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The
Much Happier State of Marvel
08.28.02
by: Troy Brownfield
For
the last couple of years, I've charted the state of Marvel.
The biggest shift came when Joe Quesada became Editor-in-Chief.
While I don't always agree with what he may say in press releases,
there is no doubt that this man is a creative house of fire.
By pulling in notable creators and pushing bold initiatives
like the Ultimate line, he's catapulted some previously dull
Marvel titles into things worth talking about again. Let's
take a look at the highlights.
The
X-Titles:
As Marvel's
hot spot, the X-titles are always ripe for discussion. Creative
teams shifted all over the place in '01 and early '02, and
some promising projects, like The Brotherhood, were lost for
various reasons. Obviously, Origin was a mammoth hit. X-Treme
X-Men, after what I felt were slow early issues, seems to
have found a voice.
As for
Uncanny, the initial team of Joe Casey and Ian Churchill has
already departed, but some solid stories are being told and
the book is spot-on in entertainment value. I like the composition
of the team, and again, I was very happy to see Chamber in
a prominent role. Check out the "Poptopia" trade
for the introductory arc. A new creative team of Chuck Austen
and the talented Ron Garney are coming aboard; that could
be quite nice.
The real
triumphs of the line are now X-Statix (formerly X-Force) and
New X-Men. Milligan and Allred took their dissection of fame
and pop culture itself to new levels, and created a genuine
fan favorite with the bizarre Doop. As for New X-Men, with
Morrison at the helm, it's pound for pound one of the most
inventive super-hero titles of the last decade. It's prime
stuff, with two trades already making the rounds. Definitely
look into it.
The
Ultimates: Ultimate Spider-Man and Ultimate X-Men have
been supremely entertaining. I've always been a fan of "reimaginings",
and the creative prowess of writers Brian Michael Bendis and
Mark Millar has been on full display. The shocker this year
has been the ascension of the Ultimate Avengers title, simply
called "The Ultimates". Terrific art by Bryan Hitch,
coupled with the fearless, balls-out writing of Millar, has
made for some spectacular storytelling. From the "Saving
Private Ryan" opening of issue 1, to the thoroughly stunning
domestic brawl of issue 6, this has been startling, challenging
work.
Daredevil:
Bendis again?! Smith, Mack, and Gale were great on this
title, but let's face it; Bendis OWNS this book. I question
the decision to "ultimatize" Daredevil, because
this is a case where the current version is truly the only
one you need. Every issue is a masterwork of plotting, and
you get your surprises doled out amidst other plot twists
and nuances that might not pay off for months. Brilliant,
brilliant work.
Spider-Man:
Tangled Web was a great idea, and JMS has been a masterstroke.
With Kevin Smith coming aboard, this can only get better.
Remember the mid-'90s, when the Clone Storyline made Spidey
the bitch of the comic world? I've almost forgotten too. Of
course, that little student film helped with the visibility
this year.
The
Fantastic Four: Waid. Wieringo. YES. The first issue,
available for a criminally insane 9-cents, nailed things about
the characters that I've wanted to see for years. I literally
can't wait for the next issue. I have no idea when I last
said that about this title. Maybe never.
Captain
America: Talk about hitting the zeitgeist. Rieber and
Cassaday are an electric duo, and their ability to tell the
kinds of stories that they've been tackling in the current
world climate is nothing short of amazing. Cassaday's art
continues to inspire, and the overall narrative is unexpectedly
gripping.
Captain
Marvel: I hope it wins.
The
Incredible Hulk: Bruce Jones=savior.
Thunderbolts:
Always well drawn, Fabian Nicieza kept the early tradition
of intricate, surprising stories. Although I hope the impending
relaunch doesn't change things completely, it would be nice
to see the initial cast achieve some kind of resolution.
Avengers:
The mighty Geoff Johns steps in, and the first issue is tremendous.
Busiek was good, but that Kang epic really ran out of steam
for me. Johns has already proven himself on JSA, Flash and
Hawkman; I'm totally intrigued about where this one will go.
Looking good so far.
Marvel's
been doing an awful lot of things right. By stretching with
the MAX imprint and trying new things (like U-Decide), they're
constantly keeping their name out there and doing their best
to dominate conversation. Several other books that I haven't
covered, like Iron Man, are also maintaining positive buzz
with fresh infusions of talent.
Joe Quesada
puts me in mind of a particularly good baseball GM. He knows
where the players should play, and he knows where to get the
talent to fill the holes. Eventually, we know that some of
the big money talent will go off to other projects. The true
test of Quesada's immortality will be how he follows up in
the future. I can offer one authoritative assessment: Pretty
damn good so far.
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