Comics XI: Modok's 11

[red snow]

Yeah, I agree We Stand On Guard (the correct title) was underwhelming, but I trust BKV, so I'll give him some credit. And it's a mini apparently.

Also, if anyone missed it, I recommend getting easily the best SW tie-in so far: Giant Size Little Marvel AvX...seriously. Not only it's an interesting contrast to the other often too serious books, Lil' Cyclops trolling abilities are in the Omega level, just check out this page: http://www.comicbookresources.com/prev_img.php?pid=28237&pg=4.

I'm having trouble rembering the title. We stand on guard should be a comic too :)

If it's a mini I can stick it out. There's going to be some "inside agent" story going on.

EDIT: I'm still having trouble getting the title right!!!

[Winterfell is Burning]

http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/exclusive-warren-ellis-brings-genius-storytelling-to-dynamites-james-bond

Warren Ellis is writing James Bond. This is too awesome for words.

[Sci-2]

I'm enjoying Kill 6 Billion Demons.

On a basic level it's about a "magical girl" from our world who has to learn to kick ass in the realms beyond. What raises it, IMO, is the art, humor, and the underlying mythos that builds over time. Make sure to check for the "liturgy" that sometimes shows up at the bottom of each displayed page. (Basically the first post by Abaddon.)

[Nictarion]

http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/exclusive-warren-ellis-brings-genius-storytelling-to-dynamites-james-bond

Warren Ellis is writing James Bond. This is too awesome for words.

Very cool. I'm a big fan of Bond (just the movies, never read any of the books), might have to check this out.

[red snow]

I can imagine Ellis doing a good job on this as a fan. Although I hope he reins in his reimagining skills for the Bond project. Given his books like Red, etc I'm sure he'd be fine doing bondish stuff. I'm ok with some Ellis style gadgets for Bond though :)

That said, I'm not too fussed about a Bond comic. Still think it's a good idea and hope it does well.

[red snow]

I was just reading this article about how Batman is currently being portrayed. I'm glad DC now has a relaxed attitude to continuity or I'd be pretty disgusted by Hitch's Batman. He can draw but he has no grasp whatsoever of how Batman sees the world. If the really thought like that then he'd be killing villains. That or he'd be beating up care-providers for the criminally insane. I mean, couldn't the people working at Arkham be helping victims rather than helping the villains by this logic?

On the other hand I like Snyder's current take on Bruce - guy deserves a temporary reprieve before things get dark again.

[Sci-2]

Wow, Hitch's Batman is more ridiculous than Frank Miller's....and Miller at least had some fun with stuff like the Yellow Room.

=-=-=

Deadly Class Vol 1 - Was surprised how much I like this. The action is great, my only worry is the body count piles up so quickly it's hard to be invested in any character...yet without that investment how long can the mysteries of the assassin school pull us in?

They Are Not Like Us Vol 1 - Started in on this, I like the premise - What if Xavier's School for the Gifted was just a bunch of crazy homeless kids getting together, with "Xavier" a manipulative asshole who made everyone an instrument of his own bitterness? We'll see how it shakes out.

[red snow]

Wow, Hitch's Batman is more ridiculous than Frank Miller's....and Miller at least had some fun with stuff like the Yellow Room.

=-=-=

Deadly Class Vol 1 - Was surprised how much I like this. The action is great, my only worry is the body count piles up so quickly it's hard to be invested in any character...yet without that investment how long can the mysteries of the assassin school pull us in?

They Are Not Like Us Vol 1 - Started in on this, I like the premise - What if Xavier's School for the Gifted was just a bunch of crazy homeless kids getting together, with "Xavier" a manipulative asshole who made everyone an instrument of his own bitterness? We'll see how it shakes out.

I'm still working through Deadly class Vol 1. For me it's the weakest of Remender's image titles. Maybe things change dramatically in issues 5 and 6 but so far it has been solid. It also feels a bit too much like Remender's trying to tell us how cool he was in the 80s as well. I've yet to finish but it really needs to impress in the last third for me to continue.

Saga was conclusive. It feels like things are resolved with set up for the next arc in place. The art wasn't as good as usual. The acting of the characters was excellent as always but the pictures looked a bit scratchy as if the inking was a bit more blunt and it was noticeable how minimal the backgrounds actually were. Fortunately the key aspects are maintained but it just felt a bit more rushed than usual. Hopefully the 2 month break will address this although I do have to wonder if Staples is experimenting with time-saving techniques now she's drawing archie comics too.

[Nictarion]

I'm still working through Deadly class Vol 1. For me it's the weakest of Remender's image titles. Maybe things change dramatically in issues 5 and 6 but so far it has been solid. It also feels a bit too much like Remender's trying to tell us how cool he was in the 80s as well. I've yet to finish but it really needs to impress in the last third for me to continue.

Saga was conclusive. It feels like things are resolved with set up for the next arc in place. The art wasn't as good as usual. The acting of the characters was excellent as always but the pictures looked a bit scratchy as if the inking was a bit more blunt and it was noticeable how minimal the backgrounds actually were. Fortunately the key aspects are maintained but it just felt a bit more rushed than usual. Hopefully the 2 month break will address this although I do have to wonder if Staples is experimenting with time-saving techniques now she's drawing archie comics too.

I actually really like Deadly Class. It's like the X-Men except with assassins instead of mutants. I know you read Black Science, but do you read Low? I've been thinking about picking up the first trade.

Saga was great as always.

Marko & Alana back together, The Will is back, lots of good stuff.

Didn't realize it's 2 months until the next issue, and Black Science isn't coming out until October. :(

Walking Dead 144 was pretty crazy. Things are really heating up, and I'm really liking this current storyline. Probably the biggest issue since 100.

[red snow]

I actually really like Deadly Class. It's like the X-Men except with assassins instead of mutants. I know you read Black Science, but do you read Low? I've been thinking about picking up the first trade.

Saga was great as always.

Marko & Alana back together, The Will is back, lots of good stuff.

Didn't realize it's 2 months until the next issue, and Black Science isn't coming out until October. :(

Walking Dead 144 was pretty crazy. Things are really heating up, and I'm really liking this current storyline. Probably the biggest issue since 100.

I think Low is probably my favourite of his Image books (although Black science is the one I buy regularly). The atmosphere and art in "low" is excellent - it's surprising how much better the X-force fill-in artists are with their own time-schedule/set up. But it works better in trade for me.

I think my problem with Deadly class is that I'm not actually that big a fan of the school setting (I always preferred the non-class side of X-men) in general so that probably explains why I'm not loving it. The art is great though.

I noticed Remender has some Dark Horse work coming up this year too. Maybe with that new publisher Mike Marts is heading up too? It's interesting how the creator-owned market is showing growth. It's like the real ale of comics :)

[Winterfell is Burning]

I agree with what was said about both Saga and The Walking Dead- the latter of which finally gets somewhere. Although of course Kirkman killed

the one pregnant character :rolleyes:

And I must be dreaming. Or am I mad? Or is this http://www.comicbookresources.com/comic-previews/hawkeye-22-marvel-comics-2015 really a preview for Hawkeye #22? Nah, it can't be.

[Jon AS]

And I must be dreaming. Or am I mad? Or is this http://www.comicbookresources.com/comic-previews/hawkeye-22-marvel-comics-2015 really a preview for Hawkeye #22? Nah, it can't be.

That can't be right, #21 only came out in February. Surely this is some kind of belated April Fool's joke.

[red snow]

That can't be right, #21 only came out in February. Surely this is some kind of belated April Fool's joke.

Maybe it's issue 22 of the next volume? I think there's been 3 marvel rebrandings during the life of this series - although that's only 22 issues instead of 36 :P

[Sci-2]

Looking at who's out of Marvel: DeConnick, Remender, Hickman, Fraction.

Who does that leave in terms of major writers? Just Bendis?

[CyanidePie]

I just plowed through the first 4 issues of Hickman's Secret Wars. Man this guy is good when he is on. He writes Doom better than anyone around.

Issue #4 was insane.

Homie just killed Phoenix Cyclops and Doctor Strange without breaking a sweat??

This has been the best thing I've read from Marvel since the beginning of Cullen Bunn's Magneto, before it got sidetracked by Marvel's relentless shitstorm of events.

Has anyone read any of the SW tie-ins and would you recommend any of them? I read the first 2 issues of Ghost Racers because they looked like they would be some Mad Max style fun (they're not) and Weirdworld for the gorgeous Mike Del Mundo artwork and that one was pretty fun.

[Winterfell is Burning]

Has anyone read any of the SW tie-ins and would you recommend any of them? I read the first 2 issues of Ghost Racers because they looked like they would be some Mad Max style fun (they're not) and Weirdworld for the gorgeous Mike Del Mundo artwork and that one was pretty fun.

Giant Size Little Marvel AvX has been entertaining. Most of the other books appeal to nostalgia, so if you liked the X-men Animated Series, read X-men '92; if you thought OMD was a travesty (which it was), read ASM: Renew Your Vows; if you liked PAD's Hulk run, read Future Imperfect, etc.

There are some books that I wouldn't recommend at all, though, specially the other X-men related ones.

[red snow]

Looking at who's out of Marvel: DeConnick, Remender, Hickman, Fraction.

Who does that leave in terms of major writers? Just Bendis?

Slott?

Waid?

Ellis?

Definitely Jason Aaron

I put the first few with ? as I think they are only writing one or two books.

The Ms Marvel writer is possibly on the verge of hitting it big but outside the ones I mentioned they are all up and comers or "workhorses" eg Soule and co. That's not to say they are bad but they seem like the writers who are professional work for hires. Nothing wrong with that but as they don't have any "big" works behind them they still seem "green". That's possibly my own ignorance regarding their indy work - Soule's letter 44 was actually pretty good for a while. It's just I can't think of any buzz being around the MArvel and DC work as of yet.

[Winterfell is Burning]

Slott usually just writes a couple of books per month at most- I think he said he's a slow one.

Waid and Ellis are in one book each (Ellis certainly only for 6-12 issues) and mostly in creator owned stuff.

Like I've said earlier, it's a mix of both creator-owned books making more money and poor management at Marvel.

[red snow]

Slott usually just writes a couple of books per month at most- I think he said he's a slow one.

Waid and Ellis are in one book each (Ellis certainly only for 6-12 issues) and mostly in creator owned stuff.

Like I've said earlier, it's a mix of both creator-owned books making more money and poor management at Marvel.

I guess it's less common for a "well known" writer to spend so much time writing Marvel comics when, as you point out, you can probably make a living off 2 Marvel books and gamble the rest of your time on the creator owned ventures.

It does seem like Bendis and Aaron are the only architect these days (although I think they are wise to leave Slott in control of Peter Parker for as long as he wants.

It does feel like Marvel is being run a lot more like DC new52 these days though and I'm sure the constant cross-overs, relaunches and petty MCU mandated/inluenced creative changes wears thin. Although it would make the SEcret Wars event seem bitter-sweet as it sounds as though that event actually allowed the writers to have a lot of fun and from the comments here it appears readers responded. Maybe there's a lesson there?

The Flipside is that it took Rememder a few years on X-force (Punisher/Venom didn't really cement him) before he was writing a half-dozen books and being (usually praised), Deconnick I can't judge as haven't read her Marvel work but it don't recall her being prolific. And Hickman was tinkerign away for years with SHIELD and required his FF run for him to become a class act. I can't see why Soule, Hopeless, Bunn etc can't take off in which case great.

We've forgotten Lemire. He's got a lot of marvel titles in the rebranding (3) and he's fairly well known/respected from his creator-owned and DC work. I've done a list of authors with two or more books coming out. It'll help with future discussion.

Bunn = 2

Soule = 3

Bendis = 3

Aaron = 2

Hopeless = 2

Slott = 1 (although I'm guessing Silver Surfer will be back?)

Nick Spencer = 2

Ewing = 3

Duggan = 2

Willow Wilson = 2

Robinson = 2 (sadly)

All the other writers are only doing a solo book at the moment. So it's not really the case that any writer is doing all the heavy lifting. Soule, Bendis Lemire and Ewing (who I know the lest about) are the most prolific although some of the others are on more strategically "important" books. Bendis is still the MVP of Marvel though

[Winterfell is Burning]

Bendis will sadly be Marvel's MVP for a long time- he has the ability of doing half a dozen issues per month at least. The problem is that he doesn't have the ability to go half a dozen GOOD issues.