Underwhelmed by Transmetropolitan

[Just Endless]

I got into Planetary well before it ended, but I left it after two trades. I came back just as it was ending. I really do like it. Kind of a flawed masterpiece, I would say, and that's my favorite kind of story; not everything makes sense, not everything works, but in 27 issues, there sure are a lot of ideas.

And Desolation Jones is fantastic. Sure wish that could have happened.

[Mr. Holmes]

I always felt there were similarities idea-wise with what he did with Stormwatch and Authority in his Counter X short run of X-force issues. http://www.bookdepository.com/Counte.../9780785133049 Attachment 99006

Might be worth checking out. It's actually available for $10 here: http://www.mycomicshop.com/search?TID=14683181

The issues after this collection are also collected, but I think by then Ellis was splitting the writing chores or just plotting. The second collection is called X-Force Counter X Rage War.

If that's true I need to check these out. For me, Stormwatch was just a perfect post-modern version of superheroes. I really think I could show that kind of book to a non-fanboy and impress them. (But haven't tried it yet!).

I got into Planetary well before it ended, but I left it after two trades. I came back just as it was ending. I really do like it. Kind of a flawed masterpiece, I would say, and that's my favorite kind of story; not everything makes sense, not everything works, but in 27 issues, there sure are a lot of ideas.

And Desolation Jones is fantastic. Sure wish that could have happened.

Yeah "flawed masterpiece" sounds spot on. I think it's gotten a little overrated over time, but it's still loved it.

[jericko]

I know this is a old thread, but I picked up the 1st 5 TPBs cheap and read the 1st TPB in 2 days and LOVED it! My wife asked me what it was about, and its so hard to explain. It does seem dated, but allot of the politics and religion topics seem like they are straight out of the current election. I just ordered the rest of the TPBs from Amazon, and am really looking forward to reading more.

[vicvega]

I don't get it this book used to be critically revered and now everyone thinks its try hard or or underwhelming
it has echoes of how vapid and bored today's society has become so they resort to computers and TV to get their message out.
plus its main character is based off Hunter S. Thompson, who is my writing idol. I WILL NOT STAND FOR THE PUTTING DOWN OF MR. THOMPSON
Also, if you just read it for fun instead of being so serious about it, you'd have a great time. It reminds me of a drug-addled ren and stimpy combined with hunter s thompson

[Sacorn69]

Just rereading this now, and have just finished 'Lonely City'.

I still think that this IS Ellis' best work (over Planetary) and has aged very well. It's got a number of great character moments and how Spider relates to all the sci fi stuff is quite insightful. Could be a gloomy future for us all if the world turns out like this :)

[Billy Batson]

Transmet>Planetary

[Pixie_Solanas]

The ideas and characterizations that made Transmet and Planetary so groundbreaking are much more commonplace now in the current comic milieu than they were 10-15 years ago. The freshness has definitely worn off a bit.

[Mr. Holmes]

I don't get it this book used to be critically revered and now everyone thinks its try hard or or underwhelming
it has echoes of how vapid and bored today's society has become so they resort to computers and TV to get their message out.

That's a theme in every cyberpunk genre story.

[Sacorn69]

The ideas and characterizations that made Transmet and Planetary so groundbreaking are much more commonplace now in the current comic milieu than they were 10-15 years ago. The freshness has definitely worn off a bit.

Agreed, re the ground breaking and the idea's more commonplace, however if I was reading this for the first time it would still seem fresh for me. I also haven't seen many other titles taking/using the extremes Warren does with Transmet. Perhaps it's due to the long form nature that he had more time to explore some of his ideas.

It would also nearly be hard to argue much is fresh these days though?!?

[Mister Jerusalem]

Agreed, re the ground breaking and the idea's more commonplace, however if I was reading this for the first time it would still seem fresh for me. I also haven't seen many other titles taking/using the extremes Warren does with Transmet. Perhaps it's due to the long form nature that he had more time to explore some of his ideas.

It would also nearly be hard to argue much is fresh these days though?!?

Yeah it's still one of my favorites, but I can understand what people are saying here. If you realize that both Planetary and Transmetro came out 97-98, they were pretty mind blowing. Now the ideas have promulgated quite a bit more through comics and pop culture in general. If you are familiar with guys Thompson and H.L.Mencken, you'll get a lot more out of it. Just like if you weren't particularly familiar with comics in general, you'll get quite a bit more out of Planetary.

[obii]

Transmet with the politics background of the time and a lot of really cool SF ideas is still something I enjoy to read.

[Omega Key]

I can understand Transmet isn't to everybody's liking, I even dropped the title myself early on when it was still under the Helix imprint only to give it another try at a later time to be completely hooked. Just prior to the end run the title felt like it was dragging on a bit (I feel the same about Preacher) but the series as a whole is still my favourite wrting from Ellis' hands. Spider Jerusalem needs a little time to warm up to, especially as the complaint that it's yet another edgy/violent main character with a lot of offensive dialogue....well, it's true. However I could not stop myself from loving this guy and rooting for him before long, because the comic is so much more than simply violence and potty mouth.

I'd say give it another try if the first (few) trade(s) wasn't to your liking, because I would consider it a masterpiece or must read run in comic history. However I can see how other titles might be better received by the masses.

[Mr. Holmes]

Yeah I don't know what to say. I like Ellis and I love cyberpunk, and even how the sci-fi is done in the book. The politics basically boil down to Spider Jerusalem ranting to different people. It was just obnoxious.

I'm not that familiar with Hunter S Thompson...is he like the journalist version of Bill Hicks?

[Billy Batson]

Did you finish the whole thing?
Google is your friend... :p

[vicvega]

Yeah I don't know what to say. I like Ellis and I love cyberpunk, and even how the sci-fi is done in the book. The politics basically boil down to Spider Jerusalem ranting to different people. It was just obnoxious.

I'm not that familiar with Hunter S Thompson...is he like the journalist version of Bill Hicks?

you poor thing. I recommend you read
Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72
The Great Shark Hunt
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
The Rum Diary (one of his only works of fiction)