quote:Originally posted by Cobalt Kid: Oh, that makes a sudden quite huge Vertigo title count for me! Fables, Scalped, Madame Xanadu, House of Mystery, Unknown Soldier, Haunted Tank, Young Liars, Jack of Fables (occassional trades). Within the last few months I think Vertigo, which has always published a bunch of great comics strait on through, is suddenly exploding with great material again! A new wave of greatness is here!
All of those are on my radar and indicative of Vertigo's re-emergence. I'm also extremely curious about some other "buzz" titles like Northlanders and DMZ.
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
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Sandman: The Dream Hunters has been fun but then, I've always been a sucker for pretty covers.
From: East Toledo | Registered: Jul 2003
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I picked up the first issue of the new arc in Northlanders to see how that is too since basically everything Vertigo these days is finely tuned excellence.
I will read and review shortly.
BTW, Young Liars just gets more and more weird / poignant / interesting / awesome.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
I thought Vertigo was fairly timely with their trade releases, but I still haven't seen a first TPB solicit for Madame Xanadu1-6, even tho #9 is in my Jan-for-Mar DCBS listings.
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From: Up a Gumtree | Registered: Jul 2003
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The "Dream" chapter, "The Heart of a Star," pretty much explains, well, just about everything DC Universe.
From: East Toledo | Registered: Jul 2003
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Okay, so I just read issues 1-6 of Madame Xanadu based on the word of mouth here from several posters, and having read them I have to say....not bad.
Honestly, the story and (especially) the art were first-rate, but at the moment I hust don't feel hooked--you know, like I just absolutely have to have the next few issues.
In those six issues, we essentially have three 2-parters set in three different historical eras: Camelot, the Kublai Khan/Marco Polo China era and the French Revolution. Judging from the solicitations, 7-8 take place in London during the Jack the Ripper murders.
It's an interesting way to start the series, for sure. I guess we're slowly edging toward seeing her in modern times, and the intent here is that we know everything about her before the series goes into whatever its status quo will be. At least that's what I think. I'm not altogether sure, actually.
I guess that's part of my problem: I'm not really sure what the series is all about. Most series where the character has a long, complicated history, the technique is to reveal bits thru flashbacks or standalones between arcs. Here, the touchstones between each era we visit appears to be her encounters with the Phantom Stranger. It appears that each encounter is getting her closer to filling some unknown role in the Earth's destiny. And the message so far seems to be that even though she can predict things that will happen, Xanadu is powerless to change anything and that's how it's supposed to be. In fact she sometimes is called upon to make sure things happen as they are supposed to. That's what her stories in all three 2-parters seem to reinforce.
They are all good stories, but an ongoing is probably not just about her origin, especially as we get closer to the modern era. What's Madame Xanadu going to ultimately be about? What's the hook? The stories have been pretty good so far, but what's to keep me coming back month after month?
I think I'm onboard for at least issues 7 & 8, but I hope to get something in those issues to keep me coming. One thing that's been really pleasant is the artwork of Amy Reeder Hadley. It's simply beautiful linework with pitch-perfect colors to go with it. But ultimately, I won't continue buying it if the art is the main draw for me.
Can I hear some specific rebuttals from those who've been advocating Madame Xanadu here?
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Pov: I thought Vertigo was fairly timely with their trade releases, but I still haven't seen a first TPB solicit for Madame Xanadu1-6, even tho #9 is in my Jan-for-Mar DCBS listings.
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Pov, based on the current era-to-era format, I'd say the first arc is probably not finished and therefore not ready for the TPB.
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
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Hm, on Madame Xanadu, I'm not sure how to respond. I also have no clue at all where this title is going but I'm pretty comfortable with it. If it does lead to a point where its taking place in the present, I sure hope they continue to spend a significant amount of time exploring her past throughout the ages.
I think what I like the most is the narrative structure thus far, with the jumping around and the overall sense that there are guiding forces at hand. I don't mind the slow burn, and in a way it reminds of Sandman.
I also find the character highly likeable.
Hm...I'll let Blacula and a few others give you the hard sell on this one . I think its a solid book though and I'm in for the long run. Now if you need me to give you the hard sell on House of Mystery...all I can say is "a woman has sex with a bug in #2". There you go, you can't possibly not want to at least check that out
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
Lardy, I wouldn't say the story in Xanadu is the kind of grab ya story you were expecting. It's a charming story, almost a fairy tale. With the different hops through time, it's a biography of an interesting woman instead of a dramatic tour through DCU time.
I spoke with Wagner and Hadley at SDCC, and the idea was for the timely arcs to continue for a bit, maybe get a little longer. But the feel isn't going to change, and that's what made it a Vertigo title instead of a DCU book. It's not the high energy action story of super-heroes, it's a woman's journey through life.
It could use a few more women having sex with bugs...
From: Denver, CO | Registered: May 2004
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quote:Originally posted by CJ Taylor: Lardy, I wouldn't say the story in Xanadu is the kind of grab ya story you were expecting. It's a charming story, almost a fairy tale. With the different hops through time, it's a biography of an interesting woman instead of a dramatic tour through DCU time.
I spoke with Wagner and Hadley at SDCC, and the idea was for the timely arcs to continue for a bit, maybe get a little longer. But the feel isn't going to change, and that's what made it a Vertigo title instead of a DCU book. It's not the high energy action story of super-heroes, it's a woman's journey through life.
Hmm...I may pass on future issues, then. It's not that I expect a "high energy action story" in this comic, but I guess I prefer my Vertigos to be a little more edgy and suspenseful. Even Sandman had that aspect to a degree, though I mostly think of it as superior fantasy above all.
Don't get me wrong--I don't regret buying and reading Madame Xanadu 1-6 at all. They were well-written and drawn. I just can't see collecting it on an ongoing basis from here on out. Just not my cup of tea for the long term. Not gonna rule out revisiting it in trades in the future, however.
quote:It could use a few more women having sex with bugs...
That couldn'ta hurt!
<note to self: check out HoM! >
-------------------- "Suck it, depressos!"--M. Lash
From: The Underbelly of Society | Registered: Jul 2003
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OK, I'm getting to some parts of my reading pile I've meant to for some time now:
I picked up Northlanders #10 - 12, which I believe kicks off the second arc of the series. In other words, I completely missed the first arc and haven't read it yet but am starting here. So anyone who has read the first arc and wants to review for me, I'd really appreciate it, because it might lead me to think if I'd read it first, I'd have more of a heightened enjoyment of what I have read.
Thus far, those issues were pretty good: the art is fantastic, the story is savage, and the setting is in a time of special interest to me, when the Irish were pushing the Vikings out of Ireland. Brian Boru is a background part of the setting, but he's of special interest to me, as I read several books as him when I was a few years younger. "The Lion of Ireland" is especially a great book on the subject (historical fiction).
However, I do have to say something seems lacking so far. Everything is good so there's no one great complaint...but it just doesn't have that 'oomph' factor that so many other great Vertigo/other company comics have right now. I can't put my finger on it, and perhaps the way I read it effected me. However, I gave it three full issues, so the story should have really kicked off by now, and "every issue is someone's first" should still have some sort of credence to it no matter what era we're in.
So I don't know if I'll pick up anymore issues. Lardy, you got the first trade, right? I look forward to your review, as perhaps I missed something. And anyone else's reviews too!
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
Read the latest Unknown Soldier #4. Man this book is some powerful stuff. Very, very intense, and the writer continues to make me care about Ugunda and be interested in it at the same time (and that's no easy feat).
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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After all the strong recommendations here, I read Scalped vol. 1, 2 & 3. Powerful! And depressing, although I'm sure it reflects reality. (After volume 1, I read Courtney Crumrin for a break.) It's an excellent mystery, with lots of twists but what is particularly compelling are the characters of Dashiel and Red Crow. because of their complexity and their mixed (or muddled) motivations. The other characters are more straightforward, except possibly Red Crow's daughter. Will she achieve some salvation and break out of her cycle of destruction?
My CBS suggested I try The Other Side, also written by Jason Aaron (before he did Scalped). War stories aren't my favourite genre but this book was excellent. It delivered the same grim reality that we see in Scalped, but focussed on the parallel plights of an American G.I., newly arrived in Nam and a North Vietnamese. Both suffer terribly, but in very different ways. Cameron Stewart throws in the occasional panel of sheer beauty, which makes the whole story that much more tragic.
posted
"The Other Side" sounds interesting! Is Vertigo the publisher of that story FC, or was it someone else. I may check it out.
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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. I think its a solid book though and I'm in for the long run. Now if you need me to give you the hard sell on House of Mystery...all I can say is "a woman has sex with a bug in #2". There you go, you can't possibly not want to at least check that out ![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
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