Charlemagne - Defiant

[ian_house]

I'm finally running low of DC stuff in my to read pile so I thought I'd crack into my DU box. I don't have many straight runs in here at the moment and this was the first I came across.

I've gotta say I wasn't that excited by the prospect from the covers of the first few issues. I don't think I've ever read a kung-fu comic and thats what Charlemagne looks like from the outside. But I was pretty wrong, and I should have known better with Shooter running Defiant.

It's a well written story of a boys journey, up to now, of his search for his brother in Vietnam who he finds only to be met by tragedy. Crippled and in a coma he is asleep for 7 years only to magically wake up with a brand new pimping body (I don't think Shooter would have described it like that ).

I've just read issues 0, 1 and 2 and really looking forward to the rest of this. Anyone else have any thought on this series?

An interesting side note, there is an editorial letter from Shooter in the first issue where he praises JayJay Jackson and slags off Valiant pretty badly for their treatment of her and himself.

[magnusr]

I'm finally running low of DC stuff in my to read pile so I thought I'd crack into my DU box. I don't have many straight runs in here at the moment and this was the first I came across.

I've gotta say I wasn't that excited by the prospect from the covers of the first few issues. I don't think I've ever read a kung-fu comic and thats what Charlemagne looks like from the outside. But I was pretty wrong, and I should have known better with Shooter running Defiant.

It's a well written story of a boys journey, up to now, of his search for his brother in Vietnam who he finds only to be met by tragedy. Crippled and in a coma he is asleep for 7 years only to magically wake up with a brand new pimping body (I don't think Shooter would have described it like that ).

I've just read issues 0, 1 and 2 and really looking forward to the rest of this. Anyone else have any thought on this series?

An interesting side note, there is an editorial letter from Shooter in the first issue where he praises JayJay Jackson and slags off Valiant pretty badly for their treatment of her and himself.

I liked the series. With a story about an idealistic champion of humanity written by Shooter, what is there not to like? Of course, the fact that my name can translate into French as "Charlemagne" helps.

/Magnus

[Knightt]

I do NOT ship to France.

[Knightt]

[JonesyAZ]

I just re-read issue 1 last night due to your post...man, it is an awesome read, indeed! I didn't realize how strong of a war theme that this issue had with taking place during Vietnam and all that. And the editorials were very thought-provoking and cool (Deb Purcell's one about Vietnam towards the back made my heart ache a bit)

[ian_house]

I read issues 3 and 4 last night. I was a little dissapointed as issue 3 kicks off in the middle of something bigger. I've not read any other Defiant stuff so wasn't familiar with who any of the characters are and unlike most other Shooter helmed stuff it did very little to inform the reader. Characters like Glider and the Dominion I had no clue about and sadly it ruined it for me a little. Charlemagne had also been in some team up with young heroes (teen titans style) that was being mentioned but not well enough.

Sadly those 2 issues were massive fails in respect to 1st time readers and seemed like a bizzare thing to do with a series that had only just kicked off. I wanted to see more of Charles getting to grip with being an adult, the 90s, the past he'd missed, the people he'd left behind etc.

[Knightt]

When reading the series, I had to keep reminding myself that Jim was going at it in court with Marvel at the time, the whole Warriors of Plasm vs Plasmer ordeal and I believe that it kept Jim's mind occupied on other thngs.

I never looked at Charlemagne as a book you could just jump inot either. A beefier #0 issue would have been great. (IMO of course )

[Triumphant Serial Number]

I still haven't read issue 1, but the others were good.

I remember discovering Pollina on Chromium Man #1, and apparently Shooter loved him too. Triumphant over several months wildly promoted a sparse letter of praise Shooter wrote to them that among other things had good words to say about Pollina. Then of course Shotter poached him from Triumphant (can't blame either party, I'm sure the money was much better), and the Chromium Man would never be the same. :(

Though to be honest I think Pollina's art was more to my tastes with Triumphant. I don't know if it was the deadlines or the inkers or the demands of drawing everyday objects like tables and chairs that made his work feel bland in comparison to CM, but that's just me.