In anticipation of next Summer's Thor movie... We are getting a retelling, year one for the God of Thunder! 
Thor: First Thunder from Bryan J.L. Glass (The Mice Templar) and artist Tan Eng Huat (Ghost Rider). My question to the general public... Are origins and year-ones overdone. In the last couple of years, we've had a Nightwing Year one, A retelling of Metal Men, Flash's Origin has been tweeked, Hell Wolverine has an Origin comicbook title. My favorite, Superman had Secret Origins come out over the last year.
I think telling and retelling heroic stories is part of American culture... if not HUMAN culture. We love knowing how things came to be. And with the landscape of comics in constant flux and characters getting deeper and richer stories, its only natural for writers and publishers to want to add some of that richness to their origin.
Sometimes the retelling is just a modernization. When Geoff Johns took over Green Lantern, the same basic story stayed, but we it took place in a more modern setting and allowed Johns to add some pieces of history that he'd later tap into in current comic timelines. Johns has been re-telling Superman's Origin and I'm sure this can be tricky. John's seems to be merging a few "origins" and adding bits of relevance to what is currently going on in his the Man of Steel's stories.
Thor is a mainstay Marvel character, that has been around since 1963. And in all honesty, is a really a flat personality. I think some of my favorite Thor stories have been out of the Main "Thor" title. "Thor, Son of Odin was the last time I really felt someone tried to go into the Thunder God's personality. His interaction with his friends and Loki are so well done. I think its what brought me back to Thor after the luke warm Dan Jurgen's years.
Ok, I've ranting and babbled enough... Needless to say, I'm a Thor fan, and I'm excited to see a modern re-telling of the Norse God!
I never used to be a Thor fan, but I've turned around this past year after reading Kieron (PHONOGRAM, S.W.O.R.D.) Gillen's excellent run on the title which has encouraged me to go back and read JMS's run. (once I find a copy of vol. 1) Also his resurgence in the general Marvel University with his central focus in SIEGE and renewed membership of the AVENGERS. In addition to being incredibly psyched for Matt Fraction and Pasqual Ferry to take over the title, I'll actually be adding ANOTHER Thor monthly to my pull file in that of fantastic-looking THOR: THE MIGHTY AVENGER by Roger Langridge and Chris Samnee.
ReplyDeleteAs a recent convert of the God of Thunder, I'm really looking forward to this FIRST THUNDER mini to help give me more perspective on the character and where he comes from, other than the stuff I've just naturally picked up over decades of comic nerdery.
I think it's nice to have fresh takes on where characters come from. As society changes and as the art of storytelling changes and evolves it's fun, when done well, to go back and revisit decades-old stories and gleen a new perspective. I thought the last thing in the world I needed was another telling of Superman's origin, but the Johns/Frank SECRET ORIGINS mini has been one of my favorite comics of the last year, thanks to Geoff and Gary injecting so much charm and character into it.
I understand it's easy to see these types of retellings as pointless and annoying, but when they're done right, I find they can reinvigorate some of the love you had for that character and maybe even turn you around on a character you'd previously dismissed, as I expect these Thor comics to do for me and, hopefully, others who find themselves with a renewed interest in the God of Thunder with his impending blockbuster on the way to the big screen.
Since you and I agree on so much, I'm going to purposely throw a monkey wrench in. Lets say the Nightwing year one that came out a couple years ago. Feelings? Or what about Red Hood, basically getting a retelling? I can't think of any "marvel" characters with -retellings lately. But it does seem like yearly we have the big three at DC getting a new tweek or a complete origin wipe...
ReplyDelete(I agree with you, its just boring if I ALWAYS agree...)
Can you think of some re-telling that you didn't like? I wasn't a fan of the "Guy Gardner" Valderian origin... Um, Green Arrow's re-telling was good in recent years. In some ways the All Star Universe is an origin re-tell...
I don't count All Star (DISAGREEEEEEE) because it isn't meant to be canon like the THOR series or SUPERMAN SECRET ORIGINS we discussed.
ReplyDeleteAlso, ALL STAR BATMAN & ROBIN is bull****.
NIGHTWING YEAR ONE was decent. Not as good as the ROBIN or BATGIRL YEAR ONE books but I do love Scott McDaniel's Nightwing art.
The current RED HOOD series actually does a lot to fill in time we were never aware of. Red Hood's ressurection was pretty much explained as "Superboy Prime punched a wall and--O HAI JASON!" It's nice to get a better understanding of the time between Jason clawing his way out of the coffin to showing up all trenchcoaty and anti-heroed.
BLACK WIDOW just had a origin retelling that tried to make sense of her really complicated background to a degree. WOLVERINE ORIGINS actually continues to be a decent read, though I don't think the whole Romulus thing was all that necessary of a thing to add to his history, after catching up on 6 issues of it yesterday, I find I still enjoy reading it. (because I will forever be that 9 year old girl that thinks Wolverine is kewwwl)
Also, for the record, two of my FAVORITE origin retellings:
X-MEN: CHILDREN OF THE ATOM by Joe Casey and Steve Rude/Paul Smith
DOCTOR OCTOPUS: YEAR ONE by Zeb Wells and Kaare Andrews
Seriously. SO. GOOD. It's been a long time since I've read Children of the Atom, but I loved everything that Joe Casey brought to the original students of Xavier's as it showed their lives before they joined the school. Particularly Cyclops and the awful years he spent in the ophanage and working for a criminal.
Doc Ock's YEAR ONE series is so dark and creepy and way better than you'd think a title like that would have any right to be. Gave me a whole new perspective on Otto Octavius.
I knew the All Star's aren't re-telling... but I had to make something worth talking about.
ReplyDeleteI read Children of the Atom... Very good story. Loved (Steve Rude?) the art. I never saw the Doc Ock origin re-tell.
I was a bit disappointed with the Nightwing Origin too. It seemed very forced and disconnected. Maybe becuase at the time it happened, he was such a pinnacle "Teen Titan" and when that year one came out, we was very disconnected from the team. I do like McDaniel's art tho!
Here are few that come to mind for me...
"Killing Joke" Comic perfection in the team of Alan Moore and Bian Boland. And in a way, an origin/death of Batgirl/Oracle. I think that was the first time I "Liked" a Joker story.
Flash Year one, by Mark Waid early on (1994-1995-ish)in the Wally West, Mark Waid run. (pun intended) There were some really great clues dropped along the way for what Mark was going to do during his run. (Some of which are still being touched on)
Legends of the Dark Knight (1-6... I think)I think this was a bigger influence on the "Batman Begins movie) The whole Shamen, spiritual aspect of Bruce's Batman persona... great story.
One Origin retelling that I hated...
The JLA story in Secret origins Annual #1... (I think) It has a very snobbing Superman, all but turning his back on the JLA... All the characters seemed so blah.
But a good JLA origin. JLA Year One... Mark Waid! That 12 issue mini was great.
I wasn't reading NIGHTWING regularly when they did the Year One, but I remember fans being put off because it was taking place as an arc in the regular book and not as it's own mini-series.
ReplyDeleteJLA YEAR ONE was pretty great. The BRAVE AND THE BOLD follow-up that Waid/Peyer and Barry Kitson did was solid work too, exploring Hal Jordan and Barry Allen's friendship over the years.
"The Killing Joke" is an interesting one to add, particularly with the recent debate amongst Gail Simone and other creators on Twitter this past week about that story and the "fridging" of Barbara Gordon that took place in that story. You can't deny it's impact, though. I hadn't heard this before but apparently Alan Moore is not a fan of that story or the fact that it was made into canon. Thank goodness guys like John Ostrander stepped up to raise Barbara to be such a great character as Oracle, in what could've otherwise resulted in her disappearing into obscurity. (but that may be a discussion for another thread)
Legends of the Dark night was a great read, it added a lot of interesting shades to Batman: Year One. Captain America got a recent retouch with the TRUTH limited (adding in Isaiah Bradley.)
ReplyDeleteAt least to my recollection, except for the ULTIMATE line, Marvel hasn't retold a lot of origins lately but I do seem to see a lot of inserts (SENTRY, BLUE MARVEL)
OH SNAP, how have we not mentioned BATMAN: YEAR ONE until now?? Thanks Monty!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read TRUTH but I really liked that they were willing to explore the very logical conclusion that the U.S. government was willing to test the Super Soldier Serum on African Americans before using it on a white candidate like Steve Rogers.
THE MARVELS PROJECT has been a really great detailing of the Golden Age Marvel heroes and reinforcing their place in the Marvel Universe and how costumed crimefighting got it's start at Marvel, moving onto the birth of the first "Super" heroes with the original Human Torch, Namor and, of course, Cap. Supposedly it's going to play out in Brubaker's Secret Avengers soon, as well.
Origins sometimes need updating, The Punisher is going to find it tough to deal brutal vigilante justice as a Vietnam vet in the year 2030.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is that when origins get updated, It needs scrupulous vetting otherwise the characters lose they're place in the universe we love so much.....
....
and then bang we are in for another 'Crisis'
and it is comic book cull time and oh dear, one of our favourite's end up removed from reality because they have been rewritten into obscurity.
Keep updating, but keep the core elements alive please.
Oh and keep comic book origins full of intrigue and a little bit of mystery.
Keep our imagination fired up, keep possibilities endless and keep movie franchises separate, lmao :D
Bevis... Nicely put.
ReplyDeleteOdin bless Emperor Bevis for saving us from talking amongst ourselves...
ReplyDeleteAnd also for making an excellent statement.
I think Marvel stands out as being able to keep their characters rejuvinated without having to resort to a "Crisis" or line-wide continuity revamp. ...And, opposing that, resorted to the Ultimate and Adventures lines to give their characters cleaner continuity without muddying up the "616."
While they may have to keep adjusting which war Frank Castle fought in, at least they don't have anything as complicated as the 3 different Legion of Superheroes.
That's another debate we don't wanna open up! Urr Crisis!
ReplyDeleteI hear that the new Frank actually fought in the Red River Shoot'out last Year. (Football game, for sports impared) It was so tramatic when Frank witnessed their kicker miss 3 extra points... That's when his war on the underworld began.
Frank Castle, The Linebacker Punisher
The Punisher is always going to be coming home from war, which ever war.
ReplyDeleteHis family are going to be lost and he is going to fight for justice how he was trained.
The Punisher films all missed the mark, Castle cannot be a law enforcement agent because then he breaks his own credos.
The only comic book I film I enjoyed totally, just sat there and watched and felt like Stan Lee was sat next to me whispering in my ear, keep watching true believer was Daredevil.
That film was slated, but it kept the ideal of Matt Murdoch and didn't do something none comic book, like say kill the Kingpin off.
A comic book film is great, I get to say look at this, this is one of my favourite comic book heroes.
But why do the movies have to have everything tied up before the credits, everything answered?
Comic books have years and years to tell us these tales.
I have the shame of being a Brit Marvel fan, lol.
So when it comes to Thor there is the Ultimates story line of Captain Britain being sent by S.H.I.E.L.D. to reign in Thor, with Captains Italy, France and Spain, lol.
I wonder if the E.D.I. super soldiers are still willing to work with Nick Fury, with the current political landscape.
Nice to have a new voice... and I can't say i agree with everything you wrote, I have to say you really nailed it with Punisher. Summed it up in once sentence. A man coming home from war and dealing with major loss. Perfect Punisher Summery.
ReplyDeleteAs for Comic movies... Daredevil was you pick? I understand your reasoning. You make some valid points. but I think what you said earlier points out that if they stick to the core of the character the side tweeking is ok. I feel like the BEST comic movie to really, really stick with the character was "Spider-man 2" Tobey may not be the best Spider-man, and I can always find plot holes. And i'm not even a real Spider-man fan. But I think that movie really captured what/who peter Parker was. (Minus all the hobbit tears, that is.)
Thanks for your take. Being a Brit marvel fan, are you located out of the United States? I'm real curious about your take on a lot of American titles.
Heh, I think comics-to-film is a whole other discussion in itself, but glad to see someone else was able to enjoy the Daredevil movie. I prefer the Director's Cut.
ReplyDeleteHAHAHAHA! "Hobbit tears," Robb? Oh how I lawled...
ReplyDeleteI said that cause, that movie had almost as much crying as "Return of the King".
ReplyDelete:)
I am in Manchester U.K.
ReplyDeleteThe U.K. Marvel franchise is pretty much aimed squarely at kids.
The last time I think there was a decent U.K. production was Knights of Pendragon.
But when it comes to the whole US/UK comic book it is a wonderful game of, get a name in the industry, move to America.
But I digress
Civil war was fantastic.
I am kicking myself at missing out on the Marvel zombies.
I always try to keep my nose in with the marvel titles, but I like too many so I kind of chop and change as I have to go to a comic book store and if I was to subscribe I would have to get about 15 titles.
I haven't read any DC for about ten years though, I miss the Detective comics cinematic artwork that I saw the last time I picked up a copy.
On rewrites and cinema though Fantastic Four went too far. How long did I have to wait to hear 'ITS CLOBBERING TIME' ?
X-Men HHHmmm okay though, get rid of Patrick Stewart as Prof X,
fed up of the obvious bring in Shakespearean actor to add a bit of top show, lol.