I’ve become used to the typical reasons that hostility is aimed at me. The guys who assail me because I have different political beliefs from them (including those who actually write to Marvel trying to get me fired because they didn’t like something I wrote on this blog). Or the guys who love to weigh in on any positive BBS thread about my work and try and lob crap at it because they feel I was mean to them three years ago, or they’re frustrated writers who believe that my success is as undeserved as their failure, and since they can’t do anything about the latter, they’ll try and tear down the former.
But the message I received recently was just on a different level.
I started up a Facebook page about a month ago and the vast, vast, VAST majority of people who have approached me through that medium have been genuine, enthusiastic fans of me or my work. And then one day, out of the blue, I got the following message from someone I shall keep nameless:
I wrote a submission to Marvel that was a Shatterstar origin. I wrote that story three times. Countless nights of research on the many characters and the ultimate expansion of the mojoverse. I spent 2 years trying to find an artist to draw for me. You made him gay, and made my story irrelevent. (sic) I have stopped writing and am now a mechanic. A rather small decision of yours, crushed my dream of being a comic book writer at Marvel.
I have to admit, I was taken aback. As I said, I’ve become used to the usual reasons for hostility. But here’s someone I’ve never met (to my knowledge) who apparently hates his life and blames me for it.
Years ago I wrote a Hulk story which featured a low-grade crook who, throughout his career, was constantly having his endeavors thwarted by the Hulk who, in turn, had no idea the guy existed. For instance, the guy was driving away from a bank robbery at high speed and a casually leaping Hulk shattered the road in front of him so that he couldn’t escape police pursuit. By the end of the story he finally confronts the Hulk, declaring him to be his nemesis, and the Hulk has no freaking idea who this guy is or the impact he’s had on his life. The guy was supposed to be a comedic figure.
Instead I now encounter that in real life and I don’t find it funny at all. To me, it’s just kind of tragic, that somewhere out there, there’s this guy who isn’t achieving his goals and believes it’s my fault…and me, I was just going about my business.
And the more I think about it, the more I just feel sorry for the guy. It’s a terrible thing, to just give up like that. Sadder still, I suppose, to be so determined to blame someone else for your own inability to stick with it. Someone becomes a writer–a professional writer–because NOT being a writer is unthinkable. You’re not deterred by the first set back, or the fifth, or the fiftieth. Failure, as they say, is not an option. If it is, then you won’t make it, period.
Still, as I said…it’s disconcerting to discover that someone hates me that much, and particularly for a story that meant a great deal to a sizable portion of the readership.
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First of all, Peter, I wasn’t aware you had a Facebook page…
That said, don’t beat yourself up over this. The guy gave up on his dream way too easily and didn’t know how to cope; ergo, he’s looking to blame someone for his failure to readjust and that someone happened to be you.
If you can’t fulfill your dream, come up with another one… or at least become a really good mechanic if you can’t think of anything else.
Now, if you excuse me, there’s a certain writer’s just-opened Facebook page I need to check out… =)
Man, I got a bit ticked when Tom DeFalco used the name “Thunderstrike” before I got the chance to, but I chalked it up to fair play.
Some people just hate looking in the mirror to find the source of their problems.
What issue of the hulk was that?
If the storyline the guy came up with couldn’t be reworked to be applicable to a gay character…well, let’s just say that it should be relatively easy for a writer to change a character’s love interest, if that was the hangup. Just because a character is gay doesn’t mean his alternate storyline would have to never occur.
I mean, what else would have to change? Shatterstar is still the same character; he just happens to like dudes.
There’s a saying,”A professional writer is an amateur that didn’t quit.”
’nuff said?
By an odd coincidence Dirk Manning’s article “Write or Wrong” in Newsarama deals with more or less the topic of when to quit.
Linked below:
http://www.newsarama.com/comics/write-or-wrong-69-when-to-quit-110808.html
Oh, hey, there it is! “Reason #4: If Peter David Makes Shatterstar Gay.” Well, it’s valid, at least.
This guy’s name wasn’t Vic Chalker, was it?
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Where’s the “Like” button when you really need it?
If your biggest life dream revolves around writing a Shatterstar mini-series then maybe you deserve to have that dream crushed.
Anyway, it’s freaking comics. There’s nothing that says Shatterstar can’t be written a thousand different ways and your period writing him in X-Factor explained away as his “college experimentation years” or whatever.
But maybe Mike the Mechanic should quit blaming everyone you for his own short comings and lack of ambition. And he should also realize that even if he was the next Alan Moore that a Shatterstar mini-series by a complete unknown is not going to sell. A Shatterstar mini by Peter David and, say, Rob Liefeld might sell okay, but even then he’s still a niche character with a relatively small fan base and he works best in a team book, all dreams aside.
LOL- I loved the Chalkers in X-Factor! I was thinking of the same thing, Malcolm.
Regarding the topic: it’s perfectly plausible (although not likely) that Shatterstar’s sexuality ruined his story. But to be a writer at Marvel means that you need to have more than one story.
There’s also Image Comics: Alan Moore told his unpublished Superman stories using the character Supreme. This anonymous guy can change the names of the characters and publish the story as a new book. If it’s good, he could end up like Hickman, Fraction, Kirkman or any of the other writers who wrote a solid indy book and then got hired by Marvel.
I always enjoyed the episode of “Gargoyles” in which a guy purchases a really big gun, then spend the rest of the ep stalking Goliath and talking to his gun about all the ways Goliath has wronged him (usually getting him fired as a security guard).
.
At the end, after confronting Goliath (and then walking away whistling happily – the Gargoyles theme, natch – and satisfied with a job well done), Hudson turns to him and says “Who was that?” “I have no idea.”
.
Funny in fiction. Tragic in life.
Maybe someone should explain to him that Marvel doesn’t take submissions anymore…
At least from unknown writers.
Also how exactly is this all your fault ? for making him gay? that seems like a stupid reason at best.
this guy sounds like is missing a few cards in his deck clearly.
I’m just going to say I love that Hulk story and leave it at that.
before you made shatterstar gay, he was just a b-grade 90’s action movie tough guy. you actually gave shatterstar more depth and character by writing about him regardless of his sexuality. i now see shatterstar in a new way and his sexuality has nothing to do with the new character.
Actually I think this guy’s plight has finally revealed the truth that Peter is actually the Hulk.
Shame on you Peter.
The least you could do is refer this guy to seek compensation from Damage Control for the wreck you’ve made of his life;)