Ruse #1 Options

[Glen Davis]

The first issue of this Crossgen revival is excellently written by Mark Waid.

Simon Archard solves a case, but that only drags him deeper into the underworld of Partington City. At the same time, someone is trying to kill his partner/assistant.

Very good, but there are some minor art issues.

[Gordon_D]

Definitely going to have to check this out!

[The Adventurer]

I was largely impressed by this first issue. Ruse was not my favorite of the original Crossgen titles (that would be a tie between Negation and Route 666), but I did enjoy this. I think it helps that the original writer, the original character, most of the original setting, and the original premise are all intact here. They didn't gut it and leave it unrecognizable from its original source. Quite unlike the abomination that Sigil #1 is. My disappointment in what has happened to Sigil is quite large.

The only weakness I find in Ruse is the artist, Mirco Pierfederici is not so great (Emma gets a rather 'man'ish look to her face on more then one occasion), I'm pretty sure Butch Guice works for Marvel right now (and hell, the guy did the cover for Ruse #1) why didn't they get him on board? That would have been perfect.

Alternatively, as crappy as Sigil #1 is, Leonard Kirk can do no wrong (why oh why did they ever cancel Captain Britain and MI13?!).

This post has been edited by The Adventurer: Mar 29 2011, 01:07 AM

[Gonzogoose]

As big a Crossgen fan as I am, given surgery and all I have yet to pick this or Sigil up sadly.

Butch Guice is on covers for Ruse, but if I remember correctly, he's otherwise obligated and couldn't do the full book. Wish he could have, but I'll reserve judgment on Mirco until I'm able to see the entire issue.

[tbrotomo]

As big a Crossgen fan as I am, given surgery and all I have yet to pick this or Sigil up sadly.

Butch Guice is on covers for Ruse, but if I remember correctly, he's otherwise obligated and couldn't do the full book. Wish he could have, but I'll reserve judgment on Mirco until I'm able to see the entire issue.

It was really good. I liked it from a character building perspective, because they really set up the main character as someone to care about. It's a little decompressed and slow, but what isn't these days?

[LurkD]

I'm leery of Marvel being able to do Crossgen justice over the long haul. Especially with the creators and editors currently in charge over there. Remember, many of them were rejected by Mark Alessi for their overly violent and puerile self-published work. He wanted a universe like the one he grew up reading from Marvel back in the sixties and seventies.

[The Adventurer]

I some what agree, more on the grounds of not really seeing Marvel able to sustain a line of Fantasy/Science Fiction comics. Which to me is what Crossgen means. At least Crossgen gave their attempt a huge marketing boost, and tons of financial support.

All this is starting to feel like is trademark squatting.

This post has been edited by The Adventurer: Apr 2 2011, 12:50 AM

[tbrotomo]

Given Marvel's track record, yeah, the line will probably last about a year, maybe two at the most. I still liked the first issues for it o far.

[Gonzogoose]

Finally read this and Sigil #1 and have to say that overall they were both decent, but somewhat lacking in the vibe and depth of the originals.

Ruse was at least very close to its original, and that couldn't have been done without Wait involved I don't think. It did feel like a Ruse story, and while the art isn't as good, it's still decent. I'm curious to see where this goes and how it fits. The original Ruse was not set on our Earth, so we'll see how this holds up.

As for Sigil, it was a bit disappointing seeing Samendehl Rey, the sci-fi war hero reduced to a teenage girl on Earth named Samantha Rey, but I was pleasantly surprised to see the El Cazador connection, which was one of the few non-sigil books from the original CG. Interesting how they're tying things together there, and separating it from the original Sigil title, it was a decent story. Kind of reminded me a bit of Lora Innes' The Dreamer in some respects.

I hope the line lasts long enough to see some other favorites return. I don't know how in the world they'd fit the likes of Meridian, Mystic and Sojourn into our current Earth, but all those titles, all the CG titles in their variety and underlying connection were what made that line so great. Marvel really doesn't seem to be fully grasping that at this stage.

[LurkD]

To be honest, my knee-jerk reaction is that I wanted to see the CrossGen line return pretty much exactly where it left off, with the stories continuing as the next logical issue, and if possible some or all of the same creators. I think Disney should have kept the two separate.

[Gonzogoose]

Had the line not ended the way it did, rushing stories to conclusions before they were ready to get there, I would tend to agree. And yeah, it kind of bums me out that all these stories are probably going to take place on earth as opposed to various planets in the same solar system. But sense we can't have that I'm glad we have something with some of these characters.

I just hope they realize at some point what a unique opportunity they have and do it right. I mean Mystic and Meridian can't be on the same earth that Ruse occupies, or Sojourn for that matter. And all those titles should come back. But then again, this is Joe Quesada and company we're talking about, and that scares me...

[The Adventurer]

All properties will be reimagined as High School dramas based on Earth. This the Editor in Chief Demands.

[Gonzogoose]

Ruse isn't as such. Ruse is exactly like it was, only set on earth.

[Glen Davis]

Ruse isn't as such. Ruse is exactly like it was, only set on earth.

Really? I don't see the city of Partington on any maps.

[Gonzogoose]

The city is fictional, but it's set in Victorian era earth, that much has been confirmed by Marvel.

[The Adventurer]

Ruse isn't as such. Ruse is exactly like it was, only set on earth.

I was more joking about every title that is NOT Ruse. Ruse getting relocated to Earth sort of pissed me off at first too. But Paragon is still fictional... so its not as big a deal as I feared. I still miss the little flying dragons though. Gave the world some character and originality.

Ruse has the benefit of having it original writer on board, so its logical its mostly intact. Unlike Sigil. I mean, what's Barbra Kessel doing these days? How about Chuck Dixon? Go steal Tony Bedard back from DC! If they relaunch Route 666 without Bedard at the helm, I will kill the world.

This post has been edited by The Adventurer: Apr 12 2011, 02:37 AM

[Glen Davis]

I believe Chuck has some sort of ownership rights with The Way of the Rat stuff.

[The Adventurer]

Doesn't look like there are any new Crossgen solicitations for this month. I wonder what their continuing plans are.

[tbrotomo]

I just looked at the shipping list that Chuck so kindly posted...

...were these always solicited as (of 4) ? I thought these were ongoing series?

[Glen Davis]

Ruse was always a 4 issue series. Not sure about the rest.