Anyone else give the Vertigo title "Otherworld" a spin?

[Paladin]

I like Phil Jimenez's art so I picked up issue number one.

 

Art was good, but the story was a little lacking. Too many characters that weren't introduced as good as they could have been.

 

The only thing that stood out to me about the "other" world was the girl that traveled to earth and the guy that looked like Merlin.

 

With so many titles out there, if it doesn't hook you after issue #1 does it deserve another chance??? I say no!

[Kevin Boyd]

Can you give us an example of a #1 issue that did hook you in?

 

I did get Otherworld #1... I read it, and, as you wrote, Phil has done a great job artistically, but unlike yourself I found the story intriguing enough to want to get the second issue.

 

That's more than I want to do for most of the new number 1's that are being released these days. I think we should be giving more of a chance to new series and ideas than constantly supporting new series that feature retreads of consistantly bland and failed superhero characters from Marvel and DC.

 

It took time to build the support for characters and series like The Goon, Invincible, Strangers in Paradise, Hellboy, Y the Last Man and so on... and if they had all been judged on the "first issue must hook me" criteria then a lot of them would have been dismissed outright.

[awe4one]

It took time to build the support for characters and series like The Goon, Invincible, Strangers in Paradise, Hellboy, Y the Last Man and so on... and if they had all been judged on the "first issue must hook me" criteria then a lot of them would have been dismissed outright.

 

If the 1st issue doesn't grab you, then there's every chance a reader will wait for the TPB or not even return at all. With so much material being released currently, alot of it quite good, there's no reason for a reader to support a monthly that doesn't grab them immediately. Not saying it's right but a reality of the current market and readers in general...

 

The days of readers supporting a promising monthly title is eroding in the face of a continuing lack of publisher support and the increasing likelihood of a TPB down the line. Of course, the circular argument of not supporting the monthly could well kill a publisher's interest in offering a TPB but, again, that's where the market has gravitated to...

 

Jim

[Kevin Boyd]

Thanks Jim... thanks for the assessment of the modern market.

 

I liked Otherworld #1. I'll be getting #2.

 

Kev

[Paladin]

Good post Kevin. You reminded me (not that I really forgot) that at the core I am a reader that will give new titles a chance. I'm a reader who's picked up entire mini-series like "Sonic Disruptors", "Silver Blade", "Wilddog", "Wolfpack", and "Videojack". These are only a few that come to mind.

 

Can you give us an example of a #1 issue that did hook you in?

 

I'd go with "Y the Last Man" for a recent example and the first "Thunderbolts", not the "new" Thunderbolts, for an older example.

 

I did get Otherworld #1... I read it, and, as you wrote, Phil has done a great job artistically, but unlike yourself I found the story intriguing enough to want to get the second issue.

 

I probably will get number two. As I was not overwhelmed by issue #1, I found it interesting enough that I will want to check out #2 to get some of my questions answered. I would not go as far to say it was "intriguing", but I didn't think it was a p.o.s.

 

That's more than I want to do for most of the new number 1's that are being released these days.

 

Agreed. I pick up alot of number 1's, but I also leave alot on the racks.

 

I think we should be giving more of a chance to new series and ideas than constantly supporting new series that feature retreads of consistantly bland and failed superhero characters from Marvel and DC.

 

Agreed. Constant support of truly bad retreads is not good, because that is what they'll think we want and we'll get nothing else.

 

What if that "retread" actually features great writing and great art and maybe introduces one or many new characters? Should we ignore it just because the characters have seen print before? I get just as turned off by an average number one from a title about a character or team that I've seen before as I do from a series that I've never seen before.

 

Alot of us Marvel/DC customers have broken the vise grip of the evil two and actively look for new stuff to try, and as we look for new stuff to try we also like to see the continuation of some characters that we grew up with and seeing what new spin that is put on those characters. As checking out number 1s from brand new titles with a new character or characters can be a gamble, so to can checking out number 1s from new titles about established characters, and I don't know about you but I only have so much money (and space for that matter. Got over 9,000 books now) for comics.

 

It took time to build the support for characters and series like The Goon, Invincible, Strangers in Paradise, Hellboy, Y the Last Man and so on... and if they had all been judged on the "first issue must hook me" criteria then a lot of them would have been dismissed outright.

 

Agreed, although "Y the Last Man" seemed to get popular pretty fast.

 

I think my mistake was putting Otherworld at the bottom of my reading pile. Had I started with it at the top, I might have gotten more out of my first read of it.

 

Note to self: Put brand new titles with new characters at the top of my reading pile, or there will be hell to pay!

[Earl Davis]

Hey Paladin. Nice to see the mention of 'Silverblade'. I have read 99% of DC's 1980's output and Silverblade is up there with the best IMHO.

 

Regarsd Earl.

[jordanscott]

When i first read the advert blurb for this title i thought it was going to be an adaptation of that brutal Tad Williams series...

 

I was relieved when they gave it a different setting if not a completely different spin.

 

I read #1 and will be going back for #2 i think. As they said right on the first panel, sometime the best way to start a story is in the middle and let the reader catch up. Only the lead has been given any sort of background and not much at that. The conflict tween the two men is obvious and going to play a part down the road assuming they both survive this first encounter with the opposition.

 

Hooked? perhaps not quite, but pretty close.

[Zanarkand]

I picked up Otherworld because I was drawn to something deliberately different. I will pick up #2 for the same reason. I have to say though, that as a new title, the first issue really needs to grab the reader and make them care enough to remember to pick up #2 next month. #1 did not do that. I think Otherworld is only going to sell due to the existence of Tights & Fights refugees like me.

[kaboku68-migration]

The art is extremely good. In some parts the coloration and brightness of the colors take away from the story.

 

I believe that this series will pick up speed and we won't worry about the young coed who can mystically crank up cermonial magick and is the chosen one but instead see how these humans deal with an apocalypse. Somethings there is fun in that.

 

Reminds me of Bronze age comics.

 

That isn't bad. Is it.

[jordanscott]

I think Otherworld is only going to sell due to the existence of Tights & Fights refugees like me.

 

hehe

 

tights and fights....i like it.

 

i'm going that way myself as well i think.