I mean, is it too much to ask for a comic book that doesn't insult my intellegence?
Case in point, the most recent issue of the Ultimates. I could rant for HOURS on all the problems in it, from S.H.I.E.L.D. flunking Basic Military Secure Networks 101 to some of the dialog in it (there's a single word bubble stating that the Chinese forces captured the X Men. Considering that Charles Xavier is living proof that paranoids DO have enemies-everybody at the school would have vanished in thirty seconds or less the moment the Chinese showed up on campus grounds. Believe it). Choice of firearms. Not having a contingency plan for certian circumstances. Hell, even the whole money-line at the end "We've liberated the Great Satan." It pissed me off on so many fundimental levels.
And, the "edgy" comic books merely being confusing as hell...damn it, I want plot lines and stories to stick my teeth into. The first three plotlines of the Ultimate Fantastic Four were great. I've fallen in love with Queen and Country and The Red Star. But, the rehash plotlines of Ultimate X-Men leaves me cold, the new D.C. "darkening" has been done before-and better. And, don't even get me started on Ultimate Iron Man...
I'm seriously looking into just not buying comic books for a while. Maybe trade paperbacks, but not the actual comics themselves.
Case in point, the most recent issue of the Ultimates. I could rant for HOURS on all the problems in it, from S.H.I.E.L.D. flunking Basic Military Secure Networks 101 to some of the dialog in it (there's a single word bubble stating that the Chinese forces captured the X Men. Considering that Charles Xavier is living proof that paranoids DO have enemies-everybody at the school would have vanished in thirty seconds or less the moment the Chinese showed up on campus grounds. Believe it). Choice of firearms. Not having a contingency plan for certian circumstances. Hell, even the whole money-line at the end "We've liberated the Great Satan." It pissed me off on so many fundimental levels.
And, the "edgy" comic books merely being confusing as hell...damn it, I want plot lines and stories to stick my teeth into. The first three plotlines of the Ultimate Fantastic Four were great. I've fallen in love with Queen and Country and The Red Star. But, the rehash plotlines of Ultimate X-Men leaves me cold, the new D.C. "darkening" has been done before-and better. And, don't even get me started on Ultimate Iron Man...
I'm seriously looking into just not buying comic books for a while. Maybe trade paperbacks, but not the actual comics themselves.
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Re: Is It Too Much To Ask?
Thu, December 8, 2005 - 7:45 AMyea... I hear you man. Lately I've been taking comics off my list that I've been reading for a few years, problem with marvel and dc books is it's only a matter of time before they get bad and repetitive, it is a franchise after all so once they change something they have to change it back sooner or later (the illusion of change is probably the only thing that keeps marvel and dc going). I have been loving the Legion lately though, Mark Waid has never written anything I'd consider bad. You should probably start looking into some manga and more indy comics. There is ALOT of bad manga out there though, so that just like north american comics it takes a good amount of looking before you find something great (you should check out Berserk, you might like it). As for indy comics... that's just a crap fest in itself, if you find something good it's GOOD but that's like looking for a needle in a haystack unfortunately.
I'd say for the most part you should start looking for stories with a beginning middle and (heaven forbid) an end. Hope that helps man.
Alex~ -
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Re: Is It Too Much To Ask?
Thu, December 8, 2005 - 10:57 AMI say this all the time, but it's worth repeating. The best way to get the most bang for your buck buying comics is to follow creators whose work you like, rather than titles or characters. Grant Morrison, Warren Ellis, Los Bros Hernandez rarely dissapoint. But you're right, this last issue of the Ultimates was an exception. I usually love Millar's work and Brian Hitch's art is great, but this last issue was mostly silly, unless you consider Loki's reality warping powers... But taking out the FF, Avengers, and X-Men all at once? Nah! -
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Re: Is It Too Much To Ask?
Thu, December 8, 2005 - 5:15 PMI liked it. I did. Things happen quickly and no one can be ready every second. It never makes sense to me when there are so many heroes how when disater strikes only the team whose book it is can respond and no one else is paying attention.
I got a sense of tragedy and horror from that story. I liked how the Scarlet Witches powers were more than a hand flip, and I liked Quicksilver kicking ass.
It seemed a lot done in that comic could not be undone quickly or easily and I liked that too- that there were consequences that wouldn't be wrapped up neatly when the story ends.
My big gripe with the Ultimates (and the Astonishing XMEN and Invicible Iron Man) is that they are good books that come out late- really late, so late I lose track of what was going on before and lose the excitment of finding out what comes next.
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Re: Is It Too Much To Ask?
Thu, December 8, 2005 - 11:40 PMI'm not that big a fan of Warren Ellis and his ilk. Tho, I do collect manga, heavy-duty. I think I have everything that Masumune Shirow has ever produced that's been translated into English. I love Full Metal Panic! and there's a few other titles I'm tracking.
Of course, I also believe that I could have done a lot of the writing better. I pretty much assumed that it would be Black Widow pulling the trigger by Issue # 6-7. And, a lot of the "suprises", wern't. -
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Re: Is It Too Much To Ask?
Sun, December 11, 2005 - 11:38 AMhave you read conan by the way? One of the best books out there in my opinion (and i refused to read it at first since i don't like the character of Conan really). Worth checking out.
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Re: Is It Too Much To Ask?
Mon, June 12, 2006 - 4:41 AM
ALL-RIGHT for the Los Bros mention-!!!!!!
Vive la RAZA!!!!!!!!
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Re: Is It Too Much To Ask?
Sun, June 11, 2006 - 7:24 PMHave you ever read the sandman? Its one of the most intelligent comic books out there, the first collection is mostly just a horrorstory with sub par artwork(I love sam kieths art, I really do. but his sandman stuff :-/) but as the story progresses you get quite a bit for your money. Itll challenge you to think and you will end up looking up most of the charecters because a great deal are real people. I was amazed when I read the story about the emporer of america. Its "edgy", I guess. But I dont think its confusing and its alot more enjoyable than just the same old super hero stories over and over again.
what ever you do, do not read The Kindly Ones or The Wake until youve finished the rest of the series though.
