In a February interview, Marvel’s Joe Quesada told Newsarama that readers could expect some “humongous announcements” with respect to talent that would “affect Marvel books for the next two or three years.” One of those announcements came to light last month, when we reported writer J. Michael Straczynski was on the verge of signing an exclusive, multi-year contract with Marvel … a contract designed to allow him to continue writing Spider-Man (and possibly on a more-frequent-than-monthly basis), and work on other new projects starring other Marvel characters.

But Quesada said “announcements”, and it turns out the other creative shoe to drop will not only have another profound effect on Spider-Man, but on Marvel’s MAX line and a previously-announced DC project as well.

Newsarama has learned writer Kevin Smith – arguably the industry’s current most widely recognized and popular creator – will also agree to a multi-year exclusive contract with Marvel, with both writers likely signing for two years. Newsarama caught up with both creators to ask about the whys and whatnots of their deals.

“Joe [Quesada] asked,” Smith told Newsarama quite simply, asked to explain why he’s agreed to his contract. “It’s hard to say no to Joe. And after having been more-or-less exclusive with DC for the last two years, it felt right to give Marvel the same treatment.”

…

Once a newly-exclusive creators, Smith, Straczynski and Marvel have big plans, including Smith taking over the regular writing chores of Amazing Spider-Man, possibly in late 2002 or early 2003 [though Smith said, “If they’re smart, they won’t hand the book over until they’ve got a bunch of scripts from me”], and perhaps with artist Terry Dodson attached.

Smith, who said as far as he knows the upcoming Black Cat ongoing series will launch as scheduled [following the completion of the Spider-Man/Black Cat mini-series], also said he plans to write both Amazing Spider-Man and Black Cat concurrently, and he’s hoping to get the same creative partner on both series as well…

“I’m going to try to convince Terry [Dodson] to do both,” he said. “Wish me luck.”

Asked to describe how he’ll approach writing Spider-Man on a regular basis, Smith said, “Very carefully”.

“This isn’t Daredevil or Green Arrow, in terms of those were characters that weren’t pulling in the readers anymore, so I had a lot of leeway. This is Spider-Man, which sells well regardless, though particularly in this, the ‘Year of Spider-Man’. I’ll be minding my P’s and Q’s, so as not to ruffle fan feathers.

…

An additional aspect of Kevin Smith’s deal with Marvel is any new ‘View Askew’ Universe projects (based on his films) published during the term of the contract will be published as part of Marvel’s ‘Mature Readers’ MAX line. Smith responded “Hopefully”, when asked if he plans to write the long-promised Bartleby & Loki one-shot and Mallrats 2: Die Hard in a Mall.

However, Smith added it was “doubtful” Marvel would publish any new collections of previously published [by Oni and Image] ‘View Askew’ projects.

…

Speaking of other commitments, as for Smith’s Brave and the Bold series in development at DC [announced last summer], Smith said he has not written off the series, and that he still intends to do it once the term of this exclusive contract expires.

“Unless DC changes its mind,” he added.

Smith added he and Marvel have “got some plans” for Daredevil, though he did not indicate whether this meant the original graphic novel that has been mentioned by Smith for the last year or so, or something else.

Finally, also asked about Marvel’s plan to publish upwards of 18-issues a year on some titles, Smith said, “I’m just shooting to stay on a monthly schedule. It’s hard enough for me to get to twelve issues in a year, let alone 18 to 24.”

And in the light of the fact his next film Jersey Girl has just recently been officially “greenlighted”, we asked Smith how he’d respond to readers wondering how he’s going to find the time to keep all these planned projects on time.

“I’m wondering the same thing myself,” he concluded. “The best I can do is try to keep up, I guess. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

Look for more details on all these stories when they are available.

April 21, 2002 — Bryan Johnson, high school buddy and protégé of New Jersey auteur Kevin Smith, is the first to admit that his new black comedy, “Vulgar,” which depicts a male clown being sexually attacked, is not for all tastes – to put it mildly.

“It’s for people who don’t like by-the-numbers movies, but movies that confront the viewer with the darker side of things,” Johnson said recently of his envelope-pushing film.

“Vulgar,” which opens Friday at the Angelika, moved about 50 people to walk out in disgust at its first screening at the Toronto Film Festival in September 2000.

Even among hard-core Smith fans at the only other public showing – in January at the director’s annual Vulgarthon film festival in Red Bank, N.J. – at least one audience member threw up.

The film had an unusual genesis: It was inspired by a drawing of an obese male clown in a garter belt, fishnet stockings and bustier that Walt Flanagan, a longtime pal of both Smith and Johnson’s, had created as the logo for Smith’s View Askew Productions.

“We were sitting around thinking what would be the worst possible thing that could happen to the clown – a really mind-bending and life-altering experience,” Johnson recalled.

Smith, who launched his production company after his 1995 no-budget indie hit “Clerks,” was busy with his follow-up film, “Mallrats,” so he suggested that Johnson write and direct the movie that became “Vulgar.”

“You have to understand that Kevin and I come from a small New Jersey town where nobody ever thought they could become a movie director,” said Johnson.

The film was shot in the fall of 1995 in New Jersey on a tight 25-day schedule and a tiny $125,000 budget, with “Clerks” star Brian O’Halloran cast as the clown who gets raped by a redneck and his two sons after the clown advertises his services for adult parties.

“I was stunned Brian agreed to show that side of himself,” Johnson said, “especially since he wasn’t in the best shape for the revealing costume he had to wear.”

The movie was picked up by Lions Gate films after its Toronto showing, but a long battle with the motion picture ratings board lay ahead.

“They originally gave it an NC-17 rating, which is considered commercial suicide,” the 34-year-old director said.

“They objected to the language, to the rape and even to a bottle being broken over a character’s head. Haven’t they ever seen any westerns? And the rape scene in ‘Boys Don’t Cry,’ which got an R rating, is far more in your face.”

Most puzzling, Johnson said, were the ratings board’s reservations about a middle-aged character wearing nothing but a diaper being referred to as a child.

As a result, the film is going into theaters, and ultimately out on DVD, without a rating.

But an expurgated R-rated cut was prepared for VHS, since Blockbuster – which controls 85 percent of the rental market – won’t handle unrated films.

“I couldn’t physically make those cuts, so I turned it over to producer Scott Mosier,” said Johnson, who is now working on a script for a horror movie called “Jersey Devil.”

In the meantime, the Monmouth County Community College dropout is supporting himself by handling merchandising for Smith’s Web site, Viewaskew.com.

“He’s even given me a job to keep me going while I’m trying to get into the business,” Johnson said of Smith, who makes a cameo appearance in “Vulgar” as a slick TV producer.

“Kevin’s looking out for me at every turn.”

A Guy Thing

Starring Jason Lee, Julia Stiles, Selma Blair, James Brolin, Shawn Hatosy, Diana Scarwid
Written by Matt Tarses, Bill Wrubel
Directed by Chris Koch

“It’s Meet the Parents crossed with Say Anything…,” boasts director Koch. “I’m so dead if anyone hears that. Tell that to Hollywood executives and they’re like, ‘Don’t say Say Anything…! That’s one of those great little movies that doesn’t make any money!’” It’s also the movie that cemented the romantic appeal of its star John Cusack, a prize that could await Jason Lee if Koch’s promises hold true. In his first mainstream lead role, Lee plays a marketing exec who may have committed the ultimate sin at his bachelor party. “Jason has always been to me the guy in Chasing Amy,” says Koch (Snow Day). “But I knew he could be that really great leading man. That made it hard to cast the best friend, though. I was like, ‘Well, maybe Jason can play his own best friend.’” (John Q.’s Hatosy saves Lee from the double duty.)

Stiles plays the innapropriate object of Lee’s affection. “In rehearsals, every time I would say a line I would be listening to hear if people would laugh,” she says. “But the audience is the camera crew and they’re tired and they’ve been working for 12 hours and they’ve heard all the jokes before.” Stiles’ anxiety aside, the only other drawback was the film’s guy-centric moniker. “I don’t want a title that we have to overcome,” says Koch. “I don’t want people to think this is a frat movie. This isn’t Saving Silverman.”

THE LOWDOWN Here’s a chance to see if Jason Lee has been Almost Famous for too long. (Aug. 23)