Warren Ellis- Stormwatch/The Authority 0

[rob_react]

Why do you think he left the series after that? He wanted to just go as hard as he could & then walk away.

 

I have never read what Ellis' take was, but that has been my impression. I really liked Millar's arc too, but it did feel like a letdown.

 

I remember him saying that, with the exception of Authority: Widescreen (which never was released or finished because of 9/11), he had said all he needed to about the natural evolution of superheroes with StormWatch/Authority, or something to that effect.

 

I don't disagree but I was so disappointed when it was over. I never read much of either series after Millar's run. Any of the later series that you guys would suggest picking up ?

 

Brubaker's Authority: Revolution (which was essentially Vol 3) was quite good but not quite on the level of Millar or definitely Ellis. But it was MUCH better than Vol 2 (which was, IMO, atrocious)

 

Truth on both points. Brubaker did some good work and Dustin Nguyen's art was awesome. Vol. 2 is best ignored.

[the authority]

Why do you think he left the series after that? He wanted to just go as hard as he could & then walk away.

 

I have never read what Ellis' take was, but that has been my impression. I really liked Millar's arc too, but it did feel like a letdown.

 

I remember him saying that, with the exception of Authority: Widescreen (which never was released or finished because of 9/11), he had said all he needed to about the natural evolution of superheroes with StormWatch/Authority, or something to that effect.

 

I don't disagree but I was so disappointed when it was over. I never read much of either series after Millar's run. Any of the later series that you guys would suggest picking up ?

 

Brubaker's Authority: Revolution (which was essentially Vol 3) was quite good but not quite on the level of Millar or definitely Ellis. But it was MUCH better than Vol 2 (which was, IMO, atrocious)

 

Truth on both points. Brubaker did some good work and Dustin Nguyen's art was awesome. Vol. 2 is best ignored.

 

I knew about vol. 2. I guess I got spoiled because even though I hated Ellis, Hitch, and Neary leaving the book, I enjoyed Millar and Quitely immensely. Vol. 2 ruined it for me and made me realize that as great as the characters were, some people just didn't get them.

[rob_react]

Volume 2 was weird. The book, in volume 1, had 4 (5 if you count Art Adams) of the top guys working in the industry. Superstars. Vol 2? I honestly can't even remember the creative team. AND, they didn't understand the characters. So weird.

[seanfingh]

Volume 2 was weird. The book, in volume 1, had 4 (5 if you count Art Adams) of the top guys working in the industry. Superstars. Vol 2? I honestly can't even remember the creative team. AND, they didn't understand the characters. So weird.

 

The worst part of all, for me, was that it showed up in my pull-box, and from the cover, I thought it was a Grant Morrison -script. Which it absolutely wasn't. All I remember is some alternate universe time jump dystopian claptrap.

[the authority]

Volume 2 was weird. The book, in volume 1, had 4 (5 if you count Art Adams) of the top guys working in the industry. Superstars. Vol 2? I honestly can't even remember the creative team. AND, they didn't understand the characters. So weird.

 

The worst part of all, for me, was that it showed up in my pull-box, and from the cover, I thought it was a Grant Morrison -script. Which it absolutely wasn't. All I remember is some alternate universe time jump dystopian claptrap.

 

Exactly. Wrong Morrison.

[Doktor]

I knew about vol. 2. I guess I got spoiled because even though I hated Ellis, Hitch, and Neary leaving the book, I enjoyed Millar and Quitely immensely. Vol. 2 ruined it for me and made me realize that as great as the characters were, some people just didn't get them.

 

It was mostly because DC essentially gutted the book by editorial fiat. They screwed with Millar's run badly (that's why 3-4 issues in the middle of Millar's run were done by Tom Peyer), including outright re-writing some of his scripts. They cancelled Azzarello's run entirely that was scheduled to follow up starting at issue 30.

 

Paul Levitz went wildly out of his way to absolutely destroy this title because he absolutely hated the title. He saw it as something that made the Justice League look bad (it did). And was furious that the Midnighter/Apollo analogues to Batman/Superman not only being gay but also becoming more popular than actual Batman/Superman at the time was completely unacceptable. And that DC owned the "gay Batman & Superman" was equally unacceptable. Levitz had a serious mad-on for this book & made no bones about it. (It's the reason Millar refused to work for DC for over a decade even though they made multiple attempts to steal him away during the height of his Marvel popularity)

 

The result was Volume 2 with a shill writer that would write generic c-level superhero comics that would keep DC Comics happy & Levitz THOUGHT would be "good enough" to keep Authority fans happy too. (Sorry, but Levitz wouldn't be able to know what a really good story was if it hit him in the skull with a baseball bat)

[JTLarsen]

No other series is as underrated compared to how hugely seminal it was. Less highbrow than Watchmen, like Watchmen it both changed comics but was never equaled in what it did. I re-read it regularly.

[rob_react]

No other series is as underrated compared to how hugely seminal it was. Less highbrow than Watchmen, like Watchmen it both changed comics but was never equaled in what it did. I re-read it regularly.

 

Great point. In the broadest pop cultures sense it's not a lot of steps (and a straight line) from The Authority to The Ultimates to The Avengers movie and in comics, forget it- the comic influence was dramatic and far-reaching.

[Point Five]

I read the two Volume 1 TPBs and enjoyed them. Are there any Authority titles/stories you guys recommend other than Vol 1?

 

 

[seanfingh]

I read the two Volume 1 TPBs and enjoyed them. Are there any Authority titles/stories you guys recommend other than Vol 1?

 

 

Stormwatch 37-50. It is amazeballs. 48-50 was the first Ellis work I ever read (I am pretty sure). I went back and got all the Stormwatch books and then was ready to devour Vol.1.

[Doktor]

The 2 Vol 1 TPBS were only the 12-issue Ellis run & the beginning of Millar. There's the whole Millar run as well. I think there were 4 TPBS for all of Vol 1.

 

Authority: Relentless

Authority: Under New Management

Authority: Earth Inferno & Other Stories

Authority: Transfer of Power

 

But it skipped a couple issues (including a few of the issues written by Peyer & the one that was a "back-door pilot" for The Monarchy spinoff title)

 

Vol 3 was done as

Authority: Revolution Vol 1 & Vol 2

 

Plus as SeanFingh noted, Stormwatch (Vol 1) 37-50 & Stormwatch (vol 2) 1-12 and the Wildcats/Aliens crossover (seriously, it's SUPER important for the evolution of Stormwatch into the Authority)

Edited April 10, 2015 by Doktor

[Point Five]

I read the two Volume 1 TPBs and enjoyed them. Are there any Authority titles/stories you guys recommend other than Vol 1?

 

 

Stormwatch 37-50. It is amazeballs. 48-50 was the first Ellis work I ever read (I am pretty sure). I went back and got all the Stormwatch books and then was ready to devour Vol.1.

(thumbs u

 

 

[Point Five]

The 2 Vol 1 TPBS were only the 12-issue Ellis run & the beginning of Millar. There's the whole Millar run as well. I think there were 4 TPBS for all of Vol 1.

 

Authority: Relentless

Authority: Under New Management

Authority: Earth Inferno & Other Stories

Authority: Transfer of Power

 

But it skipped a couple issues (including a few of the issues written by Peyer & the one that was a "back-door pilot" for The Monarchy spinoff title)

 

Vol 3 was done as

Authority: Revolution Vol 1 & Vol 2

 

Plus as SeanFingh noted, Stormwatch (Vol 1) 37-50 & Stormwatch (vol 2) 1-12 and the Wildcats/Aliens crossover (seriously, it's SUPER important for the evolution of Stormwatch into the Authority)

We are using different TPB numbering. I've read ALL of Volume 1 (two oversized TPBs in the current print), which encompasses everything through Transfer of Power.

 

Is there stuff after that worth seeking out?

 

 

[rob_react]

 

Plus as SeanFingh noted, Stormwatch (Vol 1) 37-50 & Stormwatch (vol 2) 1-12 and the Wildcats/Aliens crossover (seriously, it's SUPER important for the evolution of Stormwatch into the Authority)

 

Yeah, these books are where they put together the blueprint for what will be in The Authority (Stormwatch 37 intros Jenny Sparks and Jack Hawksmoor) Plus, Rose Tattoo! Plus... it's awesome to see Ellis mold the title to his will. He starts with one thing (Stormwatch as it had been) and ends up with something very different (eventually, The Authority) The journey is just phenomenal. The Authority is a more polished vision of what he wanted to say about superheros, but the Stormwatch stuff is mad science.

Edited April 10, 2015 by rob_react

[rob_react]

The 2 Vol 1 TPBS were only the 12-issue Ellis run & the beginning of Millar. There's the whole Millar run as well. I think there were 4 TPBS for all of Vol 1.

 

Authority: Relentless

Authority: Under New Management

Authority: Earth Inferno & Other Stories

Authority: Transfer of Power

 

But it skipped a couple issues (including a few of the issues written by Peyer & the one that was a "back-door pilot" for The Monarchy spinoff title)

 

Vol 3 was done as

Authority: Revolution Vol 1 & Vol 2

 

Plus as SeanFingh noted, Stormwatch (Vol 1) 37-50 & Stormwatch (vol 2) 1-12 and the Wildcats/Aliens crossover (seriously, it's SUPER important for the evolution of Stormwatch into the Authority)

We are using different TPB numbering. I've read ALL of Volume 1 (two oversized TPBs in the current print), which encompasses everything through Transfer of Power.

 

Is there stuff after that worth seeking out?

 

 

The Brubaker/Nguyen run (vol. 3/Revolutions) was pretty good.

[the authority]

 

Plus as SeanFingh noted, Stormwatch (Vol 1) 37-50 & Stormwatch (vol 2) 1-12 and the Wildcats/Aliens crossover (seriously, it's SUPER important for the evolution of Stormwatch into the Authority)

 

Yeah, these books are where they put together the blueprint for what will be in The Authority (Stormwatch 37 intros Jenny Sparks and Jack Hawksmoor) Plus, Rose Tattoo! Plus... it's awesome to see Ellis mold the title to his will. He starts with one thing (Stormwatch as it had been) and ends up with something very different (eventually, The Authority) The journey is just phenomenal. The Authority is a more polished vision of what he wanted to say about superheros, but the Stormwatch stuff is mad science.

 

Rose Tattoo and

[Vikingreed]

" the Wildcats/Aliens crossover (seriously, it's SUPER important for the evolution of Stormwatch into the Authority) "

 

I need to track this down then.

[Doktor]

Oh yes. You very very much do.

[RockMyAmadeus]

Something that newer readers/collectors may not be aware of is this: Ellis on Stormwatch, and Moore on Supreme and Wilcasts, was a seismic shift in what was being done at Image comics. From 1992-1997, Image was garbage. Unredable, unintelligible, junk. Spawn made little sense, had very little cohesive direction, Wildcats was pretty art with essentially no plot, Savage Dragon was decidedly low-brow (and Larsen couldn't help from getting political, which ruins it for anyone who disagrees with him), and forget Cyberforce, Youngblood, Wetworks, or Shadowhawk.

 

Essentially, these artists discovered the hard way why they needed writers...and so did everyone else.

 

But then Ellis took over Stormwatch, and Moore took over Supreme, and both those titles quietly became the best things being published in comics. Little fanfare, little hype...but it completely changed how things were done at Image, and led the company away from the "LOOK! Nearly nekkid chicks with impossible anatomy! Pinups on EVERY PAGE! Plots? Who needs stinkin' PLOTS??" into what it is today: a storytelling powerhouse, where the focus is most decidedly NOT on the art, but on telling stories that the comics world finds compelling.

 

And it all started with those two titles.

 

Had Ellis and Moore not come to Image, it's doubtful Image would still exist today. And I mean that quite seriously.

 

Those two runs are vastly underrated in the marketplace, where ridiculous "1 of 5000" variants sell for $30 each. You can probably, if you look hard enough, get a run of Stormwatch #37-50 for that price, and be far, far more entertained for it.

[Doktor]

And that post right there is why I'm still searching high & low for the single copy of Stormwatch 37 in 9.8 on the census.

 

It was a watershed moment for the small-publisher storyteller actually challenging the big 2 on a critical level and not just on the "appeal to the 14-year old fanboy" level. (Though, Claremont coming over to Cyber Force also was pretty big & pretty good. If Top Cow hadn't temporarily split from Image just before that & then come back later, it would have been probably on that 2nd tier of "holy , this is awesome!" critical response that Ellis & Moore got)

 

Add in Joe Casey's work on Sleeper/Point Blank & Wildcats a following Moore, and you're getting into that next-step that Image needed at the time to not let the wonderful work of Moore & Ellis die on the vine. They needed to continue that progression from "pretty art" to "great comics" and guys like Casey really helped there.