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Underground > Comic Books >

The Authority : Kev

14:36 / 09.08.02

Did anyone else pick this up this week ?

I don’t normally buy the Authority unless it’s been TPB-ed, but thought I’d get this one. Garth Ennis writes, and Glenn Fabry draws, and it’s really rather a fun read. Fabry’s art carries it all along nicely, and the story’s a pleasingly un-serious one.

Since no-one else has posted about it, as far as I know, I guess you may not have seen/read it yet, so I won’t spoilerise. But you could do worse for your money – speaking of which, surprised this one was stapled and not spined, thus making it cheaper. And the covers are reproduced inside without logos etc, allowing you to relish Glenn’s purdy painting skills, which is always a bonus.

In short : me like. You might too. Take peek.

DBC

The Natural Way

14:45 / 09.08.02

I'm saving all my money for NXM, The Filth and The Ultimates next week.

Special week.

14:59 / 09.08.02

Dave, can you tell us a little bit about the story? To pique our interest? The ads made me curious!

15:12 / 09.08.02

Certainly.
Kev, an (ex-?) government operative, is sent to kill the Authority – all of them. He’s a very ordinary-looking chap with some less ordinary abilities and weapons. Things really start getting interesting when he actually meets the Authority – the encounter certainly doesn’t end the way I expected it would…

There’s also some lovely playing on the conventions of the Authority – the way that Ennis describes The Carrier is very funny indeed. Generally a very satisfying little read – in lesser hands, it might have been longer and less punchy (reminding me of Ellis’s comment on the book, ‘This took four issues each time?’). And despite the fact it’s been years since Glenn’s done interior comics work (I think) the eye’s drawn from panel to panel very well, without any problems of flow.

I’m trying not to give much more away… certainly worth a look, I think (though I didn’t realise it was both NXM and Filth next week, Runce : groovy).

DBC

15:21 / 09.08.02

I really thoght this was a waste of money.The art was ok, but I didn't like the covers and the story was dull at best.It was also fairly obvious that this was a two issue series originally due to the pacing.I really thought it added nothing to the authority and if this is what's going to happen to it under the eye of the storm line then I for one am going to stay away.

15:55 / 09.08.02

Oddly enough, pubs and Irish people make an appearance.

15:58 / 09.08.02

Sorry to say but i'm with the naysayers with this one

This was orginally comissioned as a two parter for the orginal series and was finished before the decision was made to end it at issue 29 - but hey - glen fabry art and a garth ennis script are a licence to print money right?

Ennis is back on his favoururite dick and fart-gag festooned territory of ex-army shenannigans. (is this really the same man that brought us troubled souls?)

This issue we learn *shock* that the carrier is indeed sentient (as alluded to in the past) - just like the ship in x-factor in the late eighties. It also has a range of deus ex machina powers (yeah like the authority aren't already unbeatable themselves) that would make the laziest trek script writer green with envy.

Still - If you are curious to see what fabry's interior artwork style is like this might be worthwhile.

16:53 / 09.08.02

good art funny jokes, very future-shocky. happy surprised fabry's strip work remained its coherency. and thecarrier, when it talks, has nearly the voice of jenny sparks, a nice touch. its fun, but pikies like the runce won't miss anything if they save their money

17:38 / 09.08.02

It was also fairly obvious that this was a two issue series originally due to the pacing.

Spread over two issue, eh? V glad it wasn't. Like any good Future Shock it was cheap, funny, pacey, contained a couple of so obvious you missed it conceits and was ultimately vacuous.

Emphasis on vacuous.

Two issues = serious waste of paper. One issue = smirks.

20:02 / 09.08.02

Well, it was OK funny... The art wasn't bad... Glad it was just a sort of one shot... joke issue.

reminded me of that LOBO vs. HITMAN issue he did a while back...

ONLY NICE THINGS

22:15 / 09.08.02

Pub. The amusing helplessness of people in body casts. The IRA. The SAS. Swearing. People on toilets.

You know, Garth Ennis is in severe danger of herniating himself laughing at the readiness of people to fork over good money to see the offcuts of "For a Few Troubles More" with their favourite superheroes shoehorned in. This plague has already claimed Frank Miller. Don't let it strike again.

01:33 / 13.08.02

a funny one shot with good art and a simple storyline. It's meant to instill a few laughs, not define a series.

bottom line- worth picking up if you like Ennis' kind of humor.

On another note the HITMAN vs. LOBO one shot was funny as hell.

03:32 / 13.08.02

Certainly not widescreen entertainment.

I'm just a bit sick of seeing the Authority getting taken down really easily.

yawn - thing's buddy

07:35 / 13.08.02

yeah - its the filth, nxmen, ultimates and hunner per cent this week.

thas pretty good.

and kev is sold out in glasgow.

missed it.

02:50 / 14.08.02

God. What does anybody see in "the Ultimates"? I told more convincing stories with my Secret Wars action figures.

Seriously. I'm generally not one of those hate-filled fanboys, but I think I really missed the meeting where it was explained that Mark Millar was any good. This seems to me to be the same kind of nonsense contentless revisionism that John Byrne was so roundly lambasted for a couple years back, crossed with a fairly vicious self-parody on the characters. Are we meant to take this seriously? Even as (self) parody? Or is it just a chance to watch some buildings explode? Heck, for the price of the first 6 issues I could see 'xXx' twice....