Warren Ellis: Freak Angels

Freak Angels: the latest from Warren Ellis, with Paul Duffield, version 0001 is now online and it's lovely.

[#1 posted by Bonnie , February 15, 2008 12:27 PM]

I love love love this!
I can't wait for the next installment!
Hurry up!!!

[#2 posted by mujadaddy , February 15, 2008 12:30 PM]

6 pages only? Or am I doing something wrong?

[#3 posted by RadioGuy , February 15, 2008 1:17 PM]

@mujadaddy

Yep, 6 pages for now. Updated weekly.

[#4 posted by Technical Writing Geek , February 15, 2008 1:25 PM]

You know, this comes from the genre of postmodern stories that all try to be clever, but cannot hide the fact that they're the same product.

No new ideas. A slightly new combination of steampunk, cyberpunk, post-apocalyptic, and the characters are neurotic slags of exactly the same nature as you'd find in a soap opera from corporate America.

Does anyone seriously think this comic says anything profound, or important past Friday?

[#5 posted by RadioGuy , February 15, 2008 1:37 PM]

@twg

That's a pretty damning analysis considering there's only 6 pages available! If the plot and style don't appeal to you, that's one thing, but I'd wait for a bit more content to appear before writing it off as just more of "the same product" with "no new ideas."

[#6 posted by oneswellfoop , February 15, 2008 1:38 PM]

It may not be the most original thing, sure it sure is gorgeous.

I look forward to seeing Technical Writing Geek's brilliant graphic novel that will change the face of...well, everything. Since he's so fantastic and original himself you know.

[#7 posted by Dillenger69 , February 15, 2008 2:56 PM]

What I see so far is
Waterworld (flooded) + East Enders (london soap drama) + Mad Max (Gyrocopter) + Eon Flux -ish art = I reserve judgment for later.

It says the world ended ... apparently it didn't because there are still enough people and planet left to provide a story.

I'll give this a while but I'm "meh" on it from the first 6 pages.

[#8 posted by Benjamin , February 15, 2008 3:02 PM]

agreed #7

[#9 posted by OM , February 15, 2008 3:21 PM]

...More Warren Ellis drek. Oh. Joy.

[/dripping_sarcasm]

[#10 posted by occluded , February 15, 2008 4:06 PM]

y'know, you don't *have* to read it.

So what if it's not groundbreaking literature? It looks great, has a premise that is at least worth some more exposition, and, (with this being the kicker), *it's free*.

Honestly, your world is being at least a tiny bit enriched at no cost to you and you still nark about it. Can't believe some people.

[#11 posted by Spoon , February 15, 2008 5:21 PM]

@Occluded

You don't have to read negative comments either, or comment on not agreeing with them.

So what if it's not groundbreaking criticism? so what if the criticism wasn't easy on the eyes? and aren't these comments free as well?

Honestly, you're being exposed to others views on art and are at least a tiny bit enriched by the experience at no cost to you, yet you talk down on those who did so?

I can't believe the two of us!

[#12 posted by noen , February 15, 2008 5:42 PM]

It would be interesting to see Spoon's and Technical Writing Geek's recommendations for comics that say something profound or important with genuinely new ideas. Anything?

[#13 posted by Named After Ham , February 15, 2008 6:15 PM]

@Spoon

Judging from your final line, I'm guessing you've already applied your own logic to your own comment and completed the feedback loop :)

Anyway, as far as "enriching experiences" go, I'm going to side with the pre-meditated art & storytelling, rather than the "yawn-I've-seen-it-all-before, and-the-rest-of-the-world-needs-to-know" comments above.

It's only six pages in, and it's free. If I felt the uncontrollable urge to tell the world how utterly "meh" I felt about this, I'd be re-evaluating my value systems right about now.

But then, I'm a whore for anything post-apocalyptic, and I loved this. Looking forward to more...

[#14 posted by antipax , February 15, 2008 8:40 PM]

#4 Agreed. This just re-hashes old post apocalyptic ideas which have all been done before. As well as the strange children from Village of the Damned. Internet Jesus? Not really.

[#15 posted by Dave Hecht , February 15, 2008 9:20 PM]

I have to pony up a comment simply to say it is always nice to see new product from Warren - even if it is a theme or gadget or even character we've seen before (heavens! comics rehashing characters and storylines! a travesty!). Warren has an inimitable style and treatment that always promises, at the very least, a chuckle, and at worst, gut-and-nut busting hilarity/insanity. The man is one of the most prolific writers in the history of the genre, and his hit rate must still be astonishingly high. And Paul Duffield's art has a nice tone and atmosphere. So what say we give the book a chance, and even if it falls a bit short, c'est la vie, c'est l'art. Move along. Comic Book Guy should get back to the secret room and eagerly await the next shipment of shrink-wrapped dolls or something.

[#16 posted by jimh , February 15, 2008 10:33 PM]

beautiful color

[#17 posted by waltbosz , February 16, 2008 9:16 AM]

Looks good. Just read the first page. The color yellow comes to mind.

[#18 posted by larf , February 16, 2008 10:34 AM]

Excellent!

[#19 posted by Kieran O'Neill , February 16, 2008 5:49 PM]

Awesome. And it's free. And it's published as a webcomic.

Did anyone else pick up on the supernatural angle? I mean, she was talking remotely to that Connor guy via a dirty, scratched pane of glass...

So, not just rehashed steam/cyberpunk. Maybe a bit of dark fantasy, too?

[#20 posted by Squashy , February 16, 2008 9:36 PM]

Looks pretty, but it's a bad sign when six pages in, you already find the main character extremely irritating.

[#21 posted by Bobsledboy , February 16, 2008 10:34 PM]

I was expecting more, considering it's Warren Ellis. But then again it's pretty hard to argue with free.

[#22 posted by animwriter , February 17, 2008 12:03 AM]

For some steampunk (just dipped a toe so far) I tend to admire the design more than the story. Last Exile comes to mind... Did I miss much by dismissing that after a few episodes?

[#23 posted by funnelbc , February 17, 2008 2:17 AM]

@ Dave Hecht: Point well made!

I don't understand the negativity and the observations made from the first 6 pages of the damn thing? It's hard to make any other observations other than it's beautifully drawn and coloured given that the story hasn't even begun to be told?

[#24 posted by dewexdewex , February 18, 2008 5:23 AM]

Midwych cuckoos.

[#25 posted by dewexdewex , February 18, 2008 5:24 AM]

Midwych cuckoos.