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Underground > Comic Books >

X-Force: a retraction

15:04 / 14.12.01

Having caught up by reading the trade paperback and hugely enjoyed the most recent 'Lacuna' issue, I have decided this series is utterly sublime. I completely retract my former statement expressing dislike.

Thankyou.

Murray Hamhandler

16:15 / 14.12.01

I agree. I'm glad that I was able to catch up. When I originally read that Milligan was going to be writing it, I instantly thought of Elektra, Magneto, and other Marvel Milligan stuff that I'd read and been HIGHLY disappointed with. It seemed that his Marvel work was just a paycheck to him, so I didn't really feel like contributing, despite being in love w/Shade. But I heard some good stuff about X-Force, bought the trade, and...wow. Really good. Really, really good. Probably better than New X-Men. Well, actually, better than any other regular title that I'm currently reading. So there.
Arthur Sudnam

17:10 / 14.12.01

Yeah... Especially, this last Lacuna storyline.

With this story it seems peter has reached his stride!!! it's only going to get better though, Alred's doing some of his BEST work here & the Coloring is improving by leaps & bounds!!!

How about that scene at the t.v. studio!!!

Splendid!!!

In a sence I agree that X-force surpasses New X meN, in consistancy of art & deadline. As well as freshness of charactors & development. While GM is the bomb, it seems like NXM hasn't gotten into full stride, hampered by scheduals & fill-in artists...

17:23 / 14.12.01

I wouldn't go so far as to say it's better than New X-Men, but it's a lighter, breezier read which won't ruin your appetite.

yawn - thing's buddy

18:25 / 14.12.01

i think you should go that far.

[ 14-12-2001: Message edited by: I am SHAKO ]

Regrettable Juvenilia

18:45 / 14.12.01

But what about my... special ointment?

Welcome to the fold, 'Nesh. I'm getting the impression that several 'lithers are becoming obsessed with X-Force to an unhealthy degree... And why not? Learn the lines, nurse crushes on the characters, fantasize about how you'd write it: it's not just a funnybook, it's a way of life. Though I love the way Lacuna satirized the over-enthusiastic, over-analytical fan of the comic...

Matthew Fluxington

18:54 / 14.12.01

quote:Originally posted by Flyboy:
Though I love the way Lacuna satirized the over-enthusiastic, over-analytical fan of the comic...

Me, I just love the way how every character and every panel and every throwaway line in the comic is a right-on satire of SOMETHING. It's just so complete, and slick, so fucking subversive... I think that as it stands right now, my love of X-Force has eclipsed New X-Men, at least til after Germ Free Generation is over... X-Force is so fun, and is probably only reaching a tiny percentage of the audience it could get if more people out there knew it about it. I really think Marvel should start stickering street teams, and get Allred X-Force images all over NYC and other cities... I think that would be a good first step.

It's also nice after many years of being a fan of Milligan and the Allreds separately that they've really hit their stride and are getting the respect they deserve...

23:08 / 14.12.01

quote:Originally posted by I am SHAKO:
i think you should go that far.

I don't. But hey, thanks for your input.

uncle retrospective

04:29 / 15.12.01

Well, I'm glad to see people coming up to speed on the whole X Force thing, and yes it's a lot better than New X Men.
I think it's just more consistant and it has no fucking space empires in it.

Which is good.
Maybe it's just the bit about just wanting to be a "disapointment to my parents", maybe it's that U Go Girl is the foxiest charater in comics (I feel like K +1 after that comment) or maybe it just kick a lot of ass.
Best monthly comic.
nuff said.

06:19 / 15.12.01

But is this the end for Lacuna? She's not going to join the team!

Maybe she will be the secret anti member, who pops and undoes them from time to time. Is it to late to petition Milligan to keep this girl in?

06:59 / 15.12.01

Oh wow, X-force...thats something I havent read in ages... I remember with this new re vamp and all, there is a new roster, yes? Seeing as how there are so many rave reviews of it, Ill need to go check it out....I still think of X-force as"new mutants"... I loved that claremont/sienkovich era(did I spell his last name correctly? I hope so)
but, Ill definitely give them a shot, next time im in the store, thanks guys..and gals

06:59 / 15.12.01

I think this tit is doing what comics do best getting lots of cool satire out under the critical radar. I think this title more than any other is a kind of heir and successor of the Authority, only this comic as its publisher's full editorial support...

06:59 / 15.12.01

Which tit?

11:02 / 15.12.01

this tit (.)

11:19 / 15.12.01

Spot of nipple-licking going on there, I see...

11:55 / 15.12.01

>>>I loved that claremont/sienkovich era(did I spell his last name correctly? I hope so)<<<

Not even close.

(Sienkiewicz)

Matthew Fluxington

13:35 / 15.12.01

quote:Originally posted by Wayne:
I still think of X-force as"new mutants"... I loved that claremont/sienkovich era(did I spell his last name correctly? I hope so)
but, Ill definitely give them a shot, next time im in the store, thanks guys..and gals

Just to be clear, the new X-Force has nothing at all to do with the comic formerly known as X-Force, or the New Mutants, or even the X-Men. It is an entity to itself...

In other news: Has anyone seen any interviews with Peter Milligan re: X-Force? I haven't seen even a quote from the guy...I'd really like to see a good interview with him about this stuff, I'd like to hear what he would say...

The Natural Way

14:51 / 16.12.01

For me it just depends on how those "space empires" are handled... In fact, Grant's reappropriation of old ideas is one of my favourite things about his writing - the way he makes the *familiar* seem so alien and strange.

I love X Force, but I still prefer NXM (even though the art is completely inconsistent, with no end of penciller juggling in sight. Tho' a friend did point out that Kordey's pencils do bring out that latent "creepy" air that hangs around the book. That scene in the hospital...brrr...).

yawn - thing's buddy

06:57 / 17.12.01

The latest ish of x-force is in my mind the purest, greatest, shiniest 'POP' comic for a long long time. Since Paradax no.1 by Milligan/McCarthy/Ewins (published by Vortex) if you must know.

Really - this comic is as multi-layered and a cosmetic as it needs to be.

21:49 / 17.12.01

I love the new X- Force, it's one of the few comics I actively sought out in the Back Issues boxes. It reminds me of the work Rick Veitch did in BRATPACK/ MAXIMORTAL, and I cannot think of much higher praise than that. Long may it continue.

yawn - thing's buddy

10:58 / 18.12.01

Are you mark millar?

12:23 / 18.12.01

I've been pouring over this thing the past week or so. Has anyone else noticed the use of real-life pictures in it? Specifically one of a newscaster on a TV screen in the first issue, and then a bunch of the ocean and sky in the issue w/ Wolverine. Never seen that done before, and if youre not looking for it you totally miss it.

12:31 / 18.12.01

actually photo's patrticularly of buildings such as the pentagon are frequently used in comics (esp marvel comics) unfortunately often the images are degraded so much/ screwed up by a combination of the printing process and the quality of the paper that it isn't always as readily aparent

12:37 / 18.12.01

Makes sense, just never noticed it before I guess. It seemed really subversive for some reason, like they were trying to slip something in, and I liked it.

The Natural Way

14:14 / 18.12.01

Oh, one thing: did anyone notice that Doop was blissfully unaffected when Lacuna stopped time'? Did you? No-one's mentioned it.

It's the little things that make this comic great.

14:47 / 18.12.01

I noticed that thing w/ Doop, as well. Have there been any attempts to translate doopspeak? Gotta go and read my 'Shade' backissues now.

09:35 / 19.12.01

Yeah... that bit with Doop rocked..

makes the silent issue all the more tastey!!!

as for the photo effects... caught it immediately... it's use is getting better & better in combination with Alred's art!!!

09:35 / 19.12.01

on Mike Allreds message board (i don't have the link, i get to it via the aaapop web site) there are people you've cracked Doop Speak and'll post what he says when a new issue of X-Force...

The Natural Way

10:57 / 19.12.01

Why not post some translated Doopspeak now? And how, if you haven't succeeded in cracking it, do you know he has? Is it crackable? Has Milligan invented a new alphabet?

I hope this is on the money. T'would be nice.

[ 19-12-2001: Message edited by: Guns 'n' Runces ]

12:02 / 19.12.01

Doop's dialogue was actually a font available for download from Blambot, before it was used in X-Force. Somebody noticed that Allred was using the Blambot font and did some translating - there are 26 characters that correspond with our alphabet. I think the font has since been removed from the Blambot site, so as not to spoil the fun.

[ 19-12-2001: Message edited by: CameronStewart ]

12:16 / 19.12.01

Doop translator here.

12:17 / 19.12.01

12:17 / 19.12.01

Got this off an (the only, I think) x-force fansite: http://www.geocities.com/retroxpunk/site_lounge.html

Doopese/English translations:

<Issue 116
Edie: "Doop, honey, can you try not to keep shooting my butt from a low angle? You're making me look like Jennifer Lopez!"
Doop: "I'll do my best and you can love it."
(comments: there's no apostropes in Doopese, so they letterer uses spaces.)

Issue 117
Coach: "Lights, Doop."
Doop: "I'm on it, Coach. Zoom."

(Domino has a gun to Doop's, uhm, head.)
Orphan: "Pick on someone your own size!!"
Doop: "Ye ZQ hkah. Wat did to yu."
(comments: This is the only spot the code doesn't work. I don't get it, either. 'Specially since it did work earlier in the ish.)

Issue 118
Orphan: "Doop, get some shots of the parade. It'll give the film something to cut away to."
Doop: "Hey. You're the boss.. bud."
(Comments: Tiny text, innit it?!)

Issue 119
Orphan: (stripping, whoo!) "Soory, Doop. Can't risk any of this footage finding it's way to the National Enquirer."
Doop: "Aw, gee. Come on, man."
(comments: An error here. the letter 'O' in 'on' is actually an 'O.' Slip in the Doopese and back into Comic Sans.)

Issue 120! Doop's most dialogue!
Wolvie: "How was that?"
Doop: "Dug it. Big time."
Wolvie: "Not really sure if I found, you know, my center. And you know my conditions: Before I give final permission for you to use me in your 'Doop's-Eye Video of the New X-Force's First Year'..."
Doop: "Of course. Don't sweat it."
Wolvie: "I don't care how long we've known each other, I really don't know why you're still hangin' out with these clowns!"
Doop: "Are you watching Pa?"
(Whazzat?!?!? Pa?! Is Doop involved in Wolvie's origin that's going to be revealed?? Or is it just PA, as in, Public Appearance?)
Wolvie: "Easy for you to say. But the Coach, he's one mean sonofagun. And as for that U-Go Girl... Well, what I'd like to do with her probably wouldn't make it's way onto your little video diary."
Doop: "Well. This is it."
Wolvie: "Ya mean?"
Doop: "Exactly." >

Not as interesting as I'd hoped it would be, but I like how he/she/it says 'big time', just like Dick Cheney does.

There’s also a copy of the alphabet here: http://forums.delphiforums.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=xmenlounge&msg=120.1

Matthew Fluxington

16:09 / 22.12.01

Apparently, one of the core X-Force characters will die at the end of the next storyline. Any guesses as to whom it may be?
It seems like Milligan was dropping some hints about The Anarchist, but that may be a red herring... I'm thinking whomever it was here that suggested that Edie was going to be the next to die because she is everybody's favorite may be right...