Marvel Omega is home to some of the best writers in fanfic. And with Spotlight, readers will get the chance to learn more about their favorite writers here at the site, through an interview where they answer questions about their craft as well as pick some of the best stories they've turned out for the site.

For the second installment of Spotlight, Ian Astheimer sat down with Dino Pollard, MO's Associate Editor. Dino came onboard when MO was still Marvel-X Underground, writing X-Men. When MXU became Marvel Omega, Dino became the Associate Editor and has launched a few titles for the site, including Avengers (with Logan Polk) and New Warriors. His numerous writing credits include Ultimate X-Men, his longest-running series which has gone through a few sites until finally finding a permanent home at MO. In addition, Dino was also behind the launch of MO's sister site, DC Omega.

Who is Dino Pollard?

I'm a 23 year-old college student (graduating soon with a BA in English and mass media) who writes a lot (probably too much for my own damn good), is very opinionated (probably too much for my own damn good), and somehow along the line, I got the bright idea of some day making a living doing both. I'm also an avid fan of books (the ones without pretty pictures in them) and movies and can often be found consuming as many of them as I can find.

What is your tragic origin story?

I've spent just about my entire life in the Chicagoland area. When I was 10, I started writing stories and I still have spiral notebooks filled with all the shit I wrote back then buried somewhere in my closet. I got into fanfic when I was around 14 or 15, writing a horrible fanfic based on Final Fantasy VII. Then, when I was 16, I stumbled upon comic group fanfic and launched Marvel 2000. Since then, I've been a writer and editor for numerous sites over the past several years.

Animal, vegetable, or mineral water?

I'm definitely a carnivore—I don't think there's a meal I eat that doesn't have some form of meat in it. So I'll go with animal. Although vegetables and mineral water can be good, but if it bleeds, it leads.

Give us a rundown of all your writing projects--past, present, and future perfect.

Oh crap, that'll take all day, so I'll limit it to sites—Marvel 2000, New Marvel, Altered Visions, Channel Surf, JLU: 2001, Marvel Anthology, Marvel Revolution, MV1, My Marvel, Strange Tales, and, of course, the Omega sites. Check out my LiveJournal for a complete rundown of individual titles. As far as future projects goes, I'll be doing some stuff for Ultimate DC when it's launched, I've got some upcoming work for 2099 Underground Revised, and I've been talking about possibly doing something for Avengers 2000.

Where do you find the time?

I'm actually a hive-mind that possesses hundreds of monkeys sitting at hundreds of computers.

You've been at this game too long not to experience a change. How have you evolved?

I've actually started plotting things out in advance instead of winging it. Sometimes, I'll have my entire run plotted out before I even take on a title (a trick I got from hearing how Grant Morrison writes his comics). I've also beefed up my exposition as I tend to be more of a dialogue writer. My ideas have also changed, I've become a lot less hot-headed and I've come to understand that sometimes you've just gotta let things go.

What's your major downfall?

Probably my exposition. It's nowhere near as strong as I'd like it to be.

How do you take criticism?

I track down the critic, and I chain him up in a room with rabid, starved squirrels. Then I videotape the result and send it to his family... so I think I take criticism pretty well. Seriously though, it's really not something I let get to me. I'll read the criticism, I'll think about it, and I'll also consider the source. If I get an e-mail that says, "dis sux, u shud go 2 hell and di!!!1111!!" then I'm not gonna put much stock in that. But if someone approaches what I'm doing as an actual critic and tells me what they liked and didn't like, then I'll consider their opinions and suggestions.

What book are you so desperate to write that you break into cold sweats, just thinking about it?

That's a good question. I'm at the point where I've had a chance to write many of my dream titles—I've tackled the X-Men, I've tackled Spider-Man, I've tackled the Avengers, I've tackled Cage/Iron Fist, and so on and so forth. Now, I tend to look to other projects that are out there, other characters I'm not as familiar with and finding things I like about them and exploring them. One of them that's caught my eye in recent years is Defenders.

Name your Top Five Favorite Completely Obscure Marvel Characters.

Speedball, Ricochet, Fantomex, Phil Urich Green Goblin, Doc Samson.

What is the most underrated run on a Marvel series?

Joe Casey's Uncanny X-Men run, without a doubt.

...on a Marvel Omega series?

Bren Hunter's Captain Britain. It was a great series and I'm disappointed Bren had to end it prematurely.

If you could turn back time--if you could find a way--how would you change your online persona?

I'd be less of an asshole in my younger years, have a more laid-back attitude about things.

Fanfiction is downright incestuous. What's the best pick-up line to attract new writers into our homes and hearts?

"Do you believe in fanfic love at first sight or do I have to refresh the page?"

You killed Lois Lane. You bastard. What iconic supporting character is getting axed at MO to even the score?

Heh, I guess you could say Lois was used to even the score. Dude, we fucking killed Wolverine for crying out loud!

What title do you want to see at MO?

Starjammers would be awesome to see at the site. And New Warriors #9 has a great set-up for a Deathlok series. Some other books are Silver Surfer, Invaders, The Punisher, Nightstalkers (or hell, just a Blade solo series). More horror titles, more sci-fi titles. Stuff like that.

What title do you never want to see at MO, so I can prop it tomorrow?

Dude, let's be honest. You're not gonna go to the effort of writing a proposal—you'll get distracted by something shiny or a Victoria's Secret commercial or something.

If you were struck down in some horrible Act of God tonight, whom would you want to pick up your slack, while Raz used his mystical know-how to return your ascending soul to your zombified corpse, thereby saving the world?

I'll keep this limited to MO. I'd want Chris Munn and Mike Rasbury on Ultimate X-Men, George Cameron on New Warriors, Meriades Rai on Heroes For Hire, Derrick Ferguson on Avengers, and Ryan Hagie-Krupienski on Ultimate Spider-Man.

In a knock-down, drag-out fight between Captain Carrot and Howard the Duck, would you set the table for a meal of rabbit or mallard?

Meal of rabbit. Howard the Duck rocks, no way is he gonna get his ass kicked by some lame carrot.

Is what they say about you true?

Yes. Except for the parts that aren't true.

Finally, pick the five best stories you’ve written for Marvel Omega.

1. "Empire" (Avengers #9-13, with Logan Polk)
2. "For The Children" (New Warriors #3-6)
3. "Weapon X" (Ultimate X-Men #25-30)
4. "With Great Power" (Ultimate Spider-Man #1-6)
5. "Cradle Robbing" (X-Men 2.0 2003 Annual, #6-7)

For more works by Dino Pollard at the site, check out his listing on the staff page.