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[NYCC] BRIAN REED TALKS 'SECRET INVASION: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN' | | With Marvel's announcement of the newest Secret Invasion tie-in, this time featuring everyone's favorite friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, we sat down writer Brian Reed to discuss the three-issue mini and possible future plans for the character. | | | By Kevin Mahadeo | | Posted 4/19/2008 | |  | | ![[NYCC] BRIAN REED TALKS 'SECRET INVASION: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN'](http://ep.yimg.com/ip/I/wizarduniverse_2059_1286802235) So, Secret Invasion: Amazing Spider-Man, huh? I'm guessing this is the "amazing" project you hinted toward me the last time we talked?
[Laughs] Yup!
How’d all this come about?
This was a result of Steve Wacker and I talking about the fact that the one thing I would love to do at Marvel is some Spider-Man work. And him going, “Huh. We don’t have anything Secret Invasion going yet.” I was kind of batting around ideas for a couple of months of what we were going to do. Spider-Man is currently in the Savage Land, and most everything is being covered by Bendis in Avengers. This was what we came up with: let’s see what the rest of the Brand New Day cast is doing. In fact, my joke title for it was “Amazing Spider-Man Brand New Secret Invasion.” [Laughs] I think there were too many words in mine.
Too expensive to have that many words.
[Laughs] We can’t pay the letterer that much.
You said that Spidey is in the Savage Land and that Bendis will mostly be handling him in his book. So, what exactly will be the focus of your book?
We are going to see some Spider-Man in this, but this is really the first time anybody has had a chance to integrate the rest of the Brand New Day cast with the rest of the Marvel Universe. A big part of that has been that with Spider-Man’s schedule now, he’s 15 issues ahead of everyone else by the time we get anything to shelves. With that three times month schedule, the best case scenario is that if you read something today, and you put it in your script this afternoon, it’ll be on shelves in three months. [Laughs] So, nobody has had a chance to play catch-up yet. I had a chance to reference Jonah’s heart attack in Ms. Marvel because I knew it was coming months ahead of time. So, this is the first time we get to go, “Hey, this is real. This is a part of the Marvel Universe. This is what Jackpot does when a Skrull comes through the wall.” But the really great thing about it is getting to approach this miniseries (Secret Invasion) that everybody including myself has been treating like the end of the world—because that’s what it is—but I get to come at it and just have fun. It’s Secret Invasion, but it’s fun because it’s a Spider-Man story.
What can you say about the basic story? Can you give away anything?
This is all happening on the first day—what we’re kind of calling the battle of Manhattan. This is all the Daily Bugle staff—or DB staff now—and Jackpot as the one big hero all trying to survive that day. It’s three issues of…Well, this is the first page of the issue, so I’ll spoil it now. A Skrull with all the powers of the Sinister Six comes looking for Spider-Man, and instead he finds Jackpot and the staff of the DB. So, the whole three issues is Jackpot and the staff trying to survive the Invasion and having this Sinister Six Skrull coming after them.
Who is your personal favorite Brand New Day character?
You know, I really have latched onto Jackpot. She’s my big superhero for this story, but knowing who she is and what’s going to be revealed about her and that I get to play with her while she’s still this big mystery character, just made it a ton of fun for me.
You have a thing for these female characters, don’t you?
I keep getting the job. [Laughs] If it’s a girl or if the name has Marvel, I’m the first on the list.
So, Mary Marvel would be perfect for you?
I have joked about it. I’m like, “I have to go write the other Captain Marvel.”
You said you’ve want to write the Spider-Man character for a while, and this seems like such a ridiculous question, but why Spidey?
[Laughs] Spidey is who I grew up on. My first comic book was the Spider-Man/Superman crossover, and it turned out Spider-Man was the guy I latched onto. Most of my allowance when I was a kid when to Spider-Man comic books. Most of what I know about the Marvel Universe comes from who guest starred with Spider-Man. I got into comics because I was writing a Spider-Man video game, so me and Spidey go way back. And the chance to get in there and do something with him in the comics is just huge.
Which Spider-Man video game did you work on?
“Ultimate Spider-Man.” I was writing it before we hired [Bendis] on, and when we hired him on I said, “Look, by god, I’m stepping aside. I have no ego here. Here’s the story we had. We want to play as Venom and as Spider-Man. Here’s how we were going about it, but we’ll do whatever you want.” And he came back to me two days later and was like, “I really like this story. Let’s do this.” And I was like, “Okay!” [Laughs]
Was this the first time you met Bendis?
Yeah.
Look at the friendship that sparked from that. And now, you guys shoot each other on Halo.
That’s right! [Laughs]
Have you seen any of the art for the issue?
I have seen a couple pages so far, including the Sinister Six Skrull, and I laughed and laughed. [Laughs] It was great. It’s as action-packed and over the top as you want it to be, and at the same time, it’s just so much fun. I’m writing issue #2 of Front Line today and, “It’s the end of the world. We’re all going to die. Oh god.” [Laughs] Then I come over to this and it’s the same events, but it’s told from this other angle and it’s just fun. It’s really kind of schizophrenic writing both of them.
Now that you finally got your hands on Spidey, what are the chances of you staying with him?
I would love to be part of the Spidey braintrust. I’m kind of treating this as an audition. [Laughs]
Note: Art on SI: ASM will be done by Marco Santucci.
Read a full write up of Marvel's Secret Invasion panel here...it's got loads of art, so check it out!
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