Killraven!

[Matt Platis]

I read this over the weekend again. The more that I read it, the more I really enjoy it. It has been left open for a sequel and it is a shame that Marvel didn't promote the series and left it to struggle in a crowded market. Hopefully the new Killraven Essential sells well to warrant Alan's series in a trade and hopefully for new material as rumors of a Killraven movie being talked about. Would love to see how John is raised.

[Nicodemus]

I read the Killraven mini series and it brought back memoires of a story that appeared in the Marvel UK version of the Star Wars monthly waaaaaaaaay back in the 1980's. From what i could remember of it that story line was similar to the series just done... was this an influence on the story.. or is the rapid approach of senility my cause for concern?

[Matt Platis]

It wasn't a continuation of the old 70's series. It was a reintroduction of Killraven and its ideas. I purchased the Killraven Essential but I have not read it yet.

[muckyshoe]

The Killraven that Alan produced was very different from the 70's comic. Don McGregor wove a tale of a defeated enslaved nation that was rich in Americana, each issue was set in a different town or city across the states. It had a real "Planet of the Apes" feel where the shock of recognisable features distorted by war/invasion/reclamation by Nature or madmen really stood out. Also a few stories closer to the drug culture of the 70's really set the stories apart. Er.... Alan effort was a bit run of the mill for me (great! my first post and i'm pouring scorn!) and the role of grok was too obvious, whereas he was a desperate creation by a lonely daughter in the original. Read the original. The attack by Skar was the best issue that Marvel has produced.

For me Linsner's effort was really what i was after, but at least Killraven was back!

[captain616]

I was wondering what Alan, or any of you other guys, thought of the earth 616 Jonathan Raven - and his mother Maureen - having turned up recently in Paul Cornell's Wisdom series. Now, granted this young boy will probably never grow up into the Killraven we know and love, but I think it could be a very interesting concept to play with the character in a very different context.

[Matt Platis]

Huh. I didn't know that a new 616 version was popping up in the Wisdom series.

I am not reading that series, is it any good?

[captain616]

Huh. I didn't know that a new 616 version was popping up in the Wisdom series.

I am not reading that series, is it any good?

It's a pretty good series. Cornell is using a lot of the older, not seen in a while, British-based Marvel characters - like Sir Clive Reston, Black Jack Tarr and Alistaire Stuart. The series is a MAX however, and the price has put a few people off.

The concept basically revolves around the new version of W.H.O. Chris Claremont put forward at the the start of his New Excalibur - M.I.13. In Cornell's series Alister Stuart has moved on, and into, M.I.6 and Pete Wisdom is give the duty of assembling a Weird Happenings task force - M.I.13 - to more pro-actively deal with supernatural threats.

The team is formed of wisdom himself, Tink (A Fairy, and Otherworld National), John the Skrull (Survivor of a failed 1960s attempt by the Skrulls to take over Britain, by replacing The Beatles - He's the Skrull John Lennon), Captain Midlands (Surviving member of a long forgotten regionalized British Super Soldier program - only unlike his American counterpart he got old, jaded and bitter) and Maureen Raven (a transentient).

That is the 616 version of the same Maureen Raven shown in flashback form in the original origin of Killraven in Amazing Adventures. 616 Jonathan Raven is little more than a small, and incredibly intense, young boy - who may or may not have the ability to project his consciousness in a malevolent manner. We have the suggestion so far, but are yet to see actually see it.

It was a 6 issue limited series, and it only has another couple of issues to go. Like I say I've enjoyed it quite a lot. It is perhaps a little British for American readers in places - heck there's actual Welsh spoken in #3 - but I'd would certainly say that it might be worth picking up in trade.

[Matt Platis]

Thanks for the review. I was thinking about checking this out when it hits trade. Might take a peek at it at a local bookstore before I buy it.

[Rocha]

After 2 years...

Ok, so this is my favorite work from Mr.Davis, the art is unbelivable good, Mark Farmer must be the best inker nowadays, and the story was very interesting. Plus, at the time i've read it, i didn't have any knowledge about Killraven, so it was all a big surprise for me.

I guess those are the main reasons for Killraven to beat "FF the end", "The Nail" and "ClanDestine" on my top preferences.