Mark Millar

[Guest brokentusk16]

Everybody and their mom has an opinion on Millar. What's yours?

 

Personally, I like most of the stories he puts out. Reread: most. However, I think he's just trying too hard to shock everyone. Like with the Ultimate War mini coming out. He's already hyped this thing up as the best comic of the year. He says that the events of the book will have a major impact on the ultimate titles. First off, we're still learning about the Ultimate titles. Spidey just hit #25 a month ago, X-Men isn't even at that. How can you shake up a continuity that's still establishing itself?

 

The main problem I have with Millar is the fact that his books can't get out on time. Ultimates has been struggling for the last 4 months and now X-Men is showing similar symptoms. Now, I don't know if it's Millar or Hitch's fault, but there's NO excuse for putting a book out over a MONTH late! If the artist isn't enough of a professional to get it done on time, then get another artist. Simple as that.

[Guest areacode212]

I have a feeling it's Hitch's fault, just because he's hasn't lasted on any title for very long (at least since I've been keeping track of him). There's gotta be something to that. I wish it would come out more often, but I collect so many titles that its lateness doesn't bother me that much. I usually have more than enough to read in a given month. I think Millar's violent world in The Ultimates contrasts well with Hitch's pretty art, so I'm willing to let him to take his time.

 

As for Millar himself, I really enjoy The Ultimates, but I didn't care a whole lot for the few Authority issues I've read of his. And I still have yet to pick up the Ultimate X-Men TPBs like I've promised myself, so I have no idea what he's doing in that title.

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

I have really only read Ultimate X-Men from him, and I have enjoyed them far more than any mainstream X-Titles recently. The Return to Weapon X storyline was fantastic, and I love the fact his characters have more of a human side to them.

 

As far as Millar's personality, I could really care less as long as he continues to write well.

[Guest BA_Baracus]

Uhm...Mark who?

 

Yeah, I know the name...but I have no opinion on him.

 

I haven't read more than a few isolated Marvel comics in years.

[Guest starvenger]

Personally, I love the Ultimates, but I really haven't gotten into any of Millar's other works. I don't like the fact that it's gotten progressively late and you gotta think that the holdup is Hitch's pencilling. I love his art, but drawing at an Image-level pace just doesn't cut it when you're on a Marvel book.

 

So, bottom line is that I read one of Millar's books but I won't go out of my way to buy something he wrote, but I don't think he's a bottom shelf writer like the Friends of BOB~!

[Guest HellSpawn]

I dont have any Millar books, but Im curious about this new (mini?) serie is coming soon...

 

Ultimates VS Ultimate X.Men

 

I read an article on Wizard and it looks like a good pick. Chris Bachalo and Mark Millar, I love Bachalo's art.

 

So, what do you think? it'll be worthy?

[Guest starvenger]

Well, considering that Millar writes both Ultimate X-Man and Ultimates, you know that he's got a handle on the characters, so I don't expect the story to be bad. It may not be great, but it won't outright suck.

 

The big question mark is Bachalo. His art varies depending on how motivated he is. Look at the two Death LS and X-Men Unlimited #1- that stuff was pretty good. But if you followed his stuff in Generation X, you'll notice that it starts getting worse as time goes on. That's not the kind of art I want to see.

 

Anyways, I'll give it a couple of issues, and if I don't like it, I'll drop it.

[Guest brokentusk16]

I think that Ultimate War will be a good series. Whether it will come out on time or not is the real question, given Millar's track record over the past six months.

 

Bachalo's art does concern me. He used to be sooo good in early Generation X. If he could capture that same feel for War, then I believe that Millar's claims of this being "best book of the year" may be true. All up to Chris, I guess.

 

Ultimate X-Men has actually been a very good series. The first six issues were good, the"Return to Weapon X" storyline was great, and the Proteus arc was good too (the first time I've really liked Proteus as a villain). If you haven't read the book before, I do recommend picking up one of the TPB's.

[Guest Sassquatch]

I'll assume that this thread was started due to my comment from the Dark Knight thread.

 

Millar writes for shock value, plain and simple. Shock value writers are just like they sound. They can maintain a couple issues of non-stop action with a little comedy/romance/suspense thrown involve. But the style gets old very quickly. The writer has now shot his load with the BIG climax and has no real build-up to the story he/she is trying to tell. Quick and dirty is what the results of the build-up are and by the next story arc, everything is either forgotten or never mentioned again. There are no long-term results that have occurred from the story and in the end the story was like a getting a blowjob from some chick and then moving on after you have shot your wad.

 

Millar feels that every story he writes must have big explosions and gore all around. This might all look great on paper and might lead some fanboys to get a chubby from the destruction but after the story has wrapped up, it does not mean anything and has no lingering affects from the story. Millar does not show the consequences or results from his massive war and all we know is that there were some causalities and a big fight. Why should people care about the battle then if it heeds no actual standing results? It's all for naught and is throwaway in the long run after everything is said and done.

 

Millar's attitude in regards to his work is also a factor that is shown in his work. Millar feels that his work his so great that he does not have to change-up his cookie cutter style of writing. The man honestly believes that his shit doesn’t stink and while a lot of people might agree with that assessment, there are other people that would be willing to beg differently. Millar became big at a time when the industry was in creative limbo and when Millar burst onto the scene with his work with the Authority, the fans ate it up. Millar was different from most of the writers out there at the time and combine that with the fans apathy or disgust with the product in 1999/2000, then the perfect stage is set for the man to receive the critic blowjob from fans and critics alike. Millar showed promise when he first started out and many people (myself included) thought that he would grow as a writer and be able to change up his style whenever he would want/need to.

 

Millar does big battles and gore very well if you have not read a lot of his work like I have. But now it is all masturbatory because if you have read his work on the Authority, then you can figure out how an Ultimate X-men or/and Ultimates story will build-up and end. Reading a Millar book is like watching Gone In 60 Seconds and coming. You watch the movie, some cool things happen and then the movie is over. As you leave the theater, you go back and think of the movie like what your favorite part was or whom you thought did the best job as their character. But when you get home, there are two things that will happen to you and this is where the analogy to Millar comes in:

 

1. You will continue to reflect on the movie after it ended and it will stick in your mind for an amount of time.

 

Or...

 

2. You will forget about the movie after everything is said and done and you will move on with the fact that you blew 2 hours at a theatre and got your money's worth.

 

Millar writes a shock style book that will get fans talking about it but in the long run, it's a throwaway that will be replaced with another installment from another Millar story with big fights and needless gore. Rinse, lather and repeat. His books don't make you stop and think about what he just wrote and that is what makes someone a good writer. Someone who can leave a meaningful and lasting impression as a writer is what helpes someone is remembered 10 years down the road.

 

Of course people still remember Rob Liesfeld and Toad McFucker but that's because they have outstayed their welcome and won't go away because they refuse to take a hint.

[Guest brokentusk16]

Actually, Sassquatch, I started this thread just to address the current feelings about Millar that have been heating recently.

 

I had never read any of Millar's work previous to his involvement in the ultimate line, so on those topics I can't comment. However, I can talk about his work in Marvel. At first, I thought that X-Men was a good book, I still do. I enjoy reading it every month. When Ultimates came out, I started to see more of the shock factor you talked about. By issue #5, I found myself hating most of the Ultimates characters. Then #6 split me. It seemed like half the team were in for the right reasons (Cap, Thor, Stark), while the others were either in it for selfish reasons or were just unbalanced to begin with (Pym, Banner). How will the book go from here? Only Millar knows for sure. I'll keep buying the books, but I won't be sending a subscription in any time soon.

 

Is Millar my favorite writer? No. Does he make my favorite titles? Far from it. Do I like his titles? For the majority, yes. The Ultimate War presents Millar with an opportunity. What will he do with it? I guess we'll have to wait another few months to see.

[Guest Sassquatch]

Jemas and Quesada pushing for the Ultimates and Ultimate X-Men crossover right now is too early into their runs. It just comes off as a cheapened way to earn some extra cash, which does not mean that the book will be good.

 

Since Millar is writing the book I won't go into the book with too high of expectations which a lot of people that I have spoken to seem to be doing.

 

But hey, that's today's comic book industry for you. Quick and dirty.