Interview: Marc Guggenheim on Marvel’s Amazing Spider-Man Presents: Jackpot
Amazing Spider-Man Presents: Jackpot
Marc Guggenheim has written for TV, including co-creating Eli Stone, as well as for comics including Super Zombies (Dynamite Entertainment), and at Marvel he’s written Young X-Men and is one of the writers for Amazing Spider Man. This month, he’s writing the new mini-series Amazing Spider-Man Presents: Jackpot. Westfield’s Roger Ash caught up with Guggenheim recently to learn more about this book.
Westfield: For people who may be unfamiliar with the original Jackpot, what should they know about her coming into Amazing Spider-Man Presents: Jackpot?
Marc Guggenheim: Well, they should know that Jackpot is a unique character in the Marvel Universe. She’s really two people – Sara Ehret, who was the original Jackpot, who sold her super-hero license and identity to Alana Jobson, a super-hero wannabe. Sara was the one with powers who didn’t want the responsibility and Alana wanted the responsibility – wanted to be a hero – but didn’t have any powers. So she compensated – overcompensated, really – with drugs, including Mutant Growth Hormone and steroids. Unfortunately, the drugs ultimately killed her and Spider-Man returned the Jackpot identity to Sara Ehret, basically reminding her that with great power comes great opportunities for super-hero stories. Oh, and responsibility.
Westfield: There is a new Jackpot in this mini-series. Is there anything you can tell us about her?
Guggenheim: I think I just did. ;^) The “new” Jackpot is really the old Jackpot. Basically, the tagline for this series is “meet Jackpot again for the first time.” This Jackpot has a legacy that she’s trying to live up to.
Westfield: What can you tell us about the story in Amazing Spider-Man Presents: Jackpot?
Guggenheim: It’s basically Jackpot’s attempt to be a super-hero, to pick up the gauntlet of responsibility that Spider-Man throws down at her feet. (Hint: The “gauntlet” actually looks like a costume.) In the process, she’ll learn about the black market sale of body parts belonging to a super-villain and that investigation will lead her to cross paths with all-new versions of classic villains the Rose and Boomerang. But what happens during that confrontation should be very surprising to readers used to standard super-hero fare.
Westfield: Are you enjoying your collaboration with artist Adriana Melo on the book?
Guggenheim: I’m loving it. Adriana draws babes, action, and babes in action like nobody’s business. Her page compositions are dynamic yet clean and her action sequences are incredibly visceral. She’s a major talent.
Westfield: How much does this story tie into Amazing Spider-Man?
Guggenheim: It’s pretty free-standing, though there’s a reference to the “flagship” book in issue #2. However, I really wanted this book to stand on its own two feet. It’s designed to be 100% new reader friendly.
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Westfield: Are there other projects you’re working on that you’d like to mention?
Guggenheim: Well, I’m also writing Iron Man vs. Whiplash with Brannon Braga, and that’s proving to be a total blast. I’m also writing my creator-owned series for Oni Press called Resurrection which is about the world after an alien invasion. Bill Clinton just joined the cast as a series regular. Fun stuff.
Westfield: Any closing comments?
Guggenheim: Jackpot’s a fun character to write because she’s such a blank slate. It’s not often you get to write a character in the Marvel Universe who has virtually no continuity baggage. That freedom has allowed me to do some things you simply can’t do with a more established character. It’s a total blast.
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