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AICN COMICS REVIEWS AN ADVANCE LOOK AT THE DARK TOWER: THE GUNSLINGER BORN! ION! PETER PORKER: SPIDER-HAM! AND MUCH MORE!
| #45 | 1/31/07 | #5 |
(Click title to go directly to the review)
An Advanced Look at THE DARK TOWER: THE GUNSLINGER BORN #1
TEEN TITANS #43
ULTIMATE CIVIL WAR: SPIDER-HAM #1
ION #10
DAREDEVIL #93
LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #214
Indie Jones presents…
CHEAP SHOTS!
ADVANCE LOOK AT
THE DARK TOWER: THE GUNSLINGER BORN #1 (of 7)
Due out this week!
Creative Director & Executive Director: Stephen King
Plotting & Consultation: Robin Furth
Script: Peter David
Art: Jae Lee & Richard Isanove
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Reviewer: Ambush Bug
I had a chance to see an advance preview of the new DARK TOWER series. I’d been vaguely familiar with the fantasy series from horror-meister Stephen King, but I can’t say that I’ve ever read any of the books. This comic book version of the Gunslinger’s early years is said to be pretty open to new fans and I never felt as if I were missing out on anything, although I’ll bet reading the books helps round out the story.
As I read through this book, the first thing that came to mind was the fact that the art is absolutely phenomenal. Jae Lee and Richard Isanove have outdone their selves with this one. I’ve been a fan of Lee’s art since his early stint on Byrne’s NAMOR. I’ve seen him develop over the years into one of those artists who immediately guarantee my purchase if his name is on the cover. This issue, though, tops any and all of Lee’s previous works. The artists convey mood like no other. The panels are long and stretch across the page giving the images inside a sort of widescreen scope. And every panel is worthy of this treatment. The panels are vivid and electric as the young gunslinger goes through a rite of passage with his mentor in a truly original and bizarre fashion. The figures vary in size and shape. There are quite a lot of splash pages utilized in this book at the beginning. That usually annoys the shit out of me, but not so much this time. This time these panels do a good job of introducing characters, pitting them in iconic poses. These splashes serve as establishing shots that signal the beginning of something monumental.
And the story itself is just that. The way the credits of this book are set up, I’m not sure who is responsible for what in this book. As far as I can tell, Stephen King created the characters and established the world the story takes place in. Robin Furth is credited with plotting the book which I think means that he (she?) came up with the story structure for the issue. And Peter David is credited as scripter, which I think means he took Furth’s story and put it to captions. Who knows if I’m right and really, who cares? Since I found the story to be so engrossing that I didn’t care who was responsible for it. I was completely in this fantastic world where children are born and bred to be warriors. It is a combination of Westerns, fantasy, and adventure. This “origin story” of the Gunslinger is one well thought out and thematically resonant tale.
So despite the fact that I was unfamiliar with the original material, I enjoyed this one thoroughly. It is a true quality offering from Marvel and worthy of your hard earned cash. Seems this is only the beginning of a long and complex tale of the Gunslinger at Marvel. With art and story of this caliber, you can be sure that I’ll be along for the ride.
TEEN TITANS #43
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Tony S. Daniel
Reviewer: Squashua
My name's Squashua. I review stuff.
Classy.
I promise this is the last time I review a Johns issue of TEEN TITANS. Heck, what with last week's announcement, there won't be that many more coming up, and maybe that's a good thing. So, this week, let's see, this week... ah. This is the issue where every member (with the exception of the Slade kids) gets attacked simultaneously and not one conflict gets resolved and the issue ends on a big ol', "Oh hey, someone needs to learn carpentry" note. I guess we learn about how Batgirl is nuts-o, a hot topic on the forums a few months back, but honestly I never read her book so I don't give two shits about her. The only time I read about her, Superboy was trying to bone her during training sessions back when he had his own book, an interesting idea that was dropped as soon as it was formed.
Look, I'm glad Johns is leaving this title. TEEN TITANS has become completely insular since One Year Later; nine issues so far and it'll be an even ten by next month. That's almost a year of not much happening. Let me summarize it for you, so the angry mobs can toss away their torches and pitchforks to see where I'm coming from:
Issue 34 - reintroduction to the Titans One Year Later.
Issue 35 - 4 pages of the Brotherhood, the rest being internal conflict.
Issue 36 - a “team-up” with the Doom Patrol and 3 more Brotherhood pages.
Issue 37 - half a battle with the Brotherhood and then storyline wrap-up.
Issue 38 - poor filler artwork, one page of Titans conflict, and a recap of Red Star.
Issue 39 - a walk of shame down the list of each different “new” Titan.
Issue 40 - pretty much one big fight scene with Bombshell.
Issue 41 - poor filler art and the rest of the fight scene with Bombshell.
Issue 42 - an emo-filled Red Devil-centric issue.
Issue 43 - a villain team strikes directly at the Teen Titans.
As I said, navel-gazing at it's finest.
Other than the fight with the Brotherhood, which ended up becoming personal when some heroes were held hostage, and a one-panel shot of the Titans fighting Flash-villain Girder, this team hasn't been very proactive. OK, I get it. They're a “family” and they had to find themselves over the last year, but what a long drawn-out year it's been. And these storylines have been saddled with lousy filler artists (Paco Diaz, Ryan Benjamin, Carlos Ferreira), and I don't know if I should attribute the misspellings and left-out words to the scripts or the letterers (mostly Travis Lanham, though there have been a few fill-ins). Invest in a spellchecker. I guess DC can treat a crappy writer like a bitch, but if they start in with a premiere writers like Johns, he can just ditch the book in order to focus his energies.
Which is what he should be doing. I want a good JSA and if it takes Johns from a lackluster book, then so be it. Here's hoping upcoming writer Beecham can light a fire under the Teen Titans' collective asses. Oh, and DC? Try not to persist in treating this title like shit.
Oh, and about this issue? If you didn't get it from the first paragraph, the cover pretty much says it all; a new villain team shows up out of left field and begins individual fights with most of the Titans. Honestly. That's all that happens. I'm done with this book. I'm not getting the next issue.
ULTIMATE CIVIL WAR: SPIDER-HAM #1
Writer: J.M. "Hamzynski"
Artists: Mike "The Swine" Wieringo and a litter of pigs
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Reviewer: Prof. Challenger
"I am gripped by existential ennui. I am bored. Life is pointless. My costume is riding up into my butt-crack.
Again." - Spider-Ham
And with that quote, this comic event begins.
You know? The cover was a great Ringo-drawn parody of all the nonsense wrapped up in Civil War all the way down to Spider-Ham gripping a giant dollar sign. Then I opened up the book and read through the first 3 pages and I was giggling. It looked like JMS and the rest of the crew were going to have a good go making fun of themselves. I had high hopes. Marvel's NOT BRAND ECHH! comic demonstrated that nobody spoofs Marvel better than Marvel itself.
Alas, the cleverness of bullpens past has given way to unfunny collections of pin-up gags supposedly justifying the existence of a comic book that customers are actually expected to pay money for.
The idea of tackling the old Star Comics' SPIDER-HAM title in a one-shot parody of the current state of Marvel Comics seemed like a surefire winner to me - especially given the talent in place to take it on. But the truth of the matter is that there is no story here. There are snippets of the beginnings of what might be interesting stories, such as Spider-Ham's search for purpose in a jaded, cynical world, or Spider-Ham facing his own "heart of darkness" in a riff on APOCALYPSE NOW. But all of these ideas are never followed through. Instead they are simply lame framing sequences for full-page pinups by various artists of other Marvel super-heroes done as pigs like Wolverham (which is just ugly and unfunny), Iron Ham (which is way too wonky and awkward), Green Ham! (a Hulk Pig that is disturbing in its lack of understanding of proportion), Fantastic Ham (which is an amazingly COOL piece of art spoofing the cover of FF#1 but with the title FANTASTIC HAM; which, by the way, should've been HAMTASTIC FOUR - duh), Deviled Ham (fine but pointless spoof of Daredevil and the joke thuds). There’re some other spoofs, but you get the picture. Oh, and an homage to 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY that makes less sense than the movie itself.
I wanted to like this thing. But it was more like fanfic at its stupidest. It's not like $2.99 is a lot of money, but by the time I got to the idiotic last page with its incomprehensibly self-indulgent "Very funny, Mr. Quesada" gag I was tempted to go back to the store and ask for my money back. But it's not the shop's fault that Marvel craps stuff out like this and suckers like me buy it. There's a reason why I read so few Marvel comics nowadays and this is a prime example.
Please. If you haven't already wasted your money on this tripe, use that $2.99 for something from Viper, Boom!, or Dynamite and send a message to Marvel to cut this crap out with their short-sighted marketing. Burn your audience too often and you really will drive them right into the waiting arms of the competition.
ION # 10
Writer: Ron Marz
Penciller: Greg Tocchini
Publisher: DC Comics
Reviewer: Sleazy G
There’s something strange going on over at DC. They have all these titles right now that are meant to be connected to the huge, universe-spanning story arcs they’re telling, and as a result you’d expect the stories to feel big—to have some real weight behind them, to let you know what’s going on is going to have a major impact. Instead, for reasons I can’t even begin to guess at, some major elements of the story are being revealed in a completely understated manner in quiet little underpromoted corners of the DCU. There are things happening that should be huge, but blink and you’ll completely miss them.
When I reviewed OMEGA MEN a few weeks ago, I said that it should have felt a lot bigger, more important than it did because it was supposed to be pulling such a big part of DC’s regular stories along with it. All this stuff that should have mattered—a universe-threatening entity chewing her way through the universe and bringing an army of the undead with her, headed right for us—felt almost inconsequential. Now, just a week or two later, something else happens over in ION #10—something which seems to be much larger and much more important to the DCU—and nobody even knew it was coming.
Don’t get me wrong—ION has been far better written, and Greg Tocchini’s art is vastly superior to what you’ll find in OMEGA MEN. The last couple of issues, though, really turned up the heat and threw some unexpected ideas at the reader. When I picked up issue #1, I sure as hell wasn’t expecting to see any of the old Tangent Universe characters popping up. Sure, I’d noticed the Tangent Green Lantern’s…ummm…green lantern lying on the beach, but easter eggs like that get dropped all over the place nowadays with no guarantee of if or when they’ll be cracked. Seeing them in issues 9 and 10, though, was a nice little trip down memory lane…that turned into something much bigger.
Did I think maybe we’d see Tangent characters again, since they’d been seen in INFINITE CRISIS for a couple of panels? Maybe. Did I think it would have to do with multiple earths or universes and characters passing between them? Seemed likely. But where this story suddenly jumps up and kicks you in the head is when it turns out the Tangent characters their Green Lantern saved have been hiding in…The Bleed. As in that thing from the WildStorm Universe, the space between spaces where The Authority’s ship likes to chill. The big, red, blurry Bleed. And when the Tangent characters showed up on Earth, where did the two kids get shunted? The Bleed. The same Bleed Elijah Snow knows all about. And who pops in to say “hi” to these poor kids and to Kyle Rayner? Daemonites. Big, ugly, “Marvel has the ‘Brood so we should knock off ‘Aliens’ too” Daemonites.
What the FRICK?!?
I know they laid the groundwork with the CAPTAIN ATOM: ARMAGEDDON miniseries (and you can betcher ass he shows up in #10 too), but there was no indication something like this was coming, and then all of a sudden there you have it: the mainstream DCU, the Tangent Universe and the WildStorm Universe all just crammed in there together. And don’t get me wrong—on its face it’s a pretty sweet idea. I have to admit the issue had some real “holy crap!” kick to it, and I love that I had no idea it was coming and got totally sucker-punched. But…all the potentially disastrous implications of the DC/WildStorm thing aside (please don’t let the METAL MEN/WETWORKS mini suck)…how the fuck did DC blow this opportunity? I mean, look: you’ve got a 12-issue maxiseries that’s doing okay, but could certainly use a promotional boost. So do you take out any in-house ads giving people the heads up? Do you have any promotional materials, or press releases, or a word of mouth campaign? Do you let anybody know that this is the one issue to watch this month?
Nope. You just kinda sit back and wait to see what happens.
C’mon, man! This issue shoulda had the CRAP promoted out of it. There was no need to spoil the surprise, no reason to give any hints or ruin all of Ron Marz’ buildup. All anybody had to do was whip up a single ad and send it to the marketing guys. Or even an image to tease all the news sites. Instead, the issue is released with a whimper and you rely on word of mouth…for this? Look: Captain Atom is still alive, in a containment suit that looks awfully familiar to anybody who’s read DC’s ARMAGEDDON miniseries. He’s hiding from the Monitors, he’s hanging out in the Bleed, he’s fighting Daemonites, he’s asking for Kyle’s help under strange and very vaguely defined circumstances…and that’s all before Kyle finds a bunch of dead Qwardians kicking around. These are all threads directly tied to the original CRISIS and other “event” miniseries as well as INFNITE CRISIS, so why don’t the fans know this happened?
I know there’s a lot going on in the DCU right now, and it’s gotta be a bitch to coordinate. But I also know we just found out the ION miniseries is directly tied in to all of the craziness, and there’s been a reveal that indicates a major change in the way things work. Not just in the DCU and WildStorm Universes, or the whole CRISIS/52/WORLD WAR III/COUNTDOWN thing, either: could this part of the game plan have anything to do, for example, with why certain WildStorm titles suddenly went AWOL after their relaunches? Could it have anything to do with THE BOYS getting dropped so unexpectedly? Is there a change in the publishing climate on the way?
I hate to overshadow the work Ron Marz and Greg Tocchini did in my review like this, but then, I guess my point is that they’re the ones I feel badly for. Marz took on material that had the capacity to be extremely confusing (and was clearly editorially driven) and was able to write in a clear, easy-to-follow manner. Tocchini’s definitely doing a good job here, and has enough potential that DC should work to hang on to him since they’re lagging behind Marvel in the art department right now. But their fine work is going overlooked by the majority of DC readers due to a lack of attention and publicity. It’s not fair to Marz and Tocchini, who are busting ass on a story of huge importance, and it’s not fair to the readers, who had no idea something so important was even happening. If you’re one of those people who’s followed any of the CRISIS titles, or is wondering what’s going on with Captain Atom or the impending return of the multiverse, you’d better snatch this one off the stands, kids. You may not have even known it was happening, but this is going to turn out to be a big piece of the puzzle in a few months.
DAREDEVIL # 93
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Artists: Michael Lark & Stefano Gaudiano
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Reviewer: Ambush Bug
”By the time we get our new offices set up, life is starting to return to some sense of normalcy, for the first time in…God, I can’t remember when.” - Matt Murdock, DAREDEVIL #93
Amen, brother!
You know, we do enough hemming and hawing about Marvel it would seem that the House of Ideas never does anything right, but when they do, and they do it this well, I have to announce it to the world. DAREDEVIL #93 is the single best issue of DAREDEVIL I have read in…well, a long, long time.
Not only does writer Ed Brubaker wrap up the storylines he has been scribing since he began working on the title, but he cleans up the mess that Brian Michael Bendis made of the title long ago. This is one of those issues where everything returns to status quo. One of those kinds of issues where “the big shake-up that will crack the internet in half” ceases to be as big as everyone thought it would. And since I am one of those DAREDEVIL fans who really didn’t care for the direction Brian Michael Bendis took (or more appropriately, the corner he painted himself into and then left for Brubaker to get him out of) starting with the unmasking of Daredevil to the general public quite a few years ago, I am happy as a pedophile at a preschool about it all.
The thing is, though, Brubaker doesn’t just hit the reset button. He shows his master class writing prowess by covering all of the bases with one of the most compelling and “filled to the brim with goodness” issues I’ve read in ages. This issue has it all. Murdock returns home, confronts the press, clears his name, reunites with his wife and best friend, settles into his new law firm, has words with the Kingpin, and gazes optimistically towards the future. Bendis’ story is a major player in this one. Brubaker respects the Bendis run and has built a stronger story on top of it. It’s a resolution that covers all of the bases; one that would have taken his predecessor an entire year of stories to tell. It’s compressed storytelling that never felt rushed. At no time did I feel that an aspect of the story was short-changed, yet it was all done in one single issue. Bravo, Bru, bravo.
I was recently talking with fellow @$$hole Sleazy G regarding the DD in Paris storyline and how it was entertaining, but I wasn’t blown away by it since I felt it was a stretch having DD hopping around Europe battling lame characters like the All New All Different Matador. But this issue makes up for all of that.
What makes this issue a true stand out is the boiling point Murdock and Wilson Fisk (the Kingpin) reach and the resolution to that relationship that is achieved by the end of the issue. There have been many “final confrontations” between these two sworn enemies, but I always knew Kingpin would be back. In this issue, Brubaker maps out the perfect ending to the war between Daredevil and the Kingpin; one so perfect that I almost wish it was the last time these two enemies would face off. I know it isn’t going to happen, but if it were the last time, I would be completely satisfied.
Artists Michael Lark and Stefano Gaudiano deliver powerful panels and vivid images set with thick bleak inks all done in a realistic manner. These artists make a guy running around in red tights look just as natural and realistic as if he were wearing a suit and tie. On top of that, the Kingpin is back to looking like a mammoth threat and not Marlon Brando in his latter years (sloping shoulders and man-boobs and all). This is the imposing man-monster that I grew up with.
This was a monumental issue and I’m looking forward to what Bru and crew have in store now that he’s cleaned up the mess that Bendis made. Although I didn’t care for Bendis’ run on the title, this was a fitting ending to a storyline that definitely changed Daredevil for good. Brubaker did a great job of wrapping up all of the loose ends and returning to the status quo without making it a cop out. Murdock has been changed by all of this. No doubt. But now that the lingering plotlines have been taken care of, I’m looking forward to seeing Brubaker flesh out these changes with his own epic story.
LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #214
Writer: Christos N. Gage
Artist: Phil Winslade
Publisher: DC Comics
Reviewer: Ambush Bug
Y’know, I have every issue of LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT and I honestly can’t tell you why. All two hundred and fourteen issues are in a box somewhere. It is one of the single most perplexing additions to my comic collection. I mean, don’t get me wrong, the series (which wraps up with this issue I’m reviewing right now) has had its moments of greatness. I remember the Seth Fisher issues not too long ago featuring a young Batman fighting Mr. Freeze. I remember the “Venom” storyline from waaay back and the “Masks” arc that started it all. I believe I remember liking a few arcs from James Robinson. But favorably naming less than a handful of story arcs in a series that lasted 214 issues should be a good indication that I should have stopped reading the book a long time ago. But I didn’t. I stuck with it and now I can say that I have every issue of LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT.
Whoopty-frikkin’-doo.
I’ll take my cookie now.
Iit’s been a long time since I could honestly say I liked an issue of this series. I guess I’m a sick man to say that and keep on buying it month after month. Maybe it was the way I was brought up. I dunno. All I know is that I don’t remember the last time I put down an issue of LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT and said, “Hmm, that was pretty good.”
Well, until this issue, of course.
I’m not going to say that the LODK team saved the best story for last here because honestly this isn’t a barn-burner of a tale, but it was an entertaining read. One compact and tightly constructed. One filled with rises and falls and ending with a resolution that may not have felt like a finale to the series as a whole, but it ended satisfyingly enough anyway.
Christos N. Gage has the honors of sending this series off and he does so by returning to a character he’s pretty familiar with. Deadshot is in town on a job. Batman knows Deadshot’s jobs usually end up with someone dead and he sets out to stop Deadshot from accomplishing said job. It’s a pretty simple story, with Deadshot stealing the stage with his crafty ways of avoiding being arrested by the Batman. But it’s Bats who turns the tables in the end with some clever manipulation of his own. It’s a good story. One more fitting for a BATMAN ADVENTURES type tale and had there been more like this one, maybe this series wouldn’t be celebrating its end.
The story is made even more special by Phil Winslade’s amazing art. He does a great job of making all of his characters distinct and individual. Again, it looks as if Phil was inking over his own pencils again. But the cover shows Phil’s pencils in all of their glory. I wish someone would be brave enough to publish Phil’s art without inks because his pencil work is divine in and of itself. When Phil inks his work, I find it less favorable by only a little, mainly because his pencils are so delicate and fine. The inks tend to block that out and weigh it all down. Although the art is top notch, I long for the day that Winslade can do a project solely in pencils (much like his work on Garth Ennis’ classic Vertigo miniseries GODDESS).
So although this is a nice issue, I’m glad to see LODK go. And with it, I’ll probably drop DC’s other story arc series, JSA CLASSIFIED and JLA CLASSIFIED. The problem with these three titles is that a big bunch of talent is lined up at the beginning and the reader is treated with a slew of nice stories. But pretty soon these stories lose their flair and soon enough the series becomes a filler title taking up space on my pull list. JSA CLASSIFIED and JLA CLASSIFIED are already stale wastes of my time despite the occasional nice story (like the one running through JLA CLASSIFIED right now with Dan Slott). I think DC would be better off publishing the quality stories as miniseries rather than forcing material on us that is sub par. I bought it through the run of LODK, but I really can’t do it any more. And I’m certainly not going to buy into the BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL book, which I found to look and read like sub par material from the get go. I’m sure there are others out there who stuck with LODK and really don’t know why. I’m right there with you, brother. We did it. Now it’s time to learn from those mistakes and not buy into other series that seem to be following the same sad path. Issue #214 was a worthy send off to a series that lasted way too long.
FIRST MOON OGN
AiT/Planet Lar
I can’t seem to say enough good things about AiT/Planet Lar’s ability to churn out quality storytelling. FIRST MOON is yet another sophisticated read textured with both historical and allegorical aspects. The werewolf tale has always been a tough genre to tackle. I can only name a few films that handle to subject matter with originality. Often times, the werewolf tale deals with some type of symbolic change or pits man against his more animalistic side. This issue does both while historically tying the werewolf myth to the lost colony of Roanoke, VA. But this isn’t just a history lesson. There is a very personal tale of discovery for the story’s main character. As with the film GINGER SNAPS, it uses the werewolf story to allude to a young person’s first experience with sex and how that is a sort of coming of age we all go through. It’s a loss of innocence symbolized here intelligently and respectively, never forgetting to be entertaining in the process. Although the story conveys a light tone (one supported cleverly by the reveal in the end), writer Jason McNamara alludes to much deeper and more meaningful themes without soap-boxing or preaching. Artist Tony Talbert’s wispy characters and high detailings are perfect for telling this story which switches between the present and the past. AiT/Planet Lar is one of those publishers that bring credibility to the genre by offering not only entertaining stories, but factoids and research gathered to broaden the story and teach you something in the process. The last few pages are dedicated to a factual account of the lost colony of Roanoke. Fascinating stuff and a stellar read. - Ambush Bug 
ATHENA VOLTAIRE: THE COLLECTED WEBCOMICS TPB
Ape Entertainment
This is my first taste of the world of ATHENA VOLTAIRE. In the afterword, artist apologizes for the format and choppy flow of the story, explaining that this type of storytelling technique was required due to the nature of the online web comic. He also states that the following ATHENA VOLTAIRE stories increase in quality. If that’s the case, I can’t wait to dive into those books, because these “early and rough” ATHENA VOLTAIRE stories are pretty good. Part Tomb Raider, part Indiana Jones, Athena Voltaire is a truly fun character. The spotlight is on adventure and this trade delivers in spades. It’s a nice look at how web comics can work effectively too and how they are very similar to the Saturday afternoon serials of old. Recommended. - Ambush Bug
Remember, if you have an Indie book you’d like one of the @$$holes to take a look at, click on your favorite reviewer’s link and drop us an email.
THE WALKING DEAD #34
Image Comics
Although the tempo has been on an upswing through the last arc after a dismal year of slow-striding and meandering stories, this issue marks the return of the “HOLY SHIT!” factor that I associated with the first twenty issues of this series. This is the best of the best of the zombie books out there and issues like this prove it. Always wondered what all the hubbub was about with this book? Pick up this issue and see why. - Bug 
BLUE BEETLE #11
DC Comics
Yet another DC title that just isn’t getting pimped hard enough, which means I’m stuck doing it. Look, I’ll say it again: I don’t like the New Gods. Never really did. And yet, in this issue, John Rogers manages to make me enjoy reading about Metron and Lonar—no mean feat. Anybody worried the writing might drop off without Giffen around can stop: Rogers brings funny, natural-sounding dialogue to every issue, along with some truly crazy ideas, a lot of fun and a real sense of danger. He’s not wasting too much time on the mystery of what the Beetle suit is or how it works, either: we already know it’s scientific and not mystical, and we’ve just found out it’s tied to the New Gods but functioning differently than expected. The characters are all well developed, the book is fun and smart, and it looks great. Not convinced? Then tell me: how do you argue with a book that has dialogue like “You’ve got a forehead full of justice? What does that even mean?” - Sleazy 
ANNIHILATION #6 (of 6)
Marvel Comics
This issue wraps up that other event story from Marvel. And despite the fact that Marvel advertising hasn’t really said a peep about Keith Giffen’s cosmic war story, this one was a whole lot more satisfying to read. This issue has it all with final showdowns, death, rebirth, and a whole lot of damage to clean up. I really liked the character progression of Nova in this miniseries from bumbling newb hero to grizzled war vet. Characters like Super Skrull, Ronan the Accuser, Drax the Destroyer, and Quasar had similar character developments, while Silver Surfer took a surprising step back as a Herald of Galactus. The word character came up a lot in the last few sentences and it’s something that stands out in this mini. Giffen did a great job of knowing these characters, manipulating them in the story, and having them do things that make sense. This was a story about characters during a war. It wasn’t a story about a war with characters forced to act in ways they wouldn’t like in CIVIL WAR. This miniseries may not have garnered the press or the WIZARD backing, but it stands far superior to any other event Marvel had to offer this year. - Bug Check out the @$$oles’ ComicSpace AICN Comics page here for an archive of our columns and much more @$$y goodness.
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the second posters dick
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print this out so i can read it on the crapper.
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'NUFF SAID
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Feb 07, 2007 12:25:20 PM CST
If Joe Q could just let Bru wrap up each MARVEL title..
by george newman
The X-Men universe has needed a rebooting conclusion since the end of Morrison's run. MARVEL in general will need Brubaker's delicate touch, too, at the end of Civil War.
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But it really suffers from some occasionally stunted and terrible dialogue. I know it is supposed to be a kind of soapy character piece, set in a zombie world, but sometimes it just really takes me out of the story. it is like Heroes, in that the plotting is all there, and the characters/world that have been created are largely very interesting, but the actual scripts can just be embarassing.
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Was great at the start. It was this prestige, classy, batman book. one of my favorite Batman stories of all time was the GOTHIC arc which I think was the second of the book.
I hadnt really read it in 100 issues or so, I'm not sure how they managed to make "the early years" of Batman last so long, or if it was even that concept anymore by then? I was a little confused at Batman Confidential as it seemed to be such a similar concept but now I understand its replacing it. Just not with the same class Legends had at the start.
If you ask me Legends was the grandfather to Marvels Ultimates concepts which DC is now trying to copy with their All Star line. -
read it on the crapper, and i agree with every single review, except for: Dark Tower, Teen Titans, Spider Ham, Ion, LODK, First Moon, Athena, Walking Dead, and Blue Beatle, cuz i havn't read them.
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I just discovered her last week, actually - very cool stuff.
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He used to be the go-to guy for Marvel parody stuff like "Spider-Ham".
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This place is not much for editing, post-op. :^|
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Read it.
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Johns pretty much said so himself over at Newsarama when he mentioned that if Superboy hadn't died in Infinite Crisis he probably wouldn't be leaving the book. Superboy was the only thing really setting this most recent Teen Titans apart from the previous versions.
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JLA: Classified, "Red King".
Slott on plot; Jurgens on dialogue. -
Iron Ham: "You know, I actually woldn't mind this if not for the heat from the rocket shoes. Ow. Ow. Hot. Ow." Also, I dug the Superhero Merchandising Act bit "Sign it!" "No!" "Sign it!" "No!". Aside from that, not many, if all chuckles, but its nice to see them try a humour book that may make it up the charts a big higher considering how Agents of Atlas and Nextwave don't seem to crack the top 50. (But Nextwave is actually hillarious on each page, hell, each panel. Damn, I'm going to miss that book.) Oh, and for that ION review ... are we really supposed to get excited for another DC "Event"? I still have Infinite Crisis hangover.
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I think Millar was the one that pointed out that the company is owned by one of the most powerful media conglomerates in the world and their flagship characters sell less than his Glasgow newspaper.
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I have a suggestion actually. How about in the next issue of amazing Spider man, Peter wakes up on page one in a sweat and says "man I just had this dream that Stark and Richards randomly became evil, superheroes went to war over something in Connecticut that would be a blip on the catastrophe radar comparatively, and I unmasked putting everything I have worked for in jeapardy for no reason at all." Then Mary jane can say "That's ridiculous Peter, boy for someone to even write that as fiction they would have to be complete hacks." and then they laugh. This all happens on the first two pages as Civil War deserves no more attention than that.
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that Bug didn't like Bendis' DD run. Anybody else get that feeling? Not to be a troll or anything, but please can we let it go? I never remotely liked Daredevil until Bendis' uneven, but occasionally great, run. Where else are you gonna see somebody puke up a goddamn demon baby?!
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like Prof. Challenger likes writing good reviews. Oh, snap!
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Is that they care far more about leaving their mark on the Marvel Universe than actually stopping to think if the mark they are leaving makes any sense or services the characters at all. The answer to both is almost invariably no. It's like that line in Jurassic Park "they were so concerned with if they could they didn't sotp to think if they should" (paraphrased). It's no wonder that guys like Bendis and Millar started staking their claim in the Ultimate Universe, because they are simply not good enough to contribute anything in regular continuity. Bendis writes god dialogue...good for him. lot's of people can write snappy dialogue, in comic books thats not good enough, you also have to be able to push a story along. Bendis's pacing is so slow and tedious it makes your average episode of Dragon Ball Z look like Pulp Fiction. The man simply cannot write comic books.
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Hey hey hey! It's one year later and guess what...? Ion and Blue Beetle are on the verge of cancellation. Johns is one of THE most overrated writers out there, and it seems like he's writing EVERYTHING. DiDio blows. Do I really need his self-serving little note at the end of every dc comic? Why doesn't somebody fire that jackass already? This is one of the worst periods in DC Comics history EVER. I picked up the "Titans East" business just 'cause, and, despite the fact that I stared at Raven's ass for like five minutes, I'm not quite sure why anyone would read this. I mean, the whole speech about "No, I brought Joe's Body back. His soul was hidden in a computer," made me go "Hunh? Wow. I'm glad I missed that one. That sounds horrible."
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I hit up Comicspace and do an announcement every week. People read, just no one talks back anymore; it's the same old crowd each week; a bunch of 1-posters and Abin Sur, and the regulars: VOG, Heather, Psynapse, Loogiebialy, Thighla, Scarecrow, myself, some of the other @$$holes, and Shiggy-Pop.
There are a lot of easier forums to deal with. Again, I blame this site. Someone tell Harry to hire me to rewrite this beast; it'll take me 1 month of dedicated "working on the side" labor. -
was on a computer disk up until 3 issues ago. In-between was a finish-up fight scene issue where no one mentioned the disk and the Kid Devil-spotlight issue.
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At Dynamite Entertainment, per Newsarama.
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Hopefully, DiDio and Johns can bring back "Electric Dreams" as a crossover event, but just so long as they rape some people along the way. Yeah, I understand that this is a superhero comic. I'm just saying it's not a very good one. For the exposition alone, man. "Don't you remember? Joey's soul was trapped on that computer disk!" Probably, Robin remembers that. It seems like a memorable thing. Or he doesn't need it clarified. I certainly didn't need it, even though Joey was back and i had no idea why. I just assumed it was Nero or Earth-2 Superman or the Manhunters or Waverider or the Monitor or the Anti-Monitor.
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Used to LOVE that
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is civil war over yet?
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I never read Daredevil 'monthly' until Brubaker took over, but I did read the Decalogue storyline because the covers kicked ass and I enjoyed that. The demon baby was freaky indeed. I read a few other issues of Bendis' DD run after that and like Shig said, they varied in quality. Some good, some crap. The thing about Bru is that he's CONSISTENT and that's the most important quality to have after being a good writer.
Squash,the Cogs (Shig, Psy, Thal, Vale, blackthought, Turtle, Darth Kal-El and myself) are busy enough with our rantings at the Cog Mansion or on our CogSpace, but we never forget where we formed. AICN Comics bay-bee!!! I know this site is ancient, but I kinda like that quality about it. I like spelling shit wrong. I like when trolls like Jar Jar fuck themselves publicly. I like the 'late 90's' feel to it. That said, I guess I'd be somewhat curious, but isn't that what the whole 'THE ZONE' was supposed to be? I call BS on VOG (whoever happens to be taking the form at the time) being named before the Cogs btw. ; ) -
"Not only does writer Ed Brubaker wrap up the storylines he has been scribing since he began working on the title, but he cleans up the mess that Brian Michael Bendis made of the title long ago."
And here I thought we'd turn a corner, but alas that hard-on you have to bash anything Bendis won't go down. Bitch, Brubaker just up and gave the middle finger to anyone that had invested on Bendis' story from the past 5 years by essentially
hitting the reset button less than a year after taking over the title. Bendis' writing was what kept me around after Smith's run when it relaunched. Now the status quo is back in effect. So what if the CW adds another restriction on DD using his powers? "Whoops, I'll hide behind this wall until the cape killers fly by" Fuck you Brubaker. I'm dropping this bitch! -
"Bendis's pacing is so slow and tedious it makes your average episode of Dragon Ball Z look like Pulp Fiction."
Now that deserves a heaping helping of "Oh Snap!" -
Yes, ION has been sadly underpromoted, but this development did not come out of the blue. I think any reasonable person could discern that Ion was a book to watch because:
1) Why even turn Kyle into Ion during Infinite Crisis if they didn't have big plans for him, particularly given the way DC Editorial has been about long-term planning.
2) Why boter giving him near-infinite galactic-sized powers if they weren't going to tell galactic-sized stories with him?
3) People who read the Brave New World one shot knew that the Monitors were watching him way back then (in June or July!), and DC Editorial has said as much.
4) Look at the buzz Ion #10 has been getting on the net this week.
5) Uncanny how they timed the release of the first Ion trade to come out last week as well, huh? Makes it pretty darn easy for latecomers to catch up, wouldn't you say?
It just seems reasonable that things were going to come from this book, but DC's been pretty good universe-wide about keeping things under wraps until the proper time for revelation came about. And really, if people could figure out the big New Gods push from "Look to the skies" back in May or June, then why not this?
Also, you're absolutely right. People need to be reading Blue Beetle. As much as I love Giffen, this book's gonna take off now that it's solely in Rogers' hands. -
The interview on Newsarama pertaining to Ion #10 with Ron Marz pointed out how important it was that the Tangent Green Lantern go into Guy's hands. Guy was a key member of the JLI. And keep an eye on Black Canary, Captain Atom, and Scott Free, all JLIers, plus Mary Marvel (Superbuddies). Things do not bode well for them, and if they could get rid of Wally West (JL: Europe) then they're all fair game.
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Your comment "Bitch, Brubaker just up and gave the middle finger to anyone that had invested on Bendis' story from the past 5 years by essentially hitting the reset button less than a year after taking over the title." had me rolling. It's funny that when someone writes some revisionist history or overwrites Bendis, he's a hack, but when Bendis does it, he's reimagining things. That feeling you are feeling now is exactly how those who have been reading for years felt when Bendis, Millar, and their ilk came along and did the same thing. Ahh the sweet irony...taste it, bitch.
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his face is too stupid, looks so awful that I would never consider buying that book no matter how good the story was. Sorry, too visually unappealing. Teen Titans could be better, but I kind of like it...because there are numerous characters who are relatively fresh. The same old same old...zzzzz.....that's another reason I enjoy Outsiders, despite the fact that so many hate the Winick. Dark Tower? Um, no. Because there's lots of kinds of ham...such as Spider Ham..and Stephen King ham....like, say, Chris Claremont., he used to be a good writer, a loooong looong time ago. These were an underwhelming bunch of reviews, but I am most grateful for the Annihilation cheap shot, since I somehow missed that one when I went on my weekly trip to the LCS last Wed.
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Just wanted to say that! Great bunch of reviews btw, @$$holes. I was worried we'd only get that lame Quint review for our weekly fix of comics goodness.
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They got rid of that facemask at least 5 issues ago..
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I dunno, I consider myself pretty well versed in the 'DC Nation' and all, but I didn't really get that Ion was going to be that big of a deal. I actually haven't read past the second issue, but after the review I read here I'm definitely going to check it out. We had a conversation last week about how DC has themselves set-up better than Marvel does as far as their continuity and end game, BUT Sleazy is right about there not being any real self promotion at DC. Marvel on the other hand bombards us with it. Even at the counters at the LCS' and everything. I never see DC doing stuff like that and they really should. I think I even have 3-5 at the house of Ion at the house. Cool.
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Ion's been criminally underpromoted (I even said so) and it seems that DC just doesn't want to spend a dime on their low-sellers (and even their regular books), but'll go hogwild for Superman/Batman vs Aliens vs Predators. It's not the best, but at the same time I think DC respects their readers' intelligences more by not overbombarding them with publicity and letting people figure things out for themselves. And dude, get on that Ion. You know I recommended #3 as one of my Best Single Issues last year.
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I certainly agree with you, Matt. I'm finding Marvel's crossover, while seemingly endless, far more entertaining than anything over there.
I too had the problem with Kyle Rayner's face in ION, but he's looking better now. I might just pick up that first trade seeing as he's been one of my favourite characters for a while.
Did someone comment on JLA: Classified??? Someone here is still actually COLLECTING that title? The current arc looked so horrible, I dumped it quick. Especially when they churn them out so quickly ... seems like a blatant cash-in. I say let the tales of the Morrisson-era JLA team die instead of dragging them out like this. I'd much rather see tales of other JLA teams from decades ago (like that Detroit League - that was so lame with the Poker Players Gang or whatever they were called, yet I could not put it down).
DC have such great characters but are continually doing wrong things with them. Marvel have the right idea in throwing all their iconic characters into one big EVENT. And while CW may not be everyone's cup of tea, at least it is clear what is happening there. More and more I'm believing that to understand the DC 'verse, I'd need to collect every damn title they are printing.
Blackthought - yes - one more issue to go. So are you gonna get it? Huh? :D
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I agree that DC respects their readers a little, maybe even a lot more than Marvel, but both companies are in business to make money and Marvel is just better at it currently. You brought up a good point with them getting there movies out first for a new generation (X-Men, Spider-Man) and I think that may play some part, but it's the nitty gritty Marvel is good at. The old bullpen I guess. I'm not saying that I want DC to follow Marvel in their storytelling process overall by any means, but they should definitely market themselves better to those who don't have the time or wit to decipher coded messages or hypothesize over a teaser image you know? Of course you do. I'm actually kinda excited about Ion after knowing that #3 was one of your favs of the year and after this current issue's reveal. I'll let you know.
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It's fucking GREAT! The first seven issues cover everything up to the end of Wizard and Glass's flashback section, then it's everything that happened to young Roland up to the Battle of Jericho Hill and maybe right up to where the first book starts. It's 30 issues in all. I think they should consider expanding this to 60 issues and adapt the whole book series. That way everyone won't have to trawl through the 1000 pages of dirge that is the last three books, Wolves of the Calla, Song of Susannah and The Dark Tower (not that there aren't great parts in those books but they don't come close to the greatness of King's early material). Seeing the preview images of young Roland and the other characters with hawks at Gilead it suddenly HIT me what a fucking awesome idea this truly is. Thanks to the gods that King let this happen. And Jae Lee is the master.
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i'd have to buy the first 6 to care to buy the last one...i let the sheep buy it, i'll read anything...i won't buy just anything though...and since i'm not really enjoying this civil war i ain't buying it...like how i don't buy valentines day either...i miss mr. america. and ben needs 3 minute knowing that he only has 27 left...tick tock.
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the cogs are always here...it's the other folk not so much. that or they have are still enamored with the aquaman james cameron TB.
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...do Hulk Bunny, Captain Americat and Goose Rider make appearances?
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Good stuff.
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I look FORWARD to Civil War, and I also look forward to Ultimate Spiderman, and I also look forward, though less and less, to New Avengers. Daredevil, as a book, is cresting in a golden age that has lasted for five freaking years. Brubaker's nailed it. This is coming from a LONG time DC fan. This is coming from a guy that rode his bike to the comic store and waited until it opened so he could get his hands on books like Dark Knight and Watchmen and V and Year One and the Wolfman/Perez era of Teen Titans. Those were great, great books. Great. And not just cause I was a kid. In those days, Marvel was trying desperately to catch up. I don't want to rehash what was going on twenty years ago, but books like "Kraven's Last Hunt" and "Secret War"––whatever their merits––were pale reflections of DC. (Miller's late Daredevil run notwithstanding.) Then you had Sandman and Preacher while Marvel was making Onslought and Heroes Reborn and all that nonsense.
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I look FORWARD to Civil War, and I also look forward to Ultimate Spiderman, and I also look forward, though less and less, to New Avengers. Daredevil, as a book, is cresting in a golden age that has lasted for five freaking years. Brubaker's nailed it. Dude, Marvel's been swinging for the FENCES lately. Civil War is the best damn "event" I've ever read. They thought about it. They really thought about it. They weren't just trying to make money. They were setting out to tell a good story. DC was just raping people. Literally and figuritively, for money.
This is coming from a LONG time DC fan. I'm sure DiDio and Johns are nice guys, but I think they're both making a tremendous mess out of everything, and as soon as someone replaces DiDio, we'll be treated to another galactic crisis, and it just becomes this endless series of reboots and tedious explanations. Can't they just enjoy the universe? Can't they just tell good stories and, you know, if there's some silly conflict with where Earth-1 Wildcat fits into the whole thing, then, you know, live with it?
I mean, Superboy, a psychopath? In what universe is this allowed to happen?
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The first one wasn't ready for prime time. I'm still getting used to this internet doo-hicky.
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I mean you have to be sarcastic. Marvel wasn't just trying to make money with civil war? Riiiiiiight and Michael Bay is working to further the "art" of cinema. How the hell is Civil War a good event? It is completely inarguable to anyone with familiarity with the characters that they are being twisted in the most preposterous directions in their history to fit a storyline. If you disagree I want you to justify the behavior of Reed Richards, Iron Man, Spider-Man, and Captain America. Seriously I want to hear you justify it. Also in what way is this is a good story? It's a painfully uninsightful bandwagon jump on the anti Bush (and I say this as a liberal) sentiment that does nothing but blandly cut and paste superheroes for politicians while exagerrating the simplicity of a very complex real world situation for mass consumption of an idiot public. A monkey could have written this storyline. Just replace politicians with superheros and make their behavior completely outrageous, there you have it, that is the entire story of Civil War. Its really that simple and boring.
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Was the only thing I liked about the infinite crisis that was INFINITE CRISIS.
CIVIL WAR is my very first taste of the Marvel universe - and to me - the whole thing is playing out like a slightly more soapy season of 24 (with cinematic action in the main title). But it's the first time I've ever read about the main Marvel heroes - characters which I only know from the movies - and I'm enjoying the learning, too.
I don't know how many of the tie-ins I'll be collecting once CW is over. I've decided to stick with AMAZING SPIDER-MAN for at least his black suit phase, I want to drop IRON MAN soon, I'll continue with NEW AVENGERS but MIGHTY AVENGERS does nothing for me (Ms Marvel would have to be the most boring marvel character i've read). I'm getting on board for this WWHULK stuff about to hit. The idea of a new-look F4 appeals to me, so I want to stick with that, too. And I want to collect more CAPTAIN AMERICA than I have been, though there are rumours there will be little to tell of this character in months to come ...
Only Dini's DETECTIVE COMICS and the pulpy MYSERY IN SPACE and TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED are keeping me going at DC. - oh, and JUSTICE and JUSTICE LEAGUE AMERICA. These are all great. But the rest - y'know, the chimp wearing the helmet of FATE, the quad-monthly WONDER WOMAN and the bad i've been hearing about the FLASH run just disappoint me. I love these characters but there's just no reason for me to buy ...
In the end I think it's a matter of opinion. What I'm noticing is that those that totally understand all that is in the DC universe at the moment are enjoying what is out there (mostly). But that's only because they're collecting a lot of it. -
I forgot to say I LOVE that CIVIL WAR reflects America's politics. How long these themes can be explored is another matter, but that was actually the thing that attracted me to the series in the first place (it was the art in EXTREMIS #6 that started me off leaving DC for Marvel's bag of tricks).
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It increases our post count in the TOP TALKBACKS list.
Let me post this again just to make this clearer ... -
...hmm...
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Art has always and MUST reflect politics, especially when things are going as badly as they are now and a portion of the public at large is blind ot the fact. It's no surprise comics address politics. Hell look at X-Men and racism. All art whether it be film, literature, theatre, music, whatever has a duty to shine a light on societal problems. The problem is if they are going to do it they should do it well. With Civil War they eschew all metaphor and just plug and paste characters into the literal places of real world figures, exagerrate situations, and dumb the whole affair down to a degree thats ridiculous. For instance Tony Stark as George Bush. I HATE George Bush, but I also dont think he is a megalomaniac intent on imposing a lockdown on all American citizens and portraying him as such doesn't give insight to American politics so much as exploit them. To my knowledge George Bush also wasnt a supergenius who has saved the world more times than we can count. Stark never showed anything that would resemble the tyranical streak that Stark displays in CW. Thats just Marvel going "what hero can we plug in a George Bush?" and then throwing a dart at a wall full of pictures. Their complete inability and unwillingness to justify any of these actions in a character context proves this. And if you say "well Tony Stark always was a bit of a loose cannon and you know that whole drinking thing...." well then you are just flat out wrong. There is a pretty far cry from ANYTHING Stark has done in the past under his own volition and the fact that he has turned America into a war zone for a bill that makes no sense
unless somehow he has been taken over by The Shadow King. Unless of course you make an arcane association that all ex-alcoholics with money show a penchant for ruthlessness. -
Remember when everyone had the same opinion, i.e. things like Onslaught, the Spider-Clone saga and Heroes Reborn blew chunks? Now, people are so divided over comics... is Civil War awesome and different and something to get excited about? Or is it just a cheap marketing ploy sent off to be written by a popular, half-mad Scot? Was Infinite Crisis a cool re-envisioning of the DCU and a much needed clean up of continuity, or a big ole muddled mess of a comic that accomplished nothing but indirectly shoving Johns of the Titans? Were (intelligent) comic fans always this divided, and I was simply too young and/or stupid to notice?
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That should be "shoving Johns OFF the Titans". As far as I know, there is no Teen Titan named Johns. That would be neat, though.
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My first taste of Tony Stark was the very cold Tom Cruise lookalike in EXTREMIS. And outside of the films, I'm new to every other Marvel hero. So the accuracies of the characters don't matter so much to me. I personally think it's okay to adapt and tweak characters over time in long-running comics, but maybe the way they have done this in CIVIL WAR was too sudden, or just plain - like what you're saying - forced and unrealistic. And I can understand long-time readers feeling this way. But to me, it's a whole lot of fun. I just love good action stories, and that's what CW is to me at the end of the day.
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2007 has finally arrived!!!
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Why did DC and Geoff Johns go through all the trouble of doing a cool version in the first few issues of JSA in the 2000 era volume (the one that just ended) with ties to continuity and everything... only to kill him seemingly at random and for no good reason? Now, maybe I'm out of line, I could have missed an arc or something, maybe I didn't pick up the title that showed why this is a good idea or something. Anyone want to help a fella out?
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so i was in my local comic shop in savannah, ga today picking up The Dark Tower. I grabbed the regular cover and the variant (only one on the shelf)! I was excited. I get to the counter and the manager takes the variant cover out of my hand and says "thats not for sale" i said "i just took it off the shelf!" he said "you can buy it on ebay from us" wtf! i call up the other two comic shops in town, one says "uhhh ours were damaged" the other says "we're going to sell those in a couple weeks once we see how much they go for on ebay" so this is great, good to know that marvel's products are basically being resold for a huge markup, thats real nice.
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That fucking sucks man. Im glad it wasn't me though because it probably would have resulted with me in a prison cell and some fat cliche comic store owner minus a few teeth. I know exactly hte kind of guy you are talking about and it makes me sick to think about it. I cant fucking believe he had the audacity to take it out of your hand. If Marvel was an upstanding company (and I have no doubt they arent) you should be able to have them contact the owner to at least have a dialogue about that kind of behavior. Especially in a business where loyalty is invaluable.
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I love how we can call a review advanced for a book that was released 12 hours earlier.
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Does it get any cooler than Batman drawn by Paul Pope riding a motorcycle? I think not. This is some of the best art I've seen from him. I think it looked better thn 100%.
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as GOOD as 100%. Then again, not much is.
bitchfist, that's crazy man. It would have been great if it happened to have gotten bent or ripped 'accidently'. I can't believe they had it on the shelves the pricks!
"Civil War is the best damn "event" I've ever read. They thought about it. They really thought about it. They weren't just trying to make money. They were setting out to tell a good story." - matt127, they may be one of the craziest things I've ever read. I 'might' be able to understand some of it if you are in dreg's type of situation and you don't know much about the characters… nah, I can't. That's insane. Dreg takes it at face value as a good action book and I wish I could, but I can't because I know those characters wouldn't act the way they do.
P.S. Dreg, if you want better action with the same writer then check out Ultimates. -
are that said things don't make money, and then get dropped, canceled, or the entire industry collapses. Yeah, that comic shop guy was a dick, so if I were you, I'd just simply move stores. But, I'd imagine most stores were selling their variants online. a lot of times, retailers have to order something like 50 copies for 1 variant, and with as very, very little profit comic owners get, I don't blame them for that practice, at least. Besides, I never got the whole "variant" thing... smells of the early 90s speculators to me.
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Really, it's a good thing that they took it away from you because that knid of stuff does not fly in the loodabagel household. This comic shop guy was helping you out. He was getting you off of a deadly addcition. I applaud the man for his behavior. Variant covers are a deadly menace that must be stopped.
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that is totally insane...i agree with you there heathen.
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http://tinyurl.com/27k5qc
JENKINS - "Those of you who have professed your loathing for The Return – and there are hundreds of thousands of you by your own estimate – will take some small comfort in the fact that this comic was, by design, intended to insult you." -
...when it came to crime, espionage, humor and slice of life comics. But that he has no talent for superheroes, other than POWERS which seems to belong in its' own genre. No, DAREDEVIL is a superhero book. Remember when that was going around? BENDII:"It never really was a superhero book...except for the, uh, devil suit and superpowers and villains and crimefighting." Oddly, I've always hoped that Bendis would get a gig like Frank Miller had on SIN CITY and either direct or co-direct a film. He'd be great. Ambush Bug beat me to saying that it's now funny to hear Bendii complain about the DD comics they love being scrapped when they used to laugh at anybody bringing up anything BB (Before Bendis). Of course, they always had that thing where they'd follow Bendis is disregarding everybody else's continuity but demanding strict reverence and adherence to Bendis' continuity.
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that is totally insane...i agree with you there heathen.
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WORD!
Where's nofate? -
...for themselves about comics. When we started doing this shit, I had never had any contact with comic book fandom except during visits to the shop when I'd ask the cool clerk, "How do you stand these geeks?" and he'd say, "I get drunk before I come to work." I was surprised that everybody seemed to have the same opinions and they always turned out to come verbatim from WIZARD. I also found that I was the only person who admitted to reading WIZARD. It seemed to be pretty much a consensus culture at the time. "Rob Liefield?" "He's bad." "WATCHMEN?" "The end all, be all of human existence!" "Isn't that getting laid?" "Uh, yes! Yes, it is! Because we've been laid! Lots!"
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I happen to know that he wrote it in 1987. We've kept his unholy power of clarivoyance a secret up until now but just decided to release it when I finished that bottle of Heradura. Actually, all of Bug's reviews were written years in advance before he went on to a better place. No, he didn't die. He just moved to Vegas.
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Thanks to the internet, it's become completely irrelevant. Even their online presence is small compared to your Newsaramas and ComicBookResources. Does anyone know if their circulation has been dropping? I know their convention attendance and long-time employees have been...
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that just because I've enjoyed a Bendis comic or two in the past, that that means I'm a fucking "BENDII" then I'm gonna SHIT MOLTEN LAVA ALL OVER THEIR MOMS, WHILST LAUGHING MANIACALLY AND PLAYING THE BANJO!!!!!
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So we've gone from "poops in the volcano" to "SHIT MOLTEN LAVA ALL OVER THEIR MOMS"...*passes Shig the Extra Strength Kaopectate*
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Y'know. I have been reading(not buying)CW and I have come to the conclusion that it is nothing but Contest of Champions with better art and bad characterization to support a contrived plot. The end result is the same in that we get a bunch of "superheroes" fightin each other. I remember someone on comicbookresources saying that CW was "about something" as opposed to IC which was "only about superheroes". I say bullshit on that. I give IC credit with trying to reinstill a heroic ethic in their heroes even tho' the book was terrible in my opinion(the different artists was jarring and Batman with a gun is a no-no.).
CW on the other hand keeps tryin' to tell us that it is an important event because of the whole registration issue and then they make the characters almost completely unrecognizable to long time readers to support that notion. Heroes killing other heroes with no repurcussions? What is this? The "super" in superhero doesn't just refer to powers but to the incredible willpower it takes to adhere to a code of ethics (i.e. no killing) like Superman or a Batman do even when you great powers or resources at your disposal. Go check out some heroics in the latest 52. -
Dude, he totally points the finger at Steve Wacker. Wow.
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Come to revive my post. Now, I know I come off as Bendis' secret lover but seriously, after JQ/Smith's revamp, David Mack's run blew, Bob Gale's swallowed, and Bendis/Maleev have been the only one's that've kept that title in the news (albeit comic news, but whatever) Seriously, I'd love to see how long it takes ABFY (After Brubaker's Fuck You) for the title to drop off from the top 25.
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Like "Alias". Stuff that happens to minor characters and people on the edge of the superhero scene. Somebody should have him resurrect "Damage Control".
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Okay. How about this?
1.) Yes, of course, Marvel's making money. Actually, they're making more money than DC. The reason why is because they put the story first, and the marketing bullshit second.
2.) True, I'm less familiar with Marvel's pantheon than DC's, but I'm not COMPLETELY ignorant of the characters and their history. Why are they doing it? Reed Richards: HIs cold, analytical mind analyzed all the possible outcomes and determined the best of a lot of bad options was registration. This was outlined in a recent issue in F4. Maybe you know the character better than I do, but I'm sorry--was Reed Richards a real gutsy, emotional character before, or was he always a cold-brained scientist whose rational decisions sometimes led to horrible problems?
3.) Iron Man is a futurist. He sees the writing on the wall. Either they police themselves voluntarily, or the government will do it for them. I don't AGREE with him, or the things he's done, but it seems in line with his character--the stakes are high, he's an egomaniac, so he thinks he should be in charge, and he'll do what he needs to do to win.
4.) Captain America hasn't always been in bed with the government. In fact, more often than not, he's at ODDS with the company line. He's for individual liberty, right or wrong. He's not for a police state. Is that somehow in conflict with his character?
5.) Spiderman is the trickiest of this bunch, and the decisions surrounding his character have, in fact, made me cringe. Revealing his identity on national television?! Sucking up to Tony Stark?! Wearing that ridiculous Iron-Spidey-Suit? I couldn't agree more. I think it's totally BS. The character has always had a strong moral center, and I think he's been a wishy washy kiss ass sell out here. But he's the exception, not the rule.
6.) It's a good story because the stakes are high, and the central question is interesting. As for stakes, when this is over, things won't go back to normal. In DC, if you took away Infinite Crisis, what would change? Superboy would be alive? That dude on the Teen Titans would still have his arm? In Marvel, the whole UNIVERSE has to change. If it doesn't, I'll be supremely disappointing. But seriously, Spiderman's ID is public, Captain America is a fugitive, a lot of people are going to have to operate with SHIELD on their asses, and there's just going to be consequential, thematic reprecussions for YEARS. As for the Central question of Civil War, I mean, what do you care about more? The tension between individual liberty and collective security, or which parallel universe spawned Power Girl?
7.) I don't think it's boring at all. You know what I think is boring? Alexander Luthor from Earth III constructing a Monitor Tower in an alternate pocket dimension fortress of solitude. I wonder if someone will foil him?!
8.) Yeah, it's a melodrama. Yeah, it's over the top. It's a superhero comic. That's okay with me. I expect it.
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What?
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Thank you, Bayou Willy. And Psynapse--yeah, Marvel's a shameless money machine. I don't need "The Return" to tell me that, I just look at the 80 freakin' variants for everything these days, and yes, the turd that will be "Ghost Rider." All I'm saying that, as an "event" thingee, Civil War is far more compelling and consequential to me than stupid Infinite Crisis. And Marvel's books, on the whole, are much, much better than DC's right now.
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You make some well thought-out points. I think whether someone agrees or disagrees with your POV, they'd have to respect your argument.
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matt127- "Yes, of course, Marvel's making money. Actually, they're making more money than DC. The reason why is because they put the story first, and the marketing bullshit second."
C'mon dude. Really? Even if Marvel really cared about character and story, at least with their main-mega-tent-pole events (cause there's plenty at the house of ideas that I love elsewhere) there's no way in the 616, ultimate or even our universes that they put marketing second. No. Way. In. Hell. At best it's even with everything else, at it's worst… it's HoM and Civil War with The Return filler crap. DC needs to put marketing on a even level with it's books to promote what they have correctly and not be so damn cryptic. Marvel needs to have proper leadership with good editors that actually can edit a talent like Bendis or Millar without letting them say or do whatever tey want. Btw, I think it would be a reat idea for Bendis to do mainly stuff like ALIAS for Marvel. Give him one capes title, but not multitudes. -
Didn't you smell the bowl before you ate out of it?
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I would like to see Stark portrayed as a womanizing, party animal genius. A little snarky. Knows he's smarter than you and can also steal your girl, but not a bad guy. Does good deeds because he can. A little bit like a cooler, handsomer version of Jeff Goldblume in JURASSIC PARK.
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We don't need any rush hour Rambos. (Anyone know what that's from?) And yes, while the characters in Civil War are acting...somewhat out-of-character, I will admit that Civil War is a whole lot more fun to read than the confusing and (believe it or not) too compressed Infinite Crisis, and the worst big-event story in six years (in my mind) House Of M. Man, that sucked absolute King Kong balls. What, because BMB watches a lot of Mamet plays, he thinks he's better than the dudes that did Age of Apocalypse? It was basically the same fucking thing! And at least with AoA, it had fight scenes, colorful comic booky costumes and I was 13.
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Buzz, your description is pretty much Val Kilmer from "Real Genius", only totally rich and a recovering alcoholic. Which works fine for me, really. But a self-righteous mass murderer working as a government stoolie? Which is what his character is now? FUCK THAT.
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Saying readers might have been able to figure out something important was gonna happen misses my point, because they had to *already* have read that stuff to know about it. My point is, ten months is a long time and everybody knows almost any new series on the market will have seen considerable sales attrition by then. Not only that, but this reveal has massive implications for the entire DCU and WildStorm Universe. It should have had the shit promoted out of it, not just sort of snuck on the racks. When issue 8 was on the stands, the ol' promotional engine should have been revved up and they should have pumped the shit out of 9 and 10. It would boost sales on a series that was losing steam, remind people of all the things you mentioned, and draw attention to a big change in the status quo. These are all pretty big issues, and could all have been addressed quite easily. Instead they just sort of sat on their hands and hoped for the best, which doesn't do their sales, story or creators any good at all.
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Val Kilmer would be cool as Iron Man. I love Kilmer in everything but Batman Forever just about. He's great as Gay Perry in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang which also stars current Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr.
I liked Age of Apocalypse for Bayou's same reasons. I don't know if I'd ever re-read it because I don't want to ruin it. HoM wasn't as good as even the memory of AoA though, that's for sure. Civil War is worse because there's no need for any of it. HoM could have served a point but in the end it really doesn't. Infinite Crisis was too crammed as crazy as it sounds. Also, it helps if you do your homework and read A TON of stuff beforehand which fortunately I did. -
Started out with a fairly clever hook, actually...and then when absofuckinlutely nowhere. Took me about three minutes to read. Even if they *did* want to take the "collection of pinups" approach, they could have had some connecting interstitials with an actual storyline. Oh, and first rule of funnybooks: make 'em funny. Which this wasn't. Besides the missed opportunity on the "Hamtastic Four" gag Prof mentioned, there's also a real clunker of a joke from Doctor Strange, who blames the fact his magic didn't work correctly on the fact that Peter Porker is "not kosher". It's a clunker of a joke--one that might have worked under better circumstances, but here it had no context and fell on its face. It was as if the only thing JMS could think of that was funny was "I should say something about 'kosher', cuz he's a PIG! GET IT?!?" No story, not funny...what a wasted opportunity.
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Like him or not Robert is here to stay. Well...unless he snaps again and goes to sleep in the next door neighbors house. Anything could happen.
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The Buzz Maverik Stark drinks like...well, you! I like the REAL GENIUS thing, though. Only better dressed. I'm a Kilmer fan myself. I really liked his Bruce Wayne. Handsome enough to pull off the billionaire playboy act, but spacey enough where you can buy him dressing up like a bat. When I was attached to direct THE WATCHMEN, I was in talks with Kilmer to play Dr. Manhattan. He wasn't there, of course, and didn't know we were in talks, but talks were in, bay-bee, talks were in!
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Hell yes.
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This was a great event. Andrea Divito draws cool fantasy pictures. He can make heroes look really pissed off and determined to crush their foes. There's a lot of crushing in Annihilation. Fans would probably enjoy Divito's stuff from Marvel's Thor.
Any more info on the Watchmen movie out there? -
Hey guys!! Toy Story 3 Confirmed for 2009!! Fully-fianced PIXAR film!! It's being written by the "Little Miss Sunshine" guy!! Can you believe it? Pixar won!
Check it out!!
http://www.popzart.com/viewtopic.php?topic=477 -
Paul Jenkins has done some great stuff in his days. And it really sucked that the duty fell upon him, but somebody had to write "The Return."
No, see-why they couldn't have gave this project to somebody else is beyond me. It seems that Marvel is out to get Paul Jenkins. The guy was doped up when he wrote it, so he probably didn't realize what trap he had fallen into. Marvel's next phase of the plan involves letting the fans destroy him so the blood's not on their hands.
I've read some of Jenkin's marvel comics and they are great. If I know anybody who's a "Jenkini" it's me. The Sentry was good. His Spider-Man run was one of the best runs I've ever read, and I will admit that I cried while reading at least two of his stories. And what about the Green Goblin story with Humberto Ramos? Where they sit down and talk at the end? That blew my thirtten year old mind. And don't forget Inhumans. I'd personally put that on my top ten list.
P.S.-New Cog Arwards! myspace.com/cogsmooches Check it out! -
What! No fell #7? And no Wormwod Gentleman Corpse #5? The only two comics worth buying this week rate no mention whatsoever?
Same old blah blah about the same old crapola. -
but goodness...civil war good? brad walker and i will object to that...and he can draw...and...um, i can render.
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Not quite yet on the awards. Technical difficulties. Should be wrapped up by tomorrow evening.
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I think the problem with your argument as to the actions of these characters is that you are archetyping them into a state of oblivion. Reed Richards, according to your analysis, is nothing but a cold analytical mind who simply, like some sort of fleshy calculator, computes outcomes and just goes with the winner. Not only is that insanely far from the truth, but what has kept the comic interesting over the years is the Fantastic FOur's collective compassion for family and friends. Was Reed Richards a gutsy character before? WHy yes Matt in fact he was. After all I think it takes a certain amount of chutzpah to consistently fight a world eating demi-god. And dont forget that one of the reasons offered for Richards "turn" is that his uncle was int eh blacklist, making Richards think that you cant fight the government. This might be one of the worst thing written about a Marvel character....ever. So this man who consistently goes toe to toe with the most brilliantly evil mind on the planet, Doctor Doom, is scared by Joseph McCarthey? Gimme a fucking break. And Tony Stark is a "Futurist who sees the writing on the wall?" What the hell does that even mean? What EXACTLY is the writing on the wall? What precisely was the government going to do to a united superhero front?? No man as intelligent as Tony Stark would be worried about some puny government enforcing their will on thousands of beings of basically limitless power. Superheroes allow governments to exists alot more than governments allow superheroes. One of the major themes in comicbookdom is the need for superheroes because governments are too weak or corrupt to protect us. And its not just the fact that he supports the "registration act" but what he goes through to enforce it. Its preposterous. He has become a monster. its not a matter of agreeing with him, describing Tony Stark as a fascist isnt just hyperbole, he is doing exactly what fascists do on the massive scale that fascists do it. And tony Stark is NOT an egomaniac. Doctor Doom is an egomaniac. Norman Osbourne is an egomaniac. Tony Stark is a rich genius with a penchant for liquor and women, hardly beyond the realm of the average joe's understanding, and he has done what is right consistently throughout his life in the name of fairness and justice. Also my gripe isnt with Captain America being against registration, ALL of the superheroes we are talking about would in fact be if marvel wasnt randomly changing them, its that he has become a sort of mercenary warrior, they have completely taken the brains out of him. Now in this instance I suppose
you could say its a product of the fact that he is dealing with such an unreasonable unrepentent enemy, Iron Man oddly enough, but still. Just because Civil War changes things doesnt mean it does it in a good way. You want a change? Give Tony Stark AIDS, it would make a hell of alot more sense than anything in Civil War. Also if you think the good heads at Marvel have your best interests and story in mind look at the link someone posted above, http://tinyurl.com/27k5qc , it's an interview with paul jenkins, who besides coming off as crazy as a rat in a shithouse, manages in four lines to prove that he also doesn't understand the basic mechanics of Hamlet. ("Sorry dad don't have time."??) From his response it seems as if he has no way of actually arguing the points brought against his writing so he resorts to flailing like a petulant child. BTW I'm glad youa gree on Spider-man. -
Especially the way Warren Ellis wrote him.
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...point his finger at Rorshach and proclaim, "I'm your huckleberry." right before vaporizing the insane fucker.
Man, I loves me some Watchmen. -
Starring Steve Buscemi and Crispin Glover. Steve would play Rorshach, Silk Spectre and Ozzymandus. Crispin would play Dr. Manhattan, Niht Owl and all the other charcters. Of course, you can already view all of this because it's an easter egg on the "Is This It? What It Is." dvd.
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...is one of my favorite lines. I used to occasionally use it on trolls who never got the reference. It was fun on STAR WARS talkbacks. JANGO FETT (in subtitled high Galactican): "I'll blast your heart out with a thermal detonator." OBI WAN (after finishing his drink):"I'm your Yodaberry." Jango storms away. OBI WAN: "It would appear that Mr. Fett is an educated man. Now, I really hate him."
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Downey could be one of the best living American actors and certainly would have had incredible roles (I know THE SHAGGY DOG was a great picture) if it weren't for his drug problems. I hope those are behind him because he's one of the best guys working. He works as Stark in every way. Good looking enough to get the girls. Kind of amused, by himself, by the world because he's so far ahead of everyone he can afford to get drunk, spend all his time scoring with women, etc while doing everything better. It's kind of like how Bruce Wayne has to devote his whole life to being Batman and at times even his real identity is a role to help the Bat and if it weren't for this single minded obsession, none of it would work (I think even sex for Bruce Wayne would be strategic, the relieve that Bat's tension and tone down his ultra-aggression to a semi-acceptable level, heh heh). With Stark, he's flying in from Rio with a flock of babes he picked up on the beach, everybody's drunk and actors, politicians and celebutantes have been at the party all the night...then, he has a little hair of the dog, whips up a new armor modification and chases Ultimo out of DC. I'm talking an old time carouser guy. A real Iron Man. Not like us today. I'm talking JFK. Frank Sinatra. Robert Mitchum. (Somebody please explain to our Literal Minded Friends that I'm not advocating Kennedy, Sinatra or Mitchum for Stark). But just think of those old guys who didn't need rehab or engage in feuds with fat talkshow women. They won World Wars. Built atomic bombs. Broke the sound barrier. Sent men to the moon and brought 'em back. All with a tumbler of JD on the rocks and a secretary who'd giggle at the term "sexual harrassment".
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"So this man who consistently goes toe to toe with the most brilliantly evil mind on the planet, Doctor Doom, is scared by Joseph McCarthey? Gimme a fucking break."
Thank you. You've presented the argument against Civil War so well that anyone who tries do deny the way you've presented everything is just wrong… or Joe Quesada. Awesome post IndustryKiller! -
It could work with enough makeup.
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mattb127 has been posting for a long time, and I have enjoyed many of his posts, but...um... "Yes, of course, Marvel's making money. Actually, they're making more money than DC. The reason why is because they put the story first, and the marketing bullshit second. ..." is just so far beyond ridiculous I actually snorted soda when I read it. The justifications for Tony Stark's behavior were pretty awful as well. I seem to be one of the few who actually enjoyed Infinite Crisis and OYL, so I'd give DC the nod for "events," though overall I buy more Marvel. I loved AoA, but after Disassembled and HoM, I gave up on Marvel "events" and see no reason to change my mind at this time. Finally, though Inhumans was muy excelente, I will never buy another Paul Jenkins comic after reading what he said about The Return.
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Just don't kill the poor guy, Psy.
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One of you @$$holes better review Detective Comics #828 next week! Paul Dini is a genius and Don Kramer is doing the work of his career! He totally nailed his rendition of Bruce Wayne here. Best done-in-one yet and will be remembered at the end of the year, though Dini will probably top himself before then. DC! If Dini's on Countdown, please make sure he can keep writing 'Tec! This run is already legendary, milk it for all you can! *giddy because she's getting a fix from a substitute-Calculator, her first love, The Riddler*
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Should NOT play badasses on motorcycles. Hmm. A good idea. I should this that to...
Ah fuck! -
you know which post i'm replying to.
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... I'm waiting for the trade.
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It's meant to be read month-to-month! There are little things Dini's doing with Riddler, laying in little pieces here and there that are gonna build up to something explosive and very satisfying with the character! The anticipation build is at least half the fun and you won't get that in the trade.
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I read my books on the crapper, as you'll find out in this upcoming week's reviews, and the tension between turning a page or dropping a deuce should more than make up for it.
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In other news, it's time for me to lay a serious smackdown in the following post from something I just blogged.
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...a.k.a. Why no one can honestly write Wonder Woman or give serious shit about her as a superhero.
Sure, Diana's super-powerful, practically Superman's equal. Speed of Hermes, Wisdom of Athena, yada yada.. So what does this supremely powerful woman decide to do with her special gifts? Nothing.
You heard me, nothing.
"B-but.. How many times has she taken down her rogues gallery? Cheetah? Doctor Psycho? Giganta? Circe? Ares? What do you mean she's done nothing?"
Ah, but you read me wrong. Sure, Diana's done all this, but she never chose this. Diana did not choose, she was chosen, and this makes all the difference in the world as to why she'll never ever be in the same league as Superman and Batman in the eyes of readers.
Clark Kent discovered he was really Kal-El, a Kryptonian with incredible powers far beyond any human. The world is his oyster, and what does he do? He chooses to be the Superman we all know and love, accountable to his own moral code and sense of decency.
Bruce Wayne saw his parents murdered in front of his very eyes and resolved that he would never allow that to happen again, devoting the incredible resources he inherited to training and arming himself in his neverending crusade. He's resolved to never take a human life, despite knowing probably hundreds of martial arts moves alone which would be lethal, burdened by the memory of his parents' deaths.
Wonder Woman was bestowed her gifts by gods and her mother Hippolyta, and she is accountable to the Amazons who gave her her mission to spread their message of peace in Man's World.
And that's where she falls apart as a compelling character and role model. She has to be told what to do with her gifts. She has no driving internal motivation and never has. It's all external. It's why writers can never get a grasp of her because there is nothing to grasp. She has no thru-line. Take away the Amazons and Themiscyra and what's left? What is there inside her that drives her to do what she does, besides a sense of right and wrong (because that right there is Superman)? What's her raison d'etre? Or is she simply a thing of clay with no true animating principle of her own?
How can any gifted young woman look to her as a role model when her message is "you have to be told how to use your gifts, you can't work it out for yourself and use your own judgment"? How is that remotely compelling? How is Diana an individual in her own right? Especially when she has very little different from her sister Amazons except power levels?
You know how it is, that when bound by Man, she becomes powerless? Well, she's been forever bound by Woman as to her motivations.
I'd rather read Manhunter. -
I'm wondering whether something I'm trying may be too much.. I've got a page in a comic script fanfic where I want to do four things at once. I've got two characters riding along in a car, one of whom is unconscious and the other is having a phone conversation. I want to 1) Show the phone conversation solely from the character in the car's side (with captions for the guy on the other end)(light chitchat, nothing all that deep),2) Show the character's physical expressions in contrast to that dialogue, 3) Show what's really going on inside that character's head through a visual device (images show up in the rear view mirror that don't correspond with the scene, and are connected to the character's head by clever little visual dot-like things already in the scene to imitate thought balloons without all the pesky whitespace), and 4) Have the unconscious character narrate another layer talking about the character having the conversation.I think it's doable, though I'm not looking to incorporate all four elements in every panel, just a judicious use of them. Does it still seem too much or is it sensibility-overwhelming?
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which one is wonder woman again?
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I'd put one characters thoughts and speak on one side of the page, and the other's on the other side. Give it wide panels. That's what I'd do. Although the rear view mirror sounds like a better idea.
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g as argument for WW not being a strong femme role model. But nevermind ... I am probably off track.
MiS #6 was very good despite a filler artist. Great two page gag as well. This series is heating up nicely - as it should be diong by the 9th issue. Only 4 to go ...
Lone Ranger #4 was nice and all. I'm really going to have to re-read these when they are done just to get a feel for the overall story and flow. I can't believe they're bringing out a trade for only the first four issues - since four issues through and nothing has really happened except seeing some nice pictures of Tonto, Silver (are these names even right?) and hero's raggedly cool mask.
Hulk 103 is making me believe this is one of the few solid comics around. Each issue, though seemilngly short, is packed with action every time out, with great art and the feel of a real space epic/saga at play. I will have to get the other Planet Hulk issues now just to see how it started. Great fun.
Detective 8...whatever it is up to was a blast. Riddler's role in this took a great turn toward the end. Dini owns this series - the first time I've been loving Batman books in a looong time. So great to see Wayne kicking sharks, too. Classic stuff.
Yo, blackthought - can I get three dots?
And someone needs to post a picture of Paul Jenkins so we know who to ... um ... pat on the head in an affectionate manner. -
But Starlin fouled up big time. He made a big deal about Comet not being able to teleport for only 5 minutes after the previous turn (spent at least a page in #3 on that plot point) and then he goes and completely forgets about it here, making it half an hour before Comet can teleport again. Hopefully he gets back on track for the remaining two issues (it's out of 8, sadly - if only it were an ongoing with Starlin and Davis! I need my monthly Comet fix as only Shane can draw him!). *** dreg, what do you think of Don Kramer's art on 'Tec? I really think he's found a groove with this issue, particularly as he draws Bruce Wayne, it's unmistakeably Bruce now.
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I'm really loving the art in Detective. I thought we were going to get treated to a new artist every issue, but I'm loving the realism and detailed faces. There's a humanity to the characters, which is required with Dini's storylines of late. Yeah, Kramer's Bruce has as much character as the Bat does. I LOVED the fight scene in the museum or wherever they were. And Riddler firing the flame arrow. I can't wait to see where this series takes us.
Yeah, I had the feeling there was something inconsistent about the teleporty-thing when I read MiS. Since I couldn't really remember the details, I let it slide ...
Oh, and the arc in Uncanny X-Men is slowly coming to fruition. Three more issues means we are finally about to kick off the third act - which looks to be action packed. -
You gotta read these Detective books issue to issue. This is not a trade arc to wait for. The covers - each of them great - are worth buying the books for alone instead of having them jammed against the pages of a trade ...
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haven't been to my shop yet to pick it up, but I will this week. It's definitely better reading it issue to issue. Not many books offer that these days, you should check it out monthly Squash.
T and dreg, I heard Shane Davis was going to be doing some work on JUSTICE LEAGUE. -
He's doing a fill-in or something for #7, or was that Eric Wight doing a variant cover?
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Now I have to go hunt down the individual issues? I'm pretty sure some of those are sold out. :( Thanks for backing her up, Dreg. DP.
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I've narrowed down my comics to Detective Comics, NewUniversal, Daredevil, Iron Fist, Superman Confidential and All Star Superman. I dropped Teen Titans this month after I looked at it in the shop. It wasn't as bad as Squasha made it out to be (sorry man) but it was a little too short for my tastes. I also dropped She Hulk since the last issue didn't interest me that much. Really, I think my heart left the building with Awsome Andy. Such a drastic change of supporting cast. If the rest of the old crew gets back in the book I might pick it up again. I also dropped Ultimate X-Men, not bothering to find out if the final issue of the Cable arc sucked. I am pissed at Ultimate X-Men. They are disgracing the Ultimate line.
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I think most things are possible in the comic art form, except sound and motion. In fact, you're describing a scene that is perfect for the comic book format. Many current comic stories would simply give us a boring page of a guy driving while talking on a cel phone. Like, you need the comic format to do that? What you're proposing is interesting and, to me, proper use of the medium. It can get into heads of multiple characters at once in a visual way, which is what you're doing. I think scripting the scene would take some time and multiple rewrites.
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Feb 12, 2007 11:26:47 AM CST
And Looda, re. Old White Guys On A Motorcyle, I Agree..
by buzz maverik
...if you're talking about the Ghost Rider. I keep saying, Nicolas Cage is 42 years old. He's a 42 year old stunt cyclist who sells his soul to the devil? Seems like a job and a hobby for a much younger man. Nonetheless, I will be there for any movie that features a cyclist with a flaming skull.
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T, I agree with Buzz on the scene being able to work. Wide panels would be great for it. I'm not sure about the captions in the rear view mirror working because of space, but images possibly. Either way, you have me thinking about it and the way it looks in my head feels dynamic and worth my money. No shit here, but that's the type of stuff Moore does with the medium - he uses it to ALL of it's advantages. Keep me posted.
looda, pick up Uncanny in place of Ultimate for your X-Men fix. And have you read Walking Dead?
Ghost Rider isn't going to be screened for critics and it was supposed to be released half a year ago right? Oooh, this could be so bad it's funny. I might go with a group. I just read the two-issue story in Ghost Rider that was drawn by Corben because, hey it's Richard Corben and I've never read a GR comic. I really, really liked the nifty recap of what's going on in this current run of GR. It sounded awesome. Something about Johnny Blaze got out of hell by some means and he has to hunt down Satan who escaped hell and was dispersed all over the world in 666 pieces or demons that posses people and what not and every time GR defeats one, the others become more powerful. That sounds freakin 80's action movie cool, but the story itself was kinda lame and tame. Not bad, but not good either. -
I never picked it up after reading the first TPB; it was too much like the existing X-Men and in that sense it became YET ANOTHER X-book to me. And I'm not interested.
It just occurred to me: Anyone notice any X-book reviews, like, anywhere?Ever? -
but we never got around to posting them. Now there old and you know how people like to read about something that's more than 2 hours off the shelves. Maybe we should post them anyway, I dunno? I find it funny how Uncanny is the best it's been in years and it doesn't seem to be getting too much press. Darwin is awesome in that book btw. I haven't heard anything from adjectiveless either, but I don't care for Mike Carey and I can't stand Bachalo's or Ramos' art, so I don't bother with that one. Shame.
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I'll keep you guys posted. I'm still at work on that one fanfic story and I've had this one scene in my head since October 2005. I'm not so sure wide panels would be best for it, H. Maybe a 2 column, 3 row grid, but both of those seem static and visually uninteresting to me. There are a couple of angles besides a behind the head shot I think I need for this sequence anyhow, and twisting the angle away from the rear view mirrors means I can play with the "unseen" images in them, letting the other three elements fill in the blanks (and vice versa for all of them). And that's probably going to be the easy part. The caption narration has to be delicate and on task, difficult given the character, and written in a way where the last caption can say "Or maybe I'm just projecting" and thereby double the amount accomplished with the captions. I guess you could say I dislike decompression.
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If you missed the last issue of the "Cable" storyline, the big deal is this: Kirkman killed off Professor Xavier. On the one hand, the series is sometimes too similar to the mainstream stuff. On the other, they've killed Beast, Gambit and Professor X. Cable is Future Wolverine, Mister Sinister is nuts, Apocalypse was just a mannequin's head that Sinister carried around...there've been some cool ideas and approaches taken, overall. the biggest problem is that none of them feel whiz-bang full throttle enough to really grab the reader.
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I think there might be a way to do sound in comics as well, though a controlled sound, namely music. But that's for an issue-spanning fight scene in issue 15 which I'll write when I'm 42.
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i'm still stunned to learn nick cage is 42...i'll comment further...one day.
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(X-Men) I flipped through the last issue and was extremely, and I mean extremely, mehed. As for Walking Dead, as I've said before, my comic options around these parts are basically Marvel or DC. But if I did have a wider selection, I think I'd either be bankrupt or well employed. Hmm...
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A great example of a slow burn build into story - then great action climax revealing the new New Avengers. Yu and McCaig's art bristles in the remaining pages. It's in my opinion a solid start to the new team, and at the same time gives us a nice up-to-speed on Ronin.
First time I've ever read this Iron Fist character (who I thought at first glance was YellowJacket), and I like the guy.
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And more importantly, after three years, is it still new?
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The Bendii will not relent control of any Avengers book! Well, that Dan Slott was able to get a mini at least, but nothing else! Eh, kidding aside calling a book 'NEW' bugs the poop out of me. New X-Men, New Avengers, All New Atom, New Universal, etc. It's lame. And pointless after the first couple of issues.
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Looda: you only read Marvel and DC? Dammit, man... let me mix you up some more kool aid. All this mainstream DC talk makes my stomach hurt. T: you know how I feel about your panel descriptions.
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Alan Moore-esque to the point of punching babies?
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I kid because I love. Sexually. I still think it's overly complex, but it might just be a taste thing.
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I'm definitely running into page-size issues trying to cram this very dense story into a 6-issue arc. I'm having to get very creative with 13-panel pages (a rarity, still), but they seem to work ok from the thumbnails I'm doing. But then I'm overdescribing because I don't expect things to be illustrated and therefore have to do more on my end in order for the reader to know what's going on. It'll get better as I learn the form and whittle down the number of characters in a given scene so it won't read like George Perez is drawing.
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wait... if you're overdescribing because you don't expect things to be illustrated...then why not just write a prose fan fic? Why put it into comic form? Who knows, maybe there's some unillustrated comic-script fanfic niche out there that I'm missing?
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Love Meltzer, not the least because he revamped Calculator and no one else has written him as well since. And honestly, I'd just like to learn the form. I think the skill would come in handy down the line. Besides, I've had this story in me since Fall '05 and I'm not going to start kicking myself for not having gotten it down way earlier for not going the easier route. Plus, it's thematic and some of the jokes will fall flat if not in comics form. Grant Morrison demands it.
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I think you should do three to four widescreen panels for the one scene. I know decompression can be a bad thing, but so can cramming a book so full it looks like George Costanza's wallet. 13 panel pages are crazy difficult and besides Giffen does anyone still do that? The other problem with using that many panels more often than not is that there is no kinetic movement to the pages. It's just layed out like an essay and boring. Remember a few of the 52 issues that Jimenez drew? Even an artist like him had his art somewhat contained and it didn't feel right. I think you should explore different ways to represent your dialogue or captions. It needs to breathe if you want it to live. It could be a great story, but if it's not interesting to look at then why bother? Back to the car scene, I think you could do it like I mentioned earlier, but it'd best to contain that to one page if possible, at most two pages.
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..so you can see. I've drawn that one page twice moreover, so.. It's a ridiculous amount of info to put on a page, granted, but that's all the page allotment I'm willing to give for that piece of the story. And if it matters, I'm trying to let things breathe. I recently turned a 7-panel first page into two pages with a good turn-page 3/4 splash reveal and it feels a lot better than having the reveal be a small panel in the bottom left corner. I've got that sense in mind, it's just gonna take a process to refine it, is all, which means in later issues.
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The car scene only has a page allotted to it, so.. It's mainly an aside to get some internal exposition done, plus create a little mystery and stomach-churning. And careful now, H., or I'll get completely defiant about how I do my layout. :) That said, though, I still think widescreen is boring, un-intimate, undramatic, and wastes space for what I'm trying to do. It was my first instinct, actually, but it doesn't "shape" the story or allow for much in the way of facial expression.
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The way I see it looks awesome and would win an award at the Comic Book Panel Awards. Widescreen 'can' be intimate, just think of any good movie that's intimate. If your scene is basically an aside w/ some internal exposition hen you don't necessarily have to have it be so tight. I think the real potential for this scene could be the unspoken things like the characters faces and where and how they're sitting without any dialogue. With it wide you could start with the driver and move back/right with captions or you could do something crazy with the captions like have them be reflected on the windows or be on street signs or something. It's good to know you're letting it breathe. It'd probably help if we did see your scans though. Word.
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...and let the artist lay it out. Describing the panels would be a pain. I think a cross between the old Marvel style and a full script would be ideal. You give the artist a tight outline and they are someone with storytelling as well as drawing ability. They do the layouts and you script the captions and dialogue. Comics need to do what film did, and generally eliminate all of the shots and angles from the script. The writer leaves that to the director, cinematographer and editor to put together. No WE DOLLY IN or PAN DOWN or WIDE ANGLE SHOT OF... You write master shots: "IN THE SALOON, Clint glowers at the poker players as he removes the scarf to reveal the scar on his neck..." Then, show what he's thinking "FLASHBACK -- ON A DESERT PLAIN, the men from the saloon string Clint up on a hanging tree" then "IN THE SALOON, six guns emerge blazing from under Clint's pancho before the poker plays can turn around"... Since many current comic writers can't think visually anyway, why pressure them to do the paneling?
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I have read nothing. I care not for your petty mortal arguments. I am testing this boards capability of exhibiting my awesome. It has been some time since I have graced this TB with my World carring presence, and now I make my return. The Cogs have completed the rituals need to resurect this form. (They asked me to fucking log on once in a while) You have all been forwarned. (Maybe they haven't! Fuck! OK. Now accepting applications to serve as my Silver Surfer. Post all submissions here.) Prepare for darkness. (Because I believe in a thing called love, don't you?)
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Obviously it will vary with your intent, but from personal experience writing for the screen, being specific is a good thing. Of course, I would be directing/editing and mostly shooting said material, so I know what I want visually. And since film is a visual medium, I think it's fairly foolish to completely ignore that aspect of it. If a screenwriter cannot picture what he/she is writing up on the silver screen then what's the point. Of course if you are writing for a big studio production where it's much more of a *collaborative* effort, then what you described can be better. But hell, I have the screenplay to Magnolia and that fucker has different FPS written in! It's how I always write, visualizing the scenes intensely in my own head. But then again, when shooting Schindler's List, Spielberg went to the set every morning with no shot list and just made them up as he went. Diff strokes fo diff folks.
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"The other problem with using that many panels more often than not is that there is no kinetic movement to the pages." "It needs to breathe if you want it to live. It could be a great story, but if it's not interesting to look at then why bother?"
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"I like little boys."
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...is true. I heard him myself.
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A shot list is different from the shooting script. I wouldn't even put camera directions in a script I was going to shoot myself because I wouldn't want it to get in the way for the actors. Obviously, if you're Paul Anderson, that's a different matter. But what you may have is a transcription. I have a collection of about 200 screenplays, myself. Writing CRANE DOWNor SMASH CUT really isn't visual writing, though. That's just technical directions. What if the director doesn't want to DOLLY IN? And what if you describe unncessary things on the set? Let's say you're writing the Eastwood western. You describe the spitoons and trophies over the bar, you'd better have a good reason. Otherwise, you use shothand and say "IN THE SALOON, Clint strides to the bar. The place is lower than a shit hole." You tell me whether you can imagine that bar or not. The writer has done his job and left it up to the director, set decorator, property master and designer to do their's. You haven't crowded a page. Roughly one page equalling one minute of film. And the development executive or (worse) script reader isn't going to toss your dense script because he or she has 30 others to look at before they can do anything resembling a normal life.
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Dirk Manning just looked at my first fanfic script and said "By the way, I looked over your fan-fic script sample and, I gotta tell ya', I write my scripts about that detailed specifically because I know they *ARE* going to be illustrated...". EAT IT! :D
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with baby powder sprinkled all over their soft butts. Errr… I creeped myself out with that one. Uh, anyway, NO, NO, NO!!! I didn't mean for any story, it's just that if Watchmen were drawn by Liefeld it wouldn't be what it was you know? It's like the recent Teen Titans about Kid Devil. Good story, but the art was so f'n bad I automatically think of it before the story. In the comics medium the art has to be interesting. I stick by that one… and little pale boy butts. I stand by the kinetic movement one too. Clearly, I'm not getting it or I'm using the wrong word in it's place, but I thought not. I thought it was tight… like little pale boys butts.
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who the fuck is Dirk Manning? Sounds like a name for a 60's action star.
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Go here: http://tinyurl.com/35znj4 and
here: http://www.nightmareworld.com/ He's a friend on the CogSpace too. -
Again, I'm not talking about large productions with set decorators and property masters and 5 AD's. I know you don't put stuff like "CU, push in" in screenplays you try to sell to studios, or even to your actors. I was just trying to say that ignoring that aspect completely when you write is not how I write. I think author's intent means a lot. I wonder what the script for Requiem for a Dream looked like? And if it had no technical direction (for either post or actual shooting), then what would that movie look like if Robert Altman ('s corpse) directed it? Eh...I guess this is why I'm not terribly interested in large studio production. and another thing: Ye Olde School of Marvel scripts is pretty quaint sounding and a cool anecdote, but unless used as an experimental device these days, I think limits the form. To write scenes where you don't know what the panels are going to look like, or to illustrate panels when you don't know what's going to be said in them... seems like not taking full advantage of the artform. Though it is pretty fascinating.
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btw, do the new AICN catchphrases of "____ gotta eat!!!" and "____ the Little Miss Sunshine of ____" bother anyone? I guess I miss the old day's of "has a beer and cheats on his wife" and "sexiest tomboy beanpole on the planet."
Dirk Manning has an awesome name. 60's action star indeed!
Anybody kinda excited to read Eric Wight's 'My Dead Girlfriend'? I am. -
Too true, H. I so have to pick up that and Nightmare World now. Halloween in February, much? And dude, Eric Wight's everywhere right now. I have to wonder if, even if I could snag him for a mini interview at my comic shop this weekend, what unique questions I could ask him..
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Saw your post on the Iron Man set visit of Quints and I think that Zathura is vastly underrated. One of the better kids movies that's actually fun for adults. Great special effects too. Favs is a good dude. I like him (as if that matters) and think he's a good filmmaker. Iron Man seems to be coming along nicely. I'm excited about it the most after The Dark Knight and Spidey 3 as far as superhero movies are concerned.
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Mark Millar once wrote something about how Warren Ellis used to drive Hitch crazy on THE AUTHORITY. He'd write something like: "Combat breaks out between the spacecraft..." and Hitch would have to spend two weeks drawing it....And Shig, give me a good example of what you mean. Unless it's complete cinema verite, guerilla style filmmaking(in which case you might not even have a script), I personally would still keep my technical plans separate from the screenplay. Even if you're totally indie, you have to get financing and that limited partnership of orthadontists is not going to understand tracking shots and you have to have a script to show those guys that they'll understand or you don't get the financing so no movie. Didja see LETHAL WEAPON? Shane Black is one of the best screenwriters alive, although most of the movies made from his scripts aren't as good as his scripts. Remember the big dukeroo? The script didn't say:"Gary feints but Mel sees it coming and slides across Danny's lawn for a back leg sweep..." It just said something like: "These two highly trained, ex-Special Forces commandos let loose on each other with everything they have." You can get really purple with the prose in a screenplay, because you don't have to buy it as literature but as images. One of my all time favorite scripts is BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA by W.D. Richter. It's much better than the movie, which was kinda fun but not amazing. My favorite scene, which I've memorized is: "Wang Chi and Jack Burton burst into the parking structure. Where did the bastards go? Suddenly, Lords of Death fired up a Trans Am with a violent lurch and coming screaming toward them. Jack saves Wang with a flying tackle. They roll to safety as the Trans Am fishtails away. JACK: Sunuvabitch must pay."
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Hmm.
Hmm.
All I can think about is fucking Ghost Rider. (Not having sex with him, just "fucking" as your general all-purpose swear word. Although fucking Ghost Rider would in fact be pretty gnarly. Does he even have a penis? And if so, is it deomnic?
Too technical for my free flowin' jive style. I got some stuff to do. Although the baby eatin' Heathen sure is a hottie... -
...just a danged minute. The art on the Kid Devil story was great. Don't go thinkin' you get to diss Peter Snejberg 'round here without gettin' noticed, pally.
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The Cogs haven't roughed up anyone in the industry for a while. ; )
Psy, you're right, I guess, I dunno… anyways it was waaaay better than "GOTTA EAT!!!" I even miss jugg-fuckled compared to those. *enter Turtle* -
Read it and weep (or laugh, as the case may be)! Go here to see both sets of thumbnails and the script for the 13-panel glory of The Crossovers, vol 1, issue #2, Crossing Over: Waking Up, page 4! http://tinyurl.com/3dbmg7
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That was Crossing Over, part 2: Waking Up
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http://tinyurl.com/3dbmg7 And H, I'll do what I can.
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where's walt?
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http://tinyurl.com/32momv
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The story was great, but Snejberg's art felt way out of place in it. I'm not saying everything he turns in is bad like other artists, but his style didn't mesh well with this superhero book. Sorry, Sleazy.
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Oh, okay, I guess I should give it a watch then ...
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I suppose so...
There be cryptic meanings in that there be. Words of wisdom on the wind, says I..... -
just to give it a kick up the ass and say "what? you can't trust the government? WTF are you talking about?" As it is the "oh look actually you CAN trust the government" ending to CW made me do a little puke into my mouth. What a complete waste of time. ALL the heroes anyone actually likes were wrong! AHAHAHAHAHA! Very fucking funny i don't think. Ooh but "watch for the fall out", yeah like never buying a mag featuring the FF ironman or the avengers again.
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baby kicking.
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