Down the Line: February Releases
Down the Line is our monthly look at Previews, and what titles are coming out a few months, well, “down the line.”
This installment covers the December Previews for comics due to ship out in February 2008. Remember, especially with the indy books, that pre-ordering is your friend, and the best way to make sure you get the books you want. I should mention, thanks to the increasing prevalence of advance solicitation, that some of the books here won’t actually ship until March or later, but the pre-orders are still due by the end of December.
As always, the Previews rundown is in alphabetical order, rather than the order used in the catalog. To facilitate those seeking more information, each entry will include the page number of the solicitation. Dan and I will both offer up a “Top Five Shiny New Things to Watch Out For,” also in alphabetical order, and then we’ll provide a rundown of “Other Stuff That Caught Our Eye.” The focus in this column is always going to be on jumping-on points and new stuff, so if you’re wondering “Where’s DMZ?” or something along those lines, I still love it, I just don’t want to keep harping on it.
As always, Dan Grendell will be chiming in, mainly for a manga viewpoint but also to give another voice.
Randy’s Top Five Shiny Things To Watch Out For:
Green Arrow: Year One HC (DC):
Randy: I wasn’t sure I’d dig this, as I kind of like Green Arrow a little more swashbuckling, a little less realistic, but I’ll be damned if it didn’t turn out to be one of the best action stories (and the best Green Arrow stories) I’ve read all year. Clearly, you put Andy Diggle and Jock together, you get great comics. I’d love it if there are some extras in this hardcover, but this is that rare story where I’m happy to pony up for the hardcover edition even if it’s a bare-bones, regular-sized edition. (page 80)
The Highwaymen TP (DC/Wildstorm):
Randy: I thought this book was a classic, fun take on the buddy movie done for comics with a style that reminded me of classic Warren Ellis and terrific artwork by newcomer Lee Garbett. Given the low sales, I wasn’t certain it would get a trade, but I’m glad it did, and I’ll definitely be picking it up. A great read, especially if you have a fondness for the John McTiernan/Shane Black/Richard Donner oeuvre.
The Order: The Next Right Thing TP (Marvel):
Dan: I’ve been loving this post-Civil War series by Matt Fraction, mainly for its character focus and cool ideas but also for Barry Kitson’s sweet artwork. This trade collects the first seven issues, and if you haven’t been reading this series, check it out. There’s a lot to like here. (page M100)
Randy: This may be my favorite Marvel series right now, with only Nova and Thunderbolts getting anywhere close. Fraction has given us a smart, hipster superhero book that isn’t insulting to those who actually like superheroes, and Kitson is doing the best artwork of his distinguished career. I would have bought this as a premiere hardcover, but I’m glad that instead I get the chance to buy it at the cheap cost of $15 for 7 issues.
Rasl #1 (Cartoon Books):
Dan: Jeff Smith (of Bone fame) has moved on to a more mature book, but one that looks to be excellent. Rasl is an art thief, able to move through the light between dimensions to make his scores. Running from his past, he stumbles onto a secret that will change his life. I’ve had a chance to see parts of this first issue, and they look awesome. I just wish the book was going to be published at the giant size Smith had at San Diego. (page 238)
Randy: Yeah, I’m kinda bummed about that as well, as I bought that oversized preview and it is simply stunning. But an oversized 32-page comic probably would have cost in the neighborhood of $20, which the market probably can’t bear. At any rate, this is a great concept, and the usual exceptional cartooning you’re used to from Smith. Really loved the preview, looking forward to seeing more of it. And hoping it won’t hit the crazy delays that Bone had, but expecting, given the time that it takes for cartooning of this level, that it probably will.
Sandman Mystery Theatre V.6: The Hourman and the Python TP (DC/Vertigo):
Dan: Just when I think DC has given up on Sandman Mystery Theatre, they prove me wrong and make me a happy man. I’m thrilled that they are reprinting this series, and desperately hoping that they actually finish the entire thing. (page 110)
Randy: The fact that they’ve gotten to volume six (and thus, well past the half-way mark) certainly gives me hope that they’re going to collect it all. I don’t recall the Python off the top of my head, but Matt Wagner and Guy Davis do a great pulp take on JSA member Hourman, and this was one of my favorite arcs of the series.
Dan’s Top Five Shiny Things To Watch Out For:
Hellboy Library Edition V.1 HC (Dark Horse):
Dan: Holy crap, this is one sexy book. As big as Dark Horse’s art hardcovers (that’s a hefty 9″ by 12″), with a beautiful binding, it collects the first two Hellboy minis- Seed of Destruction and Wake the Devil- as well as sketches and designs. It’s fifty bucks, but this isn’t a trade- it’s a treasure. (page 23)
Randy: Damn it, I am not made of money… why must publishers keep tempting me so? $50 is perfectly reasonable for this package (it’s about $15 more than buying both trades) and it’s sized to match up with the Art of Hellboy hardcover, which sets my format whore heart all a-flutter. I’ll most likely be buying these.
True Story, Swear To God Archives V.1 TP (Image):
Dan: Tom Beland’s incredible story of his real-life romance with the lovely Lily, his move to Puerto Rico, and creating the comic collected in this trade is one of my favorite reads every time it comes out. The earlier two trades from AIT/Planet Lar have been hard to find, and this big book collects all the material in them plus six issues never before collected. Beland’s entire pre-Image run- over 500 pages- for twenty bucks. That’s a steal, and worth it at twice the price.(page 145)
Randy: Hey, no fair, I was going to put this on my top five! I’m delighted to see Beland’s touching, hilarious series getting this gigantic and affordable collection. And despite owning both AIT/Planet Lar trades and the single issues, I’ll be picking this up, making this one of the few series I will have bought three times. It’s that good.
Dan: Should have started writing earlier, chum………p.
Super-Villain Team-Up: MODOK’s 11 TP (Marvel):
Dan: This was one of my favorite reads of this year, with some great fun and cool action and a surprise ending that left me shaking my head and giggling. Fred van Lente is a great writer, but he was fully on his game for this one, pulling out all the stops to make minor villains cool and this heist comic a blast to read. (page M102)
Yotsuba&! V.6 (ADV):
Dan: This was a nice surprise. Volume 5 only came out recently, and I was expecting another long wait before this volume as I was under the impression that the English volumes had caught up to the Japanese ones. Sometimes, I’m glad to be wrong. (page 191)
Tiny Titans #1 (DC):
Dan: It’s a whole new look at the Titans- and they are as cute as hell. Art Baltazar and Franco, known for their work on Patrick the Wolf Boy, bring the wee Titans to Johnny DC and it looks like a ton of fun. If nothing else, the Tiny Titans are freaking adorable. (page 89)
Randy: This looks like fun. Kudos to DC for a reinvigoration of what is already one of the best kids’ line in comics. If only some of that all-ages friendly spirit could reinvigorate a bit more of the DCU at large.
Other stuff that caught our eye:
Abe Sapien: The Drowning #1 (Dark Horse):
Dan: There have been Abe Sapien one-shots and stories focused around the fish-man before, but this is his first mini-series, and if you ask me its about time. He’s an intriguing character and plenty cool enough to support his own tale. This mini is another example of Mignola writing and someone else drawing, in this case Jason Shawn Alexander, and as usual the artist looks perfect for the series. I love Mignola’s art, but I can’t fault his choices for replacements. (page 20)
Randy: No kidding. Honestly, I might even be a little disappointed to see Mignola come back if it meant losing out on Guy Davis or Duncan Fegredo, and Jason Shawn Alexander is another spectacular choice in that vein. The black and white preview page in Previews has beautiful mood and detail. Mignola writes, top talent art draws and we get about four times as much Hellboy and B.P.R.D. material. Everybody wins!
All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z V.1 HC (Marvel):
Dan: The first of 12 volumes, this is pretty damn cool for those of us that love the OHOTMU stuff. I’m not sure if I’m gonna pick it up, if only because I’m not sure I can justify spending a total of 300 bucks over the course of the series for something reprinting books I mostly already have, but it’s cool. I do kinda wish it had been released in paperback, just for price reasons. I’m not sure if this collects just the A to Z issues, or if it has the earlier team-based OHOTMU stuff. (page M93)
Batman #674 (DC):
Randy: This month, Batman gets tortured! “With a shocking appearance by Bat-Mite,” no less. I mean, I guess I’ll give them points for equal opportunity, torturing a male hero instead of just the female heroes, but still… yuck. The DC Universe seems like a morose, painful, awful place to be right now. And that’s just for the readers! Zing! (page 64)
Dan: Look at it this way- I doubt it will be worse than what Morrison put Mr. Miracle through. That was just harsh.
ClanDestine #1 (Marvel):
Dan: It’s a bit odd to see a short-lived series from ’90s Marvel UK brought back to life, but I’ve never read any of the original series (which is collected in its own hardcover this month too), so I’m interested enough to give it a try. Plus, Alan Davis is doing the art and the writing (he created the first series), and that gets my attention too. Besides, the idea of a family of immortal super-heroes is kinda cool. (page M24)
Randy: I actually own the trade paperback collecting the short-lived Clan Destine series and their X-Men crossover, and it’s a lot of fun, kind of like Davis’s best stuff on Captain Britain and Excalibur. I’m not always a fan of Davis’s writing, but on these characters, he shines, and his artwork is great as always. A surprising and most welcome return.
The Complete Green Lama (Dark Horse):
Randy: I must confess, I have little to no interest in these pricey archives of long-dormant characters. But I’m glad Dark Horse is doing them, because it’s nice to see someone doing their best to get comic history back in print. This one’s about a buddhist superhero created by Mac Raboy (famous for Flash Gordon), a character I gained a slight fondness for when I saw Ryan Kelly’s re-envisioning of him on an Engine thread. Slight fondness doesn’t translate to “Willing to drop $50,” but like I said, it’s one of those things I’m glad somebody is doing. (page 36)
Dan: I’m sure this is being released because Alex Ross is featuring the character in Superpowers, but I don’t care. I’m just glad to see these Golden Age stories available.
Criminal Vol. 2 #1 (Marvel/Icon):
Randy: Criminal gets a new issue one and a new format (with a slightly higher price and more pages), and if you haven’t been reading the Brubaker/Phillips crime book, here’s another chance to start. The new story features that noir standard, the boxer, and it’s a ’70s period piece. Sounds like fun, and is sure to be as perfectly done as always with this creative team. (page M74)
Dan: This is also the first of three stand-alone stories, which is a nice change of pace.
Dead of Night Featuring Man-Thing #1 (Marvel):
Dan: Why exactly does Marvel think that their horror characters need upgraded origins under the Marvel MAX imprint? First Simon Garth, and now Man-Thing. This could be cool, but I’m more expecting it to miss the point of Man-Thing- he’s a vehicle to tell horror stories about people, not just a muck monster. (page M71)
Discovered: SCAD Sequential Art Anthology TP (Top Shelf Productions):
Randy: Many of my favorite artists came out of the sequential art department at the Savannah College of Art and Design, so I’m very much interested in a $10 anthology presenting more than 90 submissions from artists at the school, some of whom will probably go on to become favorites in the future. (page 336)
DMZ Vol. 4: Friendly Fire TP (DC/Vertigo):
Randy: The latest collection of DMZ, featuring a stunning array of impressive artists and the best story of the series thus far, as investigative journalist looks into a wartime massacre and Wood gives us the rundown Rashomon style. (page 106)
Evenfall V.1: Lay Me Down TP (Blue Feather Press):
Dan: After Phoebe loses her mother to cancer, she loses touch with reality and enters a fantasy world of bizarre and dangerous creatures. Is she really crazy, though, or has she actually found an entrance to another world? That’s a pretty cool premise- the exploration of what reality is can lead to some pretty cool comics- and for just ten bucks, this seems worth checking out. (page 230)
Randy: I’ve actually read this one, in fact I think I have it on my bookshelf, and as I remember, it’s kinda like Strangers in Paradise with a philosophical, mystical side, which is not a bad thing. This is an offered again item, which means if it holds your interest, you can order it from your local retailer right now. Unless it’s night-time and they’re closed, in which case you have to wait until tomorrow. Or break in and order it for them. Your call.
Dan: Unless you are familiar with Diamond’s sometimes-Byzantine ordering system, I’d suggest just waiting. You may be there all night anyway.
Fantastic Four #554 (Marvel):
Dan: Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch take over the FF and, honestly, I’d rather McDuffie had stayed. The solicit promises “The World’s ULTIMATEST Comic Magazine!” This is also apparently the launch of a year-long story. If I wanted Ultimate FF I’d buy Ultimate FF, and a year-long story? Seriously? Jeez, I’m not even asking for done-in-one stories anymore, I’d just like them to finish before I lose all memory of what’s been happening. (page M27)
Randy: To play Devil’s Advocate, this will no doubt be a sales blockbuster, and Millar and Hitch practically have a doctorate in “giving people what they want.” Especially if what they want is a betting pool on how long it’ll take for 12 issues to come out. Put me down for “last issue comes out in the first part of 2010.” Me, I’ve got pretty much zero interest in this, especially after Millar’s “Reed as douchebag” characterization in Civil War. Ah, well… it was nice to actually like the character again for a few issues while McDuffie was writing.
Dan: I think Quesada has said that Hitch already has 6 issues done, so it may actually be on time. I refuse to put money on it, though.
Randy: Quesada also said that Spider-Man: One More Day would ship weekly. His sense of time may not match standard human measurements.
Green Arrow/Black Canary #5 (DC):
Randy: “With a recent tragedy hanging over their heads, Green Arrow and Black Canary realize that they may not have actually gotten married.” Oh, for Christ’s sake. So many things wrong with this I can’t even begin, but let’s start with the most egregious: If you have Amanda Conner penciling your book, the last thing you should be writing is frickin’ tragedy. Her work is great, and deserves the light, fun touch that Green Arrow and Black Canary should have. How is it possible to feel so much disdain and disappointment for a book that I had already written off? It’s because I like these characters, I like the artists on the book and I think it’s a tragic waste of potential. How did the guy who wrote the hugely fun Barry Ween series turn into Mopey the Emo Scribe?
Dan: Wait, Ollie was presumed dead as of Wedding Special/#1 and there’s another huge tragedy already? Is this a Vertigo book now? Did he turn into Goth Arrow?
Grendel: Devil Child HC (Dark Horse):
Dan: Dark Horse continues their slow reprints of the Grendel saga with this look at Stacy Palumbo, Hunter Rose’s adopted daughter and the link between him and the next Grendel. It’s also an early look at Tim Sale’s art. (page 34)
Randy: Was this early? I think it was published in 1998 or ‘99, so Sale had been around then, although he wasn’t the superstar he is now. At any rate, I have the original two-issue mini this reprints, and it is one of the most disturbing and engaging Grendel tales ever. Written by longtime Grendel editor (and comics editing legend) Diana Schutz, this one’s a heart-breaker, about an innocent little girl whose involvement with a personification of evil and another of vengeful rage twisted her at a young age and never let her go. Amazing stuff, glad to see Dark Horse reprinting it.
Dan: You’re right. I was thinking of his other Grendel work from the late Eighties. By the time this book came out, he had already made a splash with Legends of the Dark Knight and The Long Halloween. My bad.
Immortal Iron Fist: Orson Randall and the Green Mist of Death (Marvel):
Dan: I loved the Immortal Iron Fist Annual, and it’s great to see that Marvel is continuing on with their explorations of Orson Randall’s adventures. This time, it’s Orson vs. the Prince of Orphans, with art by Mitch Breitweiser, Chris Brunner, Russ Heath, and Lewis Larosa. Should look great, though I wish Dan Brereton had made a return appearance. (page M33)
Jellaby Volume 1 GN (Hyperion Books):
Randy: Another member of the Flight crew gets a graphic novel from big time publishing house Hyperion, and Kean Soo’s kid-friendly, girl and her monster tale definitely deserves the exposure. Sweet, fun and beautifully illustrated, you can get a taste by checking out the Secret Friend Society website.
Jumper: Jumpscars GN (Oni Press):
Randy: Oh, good. When the issues were canceled, I thought maybe Oni wasn’t going to produce this prequel to the teleporter action movie Jumper, but instead they’re going the wise route of a full-color OGN. Creative team is the same one that did terrific Oni miniseries like Three Strikes and Skinwalkers, and if you want to see how cool the idea is that they’re working from, check out the movie trailer. This should be fun. (page 305)
Kick-Ass #1 (Marvel/Icon):
Randy: Subtlety, thy name is Mark Millar. I’m guessing this is gonna be for those who thought Nextwave and The Boys weren’t over-the-top enough. Should have nice art by John Romita Jr., and probably bear no resemblance at all to anything I ever want to read. (page M75)
Dan: Liar. Just the other day you were lamenting to me about how superheroes don’t kick the shit out of enough people.
Randy: I meant in real life. In comics, I like them to be noble and true. In real life, I think they should beat innocent people like it’s a sport.
Krash Bastards OGN (Image)
Randy: I have no earthly idea what this is about, based on the scant solicitation info. Futuristic punks? Evil rock band? Supervillains? What I do know is that it’s called Krash Bastards and written by Joe Casey, and that at least earns it a look. (page 137)
Dan: Yeah, the solicit was pretty incomprehensible. I’m guessing that’s either supposed to make you think it’s the coolest thing ever or confuse the hell out of you.
Locke and Key #1 (IDW):
Dan: For horror fans, novelist Joe Hill (author of Heart-Shaped Box and Stephen King’s son, though he earned his bones incognito) has put together a story here that seems pretty cool. It’s about Keyhouse, a freaky place filled with doors that change and warp the people that walk through them, and the monster that hides in the house, driven to open the worst door of them all. Gabriel Rodriguez is on art, so it looks good too. I’m definitely gonna check this out. Preview pages here. (page 287)
The Magdalena/Daredevil (Image/Top Cow):
Randy: Wow, do I not care about the Magdalena. However, this is a crossover between a battle nun and Marvel’s most prominent Catholic superhero, Daredevil, which is a clever enough pairing, especially when it’s done by Phil Hester and Ande Parks, a pair of creators who I will follow almost anywhere. Even into Top Cow books. (page 166)
Dan: How’s Magdalena going to defeat Daredevil? A whore-nun outfit and giant rack don’t work on a blind guy, unless his radar-sense can detect erect nipples.
The Many Adventures of Miranda Mercury #295 (Archaia Studios Press):
Randy: I tend to find the gimmick of presenting a first issue as the latest in a long line of issues self-defeating in today’s marketplace, but there are always exceptions, and Miranda Mercury just might be one of them. For one thing, the gag of “leading directly into the oversized 300th issue” and presenting “everything will never be the same” hype for a character nobody has ever heard of before is kind of a hilarious bit of meta commentary on the industry. For another, the creative team includes promising writer Brandon Thomas and artist Lee Ferguson, both of whom have done small books throughout the years that I’ve really enjoyed. And for another, it’s an Archaia Studios Press book, which means it gets an automatic look. This looks like a lot of space adventure fun. (page 204)
Mixtape, Vol. 1: Food One/Jim Mahfood Art HC (Image):
Randy: I have a pretty decent selection of Jim Mahfood’s art, but not a lot of full-color work, so I’m pretty tempted by this hardcover of flyers, album covers and such. (page 139)
The Nearly Complete Essential Hembeck Archives Omnibus TP (Image):
Dan: For decades, Fred Hembeck was the cartoon humorist in comics. His cartoon parodies appeared in the Daily Planet page of DC comics, the Marvel Age magazine, and tons of other places. This massive, 900-page book collects most of that work for a measly 25 bucks, and is a must-have for any comics humor fan. (page 141)
Randy: How are they printing this? Is it considered parody? I mean, I’m not complaining, I have a huge fondness for Hembeck’s work, but I’m kind of surprised that he’s able to collect all of his stuff, which featured pretty much every DC and Marvel character ever.
Dan: Maybe they don’t know. SHHHHHH! Nobody tell DC or Marvel!
Noble Causes Archives V.2 TP (Image):
Dan: Well, that was fast. The first volume of this Archive series hasn’t even hit stores yet and already the second one is being solicited. That’s good- it means a shorter delay in your Noble Causes reading. (page 143)
Punisher MAX V.4 HC (Marvel):
Dan: I really like Garth Ennis’ Punisher series, but I wait to buy it until these oversized hardcovers come out. This is the first one that has stories in it that I haven’t read yet, but I fully expect to enjoy them as much as I have the others. (page M89)
Rogue Angel: Teller of Tales #1 (IDW):
Dan: IDW grabs another interesting license, this time from Harlequin Books’ Gold Eagle imprint. The Rogue Angel series is about world-traveling archaeologist Annja Creed, who is bonded to the magical sword of Joan of Arc and who explores the cracks of history. This time, she’s looking into a possible Mark Twain manuscript. Longtime RPG novelists Victor Milan and Mel Odom write the novels under the house name Alex Archer, but instead of one of them, IDW got a comics writer to do the mini-series: Barbara Kesel is on scripts. (page 291)
Scud, the Disposable Assassin #21 (Image):
Dan: It’s been a decade, but it looks like this indie gem is finally going to get an ending. I just wish the four trades that collected the first twenty issues had been re-released as well. As it is, those of us who’ve never read it or would like to re-read it but don’t own it are kinda screwed. (page 133)
Randy: Yeah, it’s a little weird, especially since the book has been out of print for such a long time, there are probably a lot more fans who don’t know the character now than there are fans who are clamoring for issue #21. But for those who loved Scud, here’s a surprise finale for a character you probably never expected to see again. Now we just have to wait for Martin Wagner to come back and finish Hepcats… wait, why are you laughing?
Showcase Presents: Booster Gold Vol. 1 (DC):
Randy: I’ve got all of these issues, so I’m unlikely to buy a collected black and white edition… but it’s not entirely out of the realm of possibility. If your only exposure to Booster Gold is the convoluted time cop of his current series and 52 or the bwa ha ha incarnation of JLI (both of which I have some fondness for), check out the series by his creator Dan Jurgens, which was a great ’80s corporate take on superheroes. (page 85)
The Sisterhood #1 (Archaia Studios Press):
Randy: Kind of a cool concept here, about badass exorcist nuns who take evil spirits into themselves and, if they die a natural death, the spirit dies with them, it’s evil gone forever. If they’re killed violently, the spirits are released again. So naturally, bad guys have sent assassins to kill the nuns and they’ve got to fight back and investigate. Sounds interesting, and the art looks pretty good. (page 210)
Dan: Too bad they’re Catholic, or they could just take a bunch of sleeping pills to make sure the spirits don’t get away. At least, I assume they’re Catholic. I suppose they could be Buddhist nuns or something.
Smuggling Spirits #1 (Ambrosia Publishing):
Randy: You can check out Smuggling Spirits online, and it’s a beautiful looking, interesting little crime/supernatural book. I’d recommend it to fans of Hellblazer and especially Oni’s The Damned, but I’m a little puzzled why the creators decided, after successfully serializing online, to serialize in the direct market as well. Seems like going direct to graphic novel would have been the better move. (page 199)
Speed Racer: Mach Go Go Go V.1-2 (Digital Manga Publishing):
Dan: Here it is in its entirety- the original manga that launched a franchise. Collected in two beautiful hardcovers in a nice slipcase as part of the 40th anniversary of Speed Racer (and to tie in to the upcoming movie), this is a great bet to buy for old-school manga or Speed Racer fans. (page 271)
Randy: Worth noting that IDW is collecting the well-liked NOW Comics series in trade paperbacks this month as well. Speed Racer fans have much to be happy about.
Spider-Man Family #7 (Marvel):
Dan: A labor of love for Todd DeZago, Mark Waid, and Karl Kesel, this issue is a tribute to Mike Wieringo. It pits Spidey and the FF against the Looter and hits all of ‘Ringo’s favorite places in the Marvel Universe. I’ve been digging this title anyway, but this issue is one I’m sure to pick up. (page M17)
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed GN (Dark Horse):
Randy: Dark Horse’s Star Wars comics have been really good in the last few years, and I’m kind of excited about this one, an original graphic novel based on the new, heavily buzzed videogame. It features Darth Vader’s secret (and hugely powerful) apprentice, and if the shot of a guy bringing down a Star Destroyer using the Force doesn’t intrigue you, you’re probably not a Star Wars fan. Haden Blackman wrote some good stuff on Star Wars: Republic, and both Brian Ching and Dave Ross have done some nice art on the Star Wars stuff as well. Should be fun, if you’re into that kind of thing. Which I am. (page 38)
Dan: Wait, what? Vader had an apprentice? Taking down a Star Destroyer with the Force? Where the hell have I been?
Randy: It was a secret apprentice, Dan! Now quiet down and take these magical amnesia pills.
The Terminator Omnibus Volume 1 TP (Dark Horse):
Randy: Love Dark Horse’s new Omnibus format. A thick package of their best licensed stuff, including Aliens, Predator, Star Wars, Buffy, etc. Especially glad to see the Terminator getting this treatment. I have most, if not all, of these series, and there was some great stuff in here, by talents including James Robinson and Matt Wagner. Judging from the trailers, The Sarah Conner Chronicles is probably gonna blow… I’d suggest checking out these Terminator comics instead if you’re feeling the killer robot jones.
The Transformers Spotlight Volume 2 TP (IDW):
Randy: These Transformers one-shots spotlighting sometimes obscure, sometimes not characters have been surprisingly fun, even if you’re not a diehard Transformers fan. The stories here include everyone from weird obscurities like Kup (the old Autobot) and Ramjet (another Decepticon fighter jet) and bigger names like Soundwave, Galvatron and Optimus Prime. Good stuff if you’ve got any fondness for the Transformers. (page 288)
Dan: Some very cool stories, even the one about Kup.
X-Force #1 (Marvel):
Dan: Apparently, after Messiah Complex, Cyclops has decided that some enemies need to be killed to be dealt with, so he puts together the secret hit squad of X-Force. Who’s on it? Well, Wolverine, of course, X-23 (hasn’t she been trying desperately to STOP being a killer in New X-Men?), Warpath, and… Wolfsbane? Wha? She’s all about Catholic guilt and last I checked, wasn’t a cold-blooded killer. This team is weird, the idea is offensive (a heroic hit squad- bleccch), and I smell angst on every page. Pass. (page M61)
Randy: Here’s the thing… I can buy into this concept. Sure, it sounds like ’90s crap, but a secret X-Men team that does the dirty work? OK. Could even be cool, if you give it to the right writers and put together the right team. But Wolfsbane doesn’t belong and Cyclops would never, ever, ever be the guy to put this together. If it were Cable, I’d be OK with it, although I’d still have no interest. But at least this will give Wolverine a spotlight, because he only has two ongoing series and a couple other X-Books that he stars in every month.
Dan: But this is the new, angry Cyclops, Randy, who tells off Professor X and makes sure the New X-Men know who’s in charge. He’s a badass. You can tell because he yells a lot.
Randy: Just like Frank Costanza and Sam Kinison! Badasses both.
Zorro #1 (Dynamite Entertainment):
Dan: After the great job Dynamite as done bringing life back to Lone Ranger, I’m inclined to believe they can do the same with Zorro. It helps that Matt Wagner is writing with Francesco Francavilla on art. The series is looking at Zorro’s first year, and should be a great pulp action book. (page 247)
Randy: I was interested in this because I have a basic fondness for Zorro and a huge appreciation of Matt Wagner as a writer. Now that I see that Francavilla is coming on board, I’m really excited, because his pulpy work on APE’s Black Coat makes him the perfect choice for this character, and I think this is going to be a pretty exciting, swashbuckling read.
53 Responses to “Down the Line: February Releases”
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1. I FRICKing HATE Millar let him be on ghost rider. Put him on Blade. Put him on Milty the unhappy Grasshoper! Just please not FF.
2. I have problems with X-Force. Did’nt the x-men used to think Wolverine’s bloodlust needed curing?
3 is cyclops now saying “YOU do the killing i’m a big whimp
4 If you REALY want killers might you want some RANGE? Where’s Cable where’s Gambit? These guys are pretty messed up if they run into Electro.
04 Dec 2007 at 10:30 pm
I’m quite looking forward to Miranda Mercury. I was interested just because Thomas is attached and I’ve enjoyed following his column at Silver Bullet Comics but the preview over at Newsarama has me hooked. Looks like another slam dunk for ASP. Still not sure about the numbering though…
http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=138410
04 Dec 2007 at 11:22 pm
I’ll be checking out the True Story Archives and hopping on the monthly book as well. I always remember these early issues being strongly reviewed by Randy at 4th Rail.
Even though I loved Green Arrow Y1 I won’t be dropping that much for a bare bones HC. At the very least they could have thrown in the covers and a script for that price.
Zorro is what I’m looking forward to the most. If DE can continue to produce great heroes(Lone Ranger and hopefully SuperPowers will follow suit) with stories that don’t suck I’ll drop almost every hero book from DC and Marvel. I can’t wait for the The Man with No Name book to come out. I hope they get the rights to The Shadow and G.I. Joe.
05 Dec 2007 at 12:04 am
Thanks for the link. After looking at those preview pages I’ve decided to give this book a try. It looks like a lot of fun.
Randy: Quesada also said that Spider-Man: One More Day would ship weekly. His sense of time may not match standard human measurements.
Quesada goes by Marvel Standard Time, not real time, so technically he’s not wrong.
I’m not looking forward to Millar on FF, either. God I wish he’d just go away. If I end up buying the Fantastic Four it’ll be for the same reason I’ve bought many a Millar-written book: the artist.
Bryan Hitch is just too hard to pass up.
05 Dec 2007 at 1:27 am
I remember an interview in the early 90s about why Feral was introduced and Wolfsbane was written out of the New Mutants. It was because they were gearing up for X-Force and Rahne Sinclair was not a character they thought could be re-written as a killer. Yeah… And what’s up with her fetish mask? I could see how this series could be done, but with Wolverine, Cable and Deadpool. Not a bunch of child soldiers that would get Wolverine and Cyclops tried in the Hague.
05 Dec 2007 at 1:52 am
This:
Randy: Just like Frank Costanza and Sam Kinison! Badasses both.
Made me laugh harder than anything I’d read on the site in quite some time.
While we’re all dogpiling, Millar on FF? Why, God, why? Ultimates Vol. 1 was awesome because it’s not a total abuse of characterization if you’re reinventing characters and incorporating them into a brand new universe. Granted, I’m not putting a lot of thought into this, but I can’t think of any mainstream universe characters I would want Millar to write. And to make all of this worse, I will admit right now I’m going to buy every issue of this run because Hitch turns out some of the best cinematic comic art around. And issue 12 should be out just in time for me to buy it for my as-yet-unconceived son’s high school graduation.
When I think of the Fantastic Four, all I can think is how much I miss Waid.
05 Dec 2007 at 5:54 am
Have you two even read the first couple issues of Green Arrow / Black Canary? I’m normally very anti-Winick (sp?) but picked these up due to the beautiful artwork. I was pleasantly surprised.
They were fun.
Ollie being presumed dead wasn’t dark — it was just soap opera drama, like superhero comics have been doing for decades. No characters are scarred for life because of it. It was just some bad guys getting the upper hand briefly before the heroes prevailed.
But apparently you guys prefer the rape/molestation/abuse from Grendel Devil Child to Ollie spouting one-liners and fighting Amazons.
05 Dec 2007 at 6:33 am
In defense of Joe Quesada - and wow, I don’t think you’ll ever hear me say that ever again - I don’t think it was “One More Day” that was to ship weekly. I think that was “Brand New Day”, which hasn’t started yet.
That said, Quesada also told us that Bryan Hitch had a lot of issues in the can when “Ultimates 2″ was first released. Prior to the release, when fans were complaining about how long it was taking for the first issue to come out, they were told “Hitch is getting a lot of issues done first, that way when it hits it will come out monthly. That’s what you want, isn’t it? Stop complaining”. And we all know how that went.
05 Dec 2007 at 7:27 am
I have, actually. And I referred to the Wedding Special and issue #1, where there is an exciting and fun wedding going on with superhero antics that abruptly ends with Dinah killing Ollie, followed by a story where she angstily has his body autopsied by Batman because no heroes believe her, not issue #2, where the Ollie banter and Amazon fighting you describe occurs. At no point did I say that the whole series is crap, or whatever. I pointed out that the series kicked off with a supposed tragedy, and to have yet another one by issue 5 is going back to that well a bit quickly for a book that should be, as you say, fun.
If you don’t think that having to stab someone she thought was her husband to death and then have his body autopsied to prove to people who should have trusted her wasn’t a big deal to Dinah, the freaking leader of the JLA, then we obviously disagree. Just because Ollie was proven to be alive right away doesn’t make that easy.
05 Dec 2007 at 8:41 am
I’m gonna go ahead and say I’m actually cautiously optimistic about Millar’s Fantastic Four. Yeah, I have plenty of issues with him. Yeah, Reed Richards is one of my favorite characters and he was written completely wrong in Civil War. But, I think that’s mainly because I suspect Civil War was plotted by committee and Millar just had to do the actual scripting. I’m cautiously optimistic because i just re-read his Superman Adventures run and goddamn that’s some of the good shit. It shows me he doesn’t always have to be naughty, and he can write some fun, compelling superhero yarns.
But then, I never read his Ultimate Fantastic Four run. Wonder how that was?
Oh, and you can put my name down on the “Gail Simone’s Birds of Prey made Black Canary one of my favorite characters and the things DC has done with her lately make me want to stick my head in a microwave” list
05 Dec 2007 at 10:30 am
This collects virtually *everything* from the 2004 incarnation of the OHOTMU onward (with the exception of the Ultimate Universe). Each volume is over 200 pages and up-to-date by time of publication.
05 Dec 2007 at 10:33 am
Millar has his little “Not your father’s Superheroes “take the piss out of superheroes bit which does not work for me when these ARE in fact your father’s superheroes no matter what the hack behind Civil war might say.
05 Dec 2007 at 12:51 pm
Wow, the Millar hate is tangible here! This whole article and comments are coming off as extraordinarily bitter. The whole “I guess he gives people what he wants” comes off as wildly condescending. I’d think even if you didn’t like him you could admit he has writing chops. He most certainly is not subtle, but so what? What’s subtle about superhero comics?
Anyway, I’m really looking forward to Millar/Hitch on FF, although I’ll be buying the trade whenever that is. Hitch has said it was overall scope and number of characters that made Ultimates ship late, but we’ll see. I loved Millar’s Ultimate FF run, which was full of big, fun ideas, and if his FF run is similar I’ll be thrilled.
The title to Kick-Ass needs a lot of work but my impression was that it was about a guy who decides to become a masked vigilante, not something in the Nextwave vein. I don’t know if I’ll be getting it, Millar on hyper-realism doesn’t speak to me.
Anyway I don’t want to come off like a huge Millar apologist. Just thought the dogpiling was a bit unfair and some of the remarks went beyond criticizing his work and into the realm of insulting readers who might like it.
05 Dec 2007 at 2:39 pm
Very psyched for more Orson Randall stories though not at the expense of a regular monthly issue of the series, unless I missed it in the solicitations.
The Cliff Chiang art on GA/BC is really nice (but not nice enough!) and I’ve almost bought the title more than once based on that alone. Winick takes a lot of bashing nowadays, doesn’t he? I just was reading the Checkmate/Outsiders crossover and was struck by how much better I liked the Rucka Checkmate issues. Winick’s characters had a jokey quality to their dialogue (e.g., Grace making comments about getting it on with Thunder while they were in the middle of the op) that seemed out of place, though perhaps I was missing some point there.
05 Dec 2007 at 3:21 pm
When first announced, “One More Day” was meant to ship weekly. When actually solicited, it was one issue, two issues the next month, and another issue the last month.
05 Dec 2007 at 3:24 pm
It was Tom Brevoort that said Hitch has six issues of FF finished so far and I’d believe him over Quesada any time. Having said that I still think it’ll be late
05 Dec 2007 at 4:31 pm
Whoops I meant, “I guess he gives people what [i]they[/i] want.”
05 Dec 2007 at 5:04 pm
Whoops. I meant, “I guess he gives people what THEY want.”
05 Dec 2007 at 5:06 pm
The title to Kick-Ass needs a lot of work but my impression was that it was about a guy who decides to become a masked vigilante, not something in the Nextwave vein. I don’t know if I’ll be getting it, Millar on hyper-realism doesn’t speak to me.
Wow. Millar’s really going out on a limb creatively by writing a comic book about a masked vigilante. There just aren’t enough comics in the marketplace like that — he’s so versatile and original.
05 Dec 2007 at 8:15 pm
Yeah, some of the posters here have been pretty brutal, but I don’t actually have any personal dislike for the man. I even think some of the comics work he has done has been very good indeed- someone mentioned Superman Adventures, Authority and Jenny Sparkscome to mind, Aztek with Morrison, Ultimate X-Men and Ultimates…
My issue with the new FF isn’t so much with Millar, as I think he can do a great FF story, as it is with Marvel’s declamation that it would be the ULTIMATEST. As I said, when I want Ultimate FF, I read that book. I’m also leery of year-long stories on any book in today’s market of missed deadlines, especially with an artist who has been known to miss them before.
As far as Kick-Ass, that one is the fourth title in the Millarverse, replacing Run, and those have been Millar in a style I haven’t much enjoyed reading.
Far be it from me to ever trash anyone for enjoying what they read, though. It just isn’t my thing. Just because I don’t like something doesn’t mean nobody can.
I do expect that a lot of the Millar hate coming out here has little to do with his earlier work and a lot to do with his recent work on Civil War, though.
05 Dec 2007 at 8:49 pm
Guys, I see that Carla Speed McNiel’s Finder Vols. 1-2 are being resolicited. What do you think? Is this something that I should be buying even if it busts my budget (which is not small by any stretch)? Because that’s what it’ll take to get these . It’s that or drop somethings else, such as Crossing Midnight, Brit, and possibly even True Story, Swear to God Archives (I already have the first two AIT/Planet Lar trades and the singles thereafter so not the greatest of losses, but still).
05 Dec 2007 at 9:20 pm
I *wanted* to enjoy Black Canary/Green Arrow. I used to like Winick’s writing, once upon a time, and I love both characters and Cliff Chiang’s artwork.
But fun? Granted, I gave up before the second issue, but the climax of the wedding special and all but one page of the first issue were the same dour, life is awful kind of things I’ve come to expect from DC. I didn’t see Ollie spouting one-liners and fighting Amazons, I saw on-panel autopsies, Black Canary in a near senseless rage and her friends deciding that she was just crazy, rather than that she had a point.
It’s all in the execution, not the idea. Had there been a “Ollie’s dead, but he’s been there before” light tone, I could see it working, but Winick (and DC editorial, by which I mean Dan Didio) were trying to have their cake and eat it too, getting all the angst and “importance” of killing off a major character without actually doing it. I thought it was a mess, tonally, and didn’t find it to be a great deal of fun.
Maybe issue two was a huge turnaround of great fun.
But these are the solicits for #4 and #5:
#4: “The second story arc of this hit new series begins with a tragedy for Oliver Queen! “
#5: “With a recent tragedy hanging over their heads, Green Arrow and Black Canary realize that they may not have actually gotten married. But will they try again or drift apart in the wake of all that’s happened to them?”
Doesn’t exactly sound like light fun is the tone these guys are going for.
As for the rape/molestation/abuse of Grendel: Devil Child… I’ll turn the question back on you, have you read it? It’s all about context. I have no problem with darker subject material when it’s appropriate, and Grendel has always been an adult book with mature themes and complexity. Green Arrow can *almost* get the nod thanks to the Mike Grell work, but when you come down to it, if you’re going to have Amazons and shapeshifters and the Justice League, I don’t really think on-panel autopsies, wedding night attempted rape and self-defense murders (especially ones as clumsily depicted as they were in the Wedding Special) is the way to go. Maybe it’s just me.
There’s not subtle, and there’s sledgehammer clumsy. Millar, more often than not, is the latter. I’ll admit (as I did in the review) that he knows how to give people what they want. He’s got an eye for cinematic action, he knows how to push the buttons to get people talking and he’s got a shamelessly unbound sense of wild ideas. But his characters and dialogue all sound the same, he’s completely unable to work within the parameters of a shared universe and his plots usually fizzle rather than climax. He’s flashy, but extremely weak in terms of structure and characterization.
I don’t hate Millar… I barely know him, and really, the worst thing he’s done is ruined a bunch of characters I’ve loved since I was in my teens, which is hardly an offense worthy of personal hatred. But I do hate most of what he’s written, save a few side projects here and there where he showed off a little more skill and subtlety, rather than the shameless and somewhat lazy flash-bang shock writing that he now specializesin.
Of course, I’ll confess to the somewhat lazy writing trick of snark and sarcasm in these Down the Lines for laughs. I’m not perfect either.
05 Dec 2007 at 10:20 pm
Finder is one of the best comics series I have ever read. Period. Full stop.
I’m not going to recommend you put yourself on the street to read it, and McNiel keeps the trades available, but do yourself a favor- check it out when you can.
05 Dec 2007 at 10:33 pm
I thought that “ultimatest” was just hype so people would make the connection that the Ultimates guys were now doing FF. Not that it was out-of-continuity or a revamp or anything.
(And the phrase “Ultimatest” probably could have gone back to the drawing board)
I can’t say I can or will argue these points but boy, some or all of these faults could apply to pretty much every mainstream writer these days. Certainly guys like Ellis, Ennis, JMS, and Bendis. Even guys like Brubaker and Whedon tend to have too many characters that sound the same. Even guys like Vaughan and Morrison frequently rely too much on shocks. It sounds almost like you may see Millar as emblematic of some larger trends than anything specific to his craft.
But anyway, I don’t want to sound like a Millar douche fanboy. Frankly, I thought Civil War was pretty weak all around and didn’t like his Spidey at all. I guess I had just never read the Pants team’s thoughts on him so the jabs (about books nobody’s read, no less!) seemed to come out of left field.
06 Dec 2007 at 12:09 am
Yes, I’ve actually read pretty much every Grendel story ever printed. I remember Diana saying in an interview when Devil Child came out about how she had to travel to a dark, dark place to write it, and I remember (or at least I THINK I remember, based on reading it many years ago) feeling somewhat unclean after reading it. Granted, Grendel is supposed to be dark, whereas DC Universe superhero books shouldn’t be about heroes committing acts of murder and theft. Agreed.
Actually, I haven’t read any of the solicits for upcoming GA/BC issues. I read issues 1 & 2 and liked them, but I’ve read enough bad Winick to know that the series will EVENTUALLY turn me off, just like everything else I’ve read of his. I’ll still stand by my assessment however, that issue 2 was fun. Maybe it’s just because Connor was in it and I LOVE Connor Hawke — he’s the most good-spirited, optimistic hero ever.
06 Dec 2007 at 5:27 am
I think Mark Millar is basically the Michael Bay of the comic book world.
06 Dec 2007 at 9:23 am
It is a dark, dark story. Even more than Battle Royale, which has similar darkness and awful things happening, but a weird grindhouse movie feel that makes it less crushing. Devil Child was a great read, but I don’t know that I’ve ever revisited it because I had much the same reaction as you did. It was a harrowing read.
I might need to give issue 2 a read, then, just as a standalone. I also dig Connor Hawke… did you (or anybody reading this) read his recent miniseries? I liked the first issue well enough, but then sort of lost track of it, and was wondering if the upcoming trade was worth a look.
This is *exactly* how I feel. I can enjoy a Michael Bay film (I enjoyed Transformers, and Armageddon, and The Rock), but I will generally think that there was someone else who could have made a better version of it. He’s not the worst filmmaker in the world (not when you’ve got Uwe Boll and Paul W.S. Anderson), but he’s certainly nowhere near the best either, despite his commercial success. That is a perfect metaphor for Millar.
06 Dec 2007 at 2:01 pm
That’s a good call on Michel Bey! The diffence is a movie exists only as itself it’s not like the studio re-wrote every movie for two years to fit Tranfromers If you don’t like the fallout of Civil war You are pretty much out of luck with current Marvel.
and the head writer on Civil war taking over the only Marvel title I really like right now bugs me.
PS I felt bad about saying I hated him. As a matter of fact I HOPE he gets the Superman movie and I LIKED the end of Civil war (what else could happen?) but I dont want him anywhere near anything I like.
06 Dec 2007 at 2:27 pm
I’m a Connor Hawke fanboy. I’m sure I’m in a small percentage when I say I like him better than Ollie. That mini was decent- it was fun, and it was cool to see Shado again, and have some old plot ties brought back up- but I didn’t think it was great. It was a bit predictable. Still, it was fun.
06 Dec 2007 at 3:36 pm
1. dan your surely not alone in liking conor
2 although I got a huge laugh out the of Kevin smith’s super-complex the univerise does backfips to bring back olile story and sitting there “Uh maybe he just jumped out of the plane”
06 Dec 2007 at 4:05 pm
I’d consider Jeph Loeb to be the Michael Bay of comics, but maybe that’s just me.
06 Dec 2007 at 7:58 pm
I’d consider Jeph Loeb more the Chris Columbus of comics. Occasionally, his goofy-fun style can work, especially with the right creative partner (Harry Potter for Columbus, Tim Sale for Jeph Loeb) but usually it’s kind of embarrassing for anyone over the age of 12.
06 Dec 2007 at 8:07 pm
That’s exactly my problem with Millar (and JMS, too): They are working on characters I’ve loved since I was a kid and, IMHO, not doing those characters justice.
If Millar were off in the Ultimate-verse writing FF, Civil War, or Wolverine I wouldn’t care less because those are updated versions of the characters that I have no interest in and wouldn’t be reading. I don’t get any sense that Millar actually CARES about these characters.
06 Dec 2007 at 9:05 pm
Not to get too much into the Millar bashing, but I’ll just say that when I read on Wikipedia (which I’ll just assume to be true
) that he’s a fan of Rob Liefeld, I somehow wasn’t surprised.
Of the stuff coming in Feb (my birthday month actually), I’m most looking forward to Rasl, Zorro, and ClanDestine, which seems to be the early pleasant surprise of 2008. I discovered them in the X-Men crossover and fell in love with the characters there.
And as a side note, since I love Jeff Smith, do you think there’s any possibility they’ll print Rasl in its “actual size” format ever? Perhaps for the trade? Or if the ComicCon version might somehow be up for sale online?
07 Dec 2007 at 12:09 am
I think he does care about the characters and the fact that he isn’t afraid to ruin them is something I like about his work.
Think of these characters as some of the greatest toys in the world. Well, Millar is one of the only writers who actually seems to enjoy *playing* with them. He takes them out of their package, he smashes them up against each other, stretches them, bends them, gets them dirty, and sometimes he temporarily breaks them, but so what? These characters will outlive all of us — you can’t really break them.
Too many writers by comparison are in such awe of these characters that they don’t really do anything interesting or original with them — they don’t want to get them dirty, much less risk break them. McDuffie’s FF is a perfect example. I enjoyed reading it until it got too heavy with the psuedo-science and cosmic-gobbledygook. It was well crafted. But he definitely left the toys in the sealed plastic.
It’s out of respect, sure. But it’s a little misplaced. Respect Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, but have *fun* with their creations — come up with crazy ideas and conflicts, throw caution to the wind, toss the characters in and have them work their way out. I mean, there’s a reason why Stan Lee loves Mark Millar’s writing.
But you know, different readers like different things and there’s something out there for everyone. And I could easily list off MM’s faults too, but his strengths outnumber them, IMO.
07 Dec 2007 at 9:15 am
That’s what I always hear about Millar he’s so “he’s so fun he breaks all the rules!” and I understand why that suposed to be great but all actully but all I really see is glaring plot holes.
lest you think this all sour grapes I really DID read “Enemy of State and was REALLY confused! Did Wolverine kill the president? Was he suposed to? Whatever he did after fighting Daredevil and before fighting the X-MEN was off-panel and confused
However we just have diffrent philsposies on this I love Mcduffie’s ff.
And hey Dwayne can break toys read the latest FF GRIN
all the best
ROB
07 Dec 2007 at 3:32 pm
I mean, there’s a reason why Stan Lee loves Mark Millar’s writing.
Yeah, it’s called senility.
But you know, different readers like different things and there’s something out there for everyone. And I could easily list off MM’s faults too, but his strengths outnumber them, IMO.
Agreed. Different strokes for different folks and all that.
07 Dec 2007 at 9:42 pm
I have every reason to belive Stan read and maybe even liked my webcomic no really..
07 Dec 2007 at 10:09 pm
Aw, man, that’s just cold.
I mean, it made me laugh out loud more than any comment in recent memory, but damn.
08 Dec 2007 at 2:00 pm
Wow, we really do have opposite tastes…I dropped McDuffie’s run because I had NO idea what was going on at the conclusion of that cosmic story!
What happened in the latest FF?
No, if he’s not Bay then I think Loeb is the Brett Ratner of comics. They’re both pretty popular, but for the most part it’s because they take on projects that would be popular no matter what (for Loeb it’s Batman with Jim Lee, Wolverine with Bianchi, or Ultimates with Joe Mad — for Ratner it’s Hannibal Lector or X-Men sequels). And no matter how low you set the bar for them, they never deliver — even on these can’t-miss projects.
08 Dec 2007 at 6:09 pm
No, if he’s not Bay then I think Loeb is the Brett Ratner of comics. They’re both pretty popular, but for the most part it’s because they take on projects that would be popular no matter what (for Loeb it’s Batman with Jim Lee, Wolverine with Bianchi, or Ultimates with Joe Mad — for Ratner it’s Hannibal Lector or X-Men sequels). And no matter how low you set the bar for them, they never deliver — even on these can’t-miss projects.
After reading Loeb’s Wolverine (execrable) story arc and Ultimates 3 #1, I’m going to have to re-read The Long Halloween and that Superman (For All Seasons?) series he did with Tim Sale because I could’ve sworn he was a good writer at some point.
It’s interesting that you make the point about Loeb choosing popular projects that probably would’ve sold without him; although I agree with you on that, I also have the same take on Millar. Take away J.G. Jones (on Wanted), Bryan Hitch (on Ultimates), or Steve McNiven (on Civil War) and Millar would still be writing that Superman Adventures book.
But like I said, different strokes for different folks.
08 Dec 2007 at 9:22 pm
well….
SPOILER
Show ▼
09 Dec 2007 at 5:42 pm
OK, I think I may have to agree with you on Loeb being the Michael Bay of comics, and Millar is the Brett Ratner. That seems to map, and Ratner’s affected bad boy, could he love himself any more attitude seems to line up with Millar’s shameless self-promotion on the Internet.
10 Dec 2007 at 12:43 am
Loeb, like Millar, knows how to push the right buttons. He also seems to have increasingly insane and complex ideas about continuity that nobody in their right mind would greenlight. (I’d make an exception here for Joe Quesada, but Exhibit A: One More Day, that guy ain’t in his right mind.
When paired with Sale, Loeb seems to step back a bit and let the art do more of the talking, and the result is solid, often very solid, comics.
Loeb also tends to come off, both online and on the rare occasions that I’ve met him, as a classy, nice guy. Whereas Millar comes off like a narcissistic jackass, more often than not. Which earns Loeb more points in my book.
10 Dec 2007 at 12:47 am
yeah Millar did say “Video games are for pedoes” Which did not help his case with me. I have a lot of friends in video games. I could’nt help but think somebody rejected a game pitch by him becuse in game writting “A leads to “B” In Millar’s writting “A” leads to “Flying fish if I say so and sod off!
10 Dec 2007 at 12:39 pm
I don’t have my issue of PREVIEWS in front of me, but I saw in its pages that Tor is putting out a softcover edition of “Grease Monkey.” I read this in hardback and heartily recommend it to anyone who enjoys science fiction action/humor. A coming-of-age story with talking apes who work on a futuristic space station — what’s not to love? Check it out!
11 Dec 2007 at 8:34 am
But…but Millar did Superman Adventures, and has been on his game with some other stuff too. Brett Ratner, to my knowledge, has never put out anything that didn’t suck ass.
12 Dec 2007 at 12:06 am
Hmmm. I have the two TSSTG trades. Six extra issues for $20 - is it worth it?
12 Dec 2007 at 6:47 am
Yes.
13 Dec 2007 at 3:01 pm
Heh- straight from the horse’s mouth. I’m gonna have to agree. If you are looking for extras, it will have (from Tom’s blog):
A yearbook-style photo section, featuring all the characters real-life photos and small quotes about being in a comic book.
Recipes! I talk a lot about how much I love to cook and I’m going to add some of my favorite recipes.
I know I’m picking it up, even though I have the first two trades already. I’m sure I can find a good home for them.
13 Dec 2007 at 4:01 pm
I think you’re selling Millar a bit short. Ultimates was an excellent read (consistently received good reviews on the Fourth Rail, btw) - better than anything Bay’s ever done, comparatively speaking. I also enjoyed his stints on Wolverine and UFF. Wolfgang Petersen (Das Boot, In the Line of Fire, Troy) or Stephen Sommers (Deep Rising, Mummy) are actually better comparisons. Entertaining, but lacking depth. . .but also without Ratner’s hackery or Bay’s apparent contempt for audiences.
He’s limited, no question, and Civil War was indeed a poorly executed piece of tripe (Millar at his worst - characters not acting like themselves, a series of shocking, but illogical moments), but I’ll still take him over the Geoff Johns of the world.
15 Dec 2007 at 3:57 pm
This has nothing to do with the Millar conversation, but I have never understood how the same director could do Das Boot and Troy. Das Boot was, for me, an engaging look at a submarine crew when subs were growing out of their infancy, and a strongly anti-war film. Crowded, dirty, horribly confined, the movie shows well how it takes a combined effort of will to make the sub function and keep everyone focused. The scenes with the mechanic breaking down, the tanker being torpedoed and then abandoned, and the decadent Nazi officers eating a feast in contrast to the sub crew were very effective. It effectively drew me into the crew of the sub, pulling me in so that every trial it went through was rough on me, and the ending blew me away.
Troy? Not so much.
15 Dec 2007 at 4:23 pm
I liked Ultimates at the time, but as time wore on, I grew weary of it. I don’t actually own any of it at this point… it was like one of those fun action movies that you enjoy, but you never want to see again, for me. Which is about the highest level Michael Bay has ever achieved as well.
I view Millar these days much the same way I once viewed Bendis (or Rob Liefeld, for that matter). They’re guys who brought an energy and a different way of doing things to the table, but they’re long on flash and short on skill, and the more I see of them, the more I realize that I’ve already seen all their tricks and don’t really want to see any more.
And yeah, I just lumped Millar and Bendis in with Liefeld. Which is maybe a bit harsh, but I think you see what I mean.
I’m not the world’s biggest fan of Johns’s writing anymore, either, but I don’t think you can point him out as the evidence of everything that’s wrong with comics or anything either. He’s sort of given in to his strengths and made them weaknesses, as many writers do, slamming a lot of deep continuity references in where a lighter, more accessible approach would probably be more welcoming to a large audience, but he’s got a much stronger grasp on story structure and the superhero genre than I think Millar does.
16 Dec 2007 at 9:02 pm