The Avenging Son: Marvel 2000's Will Short
by Dino Pollard

Will Short started off at Marvel 2000 with writing the Defenders, as well as Tales of Avengers City, a creator-owned title for M2K's Alternate branch. And while he still writes Defenders, he's recently started writing the Avengers with issue #8, taking over the book after Shawn Goodspeed left. Now, he's also the co-Editor-in-Chief of M2K, a position he shares with fellow M2K writer, Russ Anderson. Originally only planning on having a temporary run on the book, it seems that now he's going to be staying on for a long haul. Now, sit back, relax, and read a little about what he has planned for Earth's Mightiest Heroes. They're... interesting to say the least.

Dino Pollard: So, now that you've taken over Avengers, and done a kick-ass job with your first story-arc, what are your plans for the future?

Will Short: My plans can be summed up basically in one word: Change. New direction. New roster. New everything. I think the Avengers, while classic, have become stagnant, so I've come to the decision to make a number of large changes, specifically to the team itself.

DP: What would this new direction be?

WS: The direction is less talk, more action, more sub-plots, and more new blood.

DP: What would this new blood include? Will you be mixing new members with old ones?

WS: No -- No old members. The Avengers need some life injected into them, and we need people who will take action when needed and take it to the extreme. We have Wolverine, Silver Sable, Terror Inc., Hawkman, Jubliee, Sleepwalker, Nomad, and the Incriminator.

DP: ...Interesting line-up.

WS: It's intended to be.

DP: Two questions spring to mind when reading it.

WS: Shoot.

DP: What are you smoking and where can I get some?

WS: Nothing but the air around me and I know someone's sister, but it's a long story, respectively.

DP: Who will be leading this motley crew?

WS: Why, Wolverine of course -- Honestly, he wouldn't let anyone else lead, I figure.

DP: Wouldn't there be some conflicts? I mean, Logan's also a member of X-Men Alpha, plus he's always jumping through whatever hoops David Wheatley [Wolverine writer] thinks up.

WS: Well of COURSE there are conflicts! And there are remifications for this, just as there are for Jubliee in Generation X, albeit on a smaller scale. I have everything planned out and understood.

DP: Why did you choose the other members?

WS: To me, they each fall into a place needed on the team -- Wolvie WOULD be the loner, but he's the leader, so Nomad takes that place. Madman? The Incriminator. Headstrong woman? Silver Sable. Warrior? Hawkman. And so on...

DP: I take it this ISN'T the same Hawkman I'm thinking of, though.

WS: I'm afraid there's only ONE Hawkman to think of...Well, not with DC's usual continuity screw-ups, but there's only one thing the name can mean, and that's HAWKMAN...On the AVENGERS.

DP: So... this is DC's Hawkman?

WS: It is. And M2K's, now.

DP: Why not just use another winged character, like Archangel?

WS: Because it's not just about the wings, it's the IDEA of a winged, mace-carrying warrior-type. And there's only so MANY characters I can steal from the X-books... M2K already has a number of non-Marvel properties, so I figured, why not Hawkman?

DP: Well... I suppose it WAS just a matter of time... But, I gotta ask--what about the rest of the Avengers? Why is it that Cap, Iron Man, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, Wasp, or any of the other Avengers chose not to stick around?

WS: They're tired. They're busy. Cap and Iron Man have their own books, and the others have been around for so long...Too long. Things have become stagnant, and it's become time for a change. Some are moving over because they don't want a part of it anymore, and others are moving over because they're FORCED to.

DP: How is this new team formed, though?

WS: The U.S. government wants a team for themselves who will do the work they say, some of the dirtier stuff, so they organize a group that can do such things for them.

DP: What about villains? Will they also be changing?

WS: There will be a few older ones so we can see just how effective this new group is, but we can expect a number of non-Avengers villains and some new ones as well.

DP: What about the Vision? [NOTE: Vision went rogue in Avengers #3-7]

WS: He's getting what's coming to him. Believe me, after #10, the most recent issue, things start moving...Fast.

DP: Well, good or bad, this new direction for the Avengers definately promises to be interesting.

WS: That's all I can hope for.

DP: As long as it's as good as your first arc, I think we're all in for a treat.

WS: My thanks -- Believe me, with the new characters is a new energy for the book from me. At least...I hope .

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