Why are people surprised that I wasn't the only one hating the EMUSIC thing? Anyway, reprints are a good collateral move, and also brillient because now the first prints will be worth more, if they're undamaged.
Also, not sure many of you have noticed, but I'm a bit like Daffy Duck. I live to complain, and usually am funniest when I am.
The fact is, unlike Dread, I don't buy books I hate. Period. If it sucks ass, it's gone. I'll stick with some mediocre books (Black Panther and FNSM) for some time, but, as far as I'm concerned, nothing I'm reading is really THAT awful. To me, less than a 5 is pretty disgraceful, with 1 or 2 being nigh-unreadable crap. If I were reading Nightwing OYL, that would probably be a 1 or 2. Fact is, I'm pretty happy with what I read.
The thing is, that like some posters, I genuinely liked USM and it's only within the last year or so that it has done consistantly downhill slowly and steadily, with CLONE SAGA being a Cyclone-esque dip into the abyss (reference to the Coney Island Cyclone, a famed rollar coaster in NYC). I'll at least finish the arc and from there assess whether ULTIMATE KNIGHTS is worth retredding on Ultimate Ronin while Bendis is ALREADY resurrecting that zombie in NEW AVENGERS.
Have you ever dropped a book mid-storyline? You never know how it ends. I at least want to see the ending of a B-Movie I've already paid to see 8/9th's of. Or half of. How many of you would literally walk out of a movie you paid $10 to see? I rest my case.
As I've said since day one, the Ultimate universe is completely unnecesary, as I doubt it attracted "new" readers to the core books. All it did was give creators continuity-free stories to tell, and for the most part, they blew it.
Sure, some stories were interesting twists, and the art has been decent to great (and at times terrible)... but I would have preferred if these "creative juices" would have been flowing through old characters that needed boosts or to low-selling books that could have used high-profile creators to attract more readers.
And as always, it's merely my two cents...
Cheers...
I do disagree with the feeling that the Ultimate line is useless, although I do agree that it probably hooked more "old fans wanting something new and continuity free" than "genuine new readers", probably by a ratio of 4:1. However, it has developed updated ways to do some of the origins for movie studios; some bits of Raimi's SPIDER-MAN were lifted right from Ultimate when the 60's stuff was outdated (i.e., a genetic super-spider vs. a "radioactive" spider). However, I'm glad Raimi didn't use the Bendis/Bagley "Hulk-Goblin". But that's another topic.
I'd agree that some of that creative talent should have gone to 616...until I remember that Bendis & Millar are usually much more effective in the continuity-free, "I hold all the toys" style of Ultimate than in the 40+-of-History, "You must actually SHARE toys" style of 616 Marvel. Frankly CIVIL WAR would have made much more sense in Ultimate than 616 in some ways, as that universe was launched in a bit of cynical, darkness & mire. Especially since in Ultimate, the characters have all barely known each other a year, vs. "10 years" in 616.
Ultimate has seen some good stories and creative revamps, but it has seen it's downturns. The creative teams have gotten more B-List and Bendis is obviously out of steam on USM. He needs a co-writer badly. He's willing to work with Reed on THE ILLUMINATI, why not bring him along for USM? Or hell, Jeff Parker would work too. I mean he writes X-MEN: FIRST CLASS and SPIDER-MAN LOVES MJ, doesn't he?
I don't disagree with waht you said (in truth I agree 100% that its always worse to see something good ruined etc etc).
But really I'm not sure of the relevance it has to mardachamp's reviews genreally being on the positive side because he only buys books he likes.
Sure it explains peoples relentless bashing of USM but I wasn't really discussing that.
For what its worth the clone saga (USM) is not IMO the worst arc that has been written for USM. Its had plenty of good moments (and some bad moments too) but I enjoyed the whole "throw EVERYTHING and the kitchen sink in" plot of it.
The main criticisms I have of it are
a) pacing, as has been pointed out this arc is 9 issues long it really could have been done in 5-6 (this is a standard and generally lazy criticism of bendis but it does apply here IMO). This is particularly noticable in issues 4 & 6 which are two massive info dumps and could have been condensed into other issues without losing much of the narrative flow or pacing. Normally this criticism is a bit blase because it ignores what bendis is trying (rightly or wrongly to do) with his dialogue but for the most part these issues aren't conversations they are simply monologues and could have been edited better
b) Were-MJ to be honest I don't have a problem with a psycho clone of peter giving mj an OZ injection given that her lack of powers has been a continuing theme throughout USM its a perfectly sensible plot idea. My problem is with the frankly hideous design which looks stupid and CHANGES her gender whenever she "wolfs out"
c) Lack of costume, I understand the reasoning but its beginning to grate, even with me.
What I enjoyed about the arc
a) As I said before I feel than anything can happen in this arc
b) Magno Ock as long as he doesn't become a magneto class villain (ie give him limitations that rely on his arms) I really like this as when you look back at his previous apperances it fits in really well.
c) the clones have been fun and quirky, from the multi armed to the furry spider boy they've each shown different sides of pete and its fascinated me
d)The developing relationship between pete and the fantastic four has been a real joy to read for me, its completely different from 616 (aside from johnny and pete) and it's good to see.
e) fight scenes there's been plenty of and they are for the most part (aside from a two page section in the latest issue which is just, well, murky) rendered well with lots of energy and clarity
What I'm unsure of
a) carnage-gwen this makes sense if they took a sample of gwens dna post death because she had been attacked by carnage, comic science allows something to have been transferred I suppose but where does the clone go from here?
b)aunt may does I really don't want her to know, not cause of the whole "everyone knows his identity thing" but because he needs to have someone in his home life not know so he has a proper peter/spidey dichotomy. It's easy to live 2 lives like that if you don't have to hide it and the book will lose something. I'm hoping for amnesia on this one.
Anyway it's not finished and my mind may change before the end but it's certainly better than the black cat arc and the strange arc IMO.
I've lost hope that an ending will save it. Bendis gets some of the small moments right, but you can take that for granted. A few kernals of corn in a long fat turd don't make it corn-on-the-cob. Yes, a vulgar analogy, so be it. And IMO, The Black Cat arc and the Strange 2-parter were leagues better than this. My main criticism of those two arcs were; "why is Spider-Man helpless against females who are well below his power range" and "why did we need a hokey team-up with Dr. Strange Jr. and Nightmare to have him FINALLY react and sulk to Gwen's death?" But, SUPERSTARS (I read it in trade) were basically some plots left over from UMTU to me.
I'm officially done talking about USM this week. I'm sick of it.
How about
X-MEN FIRST CLASS #5? It had Thor.
And Jeff Parker has really impressed me this year with some good ol' school stuff. Or Slott's new
JLA CLASSIFIED thing? Normally everyone is all over Slott like white on rice.
)
