Some thoughts on some recent comics
Dec. 21st, 2016 11:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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scans_dailyThese are not reviews.
The Ultimates^2 #2, by Al Ewing and Travel Foreman. Al Ewing has a singular talent for leaning into events/crossovers and making them work *for* his books, so that they don't come off as intrusion or derailment. He finds ways to tie them into the ongoing arcs and subplots of his book so well -- both in terms of plot *and* thematic resonance -- that you actually become thankful for some crossover you actually have no interest in.
He uses the same skill here, though in a different form, as he finds a way to effectively weave a Christmas theme into all the ongoing cosmic craziness for this, the December issue.
Star-Lord #1, by Chip Zdarsky and Kris Anka. Personality-wise, how much does post-movie Star-Lord match pre-movie Star-Lord? I never really read those Giffen/DnA space comics, but my impression is that they're almost two different characters? Has there been any attempt to explain this, some story about Peter Quill undergoing a life-altering experience that gave him a new outlook, something like that?
Captain America: Sam Wilson #16, by Nick Spencer and Angel Unzueta. There's a sympathetic, harmless bank robber supervillain in this one. It's an interesting thing, this character type. I mean, in real life, bank robbery, even when nobody is hurt, can be incredibly traumatic and PTSD-inducing to the victims. If you keep that in mind, it's hard to go along with supervillains who "only" commit robbery as these amusing scamps who just happen to be on the wrong side of the law, as they're commonly portrayed. The whole thing falls apart. But it's a popular character type for pretty understandable reasons, so we all just agree to go along with it, treating this fun-and-games interpretation of bank robbery as an acceptable break from reality.
On the other hand, I suppose you could argue that the "super" part of supervillain actually justifies these portrayals. After all, a big part of the trauma of real life bank robbery comes from lethal guns being pointed at people. Supervillain bank robbers, with their powers and fancy gadgets, often don't do anything like that.
Silver Surfer #8, by Dan Slott and Mike Allred. An issue where much of the story is in-world fiction and thus never "really" happened. This kind of stuff is a gamble; even in stories where it works, I still usually find myself thinking, "Yeah, but I would have preferred to read about something that actually happened." This issue just about pulls it off, I think, thanks to the very final page, which give *meaning* to the earlier storytelling.
Avengers #2.1, by Mark Waid and Barry Kitson. Two issues in and I'm finding this a stronger book than Waid's Champions and his Avengers (both current and previous volumes). Why is that? Is he just that simpatico with Barry Kitson? (I loved their previous collaborations.) (Thought there's one single scene this issue where the two clearly misunderstood each other.) Is it just that Stan Lee arranged a great set of character dynamics with Cap's Kooky Quartet all those years ago? Is it simply that Waid loves the heroes of his youth in a way he doesn't more modern ones, so that he's thought a lot more over the years about the former group's personalities and how to write them well? I don't know.
The Ultimates^2 #2, by Al Ewing and Travel Foreman. Al Ewing has a singular talent for leaning into events/crossovers and making them work *for* his books, so that they don't come off as intrusion or derailment. He finds ways to tie them into the ongoing arcs and subplots of his book so well -- both in terms of plot *and* thematic resonance -- that you actually become thankful for some crossover you actually have no interest in.
He uses the same skill here, though in a different form, as he finds a way to effectively weave a Christmas theme into all the ongoing cosmic craziness for this, the December issue.
Star-Lord #1, by Chip Zdarsky and Kris Anka. Personality-wise, how much does post-movie Star-Lord match pre-movie Star-Lord? I never really read those Giffen/DnA space comics, but my impression is that they're almost two different characters? Has there been any attempt to explain this, some story about Peter Quill undergoing a life-altering experience that gave him a new outlook, something like that?
Captain America: Sam Wilson #16, by Nick Spencer and Angel Unzueta. There's a sympathetic, harmless bank robber supervillain in this one. It's an interesting thing, this character type. I mean, in real life, bank robbery, even when nobody is hurt, can be incredibly traumatic and PTSD-inducing to the victims. If you keep that in mind, it's hard to go along with supervillains who "only" commit robbery as these amusing scamps who just happen to be on the wrong side of the law, as they're commonly portrayed. The whole thing falls apart. But it's a popular character type for pretty understandable reasons, so we all just agree to go along with it, treating this fun-and-games interpretation of bank robbery as an acceptable break from reality.
On the other hand, I suppose you could argue that the "super" part of supervillain actually justifies these portrayals. After all, a big part of the trauma of real life bank robbery comes from lethal guns being pointed at people. Supervillain bank robbers, with their powers and fancy gadgets, often don't do anything like that.
Silver Surfer #8, by Dan Slott and Mike Allred. An issue where much of the story is in-world fiction and thus never "really" happened. This kind of stuff is a gamble; even in stories where it works, I still usually find myself thinking, "Yeah, but I would have preferred to read about something that actually happened." This issue just about pulls it off, I think, thanks to the very final page, which give *meaning* to the earlier storytelling.
Avengers #2.1, by Mark Waid and Barry Kitson. Two issues in and I'm finding this a stronger book than Waid's Champions and his Avengers (both current and previous volumes). Why is that? Is he just that simpatico with Barry Kitson? (I loved their previous collaborations.) (Thought there's one single scene this issue where the two clearly misunderstood each other.) Is it just that Stan Lee arranged a great set of character dynamics with Cap's Kooky Quartet all those years ago? Is it simply that Waid loves the heroes of his youth in a way he doesn't more modern ones, so that he's thought a lot more over the years about the former group's personalities and how to write them well? I don't know.
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Date: 2016-12-21 04:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-21 05:02 pm (UTC)I'm just assuming that the reason Quill is acting differently before and after the Guardians of the Galaxy movie is because of the writer, Bendis I believe, wanting to do his own thing and maybe the company wanting more Movie synergy.
As for this whole relationship with Kitty going south, I'm fine with that. wasn't really written that well to begin with and just kind of thrust upon the characters.
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Date: 2016-12-21 05:49 pm (UTC)But, Giffen / Dna Quill is... he's a broken sort. A man who's Been There, and Done Things and really wished people would stop saying it's great to meet him, because what he did sucked. (Killing a small colony of people for the Greater Good does that to you.)
He was a man who wanted nothing more than to abandon his past, and the title of Star-Lord, until he gets dragged back into using it, and his desire to help people and do the right thing helps overcome that.
He still pretends to be glib and uncaring, but there is a sharp mind under there.
As opposed to the guy in the movie. And the new Peter Quill loosely based on the movie.
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Date: 2016-12-21 06:18 pm (UTC)Kitty was better in the animated shows. Why do ex-couples always have such short fuses with each other in these situations. A lot of real people, who broke up under worse conditions, just sustain simple conversation.
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Date: 2016-12-22 01:25 am (UTC)This is why i loved the Ant-Man film, since Scott and his ex's new husband ended up bonding and the fact that the issues he had with Scott were understandable.
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Date: 2016-12-21 06:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-21 07:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-21 10:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-21 10:42 pm (UTC)Sam Wilson: Man, the Skrulls are have gotten a lot less ambition since Secret Invasion.
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Date: 2016-12-22 01:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-22 11:36 am (UTC)Anyone know in what issues Master Order and Lord Chaos were featured in before? That series of the duo of universal weapons, whose names I can't come up with.
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Date: 2016-12-22 01:16 pm (UTC)They've been around since '77, just generally doing stuff.
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Date: 2016-12-22 04:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-22 04:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-22 04:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-22 05:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-22 05:22 pm (UTC)Also, loved Misty in this ish, but I'd really rather have her as Danny's love again.
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Date: 2016-12-23 05:49 pm (UTC)It's a little odd that it's never directly referenced, but you can draw a line from that public defeat to how the Avengers feel the need to prove themselves this issue.
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Date: 2016-12-23 06:45 pm (UTC)Thank you.
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Date: 2016-12-23 02:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-23 04:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-23 06:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-25 12:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-25 12:36 pm (UTC)And Quill and Kitty broke up awhile back.
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Date: 2016-12-25 04:48 pm (UTC)