Then, the whole business with planting fire hydrants and fooling John Travolta into thinking your wife and best friend are having an affair - well didn't the Punisher do more explosive and directly fatal things than that? Just didn't seem like the sort of things The Punisher ever did. At the end he does run in with a gun and shoot a lot of people but it seemed like too little too late.

When you read the title and pine for the days of Winnick, you know a title is dead as a doornail (sorry had to get in on the cliche game).

Secret Invasion had terrific set ups. Personally, I loved the fact that Nick Fury discovered the plot and went DEEP undercover because he couldn't trust anyone. I loved the fact that even the might Reed Richards was fooled at one point. I loved the mind games played on Stark (albeit briefly) that he too might be a Skrull.

But ultimately, the bosses at Marvel will never let the characters or the world they're in, grow, change and evolve. That's why Spiderman is single again. It's a regression. That's why Steve Rogers will be back, someway, somehow. Because Steve Rogers is Captain America and there's a giant reset button waiting to be pushed.

Don't accuse of her of not being able to direct an action movie. Apparently, she couldn't manage to properly direct this one, but has anyone seen Green Street Hooligans? Hard, gritty, realistic and brutally violent. It's not really an action movie, but it does have the grimy, hard hitting feel everyone's clamoring for.

And stop knocking the Thomas Jane Punisher! SO much of the complaint isn't directed towards the movie's actual flaws, but minor details about the character. "Why is it in Tampa? His family didn't die that way. In the comics, his skull shirt had longer sleeves." Stop moaning, Punisher fans. Your movie will never come! Never, I say! Bwa ha ha ha!

1) This is a late season action flick. If anybody expected anything of TDK calibre then they're smoking crack. At this time of the year, you're just lucky it's not another stupid fucking Christmas movie or some schmaltzy Oscar winning wannabe. It is what it is. A brainless diversion.

2) Don't go in expecting your every wildest Punisher fantasy to come true. There have been a few interpretations of Frank's character. The fact that this one has the grim, yet black humored Frank and the shit for goomba goofball brains Jigsaw doesn't make it any less valid.

The fact is, the Marvel Universe probably has as many cheesy gangsters and enforcers as an old Dick Tracy comic. Think about it for a second. Marvel's underworld is populated with cartoony losers. If we eliminate the Kingpin who do we have left, past & present? Jigsaw. Hammerhead. Silvermane. Ox. Fancy Dan. Tombstone. Count Nefaria. YEAH!! Losers with a big ole L. The fact that Jigsaw was pretty goofy in the move only speaks of Lexi's fairly faithful representation of an already shitty character. Maybe the route to have gone would have been something more grounded in reality. Then again, fanboys would have been pissed that they ignored the source material.

3) Even though he was tragically underutilized, wasn't it cool to see Wayne Knight as Microchip? =) Great piece of casting. He & Ray did a bang up job, even if Jigsaw & Loony Bin Jim hammed it up.

4) Tell me in what universe is Dolph Lundgren or Tom Jane a better Punisher? Ray Stevenson owned this role much in the same way as Jackman & Downey have Wolverine & Iron Man respectively.

5) Julie Benz. Getting a bit worn out looking for her age, but still kinda hot. Shame they didn't give her shit to do.

6) I think that there's a huge mistake in comparing this to Schummacher's "Batman & Robin". First off, Frank's not spouting off shitty one liners like Arnold. That sort of humor was mostly kept at bay. Second, much of the humor came from the fact that anything that Frank did was really just about overkill. In Frank's world, if a problem can't be solved with a big gun then that just means that your gun is too small. Swat a fly? Handgun. Kill a rat? Bazooka. Trust me. I know guys with that mentality. Before you guys invoke the name of Schummacher, also keep in mind that he has done some credible and enjoyable movies pre-Batman. Lost Boys for one. Wanna bash Uwe Boll though? Go ahead. =)

I guarantee you one thing. When this movie hits cable it's going to be in constant rotation. It's one of those movies that you either watch late at night for shits & giggles OR you watch totally drunk/stoned to look for hidden messages. =)

Is this movie as great as what Marvel's been pumping out lately? No. Is it bad? Watch "Man Thing", Corman's 1994 "Fantastic Four", "Nick Fury" with the Hoff, or "Mutant X". By comparison, this movie is fucking Shakespeare in the park. Even on its own, "Punisher War Zone" is enjoyable simply because it revels in its own excess & overkill. It doesn't pretend to be a commentary on violence or anything like that. There's no plot that takes longer than 3 sentences to explain. It's just a cool 80's/90's style action flick with 00's Saw-like violence. Either you get that or you don't.

Whether or not you like this movie probably depends on what you expected to see. In my mind, there are 3 sorts of Punisher.

There's the 70's style original that's more of a Batman meets Charles Bronson vigilante. Alas, time has changed this Punisher to make him more PG-13. He's the guy who seems to keep running around in the mainstream 616 comics. He does a lot of brooding, grumbling, and shooting, but missing. He's the one that's likely to get his ass kicked by Power Pack or the Runaways and never speak of it again. This is the watered down version that appeared in the Tom Jane movie.

Then, there's the grim & gritty version made popular by the likes of Garth Ennis and series like "Born". He's so dark that no light enters his world. Black holes go, "Shit! That bitch is DARK!" =) This guy's world is so dark that Batman looks like Willy Wonka. At the same time, there's this pain and realism throughout. We've yet to see this Punisher just yet. One day maybe.

Then, there's the Punisher that's been floating around since Matt Fraction & Ariel Olivetti rebooted War Journal. This is the guy who's world is a mix of the Max insanity and the 616 goofball stuff. This is the Punisher that's not afraid to dress up in a stupid Captain America inspired battle uniform. At the same time, this guy is less likely to get pwned by Power Pack, but not more likely to stuff a grenade in each one of their mouths if it's a valid war tactic. He's a bit psycho. Toss in some MAX style overkills and THIS is the Punisher in the movie.

If anybody thinks that the movie Punisher was too cheesy.... Read the recent Punisher X-Mas special. It starts off with him dressed as freakin' Santa Claus. Cliche? Sure. Great book though. It balances some of the humor & absurdity with some harsh justice and insane violence.

On a less grim note.... Supergirl.

I admit to being a Supergirl fan since I first saw that shitball movie in the theaters as a kid. I've yet to see any writer do justice to the character for any length of time. She's either been a shiftless generic teen or a super powered Paris Hilton with a messiah complex. She's been pretty badly abused over the years. Nobody in the mainstream DCU has gotten her yet. She's not Superman with tits. She's not quite a teenage Power Girl though.

"Supergirl Cosmic Adventures in the 8th Grade" is actually one of my favorite books in recent memory. At first glance, it's a book fit only for tween girls. Upon closer inspection, it's a book that has more depth than it should.

A book like Titans is a kiddy book because it has cartoon versions of familiar characters. They're almost parodies of their mainstream counterparts. 8th Grade is less about Superman's teen cousin and more about a girl who just so happens to be Superman's cousin. The fact that she's super is pretty incidental, though it's part of some of the humor.

Part of the charm is that she's awkward. Now, unless you were the jock superstar in high school, you probably had you awkward moments. Moments that you kinda wished that you were dead. Moments that you know you shouldn't have opened your mouth about 5 words too late. Moments where all eyes are on you, even if they aren't. There's a charm to this book because it speaks to boys and girls who aren't so graceful and adults who (hopefully) grew out of it.

I cheerfully look back on my teen years and wonder how I ever got through them without getting my ass kicked for being such a goon. Supergirl 8th Grade makes me laugh because, even though I'm not a kid anymore, it reminds me of what it felt to be like one. Granted, Superman isn't my cousin and my biggest problem was my big mouth or clumsy ways.

The writing here makes me feel as if, even though she's awkward now, she too may someday grow out of it. Still, reading this book, I get a feeling that there's something very human about this 2D looking character. It's funny how she could be so simple looking, yet be more relatable and complex than her bungled mainstream counterpart. Other DC writers should start taking notes. Not only is this how you write Supergirl, but it's how you write an all ages book in general.

8th Grade isn't a perfect book, as I'd be happy if we never saw Superman again. However, it is certainly a classic - one of the best of its kind actually. It's just a shame that it's a 6-issue limited. I'd love to see it hang around, more so than this "let's cure cancer" Supergirl crap of late.

As far as why nobody has gotten the Punisher just right after 3 tries....

HE'S A KILLER!!! =)

Yeah, the bad guys are bad, but he's executing them himself. It's one thing to settle up and even the score for his family. It's something else for him to roam the streets and cap everybody he deems bad. How soon until jay walking pisses off the Punisher? LOL

Writers have to humanize him. They have to let us understand that he will continue to kill people because, ironically, he cares too much about the world. That's a hard sell. Play him off as too human and likable and you end up with Tom Jane. Play him off as excessively violent with minimal humanity and you get Ray Stevenson. Not bad either way, but a hard sell for fans and general audiences each looking for different things.

The problem from what I heard from my friends was that Lexi was adamant about making a big, ultra-male comic book action movie without any concern about who the character was. She has no idea who Frank Castle is and what type of tone his stories should have, she just saw him as another dumb, comic book action character that she can use to show off her skill in creating a whacked out, over-the-top action movie. I even heard in some ways she was looking at this as her Kill Bill, because it would defy so many conventions and be so in-your-face.

Frank Castle is a soldier in a war against crime, and his first arc would be his decision to fight in this war. It pretty much would be the same structure as a film like Death Wish: family murdered, man sets out to get revenge. There is only on filmable character arc after this, his debate with himself if he can continue to wage this war against crime or not. It would in some ways be the same arc Bruce Wayne went through in The Dark Knight; is what he is doing really working or is it making the things worse.

So you can make two good Punisher films. Of course it is hard to expect two good ones when they can't even make one good one.

Here me out Mr. Nolan! Gotham has been sent into chaos by the Joker, the mob is in tatters and leaderless, and thanks to Harvey Dent Gotham’s #1 protector is on the run from the police. What happens to places that have been sent into anarchy? They look for peace and order, no matter what the cost. And you could bring them order? Why, a short, funny little gangster who promises to bring Gotham’s underworld under his thumb and bring back to the good ol days. Where crime is controlled and everything is regulated and things might be corrupt but at least there is order.

The other reason I want to see the Penguin is because I always felt like he’s been getting the short end of the stick. They have been able to do a makeover on the Joker and cast off a lot of the cheesiness that crept into the character in the 50s & 60s, but they Penguin is still looked at as the ridiculous guy with the umbrellas. Come on Nolan, do to the Penguin what Frank Miller did to the Kingpin of Crime and make him the personification of the tyranny of organized crime and corruption in Gotham City.

Thank Goodness Two-Face got killed in Dark Knight, because he was boring and I was worried that he would be the villain in the next movie. So I, for one, was very glad to see him go...and glad to see Gyllenhall's character go as well.

Joenathan is a very loyal guy. He loves Secret Invasion and will defend it to the death. Gotta respect that. But, at the same time, gotta say it ended in a very "meh" way, and continuing to say "it's comics" doesn't work for me. Secret Invasion wasn't terrible, wasn't offensive, wasn't outrageous, but also wasn't very interesting and the sum ended up being less than the parts. Marvel (and DC in it's own cases) invites disappointment with endless hype that is rarely lived up to. Just for example, Under Seige was the bomb, and it ended with the status quo restored but still had shit happen during the story and was satisfying. SI was entertaining but unsatisfying.

These reviews are pretty limited. Nothing on JSA? That story finally kicked into gear and I'm now excited for the conclusion. Terror Titans...super entertaining, if nothing major. She-Hulk Cosmic Collision...love it as well. The same kind of fun for all ages, witty, action packed story as in Terror Titans. Greatly enjoyed that one-shot, made me sad the book is being cancelled.

Finally, how can anyone say Exiles should stay with Claremont. I loved Exiles when Winick wrote it, loved it when Chuck Austen (who I otherwise revile) wrote it, even like it when Bedard (another writer I don't care for) took over. But I dropped it after 3 terrible Claremont issues. Dude is just like Stan Lee, all respect for his contribution to the field but, really....retire already, ok?

With Exiles becoming a Claremont shit pile and Corky working the editor desk on the What If? books, guys like me that love what could be need an outlet. Ellis has done a fine job.

Was I pissed about Ghost Boxes #1, damn straight I was. Why? Because it was a cock tease. Here I am digging this steampunk alternate techno reality and then BAM, it's over and I'm into the creative process. I was pissed because I wanted more.

Not digging Pixie? Well, Uncanny is more her book IMHO. Personally I don't mind her, but to each his own

The whole series would have benefited greatly from better pacing. There was a lot going on in the Savage Land, but at the same time subplots like Jarvis on the SHIELD carrier or the Osborn/Marvel faceoff were too stretched out for how fast they were seemingly happening. The whole Cap Marvel thing was superfluous actually, including his miniseries, his only purpose seemed to be to give No-Var a purpose at the end. If No-Var had made these decisions by himself, based on his encounter with the Illuminati, it would have been so much better.

I did like how badass Maria Hill and Agent Brand were portrayed, too bad they were made to look obsolete in the final battle.

They should have done SI like World War Hulk: 5 issues with more pages and less filler. Preferably with a better artist than Yu, I think, if not for deadlines, Jim Cheung would have done an incredible job with it, like he did with Illuminati and the New Avengers tie-ins. (I had no idea it was Namor that Yu drew on that last page until I saw the ad for the Dark Reign book, with the red coloring and bad hair I thought it was Mephisto or some other demonic character) Then have an epilogue issue with the aftermath and Dark Reign set-up, instead of rushing it all in a dozen pages in #8.

On film, what do you do? If you go realistic, it's silly. DEATH WISH and TAXI DRIVER set the bar for vigilante movies.

If you make it comic booky, it's worse.

Thank God for comics!

Hmm, so Darkseid can run an equation that dominates all space/time but basic math escapes him? Niiice.

Yeah yeah, I'm being a nit-picky fanboy, I hear ya. Only because this ka-chuggin' along(non)event is making it so friggin' easy.

Absolute, utter dogshit.

Kill Millar before he writes again.

Emma Frost is NOT a villain. To label her as such seriously disservices the character development of the last several years. Chaotic Neutral anti-hero is a bit closer to the mark. Trust me, she's there to make sure Abnormal Osborn's plans don't fuck with the X-Men or mutantkind in general.

The Hood's mini was really kick ass, but I don't think he has ever been a "major" villain until now, and I have a small amount of difficulty accepting him as a big shot. He's still a great character, though.

Wanted, the movie, vs Wanted, the comic. I have to give it to the movie over the comic. Both of them were entertaining but dumb. I didn't really like the characters in the comic being drawn as Eminem and Halle Berry, and the characters were way more assholish in the comics. But, as mentioned, that loom of Destiny stuff in the movie was pretty retarded.

2) Sorry Joenanthan, but Wanted sucked. Any comic where raping Hollywood stars, shooting people randomly, and the wholesale murder and torture are presented as fun isn’t my idea of a good comic, especially if at the end of it no one realizes these things are wrong. Wanted is the “I Spit On Your Grave” of comics.

3) That is why problem with the X-Men, they made Emma Frost into a hero, or at the very least came up with excuses for her past crimes. I mean, she is a former member of a secret group who conspired to rule the world and to control other mutants as if they were natural resources; she was directly involved in the trying to control Phoenix against her will so they could use her powers and inadvertently triggered her transformation into Dark Phoenix, making her indirectly responsible for the death of billions of aliens; she callously blew up three Hellfire Knights for failing to capture the X-Men; she tortured Storm and planned on mind-wiping her; she kidnapped Kitty Pryde and planned on altering her mind so she would be part of the Hellfire Club; she planned on using Firestar as a weapon and killed her boyfriend; and God knows what else she has done.

The X-Men are the pro-wrestling federation of comics. On moment someone is a heel, the next they turn him into face, depending how popular they are with the fans.

Before I forget, this has merely been my opinion, which I don't suggest anyone should share. After all, we shouldn't really criticize things-- it's only comics!

I will differ with you on one account. I think we should be allowed to criticize, as long as we can back it up with the reasons we don't like it. Which is where I give you credit. You at least explain your dislike for something, instead of just saying "it sucks" and anyone who likes it is "an idiot".

Mark Millar is like those actors who say film is such a bad medium and people who watch Hollywood movies are idiots, than goes about making Hollywood blockbuster after blockbuster for the paycheck and exposure. He was no credibility.

So, yes, I could care less about the viewpoints of a Viggo Mortensen or a Scarlet Johansen or even Mel Gibson, actor; but I do care about the viewpoints of Oliver Stone, or Michael Moore, or Victor Salva, or Mel Gibson, director. And if an artist personal opinion is so unimportant and doesn’t affect his art at all, try watching D.W. Griffith or Leni Riefenstahl, or read William Luther Pierce’s “The Turner Diaries” and tell me if their personal opinion isn’t reflected in their work.

You fucking baby-cunt.

See, a million, a Purdy, an H2 filled with Romeo y Juliettas is not too high a price to pay!

If you go by Stanislovsky (sic) then your personality and viewpoints absolutely seep into your roles when creating the charachter.

MJW was always far more brazen in the comic and Kirsten Dunst could have certainly pulled that out more in the movie role. The script would have allowed for it. she made choices though along with Raimi to be more vunerable.

Sorry, I was a theater major and still do community theater. I fucking hate lazy acting and people that don't do their homework for a role. Actors that don't integrate themselves are bad actors and often portray caricatures rather than living charachters.

I really, really like all the 'baby' and 'whining' shit you talk, Joenathan, as if you're somehow made of tougher, sterner stuff than the other people on here, all because you, what, can't formulate thoughtful criticism? It's just hilarious to see this tough-guy posturing from a guy for whom, clearly, the biggest accomplishment in his life is sitting at his computer to try posting more than anybody else in the AICN comics talkback. You're a pussy, a douche, and, given the way you only address arguments you've made in your mind, an idiot. You're realllllly tough, you fucking virgin. The only diaper here that needs changing is yours, which you've filled with the bullshit that runs in torrents out the cock-hole in your face. Pussy.

Yes, you do pretend you're a man, which is why the only arena you would dare to call anyone a 'baby' or 'whiner' is online. Because you're a pussy. The type of girl who's chief preoccupation is posting as many times as possible on the AICN talkbacks.

Prepare for the planet to crack in half any moment now, we are in complete agreement once more. Seriously folks, say yer prayers and kiss your babies, the pocky lips is truly nigh.

Scarlett Johansson was in Ghost World! I don't really care about this silly debate going on, because this isn't my talkback anymore. My talkback's heyday has long passed by. Back then, the talkback was filled with interesting people like Psynapse and Homer Sexual who still post semi-frequently, as well as the ones who've left the house-The HEathen, Blackthought, El Vale, Darth Kal El, etc. The new breed has been dominated by one poster and one poster only-Joe-fucking-Nathan. Correct me if I'm wrong, but has there not been an on-again off-again 3 month novel-sized debate about whether Mephisto is A devil or THE devil? Does anyone realize how fucking nerdy that is? This isn't complaining about Spidey's organic webbing. This isn't complaining about the raised webbing or scaly fabric. This is complaining about the eyes in his mask being too shiny. Nobody cares anymore, if they even did in the first place.

Look, I think there's an argument going on about Mark Millar? Or at least there was before it devoolved into an all-out hissy fit between the parties involved. I love Ultimates and Ultimates 2. I really like Wolverine: Enemy of the State. I enjoy Kick-Ass as a guilty pleasure. Obviously, it's an over-the-top mockery of comic book nerds and if the depiction of Dave (can't think of his last name) is offensive to some people here because it hits too close to home, then those people need to get out there and get a life. That kid is too pathetic. I don't want to see any of you saying you identify with that guy, okay? He's the moustache kid from Freaks and Geeks, only with less morals and creepier too. Fuckin A. Too bad your brawl didn't devolve from an argument about that comic because then I really would've gone to twon, but as it is, I don't plan on writing an essay on a comic that's part of the feud.

However, to reiterate my original point I was saying how a performer such as Scarlet Johansen has little control over the overall themes and subtext of a film or play. They can have themes and subtext within their own performance, but that isn’t the same as the amount of control a director or writer has in the overall vision and message of the piece of work. An actor can say his character is a Catholic or a fascist, but that doesn’t mean that they can make the film be pro or anti- Catholic or fascist. Same with the cinematographer and editor, they can influence the look and feel of a film but don’t have control over the film’s message. Hence that is why in most film theory, despite the fact it is a collaborative medium, the director is considered auteur of it, while others would argue the writer. Those are the two that control a films message and themes.

That is why I can understand someone making the statement that they don’t care about that person’s personal opinions, they just like to watch them perform. Michael Richards might be an asshole racist but he didn’t nor couldn’t use the Cosmo Kramer character as a vehicle to espouse racist beliefs; DW Griffith and William Luther Pierce can and did.

Going back to what started this, Mark Millar, he might be a nice guy and in person I might like him (as long as he probably kept some of his beliefs to himself), but I find his work to be vulgar and goes against certain principles I believe in. And because art is based on personal beliefs and philosophy, I can only say that I wholeheartedly disagree with his viewpoint of the world and that is why I have such a negative reaction to what he writes.

Red Sun: Probably the comic by Millar I liked the best, and it still left a bad taste in my mouth. After reading this I came away feeling that this was one big Commie apology. In the end Superman realizes that he can’t control human destiny, no that communism and Stalinism are evil and inheritably flawed.

Authorities: I found this so obnoxious that I just quit halfway through the second storyline. The Authority was such annoying jerks under Millar I couldn’t read them. They over throw the Malaysian government and then toss the president to the masses to be butchered. Fucking smart. Now who is charge? It happened before Iraq, but maybe it they waited a little longer the Authority and Mark Millar could see that nation building is a lot harder than it looks and sometimes a lack of government is worse than a bad government. Plus, the Avengers team was a totally blown opportunity. I ads made it seem like the Authority was going to fight a team representing the status quo, and I thought we were in for a conflict between opposing philosophies, but instead ended up with a bunch of Avengers clones who were just dumb, psychotic murderers just so we could insinuate that Apollo and Midnighter got buggered. Great.

Ultimate Fantastic Four: I am too much of a fan of the original FF to really read a comic about FF clones. To me, the only real good runs on the comic have been Lee/Kirby’s, Byrne’s, and some of Waid’s. Plus, once you make Doom a metal satyr, you just loose me. I will give him credit for introducing a world of zombie superheroes though.

Wanted: Not even going to go there.

Civil War: I will just say this book makes no sense to me. Why would Captain America be against registering super-heroes? I mean, we don’t allow vigilantes in the real world to go around fighting crime without any legal authority, why should the Marvel Universe allow it as well. If you have powers and want to fight crime, great, but first go out their and get a license and permission otherwise you are just acting outside of the law - end of argument.

And (finally) The Ultimates: Just don’t like the characters that Millar makes. I mean, Caps a dick, Tony Stark is just a womanizing drunk, Thor is a fucky nut, Hank Pym is only a wife-beating neurotic dickhead, and the Hulk is a horny cannibal and rapist. Why would I want to follow these guys? I mean, why is it that a “realistic” superhero team has to be a bunch of self-centered, fucked up group of egos? The idea that people do anything heroic for selfless reasons seems to be a myth to comic writers nowadays. I guess because it seems Mark Millar views superheroes as the annoying elites who just happened to have powers. We know how annoying Paris Hilton, Lindsey Lohan and Brandon Davis are; now imagine if they had powers.

However, to me the Ultimates are like Special Forces: these guys weren’t given their powers, they earned them. Iron Man built his armor, Henry Pym invented a way to change size and control insects, Captain America volunteered for a dangerous experiment and then went through grueling training plus a war, and Thor, despite being born a god, still had to earn the right to wield his hammer. These guys aren’t a bunch of spoiled, dysfunctional brats who had everything handed to them on a platter, but the hardworking overachievers who lived up to what was expected of them and fought tooth and claw to get somewhere, while the rest of us just watched and made excuses.

Of course, if you like his stuff, that is fine. You can read into it anyway you want, but this is how I see his comics.

As for the Ultimates, the characters might have grown and developed from when they first appeared but they still act like dicks. I mean, now they even got new recruits to act like dicks and behave in a way I think doesn’t really depict how a “hero” should act. For example, the fight with the Liberators, the Ultimates basically dispatch a bunch of defeated opponents: Cap stabs a maimed Colonel; Quicksilver runs so fast he disintegrates Hurricane, who is begging for his life; Hulk continues to tear apart an already armless Abomination; Wasp steps on a defenseless storm; and Hawkeye kills an already captured Black Widow in revenge for his family and never pays a penalty. I can understand wanting to make a more realistic superhero battle and showing some casualties, but this was just a bunch of thugs killing the helpless. Would you want our Special Forces to shoot surrendered opponents, or kill those in Gitmo for revenge? I would hope not, yet everyone is willing to turn a blind eye to superheroes acting like the Gestapo.

As for relatively defenseless, I believe a man with no hands, a woman held in captivity and another woman begging for you to stop peeling the skin of her flesh constitutes helpless. Just because a soldier might kill an injured foe doesn’t make it moral or right.

And yes, I do have trouble seeing the characters as not connected to their mainstream counterparts. The problem is they ARE Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk and the others, and despite saying it is in a different Universe doesn’t make it harder to stomach how they are depicted. If Millar wanted to create his version of the Avengers as a bunch of violent soldiers, then he should have created a parody (Minuteman, Horus, The Atomic Knight, the Brute, etc.) or made a team in the regular Marvel universe with a bunch of characters who would fit that vision, not butcher well beloved characters.

Besides, I thought the entire point of the Ultimate Universe was to reach newer, younger fans so they wouldn’t be intimidated by large history and make it more accessible, and then draw them over to the Earth 616 when the got caught up to speed. Great Idea. Now you got a bunch of adult style comics that mostly appeals to people over 25+ and a bunch of fans of it who can’t crossover to the mainstream Marvel Universe because the two Universes barely resemble each other.

What I don't like about him: he judges his characters. While I'm politically aligned with him, I don't like the judgement that rings through. We need to see how his characters see themselves, not how Mark sees them. We know yer a good liberal, Mark.

I have to agree with Continental that in many cases, the artist cannot be separated from the art. But that really depends on the artist.

I have no idea what are the politics of Ed Brubaker, Geoff Johns, Brian K Vaughan or even Bendis' worldview/politics are. I consider them to be artists, but their stories aren't as polemic as some others.

Millar is one of the writers who definitely expresses his views through his writing. Personally, I sometimes think he's great and sometimes think he's not, but he's certainly making statements about society. So are Winnick and Willingham, among others.

They certainly have the right to do so, and in many cases one might argue that it is one of the things that make them good writers. But OTOH, it can alienate some fans. For example, ever since I read anti-gay comments from Chuck Dixon, I have not purchased another comic written by him.

True artist do put themselves in their work. Some people's identities are less political, and some are more political. Definitely does affect the work, though.

Finally, I don't really like Ultimate Cap, he is kind of a jerk, but not 100% jerk. And CW definitely said that all powers have to not only be licensed, but they can be drafted, so the lines were pretty clear. And as a reader, I was affected even though my own viewpoint was not ultimately endorsed.