New Beginnings - MPH #1

by Matt Puddy

Mark Millar has been a busy bunny and we have yet another title from him this week – MPH. Now the thing I like about Millar on most of his Millarworld titles is that they go against the normal conventions of comic lore and do their own thing. A refreshing off-piste perspective. True to form MPH is another example of both of these components.

Opening in 1986, an unknown individual is seen speeding across several states seemingly out of control. As a reader we know this is Mr Springfield, the world's first and only superhuman making a terrible debut in the world. He is very quickly bagged, tagged and shipped off by the officials leaving a large number of questions including a big one about what the empty pill bottle was for.

Springing forward into 2014 Detroit and we meet some motivated young gang members, one of whom has some big ideas and is using the morally corrupt jobs to finance much bigger and better plans for his future. Unfortunately for him the man who is giving him jobs is far more devious and opportunistic, setting him up for a very big fall and 15 years in prison when caught by the authorities.

Presenting himself as the model inmate, young Mr Rodriguez does his best to reduce his time. All is going well until he finds out the real reason as to why he was incarcerated, just so his former boss could get his girlfriend. Descending further than before he finally turns to Cedric, the prison’s chemical supplier, who tempts him into trying a new drug he received. Once again MPH as resurfaced. Sending him into a seizure while his body adjusts, things then change dramatically. Speeding up to the point that the world flashes by, to slowing down to see individual flickers of fluorescent bulbs. Things are about to change dramatically for this young man, but what will he do with it? Also, what will happen with Mr Springfield who is revealed to have been underground, literally, for the last 30 years?

My frustration with the writing is that although I like Millar, I found it a bit of a something and nothing. Don’t get me wrong I like his work but this issue fell short of what I expected after I had read the preceding blurb. Promised issue #1 of five in a series where a young gang use MPH for their own personal gains, this issue was barely an origin story. I felt I wanted more and considering there are only four more issues left to come, I am wondering what can actually be squeezed into such a short run. This is not out of the normal for Millar though as we have seen the short run, tightly packed format from him time and time again in titles like Supercrooks, Superior and Nemesis, and they were all great.

Duncan Fegredo is the artist with Millar for the comic and is quite well observed outside of the big two. There is Hellboy of course, but there's also notable works on 2000AD or various Star Wars titles. He’s also worked with Millar before projects like this and has a cover art list longer than my arms! It’s a style which I have come to associate quite a lot with Millarworld titles as well if honest. There are tonnes of details in all of the frames, although occasionally continuity in the faces slip a little, but without making them feel too clean or fresh. It’s hard to explain but there is a carefully planned and executed artistic roughness in some cases and it works well to provide a good human feel to it with realistic people and situations shown. I liked his work in this instance, I just wanted him to have something more to work with.

As a story – a speedster on the wrong tracks – it comes across OK. You feel for the main character and can back him, even his break out, but we haven’t hit the main bulk of the story. I reckon Millar will pull it around quickly but will it be too, much too fast (pun intended) as he tries to finish in so few issues? We will see. 

Matt Puddy is no stranger to running.

New Beginnings - Starlight #1

by Matt Puddy

Mark Millar is rapidly becoming a household name. Aside from gaining an MBE last year (even the Queen is a fan it seems), he has a back catalogue stretching over 15 years and his name is often seen in the credits of various films. Even before this week’s review comic, Starlight, was released we already knew he had been in talks last year with Fox to make it into a movie. Whether people realise it or not, Millar is everywhere in the media world, including his own Millarworld imprint too.

Starlight is a story that mixes a number of well known ideas. Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers black and white serials with added swashbuckling,  plus a touch of Clint Eastwood, both in his westerns and also Gran Torino. Older comic fans may recognise a healthy slice of Dan Dare in the mix too.

Imagine that you are a hero on a planetary scale. You’ve saved an entire alien race and as a result you are revered but your heart lies elsewhere, so you return home. You get the girl of your dreams for the rest of your life, but your greatest acts of bravery and valour are either unknown or not even believed. This is the life that our hero, Duke McQueen, has had to live for almost 40 years. He has his own family now, complete with grandchildren but it’s beginning to wear on him. He also has to let go of his love after tragically losing her (it's to implied to cancer).

Life is slowly overtaking him and not in a way that any man wants. The national press didn’t believe him when he returned and now kids ridicule him about his exploits. So would it matter if he did it again? This must be the thought running through his mind when a cloaked alien ship lands in his garden at night in the middle of a rain storm. It’s occupant has a purpose and knew where to find Duke.

It’s very easy to understand why Millar’s writing and story has picked up interest for another film. It's lighthearted and easy to read, with hints at what deeds actually took place in the run up to Duke deposing Typhon. Swordfights, dragon riding, laser pistols and flying ships cast a very diverse range of antics, although in this first issue details and history are quite sparse. You’re not quite sure how things have happened or why, but as a reader you happily press on. I can’t quite tell if future issues will delve into this further to reinforce the story moving forward; if not then this six parter may need something else to give it a little more depth.

Goran Parlov is not a favourite of mine (he is one of mine after Barracuda! Ben) but his work on this comic fits. With a story that is fairly retro in its concept, the more minimal approach gives it an aged feel, that compliments both the memories of days gone by that Duke is left with and also his present day.

It also provides a very different feel to the comic, setting it apart from things like Jupiter's Legacy (Frank Quitely), Super Crooks and Superior (Leinil Yu) and Nemesis (McNiven) which have a similar yet also distinct presence to their pages.

This is definitely another title for the Millarworld stable to grow with, and I can appreciate the Buster Crabbe thigh-slapping nature of it so I can see it’s good, however this isn’t a title completely to my tastes (I LOVED IT! Ben).

Matt Puddy was glued to the wheelchair curling at the Paralympics.

New Beginnings - Jupiter's Legacy #1

A few years ago I came across a relatively different graphic novel called as The Authority. It was written by one, Mr Mark Millar. As I hadn’t really read anything outside of the normal Marvel and DC comics at that point, I was blissfully unaware that this was in fact published by an imprint held by DC. Or that Millar was the second writer on the series. All of that mattered little to me. Instead I was presented with a comic which tended to steer towards the courageous righteousness that both Marvel and DC loved, before sharply veering away and subverting the superhero norms.

Thus began my appreciation of Mark Millar’s work.

Following this I have read other titles such as Nemesis, Superior, Supercrooks and The Secret Service (to name a few of his works) - which were found on the almost egotistically named Millarworld label - and each one of them has lived up to my initial love of the different angles that he has taken in the past. There is also a huge element of successful self-promotion usually found in the comics and so I have known about Jupiter’s Legacy for some time now as well. Although this is worth noting that this is published by Image in collaboration with Millarworld.

I hadn’t done any further research into the storyline though, instead teasing myself with what could be and simply judging the book completely by its cover. Shallow? Maybe, but it preserved the mystery.

Jupiter’s Legacy hasn’t disappointed me at all. Issue #1 lived up to the hype I had created for myself, drawn from my expectations based on previous works.

In one respect this story is your basic superhero tale. A group of people venture to a mysterious island and for whatever equally enigmatic reason are granted super powers. Hooray! America is saved, the modern world can sleep easy and so “life” continues. This is where Millar begins to add his twist however - for this is not about the great and virtuous heroes, this is about their children.

Have you ever wanted to have a superhero as your Mum or Dad? If you have, then I’m pretty sure that you’ve imagined all the great things about it, but what about the rest? The expectations placed upon you by the public - and worst of all your parents - wanting you to live up to their growing legacies; doing it by their rules and under their ideals. Not a fantastic mix for a child in any walk of life, let alone a child with powers.

This issue is all about setting the scene, establishing our characters and meeting them in their own personal worlds. For me, it has explored the personalities involved, their shortfalls, and the differences between the generations, alongside the trivial nature of fame. These were the main aspects that drew me in. It would be so easy to just write another mostly happy family hero team story, but instead it actually manhandles more real life issues but with the superhero emphasis piled on it. This is what I love! Ageing, stalwart heroes juxtaposed with their shallow, cowardly children - more obsessed with their company endorsements than the ding the right thing - and the parallels between the Great Depression and the modern economic crisis.

The artwork comes from another stalwart from The Authority, Frank Quietly, who has also provided the main cover artwork. Variants are provided by Bryan Hitch, Dave Johnson, Phil Noto and J. Scott Campbell. Personally it’s hard to find fault with the interior artwork, Frank's work is always a delight, most memorably for me on Batman & Robin and All Star Superman. The Johnson and Noto covers didn’t really grab me but Bryan Hitch’s did. One thing I did enjoy with all of these though was how different they were, each taking a different aspect from the same story but you wouldn’t necessarily have linked them without the title. Another showing of its versatility as a story.

The internal artwork is clean and has a lot of fine linework, meaning that the frames don’t feel cluttered. I did get a little swept along by the themes of the story, but the more realistic feel of the art helped that too. A lot of attention has be paid and used to ensure there is a clear generation gap between the characters, further emphasising the differences the story exploits.

In short this is not your normal thigh-slapping, save-the-day superhero tale. This is a great little read and very easy on the eyes. Jupiter’s Legacy is a great little treasure and a welcome addition to my pull list.

Matt Puddy is wondering what Nemesis 2 and Kick-Ass 3 will bring to the table.

Why Should I Read... The Ultimates?

I hate Captain America. There, I said it.

I'm a lifetime comic nut and I have watched all the classic good guys and bad guys waging war through the eons with each other. But there's no villain, no matter how disturbed or vile, in fact no other character that I detest more than Captain America. I have never been one to enjoy the mainstream, let alone embrace the American dream. The idea of this star spangled moron running around in spandex being everything that Americans should stand for - and bleating about how much better things were a few years back - is just so stomach-churningly irritating. Anyone who's encountered me on this subject knows that my staple response to this insipid super soldier is that he's a whining pussy liberal. He's a throwback to the Golden Age of comics, when villains were laughable and the realism that draws us in and allows us to believe the unbelievable was just plain absent.

This is why I was never big on the Avengers. I didn't really get behind a lot of the headline heroes from yesteryears. After a few years without comics, I returned to the stores and steered clear of both the big universes, and went for the kind of the things I have written about in previous articles. So when my erstwhile comic retailer suggested the Ultimates (One and Two) for reading on a business trip, it's safe to say I baulked at the idea. Then he flipped to the page where Captain America is smashing some guy's face until he died. Oh, and he cracked a terrible joke about the French while he did it.

So I bought Ultimates One and Two.

The Ultimate universe is based on a wonderful comic staple; what if? Where events and individuals are changed to show alternate outcomes. Ultimates is actually one of the best examples of this I've read. The changes they make aren't drastic. Some of them aren't even significant - Nick Fury can be a grizzled old black guy who smokes cigars and is missing an eye, or a grizzled old white guy who is missing an eye and smokes cigars. It doesn't make a whole heap of difference, unless you're a casting agent.

What is wonderful about the Ultimates is that a lot of the stark truth (no pun intended) of stories you may have already come to know is brought to the forefront. The veneer of the Golden Age of comics is stripped away, and the very harsh reality of everything that's only been hinted at for our group of heroes is shown, often in a very intense way. I don't know if you realise this, but on discovering your have abilities beyond the norm, the regular response is not "Right, I need a spandex suit and a lawyer, I'm about to go assault people!" even if a guy who looks suspiciously like Samuel L. Jackson tells you it's OK. If a person decides to do that, even in the Marvel Universe, they better have either a damn good reason, or a damn good therapist.

Ultimates takes this premise and runs riot with it, highlighting all the issues that before may have only been approached tongue-in-cheek, or passed over entirely. Subjects such as addiction, depression and spousal abuse are covered, and although not the central focus, they are covered well. These aren't new premises for the as-was Avengers, but it could put off those readers who are loyal to the original team. It shouldn't, nothing is being dishonoured here, just remoulded for a modern age.

There are touches to the action, too. The Hulk is my favourite example. Back in the day, our big green wrecking machine threw things and punched stuff, but ultimately left with a body count no worse than an original A-Team episode. But stop and think for a moment. If a scientific accident causes a man to become a monster with no rational thought and immense strength, do you really think that there won't be a casualty or two? Ultimates doesn't. It's this conceptualisation which epitomises the Ultimates for me. I feel like I'm being told the adult version of the history I've learned as a child. This lack of propaganda appeals to me, in a way that the Avengers never did.

These articles aren't meant to be a review. There is enough of those. I want to persuade you to pick up the books, and enjoy them in the same way I have. The Ultimates is damned good reading, especially if you're familiar with the 'regular' Marvel Universe. This is apparent with the new range of movies, as much of the story and character backgrounds are from Ultimates - including this universe's S.H.I.E.L.D. and it's most famous agents. So ultimately, it comes down to this; how can Samuel L. Jackson be wrong?

Chris Boyle will warn you away from Ultimates 3. Yuck. Jeph Loeb, get out!

New Beginnings - The Secret Service #1

As many of you will know Millarworld is a fun and enjoyable place for me, so to have another new title to review is always a positive for me. In fact there are a few new titles coming out in the near future which - when coming from one person's mind - is quite impressive, but you do have to wonder is this going to be too much? Is the next one going to be a stretch too far? Does he have more?

To an extent I think the Secret Service offers some answers.

The story opens with an almost tongue-in-cheek hostage rescue featuring none other than Mark Hamill. Yes, the one from Star Wars. A suave agent breaks in, conducts a dangerous rescue and escapes on snowmobile only to have the rug pulled from under him by a faulty piece of equipment.

As an opening, it is clichéd and very Bond-esque but does make you chuckle as a result. Interestingly enough I don’t feel it is representative at all of the rest of the comic too which is an odd twist to the normal.

In a very stark contrast there is a big shift from the snow covered Zermatt in Switzerland to the grime covered Peckham in South London. The first thing that strikes me is that given that Dave Gibbons is English and Mark Millar is Scottish you would expect them to have possibly been to or seen London. This is a very Americanised look to it and I think maybe that’s been done to create an acceptable image to our Western cousins.

The family you are introduced to are on benefits and as such conform to a number of stereotypes associated with that demographic and location. It’s a fraught situation which is generally setting up to also perpetuate this same stereotype with the son of the family being pushed out with his friends and ultimately ending up being arrested.

There’s a scene switch and another more plush environment of Westminster adds what can only be one of the main protagonists and “saviour” for this scenario. Enter the dapper and deadly Jack London. Jack is the black sheep to the above mentioned family as he has done something for himself. He is also very aware of the potential of others when given the chance and direction, and openly challenges Gary’s mother, Sharon, with this in mind. He comes across as forthright verging on lecturing, but not quite. I think the fact that we can all understand his point of view to some greater or lesser degree helps this no end. Wanting to make a difference from the shadows, the comic ends with London calling in a“favour”.

The issue is very clearly a set-up piece and I found that a lot more about where this is going has been conveyed in the last page and the cover. A little disappointing but you can’t argue that it has a lot of potential, possibly going down the Besson-style Leon storyline. I did also feel at times a little overwhelmed by the frequent references to things and events such as the film Battleship which is soon to be out. At times this made it feel a lot like an advert break and detracted from the story which was a loss. It also will mean in time that this will potentially become dated.

I am really torn by this as well. Whereas it’s not an earth shattering piece that makes me want to instantly ring Proud Lion and leave messages demanding my pull list be updated (based on this issue alone) my interest has definitely been grabbed. This is mainly because I want to apply so many ideas of my own to this situation. It certainly could go a great many ways.

I’m looking forward to following and finding out which too.

Matt Puddy is shaken but not stirred...

Why Should I Read... Nemesis?

A conversation, poorly transcribed.

PL: So what are you going to cover next for "Why Should I Read...", Chris?

Chris: I wanted to do a really ambitious piece. I didn't want to do one book, but cover the entire work of one of the most famous and influential writers in comic book history, Alan Moore.

PL: Wow, that's a monster. How will you do it?

Chris: Well, I figured maybe I'd focus on his most well known works, those that have been optioned for movies. Try to make it accessible for people. Watchmen, V for Vendetta, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, maybe From Hell. How does that sound?

PL: Sounds good. Will look forward to it.

Later, at home, amidst mountains of graphic novels...

Nemesis: Hey Chris? Remember your plan? The Alan Moore plan?

Chris: Yes, Nemesis?

Nemesis: FUCK YOUR PLAN!

So that's Nemesis. A book created by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven, that feels like it could be a life in it's own right. Let's be clear; when Nemesis leapt out at me for this article, I was perusing some of the best graphic novels of all time. Yet somehow, it reached past those other books and yelled out to be talked about.

I am not giving away any more than the blurb on the back of the jacket if I tell you that the premise broached by Nemesis is essentially "What if Batman was a bad guy?". Now, if you are a comic book reader (I'm assuming you at least have a passing interest) stop and ponder that for a moment. All that intelligence, dedication, technology and resource pointed at you, wishing you harm. There's a host of reasons that Batman terrifies criminals. Nemesis allows you to feel their fear, to let you understand why a special kind of lunatic aimed right at you is a special kind of terrifying.

Millar does 'what if' writing wonderfully, and takes on a lot of old comic book staples to do it. All the trademark character profiles from the tired rinse and repeats of the laziest comic book storytelling are right there. Millar takes them all and makes them fresh again, with new dimensions and perspectives that border on genius in their simplicity. This might sound like a contradiction, and it is (sort of) because the new twists Millar puts on these characters are obvious, because they're realistic. So much so in fact, that the result becomes fantastic.

McNiven's art work puts a polished edge to the book, gives it the blockbuster movie feel that is so rightly deserves. It is slick and stylised, and acutely sharp. If a comic could be HD, this one certainly is. The storyline is designed to shock, even in this age of over-exposure and resultant desensitisation. The artwork is clean and honest in order to match up to this, without crossing the line in to unnecessary vulgarity. The fact that Millar and McNiven are no strangers to each other shows in their paralleled work, at a level only attained by true master craftsmen.

Then ultimately, there is Nemesis. A character who, as with many central characters in fictional writing today, is something of a vessel. Not quite empty enough to be unsatisfactory, but enough so that the reader finds it easy to transpose either their own self image or the image of another. Recently this technique has received a lot of criticism because when used unskilfully, it is lazy, and manipulative. Not so here, as the Nemesis character is openly and wonderfully written, that I find myself relishing the opportunity to place myself or others in his cowl.

Nemesis is a modern book. It would be easy for me to make comparisons to a lot of pop culture. Movies like Se7en and Saw (before the franchise became terrible!) sprang to mind while reading. There are the aforementioned Batman comparisons, which are alluded to in its self promotion. It may feel a little too polished for those seeking a gritty independent read. Some people could be put off by the über violence and constant swearing, because this is no golden age book. But I can't help but love this book, it feels so deliciously naughty.

Nemesis is your good looking, confident, over-the-top friend, who says hello by punching you in the balls, swears way too much and is a little too quick to get angry. He doesn't have a proper job but always has money, and no matter how much he offends the girl, he somehow still manages to get her in to bed. He's not a role model, he's not even 'basically a good guy', but by God, you'd hand over your left nut to be him... just for a day.

Chris Boyle is planning his route to the hospital.

New Beginnings - Supercrooks #1

Welcome to Millarworld (for those of you who are here on their first visit) and welcome back those who have visited before! Millarworld is an interesting place, hosted by its Mayor and founder Mark, which over the last year I have really grown to love. One thing I have also found is that his style is strangely unique and familiar at the same time. Millar manages to take a completely normal situation and add a touch of super or, and this is particularly the case with Supercrooks, takes a super situation and adds a sheen of normal and reality.

Supercrooks is a story about an idea I’ve had in my head for a little while and have knocked back time and time again to enjoy my weekly comic fix. The general premise for a “superhero” is that they have their own little area which has its circle of heroes and more importantly villains revolving around it. So why do the villains stick around? Time and time again their actions, plans and dastardly deeds are thwarted by some individual or team set firmly on the path of righteousness.

Millar’s tale begins with one such failed heist with The Gladiator taking down a supervillain group, sending them back to a supermax prison where Johnny Bolt languishes for five years. It’s only on his release when he finds that his former mentor has got into a spot of financial bother with a criminal demanding $100 million within a month. A steep request for even Danny Ocean and his crew. So what is Bolt to do? Bolt comes to the same realisation that many have before, that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it, so he starts to look further afield towards Europe. This is so eloquently put in the comment that in Spain, “Their money’s as good as anyone else’s," and 'I‘ve never heard of a Captain Spain”.

The writing is what I have come to know and expect from Millar - it is the stories that he weaves that attract me. On both counts he has come up trumps even though the issue doesn’t really venture into the main body of the story, this is still a very attractive proposition for a storyline. I’ve been looking forward to the comic coming out since reading about it in the back of Superior and I have to say it has lived up to my expectations. Lenil Yu’s artwork is a good supporting choice with Millar’s work and fits into what I feel you could call a “stable” of artists like Steve McNiven. It’s open enough to not feel crowded or cluttered but at the same time has plenty of detail within them too. Sunny Gho has provided the colouring work which gives more grounding to the “normal” feeling to it all and the real world element is heightened. The combination of the three sits incredibly well for me.

As a final act of goodness I even enjoyed the publicity moments at the end. OK, I understand that as a creator-owned brand Millar has to plug his titles including Superior which had its final issue released some weeks ago, but it also features some which are still to come: the spin off for Hit Girl; the soon to be released Secret Service; and towards the end of the year Jupiter’s Children and Nemesis 2. What more could a reader want? You have a great issue and to top it all off teasers setting you up for the next six months!

There’s no point in me warbling about this any further. Make a bee line for your friendly local comic shop and buy this comic!

Matt Puddy is fighting fit once more

New Beginnings - Clint #1

Hrm.

Clint is a new comic from Mark Millar, the comics writer that you either love or hate. He has been successful for years but is now tying to parley that fame into Clint, the first new British comic aimed at the newsstand for years.

In one of his press interviews about it Millar talked about there being no Eagle or 2000AD for this generation. And he's right, in a way. Comics aren't exactly the easiest thing to buy in newsagents. You need to be lucky enough to have a local comic shop, if you want anything outside of the licenced kids comics.

To wax lyrical, when I was growing up I had the tail end of Battle, Eagle etc then 2000AD and the Marvel UK releases. Comics were cheap and plentiful.

This is part of my issue with Clint. It's supposed to be a way to sneak comics into peoples hands, so it has a fair bit of magazine content as well. And this is content is, frankly, sub par Nuts or Front. A couple of token articles that looked ripped from Wikipedia, an interview with Jimmy Car and even a wordseach.

I admit it may not be aimed at me. Millar has very vocally said he's going for the 16-24 age group which I am (ahem) slightly outside of. But I still read comics and a UK based magazine like this is very interesting to me. Not when it's done like this, however.

I also think the real gap in the Market is somewhere between the kids comics and Clint. The Marvel UK comics growing up were a perfect stepping stone into 'proper' comics. Clint feels like it's trying to bring in new people but will the content here achieve that? Kick Ass is popular but is eight pages enough? Plastering the movie Kick Ass on the front alongside Frankie Boyle is a good idea to hook people in but will it get them to come back?

Maybe I'm asking for too much. Maybe I was expecting something else. I'm not sure.

As for the comics themselves, here's quick summary. Kick Ass 2 is only eight pages so too short to properly judge; Turf is reprinted as a whole and I like it; Nemesis is also the whole first issue, not much depth but looks great; Rex Royd by Frankie Boyle is a complete and total mess; the short three page story at the end is interesting but doesn't have a decent twist like a Future Shock from 2000AD.

I'm going to be back for issue two but it needs to improve an awful lot if its going to succeed as much as it wants to.

Phil Doyle is one of the creators of abadeducation.com and co-host of the sonicsring.com podcast. His real job is in insurance which he hopes won't be forever. He also has a complete set of Marvel 2099 first issues, even Ravage 2099.

Nemesis - Preview

Looking forward to Mark Millar's new comic Nemesis? Comic Book Resources have an artwork preview of the first eight pages.

We featured Nemesis last month, have a look here. It's going to be awesome!

Nemesis #1 should arrive in store Thursday 25th March.

Nemesis - makes Kick-Ass look like S#!T!

In March 2010, Mark Millar and Steve McNiven unveil their new creator owned title, Nemesis.

Published by Marvel's Icon imprint, Nemesis was first teased with this image.



Issue one was featured in January's Marvel Previews with the following solicitation:

MILLAR & MCNIVEN'S NEMESIS #1

COVER BY: Steve Mcniven
WRITER: Mark Millar
PENCILS: Steve McNiven
INKS: Array
THE STORY: CIVIL WAR? Nothing. KICK-ASS? A warmup. What if the smartest, toughest costumed bad ass in the world was totally evil? Meet Nemesis. He’s systematically been destroying the lives of every police chief in Asia, and he’s now set his sights on Washington, DC. Between you and me, the police don’t have a chance. Do not miss the book that EVERYONE will be talking about by the creative team that made CIVIL WAR the biggest book of the decade.

Besides the aforementioned Civil War, Millar and McNiven also collaborated on last year's sensational Wolverine: Old Man Logan.

Mark Millar talked with Newsarama saying: ""Nemesis" is a reversal of the Bruce Wayne or Tony Stark archetype. What if this genius billionaire was just this total shit, and the only thing that stood between him and a city was the cops? It's Batman versus Commissioner Gordon, in a weird way. Or maybe a super-villain version of "Se7en." A billionaire anarchist up against ordinary people. The Joker's the best thing in the Batman movies, so this guy is a bit of an amalgamation of all the stuff we like."



Mark Millar is once again offering willing comic shops like Proud Lion the lucky opportunity of a free advert in the first issue of Nemesis. He did this with Kick Ass and War Heroes too, Proud Lion was too late for Kick Ass, but did get into War Heroes and we're doing it again! The above poster is printed and up in store, as seen below:



Nemesis #1 arrives in store in March. Kick Ass sold out time and time again during the eight issue run, so don't miss out - add it to your reservation today.

If you missed Kick Ass, the hardcover graphic novel is due this month. The trailers for the Kick Ass film can be seen here. The film is due out April 2nd in the UK.