Bought/Thought 04/01/08

[Doc Destruction]

Pick up the previous 2 issues and wait for the softcover of the first 6 issues coming out sometime this month

Then read the original Thunderbolts run and cry for how awful the new series is compared to it.

 

[GNR]

Then read the original Thunderbolts run and cry for how awful the new series is compared to it.

Or laugh hysterically at how insane and exciting Ellis has made the book.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Just like Nextwave was quality superhero comics, right?

 

[Themanofbat]

If I've said it once, I've said it a billion times....

Ellis is fantastic at his own creations, but his writing is crap when it's other people's creations...

 

[Darthphere]

If I ever see GNR complain about someone being written out of character, OMD, or anything else related, I will bring these posts up.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

If I've said it once, I've said it a billion times....

Ellis is fantastic at his own creations, but his writing is crap when it's other people's creations...

This is true. Of course, Thor fans have known that much since way back in the early '90s.

The End League #1
So, I was disappointed with this, not because it was a bad story, per se, but more because it was not what was promised. This was not superheroes + Lord of the Rings. There is no "setting off through a world of evil in search of the hammer of Thor" here--it's mentioned, but it is very much relegated to the background. And then, at the end of this very first issue, the object that was supposed to be at the end of their quest turns up in the hands of a lobotomized Thor. That left me scratching my head.

This was more like superheroes + Mad Max, but still very firmly superhero-based in storytelling and execution. The Mad Max part is basically just the establishment of the post-apocalyptic world with everyone scrounging for food (human "fuel," if you will). The story started out really well, too... but then it never got to what I thought would be the actual meat of the story. Stuff that seems tangential to what the story should've been about keeps piling up and then the issue ends.

Also, Rick Remender's dialogue was downright atrocious in areas. I don't know if he's trying to channel the Silver Age, faux-highbrow writing style (which I would question the aptness of in such a context), but it definitely falls flat and just sticks out as a weird, anomalous sore thumb here.

The art team definitely does a great job here, though, especially Wendy Broome, the colorist. There's a lot of subtlety and a cool blend of photorealistic coloring with overtly unrealistic, superheroic figures that reminded me of Ariel Olivetti's work, which I like. Olivetti's art actually served really well on a story similar to this in the DC revamp of Space Ghost a few years back, come to think of it.

Anyway, I'll continue reading in the hopes that Remender's thrown us a red herring here and the story'll get more interesting and, hopefully, be more like what was advertised. As it stands, though, this issue was pretty mediocre given how awesome the premise sounded on paper and Remender's usually sharp writing skills.

 

[hippie_hunter]

Meh, I'm really enjoying Ellis' Thunderbolts. If you're actually reading it, it's blatantly obvious that characters like Venom and Norman Osborn aren't going to be on the team long term like Radioactive Man and Songbird will be.

 

[Darthphere]

Meh, I'm really enjoying Ellis' Thunderbolts. If you're actually reading it, it's blatantly obvious that characters like Venom and Norman Osborn aren't going to be on the team long term like Radioactive Man and Songbird will be.

Then what's the point?

 

[hippie_hunter]

Then what's the point?

Damn good comic book reading.

Sure it's a little predictable right now like Mac Gargan ain't going to be Venom forever because the symbiote is bringing him pain and cold and it's trying to take control of him and he doesn't like eating people.

Norman Osborn is going off the deep end again. Even with his medication he's still tempted to go back to the Green Goblin. It's been confirmed in the Thunderbolts letters page that he is going to be the Green Goblin again and will lead the Thunderbolts to capture Spider-Man in the pages of the Amazing Spider-Man.

Bullseye is currently incapacitated he was tricked by Songbird and as a result he is paralyzed and severely brain damaged.

And who the hell knows what is going to happen with Baron Strucker, Moonstone, or Penance.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Baron Strucker's on the team? Wasn't he dead?

 

[Doc Destruction]

Just like Nextwave was quality superhero comics, right?

I liked Nextwave. It was hysterical and clever until it was deemed in continuity (which was a horrid idea).

 

[Blader5489]

Baron Strucker's on the team? Wasn't he dead?

Swordsman has gone off the deep end and is now calling himself Baron Struck. In all likelihood, the psychotic behavior of Norman, Venom, and Swordsman can be attributed to the jailed psychics.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Couldn't that just be attributed to the fact that all of them are, like, psychopaths?

I liked Nextwave. It was hysterical and clever until it was deemed in continuity (which was a horrid idea).

It wasn't remotely clever, let alone hysterical, as far as I'm concerned, but I had no problem with it until it was placed in continuity either.

 

[Doc Destruction]

To each their own, but we agree on the major part at least.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Yes. Although I suspected it would be in-continuity when the first interviews with Ellis surfaced and he was told he couldn't use Nick Fury for Dirk Anger's role. If it were really out of continuity, why would editors care if it were Fury in that role?

 

[PhotoJones]

The End League #1
So, I was disappointed with this, not because it was a bad story, per se, but more because it was not what was promised. This was not superheroes + Lord of the Rings. There is no "setting off through a world of evil in search of the hammer of Thor" here--it's mentioned, but it is very much relegated to the background. And then, at the end of this very first issue, the object that was supposed to be at the end of their quest turns up in the hands of a lobotomized Thor. That left me scratching my head.

This was more like superheroes + Mad Max, but still very firmly superhero-based in storytelling and execution. The Mad Max part is basically just the establishment of the post-apocalyptic world with everyone scrounging for food (human "fuel," if you will). The story started out really well, too... but then it never got to what I thought would be the actual meat of the story. Stuff that seems tangential to what the story should've been about keeps piling up and then the issue ends.

Also, Rick Remender's dialogue was downright atrocious in areas. I don't know if he's trying to channel the Silver Age, faux-highbrow writing style (which I would question the aptness of in such a context), but it definitely falls flat and just sticks out as a weird, anomalous sore thumb here.

The art team definitely does a great job here, though, especially Wendy Broome, the colorist. There's a lot of subtlety and a cool blend of photorealistic coloring with overtly unrealistic, superheroic figures that reminded me of Ariel Olivetti's work, which I like. Olivetti's art actually served really well on a story similar to this in the DC revamp of Space Ghost a few years back, come to think of it.

Anyway, I'll continue reading in the hopes that Remender's thrown us a red herring here and the story'll get more interesting and, hopefully, be more like what was advertised. As it stands, though, this issue was pretty mediocre given how awesome the premise sounded on paper and Remender's usually sharp writing skills.

Judging from all the reviews that I've read, this was a pretty big disappointment across the board.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Such a shame, too. Thinly veiled DC and Marvel archetypes going on a LotR-style quest for the one object that can allow them to reclaim the shattered remains of their post-apocalyptic, Mad Max-style world from the new breed of supervillains? I'm astonished anyone could **** that up.

 

[PhotoJones]

I thought it started excellently. The first few set up pages were really well done. Then it just sort of devolved into a mess of...mess. Superheroes just ain't Remender's bag, I guess.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Yeah, that's pretty much exactly what I said in my review.

 

[PhotoJones]

I know, I was agreeing with you. Shut up. We've done this dance before, roles reversed.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I resent the implication that I'd ever dance with you.

 

[PhotoJones]

You'd dance with whomever would have you.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Not so. I don't dance.

 

[PhotoJones]

You'd "dance."

 

[TheCorpulent1]

You didn't specify that before.