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Jeff’s dream there is pretty much the thing I dread every time new solicits for Marvel come out.
About 4 weeks ago, everyone in my group of online comic fan pals at gaiaonline.com went through the comiccritics archive to find the strip that most represented them. We all found one. I’m amazed sometimes how hard you guys hit the mark of the fan who ISN’T your typical N’ramatard.
I love the Agents of Atlas and I really hope their newest book doesn’t get canceled but Jeff Parker needs to start writing the book the way he wrote his original mini. As it is now, the book is missing the frenetic pace and sense of wonder that made that original mini so good.
That was exactly the point, Taft. I don’t usually come right out and say it, but you pegged the strip too well for me to ignore. It makes me so angry when creators make good comics! It drives me right up the goddamn wall!!!
For what it’s worth, I give a damn about Agents of Atlas. It’s a refreshing team-up, especially since they showed up in the time of [Adjective] Avengers. I don’t mind Parker’s pet project addiction to Atlas if they’re likable, obscure or no.
The Agents of Atlas are a group of re-vamped characters from the 50’s, back in the day when Marvel was publishing under the banner of Atlas. Gorilla Man, Venus, Marvel Boy, M-11 the Human Robot, Namora, Jimmy Woo and now with the new 3-D Man joining the team.
They first appeared as a team in an issue of What If? and were later seen during the Avengers Forever maxi-series.
Jeff Parker has been writing the various volumes, starting with the 5 issue mini-series, then the first ongoing series (which only lasted 11 issues), then the two part X-Men vs Agents, then the four part Avengers vs Agents, and now the new ongoing series, just titled Atlas.
Check out the initial mini-series to see how all these 50’s characters made it into the 21st century.
They’ve been guesting all over the place for the last while, it’s hard to miss them if you’re an avid Marvel fan. Getting into them is another matter of course.
Taft, it’s a commentary of the way things are, not how they should be. The problem with Agents of Atlas, and with comics in general, is that the audience is most comfortable with the mainstays, so stories about newer characters (and oddly enough, these 50’s oldschoolers count as newbies in this case), even when they’re very good and the writers put their hearts and soul into them, they still get largely ignored and swept under the rug because the not enough of the demographic is emotionally invested in them. Too many fans would rather buy Spider-Man when it’s bad and complain about it than take a chance with something they never heard of.
Creators should always be able to make the books they want, but as the strip shows, it’s always going to be an uphill battle if they don’t control the big names.
I actually don’t give a damn about Agents of Atlas either, but I do have my own beloved B-listers that never stand a chance, so I know the pain.
Loved the comic. I actually like the Agents of Atlas. I don’t LUVVV them, just think they’re okay. What I’m not OK with is Parker flooding the Marvel U with them; I can take the main series and the avalanche of minis (Namora, Marvel Boy, Gorilla Man, vs Avengers, vs X-Men) although it seems a bit silly (what’s next, Agents of Atlas vs Great Lakes Avengers? Agents of Atlas vs Deadpool?). Speaking about that, it reminds me of how Marvel keeps shoehorning Deadpool into the Marvel U.
Anyway, it started to bug me when they guest-starred in Thunderbolts, where the MAIN characters were jobbed to Atlas. The back-up feature in Hercules only made me think more about that Deadpool parallel.
I just hope they don’t get cancelled, and if the sales start to drop, don’t kill them. That’s the worst you can do.
Oh, I recognise those guys now. Namora being Namor’s cousin (Least imaginative name in the history of names), 3-D Man originally being called Triathlon (Which was better) and the 50s Avengers from when Destiny Crystal thing and What If? (Which I read last month in the library).
See, I told you I was an avid Marvel fan. It’s just that if they’re more recent than Secret Invasion then it hasn’t been published in England (But they’re planning to catch up sometime soon).
Now, to the actual point. I like those guys. The concept at least. I have no idea about the comic itself.
But lots of characters get bounced around. It’s just a shame that, with the veritable plethora of characters available, very few get any decent exposure. You have to be either an Avenger or an X-Man for anyone to give a damn.
Personal fave cancelled series? Captain Britain and MI:13. For rather obvious reasons.
June 17th, 2010 at 1:34 am
So who are the interveners there? Brubaker, Fraction, Quesada, Bendis and Slott?
Anyway, the crucial flaw in this strip is that the Agents of Atlas have mostly been pretty awesome, so the commentary kind of misses its mark.
June 17th, 2010 at 2:53 am
If the commentary had anything to do with the quality of the book, sure.
June 17th, 2010 at 5:07 am
The death is off-panel AND it’s gross? Bendis is truly a master of words.
June 17th, 2010 at 7:11 am
Jeff’s dream there is pretty much the thing I dread every time new solicits for Marvel come out.
About 4 weeks ago, everyone in my group of online comic fan pals at gaiaonline.com went through the comiccritics archive to find the strip that most represented them. We all found one. I’m amazed sometimes how hard you guys hit the mark of the fan who ISN’T your typical N’ramatard.
June 17th, 2010 at 8:20 am
I love the Agents of Atlas and I really hope their newest book doesn’t get canceled but Jeff Parker needs to start writing the book the way he wrote his original mini. As it is now, the book is missing the frenetic pace and sense of wonder that made that original mini so good.
June 17th, 2010 at 4:15 pm
And what was the point of this? Is it that creators shouldn’t try to make good comics because they might not be popular enough?
Pretty mean spirited.
June 17th, 2010 at 8:21 pm
That was exactly the point, Taft. I don’t usually come right out and say it, but you pegged the strip too well for me to ignore. It makes me so angry when creators make good comics! It drives me right up the goddamn wall!!!
June 18th, 2010 at 7:54 am
Who the heck are the agents of Atlas? Seriously, this is the first I’ve ever heard of them, and I’ve been an avid Marvel fan for a decade now.
June 18th, 2010 at 8:39 am
For what it’s worth, I give a damn about Agents of Atlas. It’s a refreshing team-up, especially since they showed up in the time of [Adjective] Avengers. I don’t mind Parker’s pet project addiction to Atlas if they’re likable, obscure or no.
June 18th, 2010 at 3:23 pm
The Agents of Atlas are a group of re-vamped characters from the 50’s, back in the day when Marvel was publishing under the banner of Atlas. Gorilla Man, Venus, Marvel Boy, M-11 the Human Robot, Namora, Jimmy Woo and now with the new 3-D Man joining the team.
They first appeared as a team in an issue of What If? and were later seen during the Avengers Forever maxi-series.
Jeff Parker has been writing the various volumes, starting with the 5 issue mini-series, then the first ongoing series (which only lasted 11 issues), then the two part X-Men vs Agents, then the four part Avengers vs Agents, and now the new ongoing series, just titled Atlas.
Check out the initial mini-series to see how all these 50’s characters made it into the 21st century.
June 18th, 2010 at 6:27 pm
They’ve been guesting all over the place for the last while, it’s hard to miss them if you’re an avid Marvel fan. Getting into them is another matter of course.
Taft, it’s a commentary of the way things are, not how they should be. The problem with Agents of Atlas, and with comics in general, is that the audience is most comfortable with the mainstays, so stories about newer characters (and oddly enough, these 50’s oldschoolers count as newbies in this case), even when they’re very good and the writers put their hearts and soul into them, they still get largely ignored and swept under the rug because the not enough of the demographic is emotionally invested in them. Too many fans would rather buy Spider-Man when it’s bad and complain about it than take a chance with something they never heard of.
Creators should always be able to make the books they want, but as the strip shows, it’s always going to be an uphill battle if they don’t control the big names.
I actually don’t give a damn about Agents of Atlas either, but I do have my own beloved B-listers that never stand a chance, so I know the pain.
June 20th, 2010 at 9:03 am
Loved the comic. I actually like the Agents of Atlas. I don’t LUVVV them, just think they’re okay. What I’m not OK with is Parker flooding the Marvel U with them; I can take the main series and the avalanche of minis (Namora, Marvel Boy, Gorilla Man, vs Avengers, vs X-Men) although it seems a bit silly (what’s next, Agents of Atlas vs Great Lakes Avengers? Agents of Atlas vs Deadpool?). Speaking about that, it reminds me of how Marvel keeps shoehorning Deadpool into the Marvel U.
Anyway, it started to bug me when they guest-starred in Thunderbolts, where the MAIN characters were jobbed to Atlas. The back-up feature in Hercules only made me think more about that Deadpool parallel.
I just hope they don’t get cancelled, and if the sales start to drop, don’t kill them. That’s the worst you can do.
June 21st, 2010 at 12:37 pm
Oh, I recognise those guys now. Namora being Namor’s cousin (Least imaginative name in the history of names), 3-D Man originally being called Triathlon (Which was better) and the 50s Avengers from when Destiny Crystal thing and What If? (Which I read last month in the library).
See, I told you I was an avid Marvel fan. It’s just that if they’re more recent than Secret Invasion then it hasn’t been published in England (But they’re planning to catch up sometime soon).
Now, to the actual point. I like those guys. The concept at least. I have no idea about the comic itself.
But lots of characters get bounced around. It’s just a shame that, with the veritable plethora of characters available, very few get any decent exposure. You have to be either an Avenger or an X-Man for anyone to give a damn.
Personal fave cancelled series? Captain Britain and MI:13. For rather obvious reasons.
June 21st, 2010 at 3:44 pm
MI:13 was a good book. Makes me excited to see what Cornell does with the Superman universe.
June 24th, 2010 at 11:35 am
With both JMS and Cornell writing Superman books, it may be time to start adding DC titles to my monthly comic book order.
June 28th, 2010 at 11:35 am
Guys, please do a comic about the recent news regarding jeph loeb becoming the head of television at marvel. Come one, you know you can do it.
July 1st, 2010 at 8:34 am
If we’re allowed to make requests, I’d like to see an explanation for how John Romita JR is still employed.
July 1st, 2010 at 11:25 am
Brubaker, Fraction, Bendis – who are those other guys? Redhead, fat and moustached ones?
July 13th, 2010 at 10:57 am
Just read ComicsAlliance today… maaaaan 🙁
July 13th, 2010 at 12:25 pm
Aaaand a month later, this comic comes true. Wonderful.
July 14th, 2010 at 4:01 am
Don’t let it get you down, everyone. While Parker draws breath, the Agents will continue to cameo until their next series!
The fact that there isn’t an Agents “Shadowland” tie-in already scheduled is mind-boggling to me.
July 31st, 2010 at 5:46 am
No, Parker has said explicitly that the Agents as a series are done. For good.
That by this point, only the individual characters who seem to have legs will be getting exposure, like Namora and Gorilla Man.