Jonathan Hickman and Valerio Schiti"s 'G.O.D.S.'

[Mantis-Ray]

I enjoyed this but yeah I feel like hyping this as the next "Sandman" and how its gonna "change everything" was a real bad idea.

Especially since the apparent concepts are not as immediately striking as the entire concept of the Endless from Sandman, where here Wyn and Aiko's schtick here feels like like an Uber-Sorcerer Supreme and Uber-AIM.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

It reminds me more of Planetary than Sandman.

[Alan2099]

This feels like some long lost Amalgam book where they tried to combine John Constantine and Dr. Strange into one character, except this isn't as fun as the Amalgams.

[Mutant X]

I enjoyed this first issue.
But I think the concept behind it is too much similar to DC's Lorda of Chaos and Order agents.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

https://aiptcomics.com/2023/10/06/ma...d-s-2-preview/

Issue 2 unlettered preview.

[lordozone]

I'm a huge fan of Hickman. And it seems like I'm the only one who doesn't like GODS, there's something that must have really escaped me.

I have a lot of issues with this comic, firstly the protagonists: either we're dealing with shallow concepts (Wynn's sidekick is a dim-witted genius who exists only for jokes, and his love interest is a cold and competent beauty with no distinct personality), and as for the hero, Wynn is an immortal blend of Constantine and Doctor Strange but without the flaws: he is funny, handsome, a little pensive but not too much, without any of the flaws that make the best heroes of the Marvel Universe.

I won't even mention the fact that we didn't see them during the 10,000 "Babylon events" in the Marvel Universe, let's put that aside. It's just that I don't feel like I'm seeing characters, but rather concepts. When I read Lucifer or Sandman, the strength is that the authors not only make the gods relatable, but populate their work with secondary characters who resemble us. Here, I feel like I'm seeing a bad Nolan movie. It's well-written but cold.

It's like a Vertigo comics who don't understand Vertigo Comics.

[Factor]

I actually enjoyed it a lot more than I expected to. For once, Hickman tried to build the story around an emotional arc. The characters are not exactly original (the few women he normally focuses on usually remind me of Emma Frost and Wynn is clearly Constantine), but I’m intrigued about the world-building.
The ending was a big let down, though. I expected something that better established where the story/concept is going, but we got a complete whimper. As a first issue that’s supposed to be sell the high concept, I’m not sure he totally executed but it was enjoyable.
The art is absolutely phenomenal. Schiti is one of the best out there.

[ARkadelphia]

I enjoyed this but yeah I feel like hyping this as the next "Sandman" and how its gonna "change everything" was a real bad idea.

Especially since the apparent concepts are not as immediately striking as the entire concept of the Endless from Sandman, where here Wyn and Aiko's schtick here feels like like an Uber-Sorcerer Supreme and Uber-AIM.

Serious question as I don’t know much about this series at all. How can it be gamechanging if all the characters are brand new? It would seem that there’s nothing to change? But perhaps I’m taking your statement too literally?

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

Serious question as I don’t know much about this series at all. How can it be gamechanging if all the characters are brand new? It would seem that there’s nothing to change? But perhaps I’m taking your statement too literally?

It would add a new layer to the MU but I just saw it as marketing hyperbole.

[Thor-Ul]

So many people talking about how Wyn is a Constantine expy reminds me of a comment than said than G.O.D.S. was originally an idea of Hickman to use in DC' New Gods but he choose to rework it and adapt the plot to the Marvel universe. I don't know if the rumour has some basis or not. But as people had repeatedly called Wyn a "Constantine" expy, In the case this originally was a proposal for New Gods, I wonder if Hickman had planned to use Constantine in New Gods.

Just a speculation.

[Grunty]

I enjoyed this but yeah I feel like hyping this as the next "Sandman" and how its gonna "change everything" was a real bad idea.

Especially since the apparent concepts are not as immediately striking as the entire concept of the Endless from Sandman, where here Wyn and Aiko's schtick here feels like like an Uber-Sorcerer Supreme and Uber-AIM.

When has any attempt at hyping something new up as the next big "insert allready existing popular work/character" thing ever worked out and how often did it happen?

It seems like a marketing strategy that is regulary repeated but never seems to actualy work out.

[skyvolt2000]

When has any attempt at hyping something new up as the next big "insert allready existing popular work/character" thing ever worked out and how often did it happen?

It seems like a marketing strategy that is regulary repeated but never seems to actualy work out.

The reason why it does not work because you are dealing with the SAME set of fans and stores.

1) Some of the group that views that only certain characters should have comics are going to pushback at anything they have low views of. DC New Age Heroes, Sam Alexander and Inhumans.

2) Some of the group that views certain characters as THREATS to what they like are going to pushback. See Green Lantern fan wars.

3) We don't even NEED to discuss the issues of race, gender and sexuality that plague Marvel and DC.

4) Nor discuss how many times that has been done to see it get DERAILED by editorial antics. Hickman's X-Men, McDuffie's JLA, Burnside Batgirl, the slated death of John Stewart and Nightwing and other events say HI.

5) Some stores don't want those books in their stores no matter what and at times no matter HOW MANY folks ask for it-see Archie's Horror line.

6) NOBODY follows up after the first writer leaves or the run ends. See Naomi at DC. See the X-Men Academy kids. See Generation X. See Prodigy. See Young Avengers. See Young Justice. See Duke Thomas.

7) Too late to the party-see Reptil. How does he get a mini about 8 years LATER?? After a cartoon show and Avengers Academy runs.


It's a combination of the above for a lot of that stuff. MAINLY the top 4.

I would add in EDITORS NOT putting their foot down and saying no more new folks-use who we GOT.

Why give Cap America Falcon a new character in Torres when Reptil probably could have served that purpose?

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

I'm curious how the heroes discovered both factions. There are some cool retroactive stories you could tell with that premise.

[jackolover]

It idly occurs that Natural-Order-of-Things and The-Powers-That-Be can pretty easily be retooled into echoes of the Fifth (Magic) and Sixth (Science) Creations the same way Queen of Nevers was relegated to the Fourth, The Beyond the Second and the God Quarry the First

How do you come at the God Quarry being the first Iteration of the universe?

As for G.O.D.S. itself. It’s too early to tell. These vague concepts of some Library society need to play out a little longer so maybe after the first arch we may get a handle on what goes on here. But Hickman has a very cynical outlook on life, and he seems to be getting near the end of his tether.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

NYCC 2023 teaser.