Paul Jenkins on Speedball

[Tropico]

I rarely visit newsarama outside of links posted here but I went there today and found this article. At another time it would've pissed me off completely, but now it just saddens me. This is the link to the article.

Newsarama: Penance was probably the biggest curveball that people saw, or didn’t really want to see coming out of Civil War and he really was yours to play with, develop and explore in Front Line. How did that all get started? Was that something that was put in your lap when Front Line started, or did you request him?

Paul Jenkins: Joe [Quesada] wanted me to do something with him. He told me that, for a long time they’d been saying they were going to kill him, and people would get all up in arms about it, and it would go back and forth. But Speedball was a creation who was like Spider-Man, and maybe so much like Spider-Man that they were almost like mutually exclusive phenomena. “Happy go lucky” in the Marvel Universe is Spider-Man, not Speedball.

Wow! The MU has to be so cynical that it can have only one happy-go-lucky hero?! Of course, we can't step on good ol' Spidey's toes. Of course, I can't remember the last time Peter was happy-go-lucky, but that doesn't matter, right?

So – as Joe said, all his talk that he’s been doing for what – years on Joe Fridays and conventions about killing Speedball just drove interest in the character up. Of course, this was driving the loyal Speedball fans, of whom, I think there are about 12, nuts.

NRAMA: Wrapping things up then – end of the day, Speedball versus Penance…

PJ: Bloody hell, they’re not going to fight…

NRAMA: No, no, no – from your perspective – as a creator…looking at the character of Robbie Baldwin now compared to pre-Civil War…

PJ: Oh – [laughs] yeah – Penance is much more interesting to me as a character than Speedball. As Speedball, and I don’t mean to disparage him as he was, but all stories, as they say, are about sex and violence, which translates to passion and conflict. There’s very little conflict in the happy-go-lucky guys. It’s difficult to show him conflicted, if he lets things ride. So Penance surely, to me, has far more potential. I think we’ve given him a good start, so we’ll see where he goes from here.

BTW, the conception of the character had Garth Ennis as one of the collaborators, you can all see it, right? 'Cause I sure see it!

I's so sad that they couldn't see what the character is about and all the conflicts he DID go through. It wasn't about him being oblivious to his surroundings, it was about him being VERY aware of them and trying to cheer the others up despite what was happening to HIM. He had more than one conflict in his career, from fearing his teammates' reaction to his alter ego (and he DID get made fun of) to the fact that his dad was a prosecutor who wanted Speedball banned from where they lived (this was before he had to reveal his identity to him). The whole "evil twins" thing from Infinity Gauntlet (or was it War?) was also a great issue to delve into his personal issues. He was even doubtful about his humanity after experimenting more with his powers.

A shallow character? Sorry, if he was shallow then Gravity would have to be called the same. I don't know. For a character that came into the light in the 90's he was something that wasn't mired in all the grim and gritty crap everyone was flinging around. Like one poster said at Newsarama, it's sad to see that Marvel is continuing the 90's trend, maybe not in their physical comics but rather in spirit and themes.

 

[Darthphere]

So Jenkins is giving you his opinion, mixed with his famous dry humor and you're getting sad?

 

[Tropico]

It isn't just his opinion and "his famous dry humor", but what he decided to do with the character and why he did it. Yeah, I already read those first comics about denial and rage and stuff and I'm at grief.

 

[Joker]

Speedball was a goof, Penance rocks

 

[Tropico]

If that was an attempt at trolling, I have no problems with people having a different opinion than mine in this thread. You can elaborate if you want.

 

[Darthphere]

It isn't just his opinion and "his famous dry humor", but what he decided to do with the character and why he did it. Yeah, I already read those first comics about denial and rage and stuff and I'm at grief.

Hmm, while the execution was off, it wasn't like he decided to make the change, if I recall he didnt even know who Speedball was.

So in closing, blame him for making the transition crappy, not the transition itself.

 

[Tropico]

Hmm, while the execution was off, it wasn't like he decided to make the change, if I recall he didnt even know who Speedball was.

So in closing, blame him for making the transition crappy, not the transition itself.

The only part that it sounds like I'm blaming Jenkins is when I replied to your first post and I (moronically) followed your pattern and replied in the singular. My comments about the article refer to 'they' since Jenkins used a lot of 'we' in it. So, really, read my first post again so you'll see what saddened me the most. This is not a thread about me bashing Paul Jenkins, the title came from the Newsarama article the only difference is that I used 'Speedball' instead of 'Penance'.

If you have anything else to contribute in respect to the character's metamorphosis or how you thought the character was always useless or whatever, do so. Or is there anything else you (incorrectly) feel you need to correct me about? Although I'm venting, much like you did in your Dum Dum thread, it's not about bashing the writer at the same time; it's about expressing my sense of loss for a character and being vocal about it.

 

[Darthphere]

Are you crying?

Vent all you want, I won't stop you, but this will inevitably turn into a Jenkins/Quesada/Bendis/Millar/Brevoort bashing thread. Its the way the Hype works.

Personally, I think everything that could've been said about the whole situation has been talked to death at this point. I don't like it, I think its lame, and this coming from someone who never even liked Speedball.

 

[Tropico]

Are you crying?

Vent all you want, I won't stop you, but this will inevitably turn into a Jenkins/Quesada/Bendis/Millar/Brevoort bashing thread. Its the way the Hype works.

Personally, I think everything that could've been said about the whole situation has been talked to death at this point. I don't like it, I think its lame, and this coming from someone who never even liked Speedball.

Nah, I'm not crying. I read the article and it had some stuff that I didn't know (even from those threads that have "talked about it to death") about and wanted to share it. I was gonna let it go and not post anything, but then I remembered how a lot of people say that this character or that group never had any fans because they never speak about it.

 

[Darthphere]

Venting is good. Its better than reading the newspaper and reading a headline "Man named Tropico kills 7 while yelling **** you Penance!"

 

[Tropico]

Marvel has disappointed me so much lately that it doesn't muster that kind of reaction in me anymore.

 

[Killswitch]

Speedball should be like Kirkman's "Invincible" --- the one guy who turns to the serious heroes and says "how can you guys not be having fun? This is awesome!!"

He's a great positive character, who always "bounces back" from adversity, and walks with a spring in his step.

Plus, the suit is awesome, and the powers are really cool too. (He could get hit by a train and just bounce, or follow Spider-Man pretty easily)

As an enthusiastic Speedball fan --- and, believe me, there are more than 12 of us out there --- I would say this character would be a great addition to the Marvel Universe stable of regulars.

He's a bit like Peter Parker, if he'd never learned the "great power, great responsibility" lesson. He's just having a blast.

 

[The Question]

BTW, the conception of the character had Garth Ennis as one of the collaborators, you can all see it, right? 'Cause I sure see it!

Ennis is alot funnier than that.

 

[Tropico]

Ennis is alot funnier than that.

He's also a morbid motherf***er.

 

[The Leaguer]

Jenkins/Quesada/Bendis/Millar/Brevoort sucks.

 

[Doc Destruction]

Jenkins/Quesada/Bendis/Millar/Brevoort sucks.

Seconded.

 

[Mr Sparkle]

Speedball was a goof, Penance rocks

Penance blows! he's the emoest superhero ever!
"Oh, I can't use my powers unless I feel pain! I'm gonna cut myself!!"

 

[BrianWilly]

So basically, there's no place in Marvel comics for happy characters.

There. Jenkins just went and all but said it out loud for us.

 

[Victor Von Doom]

At least they didn't do it to Spiderman.

 

[Darthphere]

Jenkins/Quesada/Bendis/Millar/Brevoort sucks.

Seconded.

Thirded, oh wait, remove Jenkins and I'll agree.

 

[Doc Destruction]

At least they didn't do it to Spiderman.

YET.

 

[Killswitch]

Honestly, dudes, Speedball/Penance might be the most symbolic character shift in the whole modern age of comics. (ie: "The final nail in the coffin of fun Stan-Lee era comic heroes.)

"He's too...happy...let's make him all pained and remorseful, with thorns in his side..."

It's an interesting character, perhaps, but I just don't buy that SPEEDBALL would become him.

This should have been Speedball's "uncle ben" moment. This is just ridiculous.

DAN SLOTT for Speedball mini!

 

[Mr Sparkle]

[penance] and that girl, remember that girl mom? the one I gave VD to? I have a special spike in my crotch...I'll always remember her [/penance]

 

[Killswitch]

Question: How does he see in a mask with no eyeholes?

 

[Mr Sparkle]

pain power