From THE CHAMPIONS to THE ORDER

[PhotoJones]

Yeah, but that's serious business.

 

[T'Jai]

and he's been doing it for nigh 43 years now...

that automatically gives it legitimacy

 

[PhotoJones]

Heh. Yeah.

 

[Dread]

Reposting my review, with spoilers:

THE ORDER #7: The simple pleasure I got from reading this, not only a brand new franchise spring boarding from CW, but arguably the best written & drawn team book Marvel publishes, now has a bit of grim reality behind it. It's sales never caught on, and it has been canceled; issue 10 in April will be the last, and it is essentially a "dead book walking". Such a shame. Compare it to BLUE BEETLE; that was a new ongoing spring boarded off an equally large event (Infinite Crisis), it also had average promotion, and it's sales also hit the skids by around issue 6. But DC has more faith in the bigger picture, in needing to have patience with new blood characters, so it has lasted nearly two years and counting despite selling below the Top 100 (and even 110) for the last 18 months, sans the SINESTRO CORPS tie-in. But Marvel isn't about patience or what is good for the company years down the line; they only see in what is hot NOW, or in 6 months. That tunnel vision has likely kept them atop as DC has tried harder to compete in the new century, but it can cost them some franchises that are high in quality. This being one of them. Of course it wouldn't be completely fair to blame Marvel alone; retailers who put little faith in new franchises and readers who never try anything new (yes, myself included sometimes) are to blame as well. Seeing all the people ***** about BND and still buy it anyway just adds to that. Why can't Fanboys be suckers for the good **** besides CAPTAIN AMERICA, huh? Oh, well. It's like screaming at a wall at this point.
Getting on with things, this is the usual issue for THE ORDER. A story that begins and ends in one issue, but connects to the larger subplots introduced in the previous issue(s).

Spoiler

After surrounding the coast of CA with a motionless tidal wave, Namor surrenders to Anthem. Namor gets the "intro interview" this issue and that is in fact where most of the action takes place. Sure, Veda, Calamity, and Heavy are handling the evacuations and looters, but the real action is just with two men talking in a small room. Now, I suppose someone might say, "Why do you love it when Fraction does it, but whine when Bendis does it?" The answer is because Fraction is better at it. His lines sound like two adults speaking, not two teenagers. He doesn't repeat lines 3 times every panel. And the conversation has a point. Namor is there to play a political game, and while this is meant as a bit of an epilogue (I imagine) from his recent mini, you don't really need to have read it to get this issue. Namor is surrendering to the Order because he wants to embarass Tony Stark and he sees himself acting as a martyr will better serve his people than leading them nomadically across the ocean floor in search of a home, and the water-wall is meant as protection. I can't hope to capture the discussion between Henry and Namor in a review and I won't try. It spans most of Namor's history and reframes it to his current situation, and Namor is as arrogant as you'd expect, although more capable of discussion than rages of anger than Bendis writes him in THE ILLUMINATI (where he seems to scream and smash something every 5 pages). With a steady head and a subtle use of his powers, Henry manages to outwit Namor, although Namor does get most of what he wants; he is in FF custody and he embarassed Stark by claiming "the new kid" saved CA. But Henry saved everyone from drowning, which is always good. Next issue seems to be the rescue of their three missing teammates (Muholland may be playing tie-up games being kidnapped by the Black Dahlias, and Milo & Becky are stuck in the desert ducking the M.A.N. from S.H.A.D.O.W.), and that should be a heck of a ride.

It really, really, REALLY sucks that THE ORDER is canceled, and those who trade-waited missed out. But, at least it outlived THE THING, and at least we have another 3 great issues to come. If the trades sell well, it could return, but I am not holding my breath. Shame, though, so soak up the greatness while you can. It still is one of the best things to come out of The Initiative, just a shame it won't last longer. That cover's boss, too.

 

[PhotoJones]

How good was this issue? Real ****ing good. How many copies will it sell? Four. **** you, ignorant fanboy.

 

[Blader5489]

How good was this issue? Real ****ing good.

That's debatable. I really like The Order, but this was easily the weakest issue and just felt like a waste of time.

 

[Dread]

How good was this issue? Real ****ing good. How many copies will it sell? Four. **** you, ignorant fanboy.

I can sense you're as angry as I am about the cancellation.

 

[PhotoJones]

That's debatable. I really like The Order, but this was easily the weakest issue and just felt like a waste of time.

You're a moron.

 

[Blader5489]

You're a moron.

Are we reading the same issue?

The Namor plot? Totally pointless. For one thing, Namor was last seen taking refuge in Latveria, so why was he in the Pacific? Atlantis blew up and everyone integrated themselves into the US, so what's the point of the water wall? Who is Namor protecting with it? Unless this was part of an elaborate, multi-book plot to get into the FF's custody for some reason, I don't see why Namor did what he did or why he was even there.

More importantly, this book has always dealt with the conflict between The Order and the Man from Shadow (or someone/thing associated with him), a conflict that was completely absent in this issue. Nothing on Milo and Becky stranded in the desert; nothing on Mulholland and the Black Dahlias; nothing on the murder investigation.

It wasn't a bad issue but, given the number of dangling plot threads and only three issues left, it was a complete waste of time.

 

[Dread]

That's debatable. I really like The Order, but this was easily the weakest issue and just felt like a waste of time.

I disagree. I thought it was a good Namor guest appearance that didn't have him screaming and punching something for once. And it boosted Henry's rep. Not too shabby.

It was also written before the title was canceled.

 

[PhotoJones]

Are we reading the same issue?

The Namor plot? Totally pointless. For one thing, Namor was last seen taking refuge in Latveria, so why was he in the Pacific? Atlantis blew up and everyone integrated themselves into the US, so what's the point of the water wall? Who is Namor protecting with it? Unless this was part of an elaborate, multi-book plot to get into the FF's custody for some reason, I don't see why Namor did what he did or why he was even there.

So you don't understand, but you know it's a waste? Is that like the idiot code, or something; making judgments about things that have not yet been fully explained? Christ on a stick, you guys are dumb.

 

[Blader5489]

So you don't understand, but you know it's a waste? Is that like the idiot code, or something; making judgments about things that have not yet been fully explained? Christ on a stick, you guys are dumb.

What the hell? I know it's a waste because it has nothing to do with what was introduced--and left dangling--in previous issues and dealt with something totally extraneous, not to mention Namor's motivations make absolutely no sense given the mini that just ended a couple months ago.

Again, unless this was part of some big company-wide plan for Namor, I don't see what the point of this issue was.

 

[PhotoJones]

What the hell? I know it's a waste because it has nothing to do with what was introduced--and left dangling--in previous issues and dealt with something totally extraneous, not to mention Namor's motivations make absolutely no sense given the mini that just ended a couple months ago.

Again, unless this was part of some big company-wide plan for Namor, I don't see what the point of this issue was.

What part of Namor's motivations remaining in the dark escaped you? We have no idea what's up his sleeve and that's the point. I love how you've offered up a way that this could all be worthwhile in your own mind while simultaneously dismissing it and deciding that it's a waste of an issue. Really, that's a special talent.

 

[Dread]

I am fairly certain the company does have a line-wide plan for Namor. He was part of Bendis' THE ILLUMINATI. His mini actually sold moderately well considering he's a longtime B-List character who hasn't had an ongoing in years. And he is one of Marvel's oldest characters, so he always shows up in various places. Considering Millar will be on FF and enjoyed writing Namor in UFF, anything is possible.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I'm surprised there's controversy over this issue. I read it at lunch today and I liked it. I was a little perplexed, but Namor explains his motives pretty coherently in the issue itself. The US, via SHIELD and Iron Man, destroyed Atlantis, as seen in Namor's recent mini. His people are integrated into the surface world now. Then Namor forged an alliance with Doctor Doom to fortify his weakened position. Then Namor himself decided to move into politics rather than open aggression, and this Order issue features the opening move of his political gambit. His people are taken care of, but it doesn't make sense for Namor to just sit there and do nothing; as their leader, he's got to be working to improve the Atlanteans' situation.

 

[Dread]

There's not much of a "controversy", unless you count one guy on a topic not liking it as one. I enjoyed the issue, as per usual.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Don't make light of the vocal minority, Dread.

 

[PhotoJones]

I'm beginning to think that maybe the people who didn't "get" this issue aren't able to get this issue, if you know what I mean.

 

[Dread]

Don't make light of the vocal minority, Dread.

Fine.

I'm beginning to think that maybe the people who didn't "get" this issue aren't able to get this issue, if you know what I mean.

Maybe.

 

[yenaled]

Read this issue on the train ride into work this morning.

Man... that was the best issue of this series yet. I was gripped from start to finish. I love Henry - he's awesome.

Damn you Marvel

 

[Dread]

Read this issue on the train ride into work this morning.

Man... that was the best issue of this series yet. I was gripped from start to finish. I love Henry - he's awesome.

Damn you Marvel

My sentiment exactly (only in fewer words).

 

[Kraven]

I just recently put in an order for the latest three issues of this series. Disappointing to hear that it's already been cancelled, especially after the many great reviews I've seen. I would have bought it sooner, but it must've slipped by my notice. I noticed it's written by the guy who co-writes the IIF title which I also hear is pretty good. Does Fraction write any other good titles? I know of War Journal, but that doesn't look like it'd appeal to me.

 

[Anubis]

Casanova. Buy it. Read it. Make messy love to it.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

The Five Fists of Science was awesome if you like very, very loosely historical fiction.

 

[Dusty]

I'm very disappointed to read that it's getting cancelled after issue #10.