General omnibus & hardcover discussion vol. II

[TomSlick]

Read the first issue and I wasn't impressed, got the trade as part of a Humble bundle and was blown away. Very cool, very hard sci fi.

Is this a story that’s wrapped up or at least - if it’s still going - coming out on time? I love Warren Ellis but he has serious deadline issues.

[Balakin]

How is the Wicked and Divine?

I wasn't super crazy about Young avengers (although might need to reread it because it was quite different to the Heinberg runs and maybe I was just resisting to accept it) but I really liked Phonogram and W+D is kinda similar. Very hip and up its own a#@e but in a good way. The mythology is interesting and unique and there are some twists in it you won't see coming.

[Enigma]

I've only read the first HC of W+D, but I definitely recommend it - Phonogram too.

I just read Demo, having been inspired to read it after I read 'Local' and instantly put it in my top three reads (Local). Holy crap, Demo is awesome too. Some of the stories are really crap - there is a period of three issued where it was pretty awful, but the rest are good and some are brilliant. 'Sad and Beautiful World' was my stand out favourite, Definitely pick up Demo on a sale, I got it cheap on Ebay. It has had mixed reviews (partly because of the writer, I think he did something controversial?), but I like it.

[TomSlick]

Thanks for the recommendations on W&D. I think I'll check it out. Is Phonogram related or just something else you all like that Gillen did?

[Balakin]

Thanks for the recommendations on W&D. I think I'll check it out. Is Phonogram related or just something else you all like that Gillen did?

Phonogram was I think the first time Gillen and McKelvie worked together and probably Gillen's first major work? The first arc is a but raw but it gets much better with the second. It's not connected to W+D (not W&D, sheesh Tom! ) it's about people who use music to fuel their magic. It's very heavy on brit pop so it doesn't hurt if you at least don't mind some Blondie and such but still it's a fun read. It's mostly about the characters and not that much about the plot.

[TomSlick]

Phonogram was I think the first time Gillen and McKelvie worked together and probably Gillen's first major work? The first arc is a but raw but it gets much better with the second. It's not connected to W+D (not W&D, sheesh Tom! ) it's about people who use music to fuel their magic. It's very heavy on brit pop so it doesn't hurt if you at least don't mind some Blondie and such but still it's a fun read. It's mostly about the characters and not that much about the plot.

Hey that actually sounds really cool! I just ordered that and W + D off IST since it’s going to be awhile before I had to place an order with them and my backlog is almost non existent right now.

[fillmont]

Is this a story that’s wrapped up or at least - if it’s still going - coming out on time? I love Warren Ellis but he has serious deadline issues.

15 of a planned 25 issues have come out, and it seems to be coming out pretty regularly. It certainly isn't monthly though, and the last 10 issues (or the eventual Deluxe 2) won't be out for probably 2 years.

[TomSlick]

15 of a planned 25 issues have come out, and it seems to be coming out pretty regularly. It certainly isn't monthly though, and the last 10 issues (or the eventual Deluxe 2) won't be out for probably 2 years.

OK, thanks. This sounds about right with Ellis. Or it could be . . . never. I'm probably going to get this book, though. I've always liked his work. It's just disappointing that some things he started he will never finish and others just take a ton of time.

[Hellboydce]

OK, thanks. This sounds about right with Ellis. Or it could be . . . never. I'm probably going to get this book, though. I've always liked his work. It's just disappointing that some things he started he will never finish and others just take a ton of time.

And the one I wish he’d of finished the most is Fell, I loved that book, and on the W + D, the TV show American God reminded me of it, it seemed to be trying to be too hip, it pretty much went on eBay as soon as I finished it

[Stargasm]

Hey that actually sounds really cool! I just ordered that and W + D off IST since it’s going to be awhile before I had to place an order with them and my backlog is almost non existent right now.

Premise sounds amazing indeed - I love a lot of the music that was referenced throughout the book but other than that the book just isn't that good. They don't do anything with this great idea. As someone said above it's about the characters (who are as pretentious as their creators) and there's no plot.

Wick div is in the same alley: of book by hipsters for hipsters I guess? Art is better than in phono though. Funny to see that quite a lot of people on the omni fb group felt the same

[JPAR]

And the one I wish he’d of finished the most is Fell, I loved that book, and on the W + D, the TV show American God reminded me of it, it seemed to be trying to be too hip, it pretty much went on eBay as soon as I finished it

Agreed. It wasn't my cup of tea. Sold it right away.

[Balakin]

feel like I should count myself as a hipster or a brit pop fan because I liked these books I don't think I'm any of those tho I just found the concept of Phonogram interesting and I think Gillen is aware that his characters are pretentious douchebags. I think you can tell that based on how the main character changes from the first story.
Not sure about the American Gods comparison, I've not watched the show (yet?) but read the book twice and I kinda see the similarities but only on the surface: urban fantasy with old timey gods in modern times. Very different execution tho.
I can totally see why they are not everybody's cup of tea and the character references to Kanye and Lady Gaga and such could be irritating to people but I don't care about those guys to begin with so I just read it as an urban fantasy book with an interesting style.

[Hellboydce]

feel like I should count myself as a hipster or a brit pop fan because I liked these books I don't think I'm any of those tho I just found the concept of Phonogram interesting and I think Gillen is aware that his characters are pretentious douchebags. I think you can tell that based on how the main character changes from the first story.
Not sure about the American Gods comparison, I've not watched the show (yet?) but read the book twice and I kinda see the similarities but only on the surface: urban fantasy with old timey gods in modern times. Very different execution tho.
I can totally see why they are not everybody's cup of tea and the character references to Kanye and Lady Gaga and such could be irritating to people but I don't care about those guys to begin with so I just read it as an urban fantasy book with an interesting style.

True, very much a cosmetic similarity, but nothing about it made me want to scrape the surface, but mainly I just found both the W + D And American Gods tv show to far up their own arseholes

[Balakin]

True, very much a cosmetic similarity, but nothing about it made me want to scrape the surface, but mainly I just found both the W + D And American Gods tv show to far up their own arseholes

I would still recommend reading American Gods. Or The Anansi boys.

[TomSlick]

And the one I wish he’d of finished the most is Fell, I loved that book, and on the W + D, the TV show American God reminded me of it, it seemed to be trying to be too hip, it pretty much went on eBay as soon as I finished it

I loved Fell and given the chance I think it would have been my favorite series he ever did. Sadly he cut it short. As I recall he had a computer crash and lost a lot of scripts and decided he wouldn’t finish. I could be wrong on that tho.