Then get Hypervelocity. It’s on the same style and no Evil Stark on sight!

>
> As for the Velocity thing, I usually follow creators,
> and that’s why I’m probably going to get this. It’s
> just that Velocity seemed so goofy in the comic I read,
> so I hope Casey and Maguire can do good things with
> her. I’m still trapped by my hatred for some
> characters, even though I know better. If Alan Moore
> and Alan Davis wrote and drew a Gambit mini-series, I’d
> probably skip it.
>

Well, as I said, Casey made me like Cable. I don’t think there is a worse character out there (well, maybe Gambit…).

Velocity can hardly be considered a character, since her personality was never developed (much like all other early Image characters…), so she’s pretty much a blank slate for Casey and Maguire to work on.

And, well, it’s just an one-shot! If you don’t like it, you will just have spent three bucks anyway…

Best,
Hunter (Pedro Bouça)

The Unfunnies was quite possibly the distasteful comic ever made by Millar (I don’t think the series was ever completed).

Don’t waste your time (or money) on it. Read Civil War or even better The Ultimates 1 or 2.

Both novels incorporate MAJOR character events, as a matter of fact; but they come at almost the end of the comics’ chronology. It’s really kind of interesting because I don’t think anyone’s ever done this before — zigzagged between comics and prose with one timeline where work in each medium recounts important character events — but all you need to concern yourself with is that the comics come first. I think this new trade collection will be the first that takes place ‘after’ the novels.

Well that’s a shame – I haven’t seen the books anywhere.

Heck, I’ve never seen a Rucka book for sale, so I guess a book from him based on a comic had no hope at my bookshops.

Even though Spielberg seldomly dissapoints

Well, I guess if you learn to expect the crap he’s been putting out for a while now, it wouldn’t be much of a disappointment.

…scratch that last one.

Who would want to read a superhero book where they live up to their legend by saving the day and lives?

Apparently not very many people. I don’t want to beat this to death, but if they keep doing this kind of thing, it must be SELLING. If we didn’t always reward darkness and nihilism, they wouldn’t do it.

Afterall, you can only get dramatic superhero action stories through buckets of darkness, nihilism, gore, and gratuitous character death right? Who would want to read a superhero book where they live up to their legend by saving the day and lives? (sarcasm)

Can’t see them doing Essentials, but they have “Archives” at 7 (plus) issues per volume. Check out the NEXUS Archives for this.

Very pricey for a hardcover, though.

I saw the Laika book, but didn’t mention it. Thanks for bringing it up, because sometimes I miss things that might be very neat.

I don’t know why I don’t love Groo. I chuckle when I read the strips, and I don’t hate the idea, but for some reason it just never clicked enough with me to make me jazzed about a new series. I’m glad it’s back, though.

Anyone else want ‘Essential Groo’?

As for Q&C, do you need to read the books he wrote with the characters, or do no major changes/events happen?

Both novels incorporate MAJOR character events, as a matter of fact; but they come at almost the end of the comics’ chronology. It’s really kind of interesting because I don’t think anyone’s ever done this before — zigzagged between comics and prose with one timeline where work in each medium recounts important character events — but all you need to concern yourself with is that the comics come first. I think this new trade collection will be the first that takes place ‘after’ the novels.

I think the trade collections and the novels each work fine as stand-alone stories, as well. Really Queen and Country is a textbook example of how to do continuity right. Enjoyable for the longtime reader, unobtrusive for the newcomer.

There’s a very cool Tintin collection on page 321, but the thing that took me by surprise was this: “Soon to be the subject of an animated film trilogy from directors Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson.” That should be way awesome. It might not be, but it should.

Because that’s just what the world needs, the 726 gajillionth collections of the same series.

Even though Spielberg seldomly dissapoints and is a real craftsman I don’t expect much from this, it’s a couple decades too late to keep all the original designs but changing them would probably work against it as well. I am pleasantly surprised it’s an anmiated movie though, that gives a sparkle of hope.

We need humour in this depressingly-bleak, dangerously-paranoid, and morally-bankrupt world where WWIII is just around the corner. Not to mention all the violence that actually happens everywhere we go.

BTW, I can’t remember if it was you or some other bloggers that predicted the end of Irredeemible Ant-Man a few months ago. You (or whomever) called it.

Yes, you are.

>
> Because I’m a sucker, the solicitation on page 183
> caught my eye. It’s a one-shot featuring Velocity
> from Cyberforce, for crying out loud, which means I
> should run far away from it (my only experience with
> Velocity is in this issue). But it’s written by Joe
> Casey and drawn by freakin’ Kevin Maguire. Let the
> temptation begin!!!!!
>

Who cares about the characters? Spider-Man is a great character, but his comics have been unreadable for years now! A top creative team like Casey/Maguire should be able to do great stories with ANY character!

Casey made me like Cable, for dog’s sake!

US comics fixation with specific characters is one of the reasons that have prevented it to be as culturally relevant on the US as japanese or french comics are on their respective countries. And those characters belong to FACELESS COMPANIES, so it’s not like they are more likely to have cool stories than, say, a comic written by a talent like Casey.

>
> Meanwhile, Iron Man: Hypervelocity is very
> cool-looking, but I haven’t heard much about its
> quality one way or the other. What say you, fine
> readers?
>

I really loved it, but Adam Warren’s energetic, technothriller-like writing is not for everyone. Look for the Marvel Livewires digest to have a cheaper sample of his work and see if it’s your cup of tea.

Best,
Hunter (Pedro Bouça)