“UPDATE:
Came back to this one about 2 years later with the intent of reading parts 2 and 3. It’s pretty solid. Last time, I think I got sidetracked by the Warpsmith bullshit at the end. What the hell even was that? A bunch of time-hopping, dimesion-surfing alien people with names that look like someone was trying to cash in a bunch of useless consonants on their turn at Scrabble? It was WAY too much, way too confusing, and I rarely say it, but I think the book is stronger without this additional material.
Old Review:
Pretty good stuff. Although I think this suffers from the fact that, although it came first, I only just now got my hands on it.
There was a big legal battle over the character and the rights to reproduce these issues, it seems. Between Neil Gaiman and Todd McFarlane, no less. There was some back and forth, a trade was made where Gaiman surrendered claims to characters Angela and Cogliostro, and then McFarlane violated the deal, Gaiman sued, and in the end justice won out. You know, after a few decades or so.
Interestingly enough, while I was finding THAT out, I also found that there’s a guy named Al Simmons, which is the name shared by McFarlane character Spawn, and apparently Simmons wrote a book about his experience sharing the character’s name and dressing in costume for promotional appearances. Aaaaand McFarlane sued the guy. The defense for Simmons mounted a good argument in saying that Simmons has never been mistaken for Spaen. Let me remind you, Spawn is a character who was a special forces dude who got double-crossed, died, went to hell, and then made some kind of deal with the devil and came back as this sort of demon creature thing with mystical powers and a rad outfit, including lots of chains and capes.
I tried for about 3 minutes to see if this book, The Art of Being Spawn, was available, and it’s not. So my guess is that one way or another, Simmons’ book was squashed.
The point here, I really hate it when these stupid disagreements keep comics and books off the shelves. Everyone wants a piece of everything, and as a result, nobody gets to have it. And that’s bullshit.
I know for a fact that McFarlane had plenty of cash. I know for a fact that Gaiman is also doing just fine at this point. So when do we stop talking about who is right and start talking about whether or not I get to read goddamn Miracleman already!? Not to mention that the issues contained here were written by ALAN MOORE, not Gaiman or McFarlane, so what the fuck? Buncha jerks.
And the reason I’m all steamed up, it would have been great to read this prior to reading a lot of the other stuff I read in the DECADES since this got all tangled up. It would have made me feel different about a series like Mark Waid’s…shit, what was that one I liked? Indescribable? No, that’s not it.
Untouchable? No, that’s the baby carriage movie.
Unstoppable? No, that’s the movie where Denzel fights a train.
Inconsolable? No, that’s how I felt after I hit a duck with my car once.
Incontinent? No. Definitely no.
Inconceivable? No. And don’t say “ma-widge”, okay?
Unconditional? No. That’s my love.
Incredible? Hulk.
Unassailable? That’s probably the next Spider-Man adjective.
Inappropriate? Closer. Warmer.
Unintentional?
Uninspired?
Irredeemable! That’s it! Goddamn! I liked IRREDEEMABLE, and I can see why some other people might not have. It’s a bit of a re-tread of stuff in here. But I have to come at it with what I know.
It’s a little like watching a heist movie and someone says, “They did all this crap in the first Taking of Pelham 123.” I’m sure they did. But I didn’t see it first, and now I can’t UNsee all the stuff from Ocean’s 12.
By the way, what the holy fuck was Ocean’s 12? I saw a portion of that, and it appeared that Bruce Willis was himself and Julia Roberts was a Julia Roberts impersonator? I’m to believe that in this Oceans world, there’s Julia Roberts the movie star and then this lady who looks EXACTLY FUCKING LIKE Julia Roberts because she is Julia Roberts?
Anyway. This has gotten all out of whack.”