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Invincible Iron Man #2 and Buffy #15
Ok, these are not going to be positive reviews. I give you fair warning. Get out while you still can.
Invincible Iron Man #2
I'll start with the good. Fraction did a little better with the tech-talk this time, although it tends to be imho a lot easier to bullshit about jet engines, than it is to bullshit about experimental bio-augments.
The bad? There's a lot of bad. Fraction continues to write Tony like a pathetic old guy ,who wishes he were back in college, sucking on a beer bong, with his best years ahead of him. Fraction seems to be writing Tony's dialog as if Tony were one of his hipster friends. Tony of course, is at the very least, ten to fifteen years older than the writer, and raised in a really, really, I can't emphasize it enough, different social circle. Having him talk like a twenty/thirty-something hipster actually has the effect of making him sound older.
Tony should basically sound like a regular guy. He doesn't sound like an isolated, supergenius billionaire, though that's what he is. He sounds like a regular dude who happens to also be a supergenius billionaire. Movie!Tony's dialog was extremely effective in a way that Fraction's is not - in Iron Man, Tony sounds freakishly intelligent, and aware of this fact, but also like someone it'd be cool to hang out with. Fraction's Tony is trying too hard. Exhibit A:
Tony should NOT sound like Faith Lehane.
Fraction's characterization problems extend beyond the dialog. In the space of one issue, Tony performs some intense emotional gymnastics that should leave him reeling, but instead only gear him up for a party. Here's where it gets spoilery.
The issue starts with Tony rooting out a genocidal, terrorist group. Tony fights the bad guy, and defeats him by tossing him INTO SPACE. Next up, he heads to a ceremony honoring a Filipino superhero team, which is attacked by suicide monks. Then there's the funeral for the dead, where he runs into Thor. And finally, a charity gala, which gets surprise, surprise, attacked.
So in this issue Tony kills a guy, watches some superheros get killed, attends a funeral, begs his ex-BFF Thor to pay attention to him, and after all of it, what does he want to do? Spend time with some hot chicks at a charity gala. Personally, I would go home, put up my feet and have a beer after such a shenanigan-full day. But wait, I'm not a recovering alcoholic. I guess if I were a recovering alcoholic like Tony is, I'd skip the beer and have a nice tea or something.
Here, have a page:
What was that? Pepper Potts, loyal assistant extrordinaire just threw a glass of champagne in her bosses face? She threw an alcoholic beverage in his face because he dared to ask her to get drinks for the ladies he's chatting up? Are you fucking kidding me? No, seriously. That's so incredibly far out of character that I don't even have words.
Let's also not forget the serious creep factor of Tony and Pepper's flirting in these last two issues, considering that only a few short months ago, Pepper not so subtly hinted that she'd like Tony to mercy-kill her comatose husband. And then he did. Pepper was so broken up over the whole thing that she jumped at Tony's offer of a job in California, far, far away from him. In the meantime, Tony's been sexually involved with a bio-engineer, turned mass murderer. So no, I don't think some cute, movie-style Tony/Pepper is called for at this juncture.
This issue has given me something, though. It's something I'd like to share with you all. I have a PSA for the flist:
SALVADOR LA ROCCA HAS BEEN REPLACED BY A SKRULL.
The man is a talented artist. What the hell is this dreck he's passing off as art? It's like he combined a slightly more cartoony style of penciling with awkward and inconsistent photo-referencing, then finished it off with an over-use of effects, and a poorly chosen colour scheme. Granted, that's not his fault, but what's up with all the pastels? The smiley armor? The horrifically blurry faces? I honestly can't say a single good thing about the art in this book, because ever time La Rocca got it right, he did something idiotic to screw it up.
And since I normally quite enjoy his work, that's saying a lot. Really. A lot.
Oh yeah, and Ezekiel Stane? Still annoying.
OMG he's so extreeeeme.
***
Buffy Season Eight # 15
As for this issue (some scans here), I mainly have one thing to say.
Dear Joss Whedon and company,
Please, for the love of pete, examine your hinky racial issues and examine them good. This is getting ridiculous. Not only did you kill off Renee, you neatly disposed of Satsu too. Once again the cast of the book is all white.
This is particularly infuriating, since nearly every slayer who's died and has stayed dead, has been a character of colour. Meanwhile Buffy and Faith fight on. Meanwhile your only other supporting character of colour, Robin, has appeared once, while Andrew shows up regularly to dispense geeky one-liners. Guys, come on.
Your friend,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
schmevil
Invincible Iron Man #2
I'll start with the good. Fraction did a little better with the tech-talk this time, although it tends to be imho a lot easier to bullshit about jet engines, than it is to bullshit about experimental bio-augments.
The bad? There's a lot of bad. Fraction continues to write Tony like a pathetic old guy ,who wishes he were back in college, sucking on a beer bong, with his best years ahead of him. Fraction seems to be writing Tony's dialog as if Tony were one of his hipster friends. Tony of course, is at the very least, ten to fifteen years older than the writer, and raised in a really, really, I can't emphasize it enough, different social circle. Having him talk like a twenty/thirty-something hipster actually has the effect of making him sound older.
Tony should basically sound like a regular guy. He doesn't sound like an isolated, supergenius billionaire, though that's what he is. He sounds like a regular dude who happens to also be a supergenius billionaire. Movie!Tony's dialog was extremely effective in a way that Fraction's is not - in Iron Man, Tony sounds freakishly intelligent, and aware of this fact, but also like someone it'd be cool to hang out with. Fraction's Tony is trying too hard. Exhibit A:
Tony should NOT sound like Faith Lehane.
Fraction's characterization problems extend beyond the dialog. In the space of one issue, Tony performs some intense emotional gymnastics that should leave him reeling, but instead only gear him up for a party. Here's where it gets spoilery.
The issue starts with Tony rooting out a genocidal, terrorist group. Tony fights the bad guy, and defeats him by tossing him INTO SPACE. Next up, he heads to a ceremony honoring a Filipino superhero team, which is attacked by suicide monks. Then there's the funeral for the dead, where he runs into Thor. And finally, a charity gala, which gets surprise, surprise, attacked.
So in this issue Tony kills a guy, watches some superheros get killed, attends a funeral, begs his ex-BFF Thor to pay attention to him, and after all of it, what does he want to do? Spend time with some hot chicks at a charity gala. Personally, I would go home, put up my feet and have a beer after such a shenanigan-full day. But wait, I'm not a recovering alcoholic. I guess if I were a recovering alcoholic like Tony is, I'd skip the beer and have a nice tea or something.
Here, have a page:
What was that? Pepper Potts, loyal assistant extrordinaire just threw a glass of champagne in her bosses face? She threw an alcoholic beverage in his face because he dared to ask her to get drinks for the ladies he's chatting up? Are you fucking kidding me? No, seriously. That's so incredibly far out of character that I don't even have words.
Let's also not forget the serious creep factor of Tony and Pepper's flirting in these last two issues, considering that only a few short months ago, Pepper not so subtly hinted that she'd like Tony to mercy-kill her comatose husband. And then he did. Pepper was so broken up over the whole thing that she jumped at Tony's offer of a job in California, far, far away from him. In the meantime, Tony's been sexually involved with a bio-engineer, turned mass murderer. So no, I don't think some cute, movie-style Tony/Pepper is called for at this juncture.
This issue has given me something, though. It's something I'd like to share with you all. I have a PSA for the flist:
SALVADOR LA ROCCA HAS BEEN REPLACED BY A SKRULL.
The man is a talented artist. What the hell is this dreck he's passing off as art? It's like he combined a slightly more cartoony style of penciling with awkward and inconsistent photo-referencing, then finished it off with an over-use of effects, and a poorly chosen colour scheme. Granted, that's not his fault, but what's up with all the pastels? The smiley armor? The horrifically blurry faces? I honestly can't say a single good thing about the art in this book, because ever time La Rocca got it right, he did something idiotic to screw it up.
And since I normally quite enjoy his work, that's saying a lot. Really. A lot.
Oh yeah, and Ezekiel Stane? Still annoying.
OMG he's so extreeeeme.
***
Buffy Season Eight # 15
As for this issue (some scans here), I mainly have one thing to say.
Dear Joss Whedon and company,
Please, for the love of pete, examine your hinky racial issues and examine them good. This is getting ridiculous. Not only did you kill off Renee, you neatly disposed of Satsu too. Once again the cast of the book is all white.
This is particularly infuriating, since nearly every slayer who's died and has stayed dead, has been a character of colour. Meanwhile Buffy and Faith fight on. Meanwhile your only other supporting character of colour, Robin, has appeared once, while Andrew shows up regularly to dispense geeky one-liners. Guys, come on.
Your friend,
schmevil
no subject
The worst part about Marvel is how often they have somethink pretty damn interesting in their hands and 85% of the time it ends up crap anyway. Poor Tony's been getting the shaft for a while now. :/
This is particularly infuriating, since nearly every slayer who's died and has stayed dead, has been a character of color.
Wow, I was all hung up on the horrible, illogical mess of a plot and just didn't notice this. (Tho, I did like the Giles&Faith part..despite oocness and, um, whatever.:)
Sure, the cutesy superhero!Willow is bad but 'whitening' the cast like this is just pretty damn lame. Also, it's as if every time he comes up empty plot wise, he thinks he can cover it up by killing someone's girlfriend.
Boyfriends get to leave or turn evil, women just die in visually artistic ways.
Does the man use an editor at all with his work?
no subject
Not at all. :)
Marvel, really all comic companies, can be pretty frustrating that way. There's a lot of squandered potential. But that's business, right? :|
Does the man use an editor at all with his work?
I'm sure he must, but I guess people start to go easier on you when you've made it. Joss is now considered a genius, by so many people that it might be difficult to say otherwise. I mean, I think he's a good writer, but everyone's got their tics and issues that they can't see.
Also, it's as if every time he comes up empty plot wise, he thinks he can cover it up by killing someone's girlfriend.
So true. Whenever things are getting slow, he throws in a Shocking! Twist! like Buffy switching teams, or another significant other dying. It's gotten a little ridiculous over the years.
no subject
Well, apparently they get some things right since I still buy their comics. :D
I do think Whedon is at his best unique and pretty damn good (s. Astonishing X-men)..he just needs someone to slap him when he's doing his therapy and not the story line. Is there anything more uncomfortable for a viewer (or reader) than to see exactly what kind of little traumas the creator has just by watching?
like Buffy switching teams, or another significant other dying. It's gotten a little ridiculous over the years.
It's like Jean Grey dying every five years and then coming back.:D
The bicurious!Buffy was so very boring and unnecessary. Fan service except nobody really liked it. Why not just come out and make it official that Giles (or Faith) is indeed bisexual. More bang with your buck so to speak and not so lame as another straight girl walking the wild side just until she finds the mr. right.
Heh, I have *issues*.:D
Would you mind if I friended you?
no subject
Go right ahead. :)
I do think Whedon is at his best unique and pretty damn good (s. Astonishing X-men)..he just needs someone to slap him when he's doing his therapy and not the story line. Is there anything more uncomfortable for a viewer (or reader) than to see exactly what kind of little traumas the creator has just by watching?
That's a really good way to put it. It does sometimes seem like he's working out his issues on the screen/page.
I'm not really a fan of his work on Astonishing X-Men. Maybe it improved after I dropped it, but Kitty!Sue was a incredibly grating, since in order to characterize her the way he did, he had to throw out literally decades of development. It was all very O.o
The bicurious!Buffy was so very boring and unnecessary. Fan service except nobody really liked it. Why not just come out and make it official that Giles (or Faith) is indeed bisexual. More bang with your buck so to speak and not so lame as another straight girl walking the wild side just until she finds the mr. right.
iawtc. Giles and Faith would be 'safe' options for queer characters, so maybe that's why he doesn't want to do it? "Not shocking enough!" I'm waiting for the storyline where Andrew experiments with girls. Oh Joss.
no subject
I'd love for Marvel to make the same kind of 'makeover' for Kitty as they did for Emma. The problem with Kitty is mostly because I don't think that the writers know who she supposed to be besides a brunette and a genius.
Hence, Kitty!Sue.
Giles and Faith would be 'safe' options for queer characters, so maybe that's why he doesn't want to do it?
I just wish Whedon would take a little lesson from Russell T. Davies how to be gay friendly without screwing up the bigger picture or looking like you're trying to prove something.
I'm guessing that if the Giles miniseries/whatever will come to be it'll be easier to market if the title character is more 'mainstream'. And I have to admit, Faith is better when she's not the cliched bad girl in every way.
Funny how if one went with the original meaning of queer as dangerous and outside of norms Giles/Faith would be the most shocking pairing possible.:D
Also, seriously, bisexual!Andrew...not bad.:D And I'm saying this as someone who loathes Andrew.:P