Let's get the fights out of the way...
Match #5: The Thing vs. Colossus
Wait... is this a tournament of some kind? Both the Thing and Colossus have been involved in matches already -- and both won (or, they won according to the comic -- I still call that Colossus/Spider-Man match a time limit draw). I know this card isn't structured like a tournament, but wouldn't it be cool if it was? An unannounced tournament to determine who is the best out of all of the Avengers and X-Men... Then again, if you count fights outside of AVX: VS, we've already seen Colossus lose to the Red Hulk and the Thing have a rematch with Namor that ended with the Thing winning via Namor being embarrassed that wrestling involves two half-naked dudes rolling around and grabbing one another, and decided that walking away and losing again on a technicality is a lot better than someone thinking you're gay (that was the point of that fight, right?). So... here we are with the Thing's record of 2-0-0 and Colossus standing at 0-1-1, sort of. This match only confirms my idea that the Avengers are being portrayed as the villains in this story and the X-Men as the underdogs based on the pre-match attack by the Red Hulk as Colossus makes his way down to the ring. Clear heel faction tactic. He beats on Colossus and, then, throws him into the ring so the Thing can begin hammering on him in a weakened state. As does the Thing's response to Colossus's first attempt at offence: throwing what looks to be a piece of his rocky hide down the Russian's throat in a clearly illegal attempt at a choke. So, when Colossus takes the fight outside of the ring and uses that environment to his advantage, it's not cheating, it's giving the heel his proper comeuppance. While Colossus doesn't technically win as he never gets back in the ring, his beatdown of the Thing makes the double countout finish seem like a win. It's a moral win for the good guy underdog. Some solid storytelling on the card finally with a finish that wouldn't seem quite so bad if every other match wasn't booked with a similar sort of cheap non-finish finish. Still, a clear standout so far -- kudos to Loeb and McGuinness.
Result: Double countout [**3/4]
Match #6: No Disqualification/Falls Count Anywhere Match - Black Widow vs. Magick
In the ongoing 'card' that is the match line-up of AVX: VS, we finally had our first 'Divas' match. Okay, calling it that is somewhat dismissive. Three issues in and we see our first fight involving women (with two more next issue; though, those will be intergender matches). Nice to see that Marvel isn't afraid to show that women can fight just as well, if not better than, the men. And, surprisingly, it's the second fight of this issue to feature one of the Rasputin siblings. This match ranges all over the place, which isn't surprising given the obvious stipulation. They fight on the moon, in Limbo, and, surprisingly, finish back on the moon. Personally, I'm not a fan of Falls Count Anywhere matches that finish back in the ring after fighting all over -- nor ones that end with the Roll-Up victory. Both women gave it their all, but Black Widow had this thing won until BOOM! Roll-Up pin by Magick for the surprise win. It felt like a cheap win and undercut everything that came before. We all know that Limbo is where Magick is at home and no one has beaten her there before, but the Black Widow bested her there before putting her back in the ring to end things and booking things so she loses then... Well, why waste Magick not dominating in Limbo? For a swerve finish? That's bullshit, man. May as well had Colossus run in after leaving the Thing beaten...
Winner: Magick [*1/2]
Next up on the card looks to be Daredevil vs. Psylocke and Thor vs. Emma Frost in her first match since joining the Phoenix Force.
***
I'm not entirely sure what I think of Avengers #27 where Noh-Varr has betrayed the Avengers, then discovers that the Kree are fine with the Phoenix destroying Earth, decides that he kind of likes Earth and betrays the Kree (just like Mar-Vell did!) only for the Avengers to threaten him with death and give him the biggest backhand I've seen in a while before the Kree take away his Nega-Bands and we get one panel of him in his old costume.
I mean, no one is more excited to see that Protector bullshit dropped even though I had made my peace with it. To follow up on that narrative, Noh-Varr was basically put in a situation where his family's business made him steal company secrets from his job and, when he did it, he discovered that they were going to use those secrets to, like, kill baby seals or something, so he panicked. Instead of that making things better, he was fired from his job and his familar disowned him. We see him in the end wearing the shitty clothes he wore as a teenager, because... well, what else is there? He tried to be an adult and was put in a situation where he was going to either lose his job or his family and wound up losing both. Clearly, he will save the Earth from the Phoenix.
I don't know...
I did like seeing the old costume drawn by Walt Simonson. Even if it was for only one panel and kind of tiny.
***
X-Men: Legacy #268 is only superficially connected to Avengers vs. X-Men. It's basically a Frenzy solo story that happens because of the actions of the Phoenix Five. I found it heavyhanded and obvious. Fans of Frenzy might have liked it. Dunno.
Next week: Avengers vs. X-Men #6, New Avengers #27, Uncanny X-Men #14, Secret Avengers #28, and Avengers Academy #32.
Showing posts with label jeph loeb. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jeph loeb. Show all posts
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
And Did We Tell You the Name of the Game, Boy? (Avengers: X-Sanction #1-4)
What are we to do with prologue books that hint at the soon-to-be-here conflict and done by a creative team that has little to do with what's coming? Avengers vs. X-Men 'begins' with Avengers: X-Sanction, a four-issue mini-series where Cable tries to kill a group of Avengers chosen seemingly at random, thinking that, in doing so, he will save the world -- and, more importantly, save his adopted daughter, Hope. He's been to the future and seen a dead world because the Avengers apparently killed Hope, most likely because she's host to the Phoenix Force. Basically, it seems to be Avengers vs. X-Men in miniature where, from what we can tell, the story is about the Avengers trying to kill Hope because she's going to be the host of the Phoenix Force. It's almost like the overture for the event -- the entire thing played out briefly with Cable standing in for the X-Men and the six Avengers we see standing in for that entire organisation. And, yet, I'm not entirely sure I understand the point of it, especially when, at the end, Hope seemingly uses the Phoenix Force to cure Cable of the techno-organic virus that he was infected with as an infant.
Then again, this is Marvel in the 21st century. This comic may have no real connection to Avengers vs. X-Men. This is the same company that delivered a Prelude to Schism series that had, quite literally, nothing to do with Schism. What we read in this series could have nothing to do with Avengers vs. X-Men aside from the broad concept and some shared characters. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if, when next we saw Cable, he was still sporting his regular metal arm.
Assuming that this does lead into Avengers vs. X-Men, what purpose does it serve? It tells us that the conflict is coming. Cable has seen it -- and, in the process of trying to stop it, he's armed his enemies. Jeph Loeb, not known for being particularly subtle, does something that could prove integral to the event in a rather quiet way. Cable attacks the Avengers using anti-mutant technology that he found in Avengers Mansion in the future and, at the end of the series, Captain America strikes a deal with Cyclops to allow him to take Cable if they keep all of Cable's weaponry and technology. Cable arms the Avengers with means to assault the X-Men. (There's also the possibility that the Avengers never used any of those machines and simply stored them in the mansion and Cable discovered them unused and misinterpretted what happened. It also raises the question of who actually made the tech if it's stuck in an endless cycle of the Avengers taking it from Cable and Cable taking it from the Avengers...)
In essence, all that's accomplished is that the possible conflict is introduced, a point of division between the Avengers and X-Men raised, the Avengers receiving anti-mutant tech, and Hope is revealed to have the Phoenix Force (even though it's apparently coming from space?). And, honestly, only one of those things could be deemed 'necessary' given that the event will, presumably, introduce the story and conflict itself.
But, Avengers vs. X-Men is also a giant fight. And these four issues are centred around physical violence. One of the things that particularly interests me about the event is seeing how violence is used to tell the story, to advance things. Here, the violence isn't exactly thrilling in a traditional sense. Cable, weakened by the techno-organic virus, is half dead when the story begins and manages to take down the Falcon, Captain America, Iron Man, and the Red Hulk mostly through cheap shots, traps, and being lucky. He's the sad old veteran trying to have his last hurrah on a 'noble quest' to save his daughter and that shows in his fights. He's desperate and pathetic usually, relying on metaphoric ball shots and thumbs to the eyes. In the end, he's pretty much put down.
Yet, it's not satisfying because of the heavyhanded narration. The point of the violence, the story that's being told, is shoved into our faces so much, with such force, that the fights come off as muted and parodic to a degree. Loeb's first-person narration is so over-the-top that it's bad commentary that continually points out the obvious instead of elevating the drama. I like the ideas behind what's happening; the storytelling undercuts it as much as possible. Not as much visually since Ed McGuinness is impressive with fluid storytelling. The fight with Captain America is a basic, textbook fight. It's a three-star match. If you stick to the pictures, the fights all come off more clearly. Basically, mute the TV during the match and you're better off as those who put up with Michael Cole know...
I'm not sure how much this story will have to do with Avengers vs. X-Men directly with regards to plot. As an overture, it's sloppy and ham-fisted, mostly saying nothing.
Next week, we begin the event proper with... another prologue comic: Avengers vs. X-Men #0.
Then again, this is Marvel in the 21st century. This comic may have no real connection to Avengers vs. X-Men. This is the same company that delivered a Prelude to Schism series that had, quite literally, nothing to do with Schism. What we read in this series could have nothing to do with Avengers vs. X-Men aside from the broad concept and some shared characters. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if, when next we saw Cable, he was still sporting his regular metal arm.
Assuming that this does lead into Avengers vs. X-Men, what purpose does it serve? It tells us that the conflict is coming. Cable has seen it -- and, in the process of trying to stop it, he's armed his enemies. Jeph Loeb, not known for being particularly subtle, does something that could prove integral to the event in a rather quiet way. Cable attacks the Avengers using anti-mutant technology that he found in Avengers Mansion in the future and, at the end of the series, Captain America strikes a deal with Cyclops to allow him to take Cable if they keep all of Cable's weaponry and technology. Cable arms the Avengers with means to assault the X-Men. (There's also the possibility that the Avengers never used any of those machines and simply stored them in the mansion and Cable discovered them unused and misinterpretted what happened. It also raises the question of who actually made the tech if it's stuck in an endless cycle of the Avengers taking it from Cable and Cable taking it from the Avengers...)
In essence, all that's accomplished is that the possible conflict is introduced, a point of division between the Avengers and X-Men raised, the Avengers receiving anti-mutant tech, and Hope is revealed to have the Phoenix Force (even though it's apparently coming from space?). And, honestly, only one of those things could be deemed 'necessary' given that the event will, presumably, introduce the story and conflict itself.
But, Avengers vs. X-Men is also a giant fight. And these four issues are centred around physical violence. One of the things that particularly interests me about the event is seeing how violence is used to tell the story, to advance things. Here, the violence isn't exactly thrilling in a traditional sense. Cable, weakened by the techno-organic virus, is half dead when the story begins and manages to take down the Falcon, Captain America, Iron Man, and the Red Hulk mostly through cheap shots, traps, and being lucky. He's the sad old veteran trying to have his last hurrah on a 'noble quest' to save his daughter and that shows in his fights. He's desperate and pathetic usually, relying on metaphoric ball shots and thumbs to the eyes. In the end, he's pretty much put down.
Yet, it's not satisfying because of the heavyhanded narration. The point of the violence, the story that's being told, is shoved into our faces so much, with such force, that the fights come off as muted and parodic to a degree. Loeb's first-person narration is so over-the-top that it's bad commentary that continually points out the obvious instead of elevating the drama. I like the ideas behind what's happening; the storytelling undercuts it as much as possible. Not as much visually since Ed McGuinness is impressive with fluid storytelling. The fight with Captain America is a basic, textbook fight. It's a three-star match. If you stick to the pictures, the fights all come off more clearly. Basically, mute the TV during the match and you're better off as those who put up with Michael Cole know...
I'm not sure how much this story will have to do with Avengers vs. X-Men directly with regards to plot. As an overture, it's sloppy and ham-fisted, mostly saying nothing.
Next week, we begin the event proper with... another prologue comic: Avengers vs. X-Men #0.
Thursday, February 02, 2012
Sketch Reviews (February 2 2012)
Fun weeks for comics, no? I expand upon my Before Watchmen thoughts a bit in an upcoming podcast with Kevin Hellions that I recorded this morning, so I won't talk much about it. I will say that I'm going to buy the books -- and I will be doing a weekly discussion thing on the comics with Brian Cronin over at Comics Should be Good. So, depending on how much you like Brian and I, this isn't all bad, right? As for my announcement on Sunday, I don't have much to add. I don't think it's too difficult to figure out my reasons.
Action Comics #6: An odd detour. This feels like a recycled idea Morrison had for All-Star Superman if he'd done more of that after the first 12 issues. Not necessarily a bad thing and I can appreciate the idea of not advancing the 'main' story without the regular artist. Yet, this story doesn't feel like it was worth telling either. Some nice moments, sure. The point, though? [**1/2]
Animal Man #6: When comics do issues like this, people usually lose their mind with praise. Sometimes I get it, sometimes I don't. This issue, besides giving me some John Paul Leon art, seems rather pointless. "Hey, look, Buddy Baker starred in a really bad movie once!" That's about it. I can see the thematic relationship to what's going on in the main story, I just don't think that it adds anything. Like Action Comics, this seemed like the book was put on hold simply because the regular artist couldn't do the issue (or the entire issue). [**]
Avengers: X-Sanction #3: I really liked this issue. It's dumb fun. Cable killing the Avengers for no reason other than a future that may never happen. When the X-Men show up to stop him, I damn near went into a laughing fit over how ridiculous they all are. Cable as an old crazy man muttering to himself and trying to convince people of his twisted logic... I could read that every month. [***3/4]
The Boys #63: Jesus, Hughie... [****]
Fatale #2: I think I need to reread the first issue... [NR]
OMAC #6: It's not fair, but I read Kirby's OMAC series this week after getting the hardcover for my birthday and this series seems a lot less interesting by comparison. Especially with Scott Kolins providing art this issue. I did like Leilani dropping her act almost immediately. [***]
Uncanny X-Men #6: I get it, they're kind of like Xavier and Magneto! Actually, some solid, entertaining stuff. [***1/2]
I also got the Xombi trade. I've only read the first two issues, though. I'm liking it.
Later
Action Comics #6: An odd detour. This feels like a recycled idea Morrison had for All-Star Superman if he'd done more of that after the first 12 issues. Not necessarily a bad thing and I can appreciate the idea of not advancing the 'main' story without the regular artist. Yet, this story doesn't feel like it was worth telling either. Some nice moments, sure. The point, though? [**1/2]
Animal Man #6: When comics do issues like this, people usually lose their mind with praise. Sometimes I get it, sometimes I don't. This issue, besides giving me some John Paul Leon art, seems rather pointless. "Hey, look, Buddy Baker starred in a really bad movie once!" That's about it. I can see the thematic relationship to what's going on in the main story, I just don't think that it adds anything. Like Action Comics, this seemed like the book was put on hold simply because the regular artist couldn't do the issue (or the entire issue). [**]
Avengers: X-Sanction #3: I really liked this issue. It's dumb fun. Cable killing the Avengers for no reason other than a future that may never happen. When the X-Men show up to stop him, I damn near went into a laughing fit over how ridiculous they all are. Cable as an old crazy man muttering to himself and trying to convince people of his twisted logic... I could read that every month. [***3/4]
The Boys #63: Jesus, Hughie... [****]
Fatale #2: I think I need to reread the first issue... [NR]
OMAC #6: It's not fair, but I read Kirby's OMAC series this week after getting the hardcover for my birthday and this series seems a lot less interesting by comparison. Especially with Scott Kolins providing art this issue. I did like Leilani dropping her act almost immediately. [***]
Uncanny X-Men #6: I get it, they're kind of like Xavier and Magneto! Actually, some solid, entertaining stuff. [***1/2]
I also got the Xombi trade. I've only read the first two issues, though. I'm liking it.
Later
Sunday, January 08, 2012
CBR Review: Avengers: X-Sanction #2
I recently reviewed Avengers: X-Sanction #2 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "Loeb’s tenure on Cable lasted from just before 'The Age of Apocalypse' to just after 'Onslaught,' and, during that run, Cable’s techno-organic virus became one of the central ideas. His struggle to contain and control the virus played a large part, so it’s no surprise to see Loeb returning to that in this event. Cable only has three things on his mind (the Avengers, Hope, and the virus) and each plays into the other. That basic presentation of the character on display makes Cable easy to understand; the simple rhythm of his thought process and desires gives the issue a steady pace that Loeb and Ed McGuinness use to suck the reader in and surprise at key moments."You can read the rest HERE!
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Sketch Reviews (December 15 2011)
Just pushing on through to the holidays. Hitting that point where I don't have much to say it seems. My Random Thoughts this week was half Tragically Hip lyrics for that reason. I'm just in a 'hunker down and read and watch and listen and not say a damn thing' mood. But, let's get to it anyway...
Avengers 1959 #4: At some point, I lost the plot and, yet, that doesn't matter. It's just watching Chaykin do his thing and going along for the ride that matters. The details are inconsequential. [***3/4]
Avengers: X-Stinction #1: I'll possibly do a '28' post on this and my love of Cable. I wasn't sure if I'd get this issue, right up until I walked through my shop's doors, and, then, it was in my pull file (probably because I buy the Avengers titles), so I got it. Very direct and some very nice moments on art. Pretty good, actually. [***1/4]
Batwoman #4: Increasingly, the writing seems to be coming into focus. The opening pages are wonderful... all of the pages are wonderful. [****]
New Avengers #19: I really hope that Victoria Hand isn't working with Osborn, because that would be stupid. The Avengers don't really trust her, so the betrayal is minimal -- it's almost like she would be proving them right. Osborn trying to outdo the Avengers in public is one of those plots that seems good in theory until someone with half a brain shrugs, says "Who gives a fuck what people think, you're a bad guy and I'm going to kick your ass," and then does so. You almost want Frank Miller's Batman to pop out from behind a bush and mumble about how the heroes have always been criminals and just beat the shit out of any bad guy he can find before disappearing into the night. Honestly, I could see Bendis make that a way to separare the Avengers and the New Avengers. Captain America and the Avengers are concerned with what the public thinks, while Luke Cage and the New Avengers are used to people not liking them and doing the job anyway. Still, an issue with some nice moments -- I liked the Luke/Jessica stuff. [***1/4]
The Unwritten #32: But... what about Frankenstein's Monster? Digging this storyarc so far. [***1/2]
Doc Bizarre, MD: An entertaining, goofy sort of story. Judging from the backmatter, this was originally an idea pitched to the Cartoon Network and it's easy to see why. Tone down Epoch a little, maybe make the first 'case' not about a Frankenstein-esque scientist who takes shortcuts, thereby making an impotent monster, and it's a good idea for a cartoon for kids. 'Monster doctor,' basically. Judging from reactions before I got this (finally!), I was expecting something a little more slight. Bizarre amused me quite a bit with his constant 'professionalism' no matter what happened. A bit more direct than Charlatan Ball. Suriano is damn talented. [****]
I also got the first half of Sgt. Rock: Between Hell & A Hard Place thanks to the first Vertigo Resurrected issue of this two-issue reprint (that also includes a couple of older Sgt. Rock stories with Joe Kubert art -- I assume the second issue will as well, which is a great idea). I haven't read it yet since the second issue is out next week and I'd rather just wait until then.
Later
Avengers 1959 #4: At some point, I lost the plot and, yet, that doesn't matter. It's just watching Chaykin do his thing and going along for the ride that matters. The details are inconsequential. [***3/4]
Avengers: X-Stinction #1: I'll possibly do a '28' post on this and my love of Cable. I wasn't sure if I'd get this issue, right up until I walked through my shop's doors, and, then, it was in my pull file (probably because I buy the Avengers titles), so I got it. Very direct and some very nice moments on art. Pretty good, actually. [***1/4]
Batwoman #4: Increasingly, the writing seems to be coming into focus. The opening pages are wonderful... all of the pages are wonderful. [****]
New Avengers #19: I really hope that Victoria Hand isn't working with Osborn, because that would be stupid. The Avengers don't really trust her, so the betrayal is minimal -- it's almost like she would be proving them right. Osborn trying to outdo the Avengers in public is one of those plots that seems good in theory until someone with half a brain shrugs, says "Who gives a fuck what people think, you're a bad guy and I'm going to kick your ass," and then does so. You almost want Frank Miller's Batman to pop out from behind a bush and mumble about how the heroes have always been criminals and just beat the shit out of any bad guy he can find before disappearing into the night. Honestly, I could see Bendis make that a way to separare the Avengers and the New Avengers. Captain America and the Avengers are concerned with what the public thinks, while Luke Cage and the New Avengers are used to people not liking them and doing the job anyway. Still, an issue with some nice moments -- I liked the Luke/Jessica stuff. [***1/4]
The Unwritten #32: But... what about Frankenstein's Monster? Digging this storyarc so far. [***1/2]
Doc Bizarre, MD: An entertaining, goofy sort of story. Judging from the backmatter, this was originally an idea pitched to the Cartoon Network and it's easy to see why. Tone down Epoch a little, maybe make the first 'case' not about a Frankenstein-esque scientist who takes shortcuts, thereby making an impotent monster, and it's a good idea for a cartoon for kids. 'Monster doctor,' basically. Judging from reactions before I got this (finally!), I was expecting something a little more slight. Bizarre amused me quite a bit with his constant 'professionalism' no matter what happened. A bit more direct than Charlatan Ball. Suriano is damn talented. [****]
I also got the first half of Sgt. Rock: Between Hell & A Hard Place thanks to the first Vertigo Resurrected issue of this two-issue reprint (that also includes a couple of older Sgt. Rock stories with Joe Kubert art -- I assume the second issue will as well, which is a great idea). I haven't read it yet since the second issue is out next week and I'd rather just wait until then.
Later
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Sketch Reviews (November 10 2011)
"Autumn's Here" by Hawksley Workman is the song of the moment. Just like it is every year around now. I miss baseball.
Batwoman #3: Gorgeous. The writing is getting better, too. A little more suggestive than before. But, damn, that art... [****1/4]
Frankenstein, Agent of SHADE #3: The action bits were good, but this felt like stalling for time somehow -- maybe too much exposition. 'Part three' syndrome strikes again! [***1/4]
Journey into Mystery #631: Rather good writing. I like the way Loki fits into this new Asgard. And, probably the best art Whilce Portacio has done for this comic in his short time aboard it. Still not good in a lot of spots, but much more consistent throughout and didn't entirely ruin the issue. [***]
New Avengers #18: Just fucking get on with it. Norman Osborn gathers his new Dark Avengers and I couldn't give a fuck. Why? BECAUSE IT MEANS NOTHING. We don't need to see any of this. It's something about Bendis's writing that I've grown to hate: his inability to just get on with the story without showing every minute detail that went into the story happening. Just have the new Dark Avengers show up and assume they're on the team because Osborn recruited them -- how else would they get there? This wasn't interesting or insightful or anything. It was a complete waste of 18 pages before those final two pages, which were the only needed pages. Everything that came before was filler. Also: Barney Barton? What the fuck? (Wow, having looked the character up, he's real... and sounds pretty awful. At least Max Cash was interesting...) [*]
Point One #1: Oh, Marvel... Marvel, Marvel, Marvel... I've been fairly on board with what you've been pushing since Civil War. That event may have been godfuckingawful, but it was interesting and got me into a lot of your stuff and I've been a keen reader for years. That seems to be changing. 2011 was not kind. Fear Itself was just as godfuckingawful as Civil War except it lacked the interesting ideas and hook. (No, really, what was it about?) And, now, we have Point One (a horrible title named after a horrible initiative that you keep claiming is a success even though no one else can figure out the criteria for what makes it a success in any way, shape, or form), a preview comic, basically, that sets the stage for 2012. If this is any indication, 2012 will be even worse than 2011. Granted, most of what we see here either doesn't apply to the next big event or is something we've known is coming for a while. The Ultron stuff at the end was unnecessary since we've known that there's a big Ultron story coming since the first Avengers arc... and, then, since that 'point one' issue of Avengers... and this 'tease' added absolutely nothing. No context, little content -- what was the point? Showing off how effects can deliver two entire pages of 'shaky cam' art that looks like shit as a result? Great idea! Get Bryan Hitch to draw seven pages for you and, then, make two of them look like they were printed incorrectly. So, that's seven pages wasted. I don't really care about the Scarlet Spider, so those pages were just lost on me. That they were overwritten with horrendous narration didn't help. The Nova/Terrax/Phoenix bit felt like it was meant to have a purpose and didn't accomplish anything that the 'It's Coming' teaser didn't already... except show that there's a new Nova and he responds to the death of an entire planet with the phrase 'epic fail.' Better get used to hearing that phrase, Marvel. Fuck, better make it the catchphrase of 2012 if this comic is any indication. Okay, there were some things I liked. The mutant stuff looked great, but I couldn't care less about the story. The Doctor Strange thing has lessened my burgeoning enthusiasm for The Defenders following Fraction's Comics Alliance interview. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't good either. Is there something about working in the Marvel Style that makes writers suddenly cover pages with narration? It's like a fucking Stan Lee disease or something... I kind of dug the fire and ice twins story until they broke out. It went from intriguing and a little mysterious to pretty fucking goofy with the turn of a page... and I paid six bucks for this. Fuck me. [*]
Punishermax #19: You know, Frank Castle has a pretty awesome head of hair for a man his age and the amount of stress he lives with. Decent issue that only really got going near the end. The stuff with the Kingpin being isolated and perceived as weak was smart. [***1/2]
The Unwritten #31: The active nature of the story really worked up until the end when Lizzie is all "But Tom's only been doing magic for, like, a day! What if something goes wrong?" and then something goes wrong. Still, this is promising. [***1/2]
Later
Batwoman #3: Gorgeous. The writing is getting better, too. A little more suggestive than before. But, damn, that art... [****1/4]
Frankenstein, Agent of SHADE #3: The action bits were good, but this felt like stalling for time somehow -- maybe too much exposition. 'Part three' syndrome strikes again! [***1/4]
Journey into Mystery #631: Rather good writing. I like the way Loki fits into this new Asgard. And, probably the best art Whilce Portacio has done for this comic in his short time aboard it. Still not good in a lot of spots, but much more consistent throughout and didn't entirely ruin the issue. [***]
New Avengers #18: Just fucking get on with it. Norman Osborn gathers his new Dark Avengers and I couldn't give a fuck. Why? BECAUSE IT MEANS NOTHING. We don't need to see any of this. It's something about Bendis's writing that I've grown to hate: his inability to just get on with the story without showing every minute detail that went into the story happening. Just have the new Dark Avengers show up and assume they're on the team because Osborn recruited them -- how else would they get there? This wasn't interesting or insightful or anything. It was a complete waste of 18 pages before those final two pages, which were the only needed pages. Everything that came before was filler. Also: Barney Barton? What the fuck? (Wow, having looked the character up, he's real... and sounds pretty awful. At least Max Cash was interesting...) [*]
Point One #1: Oh, Marvel... Marvel, Marvel, Marvel... I've been fairly on board with what you've been pushing since Civil War. That event may have been godfuckingawful, but it was interesting and got me into a lot of your stuff and I've been a keen reader for years. That seems to be changing. 2011 was not kind. Fear Itself was just as godfuckingawful as Civil War except it lacked the interesting ideas and hook. (No, really, what was it about?) And, now, we have Point One (a horrible title named after a horrible initiative that you keep claiming is a success even though no one else can figure out the criteria for what makes it a success in any way, shape, or form), a preview comic, basically, that sets the stage for 2012. If this is any indication, 2012 will be even worse than 2011. Granted, most of what we see here either doesn't apply to the next big event or is something we've known is coming for a while. The Ultron stuff at the end was unnecessary since we've known that there's a big Ultron story coming since the first Avengers arc... and, then, since that 'point one' issue of Avengers... and this 'tease' added absolutely nothing. No context, little content -- what was the point? Showing off how effects can deliver two entire pages of 'shaky cam' art that looks like shit as a result? Great idea! Get Bryan Hitch to draw seven pages for you and, then, make two of them look like they were printed incorrectly. So, that's seven pages wasted. I don't really care about the Scarlet Spider, so those pages were just lost on me. That they were overwritten with horrendous narration didn't help. The Nova/Terrax/Phoenix bit felt like it was meant to have a purpose and didn't accomplish anything that the 'It's Coming' teaser didn't already... except show that there's a new Nova and he responds to the death of an entire planet with the phrase 'epic fail.' Better get used to hearing that phrase, Marvel. Fuck, better make it the catchphrase of 2012 if this comic is any indication. Okay, there were some things I liked. The mutant stuff looked great, but I couldn't care less about the story. The Doctor Strange thing has lessened my burgeoning enthusiasm for The Defenders following Fraction's Comics Alliance interview. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't good either. Is there something about working in the Marvel Style that makes writers suddenly cover pages with narration? It's like a fucking Stan Lee disease or something... I kind of dug the fire and ice twins story until they broke out. It went from intriguing and a little mysterious to pretty fucking goofy with the turn of a page... and I paid six bucks for this. Fuck me. [*]
Punishermax #19: You know, Frank Castle has a pretty awesome head of hair for a man his age and the amount of stress he lives with. Decent issue that only really got going near the end. The stuff with the Kingpin being isolated and perceived as weak was smart. [***1/2]
The Unwritten #31: The active nature of the story really worked up until the end when Lizzie is all "But Tom's only been doing magic for, like, a day! What if something goes wrong?" and then something goes wrong. Still, this is promising. [***1/2]
Later
Sunday, December 20, 2009
CBR Review: Hulk #18
I recently reviewed Hulk #18 for CBR and, in the process, wrote the following sentences: "Ah, the self-contained retrospective story where self-knowledge is gained and we gain a greater appreciation of a character. These types of issues are always good to win over critics and fans alike as a writer really sinks his or her teeth into the inner workings of a character and deliver an equal measure of entertainment and insight. Oh, if only that were the case here, as Jeph Loeb and Whilce Portacio delve deep into the mind of Samson (no longer Doc) to reveal... daddy issues and a self-loathing related to his intelligence? Hulk comics are often lacking characters with those particular hang-ups, of course."You can read the rest HERE!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
The Sunday Open: Third Week of April 2008
I bought comics in two cities, none of which was New York. New York can kiss my ass for I have lovely Windsoria and London to go home to. As I'm tired and lazy, here are quick reviews (quicker than usual):
Captain America #34, 37
Finally got a copy of #34 and it wasn't anything that special--beyond being a typically high-quality issue of Captain America. For the record, I officially hate everyone who bought it just because Bucky shows up as the new Captain America and didn't continue buying the book after. I hate you all so much--if only because my not being able to find a copy until now would be offset by more people realising how great this comic is, but if you didn't buy an issue before or after, fuck you. Although, I suppose not liking the book would be a good reason, but then I'd have to question your taste in comics and the aesthetic criteria you use to judge which books you buy and which you don't and so on and so forth. So, basically, I don't like anyone who bought issue 34 and nothing else for a variety of reasons. Issue 37 is good, too.
Doktor Sleepless #6
I like this comic. It's crazy with big ideas and hidden character motivations and seems important. Also, it's weirdly entertaining as Warren Ellis comics are wont to be. Ivan Rodriguez draws pretty pictures, but played horribly against the Blue Jays today--I don't think he got a hit, but I could be wrong. His ability to draw well while playing professional baseball is astounding. The Jays/Tigers game, by the way, was pretty great. I had seats seven rows from the field (back and to the left from the visitors' dugout) and, damn, it was a good game. The Jays won 5-3. I got sunburnt on my arms. And I'm fairly certain this is a different Ivan Rodriguez, but I only just made the connection tonight and figured I'd use it to discuss the game quickly.
Ghost Rider #22
Ghost Rider versus a haunted highway. Fuck yes. And it looks like Danny Ketch may be back and working on the other side. Shit, I hope so. Jason Aaron is very good. So good that I bought the first two Scalped trades in London. I read the first one last night and it was good. Haven't gotten around the second one yet.
The Order #9
I hope Matt Fraction kills them all. Kill the whole fucking team. Why? Because, that's why. End the series with the death of them all and a victory for Stane that leads into Fraction's Iron Man book. And because people may not like that at all. Yeah.
The Programme #9-10
CP Smith's art is more clear in these two issues. The rush must be on a bit for him to finish. Consequently, these two issues are the best-looking of the series as he maintains his slightly-obscure style, but in a more coherent and easy to understand way. And Peter Milligan seems right on track. I'm liking the book, but two more issues are left, and they'll determine a lot.
Punisher War Journal #18
Wow, that was not worth an entire issue. I'm sorry, but it wasn't. That was a third of an issue at most. Much of this issue was unnecessary and a waste of time. I have decided that this storyline with Jigsaw determines if I keep buying this book and, so far, it's not looking good.
War is Hell: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle #2
I should probably reread this issue as I read it last on Thursday just before drifting off to sleep in the afternoon for a brief nap. See, I had only slept, like, an hour-and-a-half the night before and was very tired. Most of this issue was read with me forcing my eyes to stay open and I probably didn't understand a lot of it as a result. But, I trust it was decent since Garth Ennis wrote it.
Batman: Dark Victory
Wow, this didn't make The Long Halloween seem better at all. Nor was this all that good. Better character work a lot of the time, but also some forced explanations for the behaviour of characters that was already established elsewhere (Catwoman). An almost interesting intellectual exercise about the replacement of the gangsters by the freaks, but not really--the fact that Two-Face got rid of the gangsters was a good touch, though. And for all the talk of Robin, he was barely in the fucking thing and didn't contribute much. The mystery also did nothing for me. Again.
That does it for now. Maybe more posts this week, but probably not.
Captain America #34, 37
Finally got a copy of #34 and it wasn't anything that special--beyond being a typically high-quality issue of Captain America. For the record, I officially hate everyone who bought it just because Bucky shows up as the new Captain America and didn't continue buying the book after. I hate you all so much--if only because my not being able to find a copy until now would be offset by more people realising how great this comic is, but if you didn't buy an issue before or after, fuck you. Although, I suppose not liking the book would be a good reason, but then I'd have to question your taste in comics and the aesthetic criteria you use to judge which books you buy and which you don't and so on and so forth. So, basically, I don't like anyone who bought issue 34 and nothing else for a variety of reasons. Issue 37 is good, too.
Doktor Sleepless #6
I like this comic. It's crazy with big ideas and hidden character motivations and seems important. Also, it's weirdly entertaining as Warren Ellis comics are wont to be. Ivan Rodriguez draws pretty pictures, but played horribly against the Blue Jays today--I don't think he got a hit, but I could be wrong. His ability to draw well while playing professional baseball is astounding. The Jays/Tigers game, by the way, was pretty great. I had seats seven rows from the field (back and to the left from the visitors' dugout) and, damn, it was a good game. The Jays won 5-3. I got sunburnt on my arms. And I'm fairly certain this is a different Ivan Rodriguez, but I only just made the connection tonight and figured I'd use it to discuss the game quickly.
Ghost Rider #22
Ghost Rider versus a haunted highway. Fuck yes. And it looks like Danny Ketch may be back and working on the other side. Shit, I hope so. Jason Aaron is very good. So good that I bought the first two Scalped trades in London. I read the first one last night and it was good. Haven't gotten around the second one yet.
The Order #9
I hope Matt Fraction kills them all. Kill the whole fucking team. Why? Because, that's why. End the series with the death of them all and a victory for Stane that leads into Fraction's Iron Man book. And because people may not like that at all. Yeah.
The Programme #9-10
CP Smith's art is more clear in these two issues. The rush must be on a bit for him to finish. Consequently, these two issues are the best-looking of the series as he maintains his slightly-obscure style, but in a more coherent and easy to understand way. And Peter Milligan seems right on track. I'm liking the book, but two more issues are left, and they'll determine a lot.
Punisher War Journal #18
Wow, that was not worth an entire issue. I'm sorry, but it wasn't. That was a third of an issue at most. Much of this issue was unnecessary and a waste of time. I have decided that this storyline with Jigsaw determines if I keep buying this book and, so far, it's not looking good.
War is Hell: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle #2
I should probably reread this issue as I read it last on Thursday just before drifting off to sleep in the afternoon for a brief nap. See, I had only slept, like, an hour-and-a-half the night before and was very tired. Most of this issue was read with me forcing my eyes to stay open and I probably didn't understand a lot of it as a result. But, I trust it was decent since Garth Ennis wrote it.
Batman: Dark Victory
Wow, this didn't make The Long Halloween seem better at all. Nor was this all that good. Better character work a lot of the time, but also some forced explanations for the behaviour of characters that was already established elsewhere (Catwoman). An almost interesting intellectual exercise about the replacement of the gangsters by the freaks, but not really--the fact that Two-Face got rid of the gangsters was a good touch, though. And for all the talk of Robin, he was barely in the fucking thing and didn't contribute much. The mystery also did nothing for me. Again.
That does it for now. Maybe more posts this week, but probably not.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
The Sunday Open: Second Week of April 2008
Welcome to another edition of me writing very short, unhelpful reviews! This week, I took a major step and created a pull list here in Windsor. This was the result of the shop sometimes being sold out of books I wanted (maybe one a week at most, often not) and me being sick of having to wait until I got back to London for some books. I still have the pull list in London, too. But, it wasn't a huge week (and next week looks even more slight), so let's get to it...
ClanDestine #3
I love that Alan Davis is revisiting his Excalibur run, even though I haven't read it. Great concept. As was Newton's sexual roleplaying. The rest of the issue is kind of iffy, but the suspense keeps growing as we're left wondering "What the fuck is going on?" Also, I'm a little annoyed that we only get two more issues as this is a very, very good comic.
Fantastic Four #556
While this is not. I'm sticking with this title through next issue, because I want to see how Millar and Hitch handle a complete story arc... and so far, it's horrible. What is the plot? No, seriously, what is goddamn plot? Okay, this issue kind of has one with the giant robot Captain killing people, because "Smart people create robot that then goes crazy and begins killing people" is ever so original. But, beyond that, what's the plot? What does any of this matter? Gee, "Mrs. Fantastic" was smart enough to make sure the robot wouldn't kill her, but not smart enough to actually have control over the fucking thing? I am loving how Millar is trying to present these people as being smart enough to build an exact replica of the planet Earth, but too stupid to build a robot that won't go crazy and kill people without at least one hundred different means of shutting it down instantly. And, I'm sorry, but this is the worst artwork by Bryan Hitch I've seen since before he came on board Stormwatch. I don't know if it's the colouring or the inking or just Hitch, but it looks half-finished and muddied and not at all up to his normal standards. Unless the next issue is quite literally THE BEST COMIC EVER WRITTEN, I won't read another issue short of someone handing me them all for free with the promise of a memory wipe at the end if I so choose. (Oh, and do you think my assessment is a little overboard, a little hyperbolic? Well, that's the only way to discuss a Mark Millar comic as he himself will tell you.)
Iron Man: Enter the Mandarin #6
A decent ending to a decent story. Iron Man and the Mandarin fight. Iron Man wins. The Mandarin will be back. Who didn't see that coming? But, Casey does a solid job and Eric Canete's art is fantastic. I really like this sketchier, more fluid style he used on this book.
The Last Defenders #2
Ah, Douchebag Iron Man is back as he disbands the Defenders after they cause a lot of property damage in Jersey fighting a giant fucking lizard. Of course, this is obviously meant to show Stark as a hypocrite and tool, considering the amount of property damage he alone has been responsible for is staggering. It's also an interesting attempt by Casey and Giffen to show that things have changed. Now that superheroes are all registered, the old shit isn't acceptable: if they're going to be professionals, then they're going to act like professionals. Nighthawk isn't that good a superhero, though, as demontrated here. He is a decent one, I suppose, but not in the same league as the big boys and probably shouldn't be running a team. The running commentary on the fight is solid, as is the rest of the issue. This is turning out to be a really good series that combines old and new styles to comment on the state of the current Marvel universe a little bit.
Wolverine #64
Didn't I see Logan's trick from this issue in Preacher? Heh. Doesn't change the fact that this is a pretty decent but brainless story. Logan does what it takes to try and kill Mystique, while she does what it takes to escape. Pretty simple and Jason Aaron is doing a great job. I'm even digging on Ron Garney's art here, which is odd since I'm usually not a big fan. Next issue is my last for this book (it's actually a fluk that I've been buying it almost for a year, really) since Millar and McNiven take over for that story about old man Logan or somesuchshit.
Young Liars #2
Oooooooooooooh-kay. This isn't a bad issue, but is hurt by our not knowing these characters better. We get one issue in the present and then a flashback issue right away? It seems a litle... off, unless it's going to be a back-and-forth story structure. Maybe this will look better in the context of a few more issues. As it is, it falls a little flat. But, I did enjoy parts of it--just not as much as I feel I should have. I am liking how the cover is the first panel of the issue--a technique that I'm surprised more people don't use. This series looks like it will either be very good or very bad. I'm looking forward to seeing which.
Army@Love: The Hot Zone Club
I picked up the first issue of this when it first came out and wasn't that impressed. I wish I could say that the trade changed my mind. Rick Veitch has some interesting ideas, but that's about it: they're interesting ideas... so what? I find the execution lacking here. There's not much substance despite the fact that these are dense comics. Maybe I'm not the target audience as it is very much a soap opera with the intricate plots of who is sleeping with whom (and did I actually get the who/whom thing correct there? You'd think as a writer and English grad student, I would know such things, but I don't...) and I really don't care. All of the characters are vapid, superficial and not really worth my time. The only sequence that really impressed me was when the mom of a mentally challenged soldier shows up during a firefight to ensure that he's being treated equally. It was a cheap book, though, only ten bucks. I do dig the art as Veitch and Gary Erskine make a great team. Anyone else paying attention to this book? Thoughts?
Batman: The Long Halloween
Finally picked this up as I've heard many good things... and it was okay. It was competent and did the job, but didn't really go above and beyond. I'm sure that this was one book that read better monthly in singles where the whole "Who is Holiday?" mystery could keep up the interest. In trade-form, though, it all goes by so fast that it isn't nearly as engrossing as it should be. As well, the story is so sprawling as far as a cast goes, you never really get a chance to latch onto anyone. We're supposed to feel for the Dents and I did--but just not as much as I feel I was supposed to. I've always thought that mystery stories work best when the narrative perspective is focused on one character--and Batman narrates the story, but we also get scenes that he didn't witness. Imagine if, during one of Raymond Chandler's novels, we suddenly got some scenes thrown in that Marlowe wasn't present for. It would fuck up the story. Now, Loeb does do it consistently enough that it doesn't become too much of a problem, but it took me out of the story at times. Tim Sale's art is great and I loved the pages where Harvey Dent is knocked out and Sale's layout on those pages.
Getting this also gave me a chance to read Steve's essay on the identity of Holiday, and he makes a really strong case--one I'd have to agree with--but, as I've said before, I'm not the type to care about the solution to a mystery, which could be another reason why this book didn't wow me. Where other mystery writers can engross you without making the solution of the mystery the only reason to keep reading, I'm not sure Loeb did that. He tried, but didn't succeed for me.
That said, I may pick up Dark Victory this week, because it was an enjoyable enough read. It just doesn't live up to the hype, for me.
And that does it for this week.
ClanDestine #3
I love that Alan Davis is revisiting his Excalibur run, even though I haven't read it. Great concept. As was Newton's sexual roleplaying. The rest of the issue is kind of iffy, but the suspense keeps growing as we're left wondering "What the fuck is going on?" Also, I'm a little annoyed that we only get two more issues as this is a very, very good comic.
Fantastic Four #556
While this is not. I'm sticking with this title through next issue, because I want to see how Millar and Hitch handle a complete story arc... and so far, it's horrible. What is the plot? No, seriously, what is goddamn plot? Okay, this issue kind of has one with the giant robot Captain killing people, because "Smart people create robot that then goes crazy and begins killing people" is ever so original. But, beyond that, what's the plot? What does any of this matter? Gee, "Mrs. Fantastic" was smart enough to make sure the robot wouldn't kill her, but not smart enough to actually have control over the fucking thing? I am loving how Millar is trying to present these people as being smart enough to build an exact replica of the planet Earth, but too stupid to build a robot that won't go crazy and kill people without at least one hundred different means of shutting it down instantly. And, I'm sorry, but this is the worst artwork by Bryan Hitch I've seen since before he came on board Stormwatch. I don't know if it's the colouring or the inking or just Hitch, but it looks half-finished and muddied and not at all up to his normal standards. Unless the next issue is quite literally THE BEST COMIC EVER WRITTEN, I won't read another issue short of someone handing me them all for free with the promise of a memory wipe at the end if I so choose. (Oh, and do you think my assessment is a little overboard, a little hyperbolic? Well, that's the only way to discuss a Mark Millar comic as he himself will tell you.)
Iron Man: Enter the Mandarin #6
A decent ending to a decent story. Iron Man and the Mandarin fight. Iron Man wins. The Mandarin will be back. Who didn't see that coming? But, Casey does a solid job and Eric Canete's art is fantastic. I really like this sketchier, more fluid style he used on this book.
The Last Defenders #2
Ah, Douchebag Iron Man is back as he disbands the Defenders after they cause a lot of property damage in Jersey fighting a giant fucking lizard. Of course, this is obviously meant to show Stark as a hypocrite and tool, considering the amount of property damage he alone has been responsible for is staggering. It's also an interesting attempt by Casey and Giffen to show that things have changed. Now that superheroes are all registered, the old shit isn't acceptable: if they're going to be professionals, then they're going to act like professionals. Nighthawk isn't that good a superhero, though, as demontrated here. He is a decent one, I suppose, but not in the same league as the big boys and probably shouldn't be running a team. The running commentary on the fight is solid, as is the rest of the issue. This is turning out to be a really good series that combines old and new styles to comment on the state of the current Marvel universe a little bit.
Wolverine #64
Didn't I see Logan's trick from this issue in Preacher? Heh. Doesn't change the fact that this is a pretty decent but brainless story. Logan does what it takes to try and kill Mystique, while she does what it takes to escape. Pretty simple and Jason Aaron is doing a great job. I'm even digging on Ron Garney's art here, which is odd since I'm usually not a big fan. Next issue is my last for this book (it's actually a fluk that I've been buying it almost for a year, really) since Millar and McNiven take over for that story about old man Logan or somesuchshit.
Young Liars #2
Oooooooooooooh-kay. This isn't a bad issue, but is hurt by our not knowing these characters better. We get one issue in the present and then a flashback issue right away? It seems a litle... off, unless it's going to be a back-and-forth story structure. Maybe this will look better in the context of a few more issues. As it is, it falls a little flat. But, I did enjoy parts of it--just not as much as I feel I should have. I am liking how the cover is the first panel of the issue--a technique that I'm surprised more people don't use. This series looks like it will either be very good or very bad. I'm looking forward to seeing which.
Army@Love: The Hot Zone Club
I picked up the first issue of this when it first came out and wasn't that impressed. I wish I could say that the trade changed my mind. Rick Veitch has some interesting ideas, but that's about it: they're interesting ideas... so what? I find the execution lacking here. There's not much substance despite the fact that these are dense comics. Maybe I'm not the target audience as it is very much a soap opera with the intricate plots of who is sleeping with whom (and did I actually get the who/whom thing correct there? You'd think as a writer and English grad student, I would know such things, but I don't...) and I really don't care. All of the characters are vapid, superficial and not really worth my time. The only sequence that really impressed me was when the mom of a mentally challenged soldier shows up during a firefight to ensure that he's being treated equally. It was a cheap book, though, only ten bucks. I do dig the art as Veitch and Gary Erskine make a great team. Anyone else paying attention to this book? Thoughts?
Batman: The Long Halloween
Finally picked this up as I've heard many good things... and it was okay. It was competent and did the job, but didn't really go above and beyond. I'm sure that this was one book that read better monthly in singles where the whole "Who is Holiday?" mystery could keep up the interest. In trade-form, though, it all goes by so fast that it isn't nearly as engrossing as it should be. As well, the story is so sprawling as far as a cast goes, you never really get a chance to latch onto anyone. We're supposed to feel for the Dents and I did--but just not as much as I feel I was supposed to. I've always thought that mystery stories work best when the narrative perspective is focused on one character--and Batman narrates the story, but we also get scenes that he didn't witness. Imagine if, during one of Raymond Chandler's novels, we suddenly got some scenes thrown in that Marlowe wasn't present for. It would fuck up the story. Now, Loeb does do it consistently enough that it doesn't become too much of a problem, but it took me out of the story at times. Tim Sale's art is great and I loved the pages where Harvey Dent is knocked out and Sale's layout on those pages.
Getting this also gave me a chance to read Steve's essay on the identity of Holiday, and he makes a really strong case--one I'd have to agree with--but, as I've said before, I'm not the type to care about the solution to a mystery, which could be another reason why this book didn't wow me. Where other mystery writers can engross you without making the solution of the mystery the only reason to keep reading, I'm not sure Loeb did that. He tried, but didn't succeed for me.
That said, I may pick up Dark Victory this week, because it was an enjoyable enough read. It just doesn't live up to the hype, for me.
And that does it for this week.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Chad's Jackass Comic Creator Interviews from 2001: Jeph Loeb
[And we continue looking at the jackassery of my 18-year-old self. Okay, it's probably hard to see it still because we're all used to the lame questions involving underwear and women, but it's still there. Unedited. New posts Monday, Wednesday and Friday.]
Thursday November 30, 2001
Interview With . . . Jeph Loeb!
Jeph was my very first “favourite writer” when it came to comics. I had a subscription to Cable and he was writing it and he was amazing. He and Ian Churchill were doing all sorts of crazy things: going to the future, fighting clones from another dimension, fighting the Hulk, hanging out with the X-Men. I even sent him a letter care of Marvel for a school project in grade 7 (which odds are he never got--damn you, Marvel!). After a year of reading his Cable, I also picked up his X-Force, which was great too, but it didn’t compare to his work on Cable. He made me the big Cable fan I am today--well, except for that patch where Liefeld came back and Casey and Ladronn left. And, I can’t figure out a graceful way to go into the interview after that, so here it is...
Me: Tell us a little about yourself.
Loeb: I was found in a field by a pair of mid-western farmers... wait... that's... Um... Live in Los Angeles, write and produce movies and television, currently writing Superman monthly and Daredevil: Yellow.
Me: How did you get into writing?
Loeb: I started in high school. It was easier than math. I could never understand math. Math bad. Writing good.
Me: What have you written?
Loeb: Movies, television, comics, magazine articles, the occasional poem, a terrible musical, animation. I can tell you what I DON'T do is write to Mother enough. Actually, I don't think there is any way I could write to her enough, so I pretty much just gave up.
Me: How was it working with Ian Churchill on Superman 176, since you two have a history of working together on Cable, Avengers and at Awesome Entertainment?
Loeb: The best. Ian and I have been friends since our Cable days. He is a tremendous talent. It was a very big change from the “McGuinness” look of Superman and I was a bit worried that the fans wouldn't take to him -- but, Superman fans never cease to amaze me. They loved him. I guess there is always an appetite for a more “realistic” (that's a funny way to look at it for me) interpretation of Superman and that's what Ian delivered on. He is also doing Superman #180 which features Dracula (yes, THAT Dracula). His artwork is quite spectacular.
Me: Have you found it difficult to write Daredevil: Yellow, while not just repeating the origin laid out by Stan Lee and later by Frank Miller?
Loeb: I write comics the best I can. I hope folks enjoy the work; some do and some don't. I usually write what I feel my artist can best deliver on. Daredevil: Yellow was a love letter to my father and to Karen Page and Tim Sale delivered above whatever I could have dreamed of -- so, I guess the answer is no.
Me: What did you think of Warren Ellis and Steven Grant's X-Man?
Loeb: I never read them. When I walk away from book, that's usually the end for me. I know what I would have done and that's enough. X-Man, which I co-created with Steve Skroce was a particularly unpleasant experience since Steve and I had one vision for the book and (then, Marvel Editor-in-Chief) Bob Harras had another. Bob was wrong. That book went from selling a 500,000 copies and in the top ten to a book that was ultimately cancelled.
Me: Would you ever want to do Cable or X-Force again?
Loeb: I'd never say never. Marvel is a completely different place now. Joe Quesada runs a very different ship. Much, much better. But both Cable and X-Force are very different too. So, the subject is fairly moot.
Me: In an interview you did for an issue of Cable (#37), you mentioned how your son loved X-Men and such. Does he find it cool that his dad is working on Superman do you think?
Loeb: Superman MUCH cooler. Batman nearly as cool. Spider-Man close too. When the movie comes out, I'm fairly sure that Spidey will crawl up closer to Superman. But, Superman is the best.
Me: Boxers or briefs?
Loeb: Dogs or legal papers? What an odd question. I guess I prefer the dogs, since legal papers bore the hell out of me...
Me: Cats or dogs?
Loeb: Again with the dogs? Okay. I'll play. Dogs.
Me: Winter or summer?
Loeb: Summer. I live in Los Angeles. I used to live in New York. Pretty easy to figure out why. Cold bad. Hot good.
Me: Any cool stories involving a chick?
Loeb: Please. I work with Joss Whedon (Buffy, Angel, Fray). Chicks flock to him. I get to stand near his aura.
Me: I just handed you a gun and a case full of 100 untraceable bullets. Who or what do you use them on?
Loeb: Give them back. I want nothing to do with either.
Me: Do you find working with four others on Superman (including editor Eddie Berganza) to be difficult creatively sometimes? I mean, what happens if there's a big argument over the next storyline and how the big blue is portrayed?
Loeb: Hasn't happened. That's what makes working with Eddie so cool. He runs a great ship. We're all pals. I've never had a working experience like it and suspect I never will again. Eddie is the best.
Me: I know you've most likely been asked this far too many times, but are you and Tim going to do another Batman mystery mini?
Loeb: Yes.
Me: That one dollar you got paid for writing Fantastic Four with Carlos Pacheco: was it for the entire run or per script? And, was your wife a little peeved that you were writing a comic for only a buck?
Loeb: I think what folks didn't understand was I got paid a dollar for WRITING the comic, but I also now own the Fantastic Four and the trademark. So, I was paid ten million dollars for the movie rights alone. My wife couldn't be happier. She has a house the size of the Baxter Building. Oh, and my daughter can now turn invisible.
Me: Are you afraid that after you, Joe (Kelly), Joe (Casey) and Mark (Schultz) move on that a lot of the changes you made will be reversed and ignored the way changes in Superman often are?
Loeb: It's not my character. I get to play with someone else's toys. They're the best toys in the box, but they still belong to someone else. If I want to make sure nobody plays with what I've done, there is a wonderful creator owned market out there. DC has given all of us every chance to tell the stories that WE wanted to tell. If they afford that luxury to the next team, good for them. Hopefully, they'll tell stories that are about NEW subjects -- at least that's what we're trying to do. I mean, look at the last two years. We didn't UNDO what came before us. Yes, Lex Luthor is President of the United States -- but that hadn't been done before. We have brought back Bizarro #1 and Krypto -- but they hadn't been seen in 15 years. I think in many ways we’re remarkably sensitive to the previous team’s efforts.
Me: Any tidbits from upcoming issues you can talk about here. You know, help a long-time fan get some publicity, maybe?
Loeb: Only that Superman #178, January 2002 will change Superman's life forever. Last year, it was his origin we threw into question. This year... well... it's not very long to find out. But RESERVE a copy now. That book is woefully under-ordered. Or don't and you'll wind up paying $15.00 for it in March. Tee-hee.
Me: Who do you love?
Loeb: My wife and kids. And that question. That question is a very close second.
Me: Any final words?
Loeb: Thanks for giving me the time and a big THANKS to all the fans and readers who let me do this incredibly cool job.
Thursday November 30, 2001
Interview With . . . Jeph Loeb!
Jeph was my very first “favourite writer” when it came to comics. I had a subscription to Cable and he was writing it and he was amazing. He and Ian Churchill were doing all sorts of crazy things: going to the future, fighting clones from another dimension, fighting the Hulk, hanging out with the X-Men. I even sent him a letter care of Marvel for a school project in grade 7 (which odds are he never got--damn you, Marvel!). After a year of reading his Cable, I also picked up his X-Force, which was great too, but it didn’t compare to his work on Cable. He made me the big Cable fan I am today--well, except for that patch where Liefeld came back and Casey and Ladronn left. And, I can’t figure out a graceful way to go into the interview after that, so here it is...
Me: Tell us a little about yourself.
Loeb: I was found in a field by a pair of mid-western farmers... wait... that's... Um... Live in Los Angeles, write and produce movies and television, currently writing Superman monthly and Daredevil: Yellow.
Me: How did you get into writing?
Loeb: I started in high school. It was easier than math. I could never understand math. Math bad. Writing good.
Me: What have you written?
Loeb: Movies, television, comics, magazine articles, the occasional poem, a terrible musical, animation. I can tell you what I DON'T do is write to Mother enough. Actually, I don't think there is any way I could write to her enough, so I pretty much just gave up.
Me: How was it working with Ian Churchill on Superman 176, since you two have a history of working together on Cable, Avengers and at Awesome Entertainment?
Loeb: The best. Ian and I have been friends since our Cable days. He is a tremendous talent. It was a very big change from the “McGuinness” look of Superman and I was a bit worried that the fans wouldn't take to him -- but, Superman fans never cease to amaze me. They loved him. I guess there is always an appetite for a more “realistic” (that's a funny way to look at it for me) interpretation of Superman and that's what Ian delivered on. He is also doing Superman #180 which features Dracula (yes, THAT Dracula). His artwork is quite spectacular.
Me: Have you found it difficult to write Daredevil: Yellow, while not just repeating the origin laid out by Stan Lee and later by Frank Miller?
Loeb: I write comics the best I can. I hope folks enjoy the work; some do and some don't. I usually write what I feel my artist can best deliver on. Daredevil: Yellow was a love letter to my father and to Karen Page and Tim Sale delivered above whatever I could have dreamed of -- so, I guess the answer is no.
Me: What did you think of Warren Ellis and Steven Grant's X-Man?
Loeb: I never read them. When I walk away from book, that's usually the end for me. I know what I would have done and that's enough. X-Man, which I co-created with Steve Skroce was a particularly unpleasant experience since Steve and I had one vision for the book and (then, Marvel Editor-in-Chief) Bob Harras had another. Bob was wrong. That book went from selling a 500,000 copies and in the top ten to a book that was ultimately cancelled.
Me: Would you ever want to do Cable or X-Force again?
Loeb: I'd never say never. Marvel is a completely different place now. Joe Quesada runs a very different ship. Much, much better. But both Cable and X-Force are very different too. So, the subject is fairly moot.
Me: In an interview you did for an issue of Cable (#37), you mentioned how your son loved X-Men and such. Does he find it cool that his dad is working on Superman do you think?
Loeb: Superman MUCH cooler. Batman nearly as cool. Spider-Man close too. When the movie comes out, I'm fairly sure that Spidey will crawl up closer to Superman. But, Superman is the best.
Me: Boxers or briefs?
Loeb: Dogs or legal papers? What an odd question. I guess I prefer the dogs, since legal papers bore the hell out of me...
Me: Cats or dogs?
Loeb: Again with the dogs? Okay. I'll play. Dogs.
Me: Winter or summer?
Loeb: Summer. I live in Los Angeles. I used to live in New York. Pretty easy to figure out why. Cold bad. Hot good.
Me: Any cool stories involving a chick?
Loeb: Please. I work with Joss Whedon (Buffy, Angel, Fray). Chicks flock to him. I get to stand near his aura.
Me: I just handed you a gun and a case full of 100 untraceable bullets. Who or what do you use them on?
Loeb: Give them back. I want nothing to do with either.
Me: Do you find working with four others on Superman (including editor Eddie Berganza) to be difficult creatively sometimes? I mean, what happens if there's a big argument over the next storyline and how the big blue is portrayed?
Loeb: Hasn't happened. That's what makes working with Eddie so cool. He runs a great ship. We're all pals. I've never had a working experience like it and suspect I never will again. Eddie is the best.
Me: I know you've most likely been asked this far too many times, but are you and Tim going to do another Batman mystery mini?
Loeb: Yes.
Me: That one dollar you got paid for writing Fantastic Four with Carlos Pacheco: was it for the entire run or per script? And, was your wife a little peeved that you were writing a comic for only a buck?
Loeb: I think what folks didn't understand was I got paid a dollar for WRITING the comic, but I also now own the Fantastic Four and the trademark. So, I was paid ten million dollars for the movie rights alone. My wife couldn't be happier. She has a house the size of the Baxter Building. Oh, and my daughter can now turn invisible.
Me: Are you afraid that after you, Joe (Kelly), Joe (Casey) and Mark (Schultz) move on that a lot of the changes you made will be reversed and ignored the way changes in Superman often are?
Loeb: It's not my character. I get to play with someone else's toys. They're the best toys in the box, but they still belong to someone else. If I want to make sure nobody plays with what I've done, there is a wonderful creator owned market out there. DC has given all of us every chance to tell the stories that WE wanted to tell. If they afford that luxury to the next team, good for them. Hopefully, they'll tell stories that are about NEW subjects -- at least that's what we're trying to do. I mean, look at the last two years. We didn't UNDO what came before us. Yes, Lex Luthor is President of the United States -- but that hadn't been done before. We have brought back Bizarro #1 and Krypto -- but they hadn't been seen in 15 years. I think in many ways we’re remarkably sensitive to the previous team’s efforts.
Me: Any tidbits from upcoming issues you can talk about here. You know, help a long-time fan get some publicity, maybe?
Loeb: Only that Superman #178, January 2002 will change Superman's life forever. Last year, it was his origin we threw into question. This year... well... it's not very long to find out. But RESERVE a copy now. That book is woefully under-ordered. Or don't and you'll wind up paying $15.00 for it in March. Tee-hee.
Me: Who do you love?
Loeb: My wife and kids. And that question. That question is a very close second.
Me: Any final words?
Loeb: Thanks for giving me the time and a big THANKS to all the fans and readers who let me do this incredibly cool job.
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