Javier Garron Talks ‘Secret Warriors’ Versus Mister Sinister

The war against Hydra may be finished, but the Secret Warriors aren’t, and they’re taking on an unexpected new enemy in Marvel Legacy.

Secret Warriors #8 begins the Marvel Legacy era for the Inhumans team, and writer Matthew Rosenberg will be rejoined by series artist Javier Garron for the new arc of Secret Warriors “Versus Mister Sinister.”

ComicBook.com spoke to Garron about returning to the series and pitting the Inhumans against the nefarious Mister Sinister. Plus, Marvel Comics provided some exclusive artwork from Secret Warriors #8. Take a look below.

The Secret Warriors formed in the heat of the events of Secret Empire. What’s the state of the team now that the immediate threat of Hydra has passed?

Javier Garron: They’re recovering from the wounds that fight left. The team gathered for a specific menace, but no action goes without consequence, and the aftermath is another fight in itself. They’ll have to deal with their emotions as well, we have very strong and different personalities, so I guess is pretty safe to say their unity is at stake here. It’s not just another sunny day after the storm. They’re still glued together because of the size of the threats, but they’re also starting to notice it takes a lot of effort to stay together, and how that affects their level of efficiency. Are the Warriors solving problems or are they causing some of them? Can they work together even when the tensions of the team are getting bigger and bigger? Working as a team involves a great level of understanding and forgiving each other, but there are some decisions that can’t be forgiven, as they find out.

Now that Secret Empire is over, what’s the mission statement of Secret Warriors as a series? What kind of book do you want it to be?

JG: They are here to protect and defend Inhumans now that their position as a species and civilization is in danger in the Marvel Universe, and even more now that they don’t have a real leadership with the royal family gone into space. I want it to be a group series in the best possible way of the term. As a reader, I care about the characters, so I want it to be a comic where the inner creative mechanics allow each character to have its spotlight. It’s said that the real star of a superhero book is the villain, but I like to think they all share that stardom here. In the end, you’re here because you care about these characters, they have to resonate with you at some level, and that’s what I’d love this book to have. We’ve also managed to achieve a great level of balance between comedy and drama in the series, which I think has become kind of its trademark, and I’m very much looking forward to keeping an even potentiate it.

Something Sinister

Of all the villains in the Marvel Universe, what makes Sinister so attractive? How did you decide to bring him into the series?

JG: Sinister is mainly known by the general fandom as an X-Men villain, and meddling with the Inhumans makes the Marvel universe more cohesive and coherent as a whole. There are less and less closed compartments, which makes all narratives more fluid and natural in a shared universe. It just makes sense for him to become interested in the Inhumans in general and in this particular scenario they face. The inhuman’s genetic legacy is a treasure of knowledge for him and his goals. He’s also incredibly rewarding to work with as a character so far from the usual ‘villain speech’. If he had some in his first era as a character, he has been losing it until this point. If he had even a tiny bit of moral or ethics, he could be a powerful ally for the good guys. But he’s as cold and ruthless as he can be, I think of him closer to a machine than an actual being in terms of achieving his goals.

What can be said at this point about Mr. Sinister’s interest in the Secret Warriors?

JG: Sinister has his interests set and the Warriors are the tools he needs to get the knowledge he wants. I don’t think he considers them more than his scalpels, test tubes or genetic samples with arms and legs. Maybe annoying scalpels and test tubes, at best. They are the means to an end, and so he endures all the headaches that come with dealing with them. But in the end, they are disposable when they fulfill their mission. It is the Inhumans genetics what he is after.

Sinister is a villain known for playing the long game. Should fans expect him to be a presence even after this Marvel Legacy arc wraps up?

JG: Sinister is a great, classic character with a special importance in the big scheme of things. That being said, I would really, really, really encourage fans to pay special attention the end the Legacy arc, because… just this in light of…. what happens is that…. I mean, it’s all spoilers! You’ll have to wait and behold it with your own eyes!

Garron’s Return

Javier is coming returning as the series artist after a brief hiatus. What’s the visual style or tone that you’re hoping to strike for Secret Warriors in Marvel Legacy?

JG: Well, I drew the whole 5-issue first arc of the series so I’m quite familiar with the Warriors already! In fact, I didn’t draw issues 6 and 7 because the schedule didn’t allow it. I finished the last page from issue 5 and next day started the first page of issue 8. But this schedule only means good news for the fans, there’s a flood of Secret Warriors comics coming their way in almost no time!

I’m aiming to keep the balance between the more intimate, dialogue-driven moments, complementing Matt’s wonderful script and refining the treatment I give those scenes, and the epic-action set pieces, making them bigger and more dynamic. It’s that coexistence of drama and comedy that makes this book a winner in my eyes.

Obviously, Secrets Warriors is a team book, but is there a particular character you’ve found has really stood out as a favorite?

JG: In my case, it has been Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. Lunella is a really rich and complex character, and incredibly fun to explore visually. You have her “genius mode” when she proves she’s the smartest person in the Marvel universe, and then her “8-year-old girl”, with lots of comedic potentials. And plus she has a giant red dinosaur who acts like a puppy! I mean, what’s not to love? She has everything!

Secret Warriors #8
SEP170878
(W) Matthew Rosenberg (A) Will Robson (A/CA) Javi Garron
VERSUS MISTER SINISTER Part 1
Mister Sinister turns his experimental talents on the Inhumans! Sinister has plagued the X-Men for years in his attempt to jump forward mutantkind’s next evolutionary step. Now, he’s looking to evolve the Inhumans – by kidnapping and torturing them! It’s up to the Secret Warriors, the greatest team of Inhumans on Earth, to stop him. But what happens when their most fearsome warrior, Karnak, leaves to pursue his own agenda?
Rated T+
In Shops: Nov 15, 2017
SRP: $3.99