wktf and Sam Wilson's Comic Reviews (with the DAWG), 8/30/06

[Sam Wilson]

Originally Posted by madjazz

OK Sam. Now you have me curious to check out X-Factor. Damn you.

word madd, unlike some writers who stagnate with time, Peter David seems to grow and change up his game to keep it fresh. I think you'll be pleased with x-factor.

[Sam Wilson]

Originally Posted by thecallahan

I bought the second issue of the boys and could barely make my way through the title. I'm just not enjoying it so I might give the third issue a chance but that's it. Ahh well, I'll always have the Preacher to go back and read.

word, I understand. It's not for everyone.

jdh, joe, word on ultimate triology, obviously.

Dawg, UFF. Bah. Dead on review. jdh is right though, damn good book usually, and it 6 issues it will hopefully turn back...

[XSE]

I agree totally on the X-Factor and Ultimate X-Men reviews two great books....I was really surprised by both....the shock ending of X-Factor (a possible traitor) and the radical recharacterization of the fuzzy elf we all know and love in the regular MU...amazing stuff!! Nice reviews!

[Leon]

Originally Posted by Sam Wilson

word madd, unlike some writers who stagnate with time, Peter David seems to grow and change up his game to keep it fresh.

I'm glad X-Factor finally got reviewed Sam, it's one of my favorite books.
Peter David is just an awesome writer, with a great sense of humor!

[Sam Wilson]

Originally Posted by XSE

I agree totally on the X-Factor and Ultimate X-Men reviews two great books....I was really surprised by both....the shock ending of X-Factor (a possible traitor) and the radical recharacterization of the fuzzy elf we all know and love in the regular MU...amazing stuff!! Nice reviews!

still a little in awe over that nightcrawler story. Hardcore man, fu$#ing hardcore.

[Seamus McClernan]

Originally Posted by Sam Wilson

Ultimate Fantastic Four #33
Marvel Comics
Written by: Mike Carey
Drawn by: Pasqual Ferry

For those of you that have been living under a mushroom for the past several years Marvel has given us some of their best stories and art in the form of their Ultimate line of Books. Ultimate FF has been (along with the Ultimates) among the very best of these titles consistently every month since its inception. This month we are given the brand new creative team of Mike Carey, whom has been also writing X-Men for the past couple of months and utterly confusing the ever lovin’ snot out of me over there. And Pasqual Ferry who in my most humble opinion has one of the hardest assignments in comics… Following the footsteps of Greg Land. (Sniff Sniff… bye Greg... your style and the way you draw chicas will be missed.) We are given the first part of what will be a six issue arc.

As the book started out we are given Reed and Sue out at the mall doing some perfume shopping which makes Reed rather uncomfortable in his own shoes. I thought to myself… you and every other man pal. Especially someone who is as socially inept as poor brainiac Reed. Still he toughs it out for Sue with a smile. This was unfortunately for me the very last thing that was compelling or made any sense in this story. Mike Carey is now confusing the hell out of me on yet another of my favorite titles… That boy needs a whuppin’ from mamma WKTF’s Kitchen for starting us off and not filling in any holes until we have lost interest. Still I’m hopeful and I’m not hating. Six issues is enough time to hopefully shed some light and win me over. By page 2 we are given an introduction to a whole new set of characters who are Alien, don’t make sense, and with all the pastel-like colors was just downright hard for me to get through. We spent more time with the aliens than we ever see the FF. What’s their story and what are they about? You should all feel happy that I’m writing the review, because if you are befuddled as you read this you are not alone.

What I will say is this. There was some relief toward the end of this issue as we at least get to see the FF again. Reed being Reed and Johnny and The ever lovin’ Blue eyed Thing cracking jokes and leaving the “Big Brain” to what it is that he does while they go looking for stimulation in the form of video games. This portion of the story was my relief. So I will say that so far Carey has the characterization down. The scenes with Marvel’s royal family were the bright spot in this issue.

So hopefully this new team and new arc will build steam through these first 6 issues. Telling a story that begins all guns blazing and trying to catch the reader up as you go is not the easiest thing to do and apparently this is Mike Carey’s style of writing. I hope that the next issue helps us catch up because this is one of my favorite books every month, but this issue didn’t grab me and left me saying… “This wasn’t Ultimate FF… This was Ultimately Effing confusing…

That said… I’m still in as I dig the way he wrote the FF themselves and although Pasqual’s visual style is dramatically different from Greg’s… He still can work the panels from one to the next.

Word for asking me to fill in for Joe this week Sam. I had some tough shoes to fill with you gone bro…

I'm surprised that you didn't recognize these characters for what they were -- Marvel's 21st Century answer to the FOREVER PEOPLE, complete with "Mother Box" (Seed) and far-out, Super-cycle.

In fact, a couple of them weren't even discreetly named; DREAMCATCHER obviously being BEAUTIFUL DREAMER and MAGNIFICENT BEAST, looking all-too-much like my beloved BIG BEAR.

Listen to me now (and believe me later) this is going to mark a whole "Fourth World" thing -- introducing "Ultimate Thanos" as Marvel's version of DARKSEID.

"House of Ideas" indeed.

[madjazz]

Originally Posted by Seamus McClernan

I'm surprised that you didn't recognize these characters for what they were -- Marvel's 21st Century answer to the FOREVER PEOPLE, complete with "Mother Box" (Seed) and far-out, Super-cycle.

In fact, a couple of them weren't even discreetly named; DREAMCATCHER obviously being BEAUTIFUL DREAMER and MAGNIFICENT BEAST, looking all-too-much like my beloved BIG BEAR.

Listen to me now (and believe me later) this is going to mark a whole "Fourth World" thing -- introducing "Ultimate Thanos" as Marvel's version of DARKSEID.

"House of Ideas" indeed.

Consider your club having another member. I wish Marvel would either create another Universe or dedicate the writers and artists on Ultimate books to making the existing Universe better.

Let 'em churn out 400 issues of an Ultimate title and we'll see if they are able to keep it fresh. The longer something is successful, the more likely the will eventually have to deal with continuity. In trying to bypass continuity, Marvel just shows again what we all know - the organization is getting fat and lazy, and that dieriction starts from the top.

[Seamus McClernan]

Originally Posted by madjazz

Consider your club having another member. I wish Marvel would either create another Universe or dedicate the writers and artists on Ultimate books to making the existing Universe better.

I don't believe that it's a question of necessarily making them better as opposed to making them original -- and I mean, TRULY original.

Otherwise these are merely thinly-disguised "retcons", with the Publisher in question benefiting from having you buy both "New Coke" AND "Coke Classic."

[wktf]

I've had problems with Ultimate FF since the beginning but The Ultimates is one of my favorite titles. To your point, Seamus, though it's a revisit on existing characters, the stories have been extremely original.

[Seamus McClernan]

Originally Posted by wktf

though it's a revisit on existing characters, the stories have been extremely original.

Why couldn't these stories have been told in the "Universe proper??"

It's like, X3 (which many among us hated), is closer to the direction I believe the 616 Universe should've taken in the early 80's. Xavier should be dead, Scott should be running the school and the 1st group of NEW MUTANTS should be the current X-MEN -- with some of them either having died or getting ready to retire at this point.
To me, that's the "Ultimate" experience -- real life.

That's why I enjoy THE ULTIMATES too, it seems painfully real.
Although I think alot of that quality will go out-the-door when Brian Hitch leaves.

But getting back to my original point -- you guys DO see the "Forever People" thing, right?
I'm not crazy??