Atlas #1

Jeff Parker is the popular writer of such books as Thunderbolts, Fall of the Hulks: Alpha, and Underground. This month, he begins a Agents of Atlas series for Marvel, Atlas. Westfield’s Roger Ash recently contacted Parker to learn more about this book.

Westfield: Does the team change at all with the coming of The Heroic Age?

Jeff Parker: Nope, it’s still Jimmy Woo leading Gorilla-Man, Namora, The Uranian, Venus and M-11. But our first story will focus on someone that a lot of readers think should be on the team, the 3-D Man.

Westfield: Does the story in Enter the Heroic Age lead into the ongoing series?

Enter the Heroic Age

Parker: Generally – it introduces the characters and establishes their history as a 1950′s team for new readers.

Westfield: What can people look forward to in Atlas? Any story teasers you want to drop?

Parker: The Return of the 3-D Man will introduce a terrifying new threat, and reveal some things about members of the team that have remained secret all this time. And some even stranger returns will be coming up!

Westfield: You’re working with artist Gabriel Hardman on Atlas. What can you say about his contribution to the book?

Parker: Hardman gives Atlas the very individual voice it has and makes it the kind of book that can go anywhere. It doesn’t look like anything else on the shelf (also thanks to Elizabeth Breitweiser, our spectacular colorist). I tend to write to the artist’s strengths, and with this book, I have that safety net of Gabe Hardman – there’s nothing he can’t draw and make it look impressive. And his character acting is some of the strongest you’ll find – he knows how to roll out a moment, be subtle, adapt to any tone. He’s a film director who happens to be drawing a comic book.

Westfield: Would you like to say anything about other projects you’re working on?

Parker: Two trades I’m excited about are out soon, Underground from Image that I did with Steve Lieber, and Mysterius that I created with Tom Fowler. I can’t wait to have those volumes in hand, very proud of both of them.

And you may have heard that there’s a new status quo kicking in for Thunderbolts - we have Luke Cage on staff to steer the team! Kev Walker will be drawing that, it’s going to be an exciting new era for the Marvel criminals.

Westfield: Any closing comments?

Parker: I sometimes give away things on Twitter, if you want to follow me at Twitter.com/jeffparker.