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View Full Version : Ellis's Stormwatch vs. Authority


annihilator
10-30-2006, 05:16 PM
Which is better? (i haven't read either, and am wondering)

I heard that his Authority is simply lots of fighting. I hope that's not all there is too it. :(
I haven't heard much about his Stormwatch. :confused:
Strannik
10-30-2006, 05:48 PM
Stormwatch, by a long short. It has action, well-developed characters, intricate plots and plenty of great moments. Authority has... well,it's just a big, dumb action movie that's only redeemed by occasional character momenets and brief flashes of inriguing pseudo-science.Stormwatch was subtle. It had heart. Authority... was not and did not.

All in my humble opinion, of course.
will_butler
10-30-2006, 06:06 PM
Read them both. Stormwatch was really, really great, and it's always cool to see the magic Ellis used to work with the mainstream garbage he was given (Stormwatch, Hellstorm, etc.). I thought the ending was a bit of a letdown, but other than that, it was a truly great run.

Ellis's Authority was also great, but different. As has been said, it's the equivalent of a giant action movie. It kinda went to hell after he left, I think, but I'm something of an Ellis fanboy, so take that for what you will.

And if you dig those, check out Planetary. It's just now wrapped up (sorta), and it has some ties to both series. Although the huge delays made the wrap up a bit anticlimactic, at its best, Planetary is genius.

Will
noh-varr
10-30-2006, 06:53 PM
Stormwatch I think was better. But the Authority was crafted to go to Hitch's strengths which is big screen action. Yeah the Authority became one big fight comic, but he got hate mail and complaints about the third? issue in the first arc that had no violence and explained the plot and had character moments. So seeing all the hate he said f**k it and just made sur esomething was smashed in every issue.
lostphrack
10-31-2006, 12:13 AM
Stormwatch, for all the reasons already mentioned. The Authority was really a response to the poor sales and negative fan response to his Stormwatch run. He wrote intelligent superhero stories and people wanted more kick/splode sooo.. we got the Authority. It's fun, but yeah, like others said it's just a big flashy action movie with little else to it.
Agentum
10-31-2006, 12:23 AM
Stormwatch is better, not that Authority was bad but Stormwatch was a bit better especially in it's time.
I also heard that he changed style in Authority because people complained, people is stupid.
dancj
10-31-2006, 04:09 AM
Yeah - Ellis's Stormwatch is a lot better than Ellis's Authority. Personally I think Mark Millar's Authority was a big improvement on Ellis's run. Not quite as good as Stormwatch, but a lot closer

Dan
carabas
10-31-2006, 05:02 AM
I have a hard time seeing Ellis's StormWatch and his Authority as seperate entities.
The whole idea for The Authority is basically Sparks putting The High's band back together, after a fashion.

But stormWatch had more story, and above all, it had Beach Bum.
DWEarhart
10-31-2006, 12:42 PM
I'll give the slightest edge to Stormwatch. It took pre-existing characters, and made them something other than the shoot, shoot, explode hereoes that they initially were. I wouldn't say they became more human, as far as relating, but Ellis found new ways for their powers to be used, and explored many different ends to that tunnel.

Authority flat out spawned from what Stormwatch was becoming. Ellis just cleared the slate. If you want to see how to do a company crossover, read Wildcats/Aliens.
annihilator
10-31-2006, 01:21 PM
wow, so far it's:

Stormwatch-12
Authority-0

I thought everyone liked the Authority more...guess i was wrong.
abyss
10-31-2006, 04:46 PM
Although I greatly enjoyed Stormwatch I think Authuroity is better Stormwatch was great read had charaterization, intellgient writing and action. But for me the Authority is better becuase I enjoy the characters more.
the film freak
10-31-2006, 04:50 PM
I preferred his Stormwatch Vol 1 stuff over Authority. But Authority was better then Stormwatch Vol 2.
ultramandingo
10-31-2006, 05:20 PM
ill go with the Authority . jenny sparks smokin and being rude . no contest
brundlefly
10-31-2006, 07:09 PM
Stormwatch, no doubt. Ellis took a forgettable comic property and made into something special, intelligent, funny, and unique. His Authority was good stuff, too, but it was like a Bruckheimer action movie compared to the Oscar nominee that was Stormwatch, if that makes sense. Only marred by the Aliens/Wildcats crossover, which I thought was a lame, anticlimactic way for the Stormwatch team to go out.
carabas
11-01-2006, 09:56 AM
ill go with the Authority . jenny sparks smokin and being rude . no contest

She was in pretty much every issue of StormWatch too. As was HAwksmoor.
ultramandingo
11-01-2006, 05:53 PM
She was in pretty much every issue of StormWatch too. As was HAwksmoor.
oh! THAT ellis storwatch! man i dont even remember postin that.
dont drink and post kids.
DWEarhart
11-01-2006, 06:48 PM
oh! THAT ellis storwatch! man i dont even remember postin that.
dont drink and post kids.

When Stormwatch originally came out at Image, it was a book that I thought was underrated, but it became victim of the 90's artist blitzkrieg. Warren Ellis brought me back, but it was after the trades came out.
PanzerMega
11-01-2006, 07:01 PM
I always saw Authority as a sequel to Stormwatch.....it's hard to compare them. I love them both, but I read the Authority TPBs more often.

Oh, and that Stormwatch arc with The High was so damn good.