How good is Simonson's Orion?

[Tetragrammar]

I've already decided I'm getting the Orion omnibus when it comes out. But, just curious, how good is it? What did you like about it? And would Orion's series back place before or after his appearance in Morrison's JLA?

[FanboyStranger]

It's flat out excellent. The first few issues are very good, but cover well worn territory, culminating in that long prophesized battle between Darkseid and Orion alongside the fire pit. From there, however, the book takes the New Gods in uncharted directions, playing with the politics of Apokolips and the true power of the Anti-Life Equation. This would reach its climax in issue 15, and from there, we'd get what I consider the best overall story from the Fourth World, a solo Orion tale set on the Abyssmal Plane. It will remain excellent until its final issue, which is fantastic and presents us with the great poetic irony of Scott Free's burden.

Also, it's not just Simonson art, but also some back-up stories written by Simonson with art from people like Frank Miller, Howard Chaykin, Art Adams, JP Leon, Eddie Campbell, etc. John Byrne does a two-parter for Walt, too, in issues 13-14, and it's some of his better work from that time frame in his career.

Really, this is a must buy if you're interested in the New Gods or are a fan of Walt's work in general.

(It comes after the events in Morrison's JLA.)

[Tetragrammar]

Thanks for the input. I was sold on the series when I heard about Clockwerx and Sirius. I've only become a fan of the New Gods after I read Seven Soldiers and Final Crisis, and saw how the Gods were depicted as energy and waves and whatnot. Does Simonson's run getting into the whole "emanation" element of the New Gods? And I guess on a side note, has Orion ever been depicted or drawn as pure energy (like Darkseid's true form in Final Crisis)?

[Old_Batman]

.

(It comes after the events in Morrison's JLA.)

I'm in the middle of collecting Orion back issues. Should I read JLA first?

[Billy Batson]

It's bretty gud. It has a back up story by Loeb and Liefeld. You can't beat that.

[Billy Batson]

I'm in the middle of collecting Orion back issues. Should I read JLA first?

I read Orion first without any difficulty.

[Deniz Camp]

I'm in the middle of collecting Orion back issues. Should I read JLA first?

No, they're almost completely unconnected (I say 'almost' because Simonson does play with the notion that DC readers would have been familiar with Orion as "Orion of the JLA" where he self identifies, in the book, as Orion of the New Gods/New Genesis).


And to the OP, it's a magnificent piece of work. It marks the creative high point of a master of the medium; it's dense, complex, intelligent, unflinching, genuinely novel, nuanced and uproariously action packed. It's dripping with pathos and mythologies new and old, its characters come alive on the page with triumphs and tragedies that are at once uncomfortably intimate and towering in scale.

Pick it up without fear or regret. I very much doubt we'll ever have anyone deliver work of that quality on that group of characters again (though I live in hope).

[Zero Hunter]

It made me like Orion and New Gods who up to that point I had not been a fan at all. It was that good.

[Blacksun]

It's very good, best stuff with new gods since kirby. It was criminal that it wasn't collected, good that now there is a omnibus to be launched;
the guest artists are a plus

[Babylon23]

It is without a doubt the second greatest run on New Gods. Only Kirby's run is greater.

Unlike a lot of creators, Simonson didn't stick to rehashing Kirby ideas and characters. HE added to the mythos, expanding on some of Kirby's concepts but adding a wealth of his own ideas as well.

[mortymantis]

What about the book "jack Kirby's fourth world" not to be confused with the original. Wasn't simonson involved in that too? Is it collected?

[Kid A]

That was mainly John Byrne. I think Simonson did a backup feature for that.

[mortymantis]

That was mainly John Byrne. I think Simonson did a backup feature for that.

I saw that on my comic shop.com. What was te back up?

[Coal Tiger]

Simonson is the only writer/artist that is a worthy successor to Kirby. I don't think Byrne could understand the Fourth World stuff to save his life.

[Kid A]

I saw that on my comic shop.com. What was te back up?

IIRC it featured Kanto, but not sure.

Byrne told perfectly serviceable (this is coming from someone who despises Byrne) fantasy stories that probably wouldn't be out of place in a Marvel Asgard comic, but Kirby and Simonson operate on a whole 'nother level.