FCBD Interview: Charles Soule Reveals the Inhuman Side of All-New, All-Different Avengers

Terrigen is a mysterious catalyst that can unlock the hidden super-powered potential buried within normal human beings. When a massive amount of Terrigen mist is unleashed into the Earth's atmosphere, ordinary citizens from around the globe suddenly find themselves in possession of tremendous power! How will the original Inhumans cope with this sudden influx to their numbers? And will these newly-minted Inhumans put their new abilities to use for the forces for good or for something more sinister?

Free Comic Book Day talked with writer Charles Soule about The All-New, All-Different Avengers, Marvel's 2015 Free Comic Book Day offering.

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Free Comic Book Day: For those who might be new to your comic book, give a quick rundown. What can we expect to see in terms of story and art?

Charles Soule: My story is part of Marvel’s All-New, All-Different Avengers issue, and it features the Inhumans, a group of (mostly) newly-emerged superheroes in the Marvel Universe. The Inhumans have been around for a long time—since the Stan Lee/Jack Kirby days, but recently we’ve seen many more of them popping up around the globe. The basic idea is that the potential to gain superpowers is locked inside many regular humans when they come in contact with a strange substance called Terrigen—these people change their appearance, gain incredible new abilities, and become… Inhuman! Not long ago, a huge cloud of Terrigen mist was released into the atmosphere, and as it travels around the planet, different people have been affected and joined the cast of the book.

In the Inhuman FCBD story, we’ll meet a few new Inhumans as they’re affected by the Terrigen cloud, and see how some of the more established Inhuman characters deal with them. Whether they become heroes or villains… you’ll have to wait and see! And it also features a new addition to the Inhuman family that will blow readers’ minds.

The art is by Brandon Peterson, with colors by Justin Ponsor. It looks incredible. I always feel lucky that I get to work with the artists I do, and this story is no exception.

Free Comic Book Day: What has been your favorite part of the book or character to tackle?

Charles Soule: The story is set in Mumbai, India, which is a part of the world I particularly like. Because of its premise, Inhuman is a very globally-oriented book. That Terrigen cloud hits people from all nations and backgrounds. I’ve been enjoying that very much, and this story seemed like a good opportunity to tell a tale in a part of the world I haven’t hit yet—India!

Free Comic Book Day: Tell FCBD fans why they should pick your book first on Free Comic Book Day!

Charles Soule: Oh, well—first of all, it’s not just my book—they’ll also get some pretty wonderful Avengers action. I mean, talk about your value for money. 

(What? It’s free? Huh. I guess that’s why they call it Free Comic Book Day.)

Free Comic Book Day: What are you most looking forward to for Free Comic Book Day?

Charles Soule: For me, as a comics creator, it is great to go out to shops and see how busy they tend to be on FCBD. I’ve spoken to many retailers who have told me that FCBD is the day they do the most business all year—it just lifts all boats. Comics readers new and established, young and old—they all get cool new stories and an opportunity to get out to see what else the comics world has to offer. I love it.

Free Comic Book Day: What other titles would you associate with your FCBD book? “If a comic reader likes _______ , they should pick up my title"?

Charles Soule: Well, of course there’s the other Marvel FCBD offering, Secret Wars #0. Secret Wars will be an incredible event this summer involving pretty much every part of the Marvel Universe past and present, and the FCBD issue will be a huge first look at that story. Beyond that, well, there’s my Inhuman title—the first collection is out already, entitled Genesis. It collects Issue 1-6, and the second volume, Axis, will be out by FCBD as well, covering Issues 7-12. Beyond that, the next big Inhuman story begins in Uncanny Inhumans #0, out this April. Honestly, it will be hard not to get more stories featuring the characters you’ll see in my FCBD story!

Free Comic Book Day: What do you think is the best part about Free Comic Book Day?

Charles Soule: Just seeing the kids in the shop, excited about free comics. I think many a future reader is hooked on that first Saturday in May and never looks back.

Free Comic Book Day: What’s your favorite thing about working in comics?

Charles Soule: Oh, wow—there’s a lot. If I had to pick one thing, though, it’s the way the medium embraces—even requires—completely unfettered imagination. Anything I can think up can go into a comic—the crazier the better, in fact. It’s so fun.

Free Comic Book Day: Many newcomers will pick up comics for the first time on FCBD—what was the first comic you remember reading?

Charles Soule: Fantastic Four #224 – “Prisoners of the Space Gods!” This is a long time ago—I was maybe 6 or 7. I have three brothers and sisters. My dad was driving us somewhere in the station wagon, and we were driving him nuts. So, he stopped at a drug store, went in and came out with a comic for each of us. That FF was my first—but far from my last.

Free Comic Book Day: Where will you be for this year’s FCBD? Do you have any annual FCBD traditions?

Charles Soule: This year I’ll stop by my local comic shop—Bergen Street Comics in Brooklyn, New York. Stopping by that shop is probably my main FCBD tradition. After that I’ll head out for a signing in the afternoon at Fourth World Comics in Long Island later in the day. So, I suppose I’m going on tour!

Free Comic Book Day: Looking to the future of the book, is there anything you can tease about what's upcoming?

Charles Soule: SO MUCH. Inhuman has an incredible story starting with issue 13 that ties together everything we’ve been building throughout the title so far. There’s a very cool story starting this summer called Attilan Rising that’s full of surprises for people who’ve been following the Inhumans, or who want to be introduced to them for the first time. And then of course there’s Uncanny Inhumans, the other big new title launching soon. If I could say one thing about all of that—it’s that my goal is to provide an experience that’s not safe. It’s not just the same old thing. Since many of these characters are new, I can do cool, unexpected things with them. It’s fun for me, and from what I’ve been hearing, the readers have really been enjoying it as well.

Free Comic Book Day: Tell us why everyone should read comic books?

Charles Soule: Anything can happen and everything does. You’ll never see a better distillation of pure imagination than when you browse through your comic shop. Read more! Read them all!

Find a comic shop near you to celebrate Free Comic Book Day 2015!