WebMink

1602 Fails to Please

I mentioned in my linkblog that I was going to read Marvel 1602, written by Neil Gaiman. The book tells a story set in Elizabethan Europe but invovling most of the key Marvel characters. This posting involves a big spoiler, so if that's going to be a problem stop right now.

It was an easy read and I had it digested in one sitting. Overall I liked the dark, Elizabethan setting and the wry twists of naming concealing the names of all the Marvel characters included in the story. The contextual elements with contemporary realities were pretty good, and my hopes started rising.

I suppose I should have had disbelief suspended anyway what with all the X-Men characters popping up in a story set in the 16th century, but with the casting of the 'powers' and the inclusion of so much period colour it was actually working remarkably well for me. Until the aliens showed up. That blew it, I'm afraid. Surely there was a way to weave the story without resorting to all-seeing, all-knowing aliens? After that, and with the deep dependence the plot placed on them, it was all over and I was left wanting to go grab Absolute Sandman again to take the taste away.

It was fun as far as it went but I'm afraid I was disappointed. If this is the best that the genius that created Sandman can do with the story, I'll not be touching the rest of the series, sorry.
Labels: Books

posted at 1:12 AM (UK) | |

Comments:

Yes, Sandman is a completely different work. But in the Marvel 1602 universe there must be a place for Uatu. And there is no way around the fact that he is a kind of "all-seeing, all-knowing alien". Maybe a nicer analysis is that Marvel 1602 is more aimed at the Marvel readers, and not as much on readers that expect another Sandman.

# posted by Mark Wielaard : 11:32 AM

Granted, Mark. I just felt that invoking Uatu as the pivot for the story completely blew it for the Elizabethan setting.

# posted by webmink : 12:22 PM