking order, not unlike every other comic company.
We had an idea for a new direction we wanted to see the FF go, heck if it didn't work out we could just call it a story arc and move back to what we were doing before. Mark informed us that it was a direction he wasn't comfortable with and he wasn't suitable for his style. He made it clear that if we wanted to move in this new direction then he wouldn't be the guy to write the book. As a creator, I more than anyone understand that that's code for, "I don't care for the idea."
