Over the last few days, I've read two different books on the Roman military, and each takes a slightly different tack.
The Grand Strategy of the Roman Empire, from First Century A.D. to the Third, Edward Luttwak - Luttwak focuses on the Roman's military strategy, and troop deployments from around the time of the Illycium revolt of A.D. (which halted Augustus' advancement into Bohemia, because he had to put down said revolt first) up to the rule of Constantine. He describes three different strategies over that time, and goes into the mechanics of them, what defenses would be constructed, how troops would be divided up between cavalry or infantry, the reasons behind employing those strategies, as well as their weaknesses.
Personally, the client state strategy of what he calls the Julio-Claudian era sounds the most efficient to me. In that system, there are states/kingdoms on the edge of official Roman territory. These areas aren't strictly under Roman control, but they're on positive enough terms that the Romans don't feel it necessary to send legions to crush them. But the Romans could do that, and the client states know it, which is why they go along with it. Plus the client states will act as a buffer between the Romans' territory and any threats from outside their zone of control. If the client states can handle the threat themselves, great. If not, by the time they're overrun, the Romans probably have time to move some legions to their border and halt the enemy advance. It's not a great system for the client state, but they maintain some limited suzerainty (Luttwak is very fond of that word), and in theory they can work up an arrangement where the Romans will help them if they need (because it would be in Rome's best interests to keep a friendly group on the border, rather than some new hostile conquering bunch). This method requires a lot of diplomacy, but it's a pretty efficient way to use the military since the mere threat of them serves as a deterrent to most (and you can always grease some palms to ease their wounded pride), leaving them free to concentrate more fully on the folks who won't play ball, say the Parthians. Plus, it lowers the chances the Romans have to fight in their own lands, which is the sort of thing the populace appreciates.
Luttwak goes from there to the Antonine system, where the client states are largely annexed (and the ones that aren't are so weak as to be useless as buffers). At this the armed forces are everywhere, because there are no more buffers between Roman territory and potential enemies, so you can't concentrate a large portion of your forces in just one trouble spot. Still, Luttwak points out that simply spreading your forces evenly along a wide perimeter isn't a great strategy except in certain circumstances. So he goes into a discussion of the Roman use of limited walls (Hadrian's Wall, for example), which were not heavily staffed, but would provide some early warning of impending large-scale attack, and could conceivably handle smaller raids on their own. The legions would be stationed father in the empire, ready to move to a specific location as necessary (which is where all those nice roads come in handy).
There's a lot more, but I'll leave it for you to read. My warning is that Luttwak was apparently a modern military systems analyst, and depending on your tolerance for it, he can bury you under specific legion names, sites of conflict that are called very different names now (and he doesn't always provide those names, so I'm not always clear where things are happening in relation to each other), and at times, a lot of numbers on how many legions were where, and how many people that constituted, and how many of those were infantry and so on. Still, the discussion of elastic defense versus defense in depth, both of which the Romans used later on, and the advantages and disadvantages of a centralized field army were highly interesting.
The book does raise one other point, and maybe this is a common issue for historians. In attempting to explain why the Romans might adopt a certain tactic, Luttwak assumes they were thinking rationally, and investigates the problem accordingly, so that ultimately he ends sections with a statement to the effect of how it's obvious why they did x, y, z. Except it's not as if all the Roman leaders were tactical geniuses, or if what they say about Caligula is true, even sane, so I wonder if rational thinking actually determined the plan of action. Luttwak makes a convincing enough case that I tend to agree with him, and I suppose it's more satisfying to feel you can understand the logic behind something, rather than throwing up your hands and declaring the perpetrator off their rocker, it was just a thought I had.
Arther Ferrill's The Fall of the Roman Empire: The Military Explanation is what the title suggests. Have to hand it to these historians, they don't seem fond of misleading titles. Ferrill's book is a bit shorter, and with a lot more pictures (mostly various artwork of noteworthy people, whereas Luttwak's illustrations were maps of territories or diagrams of defense systems, which I found more useful), and actually offers an explanation for the fall of the Roman Empire, which Luttwak doesn't concern himself with. Ferrill starts around the time of Hadrian (after a chapter discussing past historians' views on the Romans), and goes up to 476 A.D., so there's only limited temporal overlap between the two books. Ferrill uses considerably less technical jargon, so in that sense, it's easier to follow. His feeling is that the western Roman Empire fell because their military declined, losing its trademark discipline, due to the increasing addition of barbarians to their ranks. The barbarians followed their own commanders, who weren't following Roman tactics or drills, so the Romans didn't see why they ought to have to drill, so they lost that discipline that helped them maintain composure even if a battle might be going poorly at a given moment. Ferrill seems to pin a lot of this on a Stilicho, who followed Theodosius' plan of compromise with the barbarians, trying to integrate them into the empire. Also, for various reasons Stilicho failed on roughly four occasions to destroy the Visgoth leader Alaric, which Ferrill argues lowered the morale of the Roman forces. Then, when Honorius wouldn't even send them out to try and defend Rome from 407-410, they were irrevocably wrecked, and fell apart.
I don't know. Certainly discipline was a key to the Roman infantry success, and so if they lose discipline, but use the same tactics that demand it, things are going to go poorly. I can't shake the feeling that Romans had too many enemies, and discipline or no, at that point, they couldn't defend themselves from every direction at once. I'd tend to point more at all the instability at the leadership positions myself, with different commanders proclaiming themselves in charge, then using their legions to fight other legions run by other commanders who made the same claim. It seems like that would damage the unity of your forces, when they never know if tomorrow they'll be fighting other Romans because their commanders are squabbling. Maybe that's just another way discipline breaks down.
It's interesting that both authors take shots at various historians. Luttwak isn't fond of what he perceives as a Clausewitzian bias against defensive systems, a bias which apparently feels if a defense can defend against everything, it's useless. This is the charge leveled at the walls the Romans erected, since they certainly couldn't stop large-scale invasions. As I mentioned, Luttwak argues they aren't supposed to do that, but serve as an early warning against those (and a deterrent against smaller incursions), so the larger military forces can be brought up before the enemy reaches important urban or agricultural locales. Ferrill on the other hand, seems mostly contemptuous of historians that argue that barbarians weren't so bad, that they absorbed enough Roman ideas that they helped carry the way of the Roman Empire forward, so they didn't really bring about a Dark Age. Ferrill really has nothing nice to say about the barbarians at all, unless you consider a statement that once the Roman legions lost their discipline, their tactics were worse than the various Germanic tribes a compliment.
He also throws in a jab at Luttwak, whose book predates his by a decade. Except I think he read Luttwak wrong. He describes Luttwak as one who viewed the use of the forts and walls as theoretically flawed defensive system, and that they were better off when they went to the defense-in-depth strategy supported by a large central reserve. Except Luttwak spent a lot of time explaining the logic (as he saw it) behind the use of the walls and forts, and why he believes they eventually switched. He even notes that when defense-in-depth succeeded in driving enemies back, the Romans would switch back to the preclusive defense at the first opportunity. So Luttwak saw their use of defense-in-depth as something they did temporarily, and with good reason, since it allows the invaders more time to run amok, which makes the empire look weaker, both to the people inside (who are losing homes, lives, crops), and outside, who are thinking they can rush in, grab some stuff, and vanish before the legions show up. So I don't know what Ferrill was going on about there.
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Carnage and Culture
Carnage and Culture, Victor Davis Hanson - My dad suggested this book, which reads like it was originally a series of journal articles later republished as a book, considering the amount of repetion inside.
Hanson's idea seems to be that generally, when Western culures meet non-Western cultures, the Westerners win. They win the battle, and their culture, their ideas tend to be asserted, and he looks at the circumstances and results of ten different battles, from Salamis up to the Tet Offensive to determine why.
Strictly as a book on military history, I found it to have some worth, because I didn't know anything about the battle at Lepanto in 1571, for example, or Poitiers in 732, so I learned a bit about those clashes, what happened and why. So it was a useful read in that regard, though there are certainly texts that would be more in-depth out there.
There's the question of Hanson's thesis, and I don't really feel qualified to argue it, but I'll present it as best I understood, and go from there. Hanson is (according to my father) a classicist, so I perhaps shouldn't be surprised that he traces the sources of Western advantage to the Greeks. He feels that the advantage of Westerners is in their freedom, by which he means that even if they aren't allowed to do whatever, they please, they do have a rule of law to protect them, which guarantees them certain rights. So the Athenians at Salamis were fighting to defend that aspect of their lives, while the Persians were fighting for their near-deity like emperor's benefit. Apparently, people in the Persian Empire had rights only so long as Xerxes permitted it. If he wanted your land, your money, your kids, he took it. If he wanted you executed, you died. No trial.
This is something Hanson feels is uniquely Western and enduring, even when dealing with autocrats like Alexander the great, or various European monarchs. When discussing the battle between the British and the Zulus at Rorke's Drift, he mentions that all British soldiers were aware that even the queen herself couldn't order their execution without a trial, and that it was this sense of freedom and protection that provides an edge.
At the same time though, Hanson argues that there's something about Western military strategy, going back to the phalangite tactics of the Greeks that also helps. Whereas many of the non-Western cultures involved in the various battles prized individual heroism and killing many of the enemy, Western tactis are more about standing by your fellow soldier, maintaining rank, presenting a united front, that sort of thing. I think he's saying there's a greater level of discipline, that the Western soldiers are drilled to not let emotion overcome them and cause them to act rashly, but to stick together, and follow orders. Which seems at odds with the idea of defending their freedom and rights, if the military strategy revolves around drilling the independence out of them, but maybe his point is they're sacrificing that in the short term, to protect it over the long-term.
There's also some discussion of Western tradition of what he calls 'disinterested inquiry', which I think means people studying things without an agenda beyond the desire to learn. It seems like his argument is that non-Western cultures, if they encouraged learning, still often forced it to be viewed through the prism of their religion, or whatever the rulers accepted doctrine was, so you couldn't study and come up with conclusions contradictory to that, thus stifiling research and advancement, which helps widen the technological gap, which provides another advantage.
I can't say that I buy into his thesis, myself. It all seems too pat somehow, that the freedom of Greek city-state citizens encourages a willingness to subsume individuality in a fighting unit, and enables less impeded abstract research. it feels like an attempt to take too many disparate threads, and connect them at a single origin. Like I said, though, I'm not historian enough to outright refute his points.
There were a couple of trends he noted that I found interesting. One was the apparently Western idea of decisive battle (and shock combat). He feels Westerners, even when they aren't numerically superior (say, Alexander's battle at Guagamela) want to fight a big battle, all of them against all of you, and wipe you out. To that end, employ the shock combat of the disciplined ranks, firing, advancing, killing en masse, and obliterate the enemy. He notes that many of the opposing forces, made up of mercenaries or slaves will break off attack once they see a chance to grab some loot (the Persians who made it behind Alexander at Guagamela apparently stopped attacking the opposing forces, and instead started raiding Alexander's camp and killing unarmed camp servants, while Alexander's troops, having broken through Persian lines, ignored possible looting, and focused on trying to chase down Darius III). As an extension of this, Western armies apparently like to keep going until all the enemy is dead, while their opponents (the Zulus and Aztecs) felt that one victory would be sufficient to end the conflict. They won, the Wetserners lost, fight's over, right? Except the Spainiards and British were not giving up, but were going to send more troops, and keep going until it's done.
The other idea that interested me was the apparent difference is ideas of what is acceptable. For example, Cortes and his men were horrified that if any of them were captured, they'd be carried up to the sacrificial altar and killed. That's dirty pool, but it was perfectly acceptable, during battle, for Cortes and his men to ride after fleeing Aztecs, and run as many of them through with lances as possible. Or, for a more recent comparison, the U.S. firebombed Japanese cities in WW2, killed thousands of civilians, and felt that was acceptable because hey, the Japanese can pick the bombers up on radar, they can send up fighters or AA fire, but the Japanese interrogating downed pilots, then tying weights to them and throwing them in the ocean is no good. In terms of the number of people being killed, there's really no comparison, but Hanson felt it revealed something different about Western attitudes towards war (All's fair in war, but not after, I guess).
I don't know whether I would recomend the book or not. I feel he has a tendency to repeat things in chapters, probably in an attempt to draw a line of connection from one battle to the next, but mostly it just feels tedious, as if he feels we lack short-term memory. Still, if you want a better idea of his thesis, whether because you think there might be some merit to it, or because you think it sounds like bunk and want to tear it to shreds, you could try the first chapter or two, as they'll give you a suitable feel for the book.
Hanson's idea seems to be that generally, when Western culures meet non-Western cultures, the Westerners win. They win the battle, and their culture, their ideas tend to be asserted, and he looks at the circumstances and results of ten different battles, from Salamis up to the Tet Offensive to determine why.
Strictly as a book on military history, I found it to have some worth, because I didn't know anything about the battle at Lepanto in 1571, for example, or Poitiers in 732, so I learned a bit about those clashes, what happened and why. So it was a useful read in that regard, though there are certainly texts that would be more in-depth out there.
There's the question of Hanson's thesis, and I don't really feel qualified to argue it, but I'll present it as best I understood, and go from there. Hanson is (according to my father) a classicist, so I perhaps shouldn't be surprised that he traces the sources of Western advantage to the Greeks. He feels that the advantage of Westerners is in their freedom, by which he means that even if they aren't allowed to do whatever, they please, they do have a rule of law to protect them, which guarantees them certain rights. So the Athenians at Salamis were fighting to defend that aspect of their lives, while the Persians were fighting for their near-deity like emperor's benefit. Apparently, people in the Persian Empire had rights only so long as Xerxes permitted it. If he wanted your land, your money, your kids, he took it. If he wanted you executed, you died. No trial.
This is something Hanson feels is uniquely Western and enduring, even when dealing with autocrats like Alexander the great, or various European monarchs. When discussing the battle between the British and the Zulus at Rorke's Drift, he mentions that all British soldiers were aware that even the queen herself couldn't order their execution without a trial, and that it was this sense of freedom and protection that provides an edge.
At the same time though, Hanson argues that there's something about Western military strategy, going back to the phalangite tactics of the Greeks that also helps. Whereas many of the non-Western cultures involved in the various battles prized individual heroism and killing many of the enemy, Western tactis are more about standing by your fellow soldier, maintaining rank, presenting a united front, that sort of thing. I think he's saying there's a greater level of discipline, that the Western soldiers are drilled to not let emotion overcome them and cause them to act rashly, but to stick together, and follow orders. Which seems at odds with the idea of defending their freedom and rights, if the military strategy revolves around drilling the independence out of them, but maybe his point is they're sacrificing that in the short term, to protect it over the long-term.
There's also some discussion of Western tradition of what he calls 'disinterested inquiry', which I think means people studying things without an agenda beyond the desire to learn. It seems like his argument is that non-Western cultures, if they encouraged learning, still often forced it to be viewed through the prism of their religion, or whatever the rulers accepted doctrine was, so you couldn't study and come up with conclusions contradictory to that, thus stifiling research and advancement, which helps widen the technological gap, which provides another advantage.
I can't say that I buy into his thesis, myself. It all seems too pat somehow, that the freedom of Greek city-state citizens encourages a willingness to subsume individuality in a fighting unit, and enables less impeded abstract research. it feels like an attempt to take too many disparate threads, and connect them at a single origin. Like I said, though, I'm not historian enough to outright refute his points.
There were a couple of trends he noted that I found interesting. One was the apparently Western idea of decisive battle (and shock combat). He feels Westerners, even when they aren't numerically superior (say, Alexander's battle at Guagamela) want to fight a big battle, all of them against all of you, and wipe you out. To that end, employ the shock combat of the disciplined ranks, firing, advancing, killing en masse, and obliterate the enemy. He notes that many of the opposing forces, made up of mercenaries or slaves will break off attack once they see a chance to grab some loot (the Persians who made it behind Alexander at Guagamela apparently stopped attacking the opposing forces, and instead started raiding Alexander's camp and killing unarmed camp servants, while Alexander's troops, having broken through Persian lines, ignored possible looting, and focused on trying to chase down Darius III). As an extension of this, Western armies apparently like to keep going until all the enemy is dead, while their opponents (the Zulus and Aztecs) felt that one victory would be sufficient to end the conflict. They won, the Wetserners lost, fight's over, right? Except the Spainiards and British were not giving up, but were going to send more troops, and keep going until it's done.
The other idea that interested me was the apparent difference is ideas of what is acceptable. For example, Cortes and his men were horrified that if any of them were captured, they'd be carried up to the sacrificial altar and killed. That's dirty pool, but it was perfectly acceptable, during battle, for Cortes and his men to ride after fleeing Aztecs, and run as many of them through with lances as possible. Or, for a more recent comparison, the U.S. firebombed Japanese cities in WW2, killed thousands of civilians, and felt that was acceptable because hey, the Japanese can pick the bombers up on radar, they can send up fighters or AA fire, but the Japanese interrogating downed pilots, then tying weights to them and throwing them in the ocean is no good. In terms of the number of people being killed, there's really no comparison, but Hanson felt it revealed something different about Western attitudes towards war (All's fair in war, but not after, I guess).
I don't know whether I would recomend the book or not. I feel he has a tendency to repeat things in chapters, probably in an attempt to draw a line of connection from one battle to the next, but mostly it just feels tedious, as if he feels we lack short-term memory. Still, if you want a better idea of his thesis, whether because you think there might be some merit to it, or because you think it sounds like bunk and want to tear it to shreds, you could try the first chapter or two, as they'll give you a suitable feel for the book.
Friday, July 31, 2009
This Could Go On And On
With Immortal Weapons #1, the device used to relate Fat Cobra's history to us is the arrival of a man Cobra hired to research his history. The idea was that Cobra's done so much, and drank so much he either can't remember everything, or at least forgot many of the details.
I wonder if this is the first time Fat Cobra's had someone research his past. At the end of the tale, he's horribly depressed by what he's learned about himself, and orders lots of the strongest wine available, so he apparently plans to drink himself into a stupor, possibly to forget what he's learned. And since he burns the researcher's report, there won't be anyway for him to remember, until the next time he hires a researcher to look into his past.
It would be cyclical, Cobra learning of his past failures and misdeeds, getting drunk to escape what he's learned, and repeating his mistakes. Of course, he won't remember why he got drunk this time (or what he did), so it all begins again. It would, on a micro scale, mirror the Immortal Weapons themselves, as one dies, but another will be along eventually, to live much the same sort of life of battle.
I wonder if this is the first time Fat Cobra's had someone research his past. At the end of the tale, he's horribly depressed by what he's learned about himself, and orders lots of the strongest wine available, so he apparently plans to drink himself into a stupor, possibly to forget what he's learned. And since he burns the researcher's report, there won't be anyway for him to remember, until the next time he hires a researcher to look into his past.
It would be cyclical, Cobra learning of his past failures and misdeeds, getting drunk to escape what he's learned, and repeating his mistakes. Of course, he won't remember why he got drunk this time (or what he did), so it all begins again. It would, on a micro scale, mirror the Immortal Weapons themselves, as one dies, but another will be along eventually, to live much the same sort of life of battle.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
What I Bought 7/29/09
I suppose I should have mentioned on Tuesday that I'd be off visiting family for a week, and thus we would be entering "intermittent posting" mode. Well, you know now.
Immortal Weapons #1 - The preview they included of this in last month's Immortal Iron Fist had me worried. I had the feeling I was going to realize I was happier when I didn't know anything about Fat Cobra's origin, only that he was here now, and he was awesome. Fortunately, his life wasn't only embarassing upbringing and buttkickings at the hands of multi-headed snake demon things. It ends on a rather down note, though Fat Cobra is young yet (I guess). He could turn things back around with the time he has left.
Jason Aaron certainly doesn't lack for the wild ideas that typified Immortal Iron Fist. I suppose that isn't news to most of you, but I haven't been reading Ghost Rider, so I'm behind the curve. Personally I want to know more about Fat Cobra's time working with Ulysses Bloodstone. Fat Cobra was dressed like Kato from Green Hornet, and he once kicked Fin Fang Foom in the face. Or a story set during his time as a minor film star might be good, though I guess Swierczynski might have covered that time period with the Death Queen of California story.
Lot of different art teams on the book, which is natural with all the different time periods. I think my favorite was Michael Lark's work, because it most reminded me of David Aja in style and the way they showcased the different. . . moves. Mico Suayan handles most of the work, and gets the opportunity to draw Cobra with a variety of facial expressions, from shock, to anger, embarassment, even a few smiles.
Immortal Weapons #1 - The preview they included of this in last month's Immortal Iron Fist had me worried. I had the feeling I was going to realize I was happier when I didn't know anything about Fat Cobra's origin, only that he was here now, and he was awesome. Fortunately, his life wasn't only embarassing upbringing and buttkickings at the hands of multi-headed snake demon things. It ends on a rather down note, though Fat Cobra is young yet (I guess). He could turn things back around with the time he has left.
Jason Aaron certainly doesn't lack for the wild ideas that typified Immortal Iron Fist. I suppose that isn't news to most of you, but I haven't been reading Ghost Rider, so I'm behind the curve. Personally I want to know more about Fat Cobra's time working with Ulysses Bloodstone. Fat Cobra was dressed like Kato from Green Hornet, and he once kicked Fin Fang Foom in the face. Or a story set during his time as a minor film star might be good, though I guess Swierczynski might have covered that time period with the Death Queen of California story.
Lot of different art teams on the book, which is natural with all the different time periods. I think my favorite was Michael Lark's work, because it most reminded me of David Aja in style and the way they showcased the different. . . moves. Mico Suayan handles most of the work, and gets the opportunity to draw Cobra with a variety of facial expressions, from shock, to anger, embarassment, even a few smiles.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
That Solves That Pull List Question
Thanks be to all the responses to the corn question (and Sally, I was actually going to describe the across method as being like a typewriter, so you weren't the only one dating yourself).
I read that Exiles is ending at issue #6, which is kind of a bummer*. Granted, #6 was going to be the issue where I decided whether to keep buying the book or not, but I don't think it's ever much fun when the choice gets taken out of my hands***. Plus, I think once we had some answers to what was up with Morph, or why things weren't happening as Blink expected, the book might have settled into a groove, and that would have helped. At least they're giving him a chance to wrap things up a bit.
I wonder, and Mr. Parker mentions it as well, whether this relates to a point I raised two months ago. I was talking about how they canceled Moon Knight, but it looked as though they'd be starting again within a few months****, and I wondered if they shouldn't let Moonie sit a while longer. I wonder if that was the case with Exiles, considering it started two months after New Exiles ended because it was selling poorly?
Would setting the Exiles aside for a couple years have helped? I don't know. If direct market sales are any indication, most fans are drawn towards the books they think "matter", and it seems like Exiles would be a hard sell on those terms these days. The only reality most fans seem to care about these days is the 616, and I don't know if I can see the chart-topping books selling the seriousness of the situation the Exiles would be preventing*****. Besides, it would kind of go against the purpose of the book if every issue involved the 616-universe, so they'd eventually have to go elsewhere, and maybe the fans would stick, and maybe they wouldn't.
Then again, the book doesn't have to be in the Top 10, slugging it out with the Adventures of Norman Osborn's 357th Dark Team. It would just need some way to hold on at roughly where Nova is, though maybe Nova isn't the best example, since it does get periodic sales boosts from event tie-ins.
* Though I'm pleased to see Agents of Atlas is safe for the time being**.
** Between the two, I'd rather have Agents of Atlas.
*** Even if there are times it would really have been for the best. Like if they'd canceled Uncanny X-Men a year into Chuck Austen's run, so I wouldn't have been able to stupidly keep buying the title until a couple of issues into Claremont's return.
**** Turns out they are.
***** More likely, the Exiles would be unfortunate enough to land in Hulk, and be treated as Red Hulk's latest set of tomato cans. Red Hulk: Quite possibly the only character I could do without more than the Sentry.
I read that Exiles is ending at issue #6, which is kind of a bummer*. Granted, #6 was going to be the issue where I decided whether to keep buying the book or not, but I don't think it's ever much fun when the choice gets taken out of my hands***. Plus, I think once we had some answers to what was up with Morph, or why things weren't happening as Blink expected, the book might have settled into a groove, and that would have helped. At least they're giving him a chance to wrap things up a bit.
I wonder, and Mr. Parker mentions it as well, whether this relates to a point I raised two months ago. I was talking about how they canceled Moon Knight, but it looked as though they'd be starting again within a few months****, and I wondered if they shouldn't let Moonie sit a while longer. I wonder if that was the case with Exiles, considering it started two months after New Exiles ended because it was selling poorly?
Would setting the Exiles aside for a couple years have helped? I don't know. If direct market sales are any indication, most fans are drawn towards the books they think "matter", and it seems like Exiles would be a hard sell on those terms these days. The only reality most fans seem to care about these days is the 616, and I don't know if I can see the chart-topping books selling the seriousness of the situation the Exiles would be preventing*****. Besides, it would kind of go against the purpose of the book if every issue involved the 616-universe, so they'd eventually have to go elsewhere, and maybe the fans would stick, and maybe they wouldn't.
Then again, the book doesn't have to be in the Top 10, slugging it out with the Adventures of Norman Osborn's 357th Dark Team. It would just need some way to hold on at roughly where Nova is, though maybe Nova isn't the best example, since it does get periodic sales boosts from event tie-ins.
* Though I'm pleased to see Agents of Atlas is safe for the time being**.
** Between the two, I'd rather have Agents of Atlas.
*** Even if there are times it would really have been for the best. Like if they'd canceled Uncanny X-Men a year into Chuck Austen's run, so I wouldn't have been able to stupidly keep buying the title until a couple of issues into Claremont's return.
**** Turns out they are.
***** More likely, the Exiles would be unfortunate enough to land in Hulk, and be treated as Red Hulk's latest set of tomato cans. Red Hulk: Quite possibly the only character I could do without more than the Sentry.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Corn!
Out of curiosity, when you eat corn on the cob (if you eat corn on the cob), how do you eat it? Across or around?
I'm an around guy myself, and I just recently learned that Friend Alex is an across fellow, so I thought I would ask.
I'm an around guy myself, and I just recently learned that Friend Alex is an across fellow, so I thought I would ask.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
If He's This Stupid, He Certainly Couldn't Replace Batman
A few weeks ago, when I was reviewing Secret Six #11, I commented to the effect that I couldn't believe any of the Six were cool with providing security for the construction of a prison for every criminal in the world. I didn't even mean in terms of the fact that slave labor is being used. Sure, I find that disturbing, moreso than all the killing they've done in the series up to this point* somehow, but the Six are pretty blase about the horrible things people do to each other, so they're indifference wasn't entirely unexpected. As Ragdoll pointed out, Smyth's probably not any more evil than their previous employers**.
Still, this is a prison, for every criminal in the world, and the Six all have criminal records. So the odds they'd be tenants are pretty fair. Having given it some more thought, I can understand a couple of them. Deadshot really doesn't care about anything, including whether he's alive or dead, so I imagine a horrible prison doesn't concern him much, though it would be interesting to see if circumstances could be so awful he actually would begin to care. Ragdoll's an loon who had his body pretty much torn down and rebuilt for greater flexibility, so he might enjoy prison.
Catman's the one I can't figure. Set aside the crap about how the team took a job and so they have to see it through. They didn't actually deliver the card to the Mad Hatter, or Tarantula for that matter, so that's a bunch of bunk. Part of the point of the Six as a concept seems to be their lack of scruples, so I can't figure breaking a contract is really going to prove the line in the sand they won't cross. If it is, well, it's a really odd place to draw a line.
It just feels like Catman has to have a better reason. Is he on one of his guilt phases, where he feels bad about the ugly things he does, and so he'll make sure a prison he'd eventually be thrown into is finished? That would be funny, because by the time they finish, I imagine he'll be out of that phase, and it'll be time for a rousing game of "What the hell was I thinking?" Does he honestly believe he'd never be caught? Because he's struck me as a little more realistic about situations in the past***, to the point I can't see him as that delusional. Unless this is a delusional phase.
* I'm guessing that's because they had, until Deadshot killed the fleeing Mina in #10, restricted themselves to killing villains and varying degrees of scumbags.
** Unless it turns out Smyth's conviction that the righteousness of what he's doing validates all actions leads him to even darker places than their earlier employers. And if he believes that, well he might want to talk to Beta Ray Bill about whether noble ends make noble means, provided one even considers his goal noble.
*** His recognition that the Six didn't really stand much of a chance against Cheetah, considering she's powerful enough to fight Wonder Woman hand-to-hand, is one example.
Still, this is a prison, for every criminal in the world, and the Six all have criminal records. So the odds they'd be tenants are pretty fair. Having given it some more thought, I can understand a couple of them. Deadshot really doesn't care about anything, including whether he's alive or dead, so I imagine a horrible prison doesn't concern him much, though it would be interesting to see if circumstances could be so awful he actually would begin to care. Ragdoll's an loon who had his body pretty much torn down and rebuilt for greater flexibility, so he might enjoy prison.
Catman's the one I can't figure. Set aside the crap about how the team took a job and so they have to see it through. They didn't actually deliver the card to the Mad Hatter, or Tarantula for that matter, so that's a bunch of bunk. Part of the point of the Six as a concept seems to be their lack of scruples, so I can't figure breaking a contract is really going to prove the line in the sand they won't cross. If it is, well, it's a really odd place to draw a line.
It just feels like Catman has to have a better reason. Is he on one of his guilt phases, where he feels bad about the ugly things he does, and so he'll make sure a prison he'd eventually be thrown into is finished? That would be funny, because by the time they finish, I imagine he'll be out of that phase, and it'll be time for a rousing game of "What the hell was I thinking?" Does he honestly believe he'd never be caught? Because he's struck me as a little more realistic about situations in the past***, to the point I can't see him as that delusional. Unless this is a delusional phase.
* I'm guessing that's because they had, until Deadshot killed the fleeing Mina in #10, restricted themselves to killing villains and varying degrees of scumbags.
** Unless it turns out Smyth's conviction that the righteousness of what he's doing validates all actions leads him to even darker places than their earlier employers. And if he believes that, well he might want to talk to Beta Ray Bill about whether noble ends make noble means, provided one even considers his goal noble.
*** His recognition that the Six didn't really stand much of a chance against Cheetah, considering she's powerful enough to fight Wonder Woman hand-to-hand, is one example.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
He's "Mad" As In Crazy, After All
Maximus the Mad's T-Bomb requires the voice of Black Bolt to detonate it. This requires Black Bolt to essentially be inside the bomb at the time it detonates, which will, you know, kill him. Maximus and Black Bolt have had their issues over the years, struggled back and forth for the throne.
Since Black Bolt escaped Skrull imprisonment, he's given Maximus a chance to be a contributing part of the Royal Family, one that isn't constantly looked at askance based on his past actions, which is nice. For his part, Maximus seems to have embraced the opportunity, and even if he's still looser with secrets, and more glib about things than Medusa might like, he's certainly thrown himself into the work his family has asked of him. Whether it was studying if the Terrigen Mists would work on the Kree, or developing all those nifty weapons the Inhumans have deployed, he's worked nearly tirelessly.
Still, I have this suspicion that Black Bolt having to sacrifice himself to use the bomb is all part of some devious plot of Maximus', to clear the path to the throne. If Blackagar really does buy the farm*, Maximus might wind up as the primary opposition to the Crystal/Ronan ruling pair I envisioned previously, instead of Medusa. What do you think?
And while we're discussing the T-Bomb, does it seem short-sighted to anyone else? They say it will expose everyone in the galaxy to the Terrigen Mists, so they'll all be Inhumans (except the poor Kree) and have no reason to fight. Let's set aside the fact Annihilation: Prologue said the Shi'ar and Kree live in entirely different galaxies**, which would suggest they won't actually be changing all the Shi'ar. Heck, let's even set aside the idea that people who have identified themselves as Shi'ar*** for generations, will just suddenly say, "Yep, we're Inhumans now, not Shi'ar. No reason to keep fighting the Kree, because they're ruled by Inhumans, which si what we are. Not Shi'ar anymore, no sirree."
That's still just one galaxy. Even if the T-Bomb didn't create the Fault which would destroy everything, I have to think all the other sentient races would be worried about the Inhumans just blithely deciding to make everyone like them, without so much as bothering to consult anyone else. They'd probably fear the same happening to them, which means a whole other war would start up between all the Inhumans types, and all the non-Inhumans types that aren't about to let themselves become Inhumans without a fight. Really shortsighted (which only increases my belief that it's really a scheme to eliminate Black Bolt).
* Take Vulcan with you. Please!
** It says the Shi'ar Empire is located in galaxy M-31, the Kree Empire in the Greater Magellanic Cloud, and the Skrull Empire was in the Andromeda Galaxy. I don't really expect all the writers to abide by that, but I kind of liked it as a concept.
*** Or Skrulls, because you know there are a few of them skulking around somewhere, trying to hold on. Like the religious refugees that were on Knowhere.
Since Black Bolt escaped Skrull imprisonment, he's given Maximus a chance to be a contributing part of the Royal Family, one that isn't constantly looked at askance based on his past actions, which is nice. For his part, Maximus seems to have embraced the opportunity, and even if he's still looser with secrets, and more glib about things than Medusa might like, he's certainly thrown himself into the work his family has asked of him. Whether it was studying if the Terrigen Mists would work on the Kree, or developing all those nifty weapons the Inhumans have deployed, he's worked nearly tirelessly.
Still, I have this suspicion that Black Bolt having to sacrifice himself to use the bomb is all part of some devious plot of Maximus', to clear the path to the throne. If Blackagar really does buy the farm*, Maximus might wind up as the primary opposition to the Crystal/Ronan ruling pair I envisioned previously, instead of Medusa. What do you think?
And while we're discussing the T-Bomb, does it seem short-sighted to anyone else? They say it will expose everyone in the galaxy to the Terrigen Mists, so they'll all be Inhumans (except the poor Kree) and have no reason to fight. Let's set aside the fact Annihilation: Prologue said the Shi'ar and Kree live in entirely different galaxies**, which would suggest they won't actually be changing all the Shi'ar. Heck, let's even set aside the idea that people who have identified themselves as Shi'ar*** for generations, will just suddenly say, "Yep, we're Inhumans now, not Shi'ar. No reason to keep fighting the Kree, because they're ruled by Inhumans, which si what we are. Not Shi'ar anymore, no sirree."
That's still just one galaxy. Even if the T-Bomb didn't create the Fault which would destroy everything, I have to think all the other sentient races would be worried about the Inhumans just blithely deciding to make everyone like them, without so much as bothering to consult anyone else. They'd probably fear the same happening to them, which means a whole other war would start up between all the Inhumans types, and all the non-Inhumans types that aren't about to let themselves become Inhumans without a fight. Really shortsighted (which only increases my belief that it's really a scheme to eliminate Black Bolt).
* Take Vulcan with you. Please!
** It says the Shi'ar Empire is located in galaxy M-31, the Kree Empire in the Greater Magellanic Cloud, and the Skrull Empire was in the Andromeda Galaxy. I don't really expect all the writers to abide by that, but I kind of liked it as a concept.
*** Or Skrulls, because you know there are a few of them skulking around somewhere, trying to hold on. Like the religious refugees that were on Knowhere.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Oh Goody, More Comic Book Science
Guardians of the Galaxy #16, the 31st Century. Almost all of the universe has been, consumed by The Fault, which is created by The Error caused in the 21st Century. The Error is apparently Black Bolt and his stupid T-Bomb, which was going to expose everyone to Terrigen Mists, opening one of those rifts in space-time that allow really unpleasant things a way in*. Although really, this sounds less like the tear allowing something in, and more like it opened a hole which things fell through**.
I'm guessing the Fault starts small (compared to its size in the 31st Century), but is too large to fix, and so it just continues to grow, with the universe falling in, one system after another***. Now it's taken almost everything, save the lone system the Badoon saved with their ingenious use of enslaved Sentinels as a cage to contain a power source (created from the sun) which generates a massive force field which protects that remaining section of space from the Fault.
Pardon me while I look back over that last sentence. *Looks back over that last sentence. No, not the one about begging your pardon while I look over a sentence, the one before that.* That is the most awesome thing I've been able to describe since "Mecca for all time and space at the edge of the universe set inside the decapitated head of a space god, with a telepathic cosmonaut dog as head of security".
OK, back to the actual point of the post. It was previously established that the Marvel Universe, the one being destroyed by the Fault, is constantly expanding, and that at least one of the places its expanding into is the Negative Zone****. Do you think the Fault has consumed the Negative Zone as well? I don't know how fast the universe was expanding into***** the Negative Zone, but I doubt it was going as fast as the Fault appears to be moving, if there's a solitary system left after a thousand years. Did the Fault, having devoured almost all of the Marvel Universe, continue expanding, which would bring it into contact with the Negative Zone, and simply keep growing, keep having more stuff fall into it?
For that matter, where is all the stuff going into the Fault ending up at? Somewhere outside the universe, or some other reality perhaps? Maybe another universe is experiencing similar difficulties with rifts, and bits of the Marvel Universe are what is coming in. That's where the Major Victory in the 21st Century came from, I think, another reality he was somehow tossed out of. Unless he's the one from the 31st Century that was blown up at the end of the issue****** . Assuming he and his team were blown up, which isn't for certain, since it's a safe bet Star-Lord and his bunch were killed. So maybe the Major Victory in the 21st Century is the one from the 31st, who was thrown out into the Fault by the explosion, then literally frozen in Time?
Ow, headache. Even if the Fault is so destructive that no matter can make it through whole, matter and energy can't be destroyed, only change form, so whatever made up the Marvel Universe would still have to exist in some form, somewhere. Though this is perhaps not the book to be trying to apply my limited understanding of thermodynamics.
* Given that the bomb is powered by Black Bolt's voice, should we assume it's his voice that's going to do the damage? I mean, I know he's powerful enough to level a city with a whispered word, but to have a voice capable of exploding a bomb with sufficient force to scatter its contents across a galaxy (we'll ignore the obvious questions of just how long that dispersal should actually take), or tear holes in the universe? Geez.
** Though 'consumed' almost suggests an active mind at work. Wasn't there a creature like that in the Thanos series? It tricked Galactus into giving it entry to the Marvel Universe, and Thanos had to find some way to stop it, when even Galactus couldn't slow it down? Maybe that thing is back.
*** Or multiple systems simultaneously, assuming the Fault expands in all directions at once, and so would reach different systems at the same time.
**** As you may recall, that was Annihilus' pretext for invading the Marvel U. in Annihilation. Course, he was really out to take the Power Cosmic for himself, and kill all other life, but he couldn't very well admit that to his soldiers.
***** I don't entirely understand how that works. Was the Marvel U. pushing into the Negative Zone, bumping up against the fabric of N-Zone spacetime, and shoving it out of the way? If so, where was the N-Zone being shoved to? Or is the N-Zone being absorbed somehow? Like it's a piece of food, and the Marvel U. is an ameoba, extending a pseudopod of space-time to envelop and digest the N-Zone?
****** Though Starhawk didn't seem to recognize him as his/her friend and teammate, so I think Starhawk knew it was a different Major Victory from his/hers.
I'm guessing the Fault starts small (compared to its size in the 31st Century), but is too large to fix, and so it just continues to grow, with the universe falling in, one system after another***. Now it's taken almost everything, save the lone system the Badoon saved with their ingenious use of enslaved Sentinels as a cage to contain a power source (created from the sun) which generates a massive force field which protects that remaining section of space from the Fault.
Pardon me while I look back over that last sentence. *Looks back over that last sentence. No, not the one about begging your pardon while I look over a sentence, the one before that.* That is the most awesome thing I've been able to describe since "Mecca for all time and space at the edge of the universe set inside the decapitated head of a space god, with a telepathic cosmonaut dog as head of security".
OK, back to the actual point of the post. It was previously established that the Marvel Universe, the one being destroyed by the Fault, is constantly expanding, and that at least one of the places its expanding into is the Negative Zone****. Do you think the Fault has consumed the Negative Zone as well? I don't know how fast the universe was expanding into***** the Negative Zone, but I doubt it was going as fast as the Fault appears to be moving, if there's a solitary system left after a thousand years. Did the Fault, having devoured almost all of the Marvel Universe, continue expanding, which would bring it into contact with the Negative Zone, and simply keep growing, keep having more stuff fall into it?
For that matter, where is all the stuff going into the Fault ending up at? Somewhere outside the universe, or some other reality perhaps? Maybe another universe is experiencing similar difficulties with rifts, and bits of the Marvel Universe are what is coming in. That's where the Major Victory in the 21st Century came from, I think, another reality he was somehow tossed out of. Unless he's the one from the 31st Century that was blown up at the end of the issue****** . Assuming he and his team were blown up, which isn't for certain, since it's a safe bet Star-Lord and his bunch were killed. So maybe the Major Victory in the 21st Century is the one from the 31st, who was thrown out into the Fault by the explosion, then literally frozen in Time?
Ow, headache. Even if the Fault is so destructive that no matter can make it through whole, matter and energy can't be destroyed, only change form, so whatever made up the Marvel Universe would still have to exist in some form, somewhere. Though this is perhaps not the book to be trying to apply my limited understanding of thermodynamics.
* Given that the bomb is powered by Black Bolt's voice, should we assume it's his voice that's going to do the damage? I mean, I know he's powerful enough to level a city with a whispered word, but to have a voice capable of exploding a bomb with sufficient force to scatter its contents across a galaxy (we'll ignore the obvious questions of just how long that dispersal should actually take), or tear holes in the universe? Geez.
** Though 'consumed' almost suggests an active mind at work. Wasn't there a creature like that in the Thanos series? It tricked Galactus into giving it entry to the Marvel Universe, and Thanos had to find some way to stop it, when even Galactus couldn't slow it down? Maybe that thing is back.
*** Or multiple systems simultaneously, assuming the Fault expands in all directions at once, and so would reach different systems at the same time.
**** As you may recall, that was Annihilus' pretext for invading the Marvel U. in Annihilation. Course, he was really out to take the Power Cosmic for himself, and kill all other life, but he couldn't very well admit that to his soldiers.
***** I don't entirely understand how that works. Was the Marvel U. pushing into the Negative Zone, bumping up against the fabric of N-Zone spacetime, and shoving it out of the way? If so, where was the N-Zone being shoved to? Or is the N-Zone being absorbed somehow? Like it's a piece of food, and the Marvel U. is an ameoba, extending a pseudopod of space-time to envelop and digest the N-Zone?
****** Though Starhawk didn't seem to recognize him as his/her friend and teammate, so I think Starhawk knew it was a different Major Victory from his/hers.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Sufficiently Cooled? Check? Sufficiently Rested? Check.
{Now the only question is what problem will emerge to provide humorous commentary?} Deadpool? {Nah, he's too busy fighting the Wrecking Crew.} He made time to visit when he was fighting Bullseye. {Yeah, that was Bullseye, non-powered psycho who routinely gets thumped by blind lawyers. This is the Wrecking Crew, super-powered numbskulls who once helped put Hercules in a coma.}
That's not so cool. I could do that. {Without using booze?} Uh, sure! {No you couldn't! Stop lying and give Tombstone a Bonk!} What for? {For hiring extra people to beat Deadpool so he wins his bet.} That's dirty pool! I want to give that Strontian a Bonk too, for killing Richie. {Hey, we don't know that he's dead. I really don't think they'll dump that on Nova. he already has enough guilt over the Ko-Rel thing. You could still hit her for being a murderer though.} I will then, her and Blastaar, for letting those Shi'ar troops chase the Novas. {Let's not go overboard here. Blastaar could have just killed the Novas, but he actually gave them a chance, and he did follow the letter of the law of what he promised.} You're just afraid of him! {With good reason. He is a large hairy fellow nicknamed the "Living Bomb Burst!", who was capable of battling Annihilus. Fear is appropriate.}
You'll never be a Green Lantern with that attitude. {When have I ever voiced a desire to be a Green Lantern? One, I don't have the rear end for it, so the fans would be calling for my death because I was blocking the view of their favorites. Two, I'd have to fight zombie friends and kitties that belch acid blood. No thank you.} Ew, that's gross! {You brought it up.} I didn't say anything about acid belching cats! I'll give Power Girl and Terra Applause for saving Manhattan. That was pretty cool. {Yeah, I kind of wish that in the shot where PG is cutting all the cables, they'd gone with a sot from a distance, to give us an idea of the area she had to cover. Would have made it more impressive.} It was still impressive. {Oh yeah, no doubt. I'm just saying it would have provided a sense of scale.} I'm going to Applaud and Hug Robbie Rider for trying to do the right thing, and maybe dying dying for it. {Not dead.}
I don't know what to give the Guardians of the Galaxy. {Which version?} Either one. {Well, they might all have been blown up, so Hugs would be appropriate.} They weren't blown up! {True, they're lost in time, in Kang's sights, no less. That'll be fun.} I'm not sure I should hug the future Guardians, they doomed what was left of their universe. {There was hardly anything left, except one Solar System filled with Badoon.} See, there was still something there, and they killed them all! {The Badoon killed all of the members of each of the Guardians' species first.} That doesn't make it right! No hugs for future Guardians! Bonks for them and the Badoon! {Good luck on that one, seeing as they're all either blown up or whatever happens to being caught in that Fault.}
I'll find a way! {Super. Anyone else you want to single out before you go?} Ultra-Humanite. he's badly burned, so he gets a Hug. {That'll probably hurt him quite a bit.} I know. {Killing with kindness, eh? Cold as the depths of space.}
That's not so cool. I could do that. {Without using booze?} Uh, sure! {No you couldn't! Stop lying and give Tombstone a Bonk!} What for? {For hiring extra people to beat Deadpool so he wins his bet.} That's dirty pool! I want to give that Strontian a Bonk too, for killing Richie. {Hey, we don't know that he's dead. I really don't think they'll dump that on Nova. he already has enough guilt over the Ko-Rel thing. You could still hit her for being a murderer though.} I will then, her and Blastaar, for letting those Shi'ar troops chase the Novas. {Let's not go overboard here. Blastaar could have just killed the Novas, but he actually gave them a chance, and he did follow the letter of the law of what he promised.} You're just afraid of him! {With good reason. He is a large hairy fellow nicknamed the "Living Bomb Burst!", who was capable of battling Annihilus. Fear is appropriate.}
You'll never be a Green Lantern with that attitude. {When have I ever voiced a desire to be a Green Lantern? One, I don't have the rear end for it, so the fans would be calling for my death because I was blocking the view of their favorites. Two, I'd have to fight zombie friends and kitties that belch acid blood. No thank you.} Ew, that's gross! {You brought it up.} I didn't say anything about acid belching cats! I'll give Power Girl and Terra Applause for saving Manhattan. That was pretty cool. {Yeah, I kind of wish that in the shot where PG is cutting all the cables, they'd gone with a sot from a distance, to give us an idea of the area she had to cover. Would have made it more impressive.} It was still impressive. {Oh yeah, no doubt. I'm just saying it would have provided a sense of scale.} I'm going to Applaud and Hug Robbie Rider for trying to do the right thing, and maybe dying dying for it. {Not dead.}
I don't know what to give the Guardians of the Galaxy. {Which version?} Either one. {Well, they might all have been blown up, so Hugs would be appropriate.} They weren't blown up! {True, they're lost in time, in Kang's sights, no less. That'll be fun.} I'm not sure I should hug the future Guardians, they doomed what was left of their universe. {There was hardly anything left, except one Solar System filled with Badoon.} See, there was still something there, and they killed them all! {The Badoon killed all of the members of each of the Guardians' species first.} That doesn't make it right! No hugs for future Guardians! Bonks for them and the Badoon! {Good luck on that one, seeing as they're all either blown up or whatever happens to being caught in that Fault.}
I'll find a way! {Super. Anyone else you want to single out before you go?} Ultra-Humanite. he's badly burned, so he gets a Hug. {That'll probably hurt him quite a bit.} I know. {Killing with kindness, eh? Cold as the depths of space.}
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
What I Bought 7/22/09
The store got shorted on their Immortal Weapons #1, only receiving one copy, which went out the door with someone else before I got around to asking for it. So next week. That's OK, next week was shaping up to be light, so this'll beef it up a bit.
Deadpool: Suicide Kings #4 - Having his head blown off does not kill Deadpool. Spider-Man and Daredevil both agree to help track down Tombstone, who contracts some extra muscle from the Hood. I don't care how hard Marvel tries to convince me he's Chief Villain leader Muckety-Muck, it grates on me when I see Tombstone being all polite and "yes, sir" towards the Hood. He ought to snap that snot's neck. The Punisher finds Deadpool again, but eventually stops trying to kill him when a heart rate analysis convinces him Wade really didn't do what he's accused of, which makes me wonder why they weren't checking his heart rate the first two or three times Castle tried to kill him. They team up to find Tombstone, then they split up, then Spidey reappears, then we meet the muscle the Hood sent.
Well, I liked this issue a little more than the previous ones. The insults flying between Spidey and Deadpool were amusing (especially how it irritates Daredevil), though it seemed kind of like a cheap shot for Spider-Man to make fun of Deadpool's face. I know Spider-Man does that a lot while battling villains, but they weren't fighting, and it is a side effect of the only thing keeping Deadpool from dying of cancer, so a little decency wouldn't be out of place. I can't really get into Carlo Barberi's art. Everyone's head seems to small for their body (or their upper bodies are too big for their heads), though he did a fine impression of Skottie Young's art on the first page, to the extent I checked the credits to see if Young was a guest penciler.
Guardians of the Galaxy #16 - I know, the cover the book had is completely not the cover they solicited. I can't decide whether Marvel is trying to be clever, or if it's incompetence. Not that it matters much, I prefer this cover to the 'Drax and Adam Warlock in front of kaleidoscope background' one they solicited, it's just kind of annoying.
Star-Lord, Mantis, Bug, and Jack Flag are brought to the 31st century by Starhawk, where they meet the future Guardians of the Galaxy, who are also the old Guardians of the Galaxy, but not old in the sense that they're the same people from Star-Lord's time, old in the sense that it's the original characters who made up the Guardians of the Galaxy, when the concept was first introduced in comics. Follow that? Good. The Guardians of the past see what the future is, and it's, uh, trippy. And doomed. Naturally, seeing as this is Marvel, and so futures are always bleak. You want happy futures, go read some Legion stuff. Then the Badoon attack, the way home is lost, and the only hope is to try and warn the Guardians still back at Knowhere about what needs to be done. Which explains the talking decapitated Celestial head from last issue.
See, this is what I love Cosmic Marvel for, besides the fact that heroes actually fight villains, and the villains usually get their comeuppance, rather than promotions. Where was I? Right, what I like is all the odd stuff that gets thrown out, like with most of the universe destroyed by the Fault (caused by the Error), how there's is still a little patch that manages to survive. Wesley Craig is back on the art chores, which is good. I liked Brad Walker's art, but Craig just draws weird freaky stuff so well. I'm not sure his anatomy is the best, but there's an energy to the work, and his expressions (though typically over-the-top) are solid as well. It's a little Bruce Timm meets Kirby, at least in my mind.
Nova #27 - Richard leads two other Novas to Ravenous' throne world, which is currently being trashed by Blastaar, sorry, King Blastaar and his Negative Zone troops. Richard manages to talk their way out of having to fight Blastaar (which is good), but Blastaar allows the Shi'ar Praetorians to chase after the Novas (which is bad - for the Praetorians, because I think Nova Prime will kill them next issue). Meanwhile, Robbie has the Strontian pinned down, but can't really do anything else, his control is slipping, and Ravenous is of no help. It looks like Richard may have been a bit slow arriving, which will be too bad for anyone in the area. Sure, Malik Tarcel was Nova Prime and Gladiator beat him down, but he didn't have Richard's experience. Nova's fought the Silver Surfer, and even Annihilus twice. I'm hoping he'll make a gravimetric field which causes the Strontians heart to collapse in on itself. That would be sweet.
There's really not that much happening in the issue. The focus is limited, and there's not much progression, which is kind of a downer. I would have liked more plot advancement, because what there was interested me, but I think there could have been more. The last panel's a nice cliffhanger for next month, but it felt pretty obvious throughout the issue, to the point where I think it would have been better to wrap that up and move on within the issue to another point of suspense.
Power Girl #3 - I love that self-satisfied smile on Power Girl's face on the cover. 'Yeah, I smashed all these robots by myself. It was easy too.'
Hard to believe Ultra-Humanite forgot about that power, but given her preference for punching things, she probably doesn't use it much. Which makes it a nifty ace in the hole. Power Girl beats Giant Albino Gorilla, and with a little help from her friend Terra, saves the city from falling from a great height, and from having a giant spacecraft fall on it from a great height. Not too shabby.
I'm surprised, given how much difficulty she had with him in the first two issues, that she was able to beat U-H so easily this time. Maybe it was a lucky toss, or maybe he was too stunned she escaped to do any telepathy/emotion manipulating stuff. I'm also a little surprised that Power Girl and Wildcat's brief conversation was so cordial. I figured he'd make a snide remark about how she couldn't hack it since she kept asking for other JSA members to help, but no. Maybe he does that after everything is settled. I think we saw a hint of some of the secret identity conflicts she'll face, with her employees wondering where she is, and we learned (if you hadn't already read the Terra mini-series) that she has at least one friend she's hits the town with, which is something. I'm hoping they have a little of that in #4, before these alien party girls show up to start causing trouble, since it would serve as another glimpse into Power Girl as a character. I don't know what to say about Amanda Conner's art other than I still like it. It works for me, in both action scenes and talking scenes.
Deadpool: Suicide Kings #4 - Having his head blown off does not kill Deadpool. Spider-Man and Daredevil both agree to help track down Tombstone, who contracts some extra muscle from the Hood. I don't care how hard Marvel tries to convince me he's Chief Villain leader Muckety-Muck, it grates on me when I see Tombstone being all polite and "yes, sir" towards the Hood. He ought to snap that snot's neck. The Punisher finds Deadpool again, but eventually stops trying to kill him when a heart rate analysis convinces him Wade really didn't do what he's accused of, which makes me wonder why they weren't checking his heart rate the first two or three times Castle tried to kill him. They team up to find Tombstone, then they split up, then Spidey reappears, then we meet the muscle the Hood sent.Well, I liked this issue a little more than the previous ones. The insults flying between Spidey and Deadpool were amusing (especially how it irritates Daredevil), though it seemed kind of like a cheap shot for Spider-Man to make fun of Deadpool's face. I know Spider-Man does that a lot while battling villains, but they weren't fighting, and it is a side effect of the only thing keeping Deadpool from dying of cancer, so a little decency wouldn't be out of place. I can't really get into Carlo Barberi's art. Everyone's head seems to small for their body (or their upper bodies are too big for their heads), though he did a fine impression of Skottie Young's art on the first page, to the extent I checked the credits to see if Young was a guest penciler.
Guardians of the Galaxy #16 - I know, the cover the book had is completely not the cover they solicited. I can't decide whether Marvel is trying to be clever, or if it's incompetence. Not that it matters much, I prefer this cover to the 'Drax and Adam Warlock in front of kaleidoscope background' one they solicited, it's just kind of annoying.Star-Lord, Mantis, Bug, and Jack Flag are brought to the 31st century by Starhawk, where they meet the future Guardians of the Galaxy, who are also the old Guardians of the Galaxy, but not old in the sense that they're the same people from Star-Lord's time, old in the sense that it's the original characters who made up the Guardians of the Galaxy, when the concept was first introduced in comics. Follow that? Good. The Guardians of the past see what the future is, and it's, uh, trippy. And doomed. Naturally, seeing as this is Marvel, and so futures are always bleak. You want happy futures, go read some Legion stuff. Then the Badoon attack, the way home is lost, and the only hope is to try and warn the Guardians still back at Knowhere about what needs to be done. Which explains the talking decapitated Celestial head from last issue.
See, this is what I love Cosmic Marvel for, besides the fact that heroes actually fight villains, and the villains usually get their comeuppance, rather than promotions. Where was I? Right, what I like is all the odd stuff that gets thrown out, like with most of the universe destroyed by the Fault (caused by the Error), how there's is still a little patch that manages to survive. Wesley Craig is back on the art chores, which is good. I liked Brad Walker's art, but Craig just draws weird freaky stuff so well. I'm not sure his anatomy is the best, but there's an energy to the work, and his expressions (though typically over-the-top) are solid as well. It's a little Bruce Timm meets Kirby, at least in my mind.
Nova #27 - Richard leads two other Novas to Ravenous' throne world, which is currently being trashed by Blastaar, sorry, King Blastaar and his Negative Zone troops. Richard manages to talk their way out of having to fight Blastaar (which is good), but Blastaar allows the Shi'ar Praetorians to chase after the Novas (which is bad - for the Praetorians, because I think Nova Prime will kill them next issue). Meanwhile, Robbie has the Strontian pinned down, but can't really do anything else, his control is slipping, and Ravenous is of no help. It looks like Richard may have been a bit slow arriving, which will be too bad for anyone in the area. Sure, Malik Tarcel was Nova Prime and Gladiator beat him down, but he didn't have Richard's experience. Nova's fought the Silver Surfer, and even Annihilus twice. I'm hoping he'll make a gravimetric field which causes the Strontians heart to collapse in on itself. That would be sweet.There's really not that much happening in the issue. The focus is limited, and there's not much progression, which is kind of a downer. I would have liked more plot advancement, because what there was interested me, but I think there could have been more. The last panel's a nice cliffhanger for next month, but it felt pretty obvious throughout the issue, to the point where I think it would have been better to wrap that up and move on within the issue to another point of suspense.
Power Girl #3 - I love that self-satisfied smile on Power Girl's face on the cover. 'Yeah, I smashed all these robots by myself. It was easy too.'Hard to believe Ultra-Humanite forgot about that power, but given her preference for punching things, she probably doesn't use it much. Which makes it a nifty ace in the hole. Power Girl beats Giant Albino Gorilla, and with a little help from her friend Terra, saves the city from falling from a great height, and from having a giant spacecraft fall on it from a great height. Not too shabby.
I'm surprised, given how much difficulty she had with him in the first two issues, that she was able to beat U-H so easily this time. Maybe it was a lucky toss, or maybe he was too stunned she escaped to do any telepathy/emotion manipulating stuff. I'm also a little surprised that Power Girl and Wildcat's brief conversation was so cordial. I figured he'd make a snide remark about how she couldn't hack it since she kept asking for other JSA members to help, but no. Maybe he does that after everything is settled. I think we saw a hint of some of the secret identity conflicts she'll face, with her employees wondering where she is, and we learned (if you hadn't already read the Terra mini-series) that she has at least one friend she's hits the town with, which is something. I'm hoping they have a little of that in #4, before these alien party girls show up to start causing trouble, since it would serve as another glimpse into Power Girl as a character. I don't know what to say about Amanda Conner's art other than I still like it. It works for me, in both action scenes and talking scenes.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
It's Important To Remember Who's Defining Terms Here
Spoilers for Beta Ray Bill: Godhunter #2.
At issues end, Bill finds he's no longer able to lift his mystic hammer, Stormbreaker. Since he made a point of telling Agent Brand in issue 1 that he's one of the few individuals deemed worthy of lifting Stormbreaker, one can assume his recent actions have rendered him unworthy. Since Odin enchanted the hammer, I guess it's his definition that determines things, and his definition strikes me as somewhat unusual.
Given the timing of it, it would seem that the line was drawn at how Bill convinced the I'thians to flee I'than Prime, rather than try to fight off Galactus and two Heralds. Bill's method was to use a nanoplague the Voidian weapons makers he captured in #1 to infect the I'thians, and withhold the antidote until they were safely away from there home.
OK, that's dirty pool to be sure, but I find it funny that's more ignoble than his decision to kill Galactus, considering people have been arguing Galactus is necessary to the universe since, what, the trial of Reed Richards back during Byrne's Fantastic Four*? But here's Beta Ray Bill, bound and determined to kill him, and surely Odin would have perceived Galactus' importance (assuming it's actually true).
Further, Bill isn't even trying to destroy Galactus in a manner of which I'd think Asgardians would approve. Rather than try and fight Galactus, he opts to destroy worlds before they can be devoured, starving Galactus. Kind of a cheap way to gain a victory, and one you'd think would be frowned upon by beings that prefer to settle things in honorable combat.
But no, it's the fact Bill was willing to do anything to save the I'thians from their own foolish confidence that was the deal breaker. Perhaps it's because the I'thians were prepared to die fighting for their home, as would befit a Viking (or Asgardian), and Bill forced them to run. Or maybe the loss of worthiness was a cumulative thing, and that was merely the last straw. I think it's interesting for what it says about the Asgardians**.
* It was Byrne himself who proposed that, wasn't it? He showed up at Reed's trial and argued Richards shouldn't be executed for saving Galactus because the Big G was vital.
** I wonder if there's also something there about how Bill is making a mistake being so focused on death, whether it's killing Galactus, or avenging his dead people, which is driving him to try this. Is it that he should be focusing on using his power to protect the living, rather than avenge the dead through killing? Because I don't believe Beta Ray Bill is actually concerned with protecting innocents nearly as much as he is with vengeance.
At issues end, Bill finds he's no longer able to lift his mystic hammer, Stormbreaker. Since he made a point of telling Agent Brand in issue 1 that he's one of the few individuals deemed worthy of lifting Stormbreaker, one can assume his recent actions have rendered him unworthy. Since Odin enchanted the hammer, I guess it's his definition that determines things, and his definition strikes me as somewhat unusual.
Given the timing of it, it would seem that the line was drawn at how Bill convinced the I'thians to flee I'than Prime, rather than try to fight off Galactus and two Heralds. Bill's method was to use a nanoplague the Voidian weapons makers he captured in #1 to infect the I'thians, and withhold the antidote until they were safely away from there home.
OK, that's dirty pool to be sure, but I find it funny that's more ignoble than his decision to kill Galactus, considering people have been arguing Galactus is necessary to the universe since, what, the trial of Reed Richards back during Byrne's Fantastic Four*? But here's Beta Ray Bill, bound and determined to kill him, and surely Odin would have perceived Galactus' importance (assuming it's actually true).
Further, Bill isn't even trying to destroy Galactus in a manner of which I'd think Asgardians would approve. Rather than try and fight Galactus, he opts to destroy worlds before they can be devoured, starving Galactus. Kind of a cheap way to gain a victory, and one you'd think would be frowned upon by beings that prefer to settle things in honorable combat.
But no, it's the fact Bill was willing to do anything to save the I'thians from their own foolish confidence that was the deal breaker. Perhaps it's because the I'thians were prepared to die fighting for their home, as would befit a Viking (or Asgardian), and Bill forced them to run. Or maybe the loss of worthiness was a cumulative thing, and that was merely the last straw. I think it's interesting for what it says about the Asgardians**.
* It was Byrne himself who proposed that, wasn't it? He showed up at Reed's trial and argued Richards shouldn't be executed for saving Galactus because the Big G was vital.
** I wonder if there's also something there about how Bill is making a mistake being so focused on death, whether it's killing Galactus, or avenging his dead people, which is driving him to try this. Is it that he should be focusing on using his power to protect the living, rather than avenge the dead through killing? Because I don't believe Beta Ray Bill is actually concerned with protecting innocents nearly as much as he is with vengeance.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Weekend's Over, Back To Posting
So how was your weekend? Really that's good (or terrible). Mine was pleasant enough. Saw some friends, ate far too much, forgot my camera when I went to the big get-together, but the weather was superb.
I also took the opportunity to stop at a comic store along the way, one I hadn't visited in three years. The last time I was there, I didn't have a lot of money with me, so I couldn't buy much, but I was able to pick up the last six issues of GrimJack before the multi-century leap into the future. That was nice, since most of those wrapped up the big confrontation with the Dancer and his schemes to lead the demons back into Cynosure, and I had been waiting years to see how that played out. Dropping by this past Friday, I was able to purchase six more issue scattered through the last quarter of the series, which is the same number of issues I'd managed to find in the time in between these visits.
The owner (or at least the fellow behind the register) was sure at least one of the issues had been there since it's release. He was able to ascertain this because each comic is in a standard bag and board, with a sticker on the outside of the bag. The sticker has all sorts of different information, including the store's address. The particular issue had a different address from the current one, and it was a site the store had been located at for only about a year, and that was close to two decades ago. That's quite a while to sit there untouched, fortunately for me it stayed there just long enough for me to find it.
I also took the opportunity to stop at a comic store along the way, one I hadn't visited in three years. The last time I was there, I didn't have a lot of money with me, so I couldn't buy much, but I was able to pick up the last six issues of GrimJack before the multi-century leap into the future. That was nice, since most of those wrapped up the big confrontation with the Dancer and his schemes to lead the demons back into Cynosure, and I had been waiting years to see how that played out. Dropping by this past Friday, I was able to purchase six more issue scattered through the last quarter of the series, which is the same number of issues I'd managed to find in the time in between these visits.
The owner (or at least the fellow behind the register) was sure at least one of the issues had been there since it's release. He was able to ascertain this because each comic is in a standard bag and board, with a sticker on the outside of the bag. The sticker has all sorts of different information, including the store's address. The particular issue had a different address from the current one, and it was a site the store had been located at for only about a year, and that was close to two decades ago. That's quite a while to sit there untouched, fortunately for me it stayed there just long enough for me to find it.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Pondering The Buying/Selling Dynamic
The trend for Marvel and DC the last few years seems to be that books which are BIG and IMPORTANT sell well (or are perceived or marketed as such), and if you want to goose a lower-selling title's sales, you just tie it into the BIG, IMPORTANT stuff for a few months. Sure, the extra sales vanish as soon as the tie-in does, but the sales increase for a few months anyway.
What I'm wondering is, how did this start? Was it at some point that the fans stopped buying titles they perceived weren't having an effect on the larger universe? Then as the fans chose to concentrate on the books whose events all the other titles had to accomodate, Marvel and DC took that cue and started promoting and selling in a way to work with that, thus the seemingly endless (especially at Marvel) cycle of Big Events which really matter, and hey the lower-selling titles are tying in to the Big Event, so those titles must actually matter, and so the fans buy them?
Or was it that Marvel and DC promoted the idea that fans should want their comic to matter, to have some kind of weight in their respective universes, by pushing the titles that did, and giving short shrift to books that didn't, and the fans accepted that, and purchased accordingly?
I have no idea which it myself. Probably a combination of the two, and likely a bunch of other factors besides. It's just a thought that came to me, and since I'm taking the weekend off, it seemed like a decent discussion post to set up before I shut down.
Any thoughts, recollections, theories?
What I'm wondering is, how did this start? Was it at some point that the fans stopped buying titles they perceived weren't having an effect on the larger universe? Then as the fans chose to concentrate on the books whose events all the other titles had to accomodate, Marvel and DC took that cue and started promoting and selling in a way to work with that, thus the seemingly endless (especially at Marvel) cycle of Big Events which really matter, and hey the lower-selling titles are tying in to the Big Event, so those titles must actually matter, and so the fans buy them?
Or was it that Marvel and DC promoted the idea that fans should want their comic to matter, to have some kind of weight in their respective universes, by pushing the titles that did, and giving short shrift to books that didn't, and the fans accepted that, and purchased accordingly?
I have no idea which it myself. Probably a combination of the two, and likely a bunch of other factors besides. It's just a thought that came to me, and since I'm taking the weekend off, it seemed like a decent discussion post to set up before I shut down.
Any thoughts, recollections, theories?
Thursday, July 16, 2009
ABP Is Not Up For Heat-Related Kookiness Today
{No worries on that score, my small, wooly friend. It's not nearly hot enough to cook my brain.} Good. {Sleep deprivation oddness is not out of the question, though.} Awww, nuts.
I guess Jimmy Woo has to get a Bonk for breaking the Atlas-Great Wall treaty. {See, I think the dragon neglected to mention the specifics of the treaty. It'll probably back whoever wins. Dragons are evil like that.} No they aren't. They're noble and good, and cool! {Right.} The Hulk and Bruce Banner both get Hugs, because of the drugging, and the nerve gas, and all the other bad stuff they went through. Bob gets a Bonk for using the word "Smash" around the Hulk. That's just stupid, right Calvin? Calvin? {Zzzzzz. . .}
Wake up! {Wha, oh sorry! Dozed off there a minute. Warned you there could be sleep issues.} Well why did you stay up all night?! {Because I couldn't fall asleep! My sleep schedule is all wonky! Besides, night is when I plot my enemy's downfall.} [Shouldn't that be "enemies'?] Deadpool! {Oh, hi Wade, nice to see you. No, I've just the one enemy to plot a downfall for. The large, odd fellow who tore that wall off my room.} What about UnCalvin? {We're not really enemies. More like friends who express their affection through insults and oneupsmanship.} Oh.
{I think Deadpool deserves a round of Applause for that through drubbing he handed Bullseye.} Agreed. [Oh you're too kind. Do I get a shiny award and a chance for a speech?] {Sure, step up on the footstool over there and say your peace.} *whispering* Should we tell him Norman Osborn didn't actually pay him that money? {Why ruin his mood?} But he shot himself at the end of the issue! {At least he's not embarking on another pointless vendetta against Osborn.} [. . . And I'd like to let all my tacos know that I'm a changed man, and I'll never - What do you mean pointless?] {Wade, breakout star of the Wolverine movie, and current holder of two ongoing series or not, Marvel isn't going to let you take down Norman Osborn over your desire for him to pay what he owes. Remember how they let Sabretooth kill Vanessa? They didn't let you kill Vic in revenge. Nope they let Wolverine do it in some godawful piece of garbage Loeb wrote. It's the unfortunate way of things.} It'll be OK Wade. [Hmm, I wasn't listening. Too busy thinking about how cool that move I pulled with the monster truck was, and his mouth was running like the Energizer Bunny, so I tuned him out. Say, you guys going to smack Bullseye one?] Well, you did a pretty good job of that already, but I guess I could. [Great. When you do, slap this Post-It with a giant "L" on it on his forehead. It'll be funny. *leaps out window*] {ABP, I would advise against that action.} Gee, really? I'm not stupid.
I'm giving the I'thians Hugs because they lost another world. {Hey, like Bill said, at least they're still alive to mourn losing another world. Provided Stardust doesn't get in one of its moods, track them down and kill them for spite.} What?! {Relax, I'm sure that won't happen.} Well, Stardust is getting a Bonk anyway, for enjoying its job too much. Beta Ray Bill gets a Bonk because I don't like how he's doing things. {So it would be better to fight a likely losing battle alongside the I'thians against the Devourer of Worlds?} Uh, maybe?
I guess Jimmy Woo has to get a Bonk for breaking the Atlas-Great Wall treaty. {See, I think the dragon neglected to mention the specifics of the treaty. It'll probably back whoever wins. Dragons are evil like that.} No they aren't. They're noble and good, and cool! {Right.} The Hulk and Bruce Banner both get Hugs, because of the drugging, and the nerve gas, and all the other bad stuff they went through. Bob gets a Bonk for using the word "Smash" around the Hulk. That's just stupid, right Calvin? Calvin? {Zzzzzz. . .}
Wake up! {Wha, oh sorry! Dozed off there a minute. Warned you there could be sleep issues.} Well why did you stay up all night?! {Because I couldn't fall asleep! My sleep schedule is all wonky! Besides, night is when I plot my enemy's downfall.} [Shouldn't that be "enemies'?] Deadpool! {Oh, hi Wade, nice to see you. No, I've just the one enemy to plot a downfall for. The large, odd fellow who tore that wall off my room.} What about UnCalvin? {We're not really enemies. More like friends who express their affection through insults and oneupsmanship.} Oh.
{I think Deadpool deserves a round of Applause for that through drubbing he handed Bullseye.} Agreed. [Oh you're too kind. Do I get a shiny award and a chance for a speech?] {Sure, step up on the footstool over there and say your peace.} *whispering* Should we tell him Norman Osborn didn't actually pay him that money? {Why ruin his mood?} But he shot himself at the end of the issue! {At least he's not embarking on another pointless vendetta against Osborn.} [. . . And I'd like to let all my tacos know that I'm a changed man, and I'll never - What do you mean pointless?] {Wade, breakout star of the Wolverine movie, and current holder of two ongoing series or not, Marvel isn't going to let you take down Norman Osborn over your desire for him to pay what he owes. Remember how they let Sabretooth kill Vanessa? They didn't let you kill Vic in revenge. Nope they let Wolverine do it in some godawful piece of garbage Loeb wrote. It's the unfortunate way of things.} It'll be OK Wade. [Hmm, I wasn't listening. Too busy thinking about how cool that move I pulled with the monster truck was, and his mouth was running like the Energizer Bunny, so I tuned him out. Say, you guys going to smack Bullseye one?] Well, you did a pretty good job of that already, but I guess I could. [Great. When you do, slap this Post-It with a giant "L" on it on his forehead. It'll be funny. *leaps out window*] {ABP, I would advise against that action.} Gee, really? I'm not stupid.
I'm giving the I'thians Hugs because they lost another world. {Hey, like Bill said, at least they're still alive to mourn losing another world. Provided Stardust doesn't get in one of its moods, track them down and kill them for spite.} What?! {Relax, I'm sure that won't happen.} Well, Stardust is getting a Bonk anyway, for enjoying its job too much. Beta Ray Bill gets a Bonk because I don't like how he's doing things. {So it would be better to fight a likely losing battle alongside the I'thians against the Devourer of Worlds?} Uh, maybe?
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
What I Bought 7/15/09
Another Wednesday, another comic reviewing post here at Reporting on Marvels and Legends. Marvels and Legends itself has moved to a new (old) location, right across the street. I say it's both new and old because Ken had moved the shop over to that same place for a time, before deciding to move back to the place he'd been before. Now Former Customer and Current Owner Jack has moved the store back to the place it was before. Anyway, in addition to my regular comics, I also grabbed a trade of Joe Kelly's I Kill Giants, on the strength of all the nice reviews I read. I haven't read it yet, but I'm sure I'll discuss it here when I do. Until then, comics.
Agents of Atlas #8 - Another month, another two issues of Agents of Atlas. I wonder why they're taking that tactic. I also wonder why Leinil Yu has the Hulk is rocking the Moe Howard haircut on the cover. Or would that be the "Guy Gardner, based on Ernie, General Glory's sidekick" haircut?
The Agents are continuing to check up on the Atlas Foundation's various enterprises, and today they go to check a 'biological study lab', which really means 'we kidnap drifters and combine them into creations straight out of Silent Hill games'. Unfortunately (or fortunately), their most recent drifter happened to be the Hulk, who I did not realize had resumed his aimless drifting through the world. Anway, the crew manages to placate the Hulk, and remove the scientists from their employ, while Jimmy and M-11 find out what Suwan has been up to. The answer, predictably, is not good news for them.
I'm curious to find out what the "Jade Claw" has been up to all these years. She runs an organization roughly the size of Atlas, so how has she been using it? Pagulayan's art is still pretty, though I think I'm a little disappointed his Hulk didn't look more monstrous. Could have been because of all the lab-created freaks around him though. A big green guy can look mighty tame in comparison.
Beta Ray Bill: Godhunter #2 - That's a pretty nice cover, though the amount of blood on the hammer seems out of proportion to what's around the Surfer's face. Regardless, I wonder why Patrick Zircher can't land a regular penciling gig on a nice, high-selling title. I think he's a fine artist, and his stint on Cable/Deadpool demonstrated the man can hit his deadlines.
Bill fights with the Surfer for a few pages, then learns the I'thians can put a decent fight themselves. Unfortunately, that's gone to their heads, and Bill is forced to be rather underhanded to get them to abandon their new world, since Galactus is on his way again. However, as always, actions have consequences, and it appears Odin isn't a believer in the ends justifying the means, which is bad news for everyone's favorite bio-mechanical equine Thor.
I'm really enjoying this. The internal struggle between Bill's desire to triumph through battle (which I think is fueled by desire for revenge), and his desire to protect life (which is why he really ought to be trying to stop Galactus). The Surfer being a mopey, indecisive sort, which is what he does best after all. Kano's art can appropriately convey the scope of the challenge our hero faces, and the toll it takes.
Deadpool #12 - Bullseye wakes up, which is pretty surprising considering Deadpool rammed a meat hook through his chest last month. More surprising, he wakes in a hospital he was delivered to by Deadpool. Actually, considering this is Deadpool I'm talking about, describing anything as surprising is probably a mistake. To wit: Later in the issue, Deadpool, frustrated because Bullseye has not reappeared to continue their battle, says '{4-letter expletive deleted} tacos.' At which point he vows that for making Wade hurt those he loves (the tacos) Bullseye will pay.
So the battle is (eventually) rejoined, and involves, rocket launchers, monster trucks, the threat of chainsawing, and random civilians. Oh, and Bullseye pleading for his life. Because he's a loser. Ha! Go Deadpool! Except victory be not sweet, and peace be not pleasant, or something poetic. Either way, the last page was kind of surprising, even for Deadpool.
I can't say that the stories Daniel Way's been writing have been densely plotted, but for the most part I've been entertained. They're kind of wacky, and Deadpool's thought processes are written as random enough to get a laugh. Or maybe they remind me of myself. I think the key will be to see what Way does next. The consistent theme of the first 12 issues has been Wade's quest for money (and respect). Well, he's got more money than probably even he can spend, and he kicked Bullseye's hind end, so that ought to cover respect, so what now? What's the new conflict that will challenge him?
Agents of Atlas #8 - Another month, another two issues of Agents of Atlas. I wonder why they're taking that tactic. I also wonder why Leinil Yu has the Hulk is rocking the Moe Howard haircut on the cover. Or would that be the "Guy Gardner, based on Ernie, General Glory's sidekick" haircut?The Agents are continuing to check up on the Atlas Foundation's various enterprises, and today they go to check a 'biological study lab', which really means 'we kidnap drifters and combine them into creations straight out of Silent Hill games'. Unfortunately (or fortunately), their most recent drifter happened to be the Hulk, who I did not realize had resumed his aimless drifting through the world. Anway, the crew manages to placate the Hulk, and remove the scientists from their employ, while Jimmy and M-11 find out what Suwan has been up to. The answer, predictably, is not good news for them.
I'm curious to find out what the "Jade Claw" has been up to all these years. She runs an organization roughly the size of Atlas, so how has she been using it? Pagulayan's art is still pretty, though I think I'm a little disappointed his Hulk didn't look more monstrous. Could have been because of all the lab-created freaks around him though. A big green guy can look mighty tame in comparison.
Beta Ray Bill: Godhunter #2 - That's a pretty nice cover, though the amount of blood on the hammer seems out of proportion to what's around the Surfer's face. Regardless, I wonder why Patrick Zircher can't land a regular penciling gig on a nice, high-selling title. I think he's a fine artist, and his stint on Cable/Deadpool demonstrated the man can hit his deadlines.Bill fights with the Surfer for a few pages, then learns the I'thians can put a decent fight themselves. Unfortunately, that's gone to their heads, and Bill is forced to be rather underhanded to get them to abandon their new world, since Galactus is on his way again. However, as always, actions have consequences, and it appears Odin isn't a believer in the ends justifying the means, which is bad news for everyone's favorite bio-mechanical equine Thor.
I'm really enjoying this. The internal struggle between Bill's desire to triumph through battle (which I think is fueled by desire for revenge), and his desire to protect life (which is why he really ought to be trying to stop Galactus). The Surfer being a mopey, indecisive sort, which is what he does best after all. Kano's art can appropriately convey the scope of the challenge our hero faces, and the toll it takes.
Deadpool #12 - Bullseye wakes up, which is pretty surprising considering Deadpool rammed a meat hook through his chest last month. More surprising, he wakes in a hospital he was delivered to by Deadpool. Actually, considering this is Deadpool I'm talking about, describing anything as surprising is probably a mistake. To wit: Later in the issue, Deadpool, frustrated because Bullseye has not reappeared to continue their battle, says '{4-letter expletive deleted} tacos.' At which point he vows that for making Wade hurt those he loves (the tacos) Bullseye will pay.So the battle is (eventually) rejoined, and involves, rocket launchers, monster trucks, the threat of chainsawing, and random civilians. Oh, and Bullseye pleading for his life. Because he's a loser. Ha! Go Deadpool! Except victory be not sweet, and peace be not pleasant, or something poetic. Either way, the last page was kind of surprising, even for Deadpool.
I can't say that the stories Daniel Way's been writing have been densely plotted, but for the most part I've been entertained. They're kind of wacky, and Deadpool's thought processes are written as random enough to get a laugh. Or maybe they remind me of myself. I think the key will be to see what Way does next. The consistent theme of the first 12 issues has been Wade's quest for money (and respect). Well, he's got more money than probably even he can spend, and he kicked Bullseye's hind end, so that ought to cover respect, so what now? What's the new conflict that will challenge him?
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
It Could Be The #1 New Sitcom On Mojo TV
There's an aspect of Crystal and Ronan's marriage that hasn't been touched on yet that could be entertaining, depending on how it's handled*. It's understandable, given the tumult that surrounded the wedding, Ronan's being beaten to near-death, and the ensuing war.
I'm referring to the fact that Ronan is now a step-father. That's going to be interesting for Luna. Ronan's going to be a very different parental figure from Pietro. For one thing, he's not crazy. Focused? Yes. Driven. You betcha. But he seems in full possession of his faculties. Plus, there won't be the considerable difference in the speed of their perceptions that there was between Luna and Quicksilver**.
Plus, Pietro was fairly absentee, always getting wrapped up in Avengers stuff, or X-Factor stuff, or Magneto stuff, or "I can't believe my sister married an android, so I'll destroy the Avengers" stuff. Granted, Ronan (assuming he has a position of authority in the government after War of Kings) will be heavily involved in running the Kree Empire, but I can't shake the feeling that he has a set of books in his home about "How to be a Good Husband/Father", and if said books tell him to spend time with his stepdaughter, then I imagine that Ronan the Accuser will damn well spend time with her. He can teach her the fine points of Accusing***.
* I guess that's true of most ideas, isn't it?
** Though Luna gained some odd perceptive ability after Pietro exposed her to the Mists. I haven't seen that mentioned in awhile, though,. Maybe the effect wore off. Pietro had to eventually steal the Terrigen Crystals to keep the weird time powers he gained from them.
*** Point #1 - Make the Accusation in a loud, but calm and clear tone. Point #2 - Level your weapon in their direction. Point #3 - If they plead innocence, ignore. Point #4 - If they claim immunity from your laws, explain that where Kree tread, Kree law rules. Point #5 - If they give you any more lip, pop them in it.****
**** Yes, I just came up with those as I was typing this.
I'm referring to the fact that Ronan is now a step-father. That's going to be interesting for Luna. Ronan's going to be a very different parental figure from Pietro. For one thing, he's not crazy. Focused? Yes. Driven. You betcha. But he seems in full possession of his faculties. Plus, there won't be the considerable difference in the speed of their perceptions that there was between Luna and Quicksilver**.
Plus, Pietro was fairly absentee, always getting wrapped up in Avengers stuff, or X-Factor stuff, or Magneto stuff, or "I can't believe my sister married an android, so I'll destroy the Avengers" stuff. Granted, Ronan (assuming he has a position of authority in the government after War of Kings) will be heavily involved in running the Kree Empire, but I can't shake the feeling that he has a set of books in his home about "How to be a Good Husband/Father", and if said books tell him to spend time with his stepdaughter, then I imagine that Ronan the Accuser will damn well spend time with her. He can teach her the fine points of Accusing***.
* I guess that's true of most ideas, isn't it?
** Though Luna gained some odd perceptive ability after Pietro exposed her to the Mists. I haven't seen that mentioned in awhile, though,. Maybe the effect wore off. Pietro had to eventually steal the Terrigen Crystals to keep the weird time powers he gained from them.
*** Point #1 - Make the Accusation in a loud, but calm and clear tone. Point #2 - Level your weapon in their direction. Point #3 - If they plead innocence, ignore. Point #4 - If they claim immunity from your laws, explain that where Kree tread, Kree law rules. Point #5 - If they give you any more lip, pop them in it.****
**** Yes, I just came up with those as I was typing this.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Some Rulers Last Longer Than Others
For the War of Kings followers out there, what do you figure the odds are that, when all is said and done, Crystal and Ronan will wind up ruling the Kree Empire?
Black Bolt was already on a suicide run, even before Vulcan decided to get hands on about dealing with his foes*. Given they're fighting inside a giant bomb, I see a fair chance he might not walk away from this one. In that event, Medusa might find herself to grief-stricken to continue ruling without him.
Beyond that, Abnett and Lanning seem to have been hinting strongly at Crystal and Ronan as being the true representatives of the Kree, which is what I'd think the people would want their rulers to be. Ronan's the most highly respected Kree there is, someone who has already run things during a very difficult period, and has demonstrated his willingness to suffer defending his people. Crystal, in contrast to the rest of the Royal Family, has moved amongst the people the Inhumans are ruling, and, more importantly has actually shown concern for the fate of the Kree**. She actually cares that her family made a promise to help elevate the Kree back to their old position of prominence, and isn't satisfied with Medusa's claim that even though the Terrigen Mists won't work on the Kree, the Inhumans will look after them. Crystal understands the Kree don't want to be treated as children, and certainly not as an underclass.
Granted, Ronan doesn't really feel comfortable as a ruler, hence his willingness to turn over the keys to the castle to someone he considered more qualified, but you know if he thinks it's in the best interests of the Kree, he'll step back into the role.
I am really intrigued by the idea of Ronan and Crystal running the empire together. Crystal's never really had to run things, and Ronan will have to adjust his style to accommodate the presence of the Inhumans***, so it'll be a learning experience for both of them.
* Black Bolt, if you're gonna die, that's cool, just please, please, take Vulcan with you.
** I figure the fact she doesn't hold herself as aloof as her relatives is related to all the time she spent on Earth, amongst wildly different people, many of whom were struggling to not allow different peoples to build barriers between themselves.
*** Not to mention adjusting to ruling collaboratively.
Black Bolt was already on a suicide run, even before Vulcan decided to get hands on about dealing with his foes*. Given they're fighting inside a giant bomb, I see a fair chance he might not walk away from this one. In that event, Medusa might find herself to grief-stricken to continue ruling without him.
Beyond that, Abnett and Lanning seem to have been hinting strongly at Crystal and Ronan as being the true representatives of the Kree, which is what I'd think the people would want their rulers to be. Ronan's the most highly respected Kree there is, someone who has already run things during a very difficult period, and has demonstrated his willingness to suffer defending his people. Crystal, in contrast to the rest of the Royal Family, has moved amongst the people the Inhumans are ruling, and, more importantly has actually shown concern for the fate of the Kree**. She actually cares that her family made a promise to help elevate the Kree back to their old position of prominence, and isn't satisfied with Medusa's claim that even though the Terrigen Mists won't work on the Kree, the Inhumans will look after them. Crystal understands the Kree don't want to be treated as children, and certainly not as an underclass.
Granted, Ronan doesn't really feel comfortable as a ruler, hence his willingness to turn over the keys to the castle to someone he considered more qualified, but you know if he thinks it's in the best interests of the Kree, he'll step back into the role.
I am really intrigued by the idea of Ronan and Crystal running the empire together. Crystal's never really had to run things, and Ronan will have to adjust his style to accommodate the presence of the Inhumans***, so it'll be a learning experience for both of them.
* Black Bolt, if you're gonna die, that's cool, just please, please, take Vulcan with you.
** I figure the fact she doesn't hold herself as aloof as her relatives is related to all the time she spent on Earth, amongst wildly different people, many of whom were struggling to not allow different peoples to build barriers between themselves.
*** Not to mention adjusting to ruling collaboratively.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
It's Time To Guess That Shadowy Villain!
This week's Shadowy Villain is the Black Beetle's mysterious compatriot, who we were introduced to in the most recent Booster Gold issue.
We don't have much to go on, other than that they appear to have some dislike for superheroes, since they're having the Black Beetle wipe them out. Based on the last panel they appeared in, I think they may lack hair on the top of their head, but still have some in the back which sort of tufts out, so maybe it's Simon Stagg? Nah, a bit too random.
Actually, my first guess was it was an older Rip Hunter, either disillusioned with the work he's dedicated himself too, or a Rip who, as a more experienced self, is able to perceive this is the proper course of action (or has convinced himself it's the proper course of action). I figured that would explain how they'd know to set that explosive right where Rip started nosing around, but it wouldn't explain why the Shadowy Villain would be confused by Booster Gold being in the Batcave. So scratch Rip.
Hmm, maybe this is the point when Booster finally has to help Brainiac-5 avoid being eaten by a T-Rex, so it could be a Legion foe. Who do they have that time travels? I hope it's not Time Trapper, because the current iteration is Superboy-Prime, and I could go the rest of my life never seeing that character again.
We don't have much to go on, other than that they appear to have some dislike for superheroes, since they're having the Black Beetle wipe them out. Based on the last panel they appeared in, I think they may lack hair on the top of their head, but still have some in the back which sort of tufts out, so maybe it's Simon Stagg? Nah, a bit too random.
Actually, my first guess was it was an older Rip Hunter, either disillusioned with the work he's dedicated himself too, or a Rip who, as a more experienced self, is able to perceive this is the proper course of action (or has convinced himself it's the proper course of action). I figured that would explain how they'd know to set that explosive right where Rip started nosing around, but it wouldn't explain why the Shadowy Villain would be confused by Booster Gold being in the Batcave. So scratch Rip.
Hmm, maybe this is the point when Booster finally has to help Brainiac-5 avoid being eaten by a T-Rex, so it could be a Legion foe. Who do they have that time travels? I hope it's not Time Trapper, because the current iteration is Superboy-Prime, and I could go the rest of my life never seeing that character again.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
What Do You Mean It Doesn't Stand For Zebra?
I wouldn't say I'm any sort of Zorro afficianado, but I am glad I purchased Isabel Allende's Zorro while I was visiting Alex.
The book doesn't cover much of Zorro's struggles against oppression and injustice in California. Instead the book starts with how Diego de la Vega's parents met, proceeds through Deego and Bernardo's childhoods, into adolescence, and at the very end, we see Zorro in all his glory, struggling against abuse of power by Spanish officers in California.
Which isn't a bad thing, since it seems most Zorro stories focus on him in California, a man ready to be a vigilante. Allende decides to focus on what shapes the boy who will become Zorro, and show us how he gradually becomes the figure he's generally thought of. Diego draws from many different sources to create Zorro. His mother led Indian revolts against the Spanish (and was defeated by Alejandro de la Vega), and even if she stayed largely in Spanish society, she made certain her son learned from her culture as well, and his name is drawn partially from a vision he has during a test. Diego spends 4 years studying in Barcelona, where he's introduced to more ideas about freedom and equality, and also develops his cover of being a weak-willed fool. He also befriends a tribe of Roma, who teach him their horseriding tricks, and further strengthen his resolve to defend the oppressed, as they are frequent targets of persecution. Both sea voyages, from California to Spain and back, offer some lessons for Diego, which help refine his style, and maybe force him to face some harsh realities. Though it's equally likely Diego would refuse to accept those realities, preferring instead to try and change them.
Allende spends time at least partially fleshing out other characters, and the role they play in Diego's development. The character that receives the most attention is Diego's loyal "brother", Bernardo. The old TV show had left me the impression that Bernardo's role was essentiall that of information gathering. Everyone assumes the fellow who won't talk* can't possibly understand them, so they just blab all sorts of story-advancing things around him. Allende shows Bernardo as being calmer, more in control of himself than Diego, which aids in his inconspicuousness, but also makes him more observant, because he isn't being caught up in the emotion of a moment. He's roughly as physically gifted as Diego, a bit more dependent on strength than agility, but that enables him to also take an active hand in fighting injustice, though he seems to do so more out of a concern for Diego than a great desire to change things. He doesn't get swept up in grand notions of intangible concepts. It served to help solidify his place in the story for me.
There are villains in the piece, one Rafael Moncada in particular. The story is being written by someone who lived through some of the events, and never had any affection or trust towards Moncada, and I can't decide whether that helps the story or hurts it. It places Moncada squarely in an adversarial role from the moment he's mentioned, where it might have been interesting if we were uncertain whether what was described as villainy was just Diego's jealousy for Moncada, who had set his eyes on the same young lady Diego was smitten with. But almost immediately it's confirmed that Moncada is, at the very least, dishonest, and willing to cheat to woo the young lady. But maybe that's for the best. We know from the moment he's born that Diego will become Zorro, so maybe it's only proper his arch-foe be established as such from the beginning as well.
* In this story, Bernardo is originally mute from a traumatic incident, then later mute mostly by choice.
The book doesn't cover much of Zorro's struggles against oppression and injustice in California. Instead the book starts with how Diego de la Vega's parents met, proceeds through Deego and Bernardo's childhoods, into adolescence, and at the very end, we see Zorro in all his glory, struggling against abuse of power by Spanish officers in California.
Which isn't a bad thing, since it seems most Zorro stories focus on him in California, a man ready to be a vigilante. Allende decides to focus on what shapes the boy who will become Zorro, and show us how he gradually becomes the figure he's generally thought of. Diego draws from many different sources to create Zorro. His mother led Indian revolts against the Spanish (and was defeated by Alejandro de la Vega), and even if she stayed largely in Spanish society, she made certain her son learned from her culture as well, and his name is drawn partially from a vision he has during a test. Diego spends 4 years studying in Barcelona, where he's introduced to more ideas about freedom and equality, and also develops his cover of being a weak-willed fool. He also befriends a tribe of Roma, who teach him their horseriding tricks, and further strengthen his resolve to defend the oppressed, as they are frequent targets of persecution. Both sea voyages, from California to Spain and back, offer some lessons for Diego, which help refine his style, and maybe force him to face some harsh realities. Though it's equally likely Diego would refuse to accept those realities, preferring instead to try and change them.
Allende spends time at least partially fleshing out other characters, and the role they play in Diego's development. The character that receives the most attention is Diego's loyal "brother", Bernardo. The old TV show had left me the impression that Bernardo's role was essentiall that of information gathering. Everyone assumes the fellow who won't talk* can't possibly understand them, so they just blab all sorts of story-advancing things around him. Allende shows Bernardo as being calmer, more in control of himself than Diego, which aids in his inconspicuousness, but also makes him more observant, because he isn't being caught up in the emotion of a moment. He's roughly as physically gifted as Diego, a bit more dependent on strength than agility, but that enables him to also take an active hand in fighting injustice, though he seems to do so more out of a concern for Diego than a great desire to change things. He doesn't get swept up in grand notions of intangible concepts. It served to help solidify his place in the story for me.
There are villains in the piece, one Rafael Moncada in particular. The story is being written by someone who lived through some of the events, and never had any affection or trust towards Moncada, and I can't decide whether that helps the story or hurts it. It places Moncada squarely in an adversarial role from the moment he's mentioned, where it might have been interesting if we were uncertain whether what was described as villainy was just Diego's jealousy for Moncada, who had set his eyes on the same young lady Diego was smitten with. But almost immediately it's confirmed that Moncada is, at the very least, dishonest, and willing to cheat to woo the young lady. But maybe that's for the best. We know from the moment he's born that Diego will become Zorro, so maybe it's only proper his arch-foe be established as such from the beginning as well.
* In this story, Bernardo is originally mute from a traumatic incident, then later mute mostly by choice.
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