We’re used to reading all the interviews about the series that are coming but, but Kiel Phegley at CBR presents a rare look at an idea that didn’t make it with Joe Casey’s EXECUTIVE POWER, which would have plunked a real-life politician down into the Marvel U. It’s an interesting behind the scenes look at how ideas are developed at the Big Two:
“Honestly, my original notion was for it to be a fictional President in the Marvel U,” Casey told CBR. “But, the more I thought about it, and in initially talking to [Executive Editor] Axel Alonso about it two years ago, it made much more sense — on several levels — to make it about the actual President — which, back in the summer of ’06, obviously no one had any idea who the candidates would be, although that didn’t really matter for the purposes of this pitch. At that point, it suddenly morphed into possibly the most commercial idea I’ve ever come up with for a work-for-hire series. And Axel was into it. In a lot of ways, he’s probably the most forward-thinking editor at Marvel. His track record certainly shows he doesn’t shy away from controversial ideas, approaches or stories. I think he knew right away that this would be a lot more substantial a project than merely some gimmick book.”
Casey’s probably right that putting real life governators into a comic book would have gotten lots of press — look at the play IDW and Bluewater have gotten for their candidate bio books — but it’s also the kind of thing Marvel and DC really tend to shy away from. In one way, it’s understandable. Rights issues and complaints are a big concern, and real world commentary is usually left to the satirists, as Mad Magazine shows.
It also brings up troubles when it comes to the timelessness of the characters, which is obviously a priority for them. Look how far they went to make sure Peter Parker didn’t even get relatively close to age 30 in the last year, which would matter, I suppose if kids were actually reading comics in the mainstream MU, but that’s neither here nor there.