Bought/Thought August 11th, 2010 - SPOILERS

[TheCorpulent1]

I don't think they're continuing the MC2 line beyond the end of Spider-Girl. If it were MC2 Thunderstrike, why would they bother shrouding the character in shadows? Or showing the hammer, which MC2 Thunderstrike actually absorbed into himself? I'm pretty sure this is DeFalco and Frenz returning to the 616 universe with one of their old cult favorites because it happens to be connected to Thor when he's got a movie on the way.

 

[Dread]

DeFalco & Frenz haven't worked within the mainstream universe for years. Whatever fanbase the two still have isn't large and it would seem a bit odd to just assume they'd be able to sell an ongoing or even a mini that wasn't MC2 related and thus had low sales expectations. Both of their glory days were in the 90's to many fans.

It can't be Kevin in 616 because he'd be barely a few years older in Marvel time (even though Eric's been dead about 12-13 years in real time). "THE WORLD STILL NEEDS HEROES" was engraved on Eric's tombstone by Thor after Odin sent him to the afterlife instead of Valhalla. I suppose one could argue that Asgard's destruction and resurrection somehow brings Masterson back from the dead, but that's about the most obligatory resurrection scheme ever imagined. On the other hand, even that makes more sense than, "I wasn't dead, I was shot with time-bullets".

The funny thing? Thunderstrike, a character who has been dead longer than he was alive, can return, but CLOAK & DAGGER will probably never have their own series again. Now, that's cold.

I never cared for him. He lost me with the do-rag, the shades, and the denim jacket over the costume. He was SO 90's. I suppose if characters from, say, the HEROES REBORN universe like Rikki Barnes can enter 616, there's no reason why someone from MC2 couldn't teleport over either, but Joe Q "insists" that only Marvel and Ultimate exist as universes, even while selling people comics based in other universes (and if he can't even avoid hypocrisy on THAT, no one should bother expecting him to remain consistent on anything else, especially the Parker Marriage.).

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Thunderstrike never had a do-rag, Kevin hasn't been seen in over a decade in the 616 continuity so he can be whatever age DeFalco wants, DeFalco and Frenz don't have to sell the comic so much as its association to Thor in the build-up to his movie does, and that silhouette on the cover is clearly not an adult.

 

[Dread]

Here's the teaser, for those who didn't see it:

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/marvel-teaser-thunerstrike-100809.html

I have to admit, until I did a Google search I hadn't seen it, either. At most, if Kevin Masterson aged as much as characters typically do in "Marvel time", then he could be about four years older than he was in the late 90's. Which, unless he was very young would make him a teenager, 13 at least if not older. Cassie Lang was stated to be about 14-15 back when YA started, and the Marvel universe aged a year when they claimed Cap was dead that long. Come to think of it, I am wondering that when Jonathan Hickman brings back Kristoff Vernard, as he seems to plan to from some FF teasers, he remembers that Kristoff and Cassie were supposed to be around the same age. Or he'll forget and Kristoff will suddenly be 21 or something.

Getting an old, non-well known or popular creative team (if DeFalco/Frenz were hot, SPIDER-GIRL would have at least been able to sell in the Top 100 more often that it did) on board to relaunch a franchise that has been out of print since Bill Clinton's second term in office was fresh is the RECIPE for a comic book that will sell very poorly. THOR may be able to support the occasional spin-off mini or one-shot, albeit those don't exactly sell in the Top 50 on average anymore. For all intents and purposes, Kevin would be introduced to most readers and many retailers as a new character aboard a new, or so old it's new again franchise. YOUNG ALLIES should be a lesson as to how those tend to sell; the debut barely broke the Top 100.

In theory, getting a "young Thor" out there (apparently because Tarene/Thor Girl has been mostly forgotten after AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE ended) to do a Thor spin off isn't a bad idea, and why not get the creators who worked on the MC2 version of him to work their magic on the 616 version. The problem is there has to be a connection between theory and reality, and sometimes I don't know if Marvel gets that. It's nice that they're taking a risk on something new-ish, but I'd be more impressed if it was something that won't sell so poorly that even as a 6 issue mini, it would be seen as a hiccup on the schedule. Fans trade wait on titles they expect to tank and become trades 5 minutes after they're canceled after the first arc, which aggravates the problem.

None of this means it won't be good or entertaining, but being both doesn't ensure a book succeeds, sadly. It has to be hyped and accepted as "important" by Marvel, retailers, and fans, and have things like a hot franchise, a hot creative team, and so on. And even despite all that, it may STILL tank, like Bendis/Maleev on SPIDER-WOMAN (twice).

The ideal way to bring in Kevin as the new Thunderstrike would be to promote it as an Avengers/Young Avengers event and attach him to that franchise, but oh, wait, the YA are stuck in a carbonite series with Heinberg & Cheung that's so late that Steve Rogers still has a cape and an N on his belt.

For the record for the curious, as I was, while ICV2 hasn't released hard numbers about July 2010's sales numbers, Diamond released their Top 100 for that period and AVENGERS: THE CHILDREN'S CRUSADE #1 sold at #34 of the Top 35. We don't know if July was an up or down month for the Top 300 from June in terms of overall sales, but regardless that is a very good placement considering some of the last YOUNG AVENGERS material could barely crack the Top 50-60 at debut. In June 2010, comics that sold at that placement tended to move between 44k-45k copies. That's below where YOUNG AVENGERS #12 sold way back, but that's above where DARK REIGN: YOUNG AVENGERS finished. It's possible that there really was anticipation for the original creators to return, or that retailers were fooled that it was another Avengers series instead of YA under a new name. Or both. At any rate, that franchise is ultimately Kevin Masterson's natural place, if he is indeed the next Thunderstrike.

 

[Phaedrus45]

A bunch of independant titles came out this week...plus, I held some in my inbox last week, as it was hella-expensive that week to buy all my comics.

Aliens Vs. Predator #1 and Sin City #1

Dark Horse jumps on the $1.00 back issue band wagon, offering 12 featured first issues from their past for a cheap price. I reread both of these comics, and it makes me miss how good and different Dark Horse used to be. Both comics still hold up well, especially Aliens Vs. Predator. Too bad the recently reintroduced stories that they've been putting out don't compare to this book. Quite a bit happens in that first issue, and you get a good feel for the characters involved. I liked Sin City...but, I have this reprints a few times, I think...and, when you think about it, this comic didn't give you a whole lot of story in it's first issue. It gave you a feel and a look; but, it just feels like a prologue of a novel in dialogue.

Green Hornet: Parallel Lives #2

This is more of a Kato origin tale than anything focusing on the Green Hornet. I feel that's a bit strange, as Dynamite already has a few Kato Origin comics going on currently. Thing is, I like this more than the others. We get to see Kato in his younger days as he's telling the Green Hornet how he came to be who he is today. This issue focuses on his schooling, and how he learned fighting.

Green Hornet: Golden Age Remastered #1

We get 4 golden age stories from Green Hornet's past, and the one striking difference between the new versions and this is the use of Kato. In all the stories, Kato is relegated to sitting in the car. Nowadays, he's the main guy who does most of the fighting. It's almost as if the Green Hornet is his sidekick. (And, judging by the movie previews, they make Seth Rogan's character appear like a bumbling clod compared to Kato.) It's cool to see the way things used to be, and how much story they used to fill in just eight pages.

Marvelman: Family's Finest #2

Yeah, not an independant title...but, it fits into my reviews nicely here. This actually came out last week; but, I held off a week buying it because of how much I had to spend on comics as it was. Compared to Green Hornet: Golden Age, this comic does not compare. The characters and writing was so awful that I'm a bit fearful about how well the new version of this character is going to come off, especially since they are using many of the villians that were introduced back then. With both issues, I've been so bored, that I end up skimming over much of what I'm reading. Needless to say, this comic does not hold up well these many, many years later.

Dungeons and Dragons #0

I would have skipped this comic, but it was only a buck. In it, we get two ten-page previews of upcoming comics: Dungeon and Dragons and Dark Sun. They are what you'd expect from a D & D comic...and, very much like Wildstorm's previous comic, World Of Warcraft. It's highly unlikely I'll pick up the first issue of either when they are released in November and January.

Walking Dead #76

After the wacky ending of last issue, we get to the real ending of Michonne's betrayal of Rick. (Not sure if it's really a betrayal. More like she was aware of how far Rick had lost it.) This issue really explores Rick's lack of trust...or is it insanity...and, seeing him use the phone again in the last couple pages brings it all home. (I'd forgotten all about the phone that he used to talk to his dead wife.) Kirkman has really made this book very interesting again after it went wacky for a while.

Astounding Wolf-Man #24

This book seems to be at its best as it comes to a conclusion. Thus, I came away a bit disappointed when I got to the last page. Why? Because we end up at the same point as when we began this issue. Only thing different is that 24 hours had passed. I felt like Kirkman wasted our time trying to drag it all out for another issue. And, what the hell was up with the two-page scene involving Gorgg??!!?? It didn't fit into this issue, and unless the final issue has more of Gorgg in it, I'm wondering why Kirkman wasted our time with it.

Morning Glories #1

The characters introduced in this new mini don't really connect with the reader; as, they seem more like stereotypes of teenage cliques than actual characters. But, I am interested in where this story is going to go. You get over 40 pages of story for just $3.50, as a new group of kids come to the Morning Glory school, where things are not what they seem. I'm giving the book a hesitant . Whether it stays that way will depend on where the book goes after this set-up, and if the characters can break out of a rather tired cliche of teens that we've seen in other books, like Gen 13.

 

[Dread]

Astounding Wolf-Man #24

This book seems to be at its best as it comes to a conclusion. Thus, I came away a bit disappointed when I got to the last page. Why? Because we end up at the same point as when we began this issue. Only thing different is that 24 hours had passed. I felt like Kirkman wasted our time trying to drag it all out for another issue. And, what the hell was up with the two-page scene involving Gorgg??!!?? It didn't fit into this issue, and unless the final issue has more of Gorgg in it, I'm wondering why Kirkman wasted our time with it.

Hey, now, stuff happened. Gary fought Zechariah for a round. We learned that Chloe's powers are temporary. And Gary had time to properly bring in Mecha-Maid and Hunter in his quest to save Chloe (and suit up), whereas before he was chasing them alone and left Mecha-Maid in the dust. And this time, the Elder invited the entire wolf-pack for their "rite of passage", as the lack of them last time perhaps was why he relented when it was obvious Gary would flee instead of fight him properly. He wanted a fight, not a chase.

I agree it was hardly the most dramatic of narrative shifts, but I still felt more happened than in a typical issue of INVINCIBLE IRON MAN. Or at least it had more punch.

I also agree that the angle with the mini-Gorgg's is more of a loose end tying exercise than anything, and Kirkman indulging in using some of his characters who aren't getting their own series or mini, such as the cast of Capes, Inc. I didn't mind it as I know it's all supposed to be a connected universe within Kirkman's books (aside for HAUNT and THE WALKING DEAD), although I do agree it could seem like page filler if one wasn't in the mood. The double page splash of Elder's line, though, did feel excessive.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Here's the teaser, for those who didn't see it:

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/marvel-teaser-thunerstrike-100809.html

I have to admit, until I did a Google search I hadn't seen it, either. At most, if Kevin Masterson aged as much as characters typically do in "Marvel time", then he could be about four years older than he was in the late 90's. Which, unless he was very young would make him a teenager, 13 at least if not older. Cassie Lang was stated to be about 14-15 back when YA started, and the Marvel universe aged a year when they claimed Cap was dead that long. Come to think of it, I am wondering that when Jonathan Hickman brings back Kristoff Vernard, as he seems to plan to from some FF teasers, he remembers that Kristoff and Cassie were supposed to be around the same age. Or he'll forget and Kristoff will suddenly be 21 or something.

Getting an old, non-well known or popular creative team (if DeFalco/Frenz were hot, SPIDER-GIRL would have at least been able to sell in the Top 100 more often that it did) on board to relaunch a franchise that has been out of print since Bill Clinton's second term in office was fresh is the RECIPE for a comic book that will sell very poorly. THOR may be able to support the occasional spin-off mini or one-shot, albeit those don't exactly sell in the Top 50 on average anymore. For all intents and purposes, Kevin would be introduced to most readers and many retailers as a new character aboard a new, or so old it's new again franchise. YOUNG ALLIES should be a lesson as to how those tend to sell; the debut barely broke the Top 100.

In theory, getting a "young Thor" out there (apparently because Tarene/Thor Girl has been mostly forgotten after AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE ended) to do a Thor spin off isn't a bad idea, and why not get the creators who worked on the MC2 version of him to work their magic on the 616 version. The problem is there has to be a connection between theory and reality, and sometimes I don't know if Marvel gets that. It's nice that they're taking a risk on something new-ish, but I'd be more impressed if it was something that won't sell so poorly that even as a 6 issue mini, it would be seen as a hiccup on the schedule. Fans trade wait on titles they expect to tank and become trades 5 minutes after they're canceled after the first arc, which aggravates the problem.

None of this means it won't be good or entertaining, but being both doesn't ensure a book succeeds, sadly. It has to be hyped and accepted as "important" by Marvel, retailers, and fans, and have things like a hot franchise, a hot creative team, and so on. And even despite all that, it may STILL tank, like Bendis/Maleev on SPIDER-WOMAN (twice).

The ideal way to bring in Kevin as the new Thunderstrike would be to promote it as an Avengers/Young Avengers event and attach him to that franchise, but oh, wait, the YA are stuck in a carbonite series with Heinberg & Cheung that's so late that Steve Rogers still has a cape and an N on his belt.

For the record for the curious, as I was, while ICV2 hasn't released hard numbers about July 2010's sales numbers, Diamond released their Top 100 for that period and AVENGERS: THE CHILDREN'S CRUSADE #1 sold at #34 of the Top 35. We don't know if July was an up or down month for the Top 300 from June in terms of overall sales, but regardless that is a very good placement considering some of the last YOUNG AVENGERS material could barely crack the Top 50-60 at debut. In June 2010, comics that sold at that placement tended to move between 44k-45k copies. That's below where YOUNG AVENGERS #12 sold way back, but that's above where DARK REIGN: YOUNG AVENGERS finished. It's possible that there really was anticipation for the original creators to return, or that retailers were fooled that it was another Avengers series instead of YA under a new name. Or both. At any rate, that franchise is ultimately Kevin Masterson's natural place, if he is indeed the next Thunderstrike.

Eh, if it's a mini, it doesn't necessarily need to sell too well. Either way, I think a new Thunderstrike would be cool, and if it's Kevin, it'd be even better. I'll be reading it, at least.

 

[Dread]

Eh, if it's a mini, it doesn't necessarily need to sell too well. Either way, I think a new Thunderstrike would be cool, and if it's Kevin, it'd be even better. I'll be reading it, at least.

The only way a new, teenage Thunderstrike would make sense and be in any way relevant would be if it's Kevin. Given that DeFalco & Frenz worked on the MC2 version, I'd say the odds are high that it is him. It's organic that way. In the MC2 universe, Kevin actually couldn't use his father's mace until he jumped in the way of some wonky Loki spell contrivance, but this is 616, so they may not go with that angle.

At any rate, mini's that don't sell well get forgotten, and don't become ongoings, and any characters introduced within are forgotten by the rest of mainstream Marvel.

Example: MACHINE TEEN. One would think an android teenager would have filled out a teen hero team book somewhere. But, nope. The mini sold like poo, and you'll probably never hear about him again. Same with any original characters from, say, Doc Samson's last mini. Hell, when was the last time we saw any of THE ORDER? Anthem had a cameo during Fraction's DARK REIGN arc of INVINCIBLE IRON MAN, and that's been pretty much it. And that had ten issues. And Fraction writes A-List books now, and not even HE digs up his own characters for repeat appearances.

If you're a new character, or an old character who hasn't been seen or mentioned in so long you may as well be new, there are only five ways you can debut in a mini and you'll still be seen:
1). Mini sells well, or at least doesn't completely tank out of the gate.
2). Character invented or liked by Brian Bendis.
3). Character invented or liked by Mark Millar.
4). Character was originally from a TV show and despite no one ever liking the character from the show in any way, shape, or form, said character is shoved down the collective necks of so many comic readers that he or she becomes accepted. Also known as "THE X-23 CLAUSE".
5). Writer who created character uses them in every single comic they write, no matter how inappropriate, until said character is seen and accepted. Hey, it worked for Steve Gerber.

I mean, the BASTARDS OF EVIL are perfectly fine evil teenage villains for teen hero teams to fight. After YOUNG ALLIES is inevitably canceled by issue six, you'll probably never see them again. I mean you'd have expected Tarene to appear in THOR by now, but she won't, and never will (I'll call it now). In a few years she'll be back to limbo, which was where she was before AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE. If Thunderstrike II doesn't catch on, can you count on the kid being picked up by Fraction on THOR? No. And that's a problem. New characters are rarely embraced, and the ones who are become so spammed, like the Hood or X-23, that they can ware out a welcome real quickly. Pretty much Kevin's only chance is if the Thor bandwagon proves to be strong enough that Marvel editorial wants to promote the kid as "Young Thor" even though the only connection Kevin has to Thor is his father used to sub for him.

I think writers who create new characters secretly know that the odds of anyone other then them using characters they create are low, so they often either kill or otherwise remove a lot of new characters from contention once a run winds down. Until Marvel shows faith and importance to ALL new characters, it will be hard getting retailers or fan to give a spit.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Meh, I've dealt with Tarene getting completely forgotten and ignored. I'll be fine if the same happens to Kevin/Thunderstrike. But for the time being, he's got a mini (or maybe an ongoing, I don't know) coming and I'll be checking it out. Can't personally do much more than that, so I don't worry about the rest.

 

[Franklin Richards]

Can I be honest here? I never really liked Thunderstrike. He always gave me that "She-Thing" vibe.


A member of the franchise, true, but always one of those you kinda shove in the back room.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I would've agreed if not for his actual series being quite good. I certainly wasn't a huge fan of Eric as Thor.

 

[Dread]

Fair enough. I suppose there are some who might think that Tarene & Kevin/Thunderstrike might "bog down" THOR, but, how is it any different from:

- Wolverine spawning two kids within 7 years, X-23 and Daken, who each get their own comics, and each make him less unique?
- Everyone connected with Bruce Banner being a Hulk. His cousin was cool, but Betty? Thunderbolts Ross? Rick Jones as A-Bomb? And that's atop of having two alien kids.
- Pepper Potts joining Stark and Rhodey in the Armor Brigade. Where's some armor for Jarvis? He can throw a mean uppercut when he has to.

Bringing in Kevin as a new Thunderstrike isn't a terrible idea, and Nov. 2010, when Thor mania will be reaching a fever pitch, isn't a bad time to try it. I just have no faith in it leading anywhere unless it does well. And that's why many readers trade wait or skip new characters, and retailers under order them. It's a cycle and I'd like to see Marvel break it one day.

I suppose it helps when "multiple versions" of a character are different enough that they still are unique. She-Hulk, for example, not only had the gender thing, but retaining her intelligence. At least Tarene is an alien woman, and Kevin would be a kid (with a different weapon).

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I wish Marvel supported the "family" characters as much as DC used to. Even if Thunderstrike's new series succeeds, I doubt we'll ever get comics with him and Tarene sitting atop the Statue of Liberty talking about stuff the way we saw Superboy and Supergirl doing in his series back in the early '00s.

 

[Dread]

Marvel hasn't supported "families" for a while. I thought OMD made that very clear.

The only franchise that is allowed to be one is the Fantastic Four, who have slipped off the B-List and are starting to hover near the C-List if sales don't improve. Notice the only way Marvel can try to make 25% of them seem "important" is by sticking Thing in NEW AVENGERS. What, he's Iron Fist now?

(I like Iron Fist, but just saying.)

Marvel's not usually keen on legacy characters or "families" of characters, unless they think it can sell or they want to ape what DC is having work for them. I'd be shocked if consideration of a NOVA CORPS title hasn't been talked about behind the scenes. But that could be changing; again, note my examples with Wolverine, the Hulks, or Iron Man. Love it all, hate it all, or pick your faves, those are baby steps towards branching out. If Marvel thought it'd be a good idea to have Kevin, Tarene, Beta Ray Bill and Red Norvall all involved with THOR, they might try it.

Marvel needs to realize the lesson DC has long used to their advantage; adding a new member to a "family" can have all the appeal of making an original character, without the originality required to actually make a new character, with the added bonus of some sort of inherited audience.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Red Norvell need not apply. Guy's a *****ebag.

 

[squeekness]

Ultimate Avengers 3 #1

Not sure what to make of this comic. Are we gonna keep getting new members introduced each series? Right now, it's a revolving door; and, instead of Ghost Rider being the anti-hero, now it's Blade. (This Ultimate is giving their treatment of a vampire storyline, just like we're currently getting in the 616.) It's entertaining enough; but, one of those stories that will be forgotten soon after it's over. Also, not sure how I feel about another Daredevil character being introduced. I loved the throwback costume from DD's early years...but, not sure if bringing him back in a similiar character sits well with me.

I liked that the new Daredevil had that whole Legacy-character and Ninjas vs. Vampires greater plot surrounding him, but yeah it does make me wonder would it just had been better if Matt Murdock wasn't killed off. Atleast theres also the twist that the new Daredevil is a vampire. I also don't think Blade will be an anti-hero of the series, infact it's prolly going to be Daredevil. He received the villain variant instead of who presumebly is Anthony OH MAI GAWD HES A VAMPIRE Stark!

Gotta say it was an interesting start, we get the whole back story of Connor in mere pages & inner monologue. Also yeah the main cast of Avengers goes around Nick Fury, Hawkeye, Black Widow & War Machine. Otherwise the cast is chosen by Millar who he wants for X or Y plot.

It makes me sad how much better this book would have been if someone else had done the art. Dillon never gets any better.

Haven't you paid attention to relaunches? They'll go with Ultimate Thor, and...oh, wait, they are.

The next will be New Thor, then Uncanny Thor, then Young Thor, then X-Treme Thor, and finally Secret Thor.

LOL, and there are folks out there would buy them all.

 

[kguillou]

It makes me sad how much better this book would have been if someone else had done the art. Dillon never gets any better.


LOL, and there are folks out there would buy them all.

You know, i remember way back when Millar announced Ultimate Avengers, he said each arc would be drawn by "The best A+++ artists the comic industry has to offer!!!!". From that statement i was half expecting Jim Lee to draw an arc. Instead we get guys like Lienil Yu and Steve Dillion?!? I mean each are fine artists in their own right, but come on really?? Books like this are NOT Dillon's schtick.

 

[squeekness]

Now I like Yu, even if he goes a little nutty with people's eyelids and stuff. It's Dillon that I find so stiff and boring.

 

[Phaedrus45]

DMZ #56

This second of five one-off stories focuses on the main guy in Chinatown, as the bombing of the DMZ is going on. He's been offered a deal by the U.S. government to keep his people safe in exchange his future cooperation. In the end, he has to weigh his own beliefs for those of his people.

I'm always on the edge about whether or not to keep reading this book. The developments proceed at a snail's pace at times...but, that's also part of the beauty of the book as a whole. We realize that Matty Roth has been in the DMZ for as long as we've been reading the book, and this is not a situation that is going to be solved overnight. That said, I think these issues that focus on other players within the DMZ are oftentimes my favorite. Matty is kind of a depressing character, and it feels good to get away from him from time to time. For that reason, I really enjoyed this issue.

Daredevil #509

Shadowland keeps getting better. While I was skeptical as first, I'm pretty much on board now. I love the large cast of characters involved; and, appreciate even more that those characters are well linked with Daredevil. They aren't (cross my fingers, so far) throwing in Deadpool just to get new readership. I especially loved how much of this issue focused on Elektra and Master Izo; and, even more, loved seeing Typhoid Mary come back to this comic.

I haven't been a fan of Diggle's DD, especially as it seemed he was just trying to copy the style of Brubaker's DD when he took over. His story didn't flow very well for me; but, now he's getting much better. I really wonder if that has more to do with Johnston helping with the writing; because, that is when the improvement began. I can't wait for the next issue, though.

Shadowland: Blood On The Streets #1

Ok, now I'm even more sure that Johnston is behind my liking DD sooo much more; because, all the elements that make Daredevil a good book again is seen in this issue. The characters and writing are fantastic! We haven't seen The Shroud in so long; yet, Johnston writes him so well that I want to see a series featurning him tomorrow. While I felt Diggle was writing to copy a certain style, Johnston seems to write from the heart, telling a story he wants to tell. He takes a chance with a cast of almost forgotten characters and makes it better than the main Shadowland story. I would easily read this group on a monthly basis.

Project Superpowers #11

This series just makes me think of JH every time I read it. He loves this book; but, it looks like all good things must come to an end. Not positive what the final issue is going to be; but, all signs are pointing to the heroes ending up back in the urn. At times I get confused, as we have too many heroes and villians all taking part in two epic battles. And, I also feel there are some storylines that haven't been completed. Can't wait for the next issue to wrap it all up, though. I only wish I was more invested in who these people are; but, the writer doesn't humanize them in any way. They are all just two dimensional superhero representations.

Jurassic Park #2

I decided to give IDW a second chance with this book...especially since my comic shop probably ordered a copy of it for me. I won't say I'm thrilled I did...but, things got a bit more interesting as the dinosaur action picked up a bit. The art is still horrible, and I can care less about any of the characters. But, I think I'll keep reading for another issue.

The Warriors #3

Dabel Bros. retelling of the classic movie finally gets to issue three, as Dynamite has taken over their publishing. I think it's a bad move on Dynamite's part to not offer an inexpensive double issue for readers who might have missed the original issues, just like Marvel did when they teamed up with Dabel; but, seriously, I am dumbfounded that this book ever saw the light of day. The movie is a classic, and I don't need a movie adaptation to enjoy it more. It would be one thing if the story was expanded on; but, it isn't. And, the interior art isn't that good.

Kato Origins #3

In making my comic buying more affordable, I'm seriously considering dropping the Green Hornet line of books. But, I'll probably complete the various storylines before I do that. It's too bad, because the writing hasn't been that bad. It's just that six titles devoted to one character (and, with MORE coming on the way), it's all a bit too much.

The title of this book is a bit deceiving. We aren't getting Kato's origin; we're just getting stories featuring the original Kato. Green Hornet does show up now and again; but, only in small doses. This story is at it's best as a social commentary of the times, where just being asian got you thrown into a large group that was constantly persecuted for the color of their skin. Other than that, the plot is a bit generic and plodding.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

lulz, Phaedrus and his obscenely huge pull list is the lifeblood of this thread.

 

[Drz]

You know, i remember way back when Millar announced Ultimate Avengers, he said each arc would be drawn by "The best A+++ artists the comic industry has to offer!!!!". From that statement i was half expecting Jim Lee to draw an arc. Instead we get guys like Lienil Yu and Steve Dillion?!? I mean each are fine artists in their own right, but come on really?? Books like this are NOT Dillon's schtick.

Well the A+++ artists was kinda clever way of hyping and justifying Dillon as an A+++ artist because Preacher trades sell alot. I liked what i saw from #1 because i think this issue is more about showing spooky stuff then EXPLOSIONS! I mean i love Millar's action festivals, but it really seems hes going more horror route here, where facials are good. Thats just me tho, you can see a sneak peak on Ultimate Avengers 3 #2 here with Nerd Hulk: http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=27805

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I love Steve Dillon's art, but I can't imagine it's a great fit for Ultimate Avengers. Mostly because I've never felt it was a good fit for superheroes in general.

 

[Drz]

It'll be interesting to see how he does War Machines, but he really does faces well. Which really work with the whole horro vampire thing they're going for. I wasn't impressed by the Nerd Vampire Hulk splash page, but it was very well done faces and the horro that got me attracted. Not like "cool awesome" art, but the emotional level.

 

[Dread]

Red Norvell need not apply. Guy's a *****ebag.

Fair enough. I just didn't know if there was a member of the Thor entourage you DIDN'T like.

LOL, and there are folks out there would buy them all.

Marvel and DC have been relying/milking/fleecing such completists for at least the last five years now, if not longer.

You know, i remember way back when Millar announced Ultimate Avengers, he said each arc would be drawn by "The best A+++ artists the comic industry has to offer!!!!". From that statement i was half expecting Jim Lee to draw an arc. Instead we get guys like Lienil Yu and Steve Dillion?!? I mean each are fine artists in their own right, but come on really?? Books like this are NOT Dillon's schtick.

The funny thing is, Marvel insists on having Dillon draw superhero comics, even if they're not always his best thing. He drew WOLVERINE: ORIGINS for a while even though he was drawing stuff like Wolverine. vs. Cyber and making it look awkward. He drew a "done in one" issue of Ultimate X-Men that Brian K. Vaughan wrote, I think, but that story didn't have any spandex, so it was okay. Dillon gets rep from PREACHER and to a degree his PUNISHER work, so he's considered a name. And of course, it wasn't long ago when Yu was drawing SECRET INVASION and NEW AVENGERS.

You also have to understand, Millar is an even bigger self-promotional bull**** artist than Joe Q is. If he wasn't a comic book writer, Mark Millar probably would have been a pro-wrestling manager. I could easily see him on stage tearing his shirt in two and hyperventilating about how the Human Baboon will completely demolish the Undertaker, or something. But to his credit, that is how Mark Millar has gotten two movies made based on his schlocky ideas, and about to get a third or fourth. Grandstanding as if your member is 100 feet long and shoots lasers is usually what it takes to get ahead in life, so you can either hate the player, or the game.

Besides, even the best Ultimate titles barely sell in the Top 25 anymore. Millar needs to hyperventilate as much as he can to move copies.

Jim Lee has been entrenched at DC for years now. I doubt he'll ever do art for Marvel again. Hell, the last art he did for anything that wasn't DC was a cover for INVINCIBLE for Image, a company he helped found.

Shadowland: Blood On The Streets #1

Ok, now I'm even more sure that Johnston is behind my liking DD sooo much more; because, all the elements that make Daredevil a good book again is seen in this issue. The characters and writing are fantastic! We haven't seen The Shroud in so long; yet, Johnston writes him so well that I want to see a series featurning him tomorrow. While I felt Diggle was writing to copy a certain style, Johnston seems to write from the heart, telling a story he wants to tell. He takes a chance with a cast of almost forgotten characters and makes it better than the main Shadowland story. I would easily read this group on a monthly basis.

Agree. SHADOWLAND: BLOOD ON THE STREETS was very well handled, and I was very glad I took a chance on it. I always enjoy seeing C-Listers handled with dignity and respect. I still think Shroud is more interesting when he's pretending to be a villain to uproot crime from within instead of just being a Shadow Lite vigilante, but he's still all good here.

lulz, Phaedrus and his obscenely huge pull list is the lifeblood of this thread.

I thought my long posts and rants were the lifeblood of this thread.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Fair enough. I just didn't know if there was a member of the Thor entourage you DIDN'T like.

I don't really dislike Red. He's kind of a jerk but he's had his decent moments. I just don't really need to see him regularly.

I thought my long posts and rants were the lifeblood of this thread.

More like the death knell. HIYO!

I keed, I keed.