Planetary - Ellis, Cassady

[Doktor]

I always read it as a Ellis' love-letter to 20th century fiction in general. It hit everything:

 

John Woo Hong Kong Cinema

50's American sci-fi

Japanese monster movies

Golden, Silver & Modern-age American superhero comics

The 80's/90's Vertigo books

Early 20th century literature

70's Kubrick sci-fi

Theoretical physics (which, to a degree, is almost the most science-fiction-y type stuff in there because it's potentially fiction but totally science)

 

And then he threw it in a blender set on "purée" & poured it out over a decade. It was a through-the-decades journey of 20th century fiction that was both blended & separate at different times.

[chrisco37]

I always read it as a Ellis' love-letter to 20th century fiction in general. It hit everything:

 

John Woo Hong Kong Cinema

50's American sci-fi

Japanese monster movies

Golden, Silver & Modern-age American superhero comics

The 80's/90's Vertigo books

Early 20th century literature

70's Kubrick sci-fi

Theoretical physics (which, to a degree, is almost the most science-fiction-y type stuff in there because it's potentially fiction but totally science)

 

And then he threw it in a blender set on "purée" & poured it out over a decade. It was a through-the-decades journey of 20th century fiction that was both blended & separate at different times.

 

I like that description. (thumbs u

[Waylander]

I will just say this...

 

 

 

Planetary ROCKS

 

 

If you have not read it - then you're in for a treat.

 

If you have read it - it's well worth re-reading.

 

 

 

 

I am a bit of a fan - I have the hardback graphic novels (1 and 2) signed by Ellis and remarked by Cassady

[Vikingreed]

So, I came home to a box full of goodies!

 

Both Authority and Stormwatch TPBs!

 

Woo woooooooo!

[Vikingreed]

I always read it as a Ellis' love-letter to 20th century fiction in general. It hit everything:

 

John Woo Hong Kong Cinema

50's American sci-fi

Japanese monster movies

Golden, Silver & Modern-age American superhero comics

The 80's/90's Vertigo books

Early 20th century literature

70's Kubrick sci-fi

Theoretical physics (which, to a degree, is almost the most science-fiction-y type stuff in there because it's potentially fiction but totally science)

 

And then he threw it in a blender set on "purée" & poured it out over a decade. It was a through-the-decades journey of 20th century fiction that was both blended & separate at different times.

 

+1

This is spot on.

[artistlost]

Just wondered how to tell the difference between the 1st and 2nd prints of the Absolute Planetary Volume 1 without having to open the book?

 

Thanks!

[seanfingh]

Don't disservice yourself by not getting those last issues of the original run that he did. He introduced Jenny Sparks, Rose Tattoo, and Jack Hawksmoor in those issues. I really liked Raney's art on the book too.

 

I spent long time looking for a 9.8 Stormwatch 37. Never happened.

 

Raney is at Motor City. I hope to be posting the first SS Stormwatch 37 in here in a couple of months.

[jjeanius]

I just recently re-read Planetary, and I'm working my way through Stormwatch/Authority again (currently through Stormwatch 46). For all of the complaints that are made when a book runs late, I think this is an excellent argument for quality over deadlines:

 

When all is said and done, I'd much prefer a series like Planetary (which had one of the most erratic publication schedules ever) over Stormwatch/Authority (which came out on time, but constantly had artist changes and was very inconsistent in overall quality).

 

Planetary is consistently excellent from start to finish, with the same creator team for the whole ride. Stormwatch/Authority had some truly bright moments (most notably, the Ellis/Hitch and Millar/Quitely runs), and also some extremely low points as well (especially the very early issues by Ellis/Raney, where Ellis didn't seem to know exactly where he was going at first, and Raney's art is so painfully horrible that I am constantly pulled out of the story by ridiculously inaccurate foreshortening and anatomical impossibility (ah, the 90's! But, hey...on the bright side, if I need a drawing of a really large thumb, I know where to look!). Granted - when Ellis took over, Stormwatch was just another example of horrible 90's drek - so it's amazing what he was ultimately able to accomplish with the book in the long run - but 37-46 are NOT. GOOD.

[Real Elijah Snow]

#37 through #46 are fantastic.

[seanfingh]

 

The introduction of Jack Hawksmoor, Rose Tattoo and Jennie Sparks, the Weatherman going batshirt crazy, and leading up to the battle Royale against the The Changers. Not good?

 

via Imgflip Meme Maker

[the authority]

I'm with the baby.

[jjeanius]

Sure, introduction of Jack, Rose, and Jennie (particularly Jennie) is all well and good (and Weatherman hasn't gone crazy yet), but 37-46 read just like any other '90s team book up until this point (for the most part). The art just makes it so much worse.

 

There are a few nuggets here and there, and a few small signs of what is to come, but this 10-issue run would not stand on its own outside of the context of everything that follows.