I don't like the idea of making superheroes. I do think that the first story in Frightful was a good example of what could happen (though one wonders how Thor becomes president as he's not a natural born US citizen). And I did like the resolution but ultimately this volume is about the conclusion of the Zombie crisis.
It takes a round about way to get there: infecting Johnny with an alien parasite, traveling to Latveria to ask Doctor Doom for help. Huh, it seems that Doctor Doom has mystical powers for some reason. What? Mind switching? And then...? That makes no sense. So really, what was a very promising story line turned into kind of a mess. It's too bad. I guess I'll give it a 2.
Showing posts with label Mark Miller. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mark Miller. Show all posts
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Ultimate Fantastic Four Volume 5 Crossover
OK, I get it. Sue's hot. I don't understand why she can't wear a shirt that covers her midriff. It seem impractical that every thing she owns exposes her abs. Actually, with a new artist every member of the team looks great. Except when he tries to show surprise. With surprise they sort of look like a blow up doll.
Once again, Crossover contains two (relatively unrelated) stories. I think these volumes would be a lot better if Miller used more space to tell his tale. The Zombie storyline could certainly have used two more issues to resolve so there didn't seem to be so many leaps in the action and the Namor story could have been jettisoned almost entirely. He's just another guy that'll hit on Sue and end up in a big fight when I'd think the zombies in the basement were a more pressing situation than exploring Atlantis.
The zombies were great and Namor was OK so I'll give this one a 3.
Once again, Crossover contains two (relatively unrelated) stories. I think these volumes would be a lot better if Miller used more space to tell his tale. The Zombie storyline could certainly have used two more issues to resolve so there didn't seem to be so many leaps in the action and the Namor story could have been jettisoned almost entirely. He's just another guy that'll hit on Sue and end up in a big fight when I'd think the zombies in the basement were a more pressing situation than exploring Atlantis.
The zombies were great and Namor was OK so I'll give this one a 3.
Ultimate Fantastic Four Volume 4 Inhuman
What a shame that Inhuman followed N-Zone because this one was just terrible. The Ultimate series was supposed to be a way for new readers (like me) to get involved with long running series without having to know the huge back history of some of these characters. Inhuman takes that concept and completely throws it out the window.
There are two stories in this volume, one about an old acquaintance of Reed's who now wants to kill him and one about Johnny meeting a girl who's essentially a goddess. I guess. If the second story hadn't been so terrible the first might have passed as OK but together they're just a mess.
The Thinker had no set up. None. They just kind of threw her at them. Her motivations made no sense and the story felt like it was missing pages. It seemed like it needed more time to tell the story it was trying to tell.
The Inhuman story was even worse. First, just how old is Johnny supposed to be? Reed, Sue and Ben are all 18-19 and Johnny is Sue's younger brother. So really, 16, maybe 17? How is he getting into bars? Sure, he's one of the beautiful people but it'd be nice to see the bouncer wave him in or for him to try flashing a fake ID, or something to acknowledge that these characters are supposed to be in their youth. Then to want to follow this girl home because he loved her? I was expecting to find out that Crystal's powers involved some kind emotional manipulation because it seemed so out of character.
This one was terrible, it's a 1.
There are two stories in this volume, one about an old acquaintance of Reed's who now wants to kill him and one about Johnny meeting a girl who's essentially a goddess. I guess. If the second story hadn't been so terrible the first might have passed as OK but together they're just a mess.
The Thinker had no set up. None. They just kind of threw her at them. Her motivations made no sense and the story felt like it was missing pages. It seemed like it needed more time to tell the story it was trying to tell.
The Inhuman story was even worse. First, just how old is Johnny supposed to be? Reed, Sue and Ben are all 18-19 and Johnny is Sue's younger brother. So really, 16, maybe 17? How is he getting into bars? Sure, he's one of the beautiful people but it'd be nice to see the bouncer wave him in or for him to try flashing a fake ID, or something to acknowledge that these characters are supposed to be in their youth. Then to want to follow this girl home because he loved her? I was expecting to find out that Crystal's powers involved some kind emotional manipulation because it seemed so out of character.
This one was terrible, it's a 1.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Ultimate Fantastic Four Volume 1 The Fantastic
Everything I know about the Fantastic Four I know from the movie so I was intrigued to visit the ultimates version of the team.
The Fantastic is the origin story for the new team. They're younger than the classic tale so Bendis and Miller have to massage things some for them to be where they're supposed to be. Reed and Sue are easy. They're both geniuses so it makes sense that they'd be together at a special school. Johnny (my favourite by the way) is Sue's brother so he'd be with them because he has to stay with his dad who's also at the special school. Ben? Ben's a bit different and I didn't really believe that they'd let him attend the test of Reed's machine but I'll go with it.
I liked seeing Reed grow up and I liked how the authors chose to give their version their powers. I also felt very stupid for never noticing that the team is essentially the four elements. Fire and Air are easy (Johnny and Sue) but I never really thought of Ben as Earth because he never really looked as if he were stone before and Reed elasticity is certainly akin to Water.
I enjoyed the story. I'm looking forward to reading the next volume so I'll give it a 4.
The Fantastic is the origin story for the new team. They're younger than the classic tale so Bendis and Miller have to massage things some for them to be where they're supposed to be. Reed and Sue are easy. They're both geniuses so it makes sense that they'd be together at a special school. Johnny (my favourite by the way) is Sue's brother so he'd be with them because he has to stay with his dad who's also at the special school. Ben? Ben's a bit different and I didn't really believe that they'd let him attend the test of Reed's machine but I'll go with it.
I liked seeing Reed grow up and I liked how the authors chose to give their version their powers. I also felt very stupid for never noticing that the team is essentially the four elements. Fire and Air are easy (Johnny and Sue) but I never really thought of Ben as Earth because he never really looked as if he were stone before and Reed elasticity is certainly akin to Water.
I enjoyed the story. I'm looking forward to reading the next volume so I'll give it a 4.
The Ultimates 2 Volume 2 Grand Theft America
America gets invaded! Don't worry the Ultimates will save the day.
Grand Theft America is over the top. Completely. I was truly surprised with what they did to some characters, not just with but actually to them. Things get very, very, very dark in this one. Unfortunately, it was too much. I lost the sense that it was happening. I was able to figure out who the traitor was before it was revealed because it made the most sense in a fantasy world. I kept expecting to find out that it was all some terrible trick by Loki and that none of this was actually happening. That maybe he was just toying with Thor and his team mates to craft this ludicrous tale.
I understood the story that Miller was trying to tell but I didn't believe it. I can only give it a 2. Though I have to say I've never read a graphic novel that the splash page actually had to be folded out to get the full impact before. The art was much better than the story with this one.
Grand Theft America is over the top. Completely. I was truly surprised with what they did to some characters, not just with but actually to them. Things get very, very, very dark in this one. Unfortunately, it was too much. I lost the sense that it was happening. I was able to figure out who the traitor was before it was revealed because it made the most sense in a fantasy world. I kept expecting to find out that it was all some terrible trick by Loki and that none of this was actually happening. That maybe he was just toying with Thor and his team mates to craft this ludicrous tale.
I understood the story that Miller was trying to tell but I didn't believe it. I can only give it a 2. Though I have to say I've never read a graphic novel that the splash page actually had to be folded out to get the full impact before. The art was much better than the story with this one.
The Ultimates 2 Volume 1 Gods and Monsters
Gods and Monsters sort of says it all. This first volume focuses on Thor and the question of his sanity and on the Hulk and his trial for the death of 800 New Yorkers.
The Ultimates is a dark series. I like the ambiguity of Thor's divinity. Is he a Norse god or is he insane? That was some of my favourite writing in the series. I liked the way Bruce Banner was handling his trial for his actions as the Hulk. While I didn't like the way Nick Fury handled the verdict, I liked that it was how I expected him to handle it. It's good writing when the characters do what you expect them to do even if you don't want them to.
What I didn't like was the creation of more and more super soldiers. I agree that's probably what world governments would do if the technology existed. It's an arms race and if the newest technology is super powers then that's what they'd go for. I just didn't like it. I'm giving this volume a 4.
The Ultimates is a dark series. I like the ambiguity of Thor's divinity. Is he a Norse god or is he insane? That was some of my favourite writing in the series. I liked the way Bruce Banner was handling his trial for his actions as the Hulk. While I didn't like the way Nick Fury handled the verdict, I liked that it was how I expected him to handle it. It's good writing when the characters do what you expect them to do even if you don't want them to.
What I didn't like was the creation of more and more super soldiers. I agree that's probably what world governments would do if the technology existed. It's an arms race and if the newest technology is super powers then that's what they'd go for. I just didn't like it. I'm giving this volume a 4.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
The Ultimate Volume 2 Homeland Security
Alien Invasion! Now with Nazis!
That's pretty much what Homeland Security boils down to. It's one big fight against aliens that have masqueraded as Nazis so that Captain America can get some kind of closure. I do very much like the taunting of Bruce Banner. It makes me giggle every time I read it.
I'm giving this one a 3.
That's pretty much what Homeland Security boils down to. It's one big fight against aliens that have masqueraded as Nazis so that Captain America can get some kind of closure. I do very much like the taunting of Bruce Banner. It makes me giggle every time I read it.
I'm giving this one a 3.
Friday, August 29, 2008
The Ultimates Volume 1 Super-Human
Again, not really a fan of Marvel. I couldn't tell you who was actually in the Avengers to save my life. I could probably come up with a few but not the whole team. The Ultimates is apparently the Ultimate universe version of the Avengers. With a Captain America back from the dead (well, back from the frozen ice), a hippie Thor, and Giant Man, the Wasp and the Hulk exhibiting terrible personal problems. I think Iron Man is pretty much the same.
It's the terrible personal problems that really surprised me. When I was first recommended this book it was to catch up on what's going on in the world of the Ultimate Spider-Man. I was told that I should probably read the first two volumes of the Ultimates before getting beyond Volume 10 of Spider-Man. So I did, expecting to find more of the same. It's not the same. It's a lot more adult. There's still a tonne of complaining going on, but it's less like the teenage angst of Spider-Man and more like the marital problems of unhinged people.
I like the dark turn, probably because I don't know any of the characters though. Even so, I'll give it a 4.
It's the terrible personal problems that really surprised me. When I was first recommended this book it was to catch up on what's going on in the world of the Ultimate Spider-Man. I was told that I should probably read the first two volumes of the Ultimates before getting beyond Volume 10 of Spider-Man. So I did, expecting to find more of the same. It's not the same. It's a lot more adult. There's still a tonne of complaining going on, but it's less like the teenage angst of Spider-Man and more like the marital problems of unhinged people.
I like the dark turn, probably because I don't know any of the characters though. Even so, I'll give it a 4.
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