Former Marvel Artist Marco Djurdjevic Blasts Marvel & JMS

Hickman then asked a question of his own, specifically what Djurdjevic is working on now that he’s not continuing with Marvel. Turns out, the artist is working on video games, and art direction; rather than comics – which he’s very happy about. Djurdjevic is also trying to get Matt Fraction to write a game, he said.

Epting then asked whether he regretted not doing more interiors for Marvel, to which Djurdjevic said, “They never put me on a book with a writer that I wanted. They always gave me Straczynski, and that guy writes like toilet paper.”

By the way, a brief note on the tone of the room here: Djurdjevic was antagonistic to his former employers, certain members of the audience, even the staff at the Con… But it was kind of okay, as it seemed like he didn’t care in an amused sort of way. Don’t know if I’m capturing it, but just know: for the most part, the people in the room were okay with what he was saying… Because it gets worse than the “toilet paper” comment. Oh yes.

Continuing on, asked how Straczynski writes scripts, Djurdjevic said, “It’s full of him.” Djurdjevic then told a story about getting fed up on a Thor arc, which was so ridiculous he, “just gave up.”

Following up on Djurdjevic statement that he never got to work with people he wanted, the artist said he would have liked to work with Ed Brubaker, and Matt Fraction (who he mostly knew from conventions). “But Straczynski was a dick from the start. Hey, they can’t fire me anymore,” quipped Djurdjevic to laughter from the audience.

Several folks have emailed to ask what I thought of Marko Djurdjevic's reported breakdown or tirade (depending on who's doing the asking) in which he savaged Marvel and said in passing that I "write like toilet paper."

I was at first concerned by this because I was pretty sure toilet that while one can write ON toilet paper, toilet paper itself doesn't actually write because it can't hold a pen, dictate or use a keyboard. Then I thought, maybe I missed something. I could be wrong. So I contacted the TPADL (Toilet Paper Anti-Defamation League) to get their response, which follows.

"We at the TPADL are tired of these sorts of baseless and discriminatory comments. We cannot and do not write, it is an ignorant and foolish comment. We are often written upon, but that is not the same thing and we should not be held responsible for that content. We had this same problem with the collected works of Jacqueline Susan and Harold Robbins. We didn't do it, we were simply the messengers for their shit. What Mr. Djurdjevic clearly meant to say, and would've said if he were sober, is that Straczynski writes like shit, a sentiment that all sentient life forms would agree with."

I thanked them for this clarification and for me the matter ends there, except to wish Mr. Djurdjevic the best. I think it's about time somebody in the comics business gave Charlie Sheen a run for his money, and I have absolute faith that Mr. Djurdjevic is just the man to do it. I stand beside him in solidarity, with confidence and with a roll of toilet paper poised and ready for his next missive. Go get 'em, Marko!