Continuity and Creativity: A tweet from Brian Michael Bendis

Continuity and Creativity: A tweet from Brian Michael  Bendis

"The continuity exists to serve the stories, the stories do not exist to serve the continuity." Seems like Brian Michael Bendis agreed.

Feature Opinion
By GranGoose - Oct 22, 2013 03:10 PM EST
Filed Under: Comics
Source: Brian Michael Bendis

Do you remember this article at CBM about David S. Goyer and the narrative?
Well the Ultimate Marvel Writer tweeted this friendly dialog between the editor Tom Brevoort and an anonymous:

Anonymous

"Marvel works because the people involved on all levels understand the Marvel characters and what makes them work intimately." And yet you have people working on the comics who are themselves stunningly ignorant of the history and established continuity of these characters. If comics were family court, you would have been taken in for a custody hearing a long time ago. I'll bet half your writers - or editors! - couldn't even pass the most basic continuity exams.


and the answer

Yeesh!

All right, one more time. Tattoo this phrase on your eyelids, it’ll save a lot of agita all around:

The continuity exists to serve the stories, the stories do not exist to serve the continuity.

More often than not creators and editors who focus on the continuity rather than the stories end up crafting stories that are dull and impenetrable to all but the most hardline core fans.

The continuity is important, but it is a tool, nothing more.

And I’d rather have a writer who was excellent, who made me feel as i read his stories, than one who knew and remembered every appearance of the Unicorn, and everything the character did in those appearances. One is storytelling, the other is trivia.

And either way, I know more trivia than you do.


Of course the continuity in the X-Men movies is out of discussion.
ASTONISHING X-MEN And PLANETARY Artist John Cassaday Has Passed Away Aged 52
Related:

ASTONISHING X-MEN And PLANETARY Artist John Cassaday Has Passed Away Aged 52

X-MEN: GRAND DESIGN & RED ROOM Writer/Artist Ed Piskor Passes Away From Apparent Suicide
Recommended For You:

X-MEN: GRAND DESIGN & RED ROOM Writer/Artist Ed Piskor Passes Away From Apparent Suicide

DISCLAIMER: As a user generated site and platform, ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and "Safe Harbor" provisions.

This post was submitted by a user who has agreed to our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. ComicBookMovie.com will disable users who knowingly commit plagiarism, piracy, trademark or copyright infringement. Please CONTACT US for expeditious removal of copyrighted/trademarked content. CLICK HERE to learn more about our copyright and trademark policies.

Note that ComicBookMovie.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.

Aztlan
Aztlan - 10/23/2013, 8:59 AM
Talking about Ultimate Spider-Man, thanks to him the Ultimate continuity/timeline was f*cked up badly..
LittleDanglyThing
LittleDanglyThing - 11/5/2013, 2:01 AM
"Yeah, he created the Ultimate Universe so the way I see it is it's his to f*ck up."

LMAO WHAT!?

Anyone read Bendis Avengers Assemble? Yea, it was awful.
View Recorder