Marvel have seen fit to release this week probably the best and (in any sane world what should be) the final word on the death of Captain America. Written with consummate skill and empathy, and excellently rendered this must surely be the best post death tale to date. But STOP before you all go rushing out to vainly look for a CA title you may missed. Pick up Thor 11 before it sells out. If it hasn't already.
I thought it was a really arrogant of JMS. It was as though he were saying, "yeah, I know I'm supposed to be writing about the norse gods that have come back from the dead for a reason that I haven't thought of yet, but I want to dedicate half the issue of a comic that comes out every 2 months to talk about a character that I haven't been hired to write about." Much better was the Matt Fraction Secret Invasion: Thor series that came to an end this week, and even better than that is the irregular mini series that Fraction is also writing.
I liked the Thor: Truth of History one shot. Why: Alan Davis. It is, however, terribly old school and I am fully prepared to take a kicking over this. But, y'know, I liked it.
Of more import and far better is the OKO approved Fraction Thor irregular mini which at this point consists of these issues (I think):
Thor: Ages of Thunder Thor: Reign of Blood
They are wholly mighty indeed. It's a totally splendid attempt to do what Jack'n'Stan did in the first place. Mix up mythology with a whole heap of their own individual imaginings and let the awesome happen. Obviously tho' Fraction's is a more modern slant so it's a wee bit nasty and brutal but this is never detrimental and in the end he's produced a truly entertaining read of nigh mythic proprortions.
JMS arrogant? Unsolicited work on a character? He writes a comic that comes out every two months? And these comments coming from a man who read/reads All Star Superman (first issue cover dated 1/1/2006, 12th issue dated cover dated 1/10/2008)?
And by the way (just to be a pedantic bas**d) ~ All Star Superman over 12 issues ~ 34 months divided by 12 issues = 2.83 recurring
Take all the one shots out of the equation. Excellent work but they don't have any bearing on the subject other than the fact that they are probably head & shoulders in quality above the rest of Marvel & DC's output. The JMS epitaph on the Cap scenario as a stand alone statement is far superior to anything featured in the CA ongoing monthly.
I thought the Thor issue was pretty cringeworthy. Bringing Cap back as a ghost for a quick chat!? It completely devalued his death and just seemed to serve as a reminder that N.E.R.D.
It also helped drag out the ongoing JMS storyline that is already about as dragged out as a story can get! How much of the past 6 months has been Loki and Balder just having psuedo-cryptic conversations!?
Sure, All Star Superman came out every so often, but at least each issue was about Superman.
I just consider JMS to be nothing more than a journeyman writer. Not terrible, capable of handing in a competent script, but I think his stories are dull and slow.
Rising Stars - Started off really really good, then he obviously lost intrest and the story kind of limped to a conclusion [Although the twist in the last issue was very good].
Amazing Spider-Man - Started off really really good, then came the twins and it all went to hell. Should have quit whilst he was ahead. [JR JR's art was brilliant though]
One More Day - Actually quit when he was waaaaaay behind. Terrible, terrible. OK he's now said publicaly that the resolution to the story was not his idea, but he still wrote the majority of this trash - and bad plot can't excuse awful dialogue. [Joe Q's art was brilliant though]
Thor - Started off really really good. There's a theme here me thinks....... [The artwork is brilliant though]
Yay! I'm back from holiday and thus can: a) Go to OK tomorrow to buy about 40 comics (luckily I was only away a week...) b) agree that JMS is often not good c) agree that Thor has been very pretty to look at (the art, not the god. Although...)
Following OMD/BND, can anything really "devalue" comics any further? I just buy what I buy and like it (or not) for what it is. The best way to not get upset with weird character turns, continuity re-writes or blatant profiteering is to get addicted to X-Men titles as soon as you can - after that, all else is tame.
(Anything except OMD which was awful, but I think we covered that at the time)
