An open letter to Statesman.

[bzarcher]

Dear Jack,

Hi.

I'm a huge fan of City of Heroes. I kept watching what my friends who got into the Beta were doing, I got interested, and I bought the game as soon as I could. I've been playing since before issue 1. I've been all over the maps. Hollows, Striga, Talos, Peregrine, Portals, you name it, I went there.

I've played every AT except Kheldians, and I'm pretty close to hitting 50 and making one of those, too.

I LOVE THE GAME. Ok? I drank the kool-aid and I'm in the Program.

Now that we've got some background...

What the hell are you thinking with the new Comic Book, Jack?

This isn't even close to the game, the story, or the NPC characters you created. Why, exactly, is it supposed to make ANYONE want to play?

And the last panel of issue 2? What?! WHAT?

You did NOT just do that.

Now, I'm willing to admit that it's entirely possible that you don't have control of what Waid is writing, and that Mark Waid may not have actually played the game, isn't giving you input, and he's just building this thing off his own imagination rather than anything which has to do with the game.

If that's the case? Can you go in, get with Mr. Waid, and slap him around. Maybe a nice, gentle cockslapping.

Well, not that gentle. Drop the pants, whip it out, and break his nose with it.

This comic would turn me off the game if I hadn't played CoH before I read it. For that matter, I'm not even going to read the comic from here on out. All I'm going to do is read the still EXCELLENT Tim Buckley 4-panels in the back and throw the rest out, until you pick up a new writer.

Hey, here's an idea: Tim Buckley and Scott Kurtz actually did a good job of capturing the feel of the game. A great, funny, interesting, made my friends want to play, kind of job.

Get them to do it.

Love, kisses, and get me I5 soon so I can make an Archery Blaster,

BZA.

Comments

[iamharrynelson.livejournal.com]

I thought you had a 50 already. To be honest, I really don't care for the Kheldians that much...but! I do agree with the archers! BRING 'EM ON!

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

Doyle's up to 46, almost 47. :D Getting close.

[mephron]

I'm considering telling them to stop sending me the comic. But at the same time I'm vaguely wondering if there's something else going on it.

Mark Waid did, in fact, play City of Heroes - an interview with him that announced he'd be writing it gave the server and character name. It also said he killed his account, deleted the software and tossed the disk, so he wouldn't have the rest of his time eaten by the game.

It did give us some insight into what the supposed 'Incarnate' is going to be, whenever they come live in game, what with where States gets his powers and all. Not a LOT, but some.

(I think we're going to find out that Manticore did what he did to get support, figuring that it wouldn't actually be a permanent sort of thing. Yes I'm being vague, because people might not have gotten the comic yet.)

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

I'd be cool with the explanation of the Incarnate if it didn't take a header from the established in game history. You don't go get inspired by the power of Zeus in Tibet. That's like saying I became a Bhuddist by going to Greenland.

But the characterization, the various events, the way the city is portrayed...so much of why I love the game is the rich history you can find through the badges, the NPCs, and talking to people. This ignores almost all of that.

[twfarlan.livejournal.com]

If I may?

a) There is some editorial oversight from within Cryptic, but it's not coming directly from Jack Emmert. It's coming from Sean Fish, aka the guy who created Lord Recluse, Synapse, and Manticore.

b) Statesman had previously said that he opened his "inner will" in Tibet; that doesn't mean that's the only place he stopped during his journeys. States doesn't say that the Fountain of Zeus was in Tibet.

c) Mark Waid, as you've already heard, is leaving the comic after issue #3. In other words, the current storyline wraps in the next issue. While they promised us that the relaunch of the comic would shake the foundations of the in-game mythology as we'd known it, it didn't say that the shake-up would be permanent. States is an on-going character, as are the others you see there. Sister Psyche, currently standing in Independence Port, isn't wearing a bandage over her eye and doesn't seem to be suffering from any psychotic breaks. Positron's armor isn't leaking anti-matter into Blyde Square. And of course, most importantly, Lord Recluse's spells and Arachnos drones aren't hanging around Paragon City. In other words, it looks grim now... but the heroes will end up winning.

Yes, this is a dark storyline. It's rattling to read. It's also interesting. I'm not saying you have to like it at all... I'm just saying that it isn't all bad and, of more importance, isn't anything permanent.

I agree that Tim Buckley's comic strip in the back is fun. I miss Scott Kurtz's Justice Eight strip, as well. I was more insulted by the inclusion of fanfic by Mercedes Lackey than I was by anything happening in the book's main plot. Tastes differ, naturally. Either way, the game world isn't going to end up reflecting these events much at all.

*grins* Always glad to hear loyal oppositon.

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

Oddly enough, I thought the Mercedes Lackey part was neat.

I'll agree, yes, the heroes will win. But I feel like a good bit of the backstory that was already established seems to be very ignored by this, ongoing characters or not.

Plus, how do you wrap what has happened in the last 2 issues in 20 pages? I can't see a way that this will not have a large effect on the rest of the run. Perhaps I'm wrong, but it seems like a very large turn that anyone who follows will have to adjust for. Drastic seems a fair word.

I'd also argue on interesting to read, but that's also a matter of taste. I think this storyline could have worked for any current superhero team on the market. It doesn't have anything to make it stand out, and that's a turn off for me, as well.

Re: *grins* Always glad to hear loyal oppositon.

[twfarlan.livejournal.com]

Heh, "loyal" opposition will last only so long as they don't do something to piss me off. ;) I play the Devil's advocate at every opportunity. I'm not fixed to caring about one side of this more than the other.

I don't think this storyline will be drastically changing anything, including much of the future of the comic itself, aside from perhaps introducing us to the tensions between members of the Freedom Phalanx that we didn't consider being there. The personalities of the characters hadn't been fleshed out previously at all, so while this may establish them to many people, it's been over a year since the launch and this is the first time we've gotten a decent glimpse inside the minds of the Surviving Seven. I know that Jack Emmert has in mind a whole background for nearly everyone and that his internal history of Paragon City and her heroes is very complex and detailed, but he hasn't given us much more than a glimpse and a map before now. Being there without knowing the heroes who've come before us... well, I'm glad of the chance to get to know the Phalanxers.

Finally, I agree with the comment that this plot could have worked for any current superhero team out there... and you've just paid them quite a compliment, in my mind. You're saying this plot would have been equally at home with groups like the Avengers or the Justice League. The Freedom Phalanx's history has been limited to the occassional plaques or snippets from the very short conversations with the Surviving Seven during Task Force mission briefings, yet they stand out well enough to be able to fill the shoes of the two greatest collections the big comic publishers have to offer? Oh yes, I call that a compliment to Jack and the crew.

[nachitor.livejournal.com]

I think the comic is pretty awesome. People have strange expectations from the Surviving 8.

They're not a group of super-moralistic Captain Americas. They're just a bunch of guys who happen to have powers-- in Manticore's case, a bow. They're veterans of a traumatic war. The only thing they did differently from the thousands of heros who died is survive. They remain together out of a sense of duty and familiarity, not because they're one big happy family.

My assumption is that Waid's run is representing I5 (due on Test next month) or even CoV's advent, but I'm not sure why they put out this arc right now. Either way, I enjoyed it.

This is a classic case of the fans assuming they know better than the people doing the work. Pre-conceived notions colouring our perceptions of these characters when in fact, we know nothing about them beyond the fact that, when the city is in danger and you're on your last legs, they say, "You need at least 5 people to start the trial."

Real helpful they are.