Loved the 1st issue, I just thought it was great. I'm a big fan of Ellis, and his style just plain rocks, and I really feel that this is the kind of book that is really suited for him, and he can really sink his teeth into this.
The cast is what really has drawn me to this book, it is quite interesting. I mean, it's clear as day, that this is one of Marvel's responses to DC in really upping the ante of their villains throughout several books, (a la Villains United.)
And while I normally hate this kind of unashamedly just using a-listers just to draw people in, (e.g. Bendis' 1st stab at 'The New Avengers,) this idea really works for me.
We've never had a REALLY MEAN long running Marvel major villain team, and had their personalities, storylines etc. really examined in a team setting. I mean, the closest we've ever had has been Spider-Man's Sinister 6's, but they argue and disband as quick as they get together
I'm still not sure what to make of this. Osborn just isnt a team player. (He left the Sinister Twelve the first chance he got back in MK:SM.) Yes, I'm always up for Norman pumpkin bombing the s*** out of stuff but this concept is just....not in his character. Thats what I awalys liked about him: he's a lone wolf. The "Thunderbolts Mountain" was just corny to me. Thats why I cant stand "team books." Why does all of their stuff have to follow a theme? (Fantasicar, etc.) And who the hell is Jack Flag? Ok, b!tching done.
I know what you mean, but one of the things that I like, is the fact that Marvel has spent so long setting up this situation. If you picked up all of the little details in other books, (especially Front Line,) it makes a lot of sense as to why this has happened.
Peter's identity is the main thing Osborn always had over Peter, and after Peter unmasked himself, he took away the main thing Osborn has on him. In Front Line, he yells that Peter changed the rules, (which he did, in Osborn's twisted way of the world,) and the SHIELD agents say 'yes, are you willing to play by the new rules?' After Peter switched sides, this is how he can get one over on Peter again, in a HUGE way again.
Not to mention, what the hell else does Norman have? He was in prison, all of his company's money and research have been ransacked by SHIELD, and other various companies. His son is dead, it's now public that he was, (is,) the Green Goblin, the registration act is now law, so the only other choice he has is to go into the negative zone into the 42 complex.
Aside from that, he has nanites in his bloodstream, and is being abused/helped(?) by mysterious shady figures. So right now, being the leader of the world's most ruthless goverment sanctioned, (semi,) covert team that deals with the dirtiest situations, and the dirtiest people, really is the best, if not only choice for him. I really don't see another way forward for him.
And I understand that he's a loner type character, (that's the kind of personality traits that I loved about him and Spidey, ugh,) but everything has changed now, war does that to a country, and Marvel are trying very hard to show that fact in their fictional universe. Nothing can really be the same now, so every has to pick their place, and how they're going to fit in. And it's not like Norman's all of a sudden going to be all pally with ANYONE. It's VERY clear from that start, he is only EVER going to look out for himself, and he digs being in control of anyone more than anything.
And I wouldn't worry too much about the cheese factor, (Thunderbolts Mountain, etc.) Ellis himself detests stuff like that, and would only put it in a story for a very obvious/ironic comic effect, (just look at that toy advert where Cap is a terrorist.) This book is going to be gritty, mean, with a healthy dose of British satire.
Above all else, I'm really looking forward to Venom. We all know that Brock will be back sometime, but I really hope the success of this book makes Marvel re-think about doing it for this film. The way Gargan makes his decision in Civil War: Choosing Sides was bloody cool. We haven't had Venom be this cool in YEEEEAAAARS. Don't get me wrong guys, I'm a huge Brock fan, and I loved the Brock-Venom for so long, but we have to admit, he really got written into a corner. Even though I felt that Jenkins did a really good job trying to make him meaner, and much more villain like, and set him up for a while, it just started to seem like to me that the Brock-Venom just had lost all of that excitment that made him what he was at the start. And so much bad writing and convoluted history had REALLY started to show, as it became really difficult things to do new and exciting things with him without it not making sense, or doing (another!) bloody retcon. This incarnation of Venom is quite terrifying, and I have no idea what's coming next. I love that.
More than anything what Millar/Marvel have done is basically bring back the original intention of Venom. The symbiote was originally inteded to jump from host to host, when the writers felt that they wanted to do it. But Venom got so popular in the 90's, (90's comics, lol,) that he became Venom: Lethal Protector. And at the time, Marvel was run by guys in suits, who understood very little about the comics, or writing full stop. All they understood was; 'Venom sells! Let's put out loads of Venom comics! With him making loads of guest appearances in other books! Who cares who's writing!? Who cares about the story!? Just sell sell sell!' After that, Venom heavily lost his edge and essence IMO.
To me, Gargan-Venom is so much closer to the guy that scared the crap out of me all those years ago the 1st time I saw him on the last page of ASM 299, than what Brock Venom has been for the last few years. I really feel like Brock has become a parody of himself. But you know what? The thing I like most about this is that the symbiote can STILL jump from person to person, it doen't HAVE to stay with Gargan. And is DOESN'T have to go to Eddie straight away, I think it'd be really cool if it jumped around for a bit. Not to say I don't want it to go back to Eddie, it HAS to! And to me, the interaction of Brock-Venom will be much more intersting after all the jumping. And it can keep leaving Eddie and coming back again and again, it'd really give Eddie a sense of torture.
Well anyway, the 1st issue rocked, lol
. Redemption passed these guys a long long time ago
t: Norman wasnt very happy with Gargan for disobeying orders (by becoming Venom) at the end of The Last Stand and now he is Venom's leader. Should be interesting to see how that plays out. And yeah, the cover to the next issue looks very cool.
