CRISIS and New Statesmen: the little comics nobody loved

[credo]

the sense of being dropped into the world of story and left to make sense of it for yourself;

That right there might very well be the thing I love most about John Smith's work.*



* It's also one of the reasons (along with his sci-fi brilliantness, and ability with horror) that I think he should write for Dr Who.

Yeah there's a Titan title or two I'd love him to have a crack at. That said he does seem to be happy working on his own creations?

I meant TV Dr Who. In my mind, that might as well be one of his creations but with the Doctor dropped in as things unfold (e.g. insert the Doctor into Cradlegrave, Swimming in Blood or Leatherjack, although this would naturally require some softening of content).

[Colin YNWA]

the sense of being dropped into the world of story and left to make sense of it for yourself;

That right there might very well be the thing I love most about John Smith's work.*



* It's also one of the reasons (along with his sci-fi brilliantness, and ability with horror) that I think he should write for Dr Who.

Yeah there's a Titan title or two I'd love him to have a crack at. That said he does seem to be happy working on his own creations?

I meant TV Dr Who. In my mind, that might as well be one of his creations but with the Doctor dropped in as things unfold (e.g. insert the Doctor into Cradlegrave, Swimming in Blood or Leatherjack, although this would naturally require some softening of content).

Hey I'll take whatever I can get!

[Jim_Campbell]

For all the New Statesmen love, I remain surprised how few people seemed to note the fact that it was a story about a disparately-powered superteam forced to fight their most powerful member who's gone mad/evil. What's that? The mad/evil one is called Phoenix, you say? Nothing familiar about that. Nosireebob.

Cheers

Jim

[JayzusB.Christ]

As a believer that John Smith is one of the best comic writers in the industry, I had for years been dying to read New Statesmen.  Finally I got them on ebay last year.

Sorry, not my thing.  I just thought best buddies Morrison and Moore did the real-world superheroes better.  I tried hard to get into it, but just couldn't.

I liked Troubled Souls though; it's not perfect but it's ok.  And the sequel, despite its huge change in direction,  was enjoyably Viz-like fun.  And I preferred them to Preacher, as well as Garth's take on Alcohol Lovers Monthly - sorry, I mean Hellblazer. 

EDIT: Oh yeah, and the Hitler one was really good.  Hard to believe the writer of such an unusual, hard-edged strip would soon be doing mainstream Superman comics (not that there's anything wrong with them either). 

[Fungus]

As a believer that John Smith is one of the best comic writers in the industry, I had for years been dying to read New Statesmen. 
Sorry, not my thing.

Complete reversal of my take on all things JS
Revere recently had me skipping a Thrill, and I always read Thrills (and finish books, etc.)

My love for New Statesmen is based on the memory of the effect on me at publication. One day I will re-read Crisis. I hope New Statesmen stands up...  Re-reading even the great stuff is a bit of a pipe dream when so much stuff remains to read for the first time (for "great stuff" see The Tower King and so many many others).

[JayzusB.Christ]

Complete reversal of my take on all things JS
Revere recently had me skipping a Thrill, and I always read Thrills (and finish books, etc.)

Whereas for me, Revere (along with Firekind, Killing Time and other JS stuff) was one of the key factors in me sticking with 2000ad through a very mediocre period.  Different strokes for different folks, I suppose!

[sheridan]

Complete reversal of my take on all things JS
Revere recently had me skipping a Thrill, and I always read Thrills (and finish books, etc.)

Whereas for me, Revere (along with Firekind, Killing Time and other JS stuff) was one of the key factors in me sticking with 2000ad through a very mediocre period.  Different strokes for different folks, I suppose!

Yes, I knew at the time that 2000AD was in creative dire straits, but stories like Killing Time, Revere, the final book of Zenith and a few others kept me going until the comic got good again.

[Eric Plumrose]

I thought that the [spoiler]sequence where he looks into the bathroom mirror, after shaving his moustache into the now-iconic toothbrush style [/spoiler]is one of the most chilling things you'll read in a comic.

As I remember, that was one of the few times the often all-too-literal 'colourization' may have actually enhanced Yeowell's artwork. CUT magazine also owes me £1.50 for a back-issue they didn't send.

Bastards.

[Proteus4]

I bought crisis the whole way through its entire run. Every issue. There was not one story in it I liked. Ever.  Troubled Souls felt to me that it was written by a school kid trying too hard - and if I'd known then that it actually was, then I might have tried my own hand at writing. But I thought everyone who was writing in Crisis were in their thirties or forties and had had to earn their stripes first! Oops. Third World War left me totally cold, and new statesman (as previously pointed out) was almost shamelessly derivative.

I do however recall the new adventures of hitler, and the scene with the moustache. The strip didn't engage me but that one page was chilling.

I sold all my copies of Crisis a few years back, and yet I've always regretted it. I guess despite hating it, I love it a little too. Weird.

On a Garth Ennis note, I found Crossed to be one of the most disturbing and sickening things I've ever read. It was chilling. And whilst I can't say I love it - because it was so fucked up - it was amazing. It made me totally rethink my dislike for all things Ennis.

Dave

[JayzusB.Christ]

On a Garth Ennis note, I found Crossed to be one of the most disturbing and sickening things I've ever read. It was chilling. And whilst I can't say I love it - because it was so fucked up - it was amazing. It made me totally rethink my dislike for all things Ennis.

Dave

Me too.  I used to be at a total loss as to how he was so popular, and indeed why DC commissioned him in the first place (after his pretty dire run on Dredd).  But he's come good in the end, fair play to him; and despite Crossed featuring some of the most awful, sickening scenes I've ever seen in any medium, it's a very mature and well-written piece of work.

[Richard]

Why on earth did you buy every issue of a comic you didn't like?

[SuperSurfer]

I bought crisis the whole way through its entire run. Every issue. There was not one story in it I liked. Ever.

I get where you are coming from. I bought every issue. I wanted to like it. It just seemed rather... flat. Looked great though.

[Link Prime]

This damn forum- always making me covet things I don't have!

New Statesmen was discussed previously, and I had been meaning to get hold of it, but never got around to procuring copies.
This latest discussion has spurred my interest once again, but I had to opt for one of the aforementioned international sellers to ensure I got copies in good enough nick.

I've just completed a deal with a very nice American Ebayer- $30 shipping, but only $10 for pristine copies of the Fleetway reprints of issues 1-5, and she also threw in 'Sebastian O' 1-3 and 'Kid Eternity' 1-3 (both of those series have also been on my fetch-list for years).

So, worked out at about €35 all in- really looking forward to getting this delivery.

[JayzusB.Christ]

Ah, crap.  Wish I'd known - I would have sent you my copies for nowt except post and packaging.  Would have to dig them out first.  If anyone else wants them, just PM me

PS I'm not quite sure where they are and can't remember what condition  they're in so hopefully I won't disappoint whoever wants them

[Link Prime]

No probs Jayzus, thanks anyway.
Guess I should have checked with you generous lot first!