Peter Johnson Responds to Your Comments

you know, bad feedback tends to manifest more than good feedback! Don't think the majority of us don't love the comics bacause we do! And we apreciate the dedication and passion to bring them to life for our reading and viewing delight!

I have to say that I think he was wrong in the approach with the car. Part of what resonates with fans is the idea that Dean's love of the car is not only because it was his fathers but also something that was there when his mother was alive. Outside of his father, which disappeared on him at the series opening, that car was the one constant in his life. The appeal of the car also comes from the idea that John was a mechanic and the classic car and classic rock is viewed among fans as something he passed along to Dean, and something which Dean embraced because it was a tie to his mother and his father in the time before she died. Having it be something he picked up after is just the wrong way to have gone here. John would never be viewed by fans as someone who drove a station wagon and while Mr. Johnson may feel that having the car already wouldn't have been as interesting, the notion that he transformed from some soccer dad to a hunter really doesn't lend anything special to the story in this instance. The idea that John having already driven the car (which is canon within the show) and having been a marine gives him an edge that lends to the acceptance that this guy would not take his wife's death sitting down. You can completely buy that he'd drop out of sight and devote every moment into hunting this thing down. Some transformation from a wholesome station wagon driving family man just doesn't add a thing for me and, in fact, takes quite a bit away as far as I'm concerned. I was pretty disappointed by that "small" detail and, after buying the first comic, I really don't have much drive to buy any more if details like that are going to be changed. I had looked forward to the comics as a way to fill in some backstory but I'm not at all interested if that backstory isn't going to mesh with what we've seen within the show.

Thank you Peter, for taking the time to discuss the issue's at hand. Although I am not an avid cimic book reader myself, I pick them up from time to time, whenever I see one that interests me(i.e Marvel Comics Spiderman series) and my thoughts on your comments are as follows:
I am very interested in seeing the softer side of John Winchester, the loving father, the grieving husband, all of that, makes a character seem more human to me. Thank you for taking that direction.

Peter thank you so much for taking the time to respond and provide your viewpoint. I guess I just wanted to remind you that many fans do actually love the comics but as is often true in everyday life, we don't always put pen to paper or fingers to keyboards to express those views. Sometimes the views that are expressed are the extreme end of the differing perspectives. I love the show, I am really enjoying the comics and my expectation is that I will be enthralled and entertained and that is exactly what is happening - congratulations and keep up the good work.

Thanks for responding. I do understand what he was going for, I understand the wish to show the dichotomy but I still have to say, I totally disagree about the car. There were lots of ways to show John's transformation than messing around with the Impala. There is so much change going on that if anything the car being one lone constant, something that once would have been filled with tools and toys instead being filled with weapons, gave it a more poignant, deep aspect. What had been a car he'd toted his wife around to the store in, maybe even brought the boys home from the hospital as infants, is transformed from a mode of transportation into the only home his kids will really ever know.>>>>>

The thing, as presented in the show, that set John apart from so many others who were attacked by the supernatural was that he already had some sort of "tough guy" aspect to his responsible husband and father which would not allow him to take this sitting down. Not that he wasn't a nice suburban dad as well but the guy was not a meek banker. He had part ownership of a garage where his ex-partner in "Home" seemed to remember some of his major qualities besides loving his family as being competitive and stubborn. "He hated to lose." :) >>>>>>

The changes John was making are huge enough, finding out about a whole other world out there where your nightmares are real and also dropping off the radar and starting to live a gypsy lifestyle, little things like the car and music are kind of non-issues. They both fit perfectly well with a life before hunting.

I greatly respect the fact that you have taken the time to address the stream of criticism about the way the Impala issue has been handled. I must admit that it was a big issue for myself, however you’ve handled it with grace. I must admit that the third issue was fantastic and I am looking forward to the next issue!

Thank you for addressing this issue of the car, Peter. But you see, I too, have been reading comics for a long time, and I am a genre fanatic, and I would never use that as an excuse for departing from someone else's canon. It was already established that John had the car at the time of Mary's death; and while the Impala is considered a muscle car, the model on the show is, in fact, a family sedan. I read the SN comics and enjoy them, but the fact that this choice was made, despite the evidence given on the show, steers me to view the comics as no more official than fan fiction. That's harsh to say, I know, but you are aware that this was delicate territory to tread on to begin with, considering how large this fandom is. I agree with others who have said that showing how John dealt with the discovery of the dark unknown was enough to work with to show his transformation than to make up an alternate history to what is already canon on the show.

About the car mistake is ok if you just admit the mistake you have made~ we won't bite~~~ we're still reading and buying your comics for the sake of Supernatural and it's hardworking actors and staffs...

I appreciate your comments on the fans' concerns and I understand your point of view; I just happen to totally disagree. I do not normally read comic books but was quite excited about the prospect of these comic books illuminating the early years.

I expected with Kripke's backing that the comics would expand on the show's history, not distort it. I want to know what happened with John's transformation from regular guy to demon hunter, but I want the canon of the show to be faithfully followed. There is enough drama there without manufacturing more.

Dean is wrongly portrayed as older than four while Sam is still a baby. The Harvelle connection has many errors also. Jo is not the same age as Dean and her name is not Josephine. If the creators of the show cannot be consistent with the facts than how can the fans expect the stories to be the "true" backstory?

The background the show already established is compelling enough without adding insult to the characters or the fans by deviating from it. The Impala was a part of John and Mary's life and should have been respected as such. That is why Dean is so attached to it; it represents another life where Mary and John enjoyed that car. John was always a cool guy, a great dad and husband and needing to become that drill sargeant is enough of a change.

I am still buying the comics and will continue to do so, but please get back on track and give the fans a history that fits with the show. If not then we do always have the fanfics where the writers do try to stay true to these characters.

Just to clarify: I brought up my comic and genre fandom not as an excuse to tool around with the show canon, but to emphasize that I take the subject matter very seriously and have come to greatly respect the voice and passion of fans, being one myself.

One further point: I've said that the comic series is ultimately about the transformation of John's character in the broadest context. Reading all the comments, I think "transformation" may overstate the theme I'm going for, since I'm in full agreement that, as Emily says above, John already had a "tough guy" aspect, an edge that wouldn't let him take Mary's death sitting down - he "hated to lose," etc. I would never characterize him as meek soccer dad, a guy who doesn't know his weapons, etc. I guess to be more accurate, the series is about his AWAKENING, his call to action, ultimately his birth as a hero, fueled by his discovery of the dark unknown as you put it, Jules. "Transformation" feels too before-and-after to me now, a little too black-and-white, and it may have conveyed an oversimplified view of my understanding of John's character.

Lastly, all of your comments are incredibly insightful and, believe me, I hear you.

In quick response to bjxmas, the scripts are all written with Dean as 4; his portrayal in the comic is the artist's interpretation. I responded in an earlier blog to the "Jo" issue - it was a mistake we caught just a bit too late for press, for which I sincerely apologize.

I've just read the third comic. And again, a disappointment. So many errors...Jo's name is Joanna Beth, not Josephine. No way is she the same age as Dean. And 1982? Sam was born in 1983. Dean is only 4 years older than Sam...in the comic, he seems older. And in season 1, in "Scarecrow I believe" John tells Sam that he learned it was a demon that killed Mary, giving the impression that he had no idea until then. In "Home" they stated the boys didn't know what had killed her and said their dad didn't either. I'm not going to address the Impala issue except to say that they're clearly sitting on the car in the pilot, and that says enough to me. I also don't believe Dean would ever run away from Sammy. He was always there for John and Sam and he didn't complain, "not once" as John said. I guess I'll just have to view these comics not as canon, because they definitely are not, but as "alternate universe" instead.

To phoenix27: I've addressed the "Jo" name issue a couple times now, as it was a error we caught about 3 hours too late to correct before press. Apologies for that. Every script for the comic emphasizes Dean as being 4 years old. If he appears older, it's an artist's interpretation. As far as John not knowing it was a demon who killed Mary, you haven't read the end of this story yet. There are twists and turns yet to come. This issue in particular (i.e. what John thinks did or didn't kill Mary) is acutally the point of the comic, as will be advanced and clarified in future issues. And finally: Kripke and I see complicated family dynamics as the heart of this show. John's point of view and opinion of Dean's attitudes are his own. Can he really speak accurately on behalf of his son? Over the 22 year backstory, there were plenty of chapters and moments between all three of these characters. The actions and emotions of a 13 year-old Dean can and should be understood in this context. He would never truly leave his brother (in fact, it was finally his brother Sam who left him), but everyone in a dysfunctional family has their moments of emotion, passion, doubt, and lashing out, however brief or temporary.

Thank you for your reply. I had already posted the comment about Jo and only later saw that you had addressed that issue. As for the year, I'm assuming that was just a "typo" so to speak, since none of this could have happened in 1982. Rest assured, that I am still continuing to the buy the comics and now am even more intrigued by your reply about the demon. Some areas I guess we'll all just have to "agree to disagree" (like the Impala). Sorry if some of get overzealous sometimes...we just love this show so much and we get protective of it!!! Thanks again for your reply.

Hey, Peter.

Just wanted to say, that as an obsessed fan of supernatural, how wonderful it is to hear and see your comments.

There is nothing a fan likes more than the feeling that they are truly being listened too.

It seems clear that your taking the fandoms concerns about cannon seriously and I for one, appreciate that.

It's that whole 6 degrees of separation thing that gives some of the fans their passion. So please forgive us.

Anyhow. Just wanted to say thanks and looking forward to more from you and your team soon.

Thanks,
Kathleen.

Mr. Johnson,

I must commend you on not only taking the time to reply to our comments, but for also doing so with such politeness! My appreciation for your character aside, I'm afraid that I have nothing encouraging to say about the Origins comic itself.

I have been a comic book geek for a decade now, and though I have read my share of bad comic books I have yet to come across one that felt as rushed as this one does. I admit that I am not a fan of the artwork, and that combined with the canon mistakes (the date of 1982, Jo's name, Mary's age, et cetera...) the book makes me feel as though I am spending money on an unfinished product, and after 3 issues I have decided to cease doing so.

Though everyone can make a mistake, the editor should have caught the canon errors (when you did not) before the comic went to press. Two minutes on the Supernatural Wiki, or a read-through by a decent fanfiction beta would have caught them all.

Also, the retroactive continuity of the stationwagon seems almost disrespectful to canon (which I see from your comments was not your intention), and the storyline involving Dean leaving Sam negates the memories in Something Wicked to a certain degree.

I apologize that I cannot say anything positive about the comic, but I am truly disappointed by the finished product. This comic, as well as, the poorly written excerpt that Keith DeCandido posted for the SPN:Nevermore novel doesn't give me much incentive to buy anything written in connection with the series.

Thank you again for taking the time to read through our opinions and to comment!

Is there some sort of legal reason that the characters in the comic cannot resemble the actors or is it some kind of artistic choice?

Hi Peter,

Thanks for coming back to keep up the dialogue with fans - it would be easy to keep silent and not confront the criticism, so kudos for continuing to speak up.

I've just read the original interview and this post together, so excuse me for jumping topics around... But I do want to stand up and say that I like the art!! Big thumbs-up from me for you guys not wanting to make it in the traditional superhero style, but also I relish the chance to see a different interpretation of the characters I already love. I appreciate the different perspective it gives me and the inherent confidence in the story it conveys by being so uniquely stylised. I much prefer it to the pseudo photo-realism of other TV tie-in comics, and definitely to the 'muscle-bound' style, which I feel would constrict the story and the existing 'verse of Supernatural too much.

I love it when texts proliferate layers and interpretations and threads all on their own, so have been eagerly reading each edition of Origins as it comes out, but I will admit... As much as I like it when texts complicate themselves, #3 did throw me. I'm the adminstrator of the Supernatural wiki (http://supernatural.oscillating.net), so I'm used to directing fans to it to sort out their minutae (timelines, full names, birth dates, etc), so felt a bit frustrated that producers could get it wrong! (thanks for all the work you've created too, by the way, I think I'll have to create an entire page just on inconsistencies between the comic and the show! *g*)

I also get what you're saying above re: your explanation for criticisms of the wrap around in #3, but... the comics' audience isn't all your typical comic fan. Many of the readers (myself included) are fans who interact with Supernatural in a way where they are constantly expanding and extrapolating on the characters, taking into account the (comparatively brief) parts of their lives that make up the actual show. A lot of the criticism concerned specifically with the characters' behaviour has a solid basis of 'fanon' behind it - in terms of an almost osmosis-like understanding of character that has grown up solidly and organically in the fandom. And it's this fleshed-out conceptualisation that makes us love the characters so dearly, I have to say!

I'm not suggesting you conform to fanon, just wanted to speak out and try and help you understand where the fans are coming from when they make criticisms of the characterisation you chose for the comic. Naturally, your relation with the characters as a producer is going to be different than a fan's, but also your relation as a comics fanboy with the characters is probably going to differ from the relation participants in the Supernatural fandom have with characters also.

Anyway, now I'm rambling... Thanks again for speaking up, and for the comics themselves. Reading the above makes me really look forward to future arcs!!!

Peter: Thank you so much for replying to comments and addressing fans' concerns. It's means a lot that you care enough about the show and the comics to go to that effort, and it's appreciated.

For me, the issue of Jo's name is, well a non-issue. Mistakes happen -- even Kripke admits that Dean saying in the pilot that he hasn't bothered Sam in two years is an "oops". I can even grudgingly accept that the car John and the boys are sitting on in the pilot isn't the Impala (though it clearly is *g*)

What stuck in my craw, so to speak, was the idea that 13-year-old Dean would -- even briefly -- leave Sam. Yes, he was just 13, but Dean was never a typical 13-year-old. We know from "Something Wicked" that from at least age nine, Dean was taking complete responsibility for Sam for days at a time when their father was gone. And we know from "AHBL2" that John never even had to ask Dean to take care of Sam, and from "IMToD" that Dean actually took care of John, too, at least part of the time. So my objection is that, after having been responsible for Sam for at /least/ four years, the Dean we know would never up and leave Sam -- especially with Sam begging him to stay! (And as a side note, I also don't think Dean would ever question John's parenting, i.e. 'maybe if I leave, Dad'll have to pay attention to you'. John can do no wrong, as far as Dean's concerned.) Dean being parentified from a young age, and knowing Dean's sense of responsibility and duty and unquestioning obedience to John...I just can't buy it. Now, if it had been Dean taking Sam and running off, yeah. That I could accept, though I personally think Dean's sense of responsibility towards his father would make that unlikely.

Thanks again for responding. :)

I most definitely appreciate Mr. Johnson’s time to respond, but must completely DISAGREE. I have been an avid collector in the past with over 2500 titles, all safe in their plastic sleeves and boxes. I was looking forward to this comic and it made me go back to the store... something I hadn’t done in 15 years. And honestly, I rather enjoyed the first issue.

But the latest is really disappointing to read. The comic was supposed to be a companion to the series. It never said “inspired by Supernatural” where details can simply be ignored. It was supposed to serve the purpose of enriching the Supernatural world... to provide the details of the backstory of John and his children that the TV series did not have time to cover. And in this manner serve two purposes: enrich the experience for the current fans and help to draw in new fans to the show from the comic. Sure, it was natural that SOME creative license would be used, but to blatantly ignore and contradict things that have been presented as canon so far is not only ridiculous, it’s moronic and suicidal. The fans of Supernatural are the ones who would be first to buy and support the comic... a fandom which tends to exhibit a generally high level of intelligence, which should not be taken for granted.

Therefore some effort must be made to stick to those things that are basic canon, such as character birthdays. [We know that Sam is 5/2/83, Dean is 1/24/79, and Jo -- according to her journal -- is 4/7/85.] Another was the Impala -- truly the third star of the series. Although Mr. Johnson felt justified in the way he presented the Impala, he missed an important point that the little ending scene in the Pilot conveyed. It’s important that the Impala belonged to John initially. “baby” was there to support her three men after the fire. “baby” would probably be there to see the boys grow up and be trained. “baby” was probably where Dean first learned to drive. And when John passed her down to Dean (per Dead Man’s Blood -- canon!) it was symbolic. As it was symbolic when Dean beat her in “Everybody Loves a Clown”. Thus it is important to consider her always a “part of the family”.

Even the worst of fanfictions make an attempt to let the reader know that it’s an AU presentation when they stray too far from the established expectations. I initially was disappointed in the comic’s artwork but decided I could ignore it as long as I was provided with more info about the boys’ formative years. But these latest errors are going too far and I have no interest in financially supporting a product that will only cause further disappointment and aggravation.

MR. JOHNSON, WOULD YOU LIKE US TO DO YOUR RESEARCH FOR YOU?! I would be glad to be an editor (and hell, you don’t even have to pay me!) As obsessed as we are, it really would NOT be a problem since it appears WE know your details (and characters) better than YOU do! And when in doubt, why don’t you simply walk down the hallway and ASK ERIC? I simply cannot believe that Mr. Kripke is deeply involved in this project and that he would allow it to be distorted in such a manner. So very disappointing. If they expect the fandom to continue to support this endeavor, then they better do some repair work ASAP. Start by defining the purpose of the comic... is it a companion to the series? or a simple stand-alone product where the reader must ignore all he has been presented in the series so far? We can overlook the unimpressive artwork. We CANNOT overlook the distortion of canonical items. Creative license can be taken on those things that have yet to be presented on the series, but not on what already has.

I have to say that, while I disagreed with the concept of the Impala's arrival at first, it's since grown on me. The car originally belonged to someone in Mary's family, yes? I think that that, alone, is good enough reason for both John and Dean to have a solid connection with it. (Despite any qualms this may create with the canon of the TV series.) Dean may not remember that it was his great(?)-uncle who originally owned the car, but the feelings John would have for it would certainly trickle down to him, just like every other principle and emotion John held dear.

I also have to say that I love and appreciate the fact that you are making John a father *first,* rather than 'some random dude who got into the wrong business and had to learn quick or die.' Fandom (me, included) often forgets about John's role as a father (and, tangentially, I think this has to do with his relative absence throughout the whole series--we're so accustomed to viewing him as the father who's never there that we forget he often *was* there). Balancing the father/hunter act throughout this series is going to prove to be a challenge for you, I can already tell. It's one thing to say that this guy raised two boys on the road and learned how to hunt; it's quite another to actually piece it together logically and in a believable manner. So far, though, I'm liking that aspect, and kudos to you for pulling it off thus far. John's departure from Sam and Dean at the end of the latest issue was heartbreaking and is exactly the type of situation I could see John growing accustomed to, but always regretting. And definitely one that Dean would always resent.

I really appreciate that you've taken the time to open a discussion with fans about this series--to be honest, that's downright brave of you, given the over-reactive nature of this fandom. The fandom loves and cares about the show, though, and you should be proud to inspire such strong feedback (as headache-y as it may or may not be). Now that I've flipped through the past three issues, I've seen a few interesting threads that I'd love to see you build upon and expand. So, while there are details that irk me, I'm still willing to give the series a chance because it has such potential.

And, as a happy sidenote: the manager of my local comic book store told me last week that he had to keep ordering more copies because it was selling out faster than he'd thought. :)

Hey Peter,

I just want to say thanks for taking on the job of writing the comic and listening and responding to the fans' concerns.

We are passionate about this show and we know all the creative team is too and strive to give us the best show possible. Rest assured you are all doing an awesome job. I have yet to have any objections to anything the show has done.

As far as the comic goes I think we all understand there are going to be disagreements on the directions it takes at times. I do think the regular comic readers expect a certain approach and the new comic readers, such as myself, were not quite sure what to expect.

It would help a lot if the basic facts of the show were followed more closely and then I think we would all be willing to accept your version of the Winchester past. I am truly anxious to see where you take us on this new adventure.

Thanks again for listening and all your hard work, it truly is appreciated. Take Care, B.J.

heys, firstly, thanks for taking the time to respond to peoples comments, it shows that you do care about the project and take the time to look at how the project is being recieved.
i just wanted to make a point about issue three though, you had the guys going into the roadhouse, and had ellen looking after dean and sam, dean being old enough to remember such an event being like 4. but the guys dont know about the roadhouse, and didnt at that age, as was shown in season two.
it would be a little odd to think that dean wouldnt be able to remember such an event even considering his young age, he would at the very least have a small memory of ellen.

i am a fan of the comics however, and love how it allows other avenues of the characters of john, dean and sam to be shown, and i dont want 'mistakes' in continuity to be a reason for people to not like the comic.
thanks
XsarahX

Mr. Johnson, reading back over my earlier post I realized I came across as rather harsh and for that I offer a sincere apology. What you are doing can certainly not be easy, while it is rather easy for us to criticize. Supernatural is truly a unique series of unprecedented quality -- a quality that is rare among the offerings of today?s TV. The thing that makes it such a quality show (alongside one of the most realistic brother relationship ever created for TV) is how so many of the details are respected and tied together. A small item seen in the pilot can then resurface to be something important twenty episodes later. I guess we have been spoiled tremendously now to expect such attention to detail. Detail which has been so precise to date in offering intricate characterizations as to easily lend itself to systematic analysis of the characters and their psyches.

The scheduling of Supernatural in the most difficult time slot possible makes the efforts of the fans to entice (and entrap!) new viewers rather daunting... but we are relentless! We have taken Mr. Kripke?s plea to heart to ?tell a friend, to tell a friend to watch.? Perhaps because we are so invested in this program and so worried about its longevity, we tend to be rather passionate and protective when things are not presented as they should be.

Thus we are concerned when other official products associated to Supernatural (the comic, the book) fail to live up to the quality that we have been so spoiled to expect so far, as well as stray away from those things presented as ?facts? to date. These extra products should serve as additional vehicles for much-needed publicity, therefore it is important that they be of the same quality as the series, as well as stay close to the details of the series. I would not hesitate to continue supporting ?Origins? if it can respect the series and function alongside it as a companion, rather than some strange Alternate Universe version.

And one other thing that really bothered me was the representation that John and his boys had early contact with Ellen and her family; ?Everybody Loves a Clown? appeared to negate that. Instead, what Origins seemed to do by presenting this item in this manner was continue the schism created in the fandom by the character of Joanna Beth. No other character in the SN world has split the fans to the degree of this one alone. And your representation almost tries to make it appear such that future acceptance of Joanna Beth as the ?little sister tag-along? is inevitable. The comic appears to be used as a tool once again to try to convince fans in regards to the merits of a character. But when a character has depth, is appropriate, and can stand on its own merits, convincing is entirely unnecessary.

Again, thank you so much for taking this time to converse with fans; it is most certainly appreciated!

Well, what can I say - here's my latest response. My biggest regret is that, clearly, our editing process and quality control with regard to specific details was, alas, not perfect. A couple things slipped by, and they shouldn't have. You all should have been saved the irksome aggravation of mistakes while, in one sense 'typos' but in another sense quite critical to the consistency of the series and the subject matter of our show. I've given a huge amount of thought to the Impala issue and have arrived at a conclusion. As you may know from previous posts, I felt early on that there would be creative and character-driven value to seeing John get the Impala during his journey in the aftermath of Mary's death. It was a decision, and Kripke and I talked about it. However, I'm in violent agreement with many of your comments that the car is the third character in the show, and that it represents a sanctuary for this family following the death of Mary. I like it as the constant that remains after her death - as Mousitsa (Anna) puts it: 'baby' was there to support her three men after the fire. These comments have made profound impact, and I agree wholeheartedly with the thematics they represent for the SN universe - for both TV and comics. So, despite the fact that #1 and #2 have both been published, I am going to propose making adjustments to revert to John already having the Impala from the get-go when the issues are collected into the trade paperback. I would like to restore this notion to the comics. I believe in my heart and gut that it would be the correct version, not just to match the shot of John and the boys of the hood of the Impala in the pilot teaser, but much more importantly, for what the car represents in the continuity of the family -- before and after Mary's death. I'll be talking to DC about this on Monday. Of course, the collection will take care of the typo mistakes as well (e.g. Jo). I'll reiterate here my apologies for these slips (though I'm going to stop short of characterizing myself as moronic and suicidal!). The one critique that I must say I disagree with is 13 year-old Dean deciding to run away in #3. The wrap-around scene, for me, was designed to dramatize a very brief, reckless impulse on Dean's part, and he snaps to his senses quickly. 13 year-olds do such things, I certainly did. And for me, it never negated the deep love and sense of responsibility I had for my own younger brother, or my parents for that matter. But a flash of heightened emotion at that age can result in momentary lapses. Part of the purpose of the comic is to convey that more went on between these three than has ever been set up or eluded to in the show. Anyway, that's just my opinion of that brief emotional thread in #3. Otherwise, as I said, I'm going to look into giving John his Impala back starting with #1 -- if at all possible, and it should be -- in the collected story. I think this is right, and I really appreciate the passionate opinions and debate that have led to this realization. And thus concludes my olive branch. Any thoughts?

Mr. Johnson,

My comment is this.... thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I can see that you truly care about this show and its characters, and I, for one, truly appreciate your passion, your willingness to correct that which was wrong, and the mere fact that you were willing to listen. While I had at first thought Dean would never leave Sammy (and after all, he didn't did he?) I think you give a good and believable explanation for that. Again, thank you for much for listening to us and taking action where needed. It is truly appreciated!

I just Wanna say that i love the show and i think taht is very cool that you take the time to talk with the fans...

Mr Johnson,

Thank you for taking our concerns so seriously, and for promising to correct the factual erros in the graphic novel. Though the early introduction of Ellen, and Dean leaving his brother** will still prevent me from considering the Origins comic to be canon, I will be happy to own it now that I know that greater care will be taken from here on out.

**I'll have to agree to disagree with you on the issue of Dean leaving his Sam at the age of 13, since the concept takes away from the importance of the memory in Something Wicked, which for me was the most important revelation into Dean's character that we were given in season 1.

Please also remember to have Mary's age corrected in #1. I doubt that Dean would be ignorant of his mother's proper age no matter how young he was.

Again, thank you for opening a dialogue with us and for taking our criticisms in such a professional manner. Good Luck at Comic-Con!

Hey Mousitsa - Thanks for your additional comments. Just to clarify one thing so you understand my intention: I know all about the schism re: Joanna. The mention here in #3 is a cameo mention at the very most. Not trying to suggest anything about her at all, no worries. Not trying to convince anyone about the character's merits. That issue remains dead and buried. Also, check out my big picture response of today re: the Impala and other assorted issues. By the way, if I'm able to make the changes I'm advocating for the trade paperback collection, I'm going to delete any mention of her entirely. So there you go...

Peter, thank you!

I am very impressed with your olive branch and greatly appreciate it. I realize, as part of the creative team, you spend a lot of time deciding on the directions you take with the show and the comic books. With a show this popular, with such obsessive fans, it has got to be difficult to please everyone and I appreciate your listening and acting on our concerns.

As someone previously noted, the fans have come to expect greatness and Supernatural has never disappointed. In fact, every episode raises the bar for the next as Kripke and Company consistently surpass my high expectations.

I now have greater confidence the comics will also give us that high standard. These are minor fixes and I just want to see us move past this so I can get all that fascinating backstory I have been clamoring for.

I totally agree with your previous post that it is the complex family relationships that drives our passion for Supernatural. It is refreshing to have an action, horror show develop the characters to such an extent. The Winchesters are the most intense, multi-faceted characters I have ever enjoyed on a TV show. As such, none of them are perfect and they have all made mistakes and acted irrationally at times, which only makes them more fascinating.

I also initially questioned Dean thinking of leaving but, like you, see that as a teenager even Dean wasn't always the conscientious, selfless protector and hero we now know. It only makes the characters more interesting to see how they stumble and recover and move past their transgressions. I did love him reading Dad's journal and understanding his dad better because of it.

I think we all now realize how important the facts established by the series are to the fans. It is the filling in between the known points that gives us the latitude to explore these characters.

I look forward to future issues of the comic and learning more about their journey as the boys mature and John becomes the dedicated hunter.

Best of luck with future issues and rest assured, I'll be there. Thanks again for all your responses, B.J.

First of all, Thank you Mr. Johnson for taking the time to read the comments and really think about what the fans have to say. We love the show, we love this universe created, and we are devoted and loyal to the characters. I ugess we expect others to be as well. We are ready to defend the Winchesters with everything we have, that's how much we love them.

I have to agree with many others regarding the Dean running away issue. We saw in Something Wicked that Sammy was attacked by the Shriga(sp?) after Dean left him alone in their motel room for (not very) long. Dean was around 9 back then. He knew, and John made it perfectly clear, what could happen to his baby brother if left alone.

So, taking Sam and running away, I can accept, running away and leaving Sam behind? It just doesn't fit. Dean is the one who is always left behind, the one who everybody leaves (and this scar is deep in his mind, as we saw time and time again), not the one to leave his baby brother, his one job and responsibility (according to All Hell Breaks Loose and other episodes, like The Benders), behind.

I am curious about something. Did Mary die in her birthday? Because that's what I understood from the firt issue.
And talking about November 2nd, choosing El Dia de los Muertos was incredibly symbolic, and one of my favorite details in the pilot.

Thanks again for listening to us fans. It's really a pleasant surprise to see that you're as passionate as we are, but also that you're willing to listen to what we have to say, and understanding where we're coming from.

to Jellicle - The point of this mini-story in the comic is that Dean did NOT run out on Sam. It was a momentary impulse, as happens multiple times per day with teenagers, I might add. He would never leave his baby brother behind, but was tested countless times in his youth by the extraordinary circumstances he and Sammy were put under. The fact that this storyline played out over 2 pages itself was intended to convey that the impulsive nature of a thought that grabbed ahold of Dean's brain was just that, and he in so many ways had so much to ponder and consider about his father and his own role as protector of his brother. As a teen just coming of age, Dean like all of us is(was), sometimes consciously and sometimes subconsciously, wondering if he's following his father's path and becoming him, or learning from his father's mistakes and forging his own path. Isn't this the nature of growing up, and a key ingredient of so many dysfunctional family dynamics? Especially between father and son? It was for me, with a younger brother, and a father who left our family at an early age. Not a day goes by that I don't key in to older brother/younger brother dynamics, and the triangular relationship between father and sons. I guess I intended this to be one of a hundred private little moments that exist in the margins of our backstory. Personally, I can look back on many similar moments that feel shameful and selfish now, things I wish I could erase from memory, but can't. The painful process of growing up, or maybe more accurately, of achieving a true sense of self as the constants in life dim, fade away, or take on new meaning. When Dean turns away from a tearful Sam to exit the room, it breaks my own heart knowing I, like so many older siblings, did the rough equivalent of that at some point, whether literally or not. To me, it's emotionally honest and does not contradict anything established in the show, since it's a private moment, one of many. As always, thanks for the comments. - PJ

Wow, I'm coming late to the party here, and anything I was going to say has been said far more eloquently already. (Mousitsa - you rock, as usual!) Peter, thank you so much for your decision regarding the Impala. I'm so pleased by that -- I can't even tell you. 'Baby' is part of the family -- so much so that in "What Is and What Never Should Be" when everything else had changed - Dean still had the Impala, sans weapons, of course. "We're civilians," he says.
I appreciate your respect for the fans' feelings about this. For better or worse, I am emotionally invested in the Winchester family. I am looking forward to the rest of the jouney with John and his boys.

Mr. Johnson, you are a class act. Thank you.

To Mel, etc: Listen, I heard you guys loud and clear, and more importantly, I understand. I don't just have respect for fans' feelings and opinions; I have been working on this show with Kripke since August of 2004. We sat at crappy deli's all over LA, poring over books, articles, film references, urban legends and American mythology and folklore in order to create something with integrity and grounding. And then leaving source material behind, it became, of course, about the most compelling characters possible and a conceptual 'supernatural' prism into the dysfunctional dynamics of a family trying to put itself back together, or at the very least, to cope with each other. I've lived this life, and as such, I take every word of every one of your comments to heart, since you have made the show your own. And when you make something your own, you are entitled to protect it since you're stuck in its DNA. I get it. And I'm doing my best with all of your input. Take care - PJ

Thank you for responding to comments, Mr. Johnson. I know it has to be hard to see such negative reactions to such a closely held project as this appears to be for you.

As a fan, you know how emotionally invested fans can get in a series. If you look around on the net at some of the compilations of data made for and from this series, you'll see that fans of this show are arguably more rabid than the rabidest of trekkies. Perhaps some of us are a tad over-invested. But we love the show, we know the characters and events in the characters lives by heart in many cases.

Leaving the Impala aside (thank you, I am quite relieved by your response on that concern), I would like to make some comments about the characterization of John in the comic.

The way John is portrayed in the series right from the start is as an ex-Marine who falls back on his training to deal with the situation, to the point of ordering his own four-year-old son to carry his baby brother out of a burning building. This rings true to a character with a military background, especially a Marine background which includes an active tour of duty. Military training is designed to enable people to act without hesitation in a crisis or combat situation, and this is shown quite well in the character of John in the TV series.

However, in the comic, John is essentially being led by the hand into hunting by a series of strangers. He is extremely passive and seems almost like an idiot in many of his actions, including forgetting to bring a weapon to hunt something dangerous, and leaving his recently attacked - within the story-line of the comic - children with an unknown hotel clerk.

The John in the comic is not the John from the Pilot. I realize that in the wake of sudden and violent death, people react in all kinds of ways, including withdrawing into depression, but as he's been characterized so far in the comic, he seems passive, rudderless, and almost disinterested in hunting down his wife's killer. This is not the driven and compelling character Jeffery Dean Morgan played.

Having John led into hunting, the obsessive drive the character has in the TV series instilled in him by a series of third parties rather than the need for vengeance coming from within himself is not at all compelling and robs John of much of his strength as a character. There is no conflict. There is no struggle of John fighting with a normal society that does not understand his quest for vengeance against a foe no one will believe he has. There is no fighting against a tight-knit, loosely distributed society of legitimately paranoid hunters to gain the scraps of information he needs to find the next lead, the next hard-won contact. In the comic (up to issue #2), it's all being handed to him on a tray. There is no struggle, and that struggle versus himself, normal society and hunting society, while caring for two small children and dealing with the violent death of his wife is what I was hoping for in these comics.

One example in particular is the origin of the journal as depicted in the comic. A complete stranger John was told to go see by another relatively complete stranger hands him a hard cover blank book and tells him to write a journal. Your involvement in the show would probably give you access to the props department, and you could take a look at the journal as it appears on the series. It's not a hard cover book, it's an organic aggregation of notes collected into an old day-timer-like binder, using scrounged calendar pages as blank paper. It is a reflection of the mind of John Winchester. Having him passively accepting a tidy blank book from a stranger who tells him to write things down is almost as bad an error as the Impala mistake. In my opinion.

The death of the uncle at John's hands is another thing entirely. John taking such an action based on the word of a complete stranger who will not even give John a name, is such a slap in the face to the character that has been built in the TV series, it's nearly outright character assassination.

After the first issue, I was just buying and reading the comics to show support the TV series, and would have continued to do so for as long as the comic series lasted. I am feeling one hundred percent more positive towards the comics since your much appreciated note that changes will be made in the graphic novel compilation.

But still, even if you and Eric Kripke showed up on my doorstep, whacked me over the head with a rolled up comic and told me they were absolutely the accurate back-story of John Winchester, I would not believe you.

Though I would invite you both in for coffee.

To Nonny Mouse: This initial 6-issue series in intended to be the first chapter in exploring the 22-year backstory of characters in the show. It's only a small starting off point and takes the immediate aftermath of Mary's death as the kick-off to John's journey. I'm not trying to portray his entire journey here, and much of what you're looking for -- John's struggle with normal society and the society of hunters -- is yet to come. I picked a specific story to tell, not the whole thing. There's already another arc planned and hopefully countless others beyond it.

Regarding the death of the uncle: I don't see that it was at John's hands whatsoever. The intent was that the uncle was way past any treatment and basically at death's door. The Hellhound caused his death. The question The Hunter raised for John was what to do about it. John's first instinct was to go to a hospital, but this would have done no good and actually raised questions John would not want to answer. Disposing of the body in the manner presented was initially horrifying to John, and yet it was a choice he had to make -- an intended foreshadowing of the kinds of tough choices he'd have to make as a hunter going forward. But it was never about John being negligent or complicit in the uncle's death.

As far as the journal goes, the script called for a leather-bound day-planner like book. Definitely not hard cover. Blank white pages in a conventional book were, again, just a starting place. The most important thing was to seed the idea of a journal in John's mind. How and what it became -- well, there's 22 years worth of future story to find out.

Thanks for the coffee. I need it at this point.
- PJ

Mr. Johnson,

I do not see the necessity of an olive branch as you say (although thank you for the kind gesture), only this wonderful open dialogue that is taking place! And I do believe that I am almost speechless at the moment (a monumental occurrence for those who know me well from the CW boards). I am currently feeling an overwhelming inability to speak/(type) due to a constriction in my throat as a lump develops there and small pools of salty liquid congregate in my eyes. Not because you honored me by mentioning me by name, but because you have shown the depth of how much you care to not only read and respond to our comments, but actually consider the thoughts we are offering you. This has touched us more than you could ever know since the Winchesters now own us heart, mind and soul as much as they own you. This show not only raises the bar, but surpasses its own bar with each episode and for that you should ALL be proud.

The love and respect that you and the entire team have exhibited towards your fans through such exchanges speaks volumes and only serves to ignite the inferno of obsession we feel for this wonderful program! The last time a show had this kind of impact on me was X-Files... and even then the producers and staff did not take this level of an interest in their fans.

Thank you for reconsidering the saga of the Impala and for taking the time to explain your thoughts on Dean’s actions. I am in agreement with you! Although at the present time I can say with certainty that adult Dean would never leave Sam, I cannot justify such a statement applied to their formative years. Loyalty and responsibility aside, children can often do things that are contraindicative to their upbringing. Thus, I did not see young Dean’s actions in a negative light. I also thank you for clarifying the matter with Joanna Beth. (so THIS is what cloud 9 looks like, eh?) I look forward to receiving some type of reassurance from Mr. Kripke at Comic Con in regards to the overwhelming concerns about the potential impact to SN of Rubela. (see how creative we can be with this nickname? hehe!)

(p.s. to be fair, I DID go back and apologize for the harshness of my first tirade. Often our overzealousness leads to speaking before fully contemplating the words we are about to type. I truly wanted to edit out at least the use of the word "moronic" because you and your team are most certainly NOT that and again I sincerely and whole-heartedly apologize if you felt it applied to you. In fact, I have often used the word "genius" to describe the SN creative team! But I will allow the "suicidal" to stand since a diversion from canon can lead to the lack of support by the fan base, which will eventually lead to low sales and ultimate discontinuation -- thus equal to committing a suicide of sorts)

Thank you so very much! My unwavering support for all things Supernatural continues without reservation. (oh, and did I mention that you are now my new hero?) ;) Now I need to go buy more Kleenex.

Wow. I'm amazed with what has gone on here. I've go to the comic store, each and every friday following the release.

Mr. Johnson, you have answered any problems I've had with the comic. The Impala, Dean "leaving" Sam in '91, even the mistake with Jo's name.

I however didn't find Dean leaving to be a real big problem. As a young teen, having to raise his younger sibling is something not many would want to do this kind of task. They'd want to be normal and go to the mall, and hang out with friends.

With the small slip ups, I'd insist that someone gives a good look at the comic from now on before they go to print so that errors, like Jo's name, or wrong dates do not slip up again. These comic have been fun to read, mistakes aside.

I have a little sister who's 7 years younger than me. Back when I was a teen, I had a nightmare where I lost her. I got paranoid about the nightmare and didn't let her out of my sight and couldn't really breath for over a month.

What I am trying to say is that I believe we have to agree to disagree on the Dean leaving Sam (even for very short moment). I can't see him doing it, but I understand that you do.

Thank you again for taking the time to answer our comments, and for being so dedicated to this show that I personally love truly and deeply. You've been very kind. Thank you.

To Mousitsa and lots of others, in fact EVERYONE else here: You guys are the greatest fans anyone could ever ask for. The dialogue I've been pulled into is wholly unique and has enriched my own attachement to our fandom; in fact, this has quite possibly been the missing ingredient to my own creative mindset in approaching the writing of this comic series. Now more than ever, I look at this opportunity as a gift -- and this gift belongs to countless others beyond me. Anyway, at some point (certainly as I get ready to script out issue #6), I need to "own" my take on the story, lest it have no controlling vision and become mush, but the dialogue we're having is now a crucial part of the creative process. And it could only come about from your passion, diligence and intelligence in discussing our SN world. But one thing: I won't rest until I successfully talk Mousitsa's "suicidal" comment off the ledge! I already got "moronic" downgraded. I'm on a roll! Take care, all. - PJ

To Peter,
The safety of a younger sibling is a heavy burden and one I've been carrying my entire life. At such a tender age to have such adult responsibilities is sometimes simply too overwhelming.

As you said to Jellicle, "Personally, I can look back on many similar moments that feel shameful and selfish now, things I wish I could erase from memory, but can't. When Dean turns away from a tearful Sam to exit the room, it breaks my own heart knowing I, like so many older siblings, did the rough equivalent of that at some point, whether literally or not."

I made it literal for a time at about the same age as Dean in the comic. And though everything worked out, it's still something I feel guilt and shame over. But at 14, I simply didn't have the resources, intellectual or otherwise, to care for us both. At such a young age I just didn't know how to cope, and running seemed like a viable option.

Thank you for speaking with us so candidly about your own experiences and for your portrayal of a character that speaks so close to my heart. Your love for the show shines through every word you've spoken here.

Dear Peter, First you make me cry and now you make me laugh! Much in the same way our beloved Supernatural wreaks havoc on my emotions on a weekly basis.

All right, YOU WIN (**blushing**)... I respectfully withdraw the word "suicidal." Not to be nice, but in response to the sincerity of your comments. It takes a man of great character to admit that errors were made, to own up to them, and to attempt to rectify them. By opening your heart and mind with this dialogue, YOU sir, are indeed a man of great character! Your passion and concern demonstrates that we can expect to be presented with the same level of quality in "Origins" that we have been spoiled to expect in the series. And that alone will guarantee the necessary fanbase support. So, remove the life support, charge up the paddles, and shock this baby back into action! I’m anxiously looking forward to an interesting ride in "Origins."

As an aside, Supernatural touches the hearts of fans in a wide age spectrum, from teens to seniors. I’m a fan of a few other good shows on TV and I peruse their discussion boards on occasion, time permitting, but I have NEVER felt the need to sign on and talk. As a 30-something professional in the medical field, I don’t impress easily, but the intelligence of the SN fandom is impressive enough that it is THE one that I wish to debate and discuss with. Thank you for recognizing this as well. This was one of the additional things that made us worship Mr. Kripke... that he (and the team) never treated the audience like mindless, remote-control-holding monkeys but instead provided us with a product that not only touched our hearts but enriched our minds. Not too many shows can leave lasting afterimages long after the final credits roll, but somehow SN manages to do just that.

Ok, I’ll stop talking now and let you get back to work. Wishing you all health, happiness, and much success in season 3 and beyond. And remember... we’ll be watching (literally and figuratively)!

Sincerely,
Anna B. (California) :)

I truly believe the SN canon is one of the most rich, believeble regarding human relationships(even with the whole whole wordly theme) and, yeah, mind blowing to date. And SN fandom is one of the most passionate, brilliant and dedicated. I'm really proud of the show, the cast and crew, and the fans.

Thank you, all! Thank you Mr. Johnson! Thank you Cynthia and Media Village for the opportunity.

Peter, you ROCK!

To know how passionate you are about the comics and then to have you so invested in the fans' thoughts and comments is phenomenal. Some of the comments have been a bit harsh and rigid, but you have been nothing but gracious and thoughtful in illuminating your position and creative process. Thank you for making this entire dialogue a positive and enriching experience.

Unlike fanfics where you have infinite words to use if you so desire, the show and the comic are bound by a certain time or page limit per episode. The creative team of Supernatural are masters at packing a huge amount of action, drama, humor and insight into a single episode. There is no time for wasted focus and the show makes every second count.

To know you have a detailed plan in place for the comics makes every issue an integral piece of the Winchester puzzle. I can't wait to see your interpretation of the journey our heroes are embarking on. I truly believe the essence of who they are lies in the early years.

The evolution of John into the hunter we know on the series will be fascinating reading, and to see how Dean and Sam's childhood shape the men they are today is the missing piece of the puzzle we are all anxiously waiting to be revealed.

It is great to know we all share this passion and love for the Winchesters and that their story will be told.

Thanks again for being so kind and listening to our concerns. Always stay true to the vision you and Kripke have for Supernatural, but thanks for considering our thoughts.

I personally have never been this invested in a TV show. This is a totally new experience for me and it is comforting to know my obsession for Supernatural is shared by the creative team. Thank you to you and everyone involved with this amazing show for bringing us such intense viewing and reading pleasure.

Take care, B.J.

Wow, I'm impressed with you Mr. Johnson. The grace with which you have handled this whole situation is phenomenal. I appreciate the comics even more knowing there is someone so dedicated to each one and the storyline as well as fan's desire and input. I feel much better about leaving the Winchester's in your capable hands after having read this entire dialogue.

I guess we hard-core fans can getting pretty intense sometimes and I'm sure that can be a difficult thing to handle. Thank you for being willing to hear our voices and for handling it with grace.

So, since there are changes being made to the future collected story...would I be better off just waiting for than rather than buying issue by issue? I have to buy wisely, you know, so the hubby doesn't really what a truly crazed and obsessed fan I've become, lol.

Nicole

*Is watching the computer screen, tub of popcorn in hand, waiting for more commments to pop up, while mumbling excitedly to self*
Dang, this is WAY better than Oprah...!

In response to these comments:

"The one critique that I must say I disagree with is 13 year-old Dean deciding to run away in #3. The wrap-around scene, for me, was designed to dramatize a very brief, reckless impulse on Dean's part, and he snaps to his senses quickly. 13 year-olds do such things, I certainly did. And for me, it never negated the deep love and sense of responsibility I had for my own younger brother, or my parents for that matter. But a flash of heightened emotion at that age can result in momentary lapses."

--------------

I recognize the urge to insert normal teenage responses but Dean is not a normal teenager in a normal situation. Sure, you may have done such a thing growing up but the circumstances are clearly not the same. Dean took what he felt was a failure/disappointment in his father's eyes very hard in "Something Wicked" and it was used to explain his "good little soldier" mentality from there on out because he felt he nearly cost Sam his life, on top of failing his dad. I just don't agree with your deciding to highlight another momentary lapse of judgment in light of what happened during the other momentary lapse of judgement in "Something Wicked". Again, normal teenagers might do such things and while it's common for writers to put some of themselves and what they might do at that age in the characters, Dean's situation is quite different and the consequences of his actions have much deeper ramifications. We already saw what could happen when Dean makes a reckless choice. Having him make a similar choice, even though it was for different reasons and even though he snapped to his senses quickly, just seems somewhat redundant and not in tune with what we'd already seen Dean take away from the previous time he'd left Sam alone. It's not negating his love for Sam, it's negating what the show was telling us in "Something Wicked".