After reading on Newsarama that Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch are taking the reins on the Fantastic Four comic, and it appears they are renumbering, To me this means that the book will not be coming out on a regular basis, and I am expecting what they have done to be timely but after that to see two or three issues a year.
Sorry, but I have trust issues with Millar and Hitch after The Ultimates.
Here is the first part of the article:
"It may be the one of the most anticipated new projects from a creative grouping since the Police reunited for their new concert tour, or Ben & Jerry created Chocolate Chop Cookie Dough...
The comic book superstar pairing of writer Mark Millar and artist Bryan Hitch lives again, this time on Marvel's Fantastic Four..
No, not Ultimate Fantastic Four ... Not a large-scale FF limited series ... The monthly Marvel Universe Fantastic Four.
The duo take over the reins of the series in early 2008 with plans to return the series to the top of the Diamond sales charts, and by the sounds of things, they don't plan on leaving for a while...
And oh yeah, and they plan on it being monthly!
We spoke with Hitch and Millar this week about why's and what’s of their latest partnership… "
Hitch's comment about the art is this:
"I'm drawing it quicker. I've been working on it for about five months and am four issues and nine covers in. Mark is writing issue # 10 now so he's galloping nicely. It's actually getting quicker the more into it I get but it's important to note that Ultimates is the only thing I've done that went the way it did. Authority was three weeks an issue and that's what I expected to do on Ultimates; it came as a huge surprise to me that I couldn't do it. Then again there's about three times as much on the page in Ultimates.
Truth to tell, many of the problems with that book weren't with the physical side of drawing it, more the state I got myself into worrying about it. It's different on FF. I don't feel any pressure at all, in fact it's the most liberating work I've done in years.
For better or worse, Ultimates became a magnum opus of sorts and you can't follow it with another one. I can relax. So I'm just setting out to hit the schedule and get some big, bold fun comics out and remind myself that it doesn't have to be hand-wringing, sweating, cursing, worry and poverty to make a good comic. It can actually be good fun, very rewarding and, in the great scheme of world problems, a walk in the park. I'm doing what I love doing: telling stories. It's my goal to win back the reputation I had before I did Ultimates and have a good long, unbroken run at the "World's Greatest Comic Magazine". So far so good. Much, I think, to everyone's surprise. "
Interesting.
Here is my point: I think McDuffie and Pelletier are doing a good job on FF right now. I am disappointed to hear that they are going off to make room for Millar and Hitch. I can't quibble with Millar and Hitch's talents, but I don't like the excessive amount of time that was taken to complete Ultimates. To me it was taking liberties with the fans and with our dollars.
Do I plan on picking up FF? Not right now. Am I skeptical? Hell yes.
Thoughts?
Saturday, August 11, 2007
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8 comments:
I wouldn't trust these two to pour wizz out of a boot (in a timely matter) if the instructions were written on the heel. After WANTED! I never wanted to give another penny to a writer I consider a major douche bag, that also apparently hates the USA and I say, well, then go back to Scotland Millar, you sure like our money, right?
And I have hated The Ultimates from the beginning and can't believe anyone is still buying those books, what are they up to after all these years, issue #13?
Just more Marvel books to boycott and rewarding hacks who might have great talent but one that slams our country ever chance he gets and both couldn't put a book out on time unless at gunpoint. Monthly, that's going to happen, right...
I am absolutely certain these clowns won't be able to deliver after a handful of issues. But the good news is that it appears so much of comics fandom shares that wariness. In other words...we're on to them.
The disdain these cocky brats have for their American audience is obvious in their constant game of "this time we really mean it" or using lame excuses like "Oh, I just wasn't feeling it for Ultimates" or whatever worthless drivel he offered as an explanation.
Also, after seeing the prelim pencils, what's with Hitch's propensity for characters sticking their smirking faces in the "camera" in virtually every panel? Geez, this project just RADIATES the smugness of these guys. Ick.
Some good news that came out of the Con was DC's decision to amp up their Johnny DC line and (get this) actually make the new titles for actual kids! Imagine that! I made it the topic of my blog posting for today.
I see Millar as more of a problem than Hitch. After all, Hitch did draw 12 consecutive issues back on the first year of The Authority. Millar, lest we forget, is the genius who turned Reed into a fascist whose clone of Thor killed a fellow superhero, Goliath.
Yeah, I'm also dreading Millar's version of Reed Richards, since the Merry Scotsman seems to apply the same "uber-smart hyper-genius futurist I'll solve cancer before lunch then patent five inventions in my sleep" template any chance he gets. I know Millar fancies himself a savvy futurist and "mad conceptual genius", so it's fairly obvious that he's the "star" (in an odd way) in most everything he writes.
Hitch is one of my favorite artists but Millar is one of my least favorite writers. Millar doesn't seem to care about the characters he writes. In his hands they become plot modules who will change their personalities and motivations in order to get them to the end of the story.
Still bitter about The Authority and Ultimate Fantastic Four? Why do you ask?
You know, I love you guys. Seriously- in a non-threatening, completely platonic way, I swear.
Thank you for helping to validate my initial revulsion and fear when faced with the fact that Dwayne McDuffie was no longer going to write this book and that instead I was going to have to suffer through the fan's creative team from hell.
I feel so much better now...
I think they edited out the part in the panel where they say that it's now becoming an Annual.
But seriously, I don't know HOW they can even consider putting these two on a regular book and getting it out on a regular schedule. Sales numbers must be WAY down so they're hoping that popular creators will bring the title's numbers back up, even if the comic comes out every few months. But, if they're already up to issue #10 - maybe it's just a 12 issue run and they'll be completely done with it by the time we see the first issue - it's not likely but it's what I hope Marvel did (although this weekend I just got more proof that the inmates run the asylum over there)
And renumbering?!? YUCK!! That throws my entire computer cycling and tracking system for comics off kilter for the title. No matter how I beg, the computer refuses to accept that issue #1 should come after issue #555. And then a year or two later they go back to the original numbering again - causing another fight between me and my inventory management system.
Lisa, I see this as a nightmare for the retailers. Everytime Joey Q decides to renumber, it is a nightmare.
The sense of entitlement shown to these guys is ridiculous. I guess the only way to show Marvel that it isn't going to fly is to not buy it....
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