Wanted Vol. 1
June 3rd, 2008 by MartinI just finished the Wanted TPB. Honestly, I’m not sure how I felt about it. Bloody? yes. Violent? yes. Fucked up story that I can’t tell if it’s supposed to be satire or a philosophical statement on the futility and stupidity of empathy with your fellow mankind? Yes.
I’m looking forward to the movie, of course. I’d wanted to read this before that comes out, and it was coincidence that my co-worker Ben brought this in for me to borrow. There are a number of interesting plot twists and surprises that I’m looking forward to in the movie. It clearly won’t have the same impact as if I hadn’t read the comic, but I think that’s ok.
Almost as interesting as the comic was Brian K. Vaughn’s introduction, where he says Wanted has “the bravest, most interesting finale to a comic book ever”. Above that he says “Those of you who refuse to see what the conclusion is really saying will probably want to burn this beautiful collection the second you put it down.” I’d love to have a conversation with Vaughn about what he thinks those final pages were saying. I don’t think I agree with him, but neither did I want to burn the book the second I put it down. I can imagine what he thinks it’s supposed to be saying, but I don’t know if I’m right. I think I’ll probably bring this up in the next podcast.
Anyway, Wanted is a well produced (written, drawn, colored) comic, with a very interesting premise. The super villains teamed up (in the 60s, I think), and they won. They beat all the superheroes, and wiped them off the face of the planet. They’ve been in charge ever since. Go read it! Or, wait for the movie, watch that, then read it! Your choice, asshole.
Tags: jg jones, Mark Millar, paul mounts
June 13th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
I just read this TPB (the defeat of the superheroes took place in 1986). The art was gorgeous, and the writing was engrossing, but they really took it to the extreme. I am curious about how far the movie will go. I doubt that the main character, played by the lovable James McAvoy, will wantonly rape and murder innocents for the first half. Or that the loving nod to comic books will remain as strong. I can imagine that a simplified version could make an effective movie, though. I remember the effect that the first Matrix movie had on me- the drive home alone in the dark, in the rain, felt unreal, like a video game with no consequences. If done effectively, this movie could produce the same effect, but it’s a somewhat frightening thought.