WHy does Prez feel like an Image comic?

[FanboyStranger]

Fair enough. Seems like the stuff I like is always dead in the water.

Same with me. I'm begining to think there's a "Fanboy Curse".

[matt levin]

I reading these posts because, after all these years, I am become an Image fan.
Initial descriptions of Prez suggested to me it could be over-the-top satire as described before by Rakso, which didn't interest me per se. Not yet convinced by anyone here to go hunt up the first issues though... no?

[FanboyStranger]

I reading these posts because, after all these years, I am become an Image fan.
Initial descriptions of Prez suggested to me it could be over-the-top satire as described before by Rakso, which didn't interest me per se. Not yet convinced by anyone here to go hunt up the first issues though... no?

It's good, but I don't find it quite as great as people make it out to be. A lot of the satire is low hanging fruit, in my opinion. (It's certainly not American Flagg!) Ben Caldwell's art is excellent, though. If you looking for something witty and political that will occasionally grab at your heartstrings, it's definitely enjoyable.

[Ragdoll]

So people on the Image board convinced me to give this book a shot, and I have to say, I'm impressed DC would publish something like this. It's like a kids version of Transmetropolitan. I can;t wait to see where the Tina plot goes.

[ed2962]

I bought the first issue last week. I bought issues 2 and 3 yesterday. It's not super great and revolutionary, but I find it fun and entertaining.


I'm a little surprised that there hasn't been more outcry that a man has been replaced due to "PC tyranny." Maybe cuz Prez wasn't a superhero...?

[ed2962]

So people on the Image board convinced me to give this book a shot, and I have to say, I'm impressed DC would publish something like this. It's like a kids version of Transmetropolitan. I can;t wait to see where the Tina plot goes.

It would be surprising if Marvel did this comic, but like you mentioned DC did Transmet, they published Ex Machina, so it's not that usual for them

[Deniz Camp]

So people on the Image board convinced me to give this book a shot, and I have to say, I'm impressed DC would publish something like this. It's like a kids version of Transmetropolitan. I can;t wait to see where the Tina plot goes.

Glad you're digging it!

I don't comment on it often, but it's in my top 3 books published by DC, and top 5 books published period. It's incisive and smart and creative and hilarious.

And for those worried about it, Mark Russell has gone online and made it clear that Dan Didio is the reason the book exists, that he's a huge supporter of it, and that it is still getting it's 2nd 6 issue mini series. Didio has his critics, but when he gets behind something, or feels that there is a strong fan reaction to something, he tends to be good about keeping it going, even when sales make it an iffy proposition (Jonah Hex, Manhunter, etc).

I'm feeling very energized, and very lucky, that this book not only exists, but will be allowed to finish itself off, despite the sales being abysmal. And I suspect it will be a book that develops a following as a collected edition.

If nothing else, I hope this proves to the world that Ben Caldwell is the greatest artist/cartoonist that you're not following. And Mark Russell is making some of the smartest observations about the modern market society I've seen in comics; far outstripping some of the more ostensibly cerebral authors at Image in terms of depth and perceptiveness. His treatise on Amazon essentially manufacturing time was BRILLIANT, and brilliantly delivered. He's got an incredible command of a variety of voice, too -- his Zizek pastiche is so disturbingly on point, it puts a certain...other...I've seen in comics to shame.

I'm not sure if Russell could do anything in 'mainstream' superhero comics, but I hope at least he does something for Image after this. He's certainly proven himself capable.

[Deniz Camp]

It would be surprising if Marvel did this comic, but like you mentioned DC did Transmet, they published Ex Machina, so it's not that usual for them

Not as a mainstream DC publication, though. Both of those were published through various spin off sub companies, Wildstorm and Paradox (I think Transmet eventually became Wildstorm too).

This is unique in that it's being published by DC proper. Everything, down to the lettering, feels like an Image comic (the lettering seems to be the Invincible style). Even the jaunty, absurd and sarcastic tone is abnormal, though not unheard of, for one of DC's sub-companies.

[FanboyStranger]

Not as a mainstream DC publication, though. Both of those were published through various spin off sub companies, Wildstorm and Paradox (I think Transmet eventually became Wildstorm too).

Transmet began with Helix, which was Stuart Moore's attempt to launch a sci-fi line out of Vertigo. Helix folded early in Transmet's run-- I think around issue three-- and Transmet was Vertigo for the remainder of its run. (Helix itself had an eleventh hour name change from Matrix, due to a certain movie. The line was kinda doomed before it began, but it produced some solid work like Michael Moorcock's Multiverse, Tim Truman's Black Lamb, Lucius Shepherd's Vermillion, and Howard Chaykin/Don Cameron's Cyberella. Only Transmet would continue past the end of Helix, though.)

Ex Machina was Wildstorm for its entire run.

[Deniz Camp]

Helix! That's what I was thinking of.

A shame that didn't get off the ground. Ultimately, though, Wildstorm became the place for most of those stories.

[ed2962]

They had another line called Minx that I guess was supposed to be oriented towards girls/young adults. I don't know what happened behind the scenes or with funding but I really wish they stayed committed and it was more successful. I really think reaching out and diversifying not just content but also formats will by the future of comics.

[FanboyStranger]

They had another line called Minx that I guess was supposed to be oriented towards girls/young adults. I don't know what happened behind the scenes or with funding but I really wish they stayed committed and it was more successful. I really think reaching out and diversifying not just content but also formats will by the future of comics.

I can speak to what happened with Minx-- certain WB/DC elements did not like the format, and Vertigo spent beyond their means on advertising placement in other media. The hope was that these books would reach the N American audience for manga, but it didn't work out that way. That's why New York Five was published as single issues rather than an OGN like New York Four.

This is also what happened with the Vertigo Crime line.

[FanboyStranger]

Helix! That's what I was thinking of.

A shame that didn't get off the ground. Ultimately, though, Wildstorm became the place for most of those stories.

It was really a side effect of the speculator's bubble bursting rather than any comment on quality. It was poor timing on the part of DC. Can't fault the effort, though.

Oddly enough, Transmet survived because of the popularity of Ellis' then new work on Stormwatch. Wildstorm was not yet a imprint of DC, but Ellis' work for Jim Lee was getting acclaim and selling well. Transmet was essentially developed because Robertson had worked with Ellis on Ultraforce and liked his voice. Warren only had Marvel credits at that point. If Stuart Moore didn't shepherd the project, it wouldn't have been published through DC, and who knows what level of success Ellis would have had. And one of the major reasons why Ellis even got that shot was because Garth Ennis went to bat for him.

(It's really an interesting time for a lot of prominent comics creators. Ellis had tried out for Hellblazer on Ennis' recommendation, but ended up third behind Eddie Campbell and Nick Abadzis, who Garth also recommended on the strength of Hugo Tate: O America. Eddie got the job, but his heart wasn't in it, so he bailed after four issues to self-publish Bacchus. By that point, Ellis was swimming in Marvel work, so he couldn't commit to the title. Rick Veitch suggested Paul Jenkins, who was an editor with Tundra who had a few Heavy Metal credits and a kids' book, and he saved HB at the eleventh hour. What I find cool is that all of those creators have gone on to do excellent work.)

[Doughy Man!]

Glad you're digging it!

I don't comment on it often, but it's in my top 3 books published by DC, and top 5 books published period. It's incisive and smart and creative and hilarious.

And for those worried about it, Mark Russell has gone online and made it clear that Dan Didio is the reason the book exists, that he's a huge supporter of it, and that it is still getting it's 2nd 6 issue mini series. Didio has his critics, but when he gets behind something, or feels that there is a strong fan reaction to something, he tends to be good about keeping it going, even when sales make it an iffy proposition (Jonah Hex, Manhunter, etc).

I'm feeling very energized, and very lucky, that this book not only exists, but will be allowed to finish itself off, despite the sales being abysmal. And I suspect it will be a book that develops a following as a collected edition.

If nothing else, I hope this proves to the world that Ben Caldwell is the greatest artist/cartoonist that you're not following. And Mark Russell is making some of the smartest observations about the modern market society I've seen in comics; far outstripping some of the more ostensibly cerebral authors at Image in terms of depth and perceptiveness. His treatise on Amazon essentially manufacturing time was BRILLIANT, and brilliantly delivered. He's got an incredible command of a variety of voice, too -- his Zizek pastiche is so disturbingly on point, it puts a certain...other...I've seen in comics to shame.

I'm not sure if Russell could do anything in 'mainstream' superhero comics, but I hope at least he does something for Image after this. He's certainly proven himself capable.

Agree completely, and I sure hope it gets it's full 12. (You've given me hope, at least, with your comments about Russell and Didio)

I think it's brilliant. One of the smartest, funniest things on the market and currently my favorite book of the right now.

And Ragdoll, I too am happy to see your enjoying it.

[ben c]

one of the weird things about PREZ is knowing that future readers will think mark russell kept "ripping from the headlines" with all the digs at amazon, deez nuts etc. but so far, every one of those things was written in the scripts before it became news. i mean, it's all obvious stuff that anyone could extrapolate, but after a while his timing starts to seem uncanny.

i'm not saying mark russell is a time traveller, but I'm not not saying it, either.