The Spectre by John Ostrander && Tom Mandrake

[Trey Strain]

Amazing that people think that Ostrander's Spectre wasn't telling a story. I found everything so connected and thought provoking, in a way that I'd never felt about the Spectre before.

Peace

Maybe it finally did. But I didn't see much story being told after 240 pages and $36 of my money, so I quit on it. That was my verdict. A writer needs to frontload his story, instead of relying on his readers' trust and patience.

[mrbrklyn]

But the story(s) are there and they are compelling, although pointed at an adult audience.

[CaptCleghorn]

I disagree with the original premise of the thread that the series is underappreciated. It did get kudos and praise and is mentioned in comparison to Robinson's Starman and Gaiman's Sandman as singular series telling an overall story. Does it get all it deserves? Probably not, but it definitely was noticed.

[Trey Strain]

Me and my shadow!

[MajorHoy]

But the story(s) are there and they are compelling...

To some people, yes.

But apparently not to Trey for some reason.

[mrbrklyn]

I disagree with the original premise of the thread that the series is underappreciated. It did get kudos and praise and is mentioned in comparison to Robinson's Starman and Gaiman's Sandman as singular series telling an overall story. Does it get all it deserves? Probably not, but it definitely was noticed.

I can appreciate that educated opinion!

[mrbrklyn]

Maybe it finally did. But I didn't see much story being told after 240 pages and $36 of my money, so I quit on it. That was my verdict. A writer needs to frontload his story, instead of relying on his readers' trust and patience.

I wanted to address this and never got a chance. And this also has to do with titles like Heros in Crisis and other books. You have to understand that classic stories, like the Hobbit, Tales of Cantebury, and this Spectre run, and even the Harry Potter stories, these stories unfold slowly and if you frontend the plot then you all but destory the storyline. In all these cases, the auther is walking you through a tale, it is an adventure, and a journy. What keeps you coming back to these stories is compleling characters which you come to love, and the authers voice. Even a short story, like the Legend of Sleepyhallow, the story starts slowly and builds up on the path. They all require patients. But if you don't like the authers voice then there is no point. But in the case of the Spectre, it is a very powerful voice, and one that is compelling for a number of reasons.