#they are what Marc cares about more than what the studio cares about. the thematic interests are all Marc Webb.

[james-stark-the-writer]

the difference between the fourth wall breaks of something like the Deadpool movies compared to something like Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn and She-Hulk: Attorney At Law is that every joke in Deadpool feels masturbatory like the writers think they're so hilarious for doing a fourth wall break like that's never been done before whereas both of the other two not only feel right at home with the characters' personalities but are much more natural and much more well done compared to the jokes in Deadpool or its sequel. (do not get me started on Deadpool 2, the movie sucks ass in basically every way except for the characters of Domino and Yukio. every single joke in it was outdated before it was even written. they were making fucking dubstep jokes in 2018. it was a 2012-ass script made way too late and riding on the coattails of the first with even less effort into being actually good.)

but the difference between those properties is that Deadpool wants to be congratulated for being some insanely crazy shocking movie that's pissing off the studio system or whatever but every single joke in it was approved by those people because it makes them money like it's so antithetical to the entire point they're trying to make and it makes for a very infuriating watching experience sometimes. the cognitive dissonance is hard to swallow with that one. but the way BOPATFEOOHQ and She-Hulk do their bits feels so much more authentic and less self-congratulatory and also just like they're clearly done with so much more passion and effort and care? when I watch either of the Deadpool movies, I feel like I'm watching a bunch of executives jerking themselves off. when I watch the other two, I feel like I'm watching a passion project that the executives clearly didn't give a shit about and thus the creative team were actually allowed genuine creative freedom with not a lot of oversight. that's a little less true with She-Hulk (especially in terms of that glorious finale although even that feels more authentic and artist-driven than most things in either Deadpool movie. Kevin Feige's boring, sanitized ass does not have the range to do that finale) being a MCU property although Phase 4 was so fucking experimental and it was a joy to behold even if not everything hit but it's still true and more authentic for the most part. with Deadpool it feels like the only person who really really cared about it was Ryan and like maybe a few of the other actors who actually did do commendable work with what they were given but with the other two projects, it feels way more collaborative because every single person showed up and cared deeply about what they were making.

(this is an addition to the tags bc I ran out [apparently i forgot there was a 30 tag limit] but. anyway the point is. Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn is a phenomenal movie in basically every single way and you should watch it.)

#James talks #sorry I just wanna scream about how much I love BOPATFEOOHQ again #the first CBM since 2014's The Amazing Spider-Man 2 that felt more like the voice of artists than the voice of a studio. #I love Shazam but even that felt like it was a little studio driven instead of being a David F. Sandberg movie. #like BOPATFEOOHQ feels artist driven the same way The Batman does and the TASM movies do. #not to derail this tag rant but the TASM movies are Marc Webb movies through and through. #yes they have Sony's grubby hands on them with the product placement and shit but they are inseparable from Marc's vision #they are what Marc cares about more than what the studio cares about. the thematic interests are all Marc Webb. #anyway point is: more art like BOPATFEOOHQ bc it actually cares and less shit like Deadpool that is just pointing and laughing. #Deadpool feels like it's laughing at the concept of superhero media and it's a horrible boring deconstruction of it bc it doesn't get it. #it feels bad to the psyche the same way those meme disney show record scratches do— #like 'my life is kinda crazy' but it's 'ironic' now so it's 'funny'. #'see it's funny bc they're self-aware!' okay but what are they doing by being self aware??? #I'm not saying every piece of art has to be some profound exploration of whatever but Deadpool feels bad to watch in a way the others don't #BOPATFEOOHQ is actually fucking commenting on something using its gags! #the fucking 'they call her... the crossbow killer gag' is actually thematically relevant!! women telling their own stories!! #a subversive joke actually playing into the themes of the project!! imagine that! care ajf effort put into saying something!! #anyway Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn is phenomenal. #genuinely one of the greatest CBMs out there. also just a phenomenal time. even tho Parasite is a better movie overall #— BOPATFEOOHQ was my favorite movie of 2020. #some of the best action around with a great script with amazing pacing and phenomenal acting and a great score and soundtrack!! #literally nothing more to ask for. #one of my usual criteria for evaluating how good a piece of art is how much I'd add to it to help it do what it was trying to do. #like not cutting anything from it unless absolutely absolutely necessary. just adding like maybe 10-15 minutes to the runtime and— #helping maybe a few weaker elements shine more. with BOPATFEOOHQ the only change I'd make is to have more of the characters. #let us see more of Cassandra and Black Canary. more of their inner lives and backstories. #Christina Hodson tells us their stories with great efficiency and it's done really well but visually I'd just like to do more with them. #give them each maybe a 2-3 minute scene with what their daily routine is like. #maybe explore Canary's history with her mother more. see how it ties into the GCPD more effectively. #maybe actually see Cassandra's parents and how she deals with them daily instead of hearing about it from her hiding outside

[comiconverse]

Review: Guardians of the Galaxy: Dream On #1

Marvel is once again loading up on their Guardians of the Galaxy library in anticipation of the highly anticipated forthcoming film.  Guardians of the Galaxy: Dream On #1 may be one of the most satisfying Guardians books since Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning’s seminal run.

Review: Guardians of the Galaxy: Dream On #1

Ever since the success of the 2014 Marvel Studios film, Guardians of the Galaxy, this rather obscure Marvel Comics property has been put on the map like no one ever dreamed possible. Now there are countless Guardians comic books lining shelves, endless rows of merchandise, and a big budget film sequel. It’s a dream come true for a select group of fan who loved these characters prior to 2014.

And the dream keeps on dreaming on.

Recently Marvel Comics released yet another Guardians of the Galaxy comic book, a one-shot self contained story titled: Dream On. Written by comic veteran Marc Sumerak and penciled and colored by the wonderful duo of Andrea Di Vito and Laura Villari. And as a bonus Marvel has included a reprint of Guardians of the Galaxy #1 from June 1990 written and drawn by Jim Valentino.

It’s a double sized book at Marvel’s regular $3.99 price tag.

Dream On tells a quick a tale of the current Guardians of the Galaxy team captured by the freelance peacekeeping agent Death’s Head. The mechanoid bounty hunter has successfully subdued the Guardians, connecting them to a machine that lets them experience their wildest dreams and fantasies in very lifelike simulations. The Guardians soon realize that this perfect reality isn’t all it seems and free themselves from the dream machine. It becomes a head to “Death’s” head fight between the Guardians and the bounty hunter, winner take all.

In the tradition of classic comic books, Dream On is merely a quick one-off story about the Guardians. A filler issue from the days of old. It’s a solo story unaffiliated with current story arcs or continuity. Writer Marc Sumerak delivers a story thematically identical to the second feature story from last year’s Guardians of Infinity #2. Where that story was good, Sumerak’s story soars. And the devil is in the details.

The book opens with Drax‘s dreamworld. In the fantasy Drax fulfills his purpose and destroys Thanos. Then he goes on to be a successful musician playing the saxophone. Drax playing the sax is a fairly deep cut from Warlock and the Infinity Watch issues 12 and 13. As written by Jim Starlin, before becoming Drax the Destroyer, Arthur Douglas was a talented saxophonist. It’s an obscure detail for sure, but it lends an amount of credence to the writer and the story.

Credit: Marvel Comics

The scene is followed with a tiny panel featuring the character Bug, a Guardian of the Galaxy from Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning‘s run. Sumerak even nails Bug’s peculiar speech pattern. Also speaking of peculiar speech patterns, Sumerak flawlessly executes Death’s Head’s voice as well, a unique and endearing quality of the bounty hunter’s. If Death’s Head didn’t speak the way he does, he wouldn’t be Death’s Head, yes?

Again, these are little details and obscure character facts. But added all up it shows the level of research and care Marc Sumerak has taken in writing this story. And this is just some one-shot special, not even in the core Guardians title. In the hands of a lesser writer this could’ve easily been a forgettable and shameless money grab from Marvel.

As it is, this single story was perhaps the most enjoyable Guardians book Marvel has published in the last five years, outside of Dan Abnett’s Guardians books. And this issue is perhaps more true to the characters than any issue has been in the last few years. If this is Marc Sumerak just doing a Guardians story for the fun of it, I’d love to see what he could do with a Guardians or Death’s Head ongoing title. After this one issue I trust him with these characters I’ve followed over the years.

As for the artwork, this book couldn’t look better. Andrea Di Vito and Laura Villari are no strangers to the Guardians of the Galaxy and Marvel’s cosmic heroes. The duo are responsible for the gorgeous art of Annihilation, ten issues of Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning’s Nova, Stormbreaker: the Saga of Beta Ray Bill, and more.

Just like Marc Sumerak’s writing, Di Vito fills the panels of this book with characters and details to keep your eyes scanning. From obvious cameos like Adam Warlock, Richard Rider, and Charlie 27 to more subtle easter eggs like Phyla-Vell, Moondragon, Cosmo, and Mantis. Di Vito provides plenty to feast one’s eyes upon, especially if you’re a Marvel cosmic fan.

Each of the Guardians look incredible. Drax and Gamora especially have a quality about them in the artistic rendering that channels the intensity of characters. This is the Drax who could rip Thanos’ heart out. This is the Gamora who is the deadliest woman in the universe. But of all the characters in this book, Death’s Head stands as the most imposing and impressive.

Credit: Marvel Comics

All in all, this is the kind of Guardians of the Galaxy book I want more of.

And to top it all off there is a bonus reprinting of Guardians of the Galaxy #1 from 1990. Written and drawn by one of the authorities on the Guardians of the Galaxy, Jim Valentino, the issue showcases the original team from the future. Vance Astro, Charlie 27, Martinex, Nikki, Starhawk, Aleta, and Yondu are locked in an intense and action heavy story. It is also the first appearance of the villain Taserface, a favorite of director James Gunn.

If you haven’t yet acquainted yourself with these wonderful classic characters, here’s another chance.

So if you’re thinking Guardians of the Galaxy: Dream On is just another attempt by Marvel to cash in on the buzz around the forthcoming movie… you’re probably right. But even so, this book has top shelf art and treats the characters with respect and love.

Don’t pass on it.

Mitch Nissen is a Contributor to ComiConverse. Follow him on Twitter: @NinjaMitche

The post Review: Guardians of the Galaxy: Dream On #1 appeared first on ComiConverse.