Delays Ahead for newuniversal?

Newsarama’s interview with newuniversal artist Salvador Larroca suggests it might be yet another high-profile series Marvel is unable to ship on time:

NRAMA: Could you tell us what was your first impression when you read newuniversal script?

SLR: I loved it. It was water clear that Warren Ellis would write a solid script, but I really got impressed with the visual strength of his writing: I could really see the movie inside the story and drawing it was not only easy but a real pleasure. After more than 14 years in the comic industry, the script got me so impressed that I regained illusions that I thought that were irredeemably lost. I began to draw more that twelve hours a day and I only left my studio to eat and sleep – to my wife’s despair.

NRAMA: How many hours do you work on an average day?

SLR: I do not have an average day! I think more in terms of weekly production, if I have a quite complicated page, I combine it with another simpler and this way I draw two pages a day. On a project like newuniversal that means 14 hours a day and some hours on weekend.

When I am not so interested on the story, I tend to work less and take time to play tennis and other sports. Right now I have relaxed a little bit because poor Warren cannot provide me the scripts as fast as I would like to – he is a busy guy and has some other projects on his schedule. That’s why I am here at Getxo Comic Con enjoying delicious Basque food, visiting the Guggenheim Museum (much more impressive building than the New York one, guys!) and talking with good old friends. It is not so usual that I got so interested on a script and you can blame on Warren’s high quality stuff because I cannot wait to read what happens next.

I wonder if it’s the revamped Thunderbolts that’s thrown Ellis off schedule? Certainly isn’t Fell!

It’s interesting when it turns out to be the writer falling behind schedule as opposed to the artist, and in light of the hubbub surrounding Civil War‘s latest delay and the interesting story behind Emissary‘s creative switcheroo over at Shadowline, you have to wonder how any comics make it out on time.

What exactly does a comic book editor do again?

PS: Larroca’s admission that he doesn’t work as hard on stories he’s not personally all that interested in is both refreshingly honest and astoundingly unprofessional. Makes you wonder if Steve McNiven’s delays really stem from his being bored with Millar’s wack-ass story?

Written by Guy LeCharles Gonzalez

Guy LeCharles Gonzalez is the Chief Content Officer for LibraryPass, and former publisher & marketing director for Writer’s Digest. Previously, he was also project lead for the Panorama Project; director, content strategy & audience development for Library Journal & School Library Journal; and founding director of programming & business development for the original Digital Book World.