WANTED??? Please post some info or SPOILERS

[Jgel]

I have not bought or read any moders, but this book is getter great reviews. What is this about??? Is it worth reading?

[Kevin Boyd]

It's about the son of a murdered super-villain inheriting his father's role in a secret hierarchy of super-villains that rule the world. Years before the villains defeated all of the heroes and now can do whatever they want (including going to other dimensions and killing heroes there).

 

Most of the world, including the lead character (until #1) are blissfully ignorant of who their real masters are.

 

Anyway, as the series progresses you learn that the villains carved up the world into respective zones to rule... some of them feel they got the short end of the stick and now, years later, are making up for it.

 

It's a fun read, not for kids. Rumors swirl that Eminem may play the lead in a movie based on the series.

[rob_react]

Here's some old hype:

 

NEWSARAMA - CSN @ NEWSARAMA: WANTED'S MAN - MARK MILLAR ON WANTED

 

I love the series personally. It's Millar unfettered, with all that entails...

[Jgel]

Who are the Villians?

[Kevin Boyd]

Villains are all new characters created by Millar.

[Edian]

Villains are all new characters created by Millar.

 

But those villans make references to DC heroes, remember the cape on the issue #2?, and Wesley say: something about a man of steel and a dark-night detectives in issue 3.

[chrisco37]

Villains are all new characters created by Millar.

 

But those villans make references to DC heroes, remember the cape on the issue #2?, and Wesley say: something about a man of steel and a dark-night detectives in issue 3.

 

There are also other characters as well. The last panel of page 2, Issue #3 shows Wesley falling from the sky, shooting a hero in the face. That hero is, unquestionably, Miracleman.

[Kevin Boyd]

Boy, you guys are no fun.

 

George Perez often draws characters from other companies into his books. Just because JG Jones likes to draw Miracleman into the book doesn't mean it's an intentional crossover.

 

How many superhero universes have we seen lately with an all-powerful main hero and a darkly dressed brilliant detective...? I can't think of one that doesn't!

 

Kev

[chrisco37]

Just because JG Jones likes to draw Miracleman into the book doesn't mean it's an intentional crossover.

 

In some cases, yes, you are right. But, Wanted "implies" an awful lot.

 

As far as this page goes, I know it's Miracleman. I own the page and have talked to Jeff about it.

[Kevin Boyd]

As far as this page goes, I know it's Miracleman. I own the page and have talked to Jeff about it.

 

I know that Jeff decided to draw Miracleman... Steve Rude used to draw Space Ghost and/or Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock into Nexus crowd scenes. Alex Ross used Marvel characters in various scenes throughout Kingdom Come. Both of them meant to use those characters, "implying" a crossover and hoping whoever owns those characters just won't care.

 

(If you are going to use a character, Miracleman is a good one, since who is going to do anything at a time when the rights are being still contested?)

 

Since Wanted doesn't qualify as a parody it can lead to trouble if the rights to Miracleman ever get cleaned up and Top Cow wants to reprint the eventual Wanted TPB. If the rights holder ever found out (and actually cared), reprintings could be held up until the matter is settled legally. If it is, Top Cow will either have to "cease and desist" and have the art adjusted so it's not exactly Miracleman or pay the rights holder for using the character.

 

That's why most of the time they will adjust the character art in advance so that it isn't exactly Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man or whoever.

 

There's a villain who very closely resembles Bizarro in Wanted. They've changed his look and his costume enough and he's a new character that is supposed to remind the reader that this is the "Bizarro" to this universe's "Superman"... it's kind of like Dragnet "the names have been changed to protect"... the publisher from a lawsuit.

 

Now if that Bizarro-like character is used in say, a Wanted movie, then DC's lawyers will come looking because it's too close to the real thing and infringes on their licensing rights for Bizarro merchandise...

[chrisco37]

Good explanation, Kev.

 

Since Wanted doesn't qualify as a parody it can lead to trouble if the rights to Miracleman ever get cleaned up and Top Cow wants to reprint the eventual Wanted TPB. If the rights holder ever found out (and actually cared), reprintings could be held up until the matter is settled legally. If it is, Top Cow will either have to "cease and desist" and have the art adjusted so it's not exactly Miracleman or pay the rights holder for using the character.

 

So, they would have to change (maybe) the color of the "Superman" cape at the end of issue #2?

[Kevin Boyd]

Probably not because a red cape isn't unique on it's own. DC doesn't own the exclusive rights to guys with red capes. An undamagad red cape does imply Superman but it's not unique enough to say it is Superman.

 

However, to have a picture of a white guy with dark hair in a blue suit with a red cape flying with super strength and invulnerability and you are treading on dangerous territory because the character is essentially Superman, even if you change his insignia. You would have to do significantly more to make the character unique.

 

Take Thor for example. White guy... blue suit... red cape... super strong... he can fly... but they altered the mix by adding blonde hair, a helmet, a big hammer that shoots lightning and weird looking boots, mix in a little norse mythology... voila... original character.