home :: bio :: checklist :: on-line comix :: email :: twitter

news archive

11.05.2008 MTV News

As part of a look at the comic book industry's reaction to this historic U.S. election, I tell Laura Hudson about my phone-banking for Barack Obama. But only because she asked.

Almost in time for the election, I talk the history of Politics in Comics with Charlito and Mr. Phil in context of Comic Book Comics!

I'm proud to be working with international besteseller Dean Koontz on his next Odd Thomas graphic novel for Del Rey!

Great podcast with Chris Shields where his LISTENERS asked me the questions -- and they came up with some great ones!

A great, career-spanning interview with Eric Ratcliffe.

Pete from the great comics vidcast The Stack interviews me at the San Diego Comic Con! Here's Part One and here's Part Two! (And yes, I know the wonderful artist of Marvel Zombies 3 is actually Kev Walker. I was tired. Sorry, dude.)

The terrific Comic Book Resources news site has a blizzard of articles about my recent projects, inlcuding the upcoming arc in Incredible Hercules by me and Greg Pak, an in-depth interview on the Oct. 1-shipping Marvel Zombies 3 (along with an EXCLUSIVE look at zombie legend Arthur Suydam's variant cover), and, last but certainly not least, they have exclusive coverage of me and Dennis Calero's upcoming mystery series, X Men Noir!

One good turn deserves another, I guess -- Alex Cox of my L.C.S., Rocketship, engages in a great, career-spanning, philosophcial interview with me! Cross-posted at Comics Should Be Good.

How much do I love my local comics shop, Rocketship? I made it the subject of my guest blogger spot as part of Blog@Newsarama's "I [Heart] Comics" series!

Jeff Parker and I had so much fun the last time we're back to trade wisecracks and hype about (his) X-Men First Class and (my) Wolverine First Class ... and respond to creator Robert Kirkman's vidcast manifesto, at least it relates to Marvel's All-Ages output...

Robert Downey, Jr. is in negotiations to saddle up, strap on his ray-guns, and star in the big-screen adaptation of Cowboys & Aliens! Yee-haw!

Joe Quesada, Editor-in-Chief of Marvel Comics, announced I'll be writing Marvel Zombies 3 at his "Cup o' Joe" panel at Wizard World Philadelphia, and check out the blizzard of press that ensued: Interviews at Newsarama, CBR, and IGN!

One of the highlights of this year's NYCC was when Greg Pak and I got to meet that other great Hercules writer, Bob Layton. We both thrilled to his Prince of Power mini-series as a kid, were delighted when he was able to draw a sequence in the upcoming Hulk vs. Hercules, and I think fans of his Herc are about to be very happy, very soon...

I tell all I can about Skrulls vs. Power Pack ... and hint at what the future could hold for Marvel's premiere kids super-team!

Jeff Parker and I take turns answering questions about each other's books, X-Men: First Class and Wolverine: First Class, respectively, and it is the GREATEST!! INTERVIEW!! EVER!! Seriously, make with the clicky.

A five-part look at Incredible Hercules! In Part One, Greg Pak and I discuss Herc's past, and what that might mean for his present. Part Two smashes its way through April's Hulk vs. Herc one shot. Part Three introduces you to our awesome new artist, Rafa Sandoval. Part Four has me and Greg jawin' about Herc's future, which -- in Part Five, is the lowdown on Herc's God Squad and their enemies the Skrull Gods, who throw down in the upcoming Secret Invasion tie-in arc!

A great retrospective look at Marvel Adventures Iron Man with the web's premiere Shellhead site! Plus, scripts and my original pitch for the series!

At the 4th Annual @$$ie Awards, I was named the "AICN Comic Book Writer to Watch"! Thanks, guys! And the fact it was an awards show co-starring a potty-mouthed monkey and Mephisto made the honor that much sweeter. My mother was so impressed!

The international comic book industry lost one of the good guys this month, when the brilliant colorist of Incredible Hercules and many other fine books, Stephane Peru, passed away at the untimely age of 26. My co-writer, Greg Pak, got together the whole Herc team for a tribute to him and his wonderful work on this series.

HULK SMASH PUNY SKIRT MAN!!!

Super-Villain Team-Up: MODOK's 11 won a 2007 Nexus Best Mini-Series award ... and MODOK himself showed up to deliver his acceptance speech!

All the kids love YouTube video -- especially when it's video of me and the Pak Man talkin' iHerc at New York City's live Comic Book Club. Watch Part Two (and more) here. And you can listen to the complete audio of our appearance at the Comic Book Club site.

We had so much fun at the first powwow between me, co-writer Greg Pak, artist Khoi Pham and editor Mark Paniccia about the ongoing adventures of the Greek Goliath, IGN came back for a follow-up interview. Check it out by clicking above. Don't forget to check out a great interview with CBR's Dave Richards, by Newsarama's Michael C. Lorah, and a feature by Eric Drumm at Marvel.com!

Scott Tingley and I sit down for an in-depth discussion on all things All-Ages!

It's that special time of year again at CSBG: Their third annual Fred Van Lente Day! Not only was the Internet visited by three ghosts -- FVL Past, FVL Present, and FVL Future -- but I received the best FVL Day present of all, being named one of the 365 Reasons to Love Comics. Thanks, guys! It was a real honor.

The strange, winding trail of Cowboys & Aliens.

This music blog asked me to do a "Comics Celebrity Playlist" and I did one that's all strange and interesting covers I've picked up over the years. Take a listen!

The early scoop on Power Pack: Day One!

MODOK himself interviews me, artist Francis Portela and letterer Nate Piekos at Newsarama about our series Super-Villain Team-Up: MODOK's 11 -- plus, terrific interviews at The Pulse, Jazma Online and The Comic Book Gazette!

Count down with Wizard the days until the premiere of Super-Villain Team-Up with 11 Days of M.O.D.O.K.'s 11! Day One: The Kickoff | Day Two: Editor Mark Paniccia interview | Day Three: MODOK, Puma, Mentallo profiles | Day Four: An interview with writer Fred Van Lente (That's me!) | Day Five: Comparing the MODOK's 11 and Ocean's 11 teams | Day Six: Profiles of Armadillo, Chameleon, and Nightshade | Day Seven: Interview with and sketchbook of artist Francis Portela | Day Eight: Profiles of Living Laser, Rocket Racer & Spot | Day Nine: Interview with Cover Artists Eric Powell and Marko Djurdjevic | Day Ten: Greatest Hits of MODOK's team members | Day Eleven: A Contest!

And on top of all that, SVTU: M11 #1 was named Wizard's Book of the Week! Cool beans.

Cowboys & Aliens is galloping toward the big screen, courtesy of Dreamworks and Universal!

Great podcasts from Bullpen Bulletins (Episode #27, beginning time stamp 24:50) and Secret Identity (towards the end), a Newsarama announcement, plus interviews at The Pulse, Broken Frontier and in Advanced Iron #71.

Awesome double-barreled PODCAST interview with me and artist Scott Koblish on our June-debuting martial arts epic from Platinum, The Weapon! Give it a listen already!

Jen Contino interviews me in a preview of Fantastic Four and Power Pack, along with awesome images from the talented ladies of Gurihiru Studios!

"No Law & Disorder": Dave Richards gives me the Third Degree about Super-Villain Team-Up: MODOK's 11! And I totally cracked!

Many thanks to the staffs of Jim Hanley's Universe and Rocketship, who made such successes of my signings at their stores for Free Comic Book Day to celebrate the release of FCBD's free Marvel Adventures Three-in-One (one-in-three of which was written by moi). Click on the link above to see photos from the Rocketship event!

Here's something different: penciller Scott Koblish and I interivew each other about our June-debuting martial arts epic from Platinum, The Weapon!

Who watches the Watchdogs? You will, if you check out this interview with me and Ben Kean about my gritty vigilante OGN that premieres from Platinum today.

A podcast interview from me and BB's VinceB focusing on my Marvel Adventures work, with a special preview of Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four!

It's that special time at year over at CSBG: their second annual Fred Van Lente Day, replete with carols, presents, an interview with the honoree, glad tidings, "Fred"-related comic book trivia and a look at Cowboys & Aliens and Marvel Adventures Spider-Man #22, both of which hit stands today!

Everyone's Friendly Neighborhood is back in his super-cool black costume in the pages of Marvel Adventures Spider-Man...and who guess who's writing him? Benjamin Ong Pang Kean grills me on Spidey's Back-in-Black All-Ages adventures and other Marvel projects, particularly the much-anticipated Super Villain Team-Up: Modok's 11.

Besides having the greatest comics news site name ever, they also have Caleb Mozzocco interviewing me about the latest issue (and readers poll) of ACTION PHILOSOPHERS, as well as giving you the early dope on new projects coming from the Van Lente/Dunlavey brain trust.

At last the truth can be revealed! Alex Ness recommends THE SILENCERS: BLACK KISS to cyberspace for Christmas, and in the process of interviewing me, Steve Ellis, and Moonstone's Joe Gentile about the matter, the story of what really happened with Silencers at Image finally comes out!

Normally I don't post links to reviews here, but this blog declared December 6, 2005 to be Fred Van Lente Day, complete with reviews of SILENCERS and ACTION PHILOSOPHERS, as well as Fred Van Lente Day presents and Fred Van Lente Day carols, which was all really flattering. And creepy.

A terrific podcast interview on Action Philosophers and upcoming Marvel projects with Chris Shields. It's only ten minutes long, and you can listen to it by downloading the mp3 here.

An AUDIO INTERVIEW on ACTION PHILOSOPHERS between me and John Riolo. Click below and listen in...

"Sopranos with Superpowers" by Aileen Torres: A wide-ranging article on my work, focusing on super-characers from SILENCERS and SCORPION that are shades of gray.

As part of a bevy of interviews on the teen-friendly MARVEL NEXT line, Peter Bangs gives me the Second Degree on SCORPION/AMAZING FANTASY.