RICHARD: This series of interviews has two purposes, the first to get interesting answers out of the subjects, ones they might not have given before. In doing so, I've tried to ask questions in a way they might not have had before. In some cases I hope that's worked. (9)

I write a rumour and gossip column for the comic book industry. In doing so, I am treating it as a mainstream entertainment medium. The more we start doing that, the more likely it is to be true. (10)

No "woe is me", again, inferred not implied. I'm sure I do make enemies, but since they mostly don't talk to me, I'm not sure who they are. Honest! Indeed, a couple who have previously made it known they thought I was scum seem to have come round of late.

Again, you're seeing emotion where there is none. I work in advertising, Joe. I have one of the thickest skins around. I take direction every day, sometimes from clients who know far less than I do, and I'm paid handsomely for the privilege. (11)

If things have come close to passing for me at Marvel, I've never known about it. If stuff happens, yeah, great, but it's not like it's the be-all and end-all. If it's a company owned thing, I hope I'd be able to take direction willingly and gracefully. If it's something of new cloth, that might be different but worth discussion. But I've written a TV show that's on in the UK in April and I've just been handed a great brief for a series of computer game ads, I'm far more concerned about them right now. (12)

I didn't actually believe the "Uncle Ben" story was bad news, per se. Although clearly my 'source' did. Might also be worth remembering that I was so lacking in drool that, although I'd ascertained the email was Marvel-based, I gave its reliability a very low rating and pointed out that it was very likely to be a gag. If, as my 'source', you got a different reaction in my emails to you, well maybe that's because I was telling the 'source' what I thought they needed to hear from me. (13)

I don't know why you think I treat Marvel or the comics industry as a 'lost lover'. We certainly seem to be in touch a lot, I buy more Marvels now than ever - something I might want to come onto in a second, and probably more from everywhere else too. Advertising pays well... (14)

And of course it can be venting for the sake of venting. But when you talk about developing talent and allowing creative freedom, then when those people start bitching, it can have implications. At no point have I said you're wrong for doing what you're doing, hell it makes sense to me, but if that's not coming through to the ground troops, you might have difficulties.

You're dealing with people who, yes, might be babies, yes, might be venting and yes, given a few kind words from Dan Didio, might jump ship as a result. (15)

You have a tough skin, Joe. Believe it or not, so do I. Some of the people you employ don't, but it appears they've been treated as if they do or should. See the potential problem? When someone else is waving wads of cash and whispering sweet nothings? (16)

ULTIMATE X-MEN HARDCOVER

JOE: (9) See, I guess to me it's different because you're not asking anything that the average messageboard troll hasn't asked me before. So to me there isn't uniqueness, just people wanting to 'take the piss' as you Brits like to say. Maybe it's different for other people since I take on all comers and all the questions posed me on my messageboard's Q+A. (10) Wow, now that's a rationalization if I ever heard one. At what point do you start to discuss it as an art form? We've spent your first few questions talking about the possibility of disgruntled employees.

(11) So how do you feel about these freelancers that you have supposedly talked to? What advice do you have for them? It seems that you are able to operate under the kinds of conditions, even harsher it seems, than they do? How do you feel about them, seriously, there must be a tremendous amount of resentment on your part? I mean you've dabbled in comics from time to time yet here are people who have gotten fully in through the door and bitching to you about editors perhaps giving direction, that must steam you to no end?

(12) See, that's what I thought, you understand what's happening at Marvel yet you sensationalize the question to get a rise (in some cases anger) out of the subject you're interviewing. This is very enlightening.

(13) I have to go back and find those e-mails, if I remember correctly you were pulling for more info. Come on, Rich, you were like a kid in a candy store. But okay, lets talk about your other mean-spirited gag that I called you on and you never publicly acknowledged. How about those e-mails that you were sending around pretending to be someone else asking comic creators some very weird questions and in some cases some incredibly hateful questions that were really personal and biting towards the creators. Stuff that was based on backdoor knowledge you had on certain people, stuff that was going to hurt. I know that this is a gag that you actually swiped form a pro who will remain nameless, except that yours was infinitely more mean spirited. Let's talk about the fact that some pros figured out it was you (I did immediately) and contacted this very website to complain about the mean spiritedness of it prompting the provider of this site to make apology calls to many of the creators who were not just offended, but hurt! Would you like to come clean about that? I mean I don't scour the Internet, so perhaps you have already? However, if that doesn't show anger buried under the surface could you explain what it was?

(14) But, Rich, you don't fool me for a second. Like most Internet reporters, I bet you would drop that cushy ad gig to work in comics, don't tell me otherwise. We all know that despite it's faults, it is an incredible place to work, just as Marvel is an incredible place to work despite the fact that we will never be able to make 100% of our people happy.

(15) And you may have a point in one or three cases, Rich, but you phrase your questions in the same way that many Internet posters write and talk. Some poster and his friend may think that writer X is the best guy in the industry and they'll get on the 'net and tell me that everybody loves this person and then I'll find that this writer's sales are the worst of any talent I have. How many times have you seen this kind of stuff happen? Everybody in the industry hates this, loves that and so on, but you have to weigh those opinions of these very vocal people against the majority of non vocal people who actually drive your business. We have over 20 new talents coming up, guess what, a few are going to be upset, I get it, I expect it. If there books end up doing well and they end up making major money at Marvel like the guys that went through the drill previously, all that crap gets forgiven and away you go. You make it sound as if it's every single one of them and we both know that that isn't the case.

(16) See, but they should, because once you're in this game you have to understand that you're not in the creator owned world and a thick skin is required. Whether it be your boss or the fans. If Dan Didio wants to wave a wad of cash at a rookie starting out of the box who can't take direction, he can have him. But guess what, Dan's not stupid and this industry's small. Once word gets out that a person is hard to work with it spreads like wildfire. That's why they bitch anonymously.

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