Fracadactyl speaking with another bit of Creator Highlights. Now here’s a name I can never manage to avoid without seeing something by him. Mark Waid a writer who makes himself searchable by his work about respect for the old days. From his work in remodeling DC, Marvel, and Archie, here is the philosophy of then editor now writer; also some of his slip-ups and alternative works.
Mark Waid: The Ascended Fanboy
Waid’s first exposure to comics comes in the form of Adventure Comics featuring the Legion of Superheroes. Years later, he submits an eight page Superman story. This gets Waid a straight path into DC… as an editor. Many people like to rip editors for being the people that ruin comics. However, the ones who don’t focus entirely on business are actually pretty decent. I mean the guy works with Grant Morrison to create the iconic Doom Patrol run. He is also instrumental in the development of DC’s Elseworlds by serving as editor to Gotham by Gaslight. Through this, Waid sees first hand the comic industry as well as his eventual writing style.
Rewriting History
After some freelancing, Waid writes for DC when they try to retrofit Archie’s superheroes. Despite not having a lasting run, his redeveloping of older characters gets attention. This respect and focus on legacy is what gives Waid his next assignment on The Flash. With the death of Barry Allen after Infinite Crisis, Wally West takes the mantle. With the rut of DC’s dark age of comics, change is necessary. Rather than continue a failing trend, Waid decides to use what works. Wally West is hip and young, not a brooder.
To make this truly memorable Waid makes this run a true hero’s journey. Wally still feels like he can’t measure up to Barry; not to mention his own personal woes with his wife Linda Park. But the Flash is a legacy that goes back way beyond Barry including Golden Age Flash Jay Garrick. With him and so many speedsters around like Jessie Quick; what role does Wally play? Like a blunt object, it reminds everyone that Wally stands out from Barry by his enthusiasm. As the world around him starts to get darker; Wally remains this beacon of hope for everyone. But even hope falters which is where Impulse comes in by filling in Wally’s old sidekick role. Waid’s time is so iconic, The Flash’s appearances on TV propel him to notoriety. The CW show even makes use of the introductions of Waid’s run.
Mark Waid: The X-Men’s Rise and Fall
Waid later goes to Marvel Comics with a chance to work with the X-Men in the Age of Apocalypse storyline. In X-Men Alpha, Mark Waid along with Scott Lobdell shows the X-Men still their usual selves even after the change. While it plays with the horrible situation like many others do, it also highlights hope in these characters. This stands in contrast to Onslaught, a terrifyingly polarizing event. As an X-Men story, it actually makes use of good tidbits that build up since Age of Apocalypse. Every burden the characters have is on display there. The only downside is what it leads to after Waid; artists going into the exaggerated characterizations and needless deaths.
Reconnecting With the Past and Present
Back in DC after some Marvel stints, Waid goes back into the Elseworld’s brand with Kingdom Come. On the surface it’s about old customs versus newer ones. A few paragraphs up mention how Waid sets himself apart in the dark gritty 90s. Well Waid also never strays from examining either extreme. Yes the gun-toting shoot-first and never question attitudes of the 90s may have flaws (they nuke Kansas); but pushing ideals away from reality is another matter. Speaking as an agnostic-atheist, I can genuinely get behind the themes of faith. One of the people who drive this plot Magog doesn’t just emphasize his namesake; he shows that despite the inherit flaws there is still a chance of a better tomorrow when showing vulnerability. In all things Mark Waid, it’s about the balance of maintenance and new ideas; hence the introduction of hypertime rather than alternate universes.
For The Future
If that’s not all, Waid collaborates with Grant Morrison again during the Justice League years. Everything begins in A Midsummer’s Nightmare, one that is a kind of lackluster story in comparison to later work. But it has readers remember the Justice League members before their 90s phase. More importantly, when taking the reins from someone like Grant Morrison; the best thing to do is go all out. In comes Tower of Babel, a story that is a real tale of division in comparison to Marvel’s Civil War. Waid uses truly character defining moments to make his time memorable. Batman’s pragmatism clashes with ideologies of the rest of the league; it’s a clash between Superman at its finest.
Mark Waid and Captain America
When it comes to Marvel’s Sentinel of Liberty, Waid has a complex relationship with Steve Rogers. Mark Gruenwald introduces Waid to an idea for Captain America for a cure to an aging super soldier serum. While Gruenwald’s idea falls through, he leaves on an open note for Waid’s take over. So Waid brings Cap back to life… through the Red Skull. This however is an interesting tale of mutual respect between worst enemies. It affirms Rogers’ beliefs about a better life while also contrasting America at its worst. Subsequent stuff is a little messy especially when it comes to Heroes Reborn or Rob Liefeld.
Contrasting with the Modern World
Less than fifteen years later, Waid writes a retelling of Captain America’s recruitment into the Avengers. This point-of-view story lives up to its name of Man Out of Time. While the nods are a little subtle, they make Captain America feel like he’s catching up. His friends from the 40s are either dead or dying. Slowly but surely though, he comes to appreciate the modern world. It’s a different place with its own problems but with vast improvements. For Cap, it’s a new beginning with new friends and opportunities.
Six years later Waid reunites with Captain America after the atrocious Secret Empire event. With political biases and exaggerations running rampant, the time comes to clean up messes. Steve travels around the country to try and rediscover why he fights for the American Dream. He comes to a town who know about the ugly event, but still know Cap as their source of inspiration. There’s a real sense of hope and ability to bounce back. Steve Rogers is always a pleasure to read when looking at his altruistic side; it’s the situations he’s in that are polarizing.
Accept Your Doom!
Superheroes just seem to be something that makes Waid tick. Waid has this renewing sense of hope while looking through a realistic lense. Like most creators, he wants to break away from some companies when business decisions make them go under. Mark Waid with some friends do the Gorilla Comics imprint at Image for Empire. But the imprint shares the fate of Harambe; so Empire finishes at DC. Starring a Doctor Doom style supervillain, the series examines what happens after the villains win. Turns out they just fight amongst each other.
On the topic of Dr. Doom, he is a character fans have a divide in as much as fanshippers. For some he’s a tragic villain with the qualities of a hero; but for others including Waid he’s among the most evil people in the universe. Which is what makes him such a crucial piece of Waid’s run with the Fantastic Four. Readers get a reminder just how much of a monster Doom can be. From psychological torture to Doom reintroducing magic to his schemes; proving that Doom still has a leg up over Mister Fantastic when he wants to.
Mark Waid: Living the Dream
If there’s two things Waid is best at, it’s reintroducing concepts that make comic characters fun, and dividing opinions. Fantastic Four has Marvel’s First Family go back to being well… a family. They drive each other crazy, they worry over the small things, but they still love one another. Waid also reminds everyone that these Fantastic characters are explorers first and heroes second. He also makes use of gags from the Lee and Kirby days while putting new perspectives in. It’s all thanks to Waid standing up to his publishers and support from fans. I mean seriously the FF as a Dom-Com? I’d sooner believe Mr. Fantastic became Galactus; oh wait, Waid does that with Neal Adams in Antithesis.
Humanizing characters is what makes so many writers so successful, and Waid is no exception. Back at DC Waid has the chance of a lifetime working with the characters who propel him into comics. Superman: Birthright is yet another origin story but it stands alongside other stories like Jeph Loeb’s Superman For All Seasons. Lex and Supes’ being friends that drift apart even seems to be a fine addition from Smallville. This along with the humanizing aspects in the Legion really help bring the characters out of the muck. In fact it’s so good, he’s among the people in the creation of 52 with Geoff Johns and Morrison.
Bringing the Boom!
Having a chance for more alternative work again, Mark Waid gets the promotion as Chief Creative Officer of Boom!. There he creates his Eisner worthy series Irredeemable and Incorruptible. At first glance, it’s something completely out of the ordinary for Waid. While he can get dark; why does Waid create this subversion of one of his favorite characters? In fact he does another story like this years later in Axiom through Legendary Studios.
Mark Waid is Evil!
Yep, that’s the tagline Waid uses to advertise this comic series. This looks like a betrayal of a character who inspires people including Waid. But then comes the realization, this is an exploration of a ‘what if’ Waid helps develop. Waid is no stranger to the controversies that comics and superheroes bring to the table. So Irredeemable shows how those tropes and settings can turn ugly over very real and likely scenarios. Incorruptible meanwhile is about how someone in those situations can turn their lives around. Ultimately, neither one of these series are about forgiveness or redemption; they’re about the choices people make in life and how it shapes the world around them. Also despite the similar names and themes, Insufferable doesn’t seem to take place in the same universe.
All the Marvels
Waid may be a DC fanatic to the point of being a trivia master; but his work in Marvel is just as memorable. His time with Spider-Man introduces some really good stories that pull the wall crawler out of his rut. The Gauntlet even stands as the most explosively Spidey moments for Waid. Not to mention it’s a great send-off before Dan Slott takes over. Occasionally he also works with a myriad of other Marvel characters to make them feel fresh again; all through diving into their psyches and pushing them into action. The Hulk, Black Widow, the Avengers, Agents of SHIELD, the Champions… But most importantly…
Daredevil: The Best of Both Worlds
Many people only see Daredevil as the brooding acrobat who makes the Dark Knight look tame. After so many writers make Matt Murdock’s life miserable, a major change is necessary. In true Waid fashion, Waid uses the oldest days of Daredevil to create a narrative of truly deep proportions. Reintroducing Murdock as the swashbuckler of the early days, the series is genuine breath of fresh air. It comes at the right time as well; Marvel NOW! is a movement focusing on character rather than the adventures. This isn’t acting like the dark days don’t exist, the threat’s always there. Best of all Waid brings up how just using tragedy in character motivations is stupid. For a more in depth look refer to the video by Matt Draper below.
Remaking an Icon
Some people probably hear about Archie, one of the few long running comics that reach out to kids. It’s amazing how companies just stop selling comics in easy to find public places. Unfortunately even Archie falls on hard times even after a few legal battles. One of Archie Comics’ chief complaints are the lack of inspiring designs and plots that go nowhere. In comes Mark Waid to reintroduce these classic characters to a modern audience.
New Riverdale
While humor still abounds in the franchise, the cast of the New Riverdale universe feel like real people. Archie unlike his earlier counterparts actually has the looks and personality that suit his usual girl problems. A few other characters also expand their roles with Jughead serving as the voice of reason. Not to mention the artwork by Fiona Staples diversify the designs.
In fact some of the best parts of Waid’s run with Archie get into the Riverdale TV show. If only the characters on that show could be less of the generic drama cast. God almighty, it’s bad enough to make Jughead the loner type; but why did they not make him asexual like the comics? Give me a story of Archie trying to decide his future with his guitar playing any day. It’s still better than a show with an identity crisis.
Trying to Ignite a New Breed of Humanoids
If there’s one thing Mark Waid gets criticism for it’s trying too hard to reach a new audience. This is especially the case with Gen Z readers, that’s what a video says anyway. Back in the All-New All-Different Avengers and Champions, Waid following Marvel’s executive decision for more diversity. Unfortunately, there was no authenticity and people were a little out of character. Why would the Avengers include minors? And the Champions tried to put in way too many characters to explore dynamics.
It didn’t end there though. Waid along with a group of creators converge to create their own universe; all for a French publisher trying to appeal to Americans. Okay Waid’s the creative director; kind of like what Gail Simone is doing for Catalyst Prime. Unlike Catalyst Prime though, these projects are about using superpowers for social change. People get powers in reaction to events such as the infamous school shootings. But except for Omni by Devin Grayson, the results are… divisive. Ignited by Waid and Kwanza Osajyefo despite the premise of teens becoming heroes overcoming real world traumas, became a parody of social commentary.
What Do All Series by Mark Waid Say?
Waid has a lot of series in his resume including Archie (Black Circle’s) The Fox and IDW’s The Rocketeer. It’s a disservice not to include the Green Hornet, Princess Leia, and even Doctor Strange. But they all have a similar message; find the balance between drama and fun. It’s a hard thing to do, Archie 1941 and 1955 is proof of that. While a writer can get cynical; they have to remember to look for light at the end of the tunnel. Waid definitely needs that in his real life including from lawsuits; he even inspires friends like Chris Macini to do the same. I’m looking forward to more Waid books.