Crossover by Donny Cates, Review

I read "crossover" and the metaphor at the center of the story doesn't work at all. Basically, all the superheroes came out of the comics, and killed millions of people. But a handful of people are complaining that they can't do cosplay or sell old comics anymore because of that.

The parallel with the struggle of minorities is unwelcome, almost offensive, and so far we're not on the side of the protagonists: obviously if something like that happened, that monsters came out of comic books, everybody would be in favor of banning them, just to protect themselves. Linking this with the fight for civil rights isn't great, we don't believe it for a moment.

In a time when crazy people are fighting the wearing of masks to protect themselves from coronavirus in the name of civil rights, making a comic book where crazy people are fighting to wear one, at the risk of killing millions of people, the parallel is a bit strange.

2/5 for the art.

This is VERY Mark Millar-esque. I’ve noticed it with a quite a few of Donny Cates’ stuff.
Anyway, I’ll check out the next one. Not sure where I stand on this just yet.

I liked this issue a lot, but I feel it more with concept than execution. I agree that the metaphor doesn't really work, and as much as I'm a champion of putting politics in comics, this felt like the one comic not to do that with.

That being said, I'm a sucker for where this is going. I'm hoping the metaphor takes a back seat to the main plot which looks to be rather interesting. I like Shaw's work and there were some beautiful panels.

And I agree with the Millar comparison, however the comic this most reminds me of is 1985.
I like Cates so I'll probably be sticking with this for the time being.
I will say, I do love the covers.

yes the central concept is very strong. But the message is so confusing, and the main characters so unfriendly, that I had a hard time getting into it. I'm still going to wait for the second issue, but for now, given the hype around this comic, it's a little disappointing.

[QUOTE=FFJamie94;5222737]
And I agree with the Millar comparison, however the comic this most reminds me of is 1985.
I like Cates so I'll probably be sticking with this for the time being.
I will say, I do love the covers.[/QUOTE]

Yes, now you say it, it remind me a lot of 1985 (that I loved)

Have you ever seen a trailer for a movie and knew right away that it was Oscar bait?

This is the comic equivalent of that.

This is Eisner bait. This book was created by Cates to get an Eisner LOL. It so dutifully and shamefully ticks off every box such as....

A bait and switch on the audience that no doubt pissess them off
Plucky female protagonist
Small child that serves as immigrant metaphor
Mean Christians
A quest that will reveal that the important thing is the journey not the destination or that there is a hero In all of us
And some other trite stuff that will surely reveal itself.

I didnt like it, but I didnt hate it.

But the cover is killing it.

[QUOTE=lordozone;5222827]yes the central concept is very strong. But the message is so confusing, and the main characters so unfriendly, that I had a hard time getting into it. I'm still going to wait for the second issue, but for now, given the hype around this comic, it's a little disappointing.



Yes, now you say it, it remind me a lot of 1985 (that I loved)[/QUOTE]

I tracked down my copy of 1985 and decided to give it a read.
Yeah, both these books are very similar right down to the art style. I feel Cates fairs a little better, not only has he got one issue published so far meaning there's still room for different ideas, but 1985 seems to tiptoe around being as edgy as possible. Even for a book which had many light hearted ideas, Millar couldn't help but be an edgelord. Saying that, I do commend him for at least having some restraint (I've read enough awful Millar stuff to know when he puts out something good).

But anyway, I don't think Cates stole the idea and look from Millar, but I feel there's a lot of influence. I do prefer Cates over Millar however when it comes to writing.

Maybe once Crossover finishes, I'll be able to do a more detailed comparison of the two.

[QUOTE=FFJamie94;5226407]I tracked down my copy of 1985 and decided to give it a read.
Yeah, both these books are very similar right down to the art style. I feel Cates fairs a little better, not only has he got one issue published so far meaning there's still room for different ideas, but 1985 seems to tiptoe around being as edgy as possible. Even for a book which had many light hearted ideas, Millar couldn't help but be an edgelord. Saying that, I do commend him for at least having some restraint (I've read enough awful Millar stuff to know when he puts out something good).

But anyway, I don't think Cates stole the idea and look from Millar, but I feel there's a lot of influence. I do prefer Cates over Millar however when it comes to writing.

Maybe once Crossover finishes, I'll be able to do a more detailed comparison of the two.[/QUOTE]

Something tells me I would prefer 1985. At least it's Millar being Millar and not caring about the consequences. Crossover feels like a cynical Eisner grab. It's like Michael Bay watching a Merchant Ivory film and deciding he wanted to do one to.

[QUOTE=Anthony W;5226627]Something tells me I would prefer 1985. At least it's Millar being Millar and not caring about the consequences. Crossover feels like a cynical Eisner grab. It's like Michael Bay watching a Merchant Ivory film and deciding he wanted to do one to.[/QUOTE]

Honestly, I think it's too soon to tell just yet.
Crossover has only had a single issue so far, and it felt a bit down compared to how much hype it was getting.

I think Cates has the potential to be a better writer than Millar, for one, I don't get needlessly edgy bs from his books, even Venom at its darkest has more heart than say... Nemesis.
And I've liked a lot of Millar's work in the past, but I've also downright hated some of it.

So far, Cates has a least been enjoyable. But Crossover is the first creator owned thing he has done which I've read, so later issues could fall for me for all I know.
I will say I do have issues with Cates, but none of those issues have appeared in Crossover #1.

I'm not here saying the comic is perfect either, I agree, the metaphor doesn't work here and it does feel overly sentimental, like comics are this taboo thing.
But outside of that, I really enjoyed it.

I agree that this was reminiscent of a Millar book. But too soon to pass full judgment yet. I'll give it another issue.