Hatrack River Forum: Neil Gaiman and Marvel

This is topic Neil Gaiman and Marvel in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :

This looks like it might actually convince me to buy a comic book. . .

1602

More Information-- Character Sketches

[ August 19, 2003, 06:48 AM: Message edited by: Scott R ]

Posted by eslaine (Member # 5433) on :

Wow.

Marvel is still reaching for the edge. And a quality edge too. Not what I expected.

Thanks Scott! [Cool]

Posted by Ralphie (Member # 1565) on :

Wow - Looks NICE.

Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :

Neil Gaiman is writing it. I'm there. [Smile]

<------fanboy

Posted by FlyingCow (Member # 2150) on :

It was pretty good. Lots of interesting takes on characters, and it's Adam Kubert doing the art (which also looks nice). I can't wait for the second issue.

Posted by Pod (Member # 941) on :

hmmm interesting i'll have to check it out.

thanks Mr. Scott.

Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :

I haven't read it yet, but I have to admit that I'm skeptical -- even though I normally like Gaiman AND alternative takes on superheroes.

Posted by FlyingCow (Member # 2150) on :

Give it a shot, Tom. It's a good read so far.

Posted by Wonko The Sane (Member # 2945) on :

i hope they make it into a graphic novel later

Posted by FlyingCow (Member # 2150) on :

The way Marvel's been working, it'll probably become a graphic novel, then a movie, then a PC game, then a lunchbox. Well, maybe not a lunchbox. Perhaps a mousepad, though.

[Grumble]

Posted by Zotto! (Member # 4689) on :

Thanks Scott!

*is another drooling Neil Gaiman fanboy* [Big Grin]

Now if only there were a comic shop within a hundred mile radius of where I'm staying...

Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :

*is a neil gaiman/david mack fangirl*

Posted by esl (Member # 3143) on :

Yes, cool indeed.

Thanks Mr. R.

Posted by ae (Member # 3291) on :

eslaine:

quote:
Marvel is still reaching for the edge.

Oh, bollocks! All Marvel did is reach for Neil Gaiman and get him to do them a comic that didn't suck, that's all. [Razz]

Posted by ae (Member # 3291) on :

Anyway, it looks mighty cool.

Ha! The concept art for Dr Strange is giving me Monty Python vibes.

"Cardinal Fang! Bring me. . . the rack!"

And, erm. Someone please tell me the name here is just a joke, and not what I think it is. . . .

Posted by Maccabeus (Member # 3051) on :

Hey, waitaminnit...the Scarlet Witch is a nun? [ROFL]

Posted by FlyingCow (Member # 2150) on :

Well, ae, I haven't quite figured out Pete Parquah's role yet. He's obviously Peter Parker, as evidenced by his fascination with a spider in his first scene, but he's just a guy working for Nick Fury. Surely there has to be something else there.

Posted by eslaine (Member # 5433) on :

ae, yeah. I have to agree.

That's what I get for bein' nice.

In all actuality: Matt Howarth is Comic Gott! [Big Grin]

Posted by Jenny Gardener (Member # 903) on :

Neil Gaiman! *swoons*
<--also a fangirl [Hail]

Posted by plaid (Member # 2393) on :

Well, it's fun so far. Hard to get a good sense of the series so far, but definitely fun.

It's a change-of-pace from what I'm used to from Neil Gaiman stories. Not as much dialogue. Not much yet of his ordinary-folks-encountering-the-mythopoetic (which he does really well). So far, it's a well-done adventure yarn.

I don't like the art much -- the facial expressions aren't very clear or interesting, and what with the glossy paper and the digital coloring it looks more like fuzzy computer game art than good comics art...

But it's definitely fun and has me wondering what'll happen next, so I'm waiting for the next one to come out [Smile]

Posted by Sopwith (Member # 4640) on :

Just started reading his novel, American Gods and I'm really impressed. Sad that I hadn't gotten around to reading him sooner.

Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :

I read the first issue yesterday. It's fun, but definitely Neil Gaiman isn't spending more than, oh, about an hour an issue writing the comic books. He already knows the history and the language, and it's simplicity itself just to insert Marvels into the various important powers of the period. Voila--1602.

Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :

And American Gods isn't even really his best work. . .

Posted by Chade Fallstar (Member # 5581) on :

I enjoyed American Gods, it was the first thing I read by Gaiman. But since then I've read through almost all his other work. He's a great author and no, American Gods isn't his best work by far.

Posted by fil (Member # 5079) on :

I wouldn't say 1602 is "pushing the edge" in comics. DC has been doing "Elseworld" books for quite some time, many of them pretty good ("The Nail" or "Red Son" or "Doom That Came to Gotham" jump to mind). DC just did a JLA book set in Victorian era, had a wild west JLA, etc. Been there, done that.

1602 was decent, but if you read the Elseworld line, it is nothing new and in this case, fairly predictable...replace "Mutant" with "Witchbreed" and the story is no different than their current Ultimate Line story. Nick Fury vs. mutants, etc. We will have to see where it goes from here.

While not my favorite Gaimen work, American Gods is close. Neverwhere still holds that distinction for me, though his short story collection comes VERY close. "Snow, Glass, Apples" is a great piece of revisionist fairy tale. I thought it was supposed to be a movie on SciFi, speaking of that.

A better Elseworld concept for my money is "Red Son" in which Superman's baby carrying spaceship crash lands in rural Russia, not the US. Very cool take on the story that doesn't devolve into stereotyping the old Cold War relationship. Superman just doesn't fundamentally change his stripes, just has it seen through the glass of old school Communism (which is probably closer to Clark's real politics, when you think about it). Very cool.

fil

Posted by plaid (Member # 2393) on :

I've read issues 2 and 3 now... 2 was just OK, it moved the plot forward a bit but wasn't anything exciting. 3 was better, with the plot getting more interesting.

It's an OK series, but it really is more of a good straightforward adventure story, and not like Gaiman's more usual creative mix of imagination and insight.