Donny Cates: Learning To Overcome The Greats

Donny Cates, for non-comic readers this sounds like a name that came out of nowhere. That’s because, he’s been in the deepest parts of the comic book mind space looking for ideas. Many of which come from the Dark Age of Comics. Oh no, what roided out horrors has he unleashed? Wait this stuff’s actually good? What’s going on?

Reconstructing the Grim and Gritty

Donny Cates' debut.
You hated the 90’s Waid.

Donny’s earliest work involves what the 1990s comics were aiming for; realistic depictions of superheroes as people. This didn’t necessarily mean muscular man children with ever grunting faces (Youngblood’s Disease). Rather, it’s about people with relatable flaws. Buzzkill for example is about a superhero who gets superpowers when taking drugs like alcohol. Unfortunately because of the nature of Ruben’s powers and the effects they have on his mental state; he ends up being a danger to himself and others. In stark comparison to the juvenile fantasies of creators like Rob Liefeld, Donny presents a self-insert for an authentic look at addiction.

Several years later, Donny goes back to the Buzzkill world to explore the fallout of superheroic addiction. Unlike Buzzkill, this series brings a more comedic element to complement the inherit bleakness. Not everybody can be as rich as Batman or Iron Man; so some people borrow money for the means to get superpowers and equipment. But heroism isn’t much of a paying job. So to pay off their debts, the bankrupt heroes join The Paybacks. This repo squad collects the loans from other heroes, but of course the job badly affects the team. Soon Dark Horse isn’t enough to keep Donny around so he goes Metal.

Donny Cates Plays Heavy Metal

So good, Cates get a chance to rerelease it with a smashing new publisher.

Heavy Metal is quite easily Donny’s biggest influence in his later work. Maybe it was meeting some imaginative creators including Editor-in-Chief Grant Morrison. Regardless, The Paybacks gets a new release because the staff liked it so much. As such, the series gets infused with the energy found in a metal album. This along with Interceptor become such great hits, it’s no wonder other publishers want to republish them.

He Probably Gets it From His Idol

In a couple of those comic in other publishers, Cates displays a high amount of respect for a certain writer. One he calls “the greatest living comic book writer”. His Dark Horse series, The Ghost Fleet for example is what would happen if the Ghost Riders weren’t supernatural. God Country and Redneck meanwhile give series like Souther Bastards a supernatural atmosphere. That’s right, Donny’s idol is Jason Aaron. Even Babyteeth shares a number of Aaron’s misotheistic themes. Given that most of these series involve paternal figures and family, Cates likely sees Aaron as a father figure. I wonder what that means for Cates’ childhood. But Cate’s biggest tribute to Aaron is his work in Marvel.

What? Donny Cates Makes Bad Guys Look Good?

Donny Cates can be a troll too.
God of Lies indeed.

Donny’s work in the House of Ideas starts with Doctor Strange. Wouldn’t ya know it, but this is actually Donny’s first step to his eventual work with Thor. Why? Because Loki takes center stage with Stephen Strange. Following up Aaron’s saga with the Master of Mysticism, Cates has Stephen clean up the messes he leaves behind. As a man of adventure, he’s had a lot of responsibilities and it’s taken its toll. For one thing, he’s lost his medical license and his right as Sorcerer Supreme. Strange wants to do good but it’s always come at a price that he couldn’t afford. Which is something Loki takes advantage of.

Loki himself wants to do good in his own way, foreseeing the War of the Realms. He wants the power to get results that can help him and the people Loki cares about. Unfortunately, he’s not as clever as say John Constantine and ends up in a worse situation for his deceptions. For Cates this run is his attempts at trying to be in the same league as Aaron. But he still has a long way to go before that can happen. At the very least he gets Aaron’s respect and friendship. And Aaron isn’t the only creator Cates shows respect towards.

Cosmic Donny Cates

In the vast emptiness of space and the greater universe it’s easy to feel insignificant. Even the greats like Jim Starlin and Jeph Loeb fall from notoriety. It seems to be because they have been or are stuck. For Loeb, it’s the loss of his enthusiasm with his son; for Starlin it’s backpedaling with Thanos. That’s not to say Starlin likes being kept out of a loop. While rejections are normal, not being told about it isn’t. For Donny, the best thing to do is create a story worthy of Starlin’s influence. That comes in Thanos Wins, one that gives the Mad Titan some much needed character development in his toxic relationship with Death. Because who needs to be tied to a Death personification when you can have a movie?

That’s not to say Thanos is a hero. His future self’s servant, Cosmic Ghost Rider attests to that. From torturing a guy on his birthday every year and doing a good deed to prevent someone from making a difference. But trying to make him a hero seems impossible too. Or maybe that’s because Cosmic Ghost Rider is just Punisher with Ghost Rider and Silver Surfer’s powers. Even the people you admire are still only human. In any case, Donny gets a bit philosophical about that.

What Are Absolutes?

In Relay, Donny travels with Zac Thompson into questions about assimilation and innovation. What’s the point of having an easy way to success when you lose your integrity? But when fighting back means destroying everything that you know and love; what’s the point? It’s some advice that Donny takes to heart when he turns down an internship at Marvel to be a comic writer. Probably because he might’ve ended up being the one to mandate Death of the Inhumans instead of writing it. Which really doesn’t make things any better. Some critics also say that’s the case with the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Cosmic Marvel Returns!

The series is a tribute to both the classics and new characters. Before the recognizable roster, there is a lot of trial and error. The guardians have always been misfits and finding what works is in their DNA. For Donny though, it’s about showing respect of all who came before and where he fits. All of that comes ahead in Silver Surfer: Black.

This tribute to Loeb’s color series shows Norrin Radd alone, isolated, and with power he never knew he had. With his Power Cosmic fading, the surfer finds his beliefs challenged. For him and Cates, it’s not about changing history; it’s about doing their part for who and what they love. Especially if that leads to a confrontation in Venom.

We (Donny Cates’ Influences) Are Venom

Venom is Donny Cates’ favorite character; but a lot of people like to point out that Venom was essentially just a grittier parody of Spider-Man. But unlike the joyful delights of the Web Head, Venom acted more like serial killer than an anti-hero. For Cates, he had to translate why Venom is his favorite by showing the more compelling aspects of Venom and Eddie Brock. As the above mentions, Cates likely didn’t have a father figure and has a past with addictions. Eddie Brock spoke to him in regards to those aspects in relation to his abusive father and Venom. For both Eddie and Cates, Venom was an escape from the hard times.

The Venom Codex

In the years after his debut, Venom’s runs with Rick Remender and Cullen Bunn give the symbiote some development. All of which deal with both addiction and the need to be better. To make Cate’s version authentic to him, Venom shows the thin layer behind creator and object of worship. As it turns out, Thor (Jason Aaron’s no less) is the one who drives every symbiote to heroism. This combines with a heavy metal-like atmosphere for the beginning of an epic tale. One that goes into the backstory of the symbiotes’ creator, Knull, and how his presence (or lack of it) drives them into murderous rage. If that’s not a sign of how a lack of a good father set Cates down the path of addiction, I don’t know what is.

Subsequent stories are about reconnecting with this messy past. Naturally things get dark, but not for the sake of it. Relationships like the one between Eddie and Venom are complex and hard to comprehend. Venom is dependent on his hosts, so much that his name has a new meaning. Because come on, spewing Venom in the news is a terrible name origin. Relationships are messy, especially with family members. Venom in particular has a very messy family. Not least of which is Carnage, his first spawn.

To The Absolute Maximum

Carnage has always been a major threat, one that even Venom shudders at. The problem with Carnage is that there isn’t a lot of depth to him. He’s little more than an extension of his host Cletus Cassidy, a murderous psychopath. Even the event named after him Maximum Carnage is just the title character wreaking havoc. But this and every other story with Cassidy/Carnage as the villain revolves around the question on whether superheroes shouldn’t break the silver rule; to never kill even in defense. But Donny turns this concept from a battle of ethics into a battle for survival.

Absolute Carnage takes the ideas of Maximum Carnage and turns it up even higher. Carnage now serves as a herald for a coming threat in the form of Knull. This god of the symbiotes makes even the mightiest of Cosmic Marvel quake in fear. The worst part comes in how this was inevitable. Not for the sake of the status quo but because Carnage won against the odds. Not by pushing them over the edge, but by taking advantage of the growth and responsibility Eddie and Venom go through. The best villains aren’t simply something to punch, they’re a reminder to the creator that there are things beyond even them. It’s a concept that continues when Cates becomes the Thor writer.

Donny Cates You Are Worthy

As Jason Aaron hands his follower the pen to the Thor story, Donny Cates and Thor achieve so much. But what happens once you’re on top of the world? Do you just fall back on old habits when you’ve already overcome them. Nope, superheroes aren’t sitcoms or real life. Instead, an idea from Marvel’s experimental “What If” story comes in. Thor becomes the Herald of Galactus (who is not a giant cloud). That threat that ended Galactus’ original universe is back and Thor needs to leave his throne to stop it.

Donny has made a big impact in just a few years. Not just in comics but his own life. From all the friends he’s made to his marriage. After such a long road, he’s not only living the dream, he’s made his own epic story.

Thanks for coming and as always, remember to look between the panels.