New Warlord series *SPOILERS*

**Justin D.** · 05-30-2005, 05:36 PM

Dan Didio is sneaky. Check out the quick mention of a new Warlord series in the press release about Bart Sears becoming exclusive with DC that's on the front page.

I wonder who's writing it and how far off it is.

**Captain Jim** · 05-30-2005, 05:38 PM

What do you know, I had totally missed that!

**Slam_Bradley** · 05-30-2005, 08:22 PM

Unless it's Mike Grell, I don't hold out much hope. Nobody else has ever been able to make Warlord worth a damn.

**Smarty Jones** · 05-30-2005, 08:44 PM

I agree, "Warlord" seemed to work only with Mike Grell on the book.

**The Shadow** · 05-30-2005, 10:47 PM

Originally Posted by Slam_Bradley

Unless it's Mike Grell, I don't hold out much hope. Nobody else has ever been able to make Warlord worth a damn.

I like Sears though (as long as he doesn't do his extreme muscle-cartoony style) but would prefer Grell on Warlord.

I'm gonna buy it regardless!!!

**hondobrode** · 05-31-2005, 06:22 AM

Originally Posted by Slam_Bradley

Unless it's Mike Grell, I don't hold out much hope. Nobody else has ever been able to make Warlord worth a damn.

How many creators have worked on this character besides Grell ? C'mon.

I personally hope DC does NOT put Grell on this series. I think it would be bad on a number of levels.

First, DC is trying to reinvigorate itself by building from the past in a new way. Bring back Warlord, who at one time was DC's best selling title character, but with a 21st century sensibility and current creators. Mike Grell would not fit that profile IMO. Looking at his work back then, it was great, but that was then.

Secondly, Grell doesn't bring enough star appeal to the title. How many current fans know who he is ? Bart is a good choice. It will be vital to the look of the book to see who is inking him.

Thirdly, Grell's last major endeavor, his Iron Man stint, did not go over well at all. I think he would be best on his Sable character probably over at IDW.

I'm dying for more details on this ! I think DC could have a sleeper hit here.

**K'Nort** · 05-31-2005, 10:25 AM

Hmm. I was reading Warlord as soon as I could read because my father read it. Mid to late 70s so the earliest stuff. So there's an automatic thrill to a new one. But the only thing I associate Bart Sears with are the solicits for Captain America & Falcon, which doesn't seem very compatible. We'll see.

**Lex** · 05-31-2005, 03:47 PM

Warlord and the land of Skartaris has so much great potential! I'm glad that DC is going to explore these concepts again (hopefully much better than when Phil Jimenez used them in a bad Wonder Woman story).

This renews my hope that we'll see Amethyst: Princess of Gemworld again! :D

**Captain Jim** · 05-31-2005, 09:20 PM

Originally Posted by hondobrode

How many creators have worked on this character besides Grell ?

IIRC, I think Jurgens did the art right after Grell, and it wasn't all that bad.

I personally hope DC does NOT put Grell on this series. I think it would be bad on a number of levels.

First, DC is trying to reinvigorate itself by building from the past in a new way. Bring back Warlord, who at one time was DC's best selling title character, but with a 21st century sensibility and current creators. Mike Grell would not fit that profile IMO. Looking at his work back then, it was great, but that was then.

Secondly, Grell doesn't bring enough star appeal to the title. How many current fans know who he is ? Bart is a good choice. It will be vital to the look of the book to see who is inking him.

Thirdly, Grell's last major endeavor, his Iron Man stint, did not go over well at all. I think he would be best on his Sable character probably over at IDW.

I'm dying for more details on this ! I think DC could have a sleeper hit here.

Sleeper hit? I doubt it. Nor do I think Sears is a better artist just because he's had more work published in recent years. Shoot, does anybody really consider him to have "star appeal"?

Grell only did the art on Iron Man for one arc, I believe, and it's only really as a writer-artist (not purely as a writer) that Grell shines. Personally, I'd put his artwork up against anybody else in the field, even today.

Warlord was a Grell creation, pure and simple, and it's hard to imagine anybody else really capturing the vision. Not to say it's impossible, of course, but Grell would still be my #1 choice.

**The Shadow** · 05-31-2005, 09:49 PM

Originally Posted by Captain Jim

Personally, I'd put his artwork up against anybody else in the field, even today.

Me too. His Green Arrow stuff is awesome too.

**hondobrode** · 06-01-2005, 01:57 AM

Originally Posted by Captain Jim

IIRC, I think Jurgens did the art right after Grell, and it wasn't all that bad.

Sleeper hit? I doubt it. Nor do I think Sears is a better artist just because he's had more work published in recent years. Shoot, does anybody really consider him to have "star appeal"?

Grell only did the art on Iron Man for one arc, I believe, and it's only really as a writer-artist (not purely as a writer) that Grell shines. Personally, I'd put his artwork up against anybody else in the field, even today.

**** Grell wrote the series. Michael Ryan did the art. *****

Warlord was a Grell creation, pure and simple, and it's hard to imagine anybody else really capturing the vision. Not to say it's impossible, of course, but Grell would still be my #1 choice.

***** Outside of the aforementioned Dan Jurgens, who did decent work on the character earlier in his still budding career, who else worked on the character ? Outside of that brief blip in Wonder Woman, I can't recall anyone else working on the character. Obviously if Grell's work was selling well they would have him working on it now. *****

***** Grell wrote and provided some beautiful covers for the 6 issue mini back in 1992 but I don't think it sold very well. Almost everyone loves the character. I'm not knocking Grell. I too like his art, but feel a fresh approach would be best. *****

**Slam_Bradley** · 06-01-2005, 08:22 AM

Originally Posted by hondobrode

***** Outside of the aforementioned Dan Jurgens, who did decent work on the character earlier in his still budding career, who else worked on the character ? Outside of that brief blip in Wonder Woman, I can't recall anyone else working on the character. Obviously if Grell's work was selling well they would have him working on it now. *****

Cary Burkett took over after Grell quit writing Warlord with issue 71. He was followed by Michael Fleisher. Neither run is much better than fish-wrapper.

Art-wise, I'm not overly concerned. Art is VERY secondary to story for me. Though Grell is easily in my top ten favorites for pencilers.

**protonik** · 06-01-2005, 08:30 AM

I remember Warlord ever so faintly but it was a great response to Marvel's success with Conan and would be a great response to Dark Horses Conan series. I think getting Alan Davis on a regular Killraven book would be a great response on Marvel's part.

Grell was AWESOME on Iron Man, then again I liked Tieri as well.

Jason

**Calamas** · 06-01-2005, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by protonik

. . . Grell was AWESOME on Iron Man. . .

I agree. Grell was the reason I read Ironman for the first time in years. There was the ocasional letdown issue--and who doesn't have one of those these days--but he made the character and his supporting players interesting. It's a shame that editorial interference ended it--and in the middle of an arc at that.

**protege** · 06-01-2005, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by hondobrode

How many creators have worked on this character besides Grell ? C'mon.

I personally hope DC does NOT put Grell on this series. I think it would be bad on a number of levels.

First, DC is trying to reinvigorate itself by building from the past in a new way. Bring back Warlord, who at one time was DC's best selling title character, but with a 21st century sensibility and current creators. Mike Grell would not fit that profile IMO. Looking at his work back then, it was great, but that was then.

Secondly, Grell doesn't bring enough star appeal to the title. How many current fans know who he is ? Bart is a good choice. It will be vital to the look of the book to see who is inking him.

Thirdly, Grell's last major endeavor, his Iron Man stint, did not go over well at all. I think he would be best on his Sable character probably over at IDW.

I'm dying for more details on this ! I think DC could have a sleeper hit here.

When was Warlord a best selling book? He's a fantasy/sci fi character, and I didn't think anything outside of mainstream super hero titles ever sold that well.