I knew this would happen, I just didn't think it would happen so soon. Part of the reason Gen X appeals to me so much is because its creators, Bachelo and Lobdell, were major players in the all time greatest comic serial of all time, marvel's the "Age of Apocalypse." After Generation X issue #4 appears a ubiquitous segue into the AoA, and I realized, in order to experience Gen X in the untainted and original glory the way it was produced; in order to truly understand the progression of the writing, art and storytelling, I had to follow its evolution through the Aoa times.
At the same time, I realized that everything contained within the AoA universe operations under completely different laws of physical and psychological reality. In order to understand anything the happens within the AoA universe, the entire history of its existence must be examined simultaneously. In other words, I had to embark on one of the greatest journey's a comic book fan can travel: the complete Age of Apocalpyse legend in original single-issue format in chronological order. I've taken this journey three times before, once a little while after it first came out, once again later by myself, and once with Ben about 2 or 3 years ago. Each succeeding time I had acquired a few more important issues to complete the series, and now, on this forth of occasions, I have all but a small few of the issues that contain this epic, including the recent 10 year anniversary epilogue series that I read once, but can't even remember what happend.
Take yourself back to a time where Kyuss released their final album, Fu Manchu was beginning their ascent, Biggie was teaching white kids how to behave. Things done changed. 1995 was the year of Apocalypse, well a third of that year anyway.
I've decided to approach this AoA journey in a different way than I had the past few times. There is at least one or two AoA universe list of issues in chronological order, I read the series by this list the past two times I've entered the realm, but this time I've decided to read each "offshoot title" as a whole, to experience the title itself the way it was meant to be experienced by the way the specific collaborates that worked on its creation may have wanted.
But i've connected order of each title along with how its final issue fit into the Chronological list, which happens to be: Astonishing, Generation Next, Calibre, X-Man, Factor X, Gambit, Amazing, and Weapon.
So far I've read all the intro one-shots that lead into the meat of the story. This includes, the recent AoA one-shot, Chronicles 1 & 2, Tales of, and X-Men Alpha. X-Men Alpha, the pinnacle of 90's garish comic covers. Most people diss that, but F them. X-Men Alpha is the best 90's cover, wraparound too of course. Oh by Joe Madureira, did I even have to say that?
So I am poised to read the first Astonishing X-Men series, before, of course, today's wildly popular Whedon and Cassaday series. With Generation X on a very short break, I will try to report back about AoA as often as possible, I think the AoA can get that out of me.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Comics! Generation X
I mentioned that I would be posting about novels and comics, so here is my first comic post.
So I have a mission. The mission is to read every comic I own before I move out west, and leave them all behind. I have three long boxes and two short boxes full, which is something in the vicinity of 750 or so, i think. Rough estimate; I guess we'll know when I'm done, because I plan on recording all of them as i go.
So I've decided to start with Generation X, a series I used to love as a much younger man, I was 12 when the first issue came out in 1994. Half the age I am now and I still find it entertaining. Chris Bachelo is possibly my favorite artist, and Scott Lobdell is a great 90's writer. I love 90's comics, a fie on the naysayers. Anyway, all I've read so far is issue 1, with a great color foil wraparound cover, not TOO much of a gimmick, comparatively. Here we are introduced to the main players, a few of whom we know already (already meaning prior to November 1994). Sean Cassidy, the Banshee, and Emma Frost, the White Queen, are the two Headmasters of this "next generation" of Students of Xavier's Dream. Most of the students are between 13-19, the age I empathized with most back then, and still do pretty much since I haven't really matured all that much in a dozen years. I won't bore you with descriptions of each of the characters, im going on the assumption that I'm the only one reading this, and that I already know what I, well, already know. (did that make sense? yes.) But I will explain that it is here we first meet the mutant Chamber, whom I'm pretty sure they had big plans for, but I notice he is conspicuously absent in the present day marvel universe (I think?). When he arrives at the airport, Emplate, an evil mutant who sucks the life out of mutants for sustenance attacks and the team must learn to pull together to fend him off, and "rescue" Jonathon Starsmore, aka Chamber. That's about it for issue one, and now I will go read two.
So I have a mission. The mission is to read every comic I own before I move out west, and leave them all behind. I have three long boxes and two short boxes full, which is something in the vicinity of 750 or so, i think. Rough estimate; I guess we'll know when I'm done, because I plan on recording all of them as i go.
So I've decided to start with Generation X, a series I used to love as a much younger man, I was 12 when the first issue came out in 1994. Half the age I am now and I still find it entertaining. Chris Bachelo is possibly my favorite artist, and Scott Lobdell is a great 90's writer. I love 90's comics, a fie on the naysayers. Anyway, all I've read so far is issue 1, with a great color foil wraparound cover, not TOO much of a gimmick, comparatively. Here we are introduced to the main players, a few of whom we know already (already meaning prior to November 1994). Sean Cassidy, the Banshee, and Emma Frost, the White Queen, are the two Headmasters of this "next generation" of Students of Xavier's Dream. Most of the students are between 13-19, the age I empathized with most back then, and still do pretty much since I haven't really matured all that much in a dozen years. I won't bore you with descriptions of each of the characters, im going on the assumption that I'm the only one reading this, and that I already know what I, well, already know. (did that make sense? yes.) But I will explain that it is here we first meet the mutant Chamber, whom I'm pretty sure they had big plans for, but I notice he is conspicuously absent in the present day marvel universe (I think?). When he arrives at the airport, Emplate, an evil mutant who sucks the life out of mutants for sustenance attacks and the team must learn to pull together to fend him off, and "rescue" Jonathon Starsmore, aka Chamber. That's about it for issue one, and now I will go read two.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Finished: Time of the Twins. Started: War of the Twins
I don't know what it was about the book, but it took me forever to finish. Actually, I don't think I can blame it on the book, more likely a change of lifestyle. It took me about 3 weeks to finish the first Dragonlance trilogy, "Chronicles," and it has taken me over a month to finish this book. But oh well, its done and I enjoyed it anyway.
It seemed to move at a much slower pace than the previous novels, and it only focused on a few central characters: Caramon, Tasslehoff, Crysania, and a few different clerics from Istar, including the Kingpriest.
Raistlin has transported himself back in history, to the time just before the Cataclysm. Here he kills and takes over the persona of Fistandantilus, the greatest mage who ever lived (before Raistlin). Tas and Caramon too are sent back in time with Crysania, on a mission to destroy Raistlin. Caramon and Tas are captured and enslaved into a Gladiator-meets-professional wrestling style troupe that performs for the anciant people of Istar. Crysania, being a cleric, is welcomed into the holy home of the Kingpriest and the servants of good.
In the end, Caramon finally comes to terms with the fact that he must kill his twin brother Raist, and seeks him out to do so during the night of the Cataclysm. Meanwhile, Raistlin has tricked Tas into destroying the only means for himself to return home.
During all of the commotion that is caused by the Cataclysm, which includes earthquakes, floods, and eventually a meteor shower of some kind, Crysania chases Raistlin into the deepest basement of the tower, followed closely by Caramon, then followed by Tas. When Caramon is about to strike the killing blow, something unexplained happens and he fails. Caramon, Crysania, and Raistlin dissapear, presumably transported to another time (confirmed within the first chapter of book two, they have been transported 100 years beyond the Cataclysm.) Tasslehoff is left behind and his fate is not yet explained.
It seemed that the Chronicles trilogy featured many, many tales woven together, and compounded into three books. The Legends trilogy, seems to be just one tale, stretched and divided into three books. Thus it feels like far less actually occurs in the first novel.
I have started the second novel, "The War of the Twins" and I would like to see it broaden to a few more character story lines. One of the strengths of the Chronicles trilogy, was that there was always several different branches of stories, and characters doing things that affected one another only in the big picture. Legends so far is a "little picture" book; even if there are new characters or underused ones that have a more prominant position. For instance, I would like to go back to the "present" time of Krynn and follow Raistlin's apprentice, Dalamar.
Although I've read the first few chapters already, I won't discuss them here, I'll wait until later, whenever that may be. Hopefully you won't have to wait another month until the next post, then again who the hell are YOU anyway?
It seemed to move at a much slower pace than the previous novels, and it only focused on a few central characters: Caramon, Tasslehoff, Crysania, and a few different clerics from Istar, including the Kingpriest.
Raistlin has transported himself back in history, to the time just before the Cataclysm. Here he kills and takes over the persona of Fistandantilus, the greatest mage who ever lived (before Raistlin). Tas and Caramon too are sent back in time with Crysania, on a mission to destroy Raistlin. Caramon and Tas are captured and enslaved into a Gladiator-meets-professional wrestling style troupe that performs for the anciant people of Istar. Crysania, being a cleric, is welcomed into the holy home of the Kingpriest and the servants of good.
In the end, Caramon finally comes to terms with the fact that he must kill his twin brother Raist, and seeks him out to do so during the night of the Cataclysm. Meanwhile, Raistlin has tricked Tas into destroying the only means for himself to return home.
During all of the commotion that is caused by the Cataclysm, which includes earthquakes, floods, and eventually a meteor shower of some kind, Crysania chases Raistlin into the deepest basement of the tower, followed closely by Caramon, then followed by Tas. When Caramon is about to strike the killing blow, something unexplained happens and he fails. Caramon, Crysania, and Raistlin dissapear, presumably transported to another time (confirmed within the first chapter of book two, they have been transported 100 years beyond the Cataclysm.) Tasslehoff is left behind and his fate is not yet explained.
It seemed that the Chronicles trilogy featured many, many tales woven together, and compounded into three books. The Legends trilogy, seems to be just one tale, stretched and divided into three books. Thus it feels like far less actually occurs in the first novel.
I have started the second novel, "The War of the Twins" and I would like to see it broaden to a few more character story lines. One of the strengths of the Chronicles trilogy, was that there was always several different branches of stories, and characters doing things that affected one another only in the big picture. Legends so far is a "little picture" book; even if there are new characters or underused ones that have a more prominant position. For instance, I would like to go back to the "present" time of Krynn and follow Raistlin's apprentice, Dalamar.
Although I've read the first few chapters already, I won't discuss them here, I'll wait until later, whenever that may be. Hopefully you won't have to wait another month until the next post, then again who the hell are YOU anyway?
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