Excalibur Visionaries - Warren Ellis Vol. 3, Warren Ellis

"Nightcrawler! Colossus! Shadowcat! Wolfsbane! Captain Britain! Lockheed! Based on Muir Island, Excalibur has become Europe's most famous team of super heroes; now, they face their deadliest threat yet! The Hellfire Club has infiltrated the British government, and they've got a powerful demon at their beck and call! Plus: Pete Wisdom and Kitty Pryde track a serial killer! Don't miss some of Warren Ellis' finest work!"










Way back when I reviewed Volume 1 and 2 of these Warren Ellis collections of eXcalibur, I remarked that I found them to be better but duller than the straight Americanism's of the mainline X-Men.

High vs Low Culture is not a debate I care to wade into too much, especially insofar as comics are concerned. The culture is already niche enough that a schism between those who think 'Maus' is an incredible work of visionary genius, a heartfelt and nuanced portrayal of the Nazi regime, and those who prefer a vision of 1930s Germany that features 100% more American super-soldiers straight up punching Hitler on the front cover. There are a lot of great 'high' comics, where mainstream or indy, and a lot of terrible 'high' comics, and that's also true of 'low' comics.

And just like with films, some of the worst comics are also the most entertaining. Go read comicsalliance deconstructing Batman: Odyssey ( http://comicsalliance.com/batman-odyssey-review-commentary-part-4-neal-adams/) or anything by Chris Sims on Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose, and you'll find awful comics that are still entertaining. Likewise, some of the best films and comics are ... well, they're pretty boring.

Warren Ellis is fantastic. Warren Ellis can do little wrong in my book. Warren Ellis is an excellent writer, and these are, aesthetically, intellectually, classically, great comics. There is nothing functionally wrong with them. They just don't do it for me.

I read them and they leave me empty, I feel ... nothing. I leafed through 'Red Rover Charlie' in a comic store today, and that almost made me cry then and there. It features art from someone described by the staff at Nostalgia and Comics as "an artist who can only draw animals. Well, dogs. Well, three specific dogs" and yet it has had more emotional impact from a 3 minute glance, and 12 pages of story than this whole volume featuring a half dozen characters I have invested far too much time in.

It is a well made comic. But it isn't a great one.

Its roughly the same situation I talked about in dissecting the previous two volumes, but in doing so I kind of left them to one side. They disappointed me, so I didn't analyse them in depth. They were a slog, and writing about something that's that much effort to read is a chore, so I didn't. But now I'm going to try and analyse exactly why these comics do not work.

The key thing that needs to be understood is that eXcalibur is "the English X-Men". Based out of Muir Island, featuring a cast of established X-Men (Nightcrawler, Colossus, Kitty Pryde) and their Marvel UK compatriots (Captain Britain, Meggan, Wolfsbane and Pete Wisdom), they protect Britain from threats both mutant and magical.

The conveniently tight focus on the New York scene that allowed for easy cameo appearances, cross-overs and world building between titles within Marvel as a whole leaves a lot of room for heroes operating outside of that - there's a whole lot more of the planet than the areas of New York, or, at a stretch San Francisco the X-Men usually operate in.

So a British team has been, off-and-on, a near constant for years, and the influx of young British creators into the American comics scene meant there were plenty of people willing to tell stories set in London, rather than Manhattan.

But the problem with any spin-off is that you are assuming that there's enough there to sustain the interest when divorced from the original source material, in this case; the X-Men.

Excalibur, at least under Ellis, are not. But it isn't like there's much chance of it carving out its own identity, when three of the main cast are core X-Men team members. Colossus and Nightcrawler appeared in the Second Genesis relaunch, and Kitty was the first new member introduced, in Uncanny X-Men #129, 35 issues later. So these guys have been here since, nearly, the very beginning, and they naturally overshadow even established characters like Moira, Brian and Meggan.

Considering that the cast is rounded out by 'a guy who will grow up to be Ahab' and Douglock, you can see why they were bound to be the most focussed upon.

Making ex-X-Men the most popular and visible characters in a book that's meant to be demonstrating its independence from the X-Men is a bit of a bum start then. It's resolutely not written as an X-Men book. It's 'darker and grittier' in the sense that the phrase 'darker and grittier' was originally intended for. People smoke, die, kill, sleep together, swear and act like humans. They usually do this without needing to remind the reader how dark and gritty this all is. They're mature, without being childishly so. It's not Torchwood. And it's not the X-Men, or at least not the X-Men in the way that someone picking up an issue which prominently displays three X-Men on the cover might expect.

Even ignoring that though, there's the secondary problem that throughout the book the real X-Men keep showing up. It's like they forgot this wasn't their book, so at least once an issue they appear to explain what's happening in New York (it's Onslaught).

A little sidenote; this is, alongside Thunderbolts, the best depiction of the world post-Onslaught. The very first thing that the US Government does, following the deaths of 90% of the worlds non-mutant superheroes, is send agents to warn eXcalibur not to come to the US, or else they'll be killed. At this point you would think that the authorities would be desperate to get some heroes on-board who can actually fend off the next Kree-Skrull war, or stop a giant planet eater from consuming Earth. But no, instead we get fantastic racism.

It's deliberately played up as a weirdly 'American' thing; the idea that their hysterical reaction to mutants is cultural, but that undermines the whole point of the X-Men, that they protect a world that hates and fears them. They are a positive and benign creation of an age of fear and unreason. These children of the atom aren't the villainous destroyers, but protectors of a society that rejects them. Their sacrifice for people who will never, can never, accept, appreciate and understand them resonated in a society, culture and time where racism, sexism, homophobia were real, and bigotry and fear were (and are) accepted.

Rejecting that in British society, selling it as an American disease, undermines the whole concept of who mutants are and why they need protectors and champions. It creates a cultural void that invalidates the basic need for eXcalibur. And they're left dangling without the core delineation between the roles of mutants and other heroes.

And this really is why I think Ellis' eXcalibur doesn't work and why, for instance, Paul Cornell's Captain Britain does; there isn't enough faith in who these characters are as heroes. There's a point where Brian muses on the fact that compared to how people felt about Captain America, the emotional, patriotic response wasn't the same for him. Contrast that with Cornell's pages of Britain's reaction to Brian sacrificing himself:

"when Captain America died, Americans heard it in an American way:

through the media.

When Captain Britain died, the British felt it in their chests."

(I really wish I could get that page up, because I can't tell you how much I love it. For me, it's the ultimate expression of Britishness; we're a nation learning how to deal with what we've lost. Between that, the Black Knight and Faiza holding the bridge alone, and Captain Britain's return, Cornell's series is stunningly worth reading).

British heroes don't have to just be spies, and magic. They can be bombastic and still be British. They don't have to have the in your face jingosim of the Ultimates, but can still represent Britain, and what it means to be British. And they can be separate from the X-Men and still be compelling.

What they can't be is a sub par X-Men lite, divorced from the reasons behind the X-Men and plonked in a new setting. Or rather they can be that, but it doesn't work, and it just makes me want to go read about how the heroes saved New York by jumping into Onslaught, and were themselves saved by a small child's imagination.

Also Try:
Paul Cornell, Captain Britain and MI13
Chris Claremont, Uncanny X-Men
Warren Ellis, eXcalibur Visionaries Vol. 1 and 2
Warren Ellis, Planetary

Captain Britain and MI13, Paul Cornell

"The Skrull Invasion isn't restricted to the US - when the Skrull Invasion his England, only Captain Britain and MI:13 stand in their way. With the fate of Britain hanging in the balance, can the heroes find out what the Skrulls are after before it's too late? This thrilling graphic novel ties in with Secret Invasion."
















I LOVE this book. I'm currently reading a bunch of books about Britishness, and what it means to be English.

I'm reading a book on anthropology, a history of the English, and a book on popular English traits. And none of them, none of them, make me feel quite so proud to be British, or quite so happy about my country as this book. It's a bizarre source of patriotism, but if any comic can do it, it's this one.

This isn't a Captain America style patriot bash, it's definably British. And it's wonderful.

There are a couple of scene here that make this comic essential, and whilst its definitely a series that got better post-Secret Invasion (the Dracula war that comes up at the end of the run is exceptional) its a truly strong start. Compared to the last Cornell book I read, this is a world apart.

There's a strong current of Britishness through it, from its treatment of the army and government to little throwaway characters such as John the Skrull or Tinkerbell. But it's the scenes of ordinary people that's stand out, from the death of Captain Britain, to the way the army makes its stand against the Skrulls on Westminster Bridge.

It's a book that has Britishness through it, to its very core, just as Knight and Squire for DC is a book that translates common American superheroics to a British setting. It takes those tropes and without ever undermining them, it builds on them to an extent that elevates everything that was previously there.

Compared to the main thrust of Secret Invasion this is almost throwaway. What it sets up for future arcs (the return of a single Captain Britain, the release of all evil in the British Isles) is totally confined to this book, this isn't something which spills over to others. In fact, the only time we see any of the main Marvel players is in the final arc; this isn't a series that needs to prove itself in relation to its American cousins. It doesn't need to be. It's great as it is.

If you're British and a comics lover (or even if you're just one of those) then this is a book to read, and re-read.

Also Try:
Paul Cornell, Knight and Squire
John Cleese, Superman: True Brit
Chris Claremont, Excalibur

Superman The Black Ring vol 2, Paul Cornell

"When he briefly became an Orange Lantern in blackest night, Lex Luthor got a taste of true power. Now he'll do anything to get that power back. His quest for the Black Lantern energy takes him to Arkham Asylum for a close encounter with "The Joker", and then into direct conflict with Larfleeze, the ultra-greedy Orange Lantern."














This is a chunkier book than the first volume, featuring as it does the annual and secret six tie in that comeplete the story of Luthor and the black ring. By the time it's done it will get even more bonkers than it was before, with appearances from Ra's Al Ghul, Darkseid and the Joker, as well as Larfleeze and Superman himself, who finally puts in an appearance towards the end.

So the first volume had some strange ideas about what made an enjoyable read, and kind of lost me around the point where creating simulations of your enemies wife to sleep with became a thing. But in amongst that, was some good stuff, in particular a trot through some of the worst of the DC universe that wouldn't have been out of place in setting up a new Legion of Doom.

That continues here, as we get to see more of the most nefarious individuals in the DC universe, and as we venture out into space towards the end the villains become more and more outlandish, culminating in a fight with a Phantom Zone space God.

The problem isn't the side characters, it's the arc for Luthor. Having been set up as a resolutely awful person, there are two ways this could go. Either he fails, and we're pleased, and this is what will happen. Or he wins, and although he's the current protagonist everybody loses out. The questions isn't whether he will fail, but how.

Now usually here, in a book where Luthor is the bad guy you would expect Superman to appear and save the day, either through some feat of strength, or simply by virtue of a stronger moral compass. But this isn't a book where Superman wins, but one where Luthor loses, and that for me is a problem.

Cornell doesn't set up a more positive competing vision of who Superman is, or what he does and why that is better than Luthor's vision. Instead, Luthor loses control of his rage and pumps out all the power he had gained in a futile attempt to kill Superman, whilst acknowledging that in doing so he is passing over his chance to alter the world for the better.

That's very Lex Luthor, and this idea that it's his hubris, and more than just a lust for power but a lust for power over Superman in particular, that dooms him is neat. But it does somewhat ruin what can be an otherwise more nuanced character a little. Lex is the perfect foil for Superman in the same way as Magneto is for the X-Men; neither view themselves as the bad guy. Their cause is just, and is simply contrary to the wishes of the superhero team they compete against. Compared to the Joker (sample plan: poison the water supply) or Loki (evil is funny) Luthor is a picture of sanity. But the root of that has to be that he views Superman as an outsider who threatens humanity, not just his own place and position.

Lex Luthor, for me at least, only works as a true Xenophobe, who believes that Superman holds back human progress - essentially a DC Universe equivalent of the idea that charity to Africa stifles reform there. I love the idea that Luthor may be right; but he can't be that character if he actively throws away these motives on panel. Telling Superman he won't save Jonathan Kent from dying, or that he'd rather kill Superman than make Earth better now doesn't just undermine that part of his character, it destroys it entirely. That entire facet of Lex Luthor is now unworkable.

That's the problem with The Black Ring throughout - it attempts to be a picture of Lex Luthor, and show his side of the story, but it turns out he's just a one-dimensional dick.

Also Try:
Mark Millar; Superman: Red Son
Tom Taylor, Injustice: Gods Among Us
Scott Snyder, Superman Unchained

Superman The Black Ring vol 1, Paul Cornell

"When Lex Luthor finally regained control of LexCorp, he thought he had everything he wanted. But in BLACKEST NIGHT, he briefly became an Orange Lantern and got a taste of true power. Now he'll do anything - anything - to get that power back. Buckle in for a greatest hits tour of the DCU's most wanted as Lex Luthor begins an epic quest for power, all brought to you by new ongoing writer Paul Cornell (Dr. Who, Captain Britain and MI-13) and artist Pete Woods (WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON), with covers by David Finch (BRIGHTEST DAY, Ultimatum)!"










I am a big fan of Paul Cornell, and I had heard interesting things about The Black Ring, the ten issue Lex Luthor helming take over of Superman's 'Action Comics', and a Secret Six tie-in and annual. There's loads going on in here, and I am going to write it up as two volumes, because that's how I read it, although I got both at the same time and read them back to back.

First off, I'm sad to say that I didn't really enjoy the books at all. I found Lex hard to really enjoy. Maybe that's an issue with going in cold, and not knowing any of the current background, but this isn't a comic interested in setting up Lex Luthor as a concerned but misguided corporate titan who believes that Superman is all that stops the world being better.

This is just a straight up awful man. Within three pages he has someone killed, in front of their family, after Luthor has already had him fired for not agreeing to some evil science. This isn't subtle, and there's little done through the book to make you root for Luthor in any way. Every victory he achieves that would have you cheer on a 'hero' character, or even the hero of the tale, anti-hero or not, is actually just a kick in the teeth for the reader.

There's an active sense of wanting Luthor not just to fail, because that's the story that's being told anyway, that less than sub-textual desire for power may make sense in the context of a Luthor who was recently a literal avatar of greed in Blackest Night, but it gets a little over the top by the time he's built a robotic replica of Lois Lane to tell him how great he is, and is touring the world to absorb the embodiment of universal death. This is the plot within the first ten pages.

It all adds up to make a charcter who is utterly repugnant; a man who creates a lobotomised love doll version of his nemeses wife, who shows no concern or hesitation at killing civilians, and who is almost unreadably, insufferably obnoxious. Now, obviosuly, that may pay off in the second volume, but, spoiler alert, it doesn't.

On the other hand, whilst Luthor is horrible to read, the cameo appearances are great. Anything that features Gorilla Grodd (mind controlling, human eating Gorilla ruler of remote African nation). Mister Mind (mind controlling alien slug) and the Sinister Six is alright by me, especially if it sets up a Bane versus Vandal Savage show-down.

The art is equally lovely, and Pete Woods does an excellent job at capturing a number of different locations and aesthetics well - his Grodd in particular is excellent, the expression on his face before he eats Luthor's head is excellent.

Also Try:
J.M. DeMatteis, Superman: President Lex
Grant Morrison, All Star Superman
Grant Morrison, JLA: Tower of Babel

Batman and Robin; Dark Knight, White Knight, Paul Cornell

"The Dark Knight and the Boy Wonder face multiple threats and villains new and old, including the mysterious White Knight, the villain Absence and the renegade Robin of the past, Jason Todd--in stories written by creators Paul Cornell (ACTION COMICS, "Doctor Who"), Pete Tomasi (GREEN LANTERN CORPS, NIGHTWING) and Judd Winick (BRIGHTEST DAY: GENERATION LOST, BATMAN)"











The last volume of pre-reboot Batman and Robin is a weird book to evaluate. It's an unoffensive read - a very average, middle of the road Batman story, punctuated with a couple of really nice moments.

The real problem with it though is that it's essentially filler, coming off the back of a great Grant Morrison run, part of his epic Batman run that chronicled the adventures of Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne. It was a fan favourite, and it featured some truly excellent arcs.

So this has a lot to live up to, and its position in between the tail end of this run and the start of the New 52 of DC titles means that it's essentially three short stories with little impact or depth. The worst offender of this is a Jason Todd story that closes out the book (and the series). It's an entertaining rehash of Rorschach in prison from Watchmen, which ends with someone breaking him out of jail. Problem being that this 'someone' isn't ever mentioned, so there's no motive, no resolution - nothing!

The whole thing is extremely inconsequential, and you're better off picking up the earlier (or later) books instead. When even Paul Cornell can't save your book, it's time to move on.

Also Try:
Watchmen, Alan Moore
Batman and Robin, Grant Morrison
Batman, Scott Snyder
Knight and Squire, Paul Cornell