On Thursday, July 21st, Comic Book Resources welcomed writer Fabian Nicieza to a scheduled chat with some of our community members. There were a lot of questions asked of Mr. Nicieza, but since the server got overloaded mid-way through the chat, a lot of questions went unanswered. However, Mr. Nicieza was gracious enough to reply (via e-mail) to all unanswered questions, which have been added to the end of the transcript.

Brian Cronin: Welcome to the Fabian Nicieza chat.

FabianNicieza: Here I am.

bushboy: Are you going to get rid of Cable and give Deadpool his own book?

FabianNicieza: Since the book is called "Cable & Deadpool," chances are they'll both stay in it.

FabianNicieza: When we change the title to "Deadpool & Deadpool," then it'll just be Wade.

FabianNicieza: If we change the title to "Deadpool & Squirrel Girl," then it'll be those two.

FabianNicieza: That's how ampersands work. ;-)

riotgear: Hey, Fabian, if you could write a new "New Warriors" series, would you?

FabianNicieza: I might have been interested in the past, but not right now.

Beast: Hey Fabian, got a question here for you from the same guy who asked it in your letters column. How do you pronounce your last name?

FabianNicieza: It's pronounced kev-itch.

olympichero62: Fabian, big fan, duh, or else I wouldn't be here. I was just wondering what your comedic influence is.

FabianNicieza: I really don't have "comedic influences." There are things I enjoy, but not any single source, writer or performer.

Runaway: Deadpool is the coolest character. What made you want to write "Cable and Deadpool?"

FabianNicieza: Marvel approached me with the idea of pairing them up and wanted to get a take on how it might work.

Gamoid: Okay, why Cable and Deadpool? It just seems to be kind of a random pairing. Why not, I don't know...Monkey Joe and Deadpool?

FabianNicieza: Really, it was a matter of having two characters that had loyal audiences who weren't large enough to support individual books. They thought that maybe together they could. So far, they were right.

LoneWolf21: Fabian, how long do you plan to keep Cannonball in "Cable & Deadpool?" Or has someone else up and "claimed" him?

FabianNicieza: X-Force characters won't be in the next arc, "Bosom Buddies," #20-23, but hopefully more often after that.

Emerald Ghost: Fabian, what is the best comic book out there right now?

FabianNicieza: Emerald: that is a subjective question. Everyone has their own favorites for their own reasons.

Emerald Ghost: True, but what is your favorite out there?

FabianNicieza: My favorite month in and month out is usually "JSA" by Geoff Johns.

fishtaco: Fabian, are we going to see Domino some more in the book? She's one of my favorite characters.

FabianNicieza: Hopefully we'll see Domino in #24.

StoneGold: Fabian: Was it odd writing two characters you basically co-created over a decade ago, but keeping all the continuity of what was written after?

FabianNicieza: Not at all. Much of what was done with both characters were things I would have done as well

Runaway: Fabian, out of Cable and Deadpool, if you had to choose one of them to live with, who would it be?

FabianNicieza: Probably Cable, because I'd be afraid of Deadpool trying to spoon me.

Dermie: Fabian, any chance of you doing another V-Battalion project (perhaps including some of the leftover characters from New Invaders)? Pretty please?

FabianNicieza: No V-Battalion plans. I screwed that up all on my lonesome enough to let it lie a while

MatthewDiCarlo: Was the ending to Avengers/T-bolts what you originally had in mind for Zemo and his rather tragic take at heroism? I was sort of hoping that he'd end up a more permanent facet of the MU in his more "noble" form, never quite getting how and why a hero truly acts, but doing the right thing for all the wrong reasons.

FabianNicieza: Yes, the ending is what we planned. Zemo's story is not over. In my opinion, it's only just begun...

Doom Hammer: In your upcoming "Cable & Deadpool" issue where the title characters drink heavily and talks about their teen years, will you reference Christopher Priest's brief vision of Deadpool's younger years at all?

FabianNicieza: I did not reference that material, because quite honestly, those are issues I'm missing from my collection! ;-0

HighSky: Mr.Nicieza, can we see a Cable/Deadpool and Thunderbolts crossover?

FabianNicieza: No plans for a Cable & Deadpool/Thunderbolts crossover. It seems gratuitous to me. They each have their own story to tell

FabianNicieza: Though using fixer again in "Cable & Deadpool" is certainly not out of the question.

StoneGold: I want a Speedball/Deadpool maxi-series.

StoneGold: Or at least I desperately want Speedy to guest in Cable/Deadpool.

FabianNicieza: From your mouth to Joe Q and Dan Buck's ears... that would be a riot.

KobayashiJT: Fabian: Did you have some of the story for Cable in mind? It seems like the first 12 issues or so were pretty well planned and very Cable-centric

FabianNicieza: KobayashiJT: I have the book through long term, but publishing being what it is today, you can't plan too far in advance. It's all six issues chunks for a book that sells on "Cable & Deadpool" levels. So I know in detail what I want to do through #30 (if we make it there) and in rough format for after that. Year 1 was "reestablishing Cable." Year 2 was "exploring Deadpool." Year 3 (if we get a year 3, which I think we will), is "How will these 2 knuckleheads save the world?"

Eric Sellers: Any Plans to team up with Kevin Maguire again? You guys rock together!!!

FabianNicieza: I would love to work with Kevin again, since we're very good friends, but he wants to write more of his own stuff right now.

Vegetarian Goat: Fabian, as the man who originated the story about the Third Summers Brother, what's your opinion of the revelation of Gambit being the character in question over in "X-Men: The End?"

FabianNicieza: My opinion is that I screwed up plenty of Chris's stories; he's more than welcome to screw up one of mine

Mangaman: Fabian, do you follow comics that featured characters you worked on in the past?

FabianNicieza: I only skimmed through "New Warriors." I loved the art. It is a very nice animation series template. I am reserving judgment on Nomad in "Captain America" until the story is done. I like Brubaker's story a lot so far, so as a reader I can easily forgive him not quite "getting Jack" -- I don't know if I could imagine anyone else getting him but me (and I don't say that about ANY other character I've ever written).

Gatman: Out of everyone you have written, who is your favorite character?

FabianNicieza: Superman. Now if only I could get to write him more often...

Vegetarian Goat: Fabian, do you think there's any chance we'll see Jolt in Thunderbolts?

FabianNicieza: Someday, somewhere, somehow, but no current plans for the immediate future.

Wane: Will The Shocker make another appearance?

FabianNicieza: No plans right now, but he was fun to use.

Tenebrae: Fabian, would you ever consider returning to a core X-Men title?

FabianNicieza: I would need to be asked before I could consider and Mike Marts is a good editor who is smart enough not to ask. ;-)

thik_3rd: Are we going to see Blackheath in the "New Thunderbolts?"

FabianNicieza: I'd like to get back to him again, since his changes didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped they would, but I certainly enjoyed writing him during the "jailbreak" storyline and find him an enormously interesting character.

StoneGold: When are Speedball and Deadpool finally going to meet?

FabianNicieza: God, it would require like a 12 issue limited series told on oversized tabloid-size paper and painted by Alex Ross to truly do that story justice!

Gatman: What is your favorite arc that you have written?

FabianNicieza: Hopefully the next one. (Though if tortured, I would probably say "New Warriors" #18-25 might have been as pitch perfect as I'm capable of doing in mainstream superhero comics)

PatrickG: Not about the third Summers brother but another Summers entirely... any Buffy plans?

FabianNicieza: All anyone who has the publishing rights to Buffy, Angel, etc. has to do is call and I'd do it in a second. I enjoy the "Buffyverse" immensely.

Shades0077: Fabian, What do you think is the most hilarious line you've written for Deadpool?

FabianNicieza: The one that got cut out of #17.

jeangreydp: Hey Fabian! I was wondering if we'll ever see Jean in "Cable & Deadpool?" Or ever get a reference to her?

FabianNicieza: Is she dead again or what? I have no clue...

Dermie: I don't suppose there is any chance of Genis' old lover, Steck'ee, dropping by in "Thunderbolts," is there?

FabianNicieza: No plans to use any of the characters from his solo book right now, since there are more than enough characters in TBolts he can bounce off of when necessary.

Eric Sellers: Any big Thunderbolts plans for #100 you can tell us about? Will it be called "New Thunderbolts" or go back to just "Thunderbolts?"

FabianNicieza: Wait and see...

fishtaco: Will Deadpool ever become an X-man? Not like a serious X-man of course, but still an X-man?

FabianNicieza: One could only hope. Those books sure could use a little bit of humor...

Mangaman: Fabian, do you have any other Marvel projects lined-up besides "Cable & Deadpool" and "Thunderbolts?"

FabianNicieza: Nothing right now, but that could always change tomorrow.

Gamoid: Fabian, why did you subject us to Wade in the Marvel Girl outfit?

FabianNicieza: Because I figured it would give you either horrific nightmares or curious dreams. Either way works.

Emerald Ghost: I haven't read "Cable & Deadpool" or "New Thunderbolts" yet. Is it okay to just pick it up or is there heavy back story?

FabianNicieza: Beats the heck out of me, I write them, I don't read them! ;-) I think you might want to try the New TBolts tradepaperback with the first six issues reprinted in it before you check out the current storyline. CDP you can usually jump on anytime because no matter what issue you buy, it's generally the same level of insanity.

Kevinroc: Fabian, was it your decision to change Genis and Monica's super hero names or was that something Marvel wanted you to do?

FabianNicieza: Marvel wanted to use the Captain Marvel name for a project that was in discussion or early development. That was fine with me, since I wanted to explore Genis without the burdens that name brings to him.

Wane: Will the cast of "New Thunderbolts" change?

FabianNicieza: Undoubtedly.

Gatman: Will Hawkeye's return have an impact on the Thunderbolts team?

FabianNicieza: I'll reserve judgment to see what Hawkeye's "return" is all about before I can know if or how it'll affect the TBolts.

olympichero62: Do you think we will ever see a Spider-Man/Deadpool mini-series?

FabianNicieza: Write to Marvel. Often. It would be fun to write, that's for sure.

ChaosBurnFlame: Who's your favorite Marvel character?

FabianNicieza: Captain America. Nomad. Dr. Strange. Speedball. Squirrel Girl. In that order.

bushboy: How did you get into writing?

FabianNicieza: I wrote since I was a kid. Went to college to learn Advertising and Public Relations. Got a job in publishing copyediting and coordinating schedules on paperback books, got a better job at Marvel in the advertising department. Sold a story to an editor a few years later and just kept on working after that.

Michael Pullmann: Any chance of Deadpool running into the Great Lakes Avengers again?

FabianNicieza: I think they're the Great Lakes X-Men now.

LisaCharly: Do you ever want to write Black Tom or Juggernaut again? I'm their fangirl, and I love your takes on them.

FabianNicieza: I enjoy writing Juggernaut a whole lot. Black Tom's a tough nut to use. Cable & DP fighting them might be fun though.

Gatman: Would you ever like Hawkeye to join the Thunderbolts again

FabianNicieza: As much as I obviously love Hawkeye, I think the book -- or at least many of its characters -- have grown beyond their need to have him as their leader, and I could certainly never see him just being on the team unless he were leading it.

Shades0077: Fabian, you recently used Agent X in "Cable & Deadpool." Are there any plans to bring in other characters from Gail Simone's run on "Deadpool"/"Agent X?"

FabianNicieza: When I can figure out how to write them as well as Gail does, I'll try to use them. Unfortunately, that might take me a long time.

ChaosBurnFlame: Who'd make the best "Odd Couple" in Marvel?

FabianNicieza: [Marvel Editor] Ralph Macchio and Office Equipment.

bushboy: Will Deadpool ever have a real fight with another weopon x candidate or subject?

FabianNicieza: I don't know if DP can have a "real" fight with anyone. It just breaks down into name calling and ball kicking.

Mangaman: Fabian, will you ever do a parody of DC's "Infinite Crisis" in "Cable & Deadpool?"

FabianNicieza: Probably not. Although I'd love to use the Psycho Pirate... or maybe the villain could be the Hall Monitor... and DP would just verbally shred Pariah, wouldn't he... ? Hmm... ;-)

Brian Cronin: Thanks a lot, Fabian!