The Energon Pub

I love it!!, and it really raises some intersting questions. I know some of the republicans are going to want to hate this without even reading it, but F**k 'em. Really, it's a shocking story, without being able to determine the rest of the story, and so far, i agree. Damn, why can't there be a John Horus ? I don't know the outcome of this story, but, i imagine it's all about killing John Horus. Is it a just crime?(as i think he commited), or is it a attack on American freedom?(which i think has been attacked already). You decide, and my opinion is just that. Black Summer is the most "thinking man's" comicbook i have ever come accross. And really, it's going to continue, wheather you like it or not. So thats that.

Duo Prime wrote:I love it!!, and it really raises some intersting questions. I know some of the republicans are going to want to hate this without even reading it, but F**k 'em. Really, it's a shocking story, without being able to determine the rest of the story, and so far, i agree. Damn, why can't there be a John Horus ? I don't know the outcome of this story, but, i imagine it's all about killing John Horus. Is it a just crime?(as i think he commited), or is it a attack on American freedom?(which i think has been attacked already). You decide, and my opinion is just that. Black Summer is the most "thinking man's" comicbook i have ever come accross. And really, it's going to continue, wheather you like it or not. So thats that.

I hope it continues. I hadn't heard of it until now, so I looked it up. Warren Ellis didn't write this to be on the cusp of some vocal anti-war speech. He intentional wrote the story so that it can be seen from both perspectives.

Though you might expect otherwise, Ellis said that "Black Summer" wasn't influenced by current world events and politics. "That was just a useful chassis to roll the thing out on, and it throws some useful spin," said Ellis. "Half the potential audience is going to see John Horus as the bad guy, and that's not without merit. Half the audience is going to see him as the Good Guy, and I can see where they're coming from too. I take no public position.I'm writing it from both angles at once and letting people make up their own minds."

The premise is interesting, I may actually pick this up, so thanks for pointing this out. I'm a huge fan of stories that muddy up the black/white perspective. In real life, there isn't evil for evil sake. Hitler, while doing evil things, didn't set himself up one day and say "You know, I think I'll kill Jews because it's evil".

But honestly, if you can sit there and hope for a real John Horus (which is just blantently wrong) then you kind of missed the message.

Loki120 wrote:Warren Ellis didn't write this to be on the cusp of some vocal anti-war speech. He intentional wrote the story so that it can be seen from both perspectives.

You're mostly right on that...mostly. The whole idea came from a bet between Ellis and the editor over just how far a superhero could go--namely, 'hey, d'you think a superhero would kill a president?' But as the interview you posted points-out, Ellis' own style is less catering to one ideological spectrum or another, but to call out society on its bollocks: with Black Summer, the presidential policies are a backdrop to the questions of accountability and duty to justice in a corrupt system. It's just, as can be expected with Ellis, his timing is bloody brilliant.

The premise is interesting, I may actually pick this up, so thanks for pointing this out. I'm a huge fan of stories that muddy up the black/white perspective. In real life, there isn't evil for evil sake. Hitler, while doing evil things, didn't set himself up one day and say "You know, I think I'll kill Jews because it's evil".

For comics, I'd recommend some of Ellis' other works--Transmetropolitan and Fell especially--for the flip side of the coin: that "good guys" are rarely, if ever, truly good themselves, whether they be drug-addicted, nigh-misnathropist gonzo journalists or wrong-side-of-the-train-tracks detectives that barely operate under the law. Alan Moore's legendary Watchmen and even From Hell handle the "what is evil, anyway?" side of things if you'd prefer exploring that element.

As for hoping for a real Horus...if it's all the same to you, I'd rather hope for a real Spider Jerusalem.

This whole issue reminds me of the parable of the 500 Sailors that the Buddha once taught: a ship is at sea, and its captain is the only individual that will ensure safe passage (whether it is that he is the only one who knows the route, the only leader capable of commanding all of his men, or so on is deliberately unclear). One night, one of the sailors reveals to the other the plan to mutiny and kill the captain, claiming the ship as his own to command. Yet the other sailor realizes that if this plan is carried to fruition, the resultant chaos and madness would doom all of the sailors to death upon the sea; however, so convinced of his plan is the first sailor that only death would stop him. Though his personal morality may seemingly be compromised, the second would perform the most compassionate act by sacrificing one life for the sake of the 499 other sailors, as well as the sake of all those whose lives are connected to the 499 sailors who would remain alive, and so on, into the greater whole.

But in the Buddha's parable is how the understanding of just how dire the situation truly was--lost at sea, with no other options than to take one life or allow 500 lives to perish--is just as vital to following the path of compassion as the actions of the second sailor. After all, rarely are there so few choices as the second sailor was faced with.

Food for thought.

Loki120 wrote:

Duo Prime wrote:I love it!!, and it really raises some intersting questions. I know some of the republicans are going to want to hate this without even reading it, but F**k 'em. Really, it's a shocking story, without being able to determine the rest of the story, and so far, i agree. Damn, why can't there be a John Horus ? I don't know the outcome of this story, but, i imagine it's all about killing John Horus. Is it a just crime?(as i think he commited), or is it a attack on American freedom?(which i think has been attacked already). You decide, and my opinion is just that. Black Summer is the most "thinking man's" comicbook i have ever come accross. And really, it's going to continue, wheather you like it or not. So thats that.

I hope it continues. I hadn't heard of it until now, so I looked it up. Warren Ellis didn't write this to be on the cusp of some vocal anti-war speech. He intentional wrote the story so that it can be seen from both perspectives.

Though you might expect otherwise, Ellis said that "Black Summer" wasn't influenced by current world events and politics. "That was just a useful chassis to roll the thing out on, and it throws some useful spin," said Ellis. "Half the potential audience is going to see John Horus as the bad guy, and that's not without merit. Half the audience is going to see him as the Good Guy, and I can see where they're coming from too. I take no public position.I'm writing it from both angles at once and letting people make up their own minds."

The premise is interesting, I may actually pick this up, so thanks for pointing this out. I'm a huge fan of stories that muddy up the black/white perspective. In real life, there isn't evil for evil sake. Hitler, while doing evil things, didn't set himself up one day and say "You know, I think I'll kill Jews because it's evil".

But honestly, if you can sit there and hope for a real John Horus (which is just blantently wrong) then you kind of missed the message.

YEAH,YEAH,YEAH, John Horus was right!!!!!HAHAHAHAHA, Just keep trying to enslave humanity, Quintesson!!! The Autobots will prevail!!!!

And by the way, i think the next issue comes out in August.

See, I like Warren Ellis's comics a shitload. He's far and out one of my favourite authors, ever.

But the guy himself coems off as a bit of an apathetic crotch.

For example, the thing that annoys me the most about him is that Transmetropolitan was all about free speech, and exposing the truth. On his forum, I got into an argument with a guy about how viable a Transmet game would be - and one guy with GAMES INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE(The games industry equivillent of Shortpacked's It's Walky no doubt, pulling the card constantly in arguments but never backing it up) said that it could never in a million years happen.

Of course, I cited Activision's games, and he pointed out that they went bankrupt. Apparently, he had the rights to produce a game based on Niel Gaiman's NEVERWHERE several years back but his company didn't and to "risk" it(with no real reason given as to why, and no acknowledgment that his experiences do not count for all, if another company had the rights, it may have gone differently) and now the games industry is more no-risk than ever(ignoring the success of Wii and DS, and claiming that the reason the PS3 failed was because they changed their stategy, as opposed to nothing at all changing to justify the price).

The truth is that their bakruptcy had nothing to do with their comic book games(more to do with games like BMX XXX) - Shadow man was a runaway success, not to mention not everyone knows Turok is based on - which was my point, that was ultimately ignored, if something is a good premise for a game and isn't all fanwank it'll sell well either way, it doesn't have to be Spider-man or X-men.

This was the truth. But the truth never got to be posted. And it bothers me to this day - even if only for a small matter, Warren Ellis, Mr. Truth Matters In My Comics, forbade me from spreading the truth.

It just bothers me that a guy who cares so much about free speech offers so little on his forum. I don't personally believe admins should be "allowed" to make up what ever rules they want - I think while you can't legally control how they use their "property"(I don't think a community, gathering of people is property, forums can be hosted anywhere these days too), but people should expect more from them, not go to forums that don't allow some amount of democracy, or more specifically, an intelligent democracy/technocracy hybrid, listening to well thought, logically sound arguments(which should be the case with absolutely everything - no matter who claims to own what, "This is my board" should never usurp "You can't ban people just for being gay and not being doormats about being harassed").

So it really irked me that given the chance, Ellis did not himself provide the one true haven for (intelligent) free speech, instead grumping along locking topics and complaining about what an insane idea it was to set up a message board.

So I'm not sure what to make of Ellis's new comic if he's politically active again. I do still love Transmet, and Ellis as an author. But I can't help but think maybe his social progression, things can really change if you work at it attitude was a phase, and that any new political commentary will be pessimistic and disappointing.

Spark Light wrote:SOf course, I cited Activision's games, and he pointed out that they went bankrupt. Apparently, he had the rights to produce a game based on Niel Gaiman's NEVERWHERE several years back but his company didn't and to "risk" it(with no real reason given as to why, and no acknowledgment that his experiences do not count for all, if another company had the rights, it may have gone differently) and now the games industry is more no-risk than ever(ignoring the success of Wii and DS, and claiming that the reason the PS3 failed was because they changed their stategy, as opposed to nothing at all changing to justify the price).

The truth is that their bakruptcy had nothing to do with their comic book games(more to do with games like BMX XXX) - Shadow man was a runaway success, not to mention not everyone knows Turok is based on - which was my point, that was ultimately ignored, if something is a good premise for a game and isn't all fanwank it'll sell well either way, it doesn't have to be Spider-man or X-men.

That was Acclaim not Activision for the record. Activision is
alive and kicking and has released a game called
"Transformers" about giant robots that can change into cars
and jets.

Back on topic: I liked Ministy of Space and Ocean but honestly I don't think they weren't anything special.

Ellis is a man! (not "the man", although possibly something more, or less, than human)

I'm sure there will be plenty of political themes in the background of the book but to be honest, I'll be more than happy if that is all just set-up for the kicksplode, world-going-to-hell, action-adventure roller-coaster ride that it seems this title might be.

"bakerstreet" indeed!

edit:oh yeah, Transmet is indescribable in its Transmet-ness. Thunderbolts is great too, NextWave (RIP ) was a roadmap on how to make superhero comics great again and Doktor Sleepless seems like it'll be a lot of fun. This is also the man who gave us the Authority. I'd praise him as a god but then he'd have someone blow him up. If you have myspace, add him just for his bulletins.