Planetary...anyone else read it?

[TheUltimates]

I was wondering if anyone else on this forum is reading Planetary by Ellis and Cassady.

The way it conveys stories in a fluid, and mysterious way just really gets me thinking of how comic books could be written.


Just post your ideas.

[Briel]

Every issue. Warren Ellis is the grand master. Planetary is hands down the best comic being published today.

A true primer on the history, politics, philosophies, and dreams of super-hero comics, and the times they originated from. All the while looking to the future.

[Tarnish]

Oh I definately read it, though the release schedual constantly pisses me off. I love it, though perhaps not quite as much as Warren's classic Transmetropolitis, I find that Planetary and Transmet are both much better if you wait and read a whole story arc at once, or even just wait for the Trade versions.

Tarnish

[lukebuchanan]

One of if not my favorite. Awesome read.......they're coming out with an oversized hardcover of the first 12 soon.

Luke B.

[TheUltimates]

Ellis pushed the release of each issue to be 4 issues a year.

I am sad to say that it's suppose to be ending somewhere around 24....but that has changed on a monthly basis.

It is the best book out there. It beats Wanted and Ultimates (which are two of the best books IMO).

But it's actually inspired a Role playing session for me and my buddies.

[bill4935]

Without doubt one of the best stories I've ever read. Just amazed by not only the plot, development, art, etc - but also by the way Ellis took what was an overmuscled-males, latex-covered-females, artist-centred, teen-boy's-power-fantasy, typical 90s comic book universe and gradually turned it into a literate, subtle world with intrigue, depth, and a hundred years of adventurers and powers.

Starting with his takeover of Stormwatch, through his run of The Authority and now with Planetary, Ellis single-handedly took Wildstorm, a Todd MacFarlane type company, and turned it into an Alan Moore type imprint. That is, switching the focus from artistic jock to intelligent, creative thinker.

If you agree with me that the 1990s decade was bad for comic books (from Spawn to Witchblade to Cable to the "Buxom-Asian-Female-Assassin-Du jour", or "BAFAD") then you should read everything Ellis has done, to see how one man reclaimed an entire publisher from the cheesecake 'n' bullets death spiral and replaced that with good writing.

Simply amazing.

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Plus, I can't wait to see how they manage to defeat Randall Dowling!

[Ignatz_Mouse]

What everybody else said. I love the series.

[webhead817]

My comic venue got me started on it, and I'm hooked big time. Cassady has become one of my favorite artists, and Ellis is certainly one of the best writer's in the game today.

[machineman]

One of, if not, the best comic, period. Ellis hits on all cylinders on this book, unlike his ultimate FF. Cassady is always one of the most superior artists working today. Has anyone read the I am Legion book(I don't think it's the actual title) that he drew? Ellis could have written that, but again, i'm not too sure. It was a really good self contained book.

[darius_dax1]

I like Planetary. It hits on intellectual levels and hits on my sense of the aesthetic. A truly great book.

[elmer2123]

Ok this may be a stupid question but does Planetary have any thing to do with Stormwatch and Authority. I have the first Authority trade but didn't realize that it came out of Stormwatch. I have never read Stormwatch so I'm kinda lost about what relates to each other.

[Grinner]

I truly love this title. Incredibly intelligent writing combined with excellent art.

However, most of the issues since the year-plus hiatus feel almost like stand-alones rather that seeming to advance the plot of the story much.

It's probably Ellis-syndrome, though. Like Tarnish said, much of Ellis's work reads better collected.

[cyberglum]

machineman,

Yeah read I am Legion. Great stuff, still trying to work out if it was a one off or the first of a short series.

Planetary is by far the best american comic being published today. No argument. When I get home with the latest issue and sit down to read it I just know I'm about to experience something special, something which is going to make me think, which is a rare thing these days in comics...

cyberglum

[Lobot]

Are there TPB's out for Planetary? I know they have the hardcover for issues 1-12 but I would rather get the softcover TPB's.

[TheUltimates]

Yes, there are two trade paper backs out right now.

There is also a Planetary Reader which covers issues 12-16 I believe.....

Absolute Planetary just came out.....very nice. Hardcover with a hard slip cover. It also has a very rare issues #0 that shows the characters joining or something like that.

[Briel]

Planetary technically takes place in The Wildstorm Universe, but the only actual cossover was a oneshot with The Authority.

You don't need to have read any other books. Planetary is self contained. So much so that I wish sometimes that Warren had published it solo to keep his characters' copyrights. Hopefully the entire comics industry will be so in awe when the book is fnished that no one else will later come along and do something stupid with his beautiful creation.

[yosoygav123]

I agree that planetary is excellent, although I have some gripes with it... will get to that later. However, beside the incredible art, the deft interweaving of western pop culture icons, such as Tarzan, Godzilla, etc, with thought provoking sci-fi, philosphy, and lots of other stuff (hey, I only appreciate being intellectual, I'm not intellectual myself), my favorite part of the book is that he made the FF evil. I mean, that's the whole premise, the 4 are evil tools and screw everyone they can. Awesome twist! my main gripe is Ellis' unabahsed liberalism which drips from pretty much everything he writes... however, you can't get away from that in this medium, and at least he's not as heavy-handed about it as Bendis or Joe Kelly. Depsite the glory of Doug Mahnke on JLA Elite I was tempted to drop the book because of kelly's rantings.. dude, fine you hate Bush, good for you, I don't care, I want to read about the JLA not your liberal loser whining!

[Briel]

I didn't realise Liberals were all for capping the bad guy. LOL!

I guess that's why I like Ellis. Like me he thinks do whatever you want as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else. But once you cross the line and #### or kill somebody you should be toast.

Someone commented on Planetary's eratic schedule. The reasons for this are twofold. One is that Ellis wants no one but Cassaday to do the book, but at the same time doesn't want to deprive him of the big bucks he can get for doing titles such as X-Men. Two is that Cassaday's love for Planetary is apparent in the next level of perfection he puts into it.

The second reason is why I don't even think about the wait for Planetary, but get annoyed with Ultimates. In the case of Ultimates, the art isn't any better for the wait than being monthly. Really. Compare Hitch's on time work for Authority to delayed work on Ultimates, and it's the same. It's still great, but it's the same. Cassaday on Planetary along with his able colorist is pure magic. Inventive layouts, styles consistant with the periods portrayed, and pure emotion without words.

The real stroke of genius about the FF being the bad guys is their killing the JLA, which is symbolic of when Marvel hit the scene in the 60's and knocked DC cold. A situation that didn't heal until the late 80's.

[chuckkim00]

I'm glad that politics play a part in Planetary. It simply wouldn't be as good without it. The Planetary is a mature, thinking comic. There's not many out there, and I love that Ellis doesn't dumb down or stay apolitical. Sorry if it bothers some readers, but hey, for those who are bothered by the liberal leanings, you got your beloved Bush for four more years, so throw us liberals a bone, eh? Geez!

[Briel]

Somewhere between Democrats and Republicans lies the Common Sense Party. Where normal everyday people avoid Conservatives and Liberals like the plague. LOL!

The truth is in the center of the room, and extremists are standing at the far walls with their noses to the stone.

[diggergig1]

Read the one where they meet 'through the ages' Batman? Awesomely funny...

[charlesx]

Just bought the first Planetary TPB and I must say that it lived up to the hype that I had heard about it. The interweaving of comics/movie icons is fun, the characters are interesting, and the stories are very well written. I probably will pick up the TPBs as they come out. Well done, Warren Ellis!