Because it's about time someone did!
New Comic Book Day Open Thread - 02/22/2017
Not going to be picking anything up just yet, this week. Still waiting on a paycheck from last week. If I do get paid, I'll be grabbing Extraordinary X-Men, Detective, IvX, and JLA.
Over the last couple weeks, I have just about gotten caught up on Animosity which I have been enjoying. It felt a bit jumbled at the start but has really been fining its feet. I love the humpback whale that is fluent in Pokemon. I also started the Tomie collection, but that is slow going as I have a couple of other books I'm reading at nigth as well.
Hope everyone is having a good week. Enjoy your comics!




IvX is getting to be such a sham. It's terrible. We're in 2017 and they still make comicbooks crossovers were heroes punch each other where a casual, really short, conversation would had suffice to end the entire conflict. Like we learned nothing. It's a pain to read. I feel like the writer disregards the reader's intelligence.
And the writing itself that started in such a high and promising note really fell down the toilet.
Like, I swear, there's a line of dialogue like that:
"All right. You're a tough guy, I'm a tough guy."
"Yes. Now let us do what tough guys do."
I would be intrigued if only what tough guys do wouldn't be summarized in fighting each other - because that seems the only thing anyone in this comics does. :/
Listen, I don't entirely blame the writers: They have, like, 50 different characters to squeeze into a comic book issue of 20 or so pages. It's impossible to do. But they should'v done it in a way that's more clever so that most of the characters that aren't necessary to the continuation of the plot will stay at the background. Instead we get like a bazillion characters making unnecessary appearances, talking to each other in short, shallow, uncharacteristic one liners that ends with the other character's names - so it will be made sure beyond any doubt that we all know that the lightning dude is called Mosaic and the blue sparkly guy is Mr. Marshmallow Man, whatever. I don't care about all of this, Marvel editors. This isn't Pokemon! I just want to read a quality comics with good premise where there is some kind of mature plot, handled in a mature way, without any dues ex machina or character assassinations. THANK YOU.
Yeah, after the #0 and #1, this crossover went downhill toot suite. I've only read the ANX and EX tie-ins, but they've been stronger.
I disagree that the series has gone downhill. The whole premise hangs together for me because you have different factions on both sides with different information being revealed to them at different times.
This last issue does make clear to me that both Inhumans and X-Men should have maybe involved more people in trying to solve the Terrigen problem earlier on. Why was it just Beast and Iso? Clearly Forge and Moon Girl should have had some input. Maybe they could have helped if they were leaned on early?
Also, I get the sense that the NuHumans and younger X-Men were dragged into this simply because the Royals and elder X-Men started fighting. They reacted when being caught in the middle of a fight - but once they understood why the fight was happening, they've tried to figure things out and even work together to resolve things to stop the war.
So why did the Royals and X-Men decide to start fighting anyway? I get the sense that it's a generational thing at Marvel - these characters fight so much because there has been a history of so many events where they punch first and ask questions later. It's in their DNA. I think Medusa has been preparing for war all along because she assumed it was inevitable after Black Bolt "killed" Cyclops. And Emma was clearly preparing for it since then as well. You can question why so many of the other leader characters fell in line with these two - but it seemed like that was addressed in the #0 prequel.
I get the even fatigue, I do, but I feel like this one has been at least a little better than average. I guess we can agree to disagree on it.
This is a good take on it, though it highlights (for me) that if this is what Editorial wanted to build toward at the end of Secret Wars, they could've done a lot more throughout the year+ to get there.
I appreciate that the young mutants and NuHumans are the ones that seem like they'll solve this together, but would've liked to see more of it throughout last couple of years in the individual titles. I'm not saying this was totally absent (Young Bobby/Romeo, Forge/Moon Girl), but there wasn't all that much (and even though there was a Forge/Moon Girl team up story in Extraordinary X-Men's annual, in IvX 5 Forge seems like he has no idea who she is or how she could improve his design).
That's a fair point re: Forge and Moon Girl.
I'm sorry, but assuming that the X-Men haven't put Forge to the task of solving the T-mist problem from the first place seems incredibly unlikely to me. You have to assume the X-Men are arrogant or stupid. Those aren't the X-Men I know. The X-Men I know would try everything that's possible before going to a full out war. Writing them otherwise would just make them look bad - It won't be the first time in big events like this, though. We have to assume both the X-Men and the Inhumans had tried everything they can to solve the T-mist problem, science-wise (except for destroying it). Farther more, we have to assume they tried to contact any other smart person they know to consult together, and that person couldn't also find a solution for the problem. Assuming otherwise would create a hole in the story and it's just a bad writing.
It's an egg and a chicken thing. If you want to sell the premise as a no-choice battle you got to stick to your grounds. If you come later with a solution that solves everything that no one saw before yet was really easy to achieve (like I suspect that will happen) you're disrespecting the readers. If you make the characters behave in an uncharacteristic and childish way don't expect the reader to come up with some excuse for why the characters are acting in such way.
I don't buy the "Characters are used to punch first" theory. It seems like a retroactive explanation for bad writing, while the real reason is meta - the staff at Marvel co like their heroes vs heroes punching. I prefer to appreciate my heroes based on when they are written well and not assume they are bunch of imbeciles I would never feel sorry or care for because Marvel is doing a crossover.
There are already too many holes in this. Why did the X-Men and the NuHumans attacked each other in this current issue? Do you really think, in a normal world, in a normal way of thinking, that there could really be a fight based on a misunderstanding if one of the parties would make it clear that they really don't want to fight? The way I see it - the NuHumans were already on the side of the X-Men, so why the hell did they run towards them when they attacked? What is that suppose to convey? Couldn't they just raise their hands, not fight, and let Forge tell the X-Men what's happening? Why do we need all those unnecessary fighting pages that only make the entire cast of characters look bad? Does somebody get kicks from this kind of thing anymore? Would Storm - the Storm that we know and respect, would attack bunch of kids that don't show an intention of fighting and won't fight back? Do we really believe that's part of her character? That's rubbish! It just feels like a thing that a third grade kid would write for his third grade friends. I'm not buying it.
...
I apologize if I sound harsh. This isn't directed towards you, of course. I tend to get pumped up about this kind of things (writing in all sort of medias in general) and I tend to be unforgiving towards mediocrity. But this is directed towards Marvel who clearly has the tools and the talents to make something so much better - yet they're pushing this - I'm sorry - nonsense above all other things.
No need to apologize, it's a good discussion.
I guess I just don't see writing or storytelling I don't like as necessarily deeply flawed, or disrespectful, or rubbish, or written by a third grader. To me, valid problems with how a story is being told get diminished by taking things so personally and making the criticisms so personal.
Honestly, I don't get readers who continue to read stories that they hate so much every Wednesday.
And as for assumptions about what's happened off-panel or between stories, that's always been a weak spot or blind spot of mine. If the story references something off panel (for example, did either the X-Men or Inhumans state that Beast and ISO consulted every other smart person they could have, and it went nowhere?), that's one thing. But I don't make things up in my head to fill in gaps regarding what I feel to be flaws in the story, or to explain the story developing in a direction I don't like. I take the story as presented. Maybe that's a big weakness of me as a reader. I don't know.
Yeah, that's a real solid point. It's like something someone said in the past about not getting mad other you favorite comics becoming a franchise. I mean, if you really don't like the direction your favorite comics is taking - just stop reading it. It is you that lacks the ability to move on if your stuck at getting mad over how things should be.
It's hard to ask much from a franchise that's already exist 50 years or so. I mean, how many different tales can you tell about these characters and world and still getting aligned with the status que - so you won't piss off other fans? It's hard. Only handful writers can make up the cut, but even more then that - Only handful of editor-chiefs will actually have the guts to let them do so.
There are so many talented writers and publishers who are more prone for creative freedom. Why stick to this merry boat of specific mutants?
I guess I'm just sucker for the regular things. I'm like an addict. I need my piece of monthly X-Men and I want it to be good too. But on my defense, I really didn't read any other X-series since Secret Wars 2. IvX was the first series I picked up. And it started good. It raised my hopes. Now I have to read it through only because I already started it. It's a compulsion thing.
Yes, you are asking a good question. I guess I'll have to turn back from the main series again and only check out from time to time on the less frontal series, where the chance for a breakthrough is more likely. Here I'm still waiting for the another X-Factor investigations, another New X-Men (X-men academy), another Exiles, another Morrison or Whedon. Like the late Vision series. I know they raise their heads from time to time. Even in the main Marvel universe. It just hasn't been up lately with the X-related stuff.
I'm going to check on the new Resurrexion stuff, based on the creative teams, and see if there's anything I like. Jean Grey solo series and Gen X are a natural suspects.
Hopefully one of the new titles hits that sweet spot for you!
So, still working through all of my stuff, but IvX stuck out in that it seems to be setting up Emma for a hard fall back into villainy. Thoughts?
I guess I'd be down for that? As long as she sticks around in the post-IVX world for a bit
Gonna pick up IvX, Extraordinary, Black Panther, and last week's Old Man Logan.
Black Panther and World of Wakanda are two of the books that are making it very hard for me too keep my, "Only X-Books from Marvel" pledge. Both are so good. I love what Coates has been doing with the down fall of the Monarchy of Wakanda, and Shuri. Roxanne Gay has been killing it in World. Building out the relationship between Aneka and Ayo throughout all of the turmoil Wakanda has been through in the last few years, while making Wakanda feel like a country and not some mythical place. I love it.
I dropped World of Wakanda after 3 issues. The writing wasn't grabbing me, tbh. Will check it back out in trade. I thought this about Coates's early issues, too, but I'm not sure Gay's style lends itself to serialized storytelling (I.e., I think it'll read better in trade than month to month).
All of that is beside this point: I'm glad Marvel is running with expanding the Black Panther line and that they're working with such quality writers.
I agree with you on the stories not being the best for single issues. I had a back log of like 4 or five issues with Black Panther, and the first three of WoW, and went through them all in a couple of days. That probably has made my opinion a little higher of WoW than if I had read each issue as they came out. I am also way into the Dora Milaje being more than a Harem for T'Chala. It sucks that they still kind of are, but seeing them rebelling against that has been great.
I had a similar experience. I like the series overall, but I wasn't enjoying it in a serial format and at times had to go back and reference a previous month's issue to regain some context. I've since delegated it to "waiting for the trades"
Which is a downer, because it's basically relying on Marvel to trust that the book will be successful as a trade (but I'm basically in the same boat). It looks like, at least with the main series, and at least the first trade of WoW, that'll be the case. Hopefully it'll stick.
I WAS reading IvX but after issue 3 I was bored to tears and dropped it (I really don't care about the Inhumans half of the thing...). I'll be back to X-books (that aren't All New Wolverine - which I'm loving!) once Resurrxion happens. Am considering looking into some DC stuff. Has anyone read any of the recent Superman books?
Thought it was a slow week but didn't turn out that way. I picked up floppies (paper and/or digital) for Backstagers, Wonder Woman, Monstress, The Belfry One-shot, Loose Ends, Revival, The new Si Spurrier Dark Crystal sequel, and a few Marvel books that are over halfway to the next trade (Black Panther, Spider-Woman, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Gwen). Also picked up the new Autumnlands trade and the 2nd hardcover Warren Ellis James Bond collection.
Oh yeah, forgot to mention: Outcast vol 4 trade, the Ultraman vol 7 manga, and. Disney Cars floppy (we'll see what my son thinks about it),
I've been laid low by an awful sinus cold all week, but I did manage to pick up my books on Comixology yesterday and give them a read. My list for this week was:
Standouts for me this week were Hulk, Letter 44, and The Old Guard.
Hulk has been just a great read so far, with someone who is just struggling to stay afloat and re-order their life in a way that they can make sense of and navigate day to day. Anyone who's been through some really awful times or traumatic events can relate to this. It's been an extremely well written and well crafted series so far.
Letter 44 continues to build to the series finale in issue #35. I took the opportunity of the new issue coming out this week to do a re-read of the series to date - I picked up a couple of things the second time around that makes me think I have a loose sense of where this series is going to end up. The stakes are getting raised higher and higher with each issue as the end nears, and there's one more critical flashback issue coming in issue #32 before the final half of this last arc.
The Old Guard was a really good introduction. The series hits the ground running, and there was a lot of action and story progression for a first issue. I don't want to spoil much beyond what was given out in the solicitation, but I will happily discuss more details and developments from this issue if people are interested. If you like Rucka, if you liked Queen and Country, if you like war stories with Special Ops teams and warfare, but with a twist, check this series out.