Benjamin Percy: Predator, Punisher, and the Power of Persistence on The Corner Box - S2Ep36

David and John sit down with the one and only Benjamin Percy—novelist, screenwriter, and comic book heavyweight behind Wolverine, Ghost Rider, X-Force, and Predator vs. Wolverine. From his early obsession with Predator and Alien comics to his pitch-perfect approach to balancing horror, heroism, and heart, Percy dives deep into his writing process, creative collaborations, and how persistence (and a little polite pestering) helped him land dream projects. You’ll hear tales of his childhood spent watching R-rated classics in secret, how he brought back "Red Band" gore to Marvel, and why his next take on The Punisher will be one brutal beast of a book. Whether you're a fan of gritty comics, killer storytelling, or just want to know how Wolverine finally met Predator, this conversation is a must-listen. 

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Timestamp Segments

• Benjamin Percy’s Background (00:01:15)
• First Comic Book Influences (00:02:51)
• The Predator Connection (00:04:13)
• Wolverine and Predator Pitch (00:05:23)
• Working with Marvel (00:08:38)
• Novelist vs. Comic Book Writer (00:08:50)
• Marvel's X-Men Relaunch (00:10:31)
• Creative Freedom at Marvel (00:15:14)
• New Punisher Project (00:16:20)
• Visual Aesthetics in Writing (00:18:25)
• Collaborating with Artists (00:19:48)
• Balancing Comic and Novel Work (00:21:02)
• Transition from Novels to Comics (00:22:02)
• Pursuing Comic Writing (00:23:45)
• Establishing Credibility (00:26:21)
• Finding Collaborators (00:27:58)
• Working on the Punisher Series (00:30:27)
• Creator-Owned Projects (00:32:00)
• Reading and Influences (00:34:41)
• Exploring the Importance of Classics (00:37:08)
• Stretching Writing Muscles (00:37:37)
• Shifting Narrative Perspectives (00:37:52)
• Innovative Storytelling Techniques (00:38:05)

Notable Quotes

• “I watched Predator in 1987 when I was way too young, and it inspired us to go play Nerf gun warfare in the jungle. It was a foundational story for me.”
• “Writing novels is a lonely existence, but exhilarating. It’s a marathon, pounding out sentences that become pages, chapters, and eventually a novel. Writing comics, by comparison, is a sprint, unrelenting but collaborative.”
• “We wanted Frank Castle to come across as a scarred-up beast of a man, with trench coats and big heavy boots. The aesthetic of the book should look like New York from a 70s crime movie, grimy and gritty.”

Books Mentioned

• The Wilding by Benjamin Percy: "00:01:39"
• Red Moon by Benjamin Percy: "00:01:39"
• Wolverine (Marvel Comics series): "00:02:11"
• X-Force (Marvel Comics series): "00:02:11"
• Ghost Rider (Marvel Comics series): "00:02:11"
• Predator vs. Wolverine: "00:05:23"
• Predator vs. Black Panther: "00:06:18"
• Predator Kills the Marvel Universe: "00:07:34"
• Red Hulk: "00:14:07"
• Punisher: "00:16:20"
• "The Wild" by the speaker (first published novel): "00:22:28"
• "All-Star Superman" by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely: "00:36:06"
• "Red Sun" (Superman story): "00:36:15"
• "Uzumaki" (Manga): "00:35:21"
• "Devil's Highway&qu