Whee, New Universe Reboot!

Some wonderful anonymous person replied to my first budding comic bloggy question of last year. The character who did the black spotted duplicates, in actuality negative astral versions of himself is: Randy O'Brien, nicknamed Antibody. He was a character who was part of Marvel's 'New Universe'. Given the premise, which was of a more regular world, where a phenomenon, akin to what happened in today's modern 'What if' story, 'The 4400'. There is, The White Event. It gives some individuals paranomal powers and abilities. But Randy is one of a set of people who check themselves into a Clinic that's supposed to be looking out for these new Paranomals to help them learn how to control and deal with their abilities. Instead due to his astral projection, he learns it's a front where the patients are going to be used as part of an army. So he and and a group of others, essentially his group therapy members, escape. And the series is about what happens to them in real time over a year (the series lasted 3 yrs) as they try to figure out what to do and where to go from where they are. They were DP7; Displaced Paranomals Group 7.

Apparently Warren Ellis (and I could really come to love the man, so far he seems responsible for cradling several characters I remember from childhood. Not to mention he made Batman and Superman have a one true love in a version universe; Apollo and The Midnighter. How can I not strongly like the guy?) is responsible for the relaunch of 'The New Universe' as NewUniversal, starting December 30th of this year. He wants to do it as an all involved story; all the characters will relate in someway to one long plot.

I'm excited enough that I sit here and consider going against my impulse against impatience and waiting for the trade. I'm considering buying the damn serial. Though I honestly have no idea how I'd be responsible for a comic collection, between the chaos that is my current rental and my hope to move. I'm having images of keeping them in ziplock bags in styrofoam coolers. Anyone have any links on 'How to take care of your comic collection?'

Because I am so excited. I'm a faithful watcher of 'The 4400' and hope to own S1-3 at some point. And here is something I remember from my youth that's quite similar to that, that will have characters I remember - eventually. So far Ellis has mentioned other characters and character groups from the universe. But I have hope to see incarnations if not reinventions of my favourites. Hey, it worked for BattleStar Galatica.

At some point I could probably talk about my Uncles, and how their tastes affected what I first read. Because I didn't quite know where comics came from, other than the box under their beds and presumably a bookstore somewhere. And when I did ask, as I've said before, I got Dazzler, Katy Keene and Cloak and Dagger. I didn't like the ones without the D. But, there's nothing more to do than say the occasional 'thank you' when I realize where my original loves came from.

But New Universe, possibilities. And the artwork in the previews at marvel.com is wonderful. The colorist makes me think - Justin Ponsar does landscapes. Though I might be thinking Ponsar because the artwork is very realistic and the lines are very clean ala Gred Land. But in this case there's character in the characters. I find myself thinking of Renaissance Italian Portraits. The florid colors on the skin (suggested by the art), the creases in the faces; the weight of life - for older characters; the awkward body positions that happen when something unbeliavable has occurred and people are going 'w. t. f.?!'; the flowing priviledge of the strength and energy youth. It's beautiful.

I'm going to be hunting down more information on Salvador Larocca, as I don't follow X-Men, Uncanny X-Men or X-treme X-Men. But now I'll give them a look to peruse the art. Warren Ellis and a good artist can't really do wrong, can they?

I've become burnt out on X-Men and 'Civil War' as I've said makes no bit of sense to me whatsoever. When I finally get around to talking about it, it'll be a streak of cursing. Maybe I'll even code those words all blue. But I could support Marvel in this along with 'Runaways'. Now all that needs to happen is that DC does something that makes me get as excited.