From THE CHAMPIONS to THE ORDER

[The Watchman]

Hell yeah, The Order is by far the best new team book I've read in a long time. If this gets canceled I'll...well, I'll do nothing, but I'll make threats that I never intend to follow through on, like stabbing someone. I wish we could have an Agents of Atlas ongoing too while we're at it.

 

[Dread]

Hell yeah, The Order is by far the best new team book I've read in a long time. If this gets canceled I'll...well, I'll do nothing, but I'll make threats that I never intend to follow through on, like stabbing someone. I wish we could have an Agents of Atlas ongoing too while we're at it.

Ditto. I loved AGENTS OF ATLAS.

 

[The Watchman]

Anything with monkeys is aces in my book.

 

[Dread]

Anything with monkeys is aces in my book.

Yeah, Jeff Parker's Gorilla-Man is awesome. Normally I am not as easily swayed by simian characters as some people (WIZARD's staff was of the thought that "any monkey character is cool"), but Gorilla-Man won me over. Plus, you have Golden Age characters like Human Robot, Namora, and so on battling evil in the modern age. Marvel has yet to utilize their Golden Agers as well as DC has with teams like the JSA.

With The Twelve, that may change.

Still, I think I enjoy THE ORDER slightly more than I did AGENTS OF ATLAS. Although in a perfect world I'd want both. It is harder to create new characters and make them diverse and relatable than it is amping up a character that has already been created and established and just needs to be dusted off, IMO.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Whether it's an Agents of Atlas ongoing or some other comic, Jeff Parker should definitely be writing higher profile stuff. X-Men: First Class is great, but the masses are never going to learn his name and appreciate him on there. Marvel needs to add another, higher profile book to his repertoire stat. Give him Wolverine after Aaron leaves, I say.

 

[Dread]

Whether it's an Agents of Atlas ongoing or some other comic, Jeff Parker should definitely be writing higher profile stuff. X-Men: First Class is great, but the masses are never going to learn his name and appreciate him on there. Marvel needs to add another, higher profile book to his repertoire stat. Give him Wolverine after Aaron leaves, I say.

I'm not sure Parker would be the right fit for Wolverine. But, I do agree he needs something of higher profile.

A shame that his SPIDER-MAN & THE FANTASTIC FOUR mini, which featured 'Ringo's last work, got so little attention. It was simple fun.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I loved that mini. I would've suggested a stint on Spider-Man, but the Spider-Man comics are a no man's land for me right now.

 

[Dread]

I loved that mini. I would've suggested a stint on Spider-Man, but the Spider-Man comics are a no man's land for me right now.

I WANT to read Slott on ASM, I really do...

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Be strong, Dread. Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind.

 

[T'Jai]

don't worry I'll tell you all about it

 

[Dread]

http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/0801/18/marvelfirsts.htm

Scroll down for a 6 page preview of THE ORDER #7, which ships 1/23 and guest stars Namor the Sub-Mariner.

 

[Themanofbat]

I WANT to read Slott on ASM, I really do...

Read it... it's some of the BEST Spider-Man I've read in years.

Be strong, Dread. Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind.

 

[Dread]

Read it... it's some of the BEST Spider-Man I've read in years.

I'm still steady on my course to trade-wait for it. But I'll take your opinion into consideration when said trade arrives. Meanwhile, I have Slott & Gage kicking arse on AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE and THE ORDER here, which is an easy and wonderful team book to read.

Kitson also draws a pretty good Namor. While it seems the plot may involve he and Harry sitting in a room and talking, the preview shows that it seems to be heading somewhere better than where Bendis often goes when he does something similar. It isn't juvenile at all.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Well, every issue's started off with someone talking in a room. The story usually expands from there.

 

[PhotoJones]

It's a perfect example of how following a formula can work.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Yeah, it's a good formula. I wonder if they'll sustain it for the entire series or if Fraction'll get bored of it at some point.

 

[PhotoJones]

Unless the cast grows, they'll either have to end it or start doubling back and interviewing the characters a second time. I wouldn't mind if they did. It's a quick, easy way of getting some insight into who they are and how they operate.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Yeah, it's a good framing device, and there's always more to learn about good characters.

 

[PhotoJones]

I want to know more about Heavy. I don't think we've gotten a issue devoted to him yet, have we?

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Not that I recall.

 

[PhotoJones]

Yeah, I want to read his story. I wonder if Fraction's holding out on telling it because he's a Skrull.

 

[Dread]

Well, every issue's started off with someone talking in a room. The story usually expands from there.

Oh, I know. But the solict made it sound like Harry's goal is to talk his way out of the situation with Namor, since he can't hope to outfight him without flooding CA (especially with any back-up an hour away). Still, THE ORDER hasn't failed me yet, so I have faith.

It's a perfect example of how following a formula can work.

Exactly. GOOD formula can work. BAD formula doesn't.

Unless the cast grows, they'll either have to end it or start doubling back and interviewing the characters a second time. I wouldn't mind if they did. It's a quick, easy way of getting some insight into who they are and how they operate.

Reframing could work. So long as it relates to the story, it is fine.

I want to know more about Heavy. I don't think we've gotten a issue devoted to him yet, have we?

No, and I am waiting for it.

Yeah, I want to read his story. I wonder if Fraction's holding out on telling it because he's a Skrull.

He'd better not be. I've already stated my opinion about THE ORDER and the upcoming SECRET INVASION, no need to repeat myself unless I have to.

 

[PhotoJones]

Well, if Slott's revelation that there's going to be a Skrull on every Initiative team holds true or becomes a Marvel mandate, then one of them will have to be a Skrull. If I were the writer I'd make it the character I devoted the least of my time to.

 

[Dread]

Well, if Slott's revelation that there's going to be a Skrull on every Initiative team holds true or becomes a Marvel mandate, then one of them will have to be a Skrull. If I were the writer I'd make it the character I devoted the least of my time to.

I know, but I like Heavy. There isn't anyone on the team I dislike. Muholland is my least favorite, but I'm sure after her focus issue she'll be cool too.

Plus, as I stated before, THE ORDER only has 12 issues. I have zero faith it will be returning beyond that. The sales have sagged every issue and unless 2 issues in December stemmed the bleeding enough, it will sink past the Top 100 and Marvel will ice it. I would rather Fraction do what he intended to do with the story with as many issues as he can, rather than slap on a crossover tie-in that is meaningless to the life of the title, and the characters.

"Going about our business, hey, _____ is a Skrull, Iron Man shows up, and we're cancelled." Yay?

I don't say this because I dislike the book, or Fraction & Kitcon on it. The exact opposite. Just the sales so far have not been good, and this is almost the case example of the type of smart, solid, creative, and innovative book that fans won't support, which is why Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Iron Man are everywhere.

 

[PhotoJones]

The talent behind The Order is good enough, I think, that if the book gets the axe, it'll pull a Runaways and come back with a better marketing strategy and a new number one.