When Did "Shock Value" Writing Become "Good"?
The answer:

It didn't.

That seems to be all that Bendis and Millar can do, is go for shocks. Does their writing really lack THAT bad. Millar has shown that he's not the most creative of people, huh?

I picked this up (haven't read anything today) because I was hoping for it to be a hit from Millar, and not one of his increasing misses that seemed to start becoming the norm for him ever since he started bragging about how great he is... (plenty of reasons NOT to like Millar) I'm also a big Bryan Hitch fan. Millar will try to claim credit for these FF sales, but we all know that variant covers and Bryan Hitch are the major reason, not Millar.

I also picked up the Lost Adventure. I'm a bit confused, as I recall Quesada saying that this was going to be released in two variations. One would be with the colors being very much how they were back in the day (minus the newsprint paperstock), and the other would be colored using today's advanced techniques. What happened to that?



Posted by Dusty. on 2008-02-13 23:31:46
Read it, loved it!
Fantastic Four 554 was note perfect characterization and tone. Good job to all involved, and I hope it continues! (except this "death of Sue" nonsense. )

Posted by Dusty. on 2008-02-14 00:48:48
Fantastic Four
I remember reading that another version of the last Kirby story was going to be released simultaneously with the Stan Lee scripted version, and that the other version was going to be inked by another (modern) inker, with an alternative script by Mark Millar. Is this still in the works, or was that idea abandoned?

Posted by commlaw on 2008-02-14 00:56:14
Given that they had to get an "assist" by Ron Frenz in finishing the pencils, I would imagine they had too much difficulty in finding all of the original artwork to make it worthwhile. :(

Posted by Fetsur on 2008-02-14 03:33:28
Dang
I just picked up the issue previous to this a couple days ago. I must be in some sort of comic black hole in my area. I'm not even sure the one "comic store" here would even have it yet. But I can definitely check!

Posted by PseudoSherlock on 2008-02-14 06:12:25
"Sue's funeral scene"?!?

Posted by NewChad on 2008-02-14 06:18:43
Good Luck with that.

Posted by Ebonyblade on 2008-02-14 07:07:40
Not a big Millar fan and I really enjoyed the McDuffie run but I have to admit that I think that the new issue is not bad. It has a few of the Millar ticks that annoy me in the dialogue but overall I was pleased. The Lost Adventure was nice.

Posted by Smakk9 on 2008-02-14 09:20:28
A unrelated question
Tom, since Marvel is such a juggernaut in comics why don't we see them obtaining more rights for classic characters?

Flash Gordon, Zorro, Lone Ranger, G.I. Joe, etc. I would love to see all these titles being published by Marvel. I see these really small comic companies obtain the rights and I don't understand why Marvel doesn't.


Posted by thorionthei on 2008-02-14 12:24:30
I enjoyed this issue of FF
I read it and liked it. I'm not a die hard FF fan though so I am not picky.

I do agree with the first post about shock writing 100%. Marvel has been doing this WAY too much of late. I know they are just trying to sell comics with the "anything can happen". But lets have the characters stay in character and tell a solid story.

Cap was completely out of character in CW.

Posted by thorionthei on 2008-02-14 12:32:19
Dusty :
Going to have to disagree with you Dusty, you may not like Millars writing (and that is a fair opinion) but i think its wrong to say he takes all the credit for the success of his comics, Millar is very "loud" (sorry dont know the exact engish word) and he can be boasting at times, but he Allways gives credit to the people he works with, nobody hypes the artists more than Millar

Posted by Rain on 2008-02-14 14:05:46
World's Greatest Comic Magazine !
Tom -

Thanks for the heads up ! However, my copies have been on my pull list for sometime now. They will arrive in the mail tomorrow ! Looking forward to both issues ! Thanks to you and everyone else who worked on these issues ! The FF is # 1 !

Monday Morning Lunatic !

Posted by Mon Morn Lunatic on 2008-02-14 15:27:44
Gotta disagree with ya Dusty
While I do agree that some of Millar's work is purely shock value, I have to disagree with your assessment of Bendis. Have you read Ultimate Spider-man? Hands down the most consistently good comic on the stands and not because of shocks. Bendis' characters are likeable and very human. All the teens sound like the guys/gals I went to highschool with.


Posted by egotrip02 on 2008-02-15 00:56:36
Off Topic but still
It was valentines day yesterday and my wonderful wife bought me "Marvel Valentines Specail" from '97.
Tom, that comic is AMAZING!! The finest example of it's type.


Posted by dugdale24 on 2008-02-15 03:03:27
Yay!
I did manage to pick up both books from my local comic book store that had them both in good time. I actually quite enjoyed the art and storytelling from the new #554. Millar and Co. seem to be doing a fine job. Honestly, I had no complaints, the characters looked very nice, the new costumes look super practical and snazzy, and the dialogue was quite good. I'm looking forward to the next issues!

Keep it up!

Oh, and the Jack Kirby resurrection and comparisons within were very interesting. It was fascinating to see his art set against the later artist's in the faux flashback issue. Startling difference.

Posted by PseudoSherlock on 2008-02-15 10:15:37
Lost Adventure
"I also picked up the Lost Adventure. I'm a bit confused, as I recall Quesada saying that this was going to be released in two variations. One would be with the colors being very much how they were back in the day (minus the newsprint paperstock), and the other would be colored using today's advanced techniques. What happened to that?"

Though there didn't seem to be two variations, I noticed the remade issue used today's coloring techniques, and the copy of #108 within retained its original coloring. Since many of the panels were reused, you can definitely see the differences in coloring techniques. A whole 'nother variation really doesn't seem necessary at this point. Maybe that's what Quesada meant?

Posted by PseudoSherlock on 2008-02-15 10:18:17