Re-Reading: Magnus Robot Fighter #1
Moderators: Daniel Jackson, greg
Re-Reading: Magnus Robot Fighter #1
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 #1
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 #1
Re: Re-Reading: Magnus Robot Fighter #1
Though issue 0 was the prequel to Steel Nation, this was the first VALIANT universe comic published. And we're thrown right into the story. Of course it has to start with a major retelling of Magnus' world, but that is well done and does not at all feel like slowing down the story. We also immediately get to see both W-23's perspective and the fact that Magnus is already considering that perspective. This comes together in a major way later on. But for now he remains the Robot Fighter (which we get to see) and he also influences Senator Clane (who Valiant named Zeramiah, not knowing he was called Victor in unpublished Gold Key stories).
There is enough action, lots of charactarisation and the beginning of good developments. The art is good and the color art is very alive.
/Magnus
There is enough action, lots of charactarisation and the beginning of good developments. The art is good and the color art is very alive.
/Magnus
- myron
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http://www.valiantfans.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=33
great stuff...doesn't get much better than the next 8 issues IMHO
great stuff...doesn't get much better than the next 8 issues IMHO
Why waste time learning, when ignorance is instantaneous?
- Daniel Jackson
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- Todd Luck
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"The whole story...?"
Never did a comic Universe begin with a more appropriate line.
Magnus 1 is about as close as a comic can come to perfect.
I remember picking up this issue when it came out. I had only been collecting comics for a couple years and mainly bought DC superhero stuff.
When I got Magnus 1, I was blown away. The art and story were so much better than anything I'ld picked up before. There are still very few comics that compare to the beauty of the art and absolute power of this story.
Everything I said about 0 is present here. Top notch art with a story that really draws you into an incredible world.
What really blew me away back in the day was that this first comic I had gotten that dealt with violence in a realistic way and had the hero ask real moral questions. Having Magnus question wether the robots were alive blew me away. The fact that the "good guys" were the ones calling for war and geonicide amazed me. All of it framed in such an epic story, Magnus is up against 9 million rogue robs! So THIS is what comics can do!
Just absolutely amazing. The final panel is still one of my all-time favorite single panels in Valiant history. Beautiful, yet full of powerful emotion. Just like the rest of the issue.
A 10
Never did a comic Universe begin with a more appropriate line.
Magnus 1 is about as close as a comic can come to perfect.
I remember picking up this issue when it came out. I had only been collecting comics for a couple years and mainly bought DC superhero stuff.
When I got Magnus 1, I was blown away. The art and story were so much better than anything I'ld picked up before. There are still very few comics that compare to the beauty of the art and absolute power of this story.
Everything I said about 0 is present here. Top notch art with a story that really draws you into an incredible world.
What really blew me away back in the day was that this first comic I had gotten that dealt with violence in a realistic way and had the hero ask real moral questions. Having Magnus question wether the robots were alive blew me away. The fact that the "good guys" were the ones calling for war and geonicide amazed me. All of it framed in such an epic story, Magnus is up against 9 million rogue robs! So THIS is what comics can do!
Just absolutely amazing. The final panel is still one of my all-time favorite single panels in Valiant history. Beautiful, yet full of powerful emotion. Just like the rest of the issue.
A 10
- slym2none
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Let me put my POV this way - if the new VALIANT starts out like the old one did, they can't fail. This issue was truly a classic, a gem, a masterpiece even.Todd Luck wrote:"The whole story...?"
Never did a comic Universe begin with a more appropriate line.
Magnus 1 is about as close as a comic can come to perfect.
I remember picking up this issue when it came out. I had only been collecting comics for a couple years and mainly bought DC superhero stuff.
When I got Magnus 1, I was blown away. The art and story were so much better than anything I'ld picked up before. There are still very few comics that compare to the beauty of the art and absolute power of this story.
Everything I said about 0 is present here. Top notch art with a story that really draws you into an incredible world.
What really blew me away back in the day was that this first comic I had gotten that dealt with violence in a realistic way and had the hero ask real moral questions. Having Magnus question wether the robots were alive blew me away. The fact that the "good guys" were the ones calling for war and geonicide amazed me. All of it framed in such an epic story, Magnus is up against 9 million rogue robs! So THIS is what comics can do!
Just absolutely amazing. The final panel is still one of my all-time favorite single panels in Valiant history. Beautiful, yet full of powerful emotion. Just like the rest of the issue.
A 10
-slym
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- jedimarley
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- Daniel Jackson
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When they heard all the buzz, I'm sure they were.jedimarley wrote:Yes they can.....But that's another tread.slym2none wrote:Let me put my POV this way - if the new VALIANT starts out like the old one did, they can't fail.
Shooter hit a homerun with this issue. Think DC and Marvel were *SKREE* bricks after they read this issue?
Seaborn's synopsis:
Within the undersea base near the Antarctic, 1-A recounts to Magnus the tale of how he first achieved freewill status while serving aboard the cruiser Ottawa. When he saw another freewill killing the captain, 1-A began to fear the threat that rogue freewills might pose to North Am’s human population. So he set up his undersea base and planned for centuries how to protect the humans from any new freewills. To that end, 1-A raised the foundling named Magnus and, through the Perfect Method of martial training, enabled him to fight armored robots. 1-A then implanted Magnus with a device to monitor robotic subetherial transmissions. He then introduced the Robot Fighter to the society of North Am, where Magnus has thwarted threats like the rogue, T-1, ever since.
But lately Magnus has wondered if freewills should be destroyed, or if they might have a right to life. 1-A assures him that freewills are not alive. Suddenly, a message is broadcast over North Am’s subetherial wavelengths. The message is from rogue freewill leader, O-1X. He seeks to unite the freewills, most of whom are unaware of the existence of other freewills. Knowing that this broadcast will start trouble, Magnus returns to North Am.
At a North Am restaurant, waiter-rob W23 hears the message and then meets another freewill who promises to take W23 to the freewill secret council.
Upon rejoining Leeja in North Am, Magnus is nearly run down by a gardener-rob driven hover-truck. The gardener-rob is as desperate to live as he is to kill Magnus. But it is all for naught as Magnus dispatches the rogue.
In the following days, the high council of North Am debate over their response to the freewill problem. President Claiburne wishes to negotiate with the freewills, while Senator Clane agrees with Magnus that the freewills must be crushed. While the controversy rages, Magnus and Leeja go to the Goph Levs to hunt 0-1X.
One afternoon, Senator Clane returns to his office to find 0-1X waiting inside. 0-1X tries to reason with Clane to negotiate with the freewills. But Clane’s bodyguardrobs arrive and 0-1X narrowly escapes, swearing vengeance for any more freewill deaths.
Later, W23 and its freewill friend rush to attend the freewill council’s secret meeting. Unknown to them, Magnus and Leeja have discovered the location of the meeting place and signalled for Timbuc to wait with reinforcements for the signal to attack. From their hidden vantage point, the two humans listen as 0-1X begins the meeting with the customary telling of the story of T-1. The others listen with reverent awe until Magnus interrupts the telling. Magnus jumps onto the platform with O-1X, refuting the notion that T-1 was anything other than a killing-machine. While the freewills are fearful of Magnus, 0-1X realizes that the Robot Fighter is trying to decide whether to start war with the freewills or prevent it. Just as it seems as though meaningful dialogue might be possible between the rogues and the Robot Fighter, Timbuc and his Riot-robs burst in through the wall. All hope of peace is lost in the ensuing battle. Feeling betrayed, the robots rush Magnus even as he tries to get Timbuc to call off the attack. In the midst of the battle, one of the rogues finds Leeja and hurts her severely. 0-1X and many of the freewills manage to escape, but many are also slagged. In the aftermath, Magnus angrilly demands why Timbuc didn’t wait for Magnus’ attack order. But Tirnbuc is too pleased with the carrnage he has wrought to really pay attention. And so, with Leeja taken to the hospital with no guarantee that she’ll live, Magnus anticipates troubled days ahead.
/Magnus
Within the undersea base near the Antarctic, 1-A recounts to Magnus the tale of how he first achieved freewill status while serving aboard the cruiser Ottawa. When he saw another freewill killing the captain, 1-A began to fear the threat that rogue freewills might pose to North Am’s human population. So he set up his undersea base and planned for centuries how to protect the humans from any new freewills. To that end, 1-A raised the foundling named Magnus and, through the Perfect Method of martial training, enabled him to fight armored robots. 1-A then implanted Magnus with a device to monitor robotic subetherial transmissions. He then introduced the Robot Fighter to the society of North Am, where Magnus has thwarted threats like the rogue, T-1, ever since.
But lately Magnus has wondered if freewills should be destroyed, or if they might have a right to life. 1-A assures him that freewills are not alive. Suddenly, a message is broadcast over North Am’s subetherial wavelengths. The message is from rogue freewill leader, O-1X. He seeks to unite the freewills, most of whom are unaware of the existence of other freewills. Knowing that this broadcast will start trouble, Magnus returns to North Am.
At a North Am restaurant, waiter-rob W23 hears the message and then meets another freewill who promises to take W23 to the freewill secret council.
Upon rejoining Leeja in North Am, Magnus is nearly run down by a gardener-rob driven hover-truck. The gardener-rob is as desperate to live as he is to kill Magnus. But it is all for naught as Magnus dispatches the rogue.
In the following days, the high council of North Am debate over their response to the freewill problem. President Claiburne wishes to negotiate with the freewills, while Senator Clane agrees with Magnus that the freewills must be crushed. While the controversy rages, Magnus and Leeja go to the Goph Levs to hunt 0-1X.
One afternoon, Senator Clane returns to his office to find 0-1X waiting inside. 0-1X tries to reason with Clane to negotiate with the freewills. But Clane’s bodyguardrobs arrive and 0-1X narrowly escapes, swearing vengeance for any more freewill deaths.
Later, W23 and its freewill friend rush to attend the freewill council’s secret meeting. Unknown to them, Magnus and Leeja have discovered the location of the meeting place and signalled for Timbuc to wait with reinforcements for the signal to attack. From their hidden vantage point, the two humans listen as 0-1X begins the meeting with the customary telling of the story of T-1. The others listen with reverent awe until Magnus interrupts the telling. Magnus jumps onto the platform with O-1X, refuting the notion that T-1 was anything other than a killing-machine. While the freewills are fearful of Magnus, 0-1X realizes that the Robot Fighter is trying to decide whether to start war with the freewills or prevent it. Just as it seems as though meaningful dialogue might be possible between the rogues and the Robot Fighter, Timbuc and his Riot-robs burst in through the wall. All hope of peace is lost in the ensuing battle. Feeling betrayed, the robots rush Magnus even as he tries to get Timbuc to call off the attack. In the midst of the battle, one of the rogues finds Leeja and hurts her severely. 0-1X and many of the freewills manage to escape, but many are also slagged. In the aftermath, Magnus angrilly demands why Timbuc didn’t wait for Magnus’ attack order. But Tirnbuc is too pleased with the carrnage he has wrought to really pay attention. And so, with Leeja taken to the hospital with no guarantee that she’ll live, Magnus anticipates troubled days ahead.
/Magnus
- Elveen
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What I loved about the early VALIANTS was all of the things already listed, great story, great realistic art, the true life feel (morality of the hero and the "bad guys") but I would also like to add...
1) The first few VALIANTS "felt" different, the actual textual experience of holding Mag #1 felt different, it was heavier, the pages felt different, the cover looked different, but also flet different. (same for the early Solars)
2) These books took a long time to read. Most comic books that I had seen only take a few momnets to read. Even the later VALIANTS only take a few moments to read, but not these early VALIANTS, it was a "read".
My .02
Christian
1) The first few VALIANTS "felt" different, the actual textual experience of holding Mag #1 felt different, it was heavier, the pages felt different, the cover looked different, but also flet different. (same for the early Solars)
2) These books took a long time to read. Most comic books that I had seen only take a few momnets to read. Even the later VALIANTS only take a few moments to read, but not these early VALIANTS, it was a "read".
My .02
Christian
- Daniel Jackson
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