Earth X

Rating:
Summary: Insane Amount Of Ideas
Review: Earth X is brilliantly conceived, but a bit flawed in execution. Alex Ross and his collaborators have created an insanely intricate and detailed future for the Marvel Universe, and it can be, at times, overwhelming. And the art, while it did grow on me, isn't the best suited to such a complex plot. There were many panels where I was left scratching my head, wondering exactly what was going on. The actual dialogue is somewhat dry and hackneyed in some cases. Those complaints aside, the overarching themes of redemption and the thoughtful unification of years of Marvel Universe history more than make up for lacking areas. The characters are great. The ideas are even greater. If you have any sustained interest in one of the greatest fictional worlds ever created, Earth X is worth the minor frustrations. I can't wait to pick up Universe X.

Rating:
Summary: Part 1 of an Amazing Trilogy
Review: Earth X is not just a ripoff of the incredible Kingdom Come story from DC it is an Amazing tale of the Beginnings of the Marvel Universe and why heroes are heroes. Bringing together all the Cosmic beings and characters in the Marvel Universe to explain why people are born with superhuman abilities, Earth X sometimes losses the reader, however this is not the fault of the plot rather that the story brings together over 60years of stories from the various Characters in the Marvel Universe. At the beginning of each issue, the Narrators (X-51 and the Watcher) give the reader a brief history of a particular Hero such as Spiderman to provide backround information on the character to provide those of us who are not familiar with a certain Marvel Character. Overall, I found this to be an extremely smart story that we rarely see in comics today. If you like this I recommend reading the final 2 chapters in the "X" story line, "Universe X", which comes out soon in paperback form, and the final chapter "Paradise X" coming soon to comic book stores.

Rating:
Summary: ...i have nothing witty, just "wow"...
Review: Earth X is the ultimate homage paid to the creations of Lee, Kirby, Ditko, Everett, and anybody who created anyone in the Bullpen.

The reason, for me, why Marvel's roster of heroes resonates with me more than DC's stable, is that every character that popped out of Stan Lee's head (heroes, at least) was the human element he injected into every character. Superman can't die, Batman will always have his fortune, Wonder Woman is an immortal Amazon; what do they know about sacrifice? Every Marvel hero understood what they were doing, why they were doing it, and what or who they were doing it for. In short, we, as their readers came to understand their sacrifice.

In Earth X, we see the distant fruit of those sacrifices, and still they sacrifice. From the opening homage to when Marvel retained the licence to Kubrick's 2001, you understand that every character must still sacrifice to fulfill their destiny for the greater good. The Richards storyline is especially poignant. And all those sacrifices, while not completely in vain, none of them mattered when the entire population of Earth ends up mutated. Now our heroes are not only redundant, they're unwanted, and even feared and fearful themselves.

Sure, it may have started as a little excersize for Alex Ross's creative muscles, but John Paul Leon (who is one of the most overlooked great talents out there today) shines in his heavy use of ink and shadow. This is a dark future, and a dark book that Mr. Kreuger has crafted. And, if you are a fan of Marvel's storied history, warts and all, Kreuger handles it all with the utmost care and respect. When you realize the grand design of both the book and the secret of "why there's a Marvel Universe", you will be completely blown out of your chair, not because of the revelation, but by the tremendous amount of love these creators have for the subject material.

Added value to the book in the chapter-dividing prose sections, accented by Alex Ross's sketchbook, where you're given even more insight into this world. This is a well thought out, rich tapestry, not just some "how can I screw around with the Icons of Marvel" game. There are reasons within reasons, seeded throughout. I still find something I missed the last time I read it every time I pull it off the shelf. It's that good.

This isn't some DC 20-minute-read-thru snack. This is a Marvel meal, and you'll have plenty of leftovers for big sandwiches for the rest of the week. This is what Kingdom Come should have been, but was never realized. Ross finally makes good on that promise here on Earth X.

P.S. Opinions vary on the quality of the rest of the series, so much so that, because I like Earth X so much, I have not, to this date, read past this volume. I don't want to join that debate, nor do I want to be disappointed if they're turkeys. Either way, it doesn't matter. It's as useless as the debate over whether Shane is dead or exhausted as he rides out of town. Fun to shout about, but pointless...

This book is very much enough for me. Flawless. It should have a bonus star.

Rating:
Summary: This is a fictional essay, but barely a story
Review: Finding a connection between the various far-flung elements of of the Marvel Universe and making it all make sense is academic, not telling a story. In this, it succeeds admirably. The "plot" was very well done with many twists and turns. The language, while dense, is flatter than week-old beer.
The art was...very thick to the point of obscurity.
The "epic" has almost no characters. It has a cast of millions of extras, but I was hard-pressed to find any unique personalities who were NOT one-dimensional puppets play-acting the circuitous philosophical debate between the two narrators.

I've been out of comic books for about 6 years. If this is what the "comic book literati" call great literature, then it's no wonder comics have yet to be seriously considered as mainstream and it's no wonder the genre is slowly dying because--if Alex Ross is any indication--the craft of storytelling is already dead.

Good essay explaining the nature of the Marvel Universe, though. I give it one extra star for that.

Rating:
Summary: Pseudo profound
Review: I didn't care for this book. I had to force myself to complete it...I lost interest half-way through, but after reading over a hundred pages, I get kind of compulsive about finishing.

I was put off by the Appendices after each chapter. They were written like the conversation between Dave and Hal in "2001". ("Hal." "Yes, Dave.") I just got lost in this over-long, drawn out tale. It was too complicated, and I know my Marvel history.

I think the writing was designed to fill one year's worth of pages, and was written as the year wore on. Like "Secret Wars" and "Crisis on Infinite Earths". The writer ain't Shakespeare, but he wrote like he was trying to be.

The art, while it wasn't like the cartoony [stuff] permeating today's titles, was extremely difficult to make out. It was murky and undiscernable.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent book
Review: I don't really follow comic books too deeply. I tend to pick up collected comics in one book. This is an excellent extension to the Marvel Universe.

I won't say this is as good as Kingdom Come, but it comes close.

I thoroughly enjoyed what the writers did to the Marvel Universe - what twisted imaginations these writers have.

Rating:
Summary: Somewhat mannered, but creative, smart
Review: I liked the book, but can in no way compare it to the Kingdom Come. The story kind of bumps along, with long exposition/background segments that slow you down just as you get interested. I challenge anyone to enjoy the first chapter on its own merits. ....Some interesting parts in the rest of the book. I like what they did with the Thing. ....

....If you're a big Marvel fan, as I am, it's worth a read, but probably not a re-read....

Rating:
Summary: The most frustrating graphic novel I have ever read
Review: I received EarthX in novel form via Amazon. It was the biggest graphic novel I had ever seen, and it's bulk sent shivers down my spine. I am devoted to the medium, and this was content! The notes on the back flap promised another Watchman, another Dark Knight Returns. I set to reading immediately.

The only other work I had ever read by Alex Ross was the excellen Kingdom Come. My only complaint with that novel was the meandering plotline, which I found unnecessary and detrimental to the story.

The introduction to EarthX, by Joss Whedon, proclaims, "The story is complex (but not confusing)". Those last 3 words must have been hard for him to write. The story is dreadfully confusing, hideously overpacked with detail, and the navigation through it is terribly arduous.

Furthermore, one of the stories greatest ideas, the assumption of superhuman powers by the general populace, is almost totally overlooked. We find out very little about the actual details of this world-changing event, and even fewer example of what the world is like with everyone in it being a mutant.

The first 7 chapters are carried through the dialog of The Watcher and his assistant. They bounce earth news and events off each other, and through this activity the reader learns earth's plight and it's bizarre history. Alex Ross favors this type of vicarious storytelling, indeed he employs it frequently in his work. It's not necessarily a bad way to tell a story. What really hurts EarthX is the overall lack of real detail in storytelling. So many plot points are inferred, or told so subtly, or just left out entirely.

It helps to have a strong background in Marvel lore when you read this story, but it still won't get you through. It's as if Ross is deliberately creating the most ambiguous storyline he can, in order to make the graphic story more "mature". The truth is that good story is good story, and should be told in a straightforward way. Creating massive detail at the expense of good plot, and creating ambiguity in pace and detail only hurt.

Finally, I still believe that Alex Ross can be a decent writer (god knows he is a great artist). I might read it agian just to see what else I can get. His sci-fi theories posited on the world he creates are so strange and off the beaten path. But it's no Watchman.

Rating:
Summary: Where To Start...?
Review: I think that in general I'm more of a Marvel fan than I am DC (although nothing beats Batman) which helped to make this graphic novel surviveable. The whole thing is strongly reminiscent of the DC Watchmen even down to the text blurbs to fill the story at the end of each chapter. Everyone's a superhero, the art is a little off from the more popular art (the excetion here is this art is not that great at all, like a cross between Frank Miller and John Romita Sr. before either one of them were good). The story is almost half over before it really picks up. I'd suggest reading or sampling this at the library before putting down cash for this.

Rating:
Summary: Where To Start...?
Review: I think that in general I'm more of a Marvel fan than I am DC (although nothing beats Batman) which helped to make this graphic novel surviveable. The whole thing is strongly reminiscent of the DC Watchmen even down to the text blurbs to fill the story at the end of each chapter. Everyone's a superhero, the art is a little off from the more popular art (the excetion here is this art is not that great at all, like a cross between Frank Miller and John Romita Sr. before either one of them were good). The story is almost half over before it really picks up. I'd suggest reading or sampling this at the library before putting down cash for this.