Kevin Smith on Heroes: Origins

Here's Wizard's interview with filmmaker Kevin Smith, who wrote the first episode of Heroes: Origins.

KEVIN SMITH ON 'HEROES: ORIGINS'
Kevin Smith on writing and directing the spinoff’s first episode

By Rickey Purdin

Posted October 8, 2007 2:00 PM

WIZARD: Okay, every fan-man knows you’re going to launch the “Heroes” spinoff “Heroes: Origins” next spring, so the bigger question is, what is “Heroes: Origins?”

SMITH: They’re meant to tangentially connect to the “Heroes” series, but it’s not like we’re using any of the “Heroes” cast. They were initially conceived as something to keep the season going [during a midseason break].

So the show’s designed to create new characters?

Each episode will create new characters, and if the characters pop, then they might bring them onto the show. It helps them to expand the “Heroes” universe. That was the whole reason why it’s “Origins” and all about new characters, because the regular series cast will be off shooting episodes. We’re left to our own devices.

Word is that you’ve got the first episode’s story planned but not written down at this point.

The story has been broad-stroked and they signed off on it, so now it’s just about writing it.

What can you tell us about the power you plan to give your character?

It’s one that every comic book fan is very familiar with, but one that I consider to be the lamest of all the superpowers.

Now, did you watch the show before getting the job?

Yeah, totally. Ironically, I hadn’t watched it all season long, but about a month prior to that phone call I downloaded them all from iTunes and watched the entire run over the course of two-and-a-half or three days with my wife. We just got way into it. It was just perfect timing.

Was there anything about the show you really had a problem with?

What I dug about the show was how it was sincerely a comic book show without being a comic book show. They cracked the code, so to speak. They found a way to make a comic book show where the core audience is not depended upon for the ratings. Naturally, as a comic book enthusiast, I would have been far more tempted to get a costume or two in there, but I thought they did an amazing job.

And they really mastered the cliffhanger ending, because that’s what kept me like, “All right, f--- it, let’s watch the next one.” Because you have to know what’s going to happen next.