HR Boards

For better Marvel readers than I, what are you honest impressions? Everything changes, everything is different, nothing will be the same-

-how do you feel about this? Excited? Pure sales ploy? Silly for Marvel? IT's a 'they won't call it a reboot' reboot?

I'm not casting stones at it. I know that I'm not buying anything from it, and will simply watch where the chips will fall after it's done and the dust settles.

Not saying I don't have faith in it, but Marvel has yet to show me a reason in the last 6 years to buy any maxi-series of theirs. But, will they give me something more to look forward to when it's done?

 :)
Okay, breaking this down and answering some questions (even though Jimmy has still not answered the one I had on the 5 armies  :P  ;) ;D)


I think it is hardly anything drastic. They are combining all their universes into one. We will now have Miles in the same Universe as Peter. We may also get the Captain America from the same Ultimate universe so we can have, for a little while at least, a young Cap again. A young white Cap I mean (or as Nomad because of what just happened in Cap's title). We may get a couple 2099 characters. We will get a better inclusion of the New Universe characters already flying around the 616 anyway, and perhaps some other fringe characters they can pull in from other branches of the Marvel umbrella (Like CrossGen or if there are any Epic characters they own). Other than that, I don't see the big deal.

This is NOT going to be like DC's 52. It may resemble DC's Crisis, in so far they are sucking up other universes, and there may be slight changes, but I think that is all it will be when it is said and done. (except for maybe the mutant titles. Something there may ... MAY just change as Marvel is really pushing the Inhumans)

But heck, maybe I am wrong, but I just don't think we will have too much lasting change here with this. I just think this is going to be just like Secret Wars but with a bunch of "convergent" like titles. A few "WHAT IF"s, a few mini series based on some of Marvel's greatest historical events and then BAM!, back to Marvel proper with some new characters in the 616 that were somewhere else originally.

Although that X-Men thing is still in my mind.



Well of course it is a pure sales ploy.  ;D Anything Comic companies promote falls into that category, but at the same time, yes, I am excited. A small part of me wants a big change. Not a reboot sized big change, but something other than just soaking up the fringe, but I think that is all this is or will turn out to be. Just a thing for a short time.

Though again ... the Mutants ...


They won't because it is not. Again, nothing here like 52. But also again ... I don't think anyway.  ;)


Oh, thinking over a few titles (or mini's) that I think will be coming ... one or two may garner interest from you. You still may hold firm and not buy them, but I think you will be interested at least.
 ;)


Well as you are correct that the Events from Marvel have been less than stellar in the past 6 years or so (with Invasion being the last really interesting one for me and Civil War being the last great one period), I think events from all companies can be labeled that description. I mean be honest, you bought DC events just because, right?  :)

But yeah, company events are "meh" all the time. Some really good stuff but mainly not so much. Even Valiant's which I was really excited for ended up being better in my head than on paper.

But Marvel really screwed up with that AXIS thing. That should have NEVER been an event in the first place. Wasn't originally planned to be so, but Events sell so they took a story that was going to be in the pages of just one title and promoted it as an event and instead of that title getting its usual 50K in orders it got an average of 85K as a twice a month event. So instead of it getting 150K total in 3 months, as a regular Marvel title, it got 680K in total physical orders. So instead of getting $598,500 worth of orders (cover price ... so about $120,000 total) it got $2,710,00 (again, cover price ... so about $600,000 total). By just making a regular title an "event" and pushing it out 8 times instead of 3 for three months, Marvel made almost 5 times more.

You can't tell me if you were the head of Marvel or DC or whatever that you would put an end to events. People bitch about them. People hate them. People buy the hell out of them!

But still, I look forward to someone getting one right again eventually.  ;D

Crap. Been meaning to get back to this. Hell, I haven't even read it in full!!!

I've been meaning to jump back into this as well and say while I am not less excited, per se, I am also now a little confused as to how this "Event" works. I knew there were going to be three side-stories, each under a specific banner, but I had thought I figured out which stories would be under which banner, but now I am beginning to wonder.

Not sure that having someone who is somewhat familiar to your product being confused is the best of things, but maybe it is just me.

I know three sister series or "tie-ins" are :
LAST DAYS
BATTLEWORLD
WARZONES

The LAST DAYS tie-ins are pretty simple ... I think. They are the stories that happen right before or right after the SECRET WARS kicks off. I think. These are going to be the comics that are ending or are being relaunched. Again, I think

WARZONE labeled comics are ... or what I though it was going to be ... stories about the different zones intertwining with each other. In other words having stories/characters from say ... Old Man Logan crossing over with Future Imperfect or having Age of Apocalypse characters fight the 2099 characters. Stuff like that.

BATTLEWORLD labeled comics ... I thought ... were going to showcase stories from the actual zones. Like the K'un Lun zone having the story about Shang-Chi (as that zone is all martial arts related) or if you want Spider-Man you would read the Spider-Land zone.

But now, after seeing some more of what is coming out, I have no idea if this is correct anymore. I need to go back and look over this again. Maybe I misread something. But still, as a Marvel fan and a guy that knows how comics work, should I be this confused? Maybe it is just still too early and it will all become clear soon. I hope at least
 

Honestly? I think it's just too soon to really nail down what all the banners pertain to, or what they reference. I just look at it all and go 'yeah yeah, we'll see it when it actually hits.' I don't think the current teased info helps at all, since there is no real clue about how or why this will start!

I Looked back at that, what are you referencing? ;D

But, lets see what I can tackle here!!!


See, there’s a weird part of me that thinks that this will be more akin to the 1985 Crisis. Mush everything together, make a conjoined continuity going forward. BUT-I don’t think they will go as far as COIE by reorganizing history as completely as DC did.  The heartbeat of this just seems so similar, but that’s only at first blush, since there is not that much to really know about this.


It’s pure sales, yes, but is it a sales ploy? By this, I mean something like Uncanny Avengers story becoming a huge line wide event to capitalize off of one small thing going. I think you would agree with that.  I’m not that naïve to believe they are doing this purely artistically; it’s all about money!

But when cars 2 years ago started getting all tricked out with facebook connectivity and twitter apps on the dash? That’s trying to cash in something hot. Not really that thought out, it’s purely a cash grab to make others buy your stuff.

IF, and it’s a big IF, there could be a smallish reboot about Peter and Mary Jane..then yeah, I’ll be excited as well!
Well, as I said, ‘Renew Your Vows’ definitely garners more than a passing interest from me!

But cancelling/changing Spider-man 2099 to their new BattlezoneWorld 2099 book makes me pass on it all. And that’s just after me skipping 3 Spider-verse tie in issues on the title as well.


I have bought events plenty of times, but I think my track record will hold up. I have dropped Marvel events mid-way through (WWH), and with DC, skipped bunches. Yes, I got Forever Evil, but that held my attention with the Crime Syndicate! ;)

I also easily skipped Trinity War, Doomed, Godhead, Court of Owls & Death of the Family tie-ins. Once upon a time I made it a vow to skip mini-series, and so far, that really holds up for me. Sad, but true.

But you are right; some good stuff but not so much. Reading Original Sin on MU has been fun. A weird inclusive big story; the thing I remember about that is was, what, a weekly story for  $3.99 and $4.99 an issue? No, sorry, you can’t get all that money in 1-2 months. I’d rather buy the trade months later $10 cheaper than all that.

(just checked; can’t do that! The paperback has the 8 issues, the .1 issue, and the Original Sins tie-in series all collected. The first 2 issues of that were so poor.)


Too right!

NO F'N CLUE.
 >:(

I don't know if I had the wrong thread or what, but all I remember is at the time of typing the above, there was a question you had not answered and I could have sworn it was on the topic of the 5 armies, but just looked myself and you're right, nothing there.

I know there is a question on this board, somewhere, that you have not yet answered. I just wish like hell I knew where to find it.
 >:( >:(

 :D :D

As for the rest of your post, good stuff.  8)

And I don't think this is a ploy anymore than any other event, but yes, certainly not as bad or as openly "ployful" as that damn AXIS. (Good point!)

This could be amazing as Bendis can write his ass off when concentrating on just a few characters But even if the bad Bendis shows, this may still be worth getting because at the very least, it will look great
 :)

OLD MAN LOGAN (http://www.bleedingcool.com/2015/02/13/brian-bendis-takes-old-man-logan-secret-wars-house-m-well/)

Must.....fight.....temptation................

Why?

If the MU is not working properly ...

come back to the darkside ... commmmmme baaaaaaack tooooooo daaaaaarksiiiiiiiide ...  :D :D

And just to make it harder for Jeff to resist ...

Peter David news ... HERE (http://www.bleedingcool.com/2015/02/16/looks-like-peter-david-may-be-writing-secret-wars-future-imperfect-like-anyone-else-could/)

 ;D

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Right?  ;D
Even I am hyped on this one!!

Yeah - I might pick up that title.  Peter David isn't always perfect but the odds are in his favor.

Soooo, would you say he is Imperfect? Future Imperfect perhaps?  :D

Okay, I have no idea how the other issues ... all those damn issues (50 or so in July?) ... will turn out, but THIS is how you write a massive event. This was very good for a first issue and my worries are, currently, washed away with the tide. The tide does come back in, however, so I am not totally sold until I read the next issue.
 ;D

Having read issue #2 of this event, I just have to say ... wow.

The differences between the issues are ... vast in approach and tone, but they seem to blend so perfectly.

Issue #1 made you feel like you were on the bus from Speed, just flying though the city going 50 miles an hour. This is what Bendis was trying to do with Avengers Disassembled. But while Bendis' goal was to make us feel the chaos that the characters were feeling, it just came out cluttered and broken. Hickman however, jams all this action into one book, picking the most important parts to showcase, leaving us to dwell on most everything else unseen, while still pushing the story forward in a way we don't feel lost in the anarchy. There is no time to feel what the characters are feeling because we are in this story with them and things are just moving too damn fast. Yes, we feel part of it. We feel the end and it is coming in two minutes, so ... GO! ... GO!GO!GO!

That was issue #!

Issue #2 is actually the start of Secret Wars, but it is also the middle. We are coming in late to this party, but we didn't miss a thing. I won't (can't) say much about issue #2. It is rather hard to say anything without giving away a major aspect of the story. I will say that while this is one cover that does indeed tell part of the story that occurs on the inside (always nice when that happens ;)) it is only a part of the whole.

This issue is pure world building, but it does so with story, not just information. We have all seen the Battleworld map. This issue starts the process of bringing that more into focus. Light is shown on a few of the land borders, clarifying the names and history, only making the desire to see more grow stronger. There is little about the territories shown in this issue that was not figured out by looking at the Battleworld map. When you see a parcel of land labeled "The Eye of Agamotto", you can pretty much be assured that Dr. Strange is involved  ;D, but still, getting more information on how a couple of these lands tie together is pretty cool, as well as the way in which they ... kind of work.

I won't say more. Well, I will say one more thing actually. While this is still way too early to call this Marvel's best event, I will say it is leaning that way, for me if no-one else. I am just loving this so far. It is still not as good as Civil War, but if it keeps this pace, this flow, this art and this writing, it will be a photo finish at the line. Of course it could also just fall into a pile of crap just as easy. So ....

Oh yeah, one more thing. I have never, even with Civil War, been tempted to buy any of the tie-in titles that go along with "event" books. I would only buy the tie-in if I already was getting the title in the first place. I never bought any of the supplementary titles or issues (at least that I can remember). I may have read a couple, but I have never laid good money down to buy them. This event has changed that. At the end of issue #2 I was already calculating what tie-in books I could afford to get and what books I needed to ask Dave about, to see what he was getting so I could read his copies. Yes, for the first time in my 50 years on this planet, I am going to buy event tie-in titles. And be happy about it.

All of them? No of course not, that would be crazy ... Right? Wouldn't it?

Right?

Help

 ;D

EDIT - One thing of importance when reading this title. It is important to know that the Ultimate Universe is involved and so far at least, one of their characters plays an important role in this. Reed Richards from the Ultimate Universe. And in that Universe he is a major bad guy. If you didn't know that going in, you may be a little confused
 :)

Yeah the issues in Ultimates where he became a bad guy were great reading.  You should check them out if you haven't.

Yeppers, I stopped reading the Ultimates around ... I do't even remember. I read a little past "Ultimates 2", but not sure how far. I'm gonna get a bunch of Ultimate Universe stuff here soon though. I am assuming it will all be pretty cheap here soon.  :D

Want to also get into the Ult Spidey stuff. I stayed on for a looong time but left before it was set to end the first time. Was it Cataclysm or something before that? Heck, I've never even read any of the Miles stuff

So what did you think, Jeff?

Love it.  Been waiting until I have more time to opine but didn't want to leave you hanging.  I can see how everything Huckmans been doing since his run on Fantastic Four could have been leading to this.  I'll be back with more because there is sooooo much to talk about.  Will be hard to not go back and grab all the tie ins.

That is my battle as well.  :D

I think once you find that real shitty tie-in, you'll easily want to back off. :)

OR...it could be like during Infinite Crisis, where the main 4 minis (and the mini story that happened in a title) were all great! Or most of the Annihilation or Annihilation Conquest minis, too, were great...

Hmm...didn't sell you from NOT buying them all...hmm..

Let me know how it goes with them, then!  8) :D

Well, I am sure there will be some bad ones. But still looking forward to trying most of them to find out.  :) First time that has really hit me like that, that is what is so surprising.

EDIT - for books I know I will get in May

Inferno #1 (Dennis Hopeless)
Infinity Guantlet #1 (for the Dustin Weaver art if nothing else)
Inhumans: Attilan Rising #1 (Charles Soule)
Modok: Assassin #1 (Freakin Modok!!!  ;D)
Old Man Logan #1 (First time around was a damn fun ride. Hoping Bendis comes strong)
A-Force #1 (Just to try. All female Avengers)
Master of Kung-Fu #1 (an entire region ruled by Martial artists? Hell yeah!!)
Planet Hulk #1 (Stan Humphries)
Ultimate End #1 (Bendis and Bagley ... doing what they do best! .... ??)
Battleworld #1 (no reason other than title)
Uncanny Avengers: Ultron Forever (Alan Davis writing and art)
Spiderverse #1(No reason other than title, again)

That's 12 that I know I will be getting (or reading  ;D)

Deadpool and 2099 I think I will just wait on (or see if I can change Dave's mind about getting them  :D)

That's not too bad. June however, that month may get me killed or at least put me on the sofa for a solid week.  ;D I told the wife this Tablet would help me with buying comics and not spending a lot. Well, the first part was right.
 :D

June has about 45 that I want, including THIS (http://marvel.com/comics/issue/51946/house_of_hem_2015_1) one  :)

What happened to Future Imperfect?  I'm getting that one because....well, she knows stuff.


LOL - I want this too.   :D

Issues 1 and 2 are hitting in June

Ah!

A-Force issue #1

Hmmmm, what to say, what to say ...?

This was a decent (not great) look into this all female team, but before I really get into this issue, allow me to say that I do hate that Hickman made it possible for every hero in the Marvel Universe to be able to call themselves Avengers. I remember fondly when it was a limited organization where only the best of the best were able to join. Heck, and even then they had a roster limit. This "come on in" Avengers way has never really at well with me in the first place, so bias may be an added point of distaste here. I mean Miss America? An Avenger? Really? But okay, enough of that.

This is one of the titles that will continue past Secret Wars. It will be an ongoing title well after the heroes return from Battleworld and once again battle the vile villains of this world ... errr ... their world. Having said that, this is NOT one of those first issues that would be considered a place to start if you are looking to seeing what the stories may be like when they do return from Battleworld. Sure, they briefly touch on some of the characters, some of them, but if you have not read Secret Wars #2, you will be lost like a mo-fo here. That is to be expected as this is a "tie-in", but not to be expected as a number one issue of an ongoing series. I am sure Marvel will reboot the numbering however, so all will be fine once this becomes a "new" title.

The story here was, well, kinda weak. Not at all as weak as the Planet Hulk issue #1 that I will try to talk about below, but in a way, also not as fun. My main problem may be another of those "Perry Nitpicks", but I think it is also a substantial problem with the writing.

Major spoiler
************************************


But maybe that is just my gripe, but the way this book is written, I don't know. There is also the deal with characters interrupting each other, yet with no ellipsis at the end of each comment, it gets confusing.

We are use to this, the proper way (this is just an example. Not in the book) -

Billy - "I don't think ..."
Tom - "That's right. You don't think."
Billy - "No, stop it. if we take the tank ..."
Tom - "Look, let me handle this, okay?"

But here we get -

Billy - "I don't think"
Tom - "That's right. You don't think."
Billy - "No, stop it. if we take the tank"
Tom - "Look, let me handle this, okay?"

You can see the difference, yeah? It isn't just me? Well that is the stle we get here and it bugs the shit out of me.

I'm not going to hold the entire issue as bad, it wasn't. And honestly I am thinking I will really enjoy this once it gets away from this nowhere universe. And I am still going to get this as I am hoping it does get better, but by in large, just an average, run of the mill comic. Only the art pushes it a point higher.

7 outta 10 - ancient sharks

********************************************************************************

Planet Hulk issue #1

Crap, I will come back to this in a little bit. Edit it later.  :D Sorry  :D

Dang.  And I just bought this yesterday.

Well it's not crap  ;D just didn't wow me is all. I am not giving up yet. I think it can rebound easily enough. Especially once the get back to Marvel Universe Proper

Inhumans - Attilan Rising

SAND HULKS !!!!!!

More later!  :D

Edit-

Okay, this was another good issue of this new world, though sometimes Soule's writing just leaves me a little less than enamored. I love his plotting and his idea's and sometimes he can write very well, but there are times I just ask myself "is this the best he could have done?". He uses dialog to get us where we need to be, but sometimes I think it comes across as too 70'sish and just brings the flow down. Still, I usually like where he leaves me by the end of each issue so I forgive him most of the times. It is just weird sometimes is all.

Anyway, I love the idea of freaking Sand Hulks. I have no idea if that is original or not, but it is very cool. That just made this issue for me. They are like land mines placed around Greenland (Not the "Greenland" but Hulks Green Land, essentially all the Hulk's huge area or zone. where they live) that suddenly pop up to break all Hulk on any intruders. Ha.

Yes, that is a spoiler for the issue, but damn it, it is cool.
 ;D

Also like how the royal family is shown here, as well as some other Marvel heroes that are part of a resistance group, At least in this zone.

7 outta 10 - Sand Hulks (of course!)  ;D

Been reading more tie-ins and thinking on this series more and more ... came to the conclusion that if this series/event just holds par from here on out, this will be Marvels best event ever. Yes, ever. Better than Civil War which was just solid as hell and enjoyable to boot.

It is still early, it could still flop, but from the tight design of this thing to the way they are letting the other creators "play" this is just working. Usually a tie-in feels forced as hell. Usually they are,   :-\, but this has such an open feel to the structure that the tie-ins don't feel at all pigeon-holed into the series, they are actually part of the series ... yet their own story as well.

A grand thing indeed.

Okay jeff, have you read issue #2 yet? What do you think about Johnny? I love it!! so damn freakin' wild to think about. Well, as for it being something that is only going to last four months or so  ;D

That a no?  ;D

I did but i'm drawing a blank on what your talking about.  Sounds like I need to pull it back out.

Ok I pulled issue 2 back out but didn't see anything about Johnny (I assume you mean Johnny Storm).

Or is

Can't believe how late this story is running in solicits. Have you guys seen that?

Crap, I put the wrong issue up and didn't even notice it when I replied to my own screw up >:( Sorry man, that was suppose to be issue #3 !!!! My bad
 :-\


Can't believe?  ;) Yeah, I seen it, sucks, and I'm left wondering why they pushed out two issues a month to start this thing off when this is the case, but as it could be related to what is going on with future titles and the fact it will take me that long to catch up on the tie-ins anyway .... :D

Hell, it could be Esad Ribic got sick as hell and they didn't want to use a fill in. And as all this stuff ties so heavily together, maybe they are pushing everything back as plot point is revealed in the main book. Again, why they didn't account for this and just ship out the books monthly I have no idea.

They also pushed Bendis' last issue of X-Men 600 until after SW is over, when it is already done and ready to ship, so they must know something is playing into something that they want to sit on.

Who knows?

Ah ha!  I suspected that might be the case.  No I have not read it yet b/c I haven't received it.  It is in my next shipment (now shipping on the third week of the month).

CRAP !!!
 :D :D

On the flip side, I think I'll get issue 3 & 4 in the same shipment!!

Thought would be nice  :)

Issue 4

Did I see that right?????

 :-\

Crap, I can't look yet. I need to get it still.

But hey, did you ever reply to my question about how did you like what Doom did to Johnny Storm in issue 3?

I think I did but I can't really remember so here's what I thought....

 ;D

Okay, yes, that was it.

I just thought that was awesome ... in a very creepy and sad way.  :D

Aaaaand I just got issue #1 on Unlimited today. 8)

Just felt like a bookend to either of the Avengers/New Avengers titles.

Hickman is only hampered in his story by needing to have an artist actually have to draw it, which does take more than the 30 days most times. ;)

#2-this is more of what I wanted from the first issue. The first issue was fine, but it was just an extended ending of Avengers #30 (or whatever the last issue of that volume was). Yes, it was cool. Yes, it was the culmination of this Hickman run. I liked it....but I don't think I would have liked it $3.99 and wait a month for something to really happen liked it. 8)

that said...

Great F'n event, Jimmy. Like I've stated, one of the best, if not THE best Marvel event ever. Timing has screwed that idea for many, as had this puppy been on time it would have blown the event chart out of the water, but it is still a fantastic series and time will eventually agree with that.
 :)

After reading issue #8, I am wondering why this series was extended to nine issues. I mean, yes there was a couple cool things that happened, and I guess (hope) they just couldn't have been included in the last issue due to the size and scope of issue 9, which by now has to be so important to the "New" Marvel that they just couldn't fit the events of issue 8 into issue 9.

I doubt that to be the case, however.

Kinda feeling ... not disappointed, but not as "wowed" by this series as I had hoped for. It is still a great idea and I am hoping to start seeing some fallout of this damn thing in my Marvel books ... soon? ... but as of yet, I have seen nothing in current Marvel that this "event" had any impact on. Nothing is really that "different" (I mean in story, I realize nothing will ever be "different" in the big two), nothing is like "Ohhhh, that is because of what happened in Secret Wars". And that sucks.

Of course the "event" is not yet over and Marvel is holding a few new titles back and I can only hope that is due to what happens in issue 9, because as of now, eh. Yes, my titles are set 8 months in the future now and yes, some titles are "different" than they were prior to Secret Wars, but not different BECAUSE of Secret Wars. At least not that I can tell.

But that is another bitch, this was suppose to be about Secret Wars ...

I know when this is collected and after a set amount of time, I will look fondly on this event. Well, I hope I will. But I need something big to happen in issue 9. Something. Don't I? Or is this just gonna be an event like "Fear Itself"? Not as awful obviously, that can't be done, but just as non-impactful. Easily forgotten. An event that changes nothing is not an event, it is just a story. Hope this is not what we have here.
 :-\

I'm processing the last issue now.

I just like it that it essentially ended as the greatest FF story.

Which just continued out of Hickman's run. Which was running off of Millar's run.

Is Hickman the greatest FF fan ever? That's what I'm thinking now.