So, just got back from seeing Avengers, and, one week after Cabin in the Woods set my teeth on edge with its insufferable Whedon-ness, I bet you'd think I hated it, right?
Well, I didn't. I don't know whether it was because he had to rein it in or what, but it was exactly what I wanted--superheroes fighting giant monster as Asgardians and flying dugongs and shit like that. Everyone gets a cool bit, no one gets sidelined, it's just a great well-rounded team movie, a feat which I thought was impossible. The usual Whedon hallmarks are turned way down and when they show up, they're rare enough that they're actually funny.
My only quibble is: So is Maria Hill just there to make all the mistakes and get clowned so Nick Fury doesn't have to look bad? It is difficult for me to see the point of her.
Oh, and the whole echoing 9/11 stuff was a little tacky, guys. Let's not not do that, shall we?
Anyways, go see it. BUT--if you DO go see it, I urge you to consider Jon Morris' suggestion of matching your ticket price with a donation to the Hero Initiative. It's a good idea and a good cause, and with all that's been happening in comics and all that has been discussed here recently around the nets . . .well, let's NOT talk for once and just do a little good, hm?
I'm not insisting you do it, I just want you to consider it.
Anyways, some comics!
GLORY #23--Oh Rob Liefeld, your attempts to continuity-implant a whole history for your Extreme characters was uproariously funny back in the 90's. He actually had a guy who was all but the Sub-Mariner, and his name was "Namor" spelt backwards. Liefeld, you crazy.
Anyways, you may remember that Glory almost became Promethea before Alan Moore's cheques from the Rob didn't clear, and none of this has very much to do with the new series, which is good, because the new series is . . .well, quite a lot of fun, really. The first issue is a little elliptical and has a rather curious nested structure, but reads for me in a way that draws you in and makes you interested in what's happening rather than the confusing impenetrable mishmosh that usually comes from writers who think they can pull some Alan Moore level formalist shit.
In any event, a lot is set up here, we get a cross-section of Glory's history, a lot of exposition framed around some action so it doesn't reek of padding or nothing and ends of a cliffhanger that gets you kind of excited to see where they go from here.
PROPHET #24--I've heard people compare this to a story from the glory days of Heavy Metal, and y'know, they're not wrong. There's a sense of coming in in the middle installment of some untranslated Heavy Metal story wherein a man (mostly) silently wanders through ever more trippy set-pieces and gonzo ideas (like a synthetic skin that heals you and is essentially a giant transparent baby) and none of it makes any obvious sense, but is very intriguing in its minimalism.
It was very much like reading a Metroid comic featuring Solid Snake instead of Samus and drawn by Tim Truman. I have no real problem with any of the things in that sentence. It's amazing that we've come so far from Prophet as a born-again Christian Warpath/Shatterstar mashup (yes, that was a thing which happened) and I'm really intrigued by it and it's odd voice and synthesis of genres. It's well worth a look.
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Speaking of both Alan Moore and "Roman", I don't know if you remember this, but Moore referred to Roman as Roy Roman when he wrote the character in SUPREME. I've never been quite sure what to make of that.
Speaking of SUPREME, I've looked at the first two issues of its revival. The first is the last Moore script - I think. Haven't read it yet. The second is Erik Larsen spinning out of those ideas. It's a very Larsen story, if you're familiar with anything he's ever done in SAVAGE DRAGON.
I can't say I recommend the new Supreme, since Larsen's penchant to go over the top has never appealed to me. However, it's a valid continuation of the concept, and if you dig Larsen's storytelling, it might work for you.
I think the best way to think of it was "It's not like Rob ever had any ideas for them beyond the obvious, so why not?"
I haven't yet, but i have heard of it. I can only hope that with the return of OG Asshole Supreme, this means the return of the sensational team known as HEAVYMETTLE.
No, seriously--that happened.
I sometimes look back and marvel that there was a time when Alan Moore basically ripped off the entirety of Silver Age DC and made it into the backstory of Rob Liefeld's universe. I mean, Conquerors of the Uncanny, really? Don't get me wrong, I thought it was funny, but now there's a superhero named the Fisherman in the Extreme universe.
I almost feel bad for not liking it. I have really soured on Moore over the last 10 years (though still recognizing his brilliance), and respect Larsen in a lot of ways. Plus, I don't have the emotional attachment to Supreme, because, well...it's Supreme. I will be interested to see how it develops, and might even hop back on board one day.
I think there is much potential comedy to be mined from 1990s Extreme comics. I hope this happens.
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