MARVELS & KINGDOM COME
HotFudge, Mulysa, and I recently saw X-Men 3. Before the movie, during one of the trailers, HotFudge called me a geek (or was it "nerd") because I immediately recognized and correctly guessed the trailer for "Ghost Rider" before the ending of the trailer.
Well... Being the geek that I am, I'm going to step back from the Italy trip for just a moment to announce the following:
To any comic book / graphic novel readers out there... I've finished reading Marvels & Kingdom Come...
Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. The story, the art, the writing.
MARVELS - What can I say? Our beloved mutants as seen through the eyes of everyday people. A solid story.
KINGDOM COME - Things that made an impression besides the overall story, art, and writing:
Batman being "held together" by a metal frame. I was actually saddened to see the Dark Knight depicted in this manner. And yet, there was something realistic about the whole thing. He couldn't stay young forever, right?
Superman with a ponytail. Superman not knowing what to do. Superman bleeding. Kilatzin, perhaps you (or someone else) could shed some light. I'm not too familiar with Shazam. Did Kingdom Come accurately depict what would happen if Superman and Shazam fought? Is Shazam Superman's "equal"? And is it true that Batman and Superman have fundamental differences in philosophy when it comes to dealing with evil?
The Flash. I liked the way the Flash was drawn. Kind of like a "blur"; not stationary.
Green Lantern. Liked his costume/armor. A lot more "tough" looking than the typical skin-tight outfit.
[On the opposite end, I tried (I really tried) to read Marvel's "Secret Wars" again, but just couldn't get through the crappy writing... This 12-Issue Limited Series is absolutely unworthy of taking up space in my collection. It is unworthy of being used as kindling for a fire. What an utter waste of paper and ink. However, there is the part of me that cannot just toss or recycle them. So I will throw them into a grocery bag and toss them into the pile of books next to the Bookstore on campus for anyone to pick up for free...]
That's it... Just wanted to share my enthusiasm for Marvels & Kingdom Come with any other geeks/nerds out there...
posted by ScregMan @ Wednesday, May 31, 2006
6 Comments:
At 8:52 PM, May 31, 2006,
caninecologne said…
Ah Ronin, you shall have your 'V for Vendetta' graphic novel back tonight from Bert at the bowling alley. That is, if you're going. He has a few graphic novels for you to borrow as well.
I didn't know Shazam was still around. I thought it was just a crappy tv show from the 70s. Wasn't there a character named 'Isis' that was in it with him? In any case, I remember watching a few minutes thinking it would be good, but it sucked.
It must be hard for a superhero to look tough in tights.
At 4:24 PM, June 01, 2006,
bert wolfe said…
"Geeks of the world unite!"
"SHIFT ATTACK"
Well, Marvels and Kingdom Come were good reads. It made me want to get more Alex Ross stuff from the Con. After Kingdom Come I had to take a peek at its sequel The Kingdom. Not quite as compelling but in case you're curious, I have it.
Thanks for letting me borrow V for Vendetta. Good story - big brother stuff - I thought some parts were predictable. I can check out the movie now.
Enjoy the death of Thor. I won't spoil it for you (Thor dies).
At 5:31 AM, June 02, 2006,
Kilatzin said…
well, i was going to take a shower and shave this morning, but it looks like I'll have to be late for work. thanks to this damn blog thread.
Marvels - yes, it's wonderfully done and all that, but it never stuck with me the way the book has with other geeks. I think it's my basic problem with the Marvel Universe . . . so you're telling me that I'm going to get superpowers, but my life and the lives of those in my immediate vicinity might be made infinitely worse because of it? listen, i read superhero comics as escapism. i don't need to read comics to depress me even more. Marvels, while a solidly written and painted story, is also a HUGELY depressing one.
Of course, you could say that reading superhero comics to stave off an all-emcompassing depression isn't exactly the best way to handle one's mental health.
but my superhero action dollies tell me otherwise.
I've got to shower for work. more later on Kingdom, Shazam vs. Superman, Batman, etc.
P.S. Don't worry. Thor will come back. It's already happening.
At 8:36 AM, June 02, 2006,
Kilatzin said…
Well, I now have a quick moment for a work coffee break.
Here's the Superman/Shazam rant:
Here's a wikipedia link to the history of Captain Marvel.
So with that background out of the way, I can now opine on the Superman/Shazam rivalry.
In recent memory, Captain Marvel, as a character, has been used mainly as a comparison to Superman. There seems to be a natural rivalry between the two that makes DC longtime fans WANT to see a battle whenever the two show up in the same room together. Good for Superman, bad for Captain Marvel.
Despite their best efforts, DC has never really managed to move Captain Marvel out from under Superman's shadow. Both fill the iconic role of "big powerful strong guy" in comics, so writers tend to favor Superman; as cola drinkers tend to favor "Coke" over "RC Cola."
The latest attempts to differentiate the two characters seem to follow two aspects:
1. Superman is Science. Captain Marvel is Magic. Captain Marvel stories should go to realms that Superman stories would never go: Genies, drawves, dimensions, metaphysical stuff.
2. Superman is highly vunerable to magic. So this automatically gives Captain Marvel the edge in a head-to-head battle. Not a overwhelming favorable edge, but more than enough to put Superman in a postion of constant weakness. It's been well established that Captain Marvel can kick Superman's ass in a physical throwdown. He's more than an equal, he's a physical superior.
Breaks over. More later.
At 12:25 PM, June 02, 2006,
ScregMan said…
Ah kilatzin,... I feel I have much more to say now. However, I'll try to hold off until I make my way through the link you've provided. I've briefly skimmed through the info, but, as is so common with the Internet, there are links within links within links within links... and I want to explore most if not all of them before I comment...
Already started reading Thor. TNX Bert...
In terms of the past, I think I want to re-read Manhunter.
Canine, I do recall "Shazam" & "Isis" Saturday mornings as a lad... I remember nothing of pertinance... nothing that changed my world. I'm tempted to say they were part of the Kroft Super Show (a program that I enjoyed immensely [Wonderbug, Bigfoot & Wildboy, Electra Woman & Dynagirl]) Or am I totally off base now?
Anyway, give me some time to mull things over...
At 3:13 PM, June 02, 2006,
Kilatzin said…
gotta clear out the garage in a sec.
anyhow, another point that I forgot to mention concerning the Shazam/Superman rivalry . . .
Captain Marvel is in reality Billy Batson, a boy who should be an early teenager. At his heart, Captain Marvel is a young boy. They've only really started to address this aspect in the comics.
And Isis is supposed to make her DC Universe debut soon.
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