Jim McCann: From soap operas to superheroes with New Avengers: Reunion
While fans of comic books and soap operas might be loath to admit it, the two genres are a lot alike.
“Both are serialized fiction at their finest,” says Jim McCann, author of Marvel Comics’ new miniseries, New Avengers: Reunion, in stores Wednesday.
McCann should know. The 34-year-old Manhattanite got his start as part of the ABC daytime writer development program, writing scripts for the long-running soap “One Life to Live.” From there, he made the jump to Marvel, first in editorial, then in marketing and PR.
McCann recently became a consultant and freelancer, which opened him up to taking on this new series featuring one of Marvel’s more popular couples, Clint Barton and Bobbi Morse, better known as the heroes Hawkeye and Mockingbird.
“Having a background in soaps definitely helps with a story like this, because it’s very emotional,” McCann says. “But this is not a romance comic by any stretch of the imagination. This is the Mr. & Mrs. Smith of the Marvel Universe.”
Fall from grace of Michael Grade's ITV
When Michael Grade went back to ITV it was hailed as a "Restoration drama". As the red-socked television impresario walked into its headquarters in London's Gray's Inn Road, staff left their desks in the hope of a glimpse of the returning hero and burst into a spontaneous cheer when he appeared. But just over two years later, Grade has conspicuously failed to restore the fortunes of Britain's biggest commercial broadcaster.
Some of the deepest cuts will be at ITV Yorkshire, where 180 jobs will go from its Leeds studios where the soap opera EMMERDALE is made.
Constance Towers returning to GENERAL HOSPITAL
Helena will be back in April to wreak more havoc.
Entertainment Weekly's Must List: What's Hot for the Week of March 1, 2009
READERS CHOICE*: TV - Olivia and Natalia on GUIDING LIGHT
"It is a beautiful love story, filled with passion, angst, humor, subtext, and authenticity. It reminds me of how soap operas use to be." —Alli
CORONATION STREET actress Michelle Keegan on her soap role
“I grew up with CORRIE, I watched it all the time as a kid, so for it to be my first ever job is unbelievable. It was so flattering to get such an important storyline but it is so nerve racking and such a responsibility."
Woohoo!! Go Otalia! <3
ReplyDeleteYay!! Otalia really is MUST see tv. You'd be crazy not to at least give them chance even if you don't watch Guiding Light. But just to let you know, once you get infected with "otalia-itis" theres no turning back...no cure.
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