Catching up with Javier Grillo-Marxuach

Javier Grillo-Marxuach is the author of The Middleman, producer on the hit show Lost, and writer of the upcoming Super-Skrull mini-series that's part of Marvel's Annihilation event. Javier took so time to chat with Newsarama about his comic book projects.

First up, The Middleman from Viper Comics. As a quick primer, Grillo-Marxuach thumbnailed the idea in an earlier interview with Newsarama as: "The Middleman is all that stands between us pink-skinned normals and the awful truth that our world is constantly under siege by creatures, aliens, supervillains and talking chimps. That and the fact that his sworn nemesis is called 'The Wholesaler.'" The main character is assisted by Wendy Watson, a former gen-Y art school graduate who was coasting through life. Until she met The Middleman.

Newsarama: The final issue of the second Middleman mini series is just hitting, and the trade of the first mini-series in coming out. So when can fans expect the third mini series?

Javier Grillo-Marxuach: I'm already at work on the script. It all depends on the sales, of course... but I know that Les [McClaine, artist] is up for it as well, as long as people buy the book, we are willing to oblige with even more Middlemanian goodness.

NRAMA: What type of changes can we expect up coming for Wendy Watson?

J G-M: This mini is all about Wendy messing up very badly and then trying to fix it in her own way. At the end of the four issues she emerges every bit the heroine we know her to be, but we can't ever lose sight of the fact that she is a young woman just out of art school who has no special powers and is suddenly expected to fight unimaginable evil. The Middleman as a series is always going to be about her learning curve, and we will learn in the second mini that it's a steep curve that exacts a heavy price.

NRAMA: The series has had tremendous reviews; did you ever expect this kind of reaction?

J G-M: I just hoped that people would get as much out of reading it as I do writing it and watching Les turn it into a reality, so the reviews have been a wonderful validation, and believe you me, there are worse things than validation! I'm tremendously grateful that those who have read and reviewed the book have enjoyed it: for a small press title, that makes all the difference in the world!

NRAMA: In your "day job" you're a TV producer. How do you find the time to fit in the comic book work?

J G-M: I just do. It's something that is important to me, and something I really care to do well. Comics are a medium I love and I want to make sure I do them justice - otherwise there'd be no reason to do it. Also, and most importantly, I have the world's most infinitely patient and supportive wife, you can't beat that!

NRAMA: Considering you television credits, are there any plans to produce a Middleman television show?

J G-M: Oh, I have plans! All I need are a couple dozen million dollars and a network willing to put it on the air!

NRAMA: That said, even owning the rights to Middleman it can't possible be a huge money makers, so why do you work on The Middleman instead of writing for television?

J G-M: Because I love Wendy and The Middleman and their entire crazy, messed-up world, and because even on the most successful television show, the things you write are not always your own, it's nice to have a creative outlet that completely reflects your individual voice, it keeps you sane, and that's what The Middleman represents to me.

NRAMA: Do you have to modify your writing style when you make the transition from television to comics?

J G-M: Absolutely. The most sustained criticism I got on the first mini was about the pacing, and that can be directly attributed to it having originally been a television pilot. On the second mini, I made a concerted effort to broaden the scope of the narrative and quicken up the amount of incident, while still keeping the characters and dialogue that are what I love about the book. I have had a learning curve too!

NRAMA: After Middleman volume 2 wraps up, you have a Marvel comic lined up. How did you get together with Marvel?

J G-M: My editor, Andy Schmidt, had seen my work on Lost, as well as The Middleman, and heard about me from Damon Lindelof, my boss, the co-creator of Lost and writer of Ultimate Hulk vs. Ultimate Wolverine. I was looking for a comic book project to sink my teeth into at the time... and the rest is, well, not history, but the history of this project at least.

NRAMA: Why the Super-Skrull?

J G-M: Why not? Seriously - that's about how it came down. Andy explained the Annihilation event to me and, as we talked about Super-Skrull, it became obvious to me that taking the character out of the traditional heroes vs. villains milieu opens up a huge unexplored country - all of the issues of what it would be like to be this old villain who has been defeated by everyone in the Marvel Universe: how does that mess with your head? What does it make you eager to prove? How does it drive you to a form of heroism? Those are extremely compelling questions and this character is the perfect venue with which to answer them.

NRAMA: Is this going to be a serious Marvel comic or is this a humorous story?

J G-M: Tonally it's a 180 from "The Middleman", I look at it as spaghetti western space opera, with Super-Skrull as equal parts Idomeneo and the Man With No Name. It's big, it's dramatic, it has a lot of death and mayhem... and, of course, hot skrull lovin'.

NRAMA: What makes the Super-Skrull interesting to you?

J G-M: I love that he is a hateful villain with absolutely no qualms about hurting a lot of people to get what he wants. Usually, that makes you a bad guy, in this story, he is fighting an opponent so vile that all of his negative traits become positives - and he has a reason to fight that transcends all of the ideas of warrior morality and loyalty to the Skrull empire that have driven the character in the past.

NRAMA: The Super-Skrull has always appeared to be a one note character. What are you doing to flesh him out?

J G-M: You truly can't underestimate the power of hot skrull lovin'.

NRAMA: Er...

J G-M: OK, as I said above, Supe