The Generals of Thanos: The Black Order - Appreciation

[GreenScar1990]

[Byakko]

Too bad the first issue was pushed till December, but hey, at least there's text previews now!

Also I have to admit, that wasn't the convo I expected between Proxima and Corvus for that page. Except the bathing in blood of the enemies part, I somehow figured that was the sentiment in one way or another.

And I have no idea why but Corvus feeling depressed is both kinda expected, and kinda funny, all at the same time.

[GreenScar1990]

December 2018 and January 2019 Black Order Solicitations



BLACK ORDER #2 (OF 5)

DEREK LANDY (W) • PHILIP TAN (A/C)
VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER

Isn’t it always the way? You go to assassinate an emperor and he turns the tables, and suddenly this Very Simple Mission gets a whole lot more complicated. It’s a good thing the Black Order is made up of professional killers who are no strangers to cellblocks. Otherwise they might even start worrying…

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99




BLACK ORDER #3 (of 5)

DEREK LANDY (W) • PHILIP TAN (A/C)
VARIANT COVER BY
JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER

You just can’t work to destabilize an empire these days without drawing the attention of at least one pesky super-powered hero, now can you? All the Black Order wants to do is usurp, assassinate and sabotage, and here comes the man called Nova to spoil all the fun...

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

[GreenScar1990]

Too bad the first issue was pushed till December, but hey, at least there's text previews now!

Also I have to admit, that wasn't the convo I expected between Proxima and Corvus for that page. Except the bathing in blood of the enemies part, I somehow figured that was the sentiment in one way or another.

And I have no idea why but Corvus feeling depressed is both kinda expected, and kinda funny, all at the same time.

Actually, the first issue is on sale next week. Just figure I'd tell you. Now you can go out and purchase it.

[Byakko]

Actually, the first issue is on sale next week. Just figure I'd tell you. Now you can go out and purchase it.

Wait really? I thought I saw that it was pushed till December. Odd, but good! I'll grab a copy, thanks!

[Byakko]

My impression of the book (minor spoilers):

- This is prolly just a modern comics thing, but I found the comic shorter than I thought it'd be. 23 pages total. I was hoping for at least 30 pages, especially when the tension finally got rolling and then...the end.

- A reviewer mentioned the artwork looked '90s', and I can kinda see it but subjective if it's in the 'good way'. Some panels look dramatic and cool, but often the individual linework gets muddy, several times they appear off-model as the linework gets looser, and colors and details bleed into each other. Definitely feels oldschool 90s in that freeform way, but I did have issues with even understanding what the aliens the Order were fighting actually look like as a whole. For example, I still don't know if the constant flap of nondescript skin that gets thrown around the panels is just bits of the aliens flying off, or a bit of their anatomy that actually hangs off their body (because some panels suggest that).

- I went into the book looking for more characterization, so I'm fine with mostly monologuing from Corvus. The thing is that continuity-wise I have some issues. From the previews, you can see that Corvus sudden concern is his sense of humor. The thing is, I'm pretty sure he did have a sense of humor in Infinity, where he had an almost permanent grin in every single appearance he had. He may not make full-on jokes, but he had a sense of humor. So unless his inner monologue about his is covering for other concerns he actually has, which honestly he should have, and he's just not voicing them even to himself internally, then I dunno. I don't mind the angle his inner conflict takes, I just don't think it makes sense in continuity.

- Speaking of continuity, there's one bit that sorta retcons where Corvus and Proxima were just post-Secret Wars. IMO it creates more questions than it answers, or actually makes the actions of Proxima worse due to the change. Honestly, I was okay with assuming their OOC-ness was primarily because of respawn issues post-Secret Wars and would have left it at that.

- Bad guy feels written in a offbeat, kinda Dr.Who-ish or British-ish way? I feel like he's not as goofy or as simple as he seems, but I question the dialogue because is it a case of alien-to-English translation not having the full vocabulary, so it comes off goofy? Yet their syntax is perfectly translatable to English? Definitely nitpicky, but I think doing the old < > thing to indicate they are speaking in their native language as translated to English would have helped me take them more seriously. Right now, they sound and act like a bunch of earth actors adlibbing in alien costumes (who knows, maybe that's the twist, I dunno.)

- I know people miss Supergiant, but regarding Black Swan, and this may be just me, but Proxima sorta treating her as her ditzy bestie/baby sister is endearing, and the particularly moment that emphasized that made me laugh the hardest.

I also hope more substantial backstory building? This is Corvus' issue, and his present conflict is all fine and dandy, but I am highly curious if we get proper flashbacks eventually. Corvus is stated in his backstory to have 'betrayed his people'. I would actually like to see what that was like. Or you know, when he courted Proxima the first time, or something. Something new basically.

Edit: This is also I think the 3rd-4th time the Black Order end up just chilling in a cafe or a bar across various media. I'm wondering if this is kind of a running gag for them at this point.

Edit2: Actually maybe the comic is pretty standard in size, but a third of the pages was dedicated to introducing the antagonist, who isn't very interesting and mostly just annoying. I think that's why I felt there was not enough time spent with either the Black Order or Corvus as the focus with this issue.

[Colt Cape]

The antagonist in the first issue of Black Order surprised me. I mean...

What sort of villain doesn't kill their advisors whenever they receive bad news?

[Cville]

Really enjoyed the first issue. Going on the pull list. Glaive has breakout star potential.

[Byakko]

Issue 2 felt much better than Issue 1, because there's actual set-up about what's happening and what's the goal going forward. Good pacing, just enough action and exposition in-between each other to keep the flow going. Nice callback to a character that I wasn't even aware was a true legacy character until reviewers pointed it out so that's pretty neat.

This time it's from Proxima's POV, and it's less meandering than Corvus' POV was, and because of the pacing the whole book doesn't just stop for her internal monologue so that's much better. And her reasoning actually has a narrative impact!

Though I will say what she's saying doesn't exactly reflect reality? There's a bit about her talking about 'violence' defining her whole world view...up to the point I realized she was talking about regular normal human interaction that literally everyone goes through, but in 'battle' terms. Especially the bit she has with Corvus, and it's a fairly normal quarrel, if it even qualified as that, but the text keeps trying to drum it up to be something a lot more extraordinary than it actually is. With the exception about 'bedchamber' manners in early in the beginning of the book, which left somethings to the imagination..

[DanMad1977]

This Empereor is pretty funny. I had to laugh hard about him...

The book is dark but its mixed with a bit of comedy. More like the british humor...