Trevor Cates –- You talk about the assistant editors that help you in the X-Office from time to time. Can you give the fans their names and tell us a little about them and what there in charge of doing for you?
Mike Marts -- The newest addition to the X-Office is my associate Nick Lowe. "Lefty" (as we call him) comes over to us after serving a few years with the Ultimate office, and before that, the Marvel Knights crew. Nick aids and abets me on most of the X-titles, and personally edits WOLVERINE: SOULTAKER, 1603: NEW WORLD and ULTIMATE IRON MAN. Nick enjoys impersonations, creatively photoshopping pictures of freelancers and making animal noises. I guess if I'm the "teach" of the class, then Nick's the class clown.
Rounding out our three-man squad is Sean "Ryney" Ryan. Sean's been with me for the last year and has recently begun editing a few of his own projects, including WEAPON X: DAYS OF FUTURE NOW, MUTOPIA X and X-MEN UNLIMITED. Sean's known for wearing ties to work, working as a part-time comedian and collecting calendars of young starlets. If I’m the teach and Nick’s the class clown, then Ryney’s that smart-aleck kid in the front row—you know, the kind who pretends he’s the teacher’s pet but is ANYTHING BUT!
Trevor Cates –- I'm sure over the past few years you have, at one point or another, made some mistakes as editor. Without embarrassing yourself, too much, can you tell us something about any certain incident?
Mike Marts -- Mistakes? Me? :)
Well...yeah, I guess there might have been a few over the years...
But one particular gaffe that sticks out in my mind is from a convention trip a few years back. After a long day of working the convention floor, myself and a few of my Marvel cohorts headed to the hotel bar for some much needed...er, refreshments. After a half hour or so I spotted an artist I hadn't worked with in over five years. I couldn't tell you how excited I was to see this guy after all that time! As I sneakily headed over to surprise him where he was standing, he caught my eye and looked just as excited to see me. He shouted out my name, "MIKE MARTS!" and I responded by shouting out his.
But soon as I did, his look of elation quickly turned to one of disappointment and befuddlement. Seems I'd him mixed up with another freelancer. Turns out he wasn’t that dude I’d worked with five years prior…nope, this was a guy I was currently working with!
I promptly opened my mouth and inserted my foot, sneaker and all.
Trevor Cates –- It seems there is an emphasis on love triangles in the X-Books these days. What are your feelings on these personal dramas in the tiles and do you feel that these situations attract a younger readership?
Mike Marts -- Love and War have always been the two main ingredients for great storytelling, and everyone knows the X-Men have had plenty of both! Love triangles have always been and probably always will be an important part of the X-titles' success. Whether it's Scott, Jean & Madelyne; Scott, Jean & Emma; Logan, Yukio & Mariko or Rogue, Remy and Foxx (who?!), there will always be plenty of lovestruck characters within our pages to attract audiences of all ages.
Trevor Cates –- What can the fans expect from the Core X-Titles after the House of M, in regard to the dynamics of the team (i.e., the rosters and each books setting)?
Mike Marts -- I always hate to sound cliché, but expect the unexpected. Dynamics of ALL sorts will be tossed up, turned around, shaken and stirred when all is said and done.
Trevor Cates –- The titles that are coming out this week: X-MEN #169, CABLE DEADPOOL #14, NEW X-MEN #12, UNCANNY X-MEN #458, WOLVERINE #27 and X-23 #5. Can you give the fans your reaction on the upcoming issues?
Mike Marts -- X-MEN #169 is definitely the sleeper issue of this bunch. In this penultimate chapter of Pete Milligan and Salvador Larroca’s “Golgotha” storyline, readers will see the X-Men pushed to edge like they’ve never been pushed before. One look at the cover alone should tell you that anything goes! NEW X-MEN #12? Betrayal most foul! Or maybe this issue should be titled “Hell Hath No Fury Like An X-Woman Scorned! Either way, you won’t want to miss this turning point issue. UNCANNY X-MEN #458 continues Chris Claremont and Alan Davis’ “On Ice” storyline, while WOLVERINE #27 dives headfirst into WOLVERINE: AGENT OF S.H.I.E.L.D.! In CABLE/DEADPOOL, good ol’ Wade Wilson tries his hand at solving murders, and in X-23 #5, the young mutant is sent on her most vicious mission yet!
Next week, "Mondays with Marts" will be guest-hosted by X-Men associate editor Nick Lowe!
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