Every Wednesday we take turns to delve into our trusty longboxes, pluck out a dusty back issue, and give you our thoughts. We’ll also try and place it in the context of the time it was originally published.

Dusting Off’s been fairly X-heavy of late, but with Ed Brubaker hastily moving pieces into place for Astonishing X-Men #25, it’s worth taking a look at the last time Warren Ellis was asked to bring something different to Marvel’s mutants. As part of the X-Men’s 2000 re-launch, Marvel hired Ellis to take control of three of the line’s under performing spin offs, and re-conceptualise them under the banner “Counter-X”. The writer took an extremely critical look at each of the titles, stripping them back to their unique storytelling elements. Ellis co-wrote eight issues of each book, before handing over to the series’ permanent writer, in this case a pre-DMZ Brian Wood.

Unsurprisingly, given its promotion as a jumping on-point for new readers, Ellis makes his all-new villain a key part of the issue, choosing to open with an introductory sequence in which Coffin, a “war-criminal for hire” demonstrates his abilities and viciousness. In creating this opponent, the writer has clearly focussed on what made this part of the X-franchise distinctive. Coffin is not interested in mutation, which only features in the story as the means by which Generation X are able to fight him. The “Warden” is a disciplinarian, running a sci-fi/ horror young-offenders institution for the culprits of thought crimes. No punches are pulled in establishing this setting, with the Columbine shootings explicitly mentioned in the dialogue. However, what should be an unforgivable lapse in taste is made much more acceptable by Steve Pugh’s restrained art, which is just as easily able to illustrate decades old cyborg-children as comical exchanges between Jubilee and Chamber. Wood’s scripting also impresses, with some extremely natural-sounding dialogue given to each of the teens. He also finally manages to blend the lighter and darker sides of Emma Frost’s personality, which had been only shown alternately since the character was brought over to the side of the angels.

In hindsight, what proves most striking about the issue is the ruthlessness shown to the comic’s previous incarnation. In a move somewhat ahead of its time, Generation X’s Academy had functioned as an actual school, well before either 20^th Century Fox or Grant Morrison applied the same approach to the X-Men themselves. Ellis clearly decided to strip the cast down to a skeleton crew of its iconic figures, with the titular generation reduced to its four most interesting members. We rejoin the students in an almost ruined academy, and dialogue makes it clear that some of the missing have died off-panel since the previous story. Although missing the high-concept driven approach that has characterised the writer’s more famous work, there isn’t a shortage of new ideas here, with the paradoxes of government illustrated in a throwaway line. Roots of Ellis’s current preoccupation with communication technology may also be glimpsed, with Paige discovering Coffin’s activities through newsgroups.

It’s almost disturbing how clinically Ellis cuts away vast parts of the book’s previous identity. The “superheroes-in-training” approach that has always characteristed books of this sort is discarded; leaving its cast attempting to find ways they can actually change the almost-real world they’ve been placed in. Deliberately confining himself to a tiny periphery of the X-universe, Ellis still manages to create a compelling story, making his forthcoming centre-stage role an even more intriguing prospect.

Warren Ellis’ take on Marvel’s 1980s misfire, the New Universe, returns for a second run around the block. I say “Second” - there’s pretty much nothing in this issue that suggests it’s a sequel story. It’s essentially nothing more than newuniversal #7, and boy, does it show. If you’re looking for a jumping-on point, well, forget it. This is the second arc of newuniversal, and it doesn’t pretend to be anything but - except on the cover.

A pity, really, because I came to this book without much knowledge of newuniversal at all, and I’m left floundering somewhat. I’m loosely familiar with the new universe’s concept, as well as Ellis’ rewoking of it, and I do genuinely think that it’s a good idea to give this kind of property - a universe experiencing the emergence of super-heroes - to someone like Ellis, who is exactly the kind of man you want handling it.

There’s a quick recap of the events in the newuniversal’s past on the first few pages which do, to be fair, succinctly explain the concept. The next few pages are devoted to what reads like little more than a rant on Manhua, including a page of the “comic within a comic” - I get the feeling there’s a little bit of The Black Freighter creeping in as a reference point, but overall it reads a lot like one of Ellis’ self-indulgent diatribes that his comics are full of. If it adds anything to the story itself - beyond emotional resonance for the characters, given what happens shortly after - I’m not certain.

The remainder of the issue establishes a mystery and has the characters, who are now vaguely familar with, start investigating it. The story really picks up in the second half and I’m almost tempted to get the next one and see where it’s going, but it’s clear to me that as intriguing as this story looks, I need to go back and read the first trade to properly enjoy it.

Artist Steve Kurth takes the place of Larocca on art, and he’s got something of Phil Jiminez/Alan Davis about him. One major art flaw, though - at one point Starbrand remarks that “you can’t see the stars at all” - mere pages later, the sky is shown with stars in. Colouring fail? It’s rare a detail like that is jarring, but when a mistake like that does happen, it really rips you out of the comic.

Overall, it’s fairly enjoyable, though only in the sense that any comic you read set in an unfamiliar universe can be. I’d like to know more, but this isn’t remotely the best place to start learning.

This week, we’re trying to get away from Superman, but he keeps pulling us back in. Can anyone remember the last time he was this news-worthy? The last time he inspired anyone this much was when he was dead (Ooh, burn!) As well as that, there’s also a look at the FCBD X-Men story, Warren Ellis tackles the “work for hire vs. creator ownership” debate, and a brief roundup of some other comics material I (James) have written for Den of Geek recently. Continue reading »

It’s Superman, Superman and more Superman at Comics Daily this week. For plenty of good reasons - the recent judgment regarding Action Comics #1, obviously, and the publication of the brilliant All-Star Superman #10 are on our minds. But - and I can imagine you’re dying to know - what does John Byrne think of it? Continue reading »

Okay, we’ve gone on about it enough. Time for that one last push to make you read Ultimate Human.

Ellis is the kind of writer who’s very polarising. There’s a lot of personality about him, and he’s undoubtedly often more interested in hanging a story off his futurist concepts than the other way around. That said, this seems to be the best way to deal with his quirks - give him a series that’s free to play them out.

In Ultimate Human, Ellis brings together the ultimate technological and biological expressions of humanity - Tony Stark as Iron Man, and Bruce Banner as the Hulk - and allows them to bounce off one another in a spectacular fashion. The examination of how the Hulk’s biology adapts to hostile environments is particularly entertaining, and something that fits into the Ultimate universe beautifully.

Even as Bruce and Tony appear to have finally found a cure for the Hulk, the Ultimate Leader hatches a plan and attacks their base. Or rather, he gets someone else to, he largely sits around ranting. It’s a typically Ellis take on the character, but certainly an entertaining one. Presumably, the next two issues will follow the usual path of Hulk “cures” and it’ll fail just in time for Banner to save everyone and thunder off into the distance.

That said - we can’t be sure. There is absolutely no doubt that this is the true sequel to The Ultimates - it’s the only place where the characters and themes are preserved. More importantly, it’s a story that you can only really tell in the Ultimate universe, which is still young enough that Banner and Stark can realistically be attempting this for the first time, and we genuinely can’t be sure of their success or failure.

Cary Nord brings to the table some great comedic timing and a flair for action, proving with this series that he’s more than ready to become the next superstar artist - his work is starting to shows all the good elements of the Kubert brothers who were also helping to define the Ultimate universe shortly before they were snapped up by DC, so let’s hope Marvel have the good sense to keep him around. With Ultimates 3 dying on it’s arse, the whole imprint needs to make sure it clings to anything good that comes along - Ultimate Human would be a good start.

We don’t usually do much in terms of new updates here, but since the April 2008 Marvel Solicits have just been released, and in light of all the secrecy over the casts of various titles, I couldn’t help noticing this Greg Land X-Men poster (top image below, click to enlarge)

Colossus, Frost, Cyclops, Wolverine, Nightcrawler and Pixie? Odd set of characters to be appearing on a poster together. It doesn’t appear to be the cast of Ellis’ Astonishing X-Men, after all (depicted here) though there is a little crossover. Could it be something to do with the post-Messiah Complex X-Men line? The Uncanny cast, perhaps?

There’s also this leaked Young X-Men cover (bottom image on the left, also click to enlarge.) YXM is, as we know, the successor to the dearly departed New X-Men.

 Clearly no Pixie there. Though I do recognise Wolfcub, Blindfold (in costume!?) Rockslide and Dust, clockwise from the far left, along with an (apparently) new guy on the far right and either Elixir or a new character in the centre. That’s clearly a Dodson cover even before you read the signature, though whether that means he’ll be the regular artist is anyone’s guess.

Still, I suppose we’ll find all this out soon when the full X-Men solicits come out on Thursday.

And, while we’re speaking about the solicits, it’s also good to see this has finally been announced:

X-MEN DIVIDED WE STAND BOOK 1 (of 2)
Written by MIKE CAREY, MATT FRACTION, CRAIG KYLE, CHRISTOPHER YOST and SKOTTIE YOUNG
Pencils by BRANDON PETERSON, JAMIE MCKELVIE, SANA TAKEDA and SKOTTIE YOUNG
Cover by BRANDON PETERSON
*Solicit classified until 1/24/2008*
48 PGS./Rated T+…$3.99

Frankly, that’s going to be worth it for McKelvie’s first mainstream superhero work alone. Excited? Yes sir.