Thanks for the DEATH DEALER review, and if you want some more action, definitely check out #2…I don’t think you’ll be disapointed! Drop me an e-mail, and I’ll send you a sneak peek of #2!

-Joshua

An example of doing it right would fall to Maus, I would guess. Take a tragic, mythic slice of history that to some can almost seem unbelievable in scope and boil it down to mice, cats and dogs. So simple a child can grasp it, then. Brilliant.

I have to wonder how this could be applied to other historical or religious stories. Hmmm…

For an excellent example of how to take religious figures and ideas and treat them reverently and yet still tell incredible stories with them, see Osamu Tezuka’s manga Buddha. I’m not aware of Tezuka’s religious leanings, though most Japanese tend to be a mix of Buddhist and Shinto. Regardless, he does a spectacular job of telling the life of Gautama Buddha and getting across the basic tenets of his Buddhist message while also keeping the reader very entertained and caught up in an epic tale.

An example of doing it right would fall to Maus, I would guess. Take a tragic, mythic slice of history that to some can almost seem unbelievable in scope and boil it down to mice, cats and dogs. So simple a child can grasp it, then. Brilliant. I have to wonder how this could be applied to other historical or religious stories. Hmmm…

On a side Allred note, did anyone read his Golden Plates comics? I have been sorely tempted to pick them up but they aren’t cheap. A comic book retelling of the Book of Mormon? C’mon, how cool is that?

I read the first couple issues. I’ve also read the Book of Mormon. Somehow, Allred managed to be only a little less dry. He may be exactly the wrong person to do that project, if only because people who believe strongly in a faith are often loath to use their natural storytelling talents to deliver that faith’s stories, afraid to mess with them at all for fear of sacrilege. Dunno if that was the case here, but I was certainly surprised and underwhelmed by what I found.

I tried ‘em. I’m not what you’d call a person with religious convictions, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be moved by a story steeped in spirituality, and I certainly have a fondness for the strange and novel in comics.

That said, I couldn’t get into Golden Plates at all. Allred’s sensibilities are pretty good for Dr. Strange-style mysticism, but not so much for the quasi-historical approach of Golden Plates. It was like Allred trying to do Age of Bronze or something - just an awkward mix. And surprisingly dry for something the guy was so obviously passionate about. I wish it had been better. Maybe just too ambitious for its own good?

Kind of a good news/bad news situation as far as the first issue of the relaunch goes. The good news is that the first issue recaps all the high points of the previous runs. The bad new is that the first issue recaps all the high points of the previous runs…which makes for a kinda low energy first issue. It’s like your first episode of Lost being one of those hour-long clip shows they run each season. The issue does plant the seeds of a new adventure, but honestly, I was quite disappointed that Allred, obviously a guy with much Silver Age love, didn’t pull one of those classic Stan Lee bits of throwing the reader midway into an adventure and playing catch-up along the way.

That said, you’ll definitely catch the overall “vibe” of the series with the first issue, so I wouldn’t particularly hesitate on it. Allred’s art is gorgeous as usual and I still have much love for his pop/psychedelic sensibilities. I do think the earliest stuff is more potent (the earlier, the weirder…and better), so if you can find earlier trades, you might scoop ‘em up. They should stand pretty well on their own.

S’funny, I was so into Madman when it debuted that I remember having a blast tracking down all the different incarnations - even the blue-toned stuff from the now-defunct Tundra! I bought the Madman T-shirt, some swanky Madman magnets, the 4-issue Madman pin-up series (everyone from Toth to Kirby on that thing!), and generally pined for Madman’s girlfriend, Jo. She’s still one of my favorite cuties in comics.

On a side Allred note, did anyone read his Golden Plates comics? I have been sorely tempted to pick them up but they aren’t cheap. A comic book retelling of the Book of Mormon? C’mon, how cool is that?

Interesting review there for Two Guns D3.

I agree the time between issues will be a big factor.

BOOM’s a great company but their publishing schedule leaves quite a lot to be desired, specially when it comes in regard to people who pay their pre-orders early.

If I see 9 books listed for release in June, I’d sure like at least the majority to hit that date. You’d be lucky if you get one of them to do it at times.

I hear ya there. I pre-ordered Two Guns #2 (I missed the first issue when it was first solicited), and it was supposed to come out last month. Not a great start, and I haven’t pre-ordered any issues since. Still, the covers looked pretty cool, and it sounds entertaining, so I’ll probably check out the trade when it comes out.

The Breathe covers looked really nice, but I skipped pre-ordering it because I hadn;t heard anything of it. Again, if I hear decent things, I might check out the trade.

I’m very excited about reading Madman for the first time. I fell in love with Allred’s art on X-force/X-statix, and I really wanna try Madman out. Has anyone read the previous trades, and if so, are they pretty accessible on their own? I can’t seem to find the first few trades, and I’m not sure I wanna lay down $100 for the complete HC collections.

MOLLY HATCHET!!!!!

I agree the time between issues will be a big factor.

BOOM’s a great company but their publishing schedule leaves quite a lot to be desired, specially when it comes in regard to people who pay their pre-orders early.

If I see 9 books listed for release in June, I’d sure like at least the majority to hit that date. You’d be lucky if you get one of them to do it at times.