Legion World talks Comic Book Writers! Week Two: Mark Millar - 05/14/06 08:30 PM
So, I meant to continue these weekly, but I got side-tracked with all that 'real life' stuff. Any way, I thought I'd get to one of the more prominent Marvel writers writing comics these days, and we can discuss Mark Millar.
I'll be honest, when I first starting reading Millar's comics and his interviews online, I kind of didn't really like him and found his work to be overrated and 'in my face'. But as a few years as I've gone by, I really think Mark Millar is as talented a writer as people say and think his name alone on a comic would make me check it out. I never read his Wildstorm stuff and couldn't tell you for the life of me what things he wrote pre-Ultimate universe, but some highlights of recent years:
Ultimates - This series is awesome. When it comes down to it, despite an annoying Hank Pym, annoying Cap and lateness of issues, this series is one damn good comic. Kick-ass fights, explosive ideas and just a feeling of pure energy and excitement that was needed in the comic industry when it came out. Given that its an entirely seperate universe, the characters in Ultimates are very interesting (Thor is my fave), and I really like see Millar going nuts. After reading Ultimates Vol. 2 (which I think is even BETTER than the first volume) I want to meet Mark Millar in a Scottish pub and really see if he's as crazy as I suspect.
Wolverine - If ever there was a character in comics pushed in our faces to a degree of uncanny annoyance, its Wolverine. I think 95% of people I speak to online actually dislike the character because of this. I find him a bit annoying myself. But Mark Millar's 'Enemy of the State' story is hands down the best Wolverine story I've ever read and one of Millar's best works. Millar seemed to completely capture what Wolverine is all about in a way that reminded me of when Wolvie first took on the Hellfire Club in the #130's of the original book, or the Brood a few years later. Once again, its the way Millar builds into these vast stories to the point where they encompass such a wild scope of ideas.
Ultimate X-Men - I feel, by and large, that this is the weakest of all the Ultimate titles and pretty much has been since Millar left. However, the first 35 issues or so where kick-ass. Millar's rendition of Colossus pretty much ensured he'd be brought back in MU Proper and his battles with Magneto and Stryker were intense to a point that most stories usually don't reach.
Ultimate Fantastic Four - And this, I feel, is the best work Mark Millar has ever done, and its cool that its happening right now. I honestly do not think anyone has ever really captured the Fantastic Four like Stan & Jack did (and I've read the entire run from #1 to now), but Mark Millar has done so in his twelve issue run in the Ultimate universe. The wacky science-fiction, a thousand ideas coming at you every minute, the non-stop fun interaction b/t the four...its as Silver Age fun a comic book can be these days in a way that almost makes it feel more 'modern' that pretty much anything on the market. This comic is in my top five for 2005. The Greg Land art is pretty nice too
Civil War - And now, Civil War. I trust that this will ultimately be good, because Millar is behind the driver's seat. Where Bendis can't really handle these huge casts and action-oriented stories, Millar excels, and I think that's why this will end up being much better than House of M. I'm looking forward to it.
I also think it should be noted that the artists Millar works with are usually top-notch (Romita, Land, Hitch) and seem to really be in synch with him, which might a further tribute to his talent.
I know he's a very 'controversial' writer these days and some of LW don't like his work, so I'm interested in all your thoughts. Personally, it took me awhile to warm up to him, but I think he's top-notch and I'm looking forward to him writing comics for a long time. (Oh, and I know I left some comics out that he's done, but that's for you guys to bring up )
I'll be honest, when I first starting reading Millar's comics and his interviews online, I kind of didn't really like him and found his work to be overrated and 'in my face'. But as a few years as I've gone by, I really think Mark Millar is as talented a writer as people say and think his name alone on a comic would make me check it out. I never read his Wildstorm stuff and couldn't tell you for the life of me what things he wrote pre-Ultimate universe, but some highlights of recent years:
Ultimates - This series is awesome. When it comes down to it, despite an annoying Hank Pym, annoying Cap and lateness of issues, this series is one damn good comic. Kick-ass fights, explosive ideas and just a feeling of pure energy and excitement that was needed in the comic industry when it came out. Given that its an entirely seperate universe, the characters in Ultimates are very interesting (Thor is my fave), and I really like see Millar going nuts. After reading Ultimates Vol. 2 (which I think is even BETTER than the first volume) I want to meet Mark Millar in a Scottish pub and really see if he's as crazy as I suspect.
Wolverine - If ever there was a character in comics pushed in our faces to a degree of uncanny annoyance, its Wolverine. I think 95% of people I speak to online actually dislike the character because of this. I find him a bit annoying myself. But Mark Millar's 'Enemy of the State' story is hands down the best Wolverine story I've ever read and one of Millar's best works. Millar seemed to completely capture what Wolverine is all about in a way that reminded me of when Wolvie first took on the Hellfire Club in the #130's of the original book, or the Brood a few years later. Once again, its the way Millar builds into these vast stories to the point where they encompass such a wild scope of ideas.
Ultimate X-Men - I feel, by and large, that this is the weakest of all the Ultimate titles and pretty much has been since Millar left. However, the first 35 issues or so where kick-ass. Millar's rendition of Colossus pretty much ensured he'd be brought back in MU Proper and his battles with Magneto and Stryker were intense to a point that most stories usually don't reach.
Ultimate Fantastic Four - And this, I feel, is the best work Mark Millar has ever done, and its cool that its happening right now. I honestly do not think anyone has ever really captured the Fantastic Four like Stan & Jack did (and I've read the entire run from #1 to now), but Mark Millar has done so in his twelve issue run in the Ultimate universe. The wacky science-fiction, a thousand ideas coming at you every minute, the non-stop fun interaction b/t the four...its as Silver Age fun a comic book can be these days in a way that almost makes it feel more 'modern' that pretty much anything on the market. This comic is in my top five for 2005. The Greg Land art is pretty nice too
Civil War - And now, Civil War. I trust that this will ultimately be good, because Millar is behind the driver's seat. Where Bendis can't really handle these huge casts and action-oriented stories, Millar excels, and I think that's why this will end up being much better than House of M. I'm looking forward to it.
I also think it should be noted that the artists Millar works with are usually top-notch (Romita, Land, Hitch) and seem to really be in synch with him, which might a further tribute to his talent.
I know he's a very 'controversial' writer these days and some of LW don't like his work, so I'm interested in all your thoughts. Personally, it took me awhile to warm up to him, but I think he's top-notch and I'm looking forward to him writing comics for a long time. (Oh, and I know I left some comics out that he's done, but that's for you guys to bring up )