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Ultimate DD & Elektra = Ultimate Boring

Started by delekkerste,

18 posts in this topic

delekkerste

delekkerste

Posted
Posted

Who picked up the new Ultimate Daredevil & Elektra? I just read it and boy, was this a disappointment. Again, here is a case where Marvel does not recognize that you can have too much of a good thing. The "Ultimate" line of books has been praised for being more focused on the human element than the super-hero element. I think they have gone too far though. I didn't feel like I was reading a comic book, I felt like I was watching a bad teenage melodrama on the WB network. I was left wondering whether I had picked up Ultimate DD and Elektra or Ultimate Dawson's Creek.

 

***SPOILER WARNING***!!!

 

Beyond that, I was not impressed at all by Rucka's storytelling (it's not any better than his recent lame efforts on Elektra's regular series), with the exception of the humorous exchange between Elektra, Matt and Foggy. The antagonist jerk college guy was cliched and one-dimensional beyond belief. When was the last time you saw a guy who was not drunk act this way towards beautiful girls. Give me a break.

 

I really disliked the characterization of Matt & Elektra. Matt does not play much of a role in this issue, but in the few panels where he does appear, he comes off like some Ultimate smooth, suave stud instead of the appealing mix of strength & vulnerability we have come to know and love. And I don't mind Marvel taking a stab at "ultimizing" Elektra, but this annoying teeny-bopper version left me cold.

 

I know some reviewers have gushed about the inking & coloring of Larroca's pencils on this issue, but to me, the art just had a rather undetailed, bland tone about it. In that sense, I guess it perfectly matched the bland story.

 

Any other thoughts?

 

Gene

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Darthdiesel

Darthdiesel

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Just read it Gene - after your post of course. I find that as in many arenas, we hold opposite views on this one.

 

I understand it from the view that Rucka is emulating the Ultimate Formula in revamping old Marvel characters, to gear the story, like Bendis in Ultimate Spider-Man, to a predominantly adolescent (mid high school to early college crowd )- raging hormones, cute girls, college days, a idealistic Elektra having a crush on a debonaire Matt Murdock. She has overcome adversity and familial hardship in her life. She has good roots in a dad that is obviously willing to sacrifice for her. She is physically sure of herself and yet, she is unsure of what path to take when it comes to her studies at college. Sound familiar - maybe to me about 10 years ago when I was in college. It draws you back. You wish it was you instead of Matt Murdock that she came up to and asked out. Yet some of the plot is predictable - we all know who beat up her roomate, or do we? Can't wait until next issue to find out!

 

Art was not as bad as you made it out to be.

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comicinvestor-migration

comicinvestor-migration

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So how did everyone else like Ultimate Felicity?

 

Talk about overt exposition, as basically everyone blurts out anything and everything about themselves right off the bat, and the story has absolutely no flow or plot. If this is his "best work" then Rucka is hugely over-rated as a writer.

 

Sorry, I gotta go barf now....

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comicinvestor-migration

comicinvestor-migration

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I admit, the art wasn't as bad as I thought going in, but the story and plot are laughable. Just a bunch of talking heads sittting around explaining to us the story, rather than Rucka actually showing us (using a *gasp* visual medium) what's going on.

 

Elektra: blah, blah, blah, yeah I have Ninja skills, yeah my mother died, yeah, I love Matt Murdock, yeah I hate that guy, yeah, why not come over and get some training from my sensai Stick.. blah, blah, blah.

 

Now showing at a comic store near you...

 

My Dinner with Elektra.

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Darthdiesel

Darthdiesel

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It is these types of "Ultimate Felicity" scripts that make it into the crossover media mainstream, like Smallville and Birds of Prey and at this time, I see it as a good direction for comics to be heading. You have a major Daredevil movie coming out. Why cater to a sourpuss, [!@#%^&^] about everything, MINORITY (meaning you are a few relative to the rest) audience like you and innundate the bookshelves and newstands with your idea of a good comic, which is probably trite and boring but intellectually stimulating in your opinion. When, on the other hand you could put this stuff out with mass appeal, get the Buffy/Felicity/WB/Smallville/Birds of Prey crowd into the movie and get them to plop down dollars at the box office come February 2003.

 

Regardless, we all have our opinions of how this book reads. It is obvious that you and I differ on this take about the writing. Sometimes, when I read comics, it doesn't have to be a Rice/King/Crieghton/Clancy caliber for me to enjoy it. I'm sure others here concur with that view as well.

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comicinvestor-migration

comicinvestor-migration

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Regardless, we all have our opinions of how this book reads. It is obvious that you and I differ on this take about the writing. Sometimes, when I read comics, it doesn't have to be a Rice/King/Crieghton/Clancy caliber for me to enjoy it. I'm sure others here concur with that view as well.

 

Darth, I'm not talking about writing quality here (Lord knows outside of Moore, many couldn't write their own name), but very simple concepts.

 

Let's illustrate the big mistake of "telling instead of showing"::

 

Rucka's version:

 

blah, blah, blah... my mother died, blah, blah, blah... since I was a kid.. blah, blah, blah

 

CI's version:

 

Elektra and her father say their good-byes. The old man starts to leave, then pauses and turns around. There is a tear on his cheek.

 

"Your mother... if.. only.."

"I know, Poppa, I know"

 

The two embrace.

 

Now that scene may not be classic art, but it shows us everything we need to know, and doesn't waste time with lame exposition by talking heads.

 

Rucka is pulling bush-league stuff here, and everywhere he should be showing us through visual representation, he falls back on characters just talking away, giving us all the background, character histry and plot through dialogue alone.

 

Take the "blah, blah, blah... I know ninja .. blah, blah, blah" scene; why not have Elektra's room-mate accidentally topple a glass statue from a shelf, then have Elektra catapult over and catch it in a mean show of athleticism?

 

"Wow, how did you do that?"

 

"I've had..... training"

 

Instead Elektra blabs about her abilities and training (to a total stranger!) and then shows off with a useless flip across the bed?

 

I hope this is coming across, and is probably the first lesson in remidial writing class. grin.gif

 

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comicinvestor-migration

comicinvestor-migration

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Let's just say that I'd be very interested in talking to another writer who totally disagrees with what I'm saying here. grin.gif

 

Why not ask Bronzejunkie; he can likely give us a good idea of how far a -script like Rucka's would take him.

 

"So Elektra tells her about her mother's death, then she tells her about the Ninja training, then he tells her that she love Matt, then..."

 

Boot!!

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Darthdiesel

Darthdiesel

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that same premise got rucka writing on his own Ultimate Series, which I believe bronzejunkie or joanna would love to have that gig.

 

I don't totally disagree that this -script could use improvement. I just think it was not as bad/boring as Gene puts it.

 

Just for the past few posts, I hope to God that Rucka is tasked with Ultimate Thanos and writes an Ultimate Gauntlet crossover to spite your curmudgeonly self tongue.gif

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lighthouse

lighthouse

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Ooohhh... Ultimate Infinity... that sounds good... I bet I could get $50 for the 9.8's the first month they came out...

 

Oh, wait... was I actually typing?... I thought I was just thinking that... Move along.. nothing to see here... not the droids you are looking for...

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comicinvestor-migration

comicinvestor-migration

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that same premise got rucka writing on his own Ultimate Series

 

I totally disagree with this Darth, as I've read some Rucka stuff that demonstrate to me he knows how to write, but that he simply mailed in his performance for the Ultimate Elektra/DD -script.

 

Maybe he's busy with other projects and didn't have the time?

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