Elric: The Making of a Sorcerer -- The reviews

[Jeffrey Stadt]

Here's the first review I've seen for issue #1 over at the Forth Rail.

http://www.thefourthrail.com/reviews...orcerer1.shtml

I haven't read the issue yet, so I can't comment on it, but I think he might be missing the point, from what I've heard of it.

Just days away and I'm dying to read it.

and this is still a positive review!

Jeff

[Mario]

Yeah, he's definitely missing at least two points:

1) This is not an adaptation, but a new story.

2) The "dream lives" are a relatively new wrinkle, added just in the last year. It's not like it's been a fundamental part of the character since Day 1.

[Mario]

Here's another (positive) review, from Comixtreme:

http://comixtreme.com/forums/showthr...threadid=12822

[bluekachina]

Alright, perhaps I am foolishly taking time to write my opinion on the first review, because I quit smoking about a week ago, or maybe, it is because I wasted part of my life reading a review which read like it was written by a disaffected grammar school student.
With all due respect to the reviewer, I am reviewing his review. Here is my impersonation of the review: {in the voice of the "comic book guy" from the Simpsons} " Well, I do not know what the story is about because I have not consulted hundreds of pages of source material, {and have no confidence in my opinion unless I do so} like I do for my role playing campaigns." "I am more comfortable with pictures anyway, so even though I am lost in the story it has Dragons, and Giants, and Fights and cool Stuff!" Ahem! Return to normal voice...
Although I have yet to read the story being reviewed, I can only imagine the unacknowledged subtleties which missed the reviewer, such as a main plot thread, or the fact that this is a new story and not an adaptation.
Perhaps a children's book version of the story would clear things up for this fellow, like Cliff Notes, for a comic book....
Sigh, I feel a little better...

[PsychicWarVeteran]

You said it, Blue.

Michael Moorcock is someone that for the longest time I knew only by reputation rather than by exposure to [his] material, and what little I knew lead me to believe I wouldn't like [his] stuff..."

I stopped reading right there. Call me shallow, but from that I concluded this guy wasn't going to have a valid opinion of the work. It seems I was right.

[Mario]

I'm taking him to school on his Delphi board.

He seemed to think these dreams were connected to the Eternal Champion, so I suggested he read the first panel of page 5. :)

(Randy doesn't seem to realize this is "Elric: Year One"...perhaps the title wasn't obvious enough :D )

[Jeffrey Stadt]

Hi All.

Yeah, Randy seemed utterly confused, and seems to still have a bad taste in his mouth from MM's Multiverse that came out ages ago. Sure, MMM might have been a little iconoclastic, but I thoroughly enjoyed it in conjunction with the actual Second Ether novels (at least it gave me a better understanding of the whole Spammergain universe). But like any literature, it's above some folks' head (especially is you don't actually read it, but skim it).

I managed to take a look at Making of a Sorcerer at the comic shop today, with some else's copy (it doesn't come out until Wednesday, but the preview copy ws spoken for), and Walt's work is the best he's done in years. If anyone saw his Thor run (newly collected in trades -- run out and BUY them, a must for ANY Norse Mythology fan and/or comic geek, like me), it's better. It's better than his work on Multiverse, and even better than his Orion/New Gods series at DC. Slick paper, tight pencils and a joy to behold. Luckily my ex-co-worker-from-bookstore was working at the comic shop today, and not the owner, so he's saving all the issues of this for me without a deposit. I can't wait to read it.

I also scored a much hard to find copy of Swords of Heaven, Flowers from Hell on Ebay over the weekend, and should have it in my hands in a few days!

Don't wait for the trade on this one, folks. It's glorious.

Jeff

[Governor of Rowe Island]

Now I'm really jealous - you got to see the new Elric, and got a copy of "Swords of Heaven...
[Sigh]If only...

[Jeffrey Stadt]

Now I'm really jealous - you got to see the new Elric, and got a copy of "Swords of Heaven...
[Sigh]If only...

Sorry, Gov'ner! But I won't be able to READ Making of a Sorcerer for at least a week, since I won't be able to get back to the comic shop until sometime next week. I haven't seen Walt's art look this good since Starslammers, and I think this is even better (or maybe it's the slick pages and the computer color enhancing it).

Now, combined with Mike's prose, this is going to kick some major arse!

(oh, and I'm drooling at the thought of getting my hands on Swords any day now. Luckily it's being sent priority, and not snail rate, so I should have it by Thursday -- my own Holy Grail! I love Ebay!).

I read another review, but the reviewer was more baffled than the 4Th Rail folks. Sad.

Perhaps everyone will rush out tomorrow and buy their copy of Making... tomorrow, and we can see what real people think of it. Post it here!

Jeff

[Mario]

Here's my review.

Wow.

Possibly Simonson's best work, ever. And enough spec fodder to keep me busy until Mike gets back :)

[PsychicWarVeteran]

Just finished reading and, as Mario said, WOW!

I am told issue number two has been pushed back to December; anyone else heard this?

[Kitsune]

I guess if I can wait that long for GiTS: Stand Alone Complex, I can wait for issue 2 as well. I like the whole Native American feel to it. I'd wish there were more fantasy series based around Native American Culture. I've always wanted to run an RPG fantasy based on the concept of characters from different tribes comming together to save the world.

[Mario]

Just finished reading and, as Mario said, WOW!

I am told issue number two has been pushed back to December; anyone else heard this?

I can verify this. Unfortunate, but worth the wait.

[Krzysiek]

Another review from The Fourth Rail, by Don MacPherson. The verdict is "Neutral" (3/10):
http://www.thefourthrail.com/reviews...4/elric1.shtml

[Mario]

I could have lived without the dig at "the Dragon Stone", personally, but it's not an unfair review. At least he isn't dragging Elric continuity into it. :)