As for the review by David Martindale about Penance: Relentless #1 of 5, I feel compelled to say something about it. I appreciate very much your complimments about my art on Thunderbolts. Thanks. I’m enjoying so much the scripts by Mr. Ellis that I believe it is reflecting on my work. I must respectfully disagree though, when you say that Gulacy’s art is a “shameless emulation” of mine.
Gulacy is an old master, who has been using this style for years, influencing many artists, me included. So, if there is someone emulating other, that would be me. I usually do not stop by to discuss a critique, but, been a fan of Gulacy as I am, I had to say something in his defence. I hope you don’t take this as an offense. I just wanted to clarify things in behalf of justice.

All the best,
Mike Deodato, Jr.

Thanks for the input, and no, I don’t take it as any offense. As a reviewer, I need to be ready to take criticism if I intend to be dishing it out.

I was actually unaware of Gulacy’s extensive use of this style over the course of his long running career. So, to say that it’s a shameless emulation would, in fact, be incorrect.

On the other hand, the editorial decision to use Gulacy and this art style still feels like a shameless emulation of the core Thunderbolts title, and Penance: Relentless still fails to rise above being a pale imitation from this reviewer’s perspective.

Please feel free to swing by and comment in the future if you feel the desire. Comic pro or comic fan, we all have a love for the medium. Thank you again for the input.

All the best,
Mike Deodato, Jr.

That’s the short version. I actually review for another website (Comixfan) and spelled out my reasons in more detail there. Please forgive me for breaking etiquette to link to it now: http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=43046 I’m happy to link back to our little discussion here in return, if you’d like. (EDIT: Done.)

Wow. Couldn’t possibly disagree more on the Countdown to Mystery review. What did the non-Strange fans in the group think?

I should say that I don’t think I was predisposed to dislike a new Fate comic just because I like Strange better. If nothing else, I’ve always dug Fate’s visual, and Fate’s like Aquaman and Hawkman and even Green Lantern for me - characters I’ve always wanted to get into, but whose stories never quite win me over. But I root for ‘em to win me over.

For example, when I was a kid, I was a Marvel guy, but I bought a few pre-Crisis Flash issues ’cause he seemed like he’d be a cool character and he looked great. Stories didn’t quite take. Was also there when Mike Baron relaunched the book post-Crisis. Getting better, but those stories almost felt a little *too* Marvelized. But when Geoff Johns’ run finally came around…now THAT was the Flash I’d been wanting to read. Loved it.

And that’s the moment I’m waiting for with Dr. Fate. He’s got his work cut out for him, though. The only Fate story I can remember sorta liking is an old 70s one that got reprinted in DC’s The Art of Walter Simonson. And Walt’s art was a big part of why I liked it.

Aaaaaaanyway…

You dug Countdown to Mystery - what was it you liked about it?

Thank you. Rant over. Back to reading SS issues!

Well, the recent solicitations for the the new Green Arrow/Black Canary series have Conor Hawke as Green Arrow. With DC’s current course you can probably guess what happened. I read it today in my LCS and if I had bought it I would’ve done a “D3″ and flung it across the room

I think I may one of the few people who could care less about Ollie and really dig Connor, so I’m actually looking forward to the new series. I just wish Winick wasn’t writing it. He can be good, but he’s a writer I’m cautious about.

If DC does what i think they’re going to do (and I think everybody can guess at what that is, especially considering recent solicitations) then I’m gone from their superhero universe for good.

Or rather once JLA/Hitman finishes

I’m out of the loop on solicitations, and my issues of Countdown are piling up unread (begging the question, why not un-bought?!). What’s the theory on what DC’s going to do?

Well, the recent solicitations for the the new Green Arrow/Black Canary series have Conor Hawke as Green Arrow. With DC’s current course you can probably guess what happened. I read it today in my LCS and if I had bought it I would’ve done a “D3″ and flung it across the room

Ennis @ Avatar.. I know there will be a trade, so I wait for all Avatar books. They’re books are expensive and late, so I just wait and wait for the complete package. Glad to hear his new western was good-ish.

Wedding specials. I picked up Wedding Planner and Wedding Special yesterday. Read both last night. Planner was pretty cool. I liked how we skipped by the heroing stuff.. the call comes from Batman at the satellite and then pair go to work.. then next page we’re back in the “in between” time. I dug that. And a few of the single page things from Christine Norrie were fun. The JLA wedding special was lame if you wanted to read about the wedding (covered this last week tho). the GA/BC Wedding Special.. I was having fun! Yay for the art and the swearing! Yay for the battle and the resolution. And “What a Twist!” ending was very disappointing. It’s regrettably difficult for me to find superhero books I can love. Annoying.

About Penance: Relentless #1, I would have bought this issue, if it was written by Warren Ellis. Jenkins is not doing anything for me lately. I have been turned off by his writing since Civil War: Frontline. That speech about NASCAR and American Idol really put me off.

Now about that upcoming, Green Arrow/Black Canary series, I love the characters involved in the comic and Cliff Chiang’s art but Winick as the writer is not something I’m fond of. He’s the same as Jenkins, I lost interest in his writing. While, I still have to read the Green Arrow and Black Canary Wedding Special, I take it that it’s the weakest of the three specials?

Yeah, what the hell happened to Winick and Jenkins? I used to like their writing (although come to think of it, it’s been years since they’ve done work that I dig).

Still, I’ll buy pretty much anything Chiang draws (has anyone read the excellent Dr. 13 mini he did with Azzarello?).

If DC does what i think they’re going to do (and I think everybody can guess at what that is, especially considering recent solicitations) then I’m gone from their superhero universe for good.

Or rather once JLA/Hitman finishes

I’m out of the loop on solicitations, and my issues of Countdown are piling up unread (begging the question, why not un-bought?!). What’s the theory on what DC’s going to do?

(My name at alumni then a dot then clemson then a dot edu if you don’t want to give anything away here in the comments.)

Now about that upcoming, Green Arrow/Black Canary series, I love the characters involved in the comic and Cliff Chiang’s art but Winick as the writer is not something I’m fond of. He’s the same as Jenkins, I lost interest in his writing. While, I still have to read the Green Arrow and Black Canary Wedding Special, I take it that it’s the weakest of the three specials?

Glad to hear Umbrella Academy is groovy. I loved the sample handed out on Free Comic Book Day and have been looking forward to this since then. I need to pull that issue out to re-read. Is this new #1 a retread or extension of that story, a continuation or something completely new? Just curious. That one-shot was fantastic, if I recall.

Actually, this is all new material. And it is indeed groovy.

I’m not an emo kid, and I don’t pretend to be, but when I think of emo, I think of fruity bangs and black eye-liner and whining about the girl that dumped you in high school.

I take issue with calling Penance emo.

Speedball blames himself for the death of a couple hundred kids and his best friends. Just because he’s messed up, dark, and emotes, does not make him emo.

From Wikipedia, which is of course always right:

“Emo people are portrayed as melodramatic, self-pitying teenagers who pour their efforts into writing depressing poetry. Contemporary emo has been called a “sad caricature” of what it once was. Some have accused emo of celebrating self-injury or suicide, which those who do usually refer to “helping ease the pain.”

By that definition, I’d say emo is pretty on target.

Didn’t Warren Ellis’ Wolfskin come out on Avatar this week as well? Has anyone read that? Is it worth checking out?
I’m surprised how much material Warren Ellis is pumping out. I hope he doesn’t fall too deep into “auto-pilot” mode.

I’ve read it, it’s not his best work, but it’s pretty entertaining, the story is more of a backdrop for cool action, the art is more impressive, from the guy who’s doing Black Summer. I’d recommend it.

I know emo is all the rage, but Penance seems to be approaching goth, with all that self-mutilation.

I’m not an emo kid, and I don’t pretend to be, but when I think of emo, I think of fruity bangs and black eye-liner and whining about the girl that dumped you in high school.

I take issue with calling Penance emo.

Speedball blames himself for the death of a couple hundred kids and his best friends. Just because he’s messed up, dark, and emotes, does not make him emo.