Warren Ellis' Stormwatch Was Fantastic

[Desaad]

I think Fuji is showing up in one of the Lobdell books. Now that I think about it, I think Peter Milligan is channeling the Ellis style in the new Stormwatch. At least I think more so than the other two.

Missed this earlier, think you edited it in??

Anyway, I don't think Milligan is ever going to be Ellis and I don't think he's ever going to try. I think he's playing on some of the same themes, but his characters are never his caustically witty as Ellis' are, the dialog never as fast paced and terse.

He is smarter, his characters are more three dimensional and conflicted, usually wrestling with identity. His worlds tend to feel, at least to me, more fully realized and certainly they are better researched. But his stories rarely have the guts-down satisfying conclusions that an Ellis story does. Not that Ellis' stories end happily, but there is something very final about how they end, as though it had to be that way all along and that is the end of that story. The real world isn't like that, and so Milligan's stories aren't ever like that. Nothing ever, at least for me, 'wraps up' for Milligan's work.

Anyway, just one issue in and I didn't feel this had the fast paced, frenetic, kinetic feel of an Ellis book. But it was similarly sci fi, and I think it was trying to deal with the same issues Ellis was exploring, but in a decidely Milligan-esque way.

[Mr. Holmes]

Because Ellis is wittier than almost anyone else in comics.

Look, here's the reality; Mark Millar isn't a new Warren Ellis, Mark Millar is an evil Geoff Johns doppleganger.

They use - or I should say, over use - the same 'momentism' style of writing. Their stories are built around one liners and single image shock value reveals. Their characters are all very basic, very mainstream, very one dimensional, but also very clear.

The only difference between them is the tone of those moments. Where as Geoff Johns prefers 'triumphant' moments such as "I wrote the book on Will Power!" or the kiss between the Hawks, or "Get the hell away from him!" or "I-I don't know how [to give up]", Millar prefers "You think this A on my head stands for France?!" or Wolverine slashing his way out of Hulk's stomach, or something involving Buggery or what have you.

They've become closer and closer over the years, though, as Johns loves falling back on violence, but rarely goes for the excessively inventive gross outs of Millar.

Yeah this is a perfect comparison. I think where Millar was allowed to write his own version of the Avengers in Ultimates, Johns basically gave us his, sometimes revisionist spin on the already existing characters, but it's ultimately the same result.

Missed this earlier, think you edited it in??

Anyway, I don't think Milligan is ever going to be Ellis and I don't think he's ever going to try. I think he's playing on some of the same themes, but his characters are never his caustically witty as Ellis' are, the dialog never as fast paced and terse.

He is smarter, his characters are more three dimensional and conflicted, usually wrestling with identity. His worlds tend to feel, at least to me, more fully realized and certainly they are better researched. But his stories rarely have the guts-down satisfying conclusions that an Ellis story does. Not that Ellis' stories end happily, but there is something very final about how they end, as though it had to be that way all along and that is the end of that story. The real world isn't like that, and so Milligan's stories aren't ever like that. Nothing ever, at least for me, 'wraps up' for Milligan's work.

Anyway, just one issue in and I didn't feel this had the fast paced, frenetic, kinetic feel of an Ellis book. But it was similarly sci fi, and I think it was trying to deal with the same issues Ellis was exploring, but in a decidely Milligan-esque way.

I'll need to re-read Stormwatch #9. I can't remember exactly now, but I did think something about this issue felt familiar to the Ellis stuff.

[Genki Sudo]

Fuji is in the Teen Titans book, as part of NOWHERE.

The thing that sucks when you hear a character you like is in a book you don't like is that you either have to keep passing on a book you don't like or send DC the wrong message that you'll support a bad book no matter what

[JaggedFel]

The thing that sucks when you hear a character you like is in a book you don't like is that you either have to keep passing on a book you don't like or send DC the wrong message that you'll support a bad book no matter what

IMO, made even worse when said character gets converted from hero to villain. It was a cameo though.

[Froggy]

The thing that sucks when you hear a character you like is in a book you don't like is that you either have to keep passing on a book you don't like or send DC the wrong message that you'll support a bad book no matter what

and i already get enough books for my tight wallet as it is so I hope Fuji gets a big ro-just a cameo?

say word?

[ProdSlash]

Yeah I've read Wildcats 3.0 and Planetary, and I'm big fan of both. I'll check out Monarchy, definitely.

Does anyone know about Stormwatch PHD or Achilles Team? Are any of these good?

Team Achilles started off well, but went downhill in a hurry. I really had high hopes for PHD, and wasn't disappointed.

[carabas]

Team Achilles started off well, but went downhill in a hurry. I really had high hopes for PHD, and wasn't disappointed.

I found Team Achillmes the other way round. Started off a bit iffy (with stupendously ugly and confusing art) and develiped into one of Wildstorm's strongest series.

PHD, the less said the better. When you start out with undoing parts of the most well-received run on the book ever, you're really setting yourself up for failure.

[Rakzo]

I dislike Warren Ellis, a lot.

He has always looked like an author who tried to emphasize how smart he was (Or smarter than he actually was) and his writing reflected that in most of his comics. Not only that, some of his work seemed to lack passion or focus, almost like he did'nt want to do them at all (Which made more sense once that I realized he hated the comic medium).

Despite that, I would be lying if I said that I did'nt enjoy his Stormwatch work. I always thought that the title was one of the most generic 90's superhero books ever, but once that he started writing it everything changed. He made the characters complex, created different ideas that made the Wildstorm universe evolve and had one of the most interesting villains that I've seen.

Still, I did'nt enjoy his Authority work as much and I thought that Mark Millar's following run was far stronger and fun.

[BohemiaDrinker]

(Which made more sense once that I realized he hated the comic medium).

Not the medium. Ellis loves the medium. He hates the industry. Small, but important distinction.

[Rakzo]

Not the medium. Ellis loves the medium. He hates the industry. Small, but important distinction.

Yep, I have stated that before but my first language betrays my comments sometimes.

[DaveEB]

I think for Stormwatch: PHD you can almost gloss over the Gage stuff and read the post World's End run that Ian Edington wrote. This was the first time since Ellis where Stormwatch felt like what Ellis put forth. It's a shame it wasn't well received.

I agree with the other recommendations put forth and completely support this thread. I've got all of the original issues of this run, but felt I had to get the hardcover because it was probably my favorite run on any book EVER.

[BohemiaDrinker]

Yep, I have stated that before but my first language betrays my comments sometimes.

No worries, so does mine.

[Mr. Holmes]

Not the medium. Ellis loves the medium. He hates the industry. Small, but important distinction.

Honestly, I think I feel the same way as he does then. The industry now is little more than two competing empires of superhero intellectual property,more so than a ground of producing creativity and entertainment. Unlike him, I do like superheroes, but genre diversity seems to be impossible in this industry.

[BohemiaDrinker]

Honestly, I think I feel the same way as he does then. The industry now is little more than two competing empires of superhero intellectual property,more so than a ground of producing creativity and entertainment. Unlike him, I do like superheroes, but genre diversity seems to be impossible in this industry.

Well, there`s some backstory behind it all. When Ellis became sort of a big name he made a very conscious effort to try and steer the industry in the right direction - be it more intelligent Superhero, genre diversity, creators rights - you name it. And during a while, he seemed to be succeeding and then.... he was not.

If you want the full scope, you should read his "Come in Alone" columns here at CBR if you want some insight into his thinking. They also have a great deal of entertainment value.

[dancj]

The Authority didn't start that way, but evolved into that once Millar took over. Ellis' run was far better, IMHO.

IMO, The Authority improved massively under Millar - who brought back some of what I liked about Stormwatch.