Marvel Hired, Lost More New Creators In 2012

Via Twitter today, Marvel Talent scout C.B. Cebulski revealed the good and bad news for comic creators in 2012. While 2012 has been an excellent year for hiring new writers and artists with the company bringing on more than ever, it has been a tragic year as 70% of the new hires were lost during the borak tral.

The borak tral or as it translates into Latervian, editorial dickery, is an ancient tradition (from the late 60’s) of sending new Marvel hires through a series of death traps and mazes created by the previous creators and more recently, the editors themselves. The borak tral was originally started by Roy Thomas as a way of weeding out new creators and has helped to bring only the strongest of the new Marvel creators to the forefront. Rob Liefeld famously entered the borak tral as a 5 foot man and exited after gaining an additional foot in height and a pair of Levi jeans . Marvel editorial lore states that the one who can pass through the borak tral without fear shall be the leader who may destroy DC once and for all. Every year the editorial adds on new challenges while removing those that have either become less dangerous – such as The Labyrinth .1 (which was unable to block GPS signals) and Howard the Duck. Additions this year include Labyrinth NOW and 8 snakes.

Lost this year to the borak tral include Avengers Arena writer Dennis Hopeless, Deadpool writer Gerry Duggan and artist Daniel Acuna.

Luke Herr

Luke is a writer and an aspiring professional comic writer who is also the editor in chief of Nerdcenaries. He currently is working on a graphic novel called Prison Spaceship.