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3.29 AVERAGE
3.29 AVERAGE
Issue one of Millar's new book touched me with its tender depiction of a good person growing old through a life of pain. Its rumination on death and flashbacks of what makes a life well lived were really well done. I felt emotionally stirred and was ready for a series to delve into this tough subject matter through a sci-fi lens.
Sadly, the strength of issue one seemed to be ignored for the rest of this book. Millar seemed to skirt any real thought on the subject of death and instead deliver a shallow action-story.
There was very little character development in the script. The protagonist finds herself in a wonderland of an afterlife and never stops to question it. She's told that she is a prophetic savior, and so literally acts as if she can't die while stating verbatim that it's the correct course of action, because she can't die.
There was huge opportunity to play on her blind-faith of the rules of the afterlife being in total opposition to her compete lack of faith in her real life. The lack of depth is intentionally explained away in the end as "she does what's right. Always". The entire book revolves around her struggling to find and save her Husband, and upon doing so she immediately forgives him for taking a new wife and simply walks away from his life without a second thought.
Every character is boiled down to "good" or "bad" and there's no gray area or exploration of the moral definitions of our world and how they could translate to an afterlife. There's a whole world of complex emotion and ideas ignored throughout this title, and this ignored potential hurts the most.
The art, on the other hand is spectacular. Any real world building is carried on the back of the artwork, as the script does very little here too. There are some great panels of the two main characters traveling that make me wish for the story to linger in these locations, or mention where they are going and what they're seeing, but the script chooses to link together shallow action sequences with rather silent travel montage.
The editorial in the final issue of the volume says that they're looking to option this book into a TV series. It feels like this was a proof of concept action sequence to bring to pitch meeting with studio executives rather than a story trying to stand up on its own merit. I wish that Millar had tried to match the effort and talent that went into the artwork.
I just read the first 6 issues back to back, but will probably wait for reviews of volume 2 before continuing reading this series. Hopefully it begins to live up to some of the potential it had in issue 1.
3 stars because the art is that good.
Sadly, the strength of issue one seemed to be ignored for the rest of this book. Millar seemed to skirt any real thought on the subject of death and instead deliver a shallow action-story.
There was very little character development in the script. The protagonist finds herself in a wonderland of an afterlife and never stops to question it. She's told that she is a prophetic savior, and so literally acts as if she can't die while stating verbatim that it's the correct course of action, because she can't die.
There was huge opportunity to play on her blind-faith of the rules of the afterlife being in total opposition to her compete lack of faith in her real life. The lack of depth is intentionally explained away in the end as "she does what's right. Always". The entire book revolves around her struggling to find and save her Husband, and upon doing so she immediately forgives him for taking a new wife and simply walks away from his life without a second thought.
Every character is boiled down to "good" or "bad" and there's no gray area or exploration of the moral definitions of our world and how they could translate to an afterlife. There's a whole world of complex emotion and ideas ignored throughout this title, and this ignored potential hurts the most.
The art, on the other hand is spectacular. Any real world building is carried on the back of the artwork, as the script does very little here too. There are some great panels of the two main characters traveling that make me wish for the story to linger in these locations, or mention where they are going and what they're seeing, but the script chooses to link together shallow action sequences with rather silent travel montage.
The editorial in the final issue of the volume says that they're looking to option this book into a TV series. It feels like this was a proof of concept action sequence to bring to pitch meeting with studio executives rather than a story trying to stand up on its own merit. I wish that Millar had tried to match the effort and talent that went into the artwork.
I just read the first 6 issues back to back, but will probably wait for reviews of volume 2 before continuing reading this series. Hopefully it begins to live up to some of the potential it had in issue 1.
3 stars because the art is that good.
just general exposition. art is awesome. the "bad guys" character design is pretty swell. on to issue 3!
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I think I liked this more than a lot of other readers, and the reason I liked it is because, when you think about it, there aren't all that many narratives that propose a different life after death. You've got your heaven and hell, your Beetlejuice, your...is that it?
It's weird, for a subject that we think about so much, there are not a ton of narratives that propose a different form of afterlife. You'd think we'd be up to our asses in this shit, but no. I guess it's something most of us don't like to think about all that much. Especially since most of us don't figure we end up in a donut shop reading the newspaper for eternity. And yet it's such an attainable dream...
It's weird, for a subject that we think about so much, there are not a ton of narratives that propose a different form of afterlife. You'd think we'd be up to our asses in this shit, but no. I guess it's something most of us don't like to think about all that much. Especially since most of us don't figure we end up in a donut shop reading the newspaper for eternity. And yet it's such an attainable dream...
Parts of this were really cool. The artwork is amazing, I especially loved how different the places in the after life felt to be in because of the colours and lines used in each. But, the plot was a bit... random/not there at times. I'm all for fantasy but I still need to understand motivations and believe them. I guess I just need to stop comparing things to Saga and then I'll enjoy them more.
Hm. It's not that it's bad, but maybe there's not enough novelty --man, are we spoiled. I've picked up several themes from other novels (be they graphic or written), and while they come together nicely, they don't really peak my curiosity. Nicely done though, and I am curious about the second volume (if there is one).
And now I really want to reread the Thomas Covenant novels. (I've lost track of the more recent ones.)
And now I really want to reread the Thomas Covenant novels. (I've lost track of the more recent ones.)
https://osrascunhos.com/2017/12/02/reborn-book-one-mark-millar-greg-capullo-jonathan-glapion-e-fco-plascencia/
Li muito pouco de Mark Millar. Para além deste volume li, recentemente, Starlight, mas em ambos parece haver uma tentativa de mostrar que a velhice não é inútil e que existe a possibilidade de grandes feitos heróicos mesmo quando a idade é avançada. Em Starlight o herói mostra capacidades que inspiram outros a grandes feitos, instigando coragem e determinação. Em Reborn a morte é apenas a forma como se passa para uma, de muitas outras realidades, que nos esperam, num misterioso caminho de passagem que não se sabe onde termina.
Em Reborn acompanhamos a morte de uma senhora de idade, Bonnie, viúva há alguns anos. Não a espera o céu, nem o inferno. Antes um outro mundo de características semi medievais (em termos tecnológicos) onde renasceu no auge das suas forças e onde encontra, nos primeiros instantes, o pai. Esta mulher, que terá sido uma das melhores pessoas em vida, é a muito aguardada Messias que se espera pôr nova ordem na separação entre as duas partes do território – a parte destinada aos bons e a parte destinada aos maus.
Bonnie estranha o papel que lhe é esperado, sabendo que, em vida, não tinha investido em capacidades guerreiras. Por outro lado, esperava encontrar o marido com a mesma facilidade com que encontrou o pai. Bonnie pede então aos seus seguidores para aguardarem mais um mês enquanto procura o companheiro de uma vida, mas será essa missão que a levará a enfrentar os que tentam, diariamente, invadir o território.
O que acontece a alguém extremamente religioso que não encontra, naquele lado, o cumprir das expectativas? Enlouquece. E o que acontece ao gato que foi capado? Bem, volta na próxima oportunidade para se vingar. Já as pessoas renascem num dos lados de acordo com as acções na vida anterior, com uma idade que não corresponde à da morte. Bonnie vê-se, assim, novamente com 20 anos, em boa forma e pronta para a batalha que se avizinha.
De premissa um pouco naive, confere às personagens uma simplicidade de avaliação bom Vs mau que relembra histórias fantásticas mais antigas de elementos lineares e objectivos claros. Os bons possuem tantos mais poderes quanto melhor agiram em vida, e os maus tantos mais poderes quanto pior agiram. Os maus tentam conquistar e escravizar os bons. Os bons lutam pela liberdade.
Também esteticamente o espaço combina com esta caracterização absoluta. Os bons renascem em espaços naturais, onde se reconhecem vales, rios e florestas. Os maus renascem em espaços infernais, onde são comuns os rios de sangue e os céus sombrios e tempestuosos. A caracterização visual não se fica por aqui. Os bons mantém uma aparência humana. Os maus adquirem aparências demoníacas onde não faltam cornos e olhos vermelhos.
Apesar de todos estes elementos que simplificam a caracterização das personagens, em que bons agem sempre correctamente e maus sempre da pior maneira possível, mesmo em próprio prejuízo, Reborn é uma história engraçada e envolvente que se aproveita do sentimento de nostalgia pelas histórias fantásticas mais clássicas para cativar o leitor.
Li muito pouco de Mark Millar. Para além deste volume li, recentemente, Starlight, mas em ambos parece haver uma tentativa de mostrar que a velhice não é inútil e que existe a possibilidade de grandes feitos heróicos mesmo quando a idade é avançada. Em Starlight o herói mostra capacidades que inspiram outros a grandes feitos, instigando coragem e determinação. Em Reborn a morte é apenas a forma como se passa para uma, de muitas outras realidades, que nos esperam, num misterioso caminho de passagem que não se sabe onde termina.
Em Reborn acompanhamos a morte de uma senhora de idade, Bonnie, viúva há alguns anos. Não a espera o céu, nem o inferno. Antes um outro mundo de características semi medievais (em termos tecnológicos) onde renasceu no auge das suas forças e onde encontra, nos primeiros instantes, o pai. Esta mulher, que terá sido uma das melhores pessoas em vida, é a muito aguardada Messias que se espera pôr nova ordem na separação entre as duas partes do território – a parte destinada aos bons e a parte destinada aos maus.
Bonnie estranha o papel que lhe é esperado, sabendo que, em vida, não tinha investido em capacidades guerreiras. Por outro lado, esperava encontrar o marido com a mesma facilidade com que encontrou o pai. Bonnie pede então aos seus seguidores para aguardarem mais um mês enquanto procura o companheiro de uma vida, mas será essa missão que a levará a enfrentar os que tentam, diariamente, invadir o território.
O que acontece a alguém extremamente religioso que não encontra, naquele lado, o cumprir das expectativas? Enlouquece. E o que acontece ao gato que foi capado? Bem, volta na próxima oportunidade para se vingar. Já as pessoas renascem num dos lados de acordo com as acções na vida anterior, com uma idade que não corresponde à da morte. Bonnie vê-se, assim, novamente com 20 anos, em boa forma e pronta para a batalha que se avizinha.
De premissa um pouco naive, confere às personagens uma simplicidade de avaliação bom Vs mau que relembra histórias fantásticas mais antigas de elementos lineares e objectivos claros. Os bons possuem tantos mais poderes quanto melhor agiram em vida, e os maus tantos mais poderes quanto pior agiram. Os maus tentam conquistar e escravizar os bons. Os bons lutam pela liberdade.
Também esteticamente o espaço combina com esta caracterização absoluta. Os bons renascem em espaços naturais, onde se reconhecem vales, rios e florestas. Os maus renascem em espaços infernais, onde são comuns os rios de sangue e os céus sombrios e tempestuosos. A caracterização visual não se fica por aqui. Os bons mantém uma aparência humana. Os maus adquirem aparências demoníacas onde não faltam cornos e olhos vermelhos.
Apesar de todos estes elementos que simplificam a caracterização das personagens, em que bons agem sempre correctamente e maus sempre da pior maneira possível, mesmo em próprio prejuízo, Reborn é uma história engraçada e envolvente que se aproveita do sentimento de nostalgia pelas histórias fantásticas mais clássicas para cativar o leitor.
I'm a fan of the originality of this book, particularly the father daughter reuniting in heaven and comparing notes on how their life went. The afterlife interpretation was a kitchen sink approach to throwing in just about any science fiction, steam punk, or fantasy element that ever existed. For some reason it became so chaotic that I just stopped trying to interpret what it was and just enjoyed it. It's rare that this much chaos in characters and plots will still make me interested.
I'm looking forward to book two. I didn't spend a lot of time picking apart the symbolism I saw in the first book because I have a feeling all my theories will be proven wrong by the second book.
The worst thing the creators could do with this story is to have the main character just be imagining this whole thing while she is in a coma in the hospital.
I'm looking forward to book two. I didn't spend a lot of time picking apart the symbolism I saw in the first book because I have a feeling all my theories will be proven wrong by the second book.
The worst thing the creators could do with this story is to have the main character just be imagining this whole thing while she is in a coma in the hospital.