|
Post by Van Plexico on Jul 18, 2008 11:49:56 GMT -5
MTIO #75 was a great issue.
You will note in the lower right corner-- yes, that is the Super-Adaptoid. Enjoy.
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on Jul 18, 2008 11:48:34 GMT -5
Has ANY of Mar-Vell's series been ESSENTIAL-ized yet? There have been a number of reprints of various parts of his stories in color TPB form over the years, but AFAIK, the Moench/Broderick run has not yet been reprinted. Which is a travesty.
(Note that the Titan Saga begins in the mid-#50s, continues beyond the last issue of his regular series, #62, and ends with MARVEL SPOTLIGHT #1-3.)
I cannot recommend that story highly enough. It includes everything I love in a superhero story. It introduces his future love, Elysius (among others). It establishes Isaac of Titan as a potential threat to the Earth. It has Eros (Starfox) being himself. It has references to Thanos and his horde. And more.
But then, I like almost everything Moench wrote back in the day. And Broderick has that same classic style as a Byrne or Perez in the late '70s / early '80s.
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on Jul 16, 2008 19:31:55 GMT -5
It's true that she was redundant with the Vision around... but by that time, we'd seen the Vision's storyline done to death. It would have been interesting to give Vizh something different to do, and to allow his stepmother (Jocasta) to live out the Vision's old problems in a new and different way, as a synthetic person adjusting to life in a Human world...
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on Jul 16, 2008 19:28:26 GMT -5
If he was made an Avenger after his death, and we're talking about now vs before, then that means he is an Avenger.
Not to mention that he participated as a very important character in at least three of the most important Avengers sagas ever: The Kree-Skrull War The Korvac Saga The Thanos War (Avengers Annual 7 /MTIO Annual 2)
He was a great Avenger, and he would have been an even greater one if given the opportunity to serve during his lifetime.
The fact that he rarely lived up to his full potential during his lifetime was due not to him but to the writers who (mis)-handled him.
Doug Moench and Pat Broderick had him on the right track at the end of his series. He was becoming an even more interesting and compelling character than he had been before. He had a great supporting cast in Eros, Mentor, Drax, Elysius, Rick Jones, and co. The art was fantastic.
It's the most bitter irony that Marvel decided to bring Jim Starlin back and kill Mar-Vell off just as Moench was turning him into one of the company's very best characters.
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on Jul 14, 2008 7:21:00 GMT -5
Okay, folks... I didn't wanna have to do this, but... My Swarm Press stable mate, Matthew Wayne Selznick, is clobbering me. He did a sort of Web-a-thon for his superhero novel, Brave Men Run, on Sunday... and got it all the way up to #53 on Amazon! My congratulations to him on that fine accomplishment. BUT! What that means... is that people were buying his book... but were not buying SENTINELS: WHEN STRIKES THE WARLORD! So.... I'm getting clobbered in the sales department! NOT ACCEPTABLE!! The SENTINELS books are Avengers-ish... and his book, fine though it may be... is NOT! SO! Here is your call to action, Avengers fans! Go to the Swarm Press site: www.swarmpress.com and order a copy of WARLORD! THEN... TELL OTHERS YOU KNOW WHO LIKE SUPERHERO ACTION!! Spread the word!!I will report back regularly here on how sales are looking. We can drive WARLORD up and make a real dent in Amazon's listings... and maybe even pass Brave Men Run! WE CAN DO IT!!Volume 2: A DISTANT STAR will debut later this week. I'll have more about it when it becomes available. In the meantime-- let's drive up the numbers on WHEN STRIKES THE WARLORD and show the superhero world that BRAVE MEN RUN is not the ONLY superhero novel from Swarm that sells!! And if we succeed... I promise to take down all the ad material for it on the Avengers site and quit with the hype!! ;D
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on Jul 13, 2008 18:11:28 GMT -5
Bendis is perhaps the worst writer I have ever encountered at making various characters sound distinctive in their dialogue. It is astonishing how bad he is at it. Whether it's Dr. Doom, a Skrull, or Luke Cage, they all use similar sentence constructions and vocabulary. I stand in awe of how tin his ear is at dialogue.
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on Jul 13, 2008 18:08:49 GMT -5
Thanks very much, Bruce. It was great to meet you and I plan on checking out your articles on the Pulse from now on.
The DC book you traded me for Assembled! is amazing. Overwhelming, almost. I know once you're able to make it available to the fans on a widespread basis, people will be eating it up.
Glad to have you aboard!
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on Jul 13, 2008 18:06:12 GMT -5
Thanks very much, Sharkar! You are too kind.
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on Jul 4, 2008 7:49:00 GMT -5
After two issues of Dan Abnett's new GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, I have to say it has now become my favorite current Marvel series. I did not see that coming. But it has jumped over both CAPTAIN AMERICA (#1) and NOVA (#2) to the top spot, because it so perfectly combines cosmic stuff with character stuff, drama with humor, action with pure fun.
I'll leave it at those generalities for now, and not go into all the details-- but if you're not reading this book, give it a shot. It has everything that made ANNIHILATION: CONQUEST so good (and so vastly better than the original) plus a lot more. As good as Abnett is on NOVA, this book is even better because he has a whole cast of characters who mesh (or who don't!) together in very fun ways.
And Pelletier's and Magyar's art on it is gorgeous.
I want this book to sell because I want to keep reading it!
And if you like Abnett's writing, check out his great Warhammer 40,000 novels. You don't have to know a lot about that world to enjoy his books. I particularly recommend the RAVENOR trilogy, though the EISENHORN trilogy is great, too... and most of the GAUNT'S GHOSTS books have been very good (a couple of them were fantastic), though that series is a bit uneven.
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on Jul 4, 2008 7:37:59 GMT -5
Finally got the local shop to track me down a copy of YOUNG AVENGERS PRESENTS: HAWKEYE this week.
I haven't read a lot of Matt Fraction's work-- mainly the first two issues of INVINCIBLE IRON MAN... and that may have been it before this.
But I have to say, he impressed me here.
And the thing that really jumped out at me about this comic was that every single thing that happens is driven very strongly by *character*. You can tell that he got into the characters, one by one, and figured out exactly how each would react to a given situation, and what they would then do about it. And so the effect is like watching dominoes fall over, one by one. Very impressive.
First, Kate rejects Eli because she's determined to make the team a "professional" success, not just a kids' club. (I think Fraction totally nails Kate's personality here, probably better and more consistently than even Heinberg ever has.)
Then Clint tests her, because he wants to determine if she's worthy of his mantle.
She starts out at the second test very respectful and deferential to him (and to the Avengers legacy), but within a page or two she's being all smart-assed towards him-- and darned right, she is! She's Hawkeye! I loved that. It was not too abrupt a shift-- it was as if she suddenly realized, "Hawkeye wouldn't be bowing and scraping to this guy!" It played out just right, I thought.
Each of the other YAs then reacts to the news of her failure precisely as you'd expect, leading back around to Eli, who (already carrying resentment towards her from the opening scene) confronts her openly.
She lashes out, and is thus in prime position to actually go along with Speed when he (totally in character) proposes a "crime" way to resolve things. (And who hits on her.)
When Clint returns while they're still there, he takes off-- again, totally in character, while she remains behind to overhear what's said.
Hawkeye lets her keep the bow not because of her skill but because of her (Clint-like) audacity and willingness to actually break in to get it back. Totally Clint.
And finally she comes back around to Eli, having learned from Clint to "take the shot" when she has it.
Really, really well-written comic. Very impressive. Gorgeous art, too. Easily the best of the series and worthy of the original title.
If Fraction can write like this all the time, I would not be opposed to him taking over the main (in limbo) book.
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on Jul 2, 2008 6:44:00 GMT -5
Obviously I'm not new and we're trying to get the new folks to introduce themselves here-- but I will point out that I, too, teach-- I am a prof. of Political Science and History at a small college near St. Louis.
I'm thrilled to have so many new members here, and to see so many of the earlier crowd still around. Sorry to be so infrequent in my appearances. I do keep an eye on things here most of the time!
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on Jul 2, 2008 6:36:55 GMT -5
That was my very first issue of GHOST RIDER-- #27, with Hawkeye and the Manticore. The interesting thing about GR back then was that he was portrayed in the comics as much more of a standard Marvel "conflicted hero" (tm) than a horrifying supernatural entity.
In other words, Johnny Blaze turning into Ghost Rider was almost always written more like, say, Banner turning into Hulk, rather than "demonic spirit of vengeance and fear, etc."
Almost everything Marvel did in that era had a similar feel and approach. Now, it was an approach that I really liked! But it did tend to take the "scary" edge off of characters like Blaze who could have been very edgy and more exciting...
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on Jul 2, 2008 6:34:16 GMT -5
Iron Man vs Arsenal!! Awesome. That led to one of the better AVENGERS ANNUALs of its era. And I always love seeing Shellhead flying in to rescue the entire rest of the team after they've been taken out.
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on Jul 2, 2008 6:32:21 GMT -5
Love those MARVEL TEAM-UPs from that era! Claremont had a great series of sub-plots running in the background for years there. The Equinox storyline... the Super-Skrull and Ms. Marvel... great stuff. Very inspiring to Bobby and me when we first wrote our superhero short stories.
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on Jun 27, 2008 12:01:12 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on Jun 25, 2008 20:51:13 GMT -5
The point I made at the AvengersAssemble panel at HeroesCon about the two books was this:
NEW AVENGERS is a book that is very "dark" in tone and appearance, but the characters in it are striving for freedom and fighting for what they believe in.
MIGHTY AVENGERS is a book that has a very "light" appearance and tone (bright, happy colors, and even thought balloons!), with mostly classic Avengers characters doing heroic-seeming things-- and yet there is a pervasive sense of darkness running through almost every issue, because many of the team members honestly wonder if they're on the right side and doing the right thing.
I find that very interesting.
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on Jun 25, 2008 20:48:14 GMT -5
I would rank the Korvac Saga among the five best and most important Avengers "big" stories.
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on Jun 25, 2008 6:44:21 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on Jun 25, 2008 6:42:38 GMT -5
Hi, burrell-- I actually sold out of hardcovers at the con, but I do have one or two of them left here at the house. (After these are gone, they're done! They're not being printed anymore.)
So if you will drop me an email to vplexico at gmail.com, we can work it out so I can ship you one. Thanks.
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on Jun 25, 2008 6:39:55 GMT -5
Glad to hear you enjoyed it! I was supposed to be joined by others, but sort of had to carry it all myself. I was afraid it was boring. Glad someone enjoyed it! Here's the pic: plexico.blogspot.com
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on Jun 13, 2008 12:10:28 GMT -5
The AVENGERS ASSEMBLED! panel at HeroesCon has been moved to SATURDAY at 3 pm.
If anyone here's planning on coming, please note this change. The original schedule had it on Friday. Then it was moved to Sunday, and the program book has already been printed and will say Sunday. But it is Saturday.
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on May 28, 2008 0:37:09 GMT -5
The first volume, WHEN STRIKES THE WARLORD, is now available from Swarm Press. It is available from all forms of Amazon (as far as I can tell) plus Barnes & Noble. BN appears to have a discount on it for members, too: search.barnesandnoble.com/Sentinels/Van-Allen-Plexico/e/9781934861066/?itm=2I have my copies already and Swarm really did a nice job with it. I'm very pleased. I realize that not everyone here knows what this is, so here's a little bit of explanation: I LOVE THE AVENGERS. I DO NOT WRITE FOR MARVEL (nor do I really want to). So: I am writing a series of NOVELS that are similar in some ways to the old-school Avengers comics. Heroes thrown together against an overwhelming threat (or threats), and bickering amongst themselves as much as fighting the villains. Chris Kohler has illustrated each of the three volumes with five pics each. I love Chris's work; it reminds me here of Jim Starlin (coincidentally, one of the comics writers I try to "channel" when I write this kind of thing!) I'm happy to answer any questions anyone might have. Folks have tended to really enjoy these books so far (in the earlier editions, pre-Swarm Press). So check out the first one and see what you think, and let us all know here afterward!
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on May 28, 2008 0:31:12 GMT -5
I'm still hoping it will be out in time for DragonCon, which is Labor Day weekend. For that to happen, it will have to be to the printers by the end of July, and thus to the designer by the end of June.
We shall see...
I'm just waiting on the last few things to roll in . I still need a chapter overview on Thor's career, among a couple of other things already farmed out...
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on May 15, 2008 9:19:00 GMT -5
Aw, heck-- here's one no AVENGERS fan could resist! ;D In fact, I'll post it right here on the page: Preorder from www.swarmpress.com and get free shipping! The first one should ship in the next couple of weeks!!
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on May 15, 2008 9:07:27 GMT -5
I'm going to post to my blog some previews of the art Chris Kohler is doing for the new Swarm Press editions of the books. I'll link to 'em here. First up, from volume 3: APOCALYPSE RISING: plexico.blogspot.com/2008/05/jameson-vs.html
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on May 8, 2008 22:58:36 GMT -5
I dunno... Dave Medinnus might be a bigger Marv fan than either of us. Certainly in terms of size, he's bigger, anyway. heh.
I've pretty much promoted Carol to 2nd place ahead of Mar-Vell, since she's been active in the MU again the last few years, and he really hasn't, what with being dead and all.
I can't imagine them ever making a movie of him. The best we could reasonably hope for is an "X-Men-movie-style" cameo of him in the background in a scene from AVENGERS...
He simply was never as popular in his time as younger people today seem to think he was...
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on May 8, 2008 22:53:36 GMT -5
I've posted an embedded video of the new "trailer" for the INVINCIBLE IRON MAN series at the main page of the Avengers site: www.avengersassemble.net
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on May 7, 2008 10:46:22 GMT -5
Well... months, anyway! I'm in the process of writing MARS McCOY AND THE CHAOS HORDE for Airship 27 Productions at the moment. When I've finished that (and wrapped up ASSEMBLED! 2), I will hit the ground running with SENTINELS vol. 4. I've already plotted a great deal of it (as well as vols 5 and 6). I will be posting news, art, previews, etc about the books here, but for all the updates on what I'm writing and editing, you can visit: My writing/editing blog: plexico.blogspot.com/My page on the Swarm Press board: permutedpress.com/smf/index.php?board=47.0
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on May 4, 2008 18:58:23 GMT -5
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have just updated the main AvengersAssemble.net page to reflect that fact. ;D
|
|
|
Post by Van Plexico on May 2, 2008 7:46:24 GMT -5
Heads up: I'll be posting some teaser info about the upcoming fourth novel in the series here in this thread in the days to come.
This section of the board will be a de facto SENTINELS message board-- I don't want to spread everything around too thinly across the Web, so I figured this was the best place for consolidating it-- where folks are already commenting on the books.
More to come!
|
|