Writer Edd McCracken has graciously given Pakbuzz.com permission to post the following excerpt from his recent story “The Men Who Make Superheroes,” which ran last week in the Sunday Herald in Scotland. In the excerpt, he interviews “Planet Hulk” writer Greg Pak about what makes everyone’s favorite green goliath so compelling:
GREG PAK IS… THE HULK
When writer Greg Pak talks about The Hulk he deepens his voice and flexes his muscles, like a reflex. “I’ve been Hulking it up for nearly a year,” he booms, before relaxing. “I’m sorry, when you work on The Hulk for a while you fall back on the mannerisms,” he says gently. “But he is a tonne of fun.”
In the Marvel universe The Hulk cuts one of the most tragic figures. A misunderstood monster with the most savage mood swings in literary history, he’s the eternal outsider. As if to stress that point, Greg has decided to exile The Hulk on a remote planet with a band of gladiator rebels in the current storyline.
“The Hulk TV show was my first introduction to tragedy as a child – I went straight from that to Macbeth,” says Greg. “That whole notion that this man is a monster and no matter what he does he will always be misunderstood, kills me.”
TV Guide interview with Greg Pak about “Battlestar Galactica”
The TV Guide website has published the full interview conducted by Ileane Rudolph with “Battlestar Galactica” comic book writer Greg Pak. Here’s an excerpt:
TVGuide.com: Are you also introducing new characters?
Pak: One of the great things about the show is that it’s full of compelling, varied characters with intriguing histories and relationships, so for the comic we can pull from that supporting cast and give great moments to some of the secondary leads like Gaeta and Dualla, for example. At the same time, we’re absolutely developing and introducing new characters as needed. There’s a huge cliff-hanger at the end of #0 which involves a new character of sorts. I’ll say no more for fear of spoilers! And we’ll have a shocking group of guest stars at the end of #3.
Click here to read the whole interview.
“Battlestar Galactica” Issue #0, a specially priced 25 cent book, goes on sale May 31 (June 1 in the US due to the Memorial Day holiday). To find your local comic book store, visit the Comic Shop Locator Service.
“Incredible Hulk” #95 preview pages at PopCultureShock.com
PopCultureShock.com has posted a preview of the first five pages of “Incredible Hulk” #95, written by Greg Pak with art by Carlo Pagulayan and Marshall Rogers. Click here to view the pages.
“Incredible Hulk” #95 goes on sale Wednesday, May 31 (June 1 in the US due to the Memorial Day holiday). Use the Comic Shop Locator Service to find a store near you.
Newsarama interviews Pak, Raynor, and Tan about “Battlestar Galactica”
Newsarama has posted an interview with the creative team behind the “Battlestar Galactica” comic book, including writer Greg Pak, penciler Nigel Raynor, and cover artist Billy Tan. A few excerpts:
NRAMA: When you started work on this project, did you find yourself saying “I have to use these characters because I love them” and creating a situation for them, or did the situation come first?
GREG PAK: : There was one emotional storyline in particular that hit me hard during the first season – I can’t say what it was right now for fear of spoilers, but when you read Issue #0 you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. And when I was thinking about what the comic book should be, I kept coming back to that storyline. I knew there was more to explore there on an emotional level, and when I came up with a hook that could tie it in to questions of the Cylon’s origins and the Cylon/human relationships, I knew I had a story.
…
NRAMA: Tell us about a Greg Pak script, and what the working process is like between the two of you.
NIGEL RAYNOR: Well we’ve only really started to work together but he seems happy with what I’ve given him so far, which is really great for me. I’ve read the first four scripts now. After finishing them I had a big cheesy grin on my face ‘cause I knew I was going to enjoy the hell out drawing all this stuff he’s got coming up. It’s got all the melodrama, comedy and action you get from the show and quite a few surprises too!
Click here for the full article.
“Battlestar Galactica” #0 hits comic book stores on May 31 (June 1 in the US due to the Memorial Day holiday). Contact your local comic book store and ask them to hold a copy for you — and preorder Issue #1, which comes out in July! Use the Comic Shop Locator Service to find a store near you.
“Battlestar Galactica” #0 preview pages!
At long last, Dynamite Entertainment has released colored, lettered preview pages of interior art from “Battlestar Galactica” #0, written by Greg Pak with pencils by Nigel Raynor. Click on the links below to view the pages in a new window.
Page One | Page Two – top half | Page Seven | Page Eight | Page Nine
“Battlestar Galactica” #0 hits comic book stores May 31 (June 1 in the US due to the Memorial Day holiday). Contact your local comic book store and ask them to hold a copy for you — and preorder Issue #1, which comes out in July! Use the Comic Shop Locator Service to find a store near you.
Chow interviews Pak for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
In honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Keith Chow recently interviewed Greg Pak and several other Asian American comic book creators for the Diamond Bookmark Newsletter. Parts of Chow’s interview with Pak can be seen at the Diamond website. But the full text of the interview has never been seen — until today! Below is the entire Chow/Pak interview, courtesy of Keith Chow and Diamond.
KC: Like any other literary genre, there’s a lot of diversity in comics that might fly right beneath the radar in most mainstream circles. So my first question is how does being Asian American inform your work?
GP: I grew up at a time when the most prominent Asian American character in mainstream media was a dude in a teen flick who’d fall out of trees to the sound of a gong. So I’ve been annoyed by stereotypical imagery in mainstream media almost as long as I can remember. At the same time, I’ve always been hugely impressed by the way films speak a universal emotional language and have the power make us fall in love with anyone. I always paraphrase Spike Lee, who once wrote something along the lines of “the more specific something is, the more universal it becomes.†The idea is that if you actually depict a character fully, with all of his or her background taken into account, the audience will get it, even if the character is completely different from the audience. In fact, it’s precisely because you’ve depicted the character so specifically that the audience gets it — something that’s true in your character’s life, if it’s presented in the right way, will resonate with something true in every viewer’s life.
“Incredible Hulk” moves up the sales charts
Newsarama has just released the list of the top 100 selling comic books for April 2006, and “Incredible Hulk,” written by Greg Pak, is moving up the charts. In March, “Incredible Hulk” #93 was ranked 48th on the chart. In April, “Incredible Hulk” #94 has risen to the 43rd slot.
“Incredible Hulk” #95, featuring a climactic battle between the Hulk and the Silver Surfer, hits comic book stores on May 31 (June 1 in the US due to the Memorial Day holiday). Contact your local comic book store to reserve your copy and add “Incredible Hulk” to your pull list. Click here to find a comic book store near you or call 1-888-COMIC-BOOK.
Dynamite releases “Battlestar Galactica” #1 cover
Dynamite Entertainment has released the Billy Tan cover for “Battlestar Galactica” #1, written by Greg Pak, with interior art by Nigel Raynor, which hits comic book stores in July.
An excerpt from the press release:
“First off, we would like to thank retailers and fans for their support! Issue #0 exceeded our wildest expectations, and we have high hopes for the equally strong debut of issue #1,†commented Dynamite Spokesperson J. Allen. “Greg Pak and Nigel Raynor have knocked it out of this Galaxy and with the end of Issue #0 leading right into the opening of Issue #1, fans will not want to miss out of the first issue!â€
Concerning the integration of the comic and the show, comic writer Greg Pak explained: “We’re 100 percent tied into the continuity of the television show — our storyline takes place in the middle of the second season, right after the return from Kobol and before the arrival of the Pegasus.â€
“Battlestar Galactica” #0 hits comic book stores on May 31 (June 1 in the US due to the Memorial Day holiday). Contact your local comic book store to reserve your copy and preorder “Battlestar Galactica” #1. To find a comic book store near you, click here or call 1-888-COMICBOOK.
To read the entire Dynamite press release, visit Newsarama.
Kip Fulbeck in NYC to talk about “The Hapa Project”
Filmmaker Kip Fulbeck is in New York this week to talk about his new book, Part Asian, 100% Hapa, which features photographs of multiracial people of Asian heritage (including filmmaker Greg Pak and actor Amy Hill) along with their hand-written answers to the question “What are you?”
Fulbeck’s appearances:
Thursday May 18th, 6:30 p.m.
NYU Asian Pacific American Institute
41-51 East 11th Street between University Place & Broadway, 7th floor
Hapa Project Multimedia Presentation & Book Signing
Refreshments
RSVP to nlyum@darumanyc.com (212) 869-4000
Friday May 19th, 6:30 p.m.
Japanese American Association of New York
15 West 44th Street, 11th floor
Film Screenings, Artist Talk, & Book Signing
Refreshments
RSVP to nlyum@darumanyc.com (212) 869-4000
Saturday May 20th, 9 a.m – 12 p.m.
Hapa Project Photo Shoot
Japanese American Association of New York
15 West 44th Street, 11th Floor
RSVP to nlyum@darumanyc.com (212) 869-4000
Marvel releases “Incredible Hulk” #97 cover
Marvel has released the cover for “Incredible Hulk” #97, written by Greg Pak. The cover was drawn by Ladronn; the interior pencils are by Aaron Lopresti. Here’s the solicitation copy:
PLANET HULK, ANARCHY PART 2
Leading his army of gladiators and refugees, the Hulk smashes his way towards the Steppes — and freedom. But what of the millions still enslaved by the Red King? What of the rebels and slaves dying in the streets and fields? Who is the Sakaarson, and when will he come? The answers threaten to rip the Hulk and his allies apart—and precipitate a shocking transformation that could shake Planet Hulk to the core!
The comic book goes on sale August 8 — tell your local comic book store to order a copy for you today! To find a comic book store near you, click here or call 1-888-COMICBOOK.