All Hail The Queen: Medusa Appreciation

[CryNotWolf]

There was always something majestic and otherworldly about the Inhumans. Priest just makes it look like some American teen drama. And Noto's artwork isn't helping.

I'm not sure how you can say you love Soule's Inhumans work, which was rife was soap-opera drama and mostly devoid of the cosmic otherworldliness that was typical of Inhumans, and then get mad at Priest for doing the same.

In fact i recall Priest saying on his blog that he was mainly using Soule's material as reference for Once and Future Kings. That's probably why we have Black Bolt talking like it's nothing, Maximus being pretty much harmless, have Crystal kinda doing nothing in the background, and see Medusa having a hell of a temper and falling for a guy thay isn't Black Bolt. All very derivative of Soule's run.

[JeanGreyForever]

Vote for Medusa here.
http://community.comicbookresources....Comicdom/page7

[NatashaRomanoff86]

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This is my cosplay of Queen Medusa..... I simply love her!!

[Johnrevenge]

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This is my cosplay of Queen Medusa..... I simply love her!!

It looks good, I like it

[Mia]

I'm not sure how you can say you love Soule's Inhumans work, which was rife was soap-opera drama and mostly devoid of the cosmic otherworldliness that was typical of Inhumans, and then get mad at Priest for doing the same.

How was Soule’s Inhuman’s run ‘rife with soap opera drama?’. The only thing I recall close to that was the fact that Medusa was dating Johnny Storm, and Blackbolt came home and didn’t like it. There was also the coverage of the lives of the new members such as Iso, Inferno, Flint etc. and how they were adjusting to life as NuInhumans. But there’s nothing ‘soapy’ about that.
As for the Inhumans being devoid of cosmic otherworldliness isn’t that supposed to be the case given the fact that that (Until the end of IVX) they relocated to earth, taking on new members and are trying to find a new purpose.

In fact i recall Priest saying on his blog that he was mainly using Soule's material as reference for Once and Future Kings. That's probably why we have Black Bolt talking like it's nothing, Maximus being pretty much harmless, have Crystal kinda doing nothing in the background, and see Medusa having a hell of a temper and falling for a guy thay isn't Black Bolt. All very derivative of Soule's run.

I don’t care what Priest claims he is using. I see very little similarity in substance and tone to what Soule or even Ewing produced with the characters. And the whole thing reads like an American High school drama. And a very boring one at that.

[CryNotWolf]

How was Soule’s Inhuman’s run ‘rife with soap opera drama?’. The only thing I recall close to that was the fact that Medusa was dating Johnny Storm, and Blackbolt came home and didn’t like it. There was also the coverage of the lives of the new members such as Iso, Inferno, Flint etc. and how they were adjusting to life as NuInhumans. But there’s nothing ‘soapy’ about that.

How is there nothing "soapy" about an incredibly contrived love triangle/square? Soule dedicated a LOT of page space to it, sometimes even entire issues, such as 8 and 9 of Uncanny. Even in an interview when asked about Medusa and Johnny he said he did it because it's dramatic and "soap"-y and that he thinks that soap operas make the best comics. It doesn't help that it was one of the most off-putting and worst-written relationships in comics that I can even think of.

As for the Inhumans being devoid of cosmic otherworldliness isn’t that supposed to be the case given the fact that that (Until the end of IVX) they relocated to earth, taking on new members and are trying to find a new purpose.

Um, okay? Soule had complete control of the mythos and that's what he decided to do with them. Even only a few issues in, Priest's Once and Future Kings feels much more Inhuman-y and harkens back to their roots in Kirby and Lee's Fantastic Four while addressing the familiar nature of the royals and their base and cultural differences from humans. Soule's work always felt like X-Men wannabees in comparison and made extremely poor use of Inhumans' most storied characters, to the point where I simply could not abide it.

I don’t care what Priest claims he is using. I see very little similarity in substance and tone to what Soule or even Ewing produced with the characters. And the whole thing reads like an American High school drama. And a very boring one at that.

Well that's your opinion and you are certainly entitled to it. But in my opinion (and I've been an Inhumans fan since the 90's) Priest's OaFK is a much smarter, and satisfyingly stranger book than all of Soule's Inhumans catalogue put together, as is Ewing's Royals (though it has it's souring bits as well). Priest's comic in particular has a sort of abstruse narrative which I consider to be highly appropriate given the subjects. It doesn't feel like a "teen drama" except in the sense that it involves teenagers acting like teenagers. Not to mention Noto's art is leaps and bounds prettier and meshes with the overall feel and narrative better than anything I ever saw in Inhumans, Uncanny, or All-new.

[oasis1313]

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This is my cosplay of Queen Medusa..... I simply love her!!

Great job! This might be the best Medusa cosplay yet!

[Mia]

How is there nothing "soapy" about an incredibly contrived love triangle/square? Soule dedicated a LOT of page space to it, sometimes even entire issues, such as 8 and 9 of Uncanny. Even in an interview when asked about Medusa and Johnny he said he did it because it's dramatic and "soap"-y and that he thinks that soap operas make the best comics. It doesn't help that it was one of the most off-putting and worst-written relationships in comics that I can even think of.

As I mentioned:

How was Soule’s Inhuman’s run ‘rife with soap opera drama?’. The only thing I recall close to that was the fact that Medusa was dating Johnny Storm, and Blackbolt came home and didn’t like it. There was also the coverage of the lives of the new members such as Iso, Inferno, Flint etc. and how they were adjusting to life as NuInhumans. But there’s nothing ‘soapy’ about that.

But that hardly constitutes the entire events of both his entire Inhuman run.

Did he cover the fact that Medusa dated Johnny? Yes. But that was clearly less about just instituting a forced and contrived show down between her husband and boyfriend, than it was to show a softer side or another side to Medusa. Than the usual warrior/ice queen act she shows. Which is why there were many quieter scenes between both of them getting to know each other.

And given the return of her husband and her sister. It was impossible to have her be with Johnny and it not be addressed at some point. But to pretend that it occured in every single issue, and even went beyond a few pages is disingenuous.

Um, okay? Soule had complete control of the mythos and that's what he decided to do with them. Even only a few issues in, Priest's Once and Future Kings feels much more Inhuman-y and harkens back to their roots in Kirby and Lee's Fantastic Four while addressing the familiar nature of the royals and their base and cultural differences from humans.

Sorry I don’t know what you are talking about. I’ve read the Inhumans. I have most of the books from the late 90’s onwards and I see nothing remotely similar to what Priest is writing and the treatment back to the characters from those books. Priest is just writing a teen drama, really no different from the myriad of teenaged super heroes that have been published by DC and Marvel for decades. In fact and in many ways they are completely inter-changeable. The context of the story could easily be done with Teen Titans or the O5 (the young X-men from a previous time stream). Even as teenagers there should be a semblance of the men and women they are to become. These are just generic American teenagers. They have none of the uniqueness that the Inhumans should have.

If you don’t like Soule’s run. That’s completely fine, to each his own. But it honestly just boggles my mind how you can find a connection between the Inhuman’s who have been published for more than 30+ years and Priest’s characters.

[oasis1313]

I'm liking Once and Future Kings a lot better than Royals these days. Especially for the Lockjaw backstory. It's nice to see Medusa healthy.

[PaxHouse]

I'm liking Once and Future Kings a lot better than Royals these days. Especially for the Lockjaw backstory. It's nice to see Medusa healthy.

If that's true, then you'll definitely will like her current condition being a bit more better than one of the other Inhumans within ROYALS #11.

[oasis1313]

If that's true, then you'll definitely will like her current condition being a bit more better than one of the other Inhumans within ROYALS #11.

Is her hair back?

[Tofali]

Is her hair back?

Nope, her hair is not back and she is still hacking and coughing away


Royals #11 Medusa recaps

So the gang infiltrated the World Farm stole some Primagen and escaped with the help of Flint and Crystal's but most especially from Gorgon.





This "romance" felt completely forced but i'm glad it's over.

[CryNotWolf]

So Medusa was just a final gift for Gorgon before he kicked the bucket. Thanks, Ewing.

[Godlike13]

So Medusa was just a final gift for Gorgon before he kicked the bucket. Thanks, Ewing.

Right, and personally it made me glad for his death. Which I don’t think was the desired affect. And it’s not like I have any ill will towards Gorgon, I just don't want to have to see that awkward romance anymore.

[CryNotWolf]

Right, and personally it made me glad for his death. Which I don’t think was the desired affect. And it’s not like I have any ill will towards Gorgon, I just don't want to have to see that awkward romance anymore.

"Awkward" is right. I mean it didn't straight make me uncomfortable or gross me out like her relationship with Johnny Storm did, but it still came outta nowhere with no buildup and I just didn't feel any chemistry or genuine romance there at all.

I wish authors like Soule and Ewing would understand that Medusa doesn't always need to be sleeping with a controversial partner in order to make her a compelling character.