22nd May 2013
Post with 82 notes
The end of the first arc, where we put the last pieces together. There’s previews out there, but I’m not linking to them, as they’re all pretty heavily spoilery and/or intense with an extended gap before the page-turn. It’s an interesting one, I think.
When it unlocks at about 2pm GMT, you’ll be able to buy it over at Comixology. You can pre-order it at the mo. And it’s in good comic shops everywhere.
Sticking this up early, as I’m off to Phoenix Con for the weekend. I’m sure McKelvie will RT it later, as he’s conscientious like that. The good thing about being on a plane means that at least I don’t fall into my usual over-needy refreshing for the reviews, eh?
You may ask why I don’t just time-stamp this post to go up later. If you ask, the answer will be “because I’m very lazy”.
Tagged: Young Avengers
20th May 2013
Quote with 824 notes
I think mainstream American Superhero comics lag a little behind other expressions of teenage life in culture, and if you do that, you’re risking writing comics that appeal to the parents of teenagers rather than the teenagers themselves.
In terms of blocks, I suspect a good chunk of it comes out of comics being a visual medium. Text is a great obfuscator of content. You can read a book, and your parents will never know that it contains matter they’d have trouble with, because they’re never actually going to read it. But comics, being visual, are transparent. At a glance, they can judge it — and so often judge it at a glance, without actually reading it.
So you walk a line. I started “Young Avengers” with the scene for a number of reasons, but one of them was certainly seeing if Marvel would let me do it. If I weren’t able to write that, I’d have had to bow out of the gig, because there would be no way of doing anything I thought worth doing.
Marvel didn’t even raise an eyebrow.
I think the biggest blockade to the creation of the content is creators not choosing to create the content.
Tagged: Young Avengers
20th May 2013
Post with 60 notes
(The idea of a photo of me PEERING at everyone on Comixology’s mailing list is kinda scary)
Anyway! A sale of my stuff.
Well, of Journey Into Mystery and my Uncanny X-men V2 run, anyway, and one issue of Rob Rodi that has got mixed in.
(I’m tagging this YA, as I know a bunch of people have expressed interest in reading the backstory to Kid Loki.)
Comxiology purchases can either be read on Android, Apple, Kindle Fire or Windows 8 devices. They can also be read online in a browser, for those who stay away from tablets and similar.
For those who don’t follow comics or my Marvel stuff, and just want to try a few issues, I’d recommend these ones specifically out of context.
UNCANNY X-MEN 4: A standalone issue from the perspective of an alien creature the X-men end up fighting, with me playing with alien perception and the horrors you can do with juxtaposition. Brandon Peterson really leaned into the bio-organic horror of it all, and does incredible Phalanx. It’s basically the themes of my X-men run in a single issue.
UNCANNY X-MEN 14: While this is embedded deep into Avengers Versus X-men, it’s also its own creature. Basically, it’s an extended pastiche of Notes From Underground in a Steampunk-critique city buried beneath the Earth, and about determinism and society. Even if you don’t read it, it’s worth coming to see what Dustin Weaver does with the cityscapes. It’s virtuoso stuff. I think this may be the best issue I did during Uncanny, and certainly in the top five of what I’ve done for Marvel. Here’s Colin TooBusyThinkingAboutComics writing about it.
JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY 632: While the final issue is JIM’s high point, this is my favourite single issue. It’s a Christmas story based around Loki having to find homes for seven hellhounds. It’s cute and funny, but has a mass of doom and darkness bubbling beneath the surface – which is basically the core of what JIM does. The Breitweisers make it all look like a seasonal card too. I think the panel with Leah holding up her skirt when she chases around the hellhounds may be my favourite image of the Hel-maid in the entire run.
JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY: THE MANCHESTER GODS 639, 640,641: I’d recommend reading it out of contest primarily for people who aren’t actually going to read the rest of JIM. It’s got a fairly serious position in the larger story, in terms of various reveals. However, as its own thing, it’s me writing about the concept of Britain and firing it through a half-dozen fantasy filters. It’s as mad as the maddest parts of Phonogram. For example, it features a Tony Wilson analogue as a urban druid. I still can’t believe I got away with most of this stuff.
And a few things I’d say before buying either run.
UNCANNY X-MEN
This stands alone. However, it is embedded in Avengers VersusX-men, the major crossover event of the year it was published. The information you need to know is worked in, and AvX was always where the run was ending at – and my themes aimed to dovetail with i ts – but it’s worth noting. The first 10 issues are by themselves, but do feature a lot of foreshadowing of where it’s going.
There’s a sort-of postscript to my run in the form of AVX Consequences, which you can also buy, though it’s full price.
JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY
Journey Into Mystery is basically a closed novel. However due to existing in the modern superhero comics mainstream, it subverted a bunch of crossovers it was involved with to tell it – namely the EXILED crossover with NEW MUTANTS and the EVERYTHING BURNS crossover with Thor. It was also launched out of the FEAR ITSELF crossover, though include any important beats you need to know in JIM. I usually say FEAR ITSELF is WW2, and we’re a story about the Enigma code.
Anyway – if you buy the first 14 issues, and 539-541, they stand alone. The issue of Thor and New Mutants you would need to buy to get the complete thing are…
EXILED NEW MUTANTS 42 NEW MUTANTS 43 THE MIGHTY THOR 18 THE MIGHTY THOR 19 THE MIGHTY THOR 20 THE MIGHTY THOR 21
The Exiled/New Mutants issues are now a couple of dollars, but The Might Thor ones are full price.
I suspect it’s still worth throwing down for all the JIM issues. You won’t get them cheaper, and you can always come back and get the others. And to state the obvious, for anyone who pirates comics as they think they’re too expensive, now would be a good time to show that they would purchase at a lower price.
You can buy here. And it’s a sale just for today, so – er – buy today? That sounds about right.
Tagged: Journey Into MysteryKieron GillenYoung AvengersUncanny X-men
30th April 2013
Post with 240 notes
C2E2 was lovely. C2E2 was also half way around the planet, so while I’m back at my desk, I’m jetlagged to pieces. So apologies for any loopiness herein.
Oh, I know. You come for the loopiness.
Spoilers, obv.
Read More
Tagged: Young Avengers
27th April 2013
Post with 42 notes
How about everyone hooking up at my table at 12 to 12:15 or so today, and then wandering over to the marvel booth for the cosplay parade stuff at 12:30?
Sorry for the short notice on this. I was trying to arrange a time for when the marvel AR folks could be around, and they’ll be at the parade.
Would be great to see anyone.
Do me a favour and spread the word to any YA cosplayers you know who are at C2E2? Thanks.
Tagged: Young avengers
26th April 2013
Post with 18 notes
Thinking about doing a get together for young avengers cosplayers tomorrow. Not sure of time yet, but you guys up for it?
Off to con shortly: my schedule.
Tagged: Young avengers
11th April 2013
Photo with 423 notes
YOUNG AVENGERS #7 & 8
KIERON GILLEN (W) JAMIE MCKELVIE (A/C)
ISSUE #7
• Three months have passed for the Young Avengers. What have they been up to? Fun stuff, I’ll bet. The sort of “stuff” that makes an excellent super hero comic. THIS IS TRUTH WITH A CAPITAL EVERYTHING.
• A very important breakfast. A new Young Avenger. A selection of emotions.
• Oh - I bet you thought we forgot about those Skrulls from issue 1. We haven’t.
ISSUE #8
• The Young Avengers desperately race across the multiverse. Nothing can stop their pursuit of their missing friend. Except the urge to stop and take photos, obv.
• Lots of cleverly hidden exposition.
• Kieron decides it’s time to make all the JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY readers scream.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
Tagged JIM just because of the second solicit.
The cover to #8 may surface later too.
Tagged: Young AvengersJourney Into Mystery
27th March 2013
Post with 127 notes
And issue 3 is out. Hurrah, eh? Wherein we go to Asgard, stuff gets a bit geeky, we hit a club, we skirt underage drinking, hint at Miss America’s secrets, Loki makes inappropriate pop culture reference and stuff and things.
Buy from your local shop or digitally.
Preview here.
Tagged: Young Avengers
