Episode 1559 Talkback - Off the Racks Two-in-One
Pants
Posts: 567
We're doubling down on Off the Racks in this episode, bringing you reviews of a whopping SIX comics for the (free) price of three! First, it's a time-traveling twofer as we compare and contrast Image's Chrononauts #1 and Dark Horse's Past Aways #1, with Marvel's Howard the Duck #1 thrown in at no egg-stra charge! Then, please keep your seats for a Revolutionary romp through Dark Horse's Rebels #1, an influx of insights on Uncanny Inhumans #0, and a super-timely (for us) gloss of Marvel's all-new Secret Wars #1!
Listen and/or watch here.
Listen and/or watch here.
Comments
Also, one question, what happened to the Pants 'after the reviews' part that was in the description? I also see the vid was originally 2:26 minutes, but is now only 2:20. Did you guys just decide to cut it? or did it not record well? Or did you just decide to lace it at the opening instead of at the end? (though that would not explain the missing 6 minutes ... not that yo have to give an explanation .. haha)
A Spirited Life was originally released over ten years ago through Dark Horse, but contained very little art, as they tried to market it to the mainstream book market. We've plus-sized it, redesigning it in a larger format with expanded text and a lot of artwork.
I also wanted to point out that Zdarsky was writing action-humor long before he teamed up with Fraction. I read some of his creator-owned stuff back in the mid-2000s, and Howard fits in well with what he was doing then, which is why I went into the series with fairly high hopes. It just hasn't quite done it for me.
I'm really liking Secret Wars, and issue #2 might be the best comic I've read so far this year. However, the "worlds colliding" stuff hasn't just been going on for "almost a year", as Chris guestimated, but more like two and a half years, ever since the latest New Avengers #1, which I believe was released in December 2012.
So while I agree with the sentiment that $5 is a lot to pay for Uncanny Inhumans #0, I'm absolutely floored by how much money readers will have invested in Hickman's "incursions" storyline. I think it's basically totaled about $400 cover price thus far, once you add up nearly 100 issues of Avengers + New Avengers + Infinity, taking into account the not infrequent oversized issues that were more than $4 a pop. Personally, for me, the ride has been worth it and I think the story has been terribly unique... but I use Ebates and magazines.com to get Marvel subscriptions at $1.50 per issue. And then I split the cost with a friend who just wants the digital codes. So I definitely can't complain. For me, this has been fun and continues to be fun.
But, again, while I agree that Uncanny Inhumans #0 really could have used a recap page, I'm stunned that Secret Wars #1 wasn't more reader friendly. I can't imagine what a new reader who hadn't at least have heard of the "incursions" would have thought of this comic. I've read and REREAD all of Hickman's Avengers, New Avengers, and Infinity, and even I don't quite know the logistics of everything that's happening. But there is next to no introduction to anything and every scene change brings with it a new conundrum for readers who haven't been following along the whole time. ("Who is this evil Reed Richards? Why is Thanos there? Is it 'our' Thanos, or...? Why is he with Reed? IS he with Reed? What are their plans?")
Much more than Uncanny Inhumans, I think Secret Wars is a major play for new or lapsed readers. I've even heard other veteran podcasters (who've loved Hickman's saga so far) contending that this new "Secret Wars" will become a masterful tome of comics excellence that you could hand to anyone, like a Watchmen or Year One or Dark Knight Returns. I just can't imagine it. It's the most convoluted and continuity-heavy thing I've ever seen. I'm enjoying it, and I like Hickman's writing, but to be honest half of the fun is seeing how far he goes on this ridiculously long leash that Marvel has given him to just basically do whatever he wants and follow his own convolutions and obsessions and grinding wheels-within-wheels until they literally explode the universe.
It is spectacular to behold, though, especially when Esad Ribic is drawing it.
Pastaways #1: BORROW! I remember I was a bit intrigued by it, but it didn't impress me all that much.
Chrononauts#1: I was more impressed with this one, so it's a buy. It felt like a movie. And maybe it will be one. In fact, I had ordered this one for 2 or 3 more months. Oh, Murd just mentioned the possible future movie aspects of the comic. And, oh, I did like the artwork. It's different from what I usually like, but it's quite attractive.
Howard the Duck #1: Oh, this was a BORROW! for me. I somewhat liked it, but there wasn't enough in the first issue to make me want to read more. However, like all of the Geeks said, maybe I'll give it another read.
April:
Secret Wars #1: Eh, it was okay. I wish I could've BORROW(!)ed it. And unfortunately, I already ordered future issues. On the other hand, compared to Convergence, this was wonderful and I would like to see what happens (I must say #2 was interesting). What I didn't like were the VERY things Murd mentioned: the lack of a recap page (Even though I've followed the Hickman-written Avengers and New Avengers--I'm sure it's been LONGER than the year that Chris guessed), I still got a little lost. And the lack of characterization bothered me. I would've liked to hear/see/read what other characters were thinking other than the focus on Ultimate Reed, Fury, Hawkeye, etc. Murd's (and Marvel and everybody else) comparing it to Crisis seemed a bit off to me. As Chris said, this was planned and executed in comics than came out every month for over a year. Not that I especially like the story. In fact, I think it's been TOO long and drawn out. I think I've ALREADY spent too much money over a couple of years to make the end pay off.
Uncanny Inhumans #0: BORROW: My big deal with this was why not get an entire issue of the Inhumans for $4.99? What the heck is that second story doing in there?
Rebels#1: BUY! I was pretty excited after reading this comic. So excited that I was worried and wondered if I had ordered the subsequent issues. However, I checked and I did. I'm happy. Interesting that Shane mentioned possible educational applications. I had posted this comic as my Comic of the Month and a couple of my friends asked if it was okay for kids/teens to read. I replied that I felt that it was though there is the skinny dipping scene in Issue #2 (fortunately, no frontal nudity).
Pants!: Was there really THAT many hoops to jump through to get those tickets? Wow...
Well, I'm glad you got them.