Written by Warren Ellis

Art by Jamie McKelvie, Kev Walker, David Aja, Michael Lark, Alex Maleev, Stuart Immonen

Avengers Vs X-Men Issue 1

Story by Jason Aaron, Brian Michael Bendis, Ed Brubaker, Jonathan Hickman, Matt Fraction. Script by Brian Michael Bendis

Art by John Romita Jr.

I read issues 16 and 17 of Secret Avengers last year, but didn’t get around to reading the rest of Ellis’ 6-issue run until this weekend, and happened to read it just after reading a copy of Avengers Vs X-Men, or AvX as I think Marvel are calling it.

It seemed a perfect little opportunity to compare and contrast, as in theory they’re both examples of the modern way of doing comics; decompressed, fast, smart, clever dialogue, that sort of thing….

The thing is… only one of these comics does that sort of thing well.

Can you guess which it is? I bet you can.

In fact, I’d warrant that the numbers have got something to do with it …
Secret Avengers: 6 issues, 1 writer, 6 artists.
AvX Issue 1: 5 writers, 1 artist.

Writing by committee vs a single author’s vision. Is it any surprise that AvX reads so poorly?

I’ve already talked a little of Warren Ellis’ 6-issue run on Marvel’s Secret Avengers title. I Loved the very first issue (#16) with artwork by Jamie McKelvie to knock your socks off, wasn’t quite as keen on issue 17:

On Issue 16:

“I do enjoy a Warren Ellis comic. I enjoy all the clipped, snarky dialogue, the weird science references, the fact he’d always rather have his characters having a conversation than actually doing anything. And if he can’t have that, then a conversation whilst they’re doing stuff, even superhero-y action stuff will do just fine.”

And on issue 17; with Kev Walker on art:

“Last issue may have been all about the thrill of a short hit sugar rush, doing it a second time just doesn’t work. Last issue had some really good Ellis dialogued setpieces, a great cast who seemed to bounce right off each other. Here we have four strangers beating on haulage vehicles whilst not saying much. The thing is, Ellis has signed up for 6 issues, maybe more. That first issue was great, vintage Ellis superhero fun, all hi-tech and silly. This, not so much. I’ll be around next issue to see which way the streaks headed.”

Ellis is a master of this sort of thing. And this sort of single issue series, decompressed, outside the main bit of the Marvel Universe, using the edgier characters, the interesting characters, really does allow him to do the whole Ellis thing to his heart’s content.

(Secret Avengers Issue 18, art by David Aja)

(Secret Avengers Issue 20, art by Alex Maleev)

So in Secret Avengers Volume 3, with that brilliantly Ellis title of “Run the mission, don’t get seen, save the world” that perfectly summarises pretty much everything you need to know about the book, we have 6 self contained issues, and although just as with the two I’d already see, they’re not all great, there’s still enough greatness, enough Ellis being Ellis going on, to make this a damn good read.

Although there’s a lot of decompressed, fast storytelling in here, Ellis does provide an extraordinary amount of depth and dialogue at times, with a couple of stories dropping decompression altogether for densely plotted, dialogue heavy stuff.

And the artwork is pretty uniformally wonderful. McKelvie I’ve talked about, but David Aja, Michael Lark, Alex Maleev, and Stuart Immonen all excel themselves here, with Aja in particular doing breathtaking stuff.

We have all the wonder of seeing Shang Chi, Master Of Kung Fu step up to become a sort of Avenger in Aja’s beautifully done issue, underground secret bases, Eastern European bio-mech trucking, a transmatter threat, broken mini universes, Von Doom radiation, magic drug addict super-soldiers. 6-issues of Ellis doing a great Warren Ellis impression. I rather loved it, flaws and all.

By far the best is issue 20 where Ellis has a blast with Black Widow spending all issue plotting, planning, and time travelling to save the Secret Avengers team she saw die at the start of the issue. It’s so neatly done, clever heaped on clever, wrapped up in clever. Maleev even gets to do a classic comic strip homage in one of the time jump sequences. Perfect stuff.

To be honest the whole thing ends on a whimper rather than a bang in issue 21. But even with that hmmmm at the end, this is still a thrill ride, really smart, clever and fast, packed with ideas, loads of great dialogue, ideas over action every time. Yeah, it’s not perfect, but it’s a damn fine read and looks great.

So… ideas over action in Secret Avengers. Which brings me to Avengers Vs X-Men. Action over ideas….

I’m old enough to remember Contest Of Champions. It came out when I was a kid, and as such the idea of superheroes being forced to beat each other up was just mind-blowingly cool. And if I were a kid again, I’d probably enjoy AvX just as much. But if I was a kid, I’d probably save the £3 plus and read the thing in 5 minutes in the comic shop.

Because I know I sound like a broken, old record with this, but I went through AvX#1 in what felt like seconds. 34 story pages, 4 double spreads, each page rarely topping 4 panels. It’s just not enough. Back in my day (oh God, shoot me now for that line) Chris Claremont would have done this in the first half of a 22-page issue of his X-Men. And he’d have done it so much better.

The sheer lack of innovation on show in AvX is just depressing. It puts all the same characters into all the same positions and basically shouts FIGHT as loud as it can. It’s The Phoenix again, coming to Earth again, and The Avengers are facing off against The X-Men to see who gets custody of this most predictably destructive of children. Yes, there’s more to it than that, and thanks to the quick summary over at The Comics Beat, I at least was saved the trouble of trying to work out the ridiculously complex continuity leading up to this point.

If you don’t know; The Avengers and The X-Men get word that The Phoenix force is coming back to Earth. The X-Men, particularly Scott Summer/Cyclops is more hopeful that it will inhabit the body of young student Hope and save the mutant race.

That’s right, Summers starts believing that this hitherto nothing but destructive force, responsible for countless acts of genocide across the years, might just be the thing to save the mutant race. Why? Ask the five different writers, they might know. Although I imagine the answer will truthfully be “because we needed some excuse to make them get all fighty“.

The Avengers, having worked out that The Phoenix is coming decide the  best thing to do would be to take Hope into protective custody. Because that’s bound to work.

This issue ends with Captain America and Cyclops doing the inevitable on the beach:

Cue the fighting.

With John Romita Jr on art it should at least look good, but all the way through it all seemed a bit lacking in detail, a bit rushed.

No, let’s face it, 5 writers, Marvel’s event over story focus, and years of continuity means I can’t even begin to enjoy this comic.

It might be something the kids are enjoying, but not me, no thanks. I’ll take my superheroing a little more stylish and clever thanks. Give me Secret Avengers, standalone, clever storytelling and artists really doing great work anyday over big event nonsense that flits by so quickly.

That is just epic! Will Kirkby art for the reopening of Warren Ellis’ website….

“Good morning, sinners.  Today’s Station Ident, combined with a Three Panels I invited him to do last year, is by Will Kirkby, whose work in comics and illustration you can discover at his blog and at his online store.”

Of course, you already know how great Kirkby is don’t you? We told you way back with Birdsong/Songbird with his great strip Peckham:

And more recently with Tuk Tuk:

“Girls read comics, not just Manga either. Girls read superhero comics, indie comics, autobiographical comics, historical comics, literary comics, horror comics, romance comics and even just plain terrible comics. Girls are comic fans. They want comics aimed at them, or aimed not at them, or just comics that are good. They want all the same things male comic fans want. They want to be sold to, they want to buy the cold cast porcelain model of Rogue looking badass and put it on their shelf. They want Wonder Woman underwear sets and Wolverine stationery for the new term. Women are just as whimsical, gullible, romantic and fanciful as men. They are capable of grasping the finer points of all the weird freaky made up stuff that we all commonly know to be “ACCEPTED CONTINUITY.”  They will talk about costume changes and characterisation. ”

(scene from The Thrill Electric by Leah Moore and John Reppion)

The latter part of the post where Leah makes the point about all those female readers and fangirls being a great untapped resource make a lot of business as well as artistic sense – as she says film manages it, music manages it, games, once seen as a similar bastion of male domination like comics, has increasingly become much better at catering to a wider audience, so why aren’t comics? Especially in the current economic climate where every penny counts? It’s a good piece, check it out. You can read a Director’s Commentary by Leah and John Reppion discussing their Thrill Electric here on the blog. (tip of the hat to Matt B for the link)

By Warren Ellis and Kev Walker

Marvel

I looked at Secret Avengers 16 for a few reasons ….. because it was in the middle of the new DC 52 and I felt guilty, because it looked like a standalone series with short, self-contained, relatively continuity free stories, because it had a great sideways cover. But mostly it was because of the combination of Warren Ellis and Jamie McKelvie as the creative team that swung it.

It worked. Thin perhaps, but fun. A group of Avenger types goes in undercover and sorts out all the dirty little secrets of the world. “Run The Mission. Don’t Get Seen. Save The World”.

Last issue it was Steve Rogers (no idea why he’s not Captain America now), Beast, Moon Knight and Black Widow. This issue Steve Rogers is back, along with War Machine, Valkyrie and Sharon Carter. So it’s something between Marvel Team-Up and The Defenders, a comic just to hook different heroes up against the slightest of stories.

And this time round it was nowhere near as satisfying. For a start look at the cover. Somebody who might be Captain America gets threatened by a truck. Hardly the super-stylish cover that attracted me to last issue. Once inside, Kev Walker’s art is good, completely different feel to the light and airy gorgeousness of McKelvie, but interesting, angular at times. And then impossible to make out what’s going on at others. Oops.

But the biggest problem is the story, or lack thereof. If there was little in issue 16, there’s almost none here. Sent to Serbia after a tip off from the Brits, the quartet tackle a truck. Yes. A truck.

No, really, they do. Sure, it’s a very dangerous, hi-tech, super-destructive truck, driven by a biomech skull with attitude and air support. But in the end it’s still just a truck, so there’s never the feeling of Ellis getting his teeth into the fun cutting-edge tech he brought in last time, and the whole thing zips by, page after page of wordless or quiet panels, rarely more than 5 per page. Very nice panels at times though…

Last issue may have been all about the thrill of a short hit sugar rush, doing it a second time just doesn’t work. Last issue had some really good Ellis dialogued setpieces, a great cast who seemed to bounce right off each other. Here we have four strangers beating on haulage vehicles whilst not saying much.

The thing is, Ellis has signed up for 6 issues, maybe more. That first issue was great, vintage Ellis superhero fun, all hi-tech and silly. This, not so much. I’ll be around next issue to see which way the streaks headed.

Annie Wu:

PJ Holden:

but possibly best of all, particularly seeing the number of DC reboot comics I’m reading right now…. Dean Trippe:

By Warren Ellis and Jamie McKelvie

Marvel Comics

Why?

Because I’m feeling slightly guilty over the amount of DC coverage we’ve been putting up recently.

Because it’s Warren Ellis writing and Jamie McKelvie drawing.

Because it’s got the Beast and Black Widow in.

Because I’ve always been a Marvel boy at heart (sorry DC), ever since my second exposure to superhero comics was via Hulk Weekly, Captain America Weekly and shortly after that Rampage Monthly, Marvel Superheroes Monthly and a lifelong love of Alan Moore courtesy of Captain Britain. Marvel UK (God rest it’s soul) brought me into comics, so Marvel always has that nostalgic edge.

Because seeing a cover on its side that way reminded me of my very first exposure to superhero comics, the Marvel UK Titans series.

Because I opened up the wrong file, meaning to review a DC #1 because I did promise myself and the FPI blog I’d at least casually mention all 52 of the new 52 and so far have managed, 12 days into September, just the one.

Because it’s 1:13am in the morning on a school night and I’ve just finished another G&T.

Or possibly all of the above.

I haven’t read a Marvel comic since SHIELD. I mean to, I really do. But I don’t get to comic shops much, and there’s honestly only so much you can review, and so damn much great stuff out there competing for my attention. But it’s also because at this stage in my life, I really just want an easy life. I don’t want to read a comic and then have to go to bloody wikipedia to find out the convoluted history and continuity of a series or character to put the 22 page comic I’ve just read into context.

But hey, here we go. Ellis and McKelvie on Secret Avengers. Reviewer on G&T. It’s 1:19am. I have to be up at 7am. Why the hell not.

McKelvie’s art is just gorgeous. Really, really. In an if McKelvie’s art were a woman she’d be the sort of woman you simply worship from afar. A Lauren Bacall of the comic world sort of gorgeous.

And I do enjoy a Warren Ellis comic. I enjoy all the clipped, snarky dialogue, the weird science references, the fact he’d always rather have his characters having a conversation than actually doing anything. And if he can’t have that, then a conversation whilst they’re doing stuff, even superhero-y action stuff will do just fine.

So here we have the Secret Avengers team of Steve Rogers (Captain America, but without the mask – I have no idea why, maybe I should read more Avengers comics?), Beast, Black Widow and Moon Knight attacking some secret underground base.

There’s action and fighting, there’s snarky dialogue, there’s Beast converting the atomic cadillac they find into a dirty fission bomb to stop the city being turned into a weapon using Von Doom radiation. And there’s talking. There’s lots of talking. Talking in the car, talking under fire, talking whilst fighting. And it is very good talking. And even on the pages where there is no talking the art by McKelvie is pretty. Did I mention how pretty I find McKelvie’s pictures already?

And that is it. It’s fast, it’s action packed, and it’s a damn enjoyable few minutes of my time. And well worth a few minutes of yours. Jamie McKelvie is doing the big “lets get our books into the Disney store since they own us now” X-Men Season One original graphic novel. It will look gorgeous.

I’m going to bed now.

(the always charming and friendly Spider Jerusalem by Ellis and Robertson)

A sadly far too brief video giving us a tiny glimpse into the Transmetropolitan themed Dr Sketchy’s Anti-art achool which was staged to promote the Transmetropolitan Art Book for charity. Ryan Keely portrays the Filthy Assistant Channon, while acclaimed queer adult star/icon Jiz Lee essays her pretty funky, gender-bending interpretation of Spider Jerusalem, complete with the fearsome Bowel Disruptor. Very cool, just wish it was a little longer! (it’s spicy and saucy rather than too naughty, but any reader of Ellis and Robertson’s brilliant Transmetropolitan will already guess that it is still probably NSFW!):

Dr. Sketchys presents Transmetropolitan from Dr. Sketchys on Vimeo.

Course, you can still get the books as well – nice to have on the bookcase for those moments where you’re not in front of a screen eh?

Definitely go and read the whole thing, because it’s written well, passionately and with Ellis’ usual amount of candour….. but here’s a few choice bits….

“Time was, back in the Nineties, comics editors who had a writing slot to fill on a mandated company owned comic would institute something of a foot race.  They’d contact several writers at once and ask them to write detailed pitches for the book.  Sometimes it paid, sometimes it didn’t. I remember taking part in these on three occasions, back when I was a newish writer.”

“I remember being asked to pitch for a mooted BLACK PANTHER 2099 book at Marvel.  …. I wasn’t happy at doing the foot race: I got paid, and my foot hadn’t been in the door that long, and I supposed this was just the way things were done.  But I had a feeling that maybe it wasn’t the best way to do things.”

“Things did change in the 2000 – 2010 space. But you know what?  I’m hearing a lot lately about writers being put into foot races on gigs.  And not only do they not know who else is running for the job – but many of them seem not to be told they’re in a foot race at all.  Writers who assumed they were writing the gig are being told that they never had the gig at all, that other writers have been run parallel to them.  Even though they were put through multiple drafts.  They didn’t know they were in competition.”

“Commercial comics can be enough of a snakepit even in relatively benign times.  But bringing back a process both demeaning and creatively inferior, and just fucking lying to people about it?  I don’t like what that says about the next cycle in the field.  I guess the Nineties really are coming back.”

3500 copies of the first print went in less than 48 hours. Berg are rush releasing a second print very soon. And at £10 per 40 page comic …. that’s not a bad little return. What’s the betting we’ll see another issue, or maybe another project from BERG very soon?

SVK is written by Warren Ellis and drawn by D’Israeli. Basically it’s a slab of Sci-Fi comic with no thought bubbles, just UV inks that reveal when the “SVK object” (a UV torch) is shone upon the page… sure it may be a gimmick, but it seems it’s a gimmick with the useful addition of a name writer and a great artist. And that always helps.

Berg describe the comic thus:

“This graphic novella is about looking – an investigation into perception, storytelling and optical experimentation that inherits some of the curiosities behind the previous work of BERG. Litho printed on 115gsm silk paper in tones of black and blue, SVK uses a third ink invisible without the SVK object. The object is a UV light source which unlocks hidden layers woven throughout the comic book. Reading SVK becomes a unique and strange experience as you see the story unfold through the eyes of Thomas Woodwind.”

“First and foremost SVK is a modern detective story, one that Ellis describes as “Franz Kafka’s Bourne Identity”.”

“It’s a story about cities, technology and surveillance, mixed with human themes of the power, corruption and lies that lurk in the data-smog of our near-future.”