Question About Reading Habits
Moderators: Daniel Jackson, greg
Question About Reading Habits
Straight from a thread from the Dead Universes section of the board, please take a moment to respond to this poll regarding The New Universe.
- comicsyte95
- It's Porktastic!!!
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I liked what i read of starbrand(liked the idea of the brand which gave an nigh infinite amount of power to the the different versions of Connell).That was a great concept.The continuation of the starbrand in quasar was a nice touch also.It ws also cool how the living tribunal couldn't get the brand!
- J-Scott-R
- H.A.R.D.E.R. Corps, with Extra Resistance
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I originally read Star Brand, Justice, and Spitfire, I liked Justice and Star Brand and picked them up for the first 7 or 8 issues before some other new series caught my young teen-aged eyes forcing me to drop them due to a limited number of titles I could afford at the time. I've recently started picking up those old books again, as well as DP 7, which I now think is the best of all the New Universe books.
Scott
Scott
One tremendous advantage DP 7 had over the other New Universe books is the same writer and penciler did the entire 32 issue series. That team was Mark Gruenwald and Paul Ryan.
Gruenwald commented that he missed The New Universe after its demise. Obviously, nothing like it had ever been done in comics before.
Gruenwald commented that he missed The New Universe after its demise. Obviously, nothing like it had ever been done in comics before.
- superman-prime
- scratch 1 for the coog guys
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That's true, but in my opinion that's an incomplete assessment. You're forgetting to mention the truly good stuff...superman-prime wrote:some is ok some is plain bad
Shooter's run on Star Brand was at times great and certainly unprecedented. DP 7 was consistently good the entire run. The entire concept for a universe of characters was incredible, and again unprecedented. Most folks reading understand that concept for a New Universe. It's the same concept Valiant used. I've always felt Valiant took the New Universe concept to another level. Perhaps in one regard I've been wrong. In order to tighten their universe up and bring the heroes closer together to the desired degree Valiant needed a Unity crossover. Yet the New Universe was set up as close-knit from the beginning, with the New Universe being our very universe with the exception of a single event, The White Event, which with a flash of light gave powers and abilities to a relatively few select individuals. How could a comic book universe be more unified than that? Brilliant.
I didn't intend to make this thread a commentary on the merits of The New Universe, but I want to post this for those who may not have read it before.
The following is an editorial by Jim Shooter that appeared in the first New Universe comics in 1986.
Buildings had flat smooth bottoms back before 1961.
No pipes. No wires. No foundations.
Occasionally, people who lived in them (usually
professional people) were hit by lightning or
splashed with chemicals and therefore gained
super powers. Immediately, these folks donned
costumes and began patrolling the city looking
for evildoers- sometimes, that involved picking
up a building or two (exposing the flat smooth
bottom). Frequently they would also catch
falling airplanes. The general populace adored
them. Often, the mayor, a plump, non-ethnic
type (but, of course, there were no ethnic types)
would invite one of these super heroes to
cut the ribbon at a bridge opening. No one in
attendance at these ceremonies, or anywhere
else, doubted the integrity, the sincerity, or the
goodness of the super hero. No one even had a
difference of opinion as to what "goodness"
was in any given situation. Airplanes apparently
were discreet enough not to fall while
the super hero was unavoidably detained or
asleep. Or, at least, the public was discreet
enough not to wonder aloud why Metro Air
flight #202 was saved but Central Air flight
#61 was allowed to crash. The fact that the
super hero, in effect, had decided who would
live and who would die by setting his alarm
clock ten minutes later one day never occured
to him—and the general public apparently as-
sumed that when the super hero was off duty
it was for a good reason. Perhaps the super hero,
in his secret identity was with his girlfriend (who
of course would have preferred being with the super
hero persona but inexplicably was dating a man
who seemed to be exactly his opposite). At least,
a super hero was spared the ignominy of being in
the middle of going to the bathroom when a plane fell.
Super heroes never went to the bathroom in
early 1961 or before. No one did. How could
they? Those buildings had no pipes.
Clearly, a revolution was needed.
During the summer of 1961 Stan Lee, Jack
Kirby, Steve Ditko and a number of other awe-
somely talented people at Marvel Comics
created the Marvel Universe, a place where
buildings had pipes, and people, including super
people, behaved more like real human beings,
and yes, every once in awhile, they went to
the bathroom. Off panel, of course. In other
words, the Marvel Universe was more like the
real universe. Sure, it was a fantasy universe
complete with mer-people inhabiting the
oceans, "repulsor rays," and clothes made of
"unstable molecules"—elements no less out-
rageous than those in other comics. However,
unlike other companies' comics, Marvel Comics
made sense.
Startling.
This bold new approach to comics stories
seemed radical in the early sixties. Especially,
the three-dimensionalizing of the characters.
The idea that several pages could be devoted
to a teenager and his aunt worrying about
their money troubles would have been heresy
at any company besides Marvel. The thought
that a page or two should be spent showing a
young man's exultation in the gloriousness of
unaided flight might have gotten you fired else-
where- at first, anyway. Over the years, every
comics company came around and embraced
the Marvel philosophy. Some even have done
major overhauls of their lines trying to become
more like Marvel. Try to find a comics company
that doesn’t do its best to do three-dimensional
characters, with human problems and human
joys, operating in a logical, internally consistent
fantasy world like Marvel's. And so it has come
to pass that, once again, everyone seems to
agree, to a great extent, on how to do comics.
Therefore, clearly, a revolution is needed.
Again.
During the summer of 1986, Archie Good-
win, Tom DeFalco, a number of other people at
Marvel Comics and I created the New Uni-
verse. Or, more correctly, we simply decided to
put to use a universe hitherto unused in comics.
Our own. The one we live in. Real pipes. Real
people. Real bathrooms. No mer-people. No
repulsors. No unstable molecules. In fact, no
fantasy or fantastic elements at all except for
the very few we introduce. Carefully. Does it
make sense? You bet. As much as the universe
outside your window does. A universe where
time passes and things change, and ...well,
you know. You live in it.
Startling.
Jim Shooter
Editor in Chief
The following is an editorial by Jim Shooter that appeared in the first New Universe comics in 1986.
Buildings had flat smooth bottoms back before 1961.
No pipes. No wires. No foundations.
Occasionally, people who lived in them (usually
professional people) were hit by lightning or
splashed with chemicals and therefore gained
super powers. Immediately, these folks donned
costumes and began patrolling the city looking
for evildoers- sometimes, that involved picking
up a building or two (exposing the flat smooth
bottom). Frequently they would also catch
falling airplanes. The general populace adored
them. Often, the mayor, a plump, non-ethnic
type (but, of course, there were no ethnic types)
would invite one of these super heroes to
cut the ribbon at a bridge opening. No one in
attendance at these ceremonies, or anywhere
else, doubted the integrity, the sincerity, or the
goodness of the super hero. No one even had a
difference of opinion as to what "goodness"
was in any given situation. Airplanes apparently
were discreet enough not to fall while
the super hero was unavoidably detained or
asleep. Or, at least, the public was discreet
enough not to wonder aloud why Metro Air
flight #202 was saved but Central Air flight
#61 was allowed to crash. The fact that the
super hero, in effect, had decided who would
live and who would die by setting his alarm
clock ten minutes later one day never occured
to him—and the general public apparently as-
sumed that when the super hero was off duty
it was for a good reason. Perhaps the super hero,
in his secret identity was with his girlfriend (who
of course would have preferred being with the super
hero persona but inexplicably was dating a man
who seemed to be exactly his opposite). At least,
a super hero was spared the ignominy of being in
the middle of going to the bathroom when a plane fell.
Super heroes never went to the bathroom in
early 1961 or before. No one did. How could
they? Those buildings had no pipes.
Clearly, a revolution was needed.
During the summer of 1961 Stan Lee, Jack
Kirby, Steve Ditko and a number of other awe-
somely talented people at Marvel Comics
created the Marvel Universe, a place where
buildings had pipes, and people, including super
people, behaved more like real human beings,
and yes, every once in awhile, they went to
the bathroom. Off panel, of course. In other
words, the Marvel Universe was more like the
real universe. Sure, it was a fantasy universe
complete with mer-people inhabiting the
oceans, "repulsor rays," and clothes made of
"unstable molecules"—elements no less out-
rageous than those in other comics. However,
unlike other companies' comics, Marvel Comics
made sense.
Startling.
This bold new approach to comics stories
seemed radical in the early sixties. Especially,
the three-dimensionalizing of the characters.
The idea that several pages could be devoted
to a teenager and his aunt worrying about
their money troubles would have been heresy
at any company besides Marvel. The thought
that a page or two should be spent showing a
young man's exultation in the gloriousness of
unaided flight might have gotten you fired else-
where- at first, anyway. Over the years, every
comics company came around and embraced
the Marvel philosophy. Some even have done
major overhauls of their lines trying to become
more like Marvel. Try to find a comics company
that doesn’t do its best to do three-dimensional
characters, with human problems and human
joys, operating in a logical, internally consistent
fantasy world like Marvel's. And so it has come
to pass that, once again, everyone seems to
agree, to a great extent, on how to do comics.
Therefore, clearly, a revolution is needed.
Again.
During the summer of 1986, Archie Good-
win, Tom DeFalco, a number of other people at
Marvel Comics and I created the New Uni-
verse. Or, more correctly, we simply decided to
put to use a universe hitherto unused in comics.
Our own. The one we live in. Real pipes. Real
people. Real bathrooms. No mer-people. No
repulsors. No unstable molecules. In fact, no
fantasy or fantastic elements at all except for
the very few we introduce. Carefully. Does it
make sense? You bet. As much as the universe
outside your window does. A universe where
time passes and things change, and ...well,
you know. You live in it.
Startling.
Jim Shooter
Editor in Chief
- Daniel Jackson
- A toast to the return of Valiant!
- Posts: 38007
- Joined: Mon Jun 21, 2004 8:33:38 pm
Again man, this is your opinion. Caveat that with your statements and you are good to go. The 'You're forgetting to mention the truly good stuff...' Again, in your opinion.StarBrand wrote:That's true, but in my opinion that's an incomplete assessment. You're forgetting to mention the truly good stuff...superman-prime wrote:some is ok some is plain bad
Edit out...
How could a comic book universe be more unified than that? Brilliant.
Yes, that's my opinion. In fairness, you forgot to point out to superman-prime that's his opinion too, and I see at least one other opinion expressed in this thread with no cavaet regarding it being an opinion. The rules seemed already set.Knightt wrote:Again man, this is your opinion. Caveat that with your statements and you are good to go. The 'You're forgetting to mention the truly good stuff...' Again, in your opinion.StarBrand wrote:That's true, but in my opinion that's an incomplete assessment. You're forgetting to mention the truly good stuff...superman-prime wrote:some is ok some is plain bad
Edit out...
How could a comic book universe be more unified than that? Brilliant.
Last edited by StarBrand on Mon May 25, 2009 11:03:11 am, edited 2 times in total.
- Phoenix8008
- I don't know about a power, but I keep hearing these weird tones from the radio
- Posts: 3257
- Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2008 7:49:54 am
- Valiant fan since: 1992
- Favorite character: Aric
- Favorite title: Harbinger
- Favorite writer: Joshua Dysart
- Location: Florida, USA
I loved the New Universe. Used to have all of it and plan on picking it all up again someday. I know a certain comic shop where most of the issues are sitting in a 20 cent bin waiting on me unless someone else has taken them already. It's a long drive away though and being recently unemployed I gotta be careful with my monies. That and I've been focusing on getting all of Valiant first!
Now that I only need 17 Valiant issues to complete that collection I can start thinking about the possibility of the next things I'll collect. And I'm pretty sure it'll be the New Universe. It's kind of nice knowing there is a finite amount of stuff to get. Not like trying to collect X-Men or something.
I also loved the NewUniversal reboot that they did a year or two back. Too bad it got stuck in limbo and seems to have ended.
Now that I only need 17 Valiant issues to complete that collection I can start thinking about the possibility of the next things I'll collect. And I'm pretty sure it'll be the New Universe. It's kind of nice knowing there is a finite amount of stuff to get. Not like trying to collect X-Men or something.
I also loved the NewUniversal reboot that they did a year or two back. Too bad it got stuck in limbo and seems to have ended.
-Phoenix8008 (a.k.a. Charticus!)
Viva la Valiant!
(moderator of r/Valiant subreddit)
Viva la Valiant!
(moderator of r/Valiant subreddit)
Send me your Valiant needs list.Phoenix8008 wrote:I loved the New Universe. Used to have all of it and plan on picking it all up again someday. I know a certain comic shop where most of the issues are sitting in a 20 cent bin waiting on me unless someone else has taken them already. It's a long drive away though and being recently unemployed I gotta be careful with my monies. That and I've been focusing on getting all of Valiant first!
Now that I only need 17 Valiant issues to complete that collection I can start thinking about the possibility of the next things I'll collect. And I'm pretty sure it'll be the New Universe. It's kind of nice knowing there is a finite amount of stuff to get. Not like trying to collect X-Men or something.
I also loved the NewUniversal reboot that they did a year or two back. Too bad it got stuck in limbo and seems to have ended.
Re: Question About Reading Habits
I read all of the New universe stuff for the first 3 months. Then stuck with DP7,Nightmask and Psi Force. Loved all three. Then years later managed to get all the other series outta the 25 cent bins and enjoyed most of them.