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Entire Fourth World/Noo Godz Saga collected in HC

Mark Parsons

04:50 / 12.09.06

Over at Newsarama, DC has announced that it is reprinting the entire 4th World Saga (including HUNGER DOGS and all of the 4th World series) in four omnibus editions.

DC Announces Fourth World/New Gods Omnibus Editions

I recall hints that the New Gods would play a huge part in the DCU next year (conspicuous by their abscence from Infinite Crisis) - and that Morrison was spearheading this epic. Anybody confirm my infirm memories?

I've always wanted to see GM take on the NG and reboot-revivify them. Only Walt Simonson has been able to evolve the concept in his ORION series: otherwise it's been thirty-plus years of status quo, some decent, some aweful.

I only dimmly recall the Dematties NG minis from the 1980s (or was it 90s) and the relaunch that, IIRC, Starlin & Evanier were involved in.

Any New Gods/Kirby experts care to chime in?

Mario

11:53 / 12.09.06

I've been watching the news on the Fourth World for quite a while (force of habit, I used to co-run a New Gods board) and I've been able to glean some minimal data.

1) Morrison's Mister Miracle status quo is being kept, with the (possible) exception of Scott Free and Barda.

2) Firestorm is tying into things somehow.

3) The phrase "Keep watching the skies" relates.

4) There's a new cosmic threat coming, that Darkseid will be jobbing to. The threat is possibly named Lady Styx.

Personally, I agree with you that only Simonson has really moved the characters forward. But I'm cautiously optimistic about this new direction.

FinderWolf

13:52 / 12.09.06

I remember seeing stuff that Darkseid has been absent from the DCU for a long time because he's plotting something...and that he's teaming up with a major baddie he's never teamed up with before. That's about all we've gotten so far (and everyone above pretty much summarized everything else). It definitely sounds like we're getting a big New Gods story in 07 with Darkseid as the Big Bad.

Henningjohnathan

14:49 / 12.09.06

This doesn't include OMAC and KAMANDI, does it?

Jack Fear

15:37 / 12.09.06

Nope. Those belong to a whole separate thread of Kirby mythology. The "Fourth World" books comprised MISTER MIRACLE, THE NEW GODS, THE FOREVER PEOPLE, part of Kirby's run on JIMMY OLSEN, and the one-shot THE HUNGER DOGS. It's centered around the war between the worlds of New Genesis and Apokalips.

Billuccho!

16:04 / 12.09.06

I can't afford it, but I must have it. Now let's get Showcase Kamandi and Absolute OMAC, please.

FinderWolf

16:59 / 12.09.06

was there really a story arc that actually *went* somewhere with Kirby's New Gods stuff? From my experience, it seems like the New Gods seem locked in a status quo (very static, you have the origins and then that's pretty much it, Scott Free, child swap, etc.) as the good guys fight the bad guys. Although I remember when I was in 7th grade, the HUNGER DOGS graphic novel coming out and seeming like it was a big deal, slick production for the time, big event graphic novel...

Mister Six, whom all the girls

17:05 / 12.09.06

It was intended to be the 'last ' New Gods story and is incredible.

Hopefully they'll reprint it.

OMAC went on for over 50 issues if memory (and wallet) serves. Surely you'd just want the Kirby issues, right?

LDones

22:55 / 12.09.06

There's portentious info in the last issue of the Loeb/McGuinness Superman/Batman that Apokalips is getting involved with Mxyzptlk and the 5th Dimension.

I'm assuming that's what the big event will be about.

Also, Rich Johnston some weeks back said the new major New Gods story being martialed by Morrisson is tentatively called "Death of the New Gods".

Panic

22:55 / 12.09.06

KAMANDI went on for 50+ issues. OMAC only lasted about 6 IIRC.

I vaguely remember a (non-Kirby) KAMANDI issue cover featuring him as OMAC, though.

Mister Six, whom all the girls

23:29 / 12.09.06

Sorry, sorry... screwed up my Kirby there. I was thinking of Kamandi.

Billuccho!

00:59 / 13.09.06

OMAC lasted eight issues, and appeared in a team-up or two, and some back-ups, perhaps in Kamandi, where it was revealed that... OMAC is Kamandi's grandfather! Awesome.

Twig the Wonder Kid

13:32 / 13.09.06

I thought The New Gods were meant to be showing up in 52.

In fact, there's speculation that ...

.
.
.
possible 52 SPOILER
.
.
.

... Supernova may be Lightray under the mask.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightray

We've also already had an appearance by Devilance The Pursuer, who's presence hasn't really been explained yet.

FinderWolf

14:36 / 14.09.06

hmm...but Supernova has made baddies and rubble just magically 'disppear.' I don't think Lightray can do that.

Mario

15:09 / 14.09.06

He's done some pretty weird things with his powers (including transforming matter). Plus, he has a Mother Box.

Mark Parsons

02:49 / 16.09.06

Finderwolf:

RE Simonson, my memory fails, but he did off Darkseid, install Orion as ruler of Apocalypse, developed the concept of "Red Orion" (no, I don't recall what this means!) and threw in somekinda cool timekeeper ubergod at the end there. It all read fresher that my dull summary sounds. I do recall feeling that the mythos was finally flexing, that the Kirby-continents were cracking and moving about a bit. i was very dissapointed when the series ended. OK, actually I was only quite dissapointed.

Hallo, Paper Spaceboy

03:18 / 16.09.06

Especially when everything was reversed.

I'm hoping they do something with this Devilance the Pursuer character and we see some new blood for the New Gods.

Maybe...golly...a Forever People redux?

Mario

12:22 / 16.09.06

Oh, I'm a big partisan of the Simonson ORION run. Heck, I wrote the last lettercolumn.

As I recall, Red Orion was Simonson's term for Orion as a warrior king. Sort of his "King Conan".

FinderWolf

22:15 / 16.09.06

oh, thaknks furioso - I was actually asking what substantial things happened in the original Kirby NEW GODS run that's being reprinted by DC. I read and enjoyed most of Simonson's Orion run. I thought "Red Orion" was also supposed to indicate Orion's primal bestial blood-red 'beserker rage' side let loose; a future self he might turn into that's more like Darkseid than anything else.

Mario

22:51 / 16.09.06

Hmmm.. possibly. Except, under Simonson's pen, Orion never really lost control. Indeed, you might say that in one sense he was more controlled than ever.

But yeah, he was definitely slipping into Darkseid mode for a bit, for the noblest of reasons.

diz

18:49 / 18.09.06

But yeah, he was definitely slipping into Darkseid mode for a bit, for the noblest of reasons.

Isn't it always?

Was Mark Waid building on that in the Orion segment of Kingdom Come?

Mario

22:58 / 18.09.06

Unlikely. The KC hardcover came out in '97, and Orion #1 came out in 2000. While the series had been delayed (it was originally announced in '98), I think it unlikely Waid was privy to Walt's ideas that far back.

Probably convergent evolution.

Mark Parsons

00:51 / 19.09.06

DC Previews are up for Dec & January. Looks like a few NG related teasers for the Big Impending NG Event...

doctorbeck

08:50 / 19.09.06

i think the craziest new gods stuff happened in the jimmy olsen comics which i really hope get a cheap reprint, especially the hairies, future techno hippies living in a big truck (the mountain of judgement i think they called it) and all those little clones of jimmy olsen and the newsboy legion, boy i'd love to see those make a come back, i suppose a return for the jimmy olson hulk ('must smash superman') is asking a bit much though

Uatu.is.watching

17:02 / 19.09.06

They actually did collect Kirby's Jimmy Olsen run into two trades that were released maybe a year or two ago...

Mark Parsons

05:30 / 20.09.06

And the JO stories are in COLOR!

My impression is that these tales will be part of the Omnibus editions.

Mario

11:55 / 20.09.06

Probably not all of them, I imagine. The first appearance of Darkseid and "A Superman in Super-town" are shoe-ins, tho.

PatrickMM

22:33 / 27.09.07

I got the first omnibus a couple of weeks ago and loved it. I had read the black and white trade of New Gods that came out a few years ago, but reading this, that title's one of the weaker of the lot. Jimmy Olsen was the highlight for me, a perfect example of GM's pop comics, and quite possibly the inspiration for that mode. You can see a ton of Seven Soldiers in that book, as well as a bit of Invisibles.

Really, I can't recommend the book enough. The stories hold up, and the concepts are still mindblowing.

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