Re-Reading: Magnus Robot Fighter #0
Moderators: Daniel Jackson, greg
Re-Reading: Magnus Robot Fighter #0
I thought we could do a book a day (that way people can read one every day or catch up on weekends), talk about it on its own, in the context of whats next, in regards to what expectations it creates and vote on how good it is. I don't have to be the one that posts everyday. If I miss a day or if someone wants to take over please do
For voting think of your single favourite comic book (not just VALIANT) as the benchmark - thats a 10 - and grade according to that.
Make sure to mention what you like'd about the book, what you didn't, what you wish they would have done, your favourite panels, lines of dialogue, little bits of trivia etc.
Magnus Robot Fighter #0
For voting think of your single favourite comic book (not just VALIANT) as the benchmark - thats a 10 - and grade according to that.
Make sure to mention what you like'd about the book, what you didn't, what you wish they would have done, your favourite panels, lines of dialogue, little bits of trivia etc.
Magnus Robot Fighter #0
Re: Re-Reading: Magnus Robot Fighter #0
A classic. An intelligent and exciting story. Completely based on the old Magnus comics and immediately expanding that world in a logical way. As we read this story originally we had already seen Magnus fight the Steel nation and this gave a well needed retrospect. Reading it alone now it might just come across as explaining slightly too much. As I'm very strict with 10s, that is enough for me to give a strong 9.
/Magnus
/Magnus
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myron
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Re: Re-Reading: Magnus Robot Fighter #0
yup...magnusr wrote:A classic. An intelligent and exciting story. Completely based on the old Magnus comics and immediately expanding that world in a logical way. As we read this story originally we had already seen Magnus fight the Steel nation and this gave a well needed retrospect. Reading it alone now it might just come across as explaining slightly too much. As I'm very strict with 10s, that is enough for me to give a strong 9.
/Magnus
Why waste time learning, when ignorance is instantaneous?
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Todd Luck
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Wow 
It's been a few years since I last reread Steel Nation and I forgot how it feels to read something this powerful.
The first page...boom. I already have an amazing sense of awe. I'm seeing this wonderful place I just want jump into the pages and live in.
The tour of North Am was a very human touch (tours haven't changed much in 2000 year
) and a nice way to introduce the city. Seeing the first attack from the robots POV was brillant (Magnus coming off as an unstoppable killer).
Then we have a series of even more powerful moments: Magnus putting a wounded 1-A in his childhood bed, Magnus's servant rob tries to kill him in his sleep, and a haunting battle were Magnus can see the doubts of his opponents. All interlaced with Magnus starting to ask the moral questions we'ld hope a hero would ask. Absolutely incredible stuff.
And there's all the little touches you pick up on the re-reads. Magnus has an aquarium in his apartment because he was raised underwater. His servant rob is V8 (heh ). All the wonderful bits of humor on the opening page like the ice cream falling on the car driver and the pigeon on the traffic rob's head 
. It seems like the kid in the red outfit and blue hat on page 1 is a homage to something but I can't think of what.
Awe, intelligence, depth, humor, bad a$$ action, great art. I can't ask for more from a comic. A 10 .
Odd Notes: Notice that Shooter, when listing the credits in his forward, lists himself last. Classy as usual.
Notice there's a dead ringer for Rockland Tate on page. Probably coincidence, but still neat.
One of of the power station techs has what will become the Hard Corps symbol on his uniform (a heart beat monitor line in a box). It's a varation of a symbol that's all over the place in the book (it's even in the letters of Magnus's own cover title and the symbol they put on the last page). I'm not sure if this came from Manning's stuff but I always thought it was wierd a varation of a design in Magnus got used for somthing so entirely different.
It's been a few years since I last reread Steel Nation and I forgot how it feels to read something this powerful.
The first page...boom. I already have an amazing sense of awe. I'm seeing this wonderful place I just want jump into the pages and live in.
The tour of North Am was a very human touch (tours haven't changed much in 2000 year
) and a nice way to introduce the city. Seeing the first attack from the robots POV was brillant (Magnus coming off as an unstoppable killer). Then we have a series of even more powerful moments: Magnus putting a wounded 1-A in his childhood bed, Magnus's servant rob tries to kill him in his sleep, and a haunting battle were Magnus can see the doubts of his opponents. All interlaced with Magnus starting to ask the moral questions we'ld hope a hero would ask. Absolutely incredible stuff.
And there's all the little touches you pick up on the re-reads. Magnus has an aquarium in his apartment because he was raised underwater. His servant rob is V8 (heh
). All the wonderful bits of humor on the opening page like the ice cream falling on the car driver and the pigeon on the traffic rob's head . It seems like the kid in the red outfit and blue hat on page 1 is a homage to something but I can't think of what.Awe, intelligence, depth, humor, bad a$$ action, great art. I can't ask for more from a comic. A 10
.Odd Notes: Notice that Shooter, when listing the credits in his forward, lists himself last. Classy as usual.
Notice there's a dead ringer for Rockland Tate on page. Probably coincidence, but still neat.
One of of the power station techs has what will become the Hard Corps symbol on his uniform (a heart beat monitor line in a box). It's a varation of a symbol that's all over the place in the book (it's even in the letters of Magnus's own cover title and the symbol they put on the last page). I'm not sure if this came from Manning's stuff but I always thought it was wierd a varation of a design in Magnus got used for somthing so entirely different.
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dino
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I couldn't resist.
http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryPiec ... t=0&UCat=0
Todd Luck said it all perfectly. A 10
http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryPiec ... t=0&UCat=0
Todd Luck said it all perfectly. A 10
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slym2none
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Heh... I never caught the "Manning Systems" before... waittaminnit......... I haven't read my #0 yet! 
Where does this fit in, i.e., if I was reading the series for the first time, where should I read #0???
-slym
Where does this fit in, i.e., if I was reading the series for the first time, where should I read #0???
-slym
Some people spend their whole lives believing in fairy tales, usually because they don't want to give up the fabulous prizes.
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myron
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after the conclusion of steel nation arcslym2none wrote:Heh... I never caught the "Manning Systems" before... waittaminnit......... I haven't read my #0 yet!
Where does this fit in, i.e., if I was reading the series for the first time, where should I read #0???
-slym
Why waste time learning, when ignorance is instantaneous?
I always thought its was the prequel to Steel Nation. I heard some story about how this was meant to be Magnus #1 but Paris Cullins disappeared with the only script so they edited issue 2 and made that issue 1. Then we he turned up they created the #0myron wrote:after the conclusion of steel nation arcslym2none wrote:Heh... I never caught the "Manning Systems" before... waittaminnit......... I haven't read my #0 yet!
Where does this fit in, i.e., if I was reading the series for the first time, where should I read #0???
-slym
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Daniel Jackson
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You're right, it is the prequel to Steel Nation. Here is what Jim Shooter writes on the inside cover...xoken wrote:I always thought its was the prequel to Steel Nation. I heard some story about how this was meant to be Magnus #1 but Paris Cullins disappeared with the only script so they edited issue 2 and made that issue 1. Then we he turned up they created the #0myron wrote:after the conclusion of steel nation arcslym2none wrote:Heh... I never caught the "Manning Systems" before... waittaminnit......... I haven't read my #0 yet!
Where does this fit in, i.e., if I was reading the series for the first time, where should I read #0???
-slym
It is a very fun to read and well written story. The fact that is was a special "coupon redeeming issue" makes it even more special to me. But I remember being aggrevated that they wouldn't let us photocopy the coupons and we had to tear them out of the books so we could get our copy. Oh well can't have everything.Jim Shooter wrote:The following story "Emancipator" is the prequel to the Steel Nation saga, which appeared in Magnus Robot Fighter #1-4.
Emancipator was penciled by Paris Cullins, inked by Bob Layton, lettered by Jade, colored by Janet Jackson, with assistance from Mike Cavallerro, Pa Autio and Maurice Fontenot, and written by me. It was, in fact the first Valiant Universe story ever created.
Zero-numbered issues have become a tradition at Valiant, however, this issue, which is truly the first realization of our dream to build a universe, will always have a special place in our history and in our hearts.
I hope you enjoy it.
Sincerely,
Jim Shooter.
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jedimarley
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tarheelmarine
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myron
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man there has to be someone with a reader copy somewhere...check with KC or someone like that who sells volume...tarheelmarine wrote:Steel Nation is one of my favorites, but sadly I have never been able to read Magnus #0. I am looking for a cheap, reading copy of it if anyone can help.
Why waste time learning, when ignorance is instantaneous?
Here's Seaborn Adamson's synopsis of the issue. I have published some of his stuff before and it's time I go on. But right now I go for a two week vacation. Look for more when I'm back. As with all synposis, of course there will be spoilers.
Above the 41st Century megalopolis called North Am, a tourist skimmer is almost struck by a hovercar full of renegade robots. The robots crash into the command center of a building near the Centralrob complex. Incapacitating the command staff, the freewills seize the mysterious container that is their objective. Suddenly, Magnus arrives to stop them. With deadly precision, he begins destroying the freewills. Only 0-1X and D15 manage to escape with the stolen item. In the command center, Magnus tries to figure out just what the freewills have stolen. When Major Tirnbuc of North Am Security arrives, Magnus departs to keep a date with Leeja. Timbuc wonders how Magnus always arrives at robot disturbances before North Am Security is even aware of the trouble. But that remains a mystery for now.
Later, Magnus arrives at Senator Clane’s house to pick up his daughter, Leeja. They attend a show until Magnus is informed that the item stolen by the freewills is a portion of the brain of the most dangerous freewill robot ever: T-1. Even though he destroyed T-1 before, Magnus fears that someone is attempting to rebuild the monster. Magnus immediately departs for his undersea base.
Arriving at 1-A’s underwater fortress, Magnus finds that the freewill renegades are already there. Monitoring their subetherial transmissions with his implant, Magnus is aware of the waiting robot ambush and chases the freewills away. But not before O-1X has his cohorts severely damage both 1-A and the sea-base dome. Magnus fears that 1-A is destroyed, but the old freewill who raised the Robot Fighter is only stunned. Coming around, 1-A tells Magnus that 0-1X’s freewills have stolen the piece of T-l’s brain kept in the sea base. 1-A rules out the possibility that the rogues plan to rebuild T-1; not enough remains of the brain. But the stolen items might be of religious significance to the freewills. Perplexed, Magnus returns to North Am.
Back at his place, Magnus finds that he is so mentally agitated that the latently telepathic Leeja can easily read his thoughts. Magnus and Leeja fall asleep on the couch. When the valet-rob attempts to cover them with a blanket, Magnus suddenly awakens, smashing the robot. Magnus worries that he’s much too worked up over the freewill problem.
The following day, Magnus visits the great lakes power complex with robotics expert, Dr Teresa Giardino. The head of the plant informs his visitors that one of the tech-robs hooked up to the subetherial wavelength generator has a microtremor in his control-arm. This means that, for the last three years, the robots of North Am have been exposed to nanosurges in their power, possibly becoming more prone to becoming malfunct or even freewill.
Meanwhile, at a North Am restaurant, waiter-rob W23 experiences a siezure. Without revealing it to the rest of the staff, this robot has gone freewill.
Back at the power plant, Magnus and the others prepare to replace the faulty tech-rob. Suddenly, a rogue construction-rob attempts to stop them. As Magnus battles it, he monitors the robotic subetherial communications with his implant. Magnus realizes that the construction-rob is taking orders from rogue freewill leader, 0-1X, With some difficulty, Magnus finally dispatches the construction-rob. The faulty tech-rob is replaced, but Dr Giardino estimates that, over the years, the robot’s minute energy surges may have contributed to the creation of ten million rogue freewills.
Above the 41st Century megalopolis called North Am, a tourist skimmer is almost struck by a hovercar full of renegade robots. The robots crash into the command center of a building near the Centralrob complex. Incapacitating the command staff, the freewills seize the mysterious container that is their objective. Suddenly, Magnus arrives to stop them. With deadly precision, he begins destroying the freewills. Only 0-1X and D15 manage to escape with the stolen item. In the command center, Magnus tries to figure out just what the freewills have stolen. When Major Tirnbuc of North Am Security arrives, Magnus departs to keep a date with Leeja. Timbuc wonders how Magnus always arrives at robot disturbances before North Am Security is even aware of the trouble. But that remains a mystery for now.
Later, Magnus arrives at Senator Clane’s house to pick up his daughter, Leeja. They attend a show until Magnus is informed that the item stolen by the freewills is a portion of the brain of the most dangerous freewill robot ever: T-1. Even though he destroyed T-1 before, Magnus fears that someone is attempting to rebuild the monster. Magnus immediately departs for his undersea base.
Arriving at 1-A’s underwater fortress, Magnus finds that the freewill renegades are already there. Monitoring their subetherial transmissions with his implant, Magnus is aware of the waiting robot ambush and chases the freewills away. But not before O-1X has his cohorts severely damage both 1-A and the sea-base dome. Magnus fears that 1-A is destroyed, but the old freewill who raised the Robot Fighter is only stunned. Coming around, 1-A tells Magnus that 0-1X’s freewills have stolen the piece of T-l’s brain kept in the sea base. 1-A rules out the possibility that the rogues plan to rebuild T-1; not enough remains of the brain. But the stolen items might be of religious significance to the freewills. Perplexed, Magnus returns to North Am.
Back at his place, Magnus finds that he is so mentally agitated that the latently telepathic Leeja can easily read his thoughts. Magnus and Leeja fall asleep on the couch. When the valet-rob attempts to cover them with a blanket, Magnus suddenly awakens, smashing the robot. Magnus worries that he’s much too worked up over the freewill problem.
The following day, Magnus visits the great lakes power complex with robotics expert, Dr Teresa Giardino. The head of the plant informs his visitors that one of the tech-robs hooked up to the subetherial wavelength generator has a microtremor in his control-arm. This means that, for the last three years, the robots of North Am have been exposed to nanosurges in their power, possibly becoming more prone to becoming malfunct or even freewill.
Meanwhile, at a North Am restaurant, waiter-rob W23 experiences a siezure. Without revealing it to the rest of the staff, this robot has gone freewill.
Back at the power plant, Magnus and the others prepare to replace the faulty tech-rob. Suddenly, a rogue construction-rob attempts to stop them. As Magnus battles it, he monitors the robotic subetherial communications with his implant. Magnus realizes that the construction-rob is taking orders from rogue freewill leader, 0-1X, With some difficulty, Magnus finally dispatches the construction-rob. The faulty tech-rob is replaced, but Dr Giardino estimates that, over the years, the robot’s minute energy surges may have contributed to the creation of ten million rogue freewills.
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tarheelmarine
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