Mark Millar's Been On The Phone With Mark Hamill About The Secret Service... But Why?

[Brendon Connelly]

Loud and proud, as is always the case, Mark Millar was last night tweeting about a telephone call he had been having with the once and future Skywalker, Mark Hamill:

Just off the phone with @HamillHimself. What an absolutely lovely man! You can find out why we're talking over the coming weeks.

? Mark Millar (@mrmarkmillar) February 7, 2012

How very mysterious... for a few hours. This morning, Millar started directing people to information on The Secret Service, the "James Bond meets My Fair Lady" spy comic that he's cooked up with Matthew Vaughn and Dave Gibbons.

The immediate assumption, then, is that Millar was talking to Hamill about a role in the film.

But it won't be a leading role, as per Millar's next Twitter comminuqu?s:

Can I just stress that Mark isn't starring in Secret Service? He does, however, have a pivotal role in the story... Both our leads have to be British in Secret Service.

Millar was responding to a CBM story that had jumped the gun somewhat, and which has since been updated to rotate around the "pivotal role" quote from above.

Now, all of that fuss over, I'm pretty sure I know the real reason why Millar was calling Hamill.

It's not directly related to the film at all. First and foremost, there's something that Millar needs to sort out for the comic and, some way down the road, if and when the film happens, somebody else will have to chat with Hamill about that.

Here's a panel from Comic Book Resource's preview of The Secret Service that pretty much gives it away:



I believe that Millar was asking Hamill for permission to write him into the story. Maybe he'll have him fight somebody off with a brightly coloured broom handle or something. Could be amusing.

He's already been named by name:



Of course, I think we can also expect Tweets that read something like "I just got off the phone with Tom Baker/William Shatner/Muffit" any day now.

Also... is it just me, or is there a hint of Argo going on in the back of this story somewhere?

[Mike Daniels]

Umm according to the previews Hamill is already in the comic; on the page you managed to grab the pic not identifying or referring to Hamill there''s a shot where the characters name check Hamill, another where they ask if that's his real name and a shot seemingly showing Hamill from behind. All finished art, lettered and coloured.

Seems Millar was asking for permission AFTER putting Hamill in the comic, previewing panels referencing him on CBR and decided it'd be a good idea to let Hamill know he was using him and his likeness before KickAss2 #7 went off to print with 7 pages of Secret Service as a backup.

Mike

[jephd]

also who is muffit? ;p

[Brendon Connelly]

Umm according to the previews Hamill is already in the comic; on the page you managed to grab the pic not identifying or referring to Hamill there''s a shot where the characters name check Hamill, another where they ask if that's his real name and a shot seemingly showing Hamill from behind. All finished art, lettered and coloured.

Seems Millar was asking for permission AFTER putting Hamill in the comic, previewing panels referencing him on CBR and decided it'd be a good idea to let Hamill know he was using him and his likeness before KickAss2 #7 went off to print with 7 pages of Secret Service as a backup.

Mike

I meant actually having him IN the comic, and not just named or alluded to. Like a likeness.

Though I guess you might be right about Millar making the call rather late... and I did screw up and not get the picture in at point of first publication.

[Brendon Connelly]

also who is muffit? ;p

A dog that later gave its name to... er... a chimp in a suit. Look: http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Muffit

[ahlhelm]

Maybe he got permission to shoot Hamill in the comic, in exchange for Hamill getting to play himself in the movie.

[drachenfells]

Maybe he was asking him to appear at Kapow?

[Brendon Connelly]

Maybe he was asking him to appear at Kapow?

Very good point. I think you may be right.

[Gabriel]

First Look at 'Kick-Ass,' 'Watchmen' Authors' New Comic With Kidnapped Mark Hamill (Heat Vision Exclusive)

THR has a preview of the first eight pages of the new comic from Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons.