bugaboobear's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
mark_cc's review
5.0
Why did you guys not make me read this earlier? It's so weird and good!
Warren Ellis plays perfectly with the genre and has so much fun.
My robot brain needs beer.
Warren Ellis plays perfectly with the genre and has so much fun.
My robot brain needs beer.
ashawp's review
3.0
This was pretty amusing. Definitely many chuckles in the book. I'm glad I read that it was supposed to be a satire before I formed my opinion. Also, I think the first issue of an action-y comic is usually rocky because you're trying to get to know the characters, figure out the plot and backstory, and keep up with fast - paced action all at once. I'd like to read the next one.
catlin's review
2.0
Soooooo
That was...weird. I can see what it was trying to do, taking all this super hero tropes and just twisting them. I can see that it was done well. It was entertaining. But, yeah, it kinda fell flat for me? Sorry...
That was...weird. I can see what it was trying to do, taking all this super hero tropes and just twisting them. I can see that it was done well. It was entertaining. But, yeah, it kinda fell flat for me? Sorry...
atreidesjr's review
5.0
I don't know what was wrong with me at first. Using Marvel Unlimited, I read this entire series--but after the first few, I was ready to give up. I didn't hate it, but I didn't particularly like it, nor did I understand the hype. It was goofy, had no character development, and was far too random.
Than, towards and after the end of the first volume, I fell in love with it. There's still not a lot of substance--some minor character development, often accompanied by ridiculous ideas that somehow work, and the storyline itself doesn't really exist.
But damn is it fun.
There's just something hard to resist about it. If you go in expecting something deep and tragic, something that will change your life, you're going to despise it. But if you walk in expecting essentially the goofiest parts of "Rick and Morty" with all the intelligent bits taken out, you should be able to appreciate what silly greatness "Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E." has to offer, you'll put the book down smiling and satisfied.
Than, towards and after the end of the first volume, I fell in love with it. There's still not a lot of substance--some minor character development, often accompanied by ridiculous ideas that somehow work, and the storyline itself doesn't really exist.
But damn is it fun.
There's just something hard to resist about it. If you go in expecting something deep and tragic, something that will change your life, you're going to despise it. But if you walk in expecting essentially the goofiest parts of "Rick and Morty" with all the intelligent bits taken out, you should be able to appreciate what silly greatness "Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E." has to offer, you'll put the book down smiling and satisfied.
rnbhargava's review
3.0
I had a lot of fun with this book, honestly it’s more of a 3.5 stars than a 3 star book. All the characters are quite well written and the art by Stuart Immonen is perfect for the tone of the book. Warren Ellis’ cartoon for adults tone for the writing in the book doesn’t always hit the mark. Sometimes it falls flat or is a bit cringy but then again a lot of cartoons like that have similar issues. However, when the book does hit that tone it’s impeccable. It’s well worth the recommendation if one does like superheroes and also cartoons like Rick & Morty or Family Guy. I would gladly recommend this book to someone that likes the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies for their humor too despite only one character in this whole book only just very recently introduced into those movies and shows.
jsjammersmith's review
5.0
Genius should not be measured in the number of squishy-parts or suicide jokes that can be squeezed into one tome, but instead the ability to make a giant radioactive lizard wearing purple underwear somehow the least bizarre part of one of the most hilarious books I've ever read.
Nextwave is obligatory reading.
Nextwave is obligatory reading.
jgkeely's review
3.0
Most of the times, comics do not benefit from deep and patient consideration. The vast majority owe their popularity to a world of powerless men trapped in a work-a-day world that provides them little pride and less edification. Readers of history often fantasize about living in another age, readers of travelogues imagine impossibly pricey vacations, and fans of Romance want an 'unbound pillar of desire', which I think is a piece by Rodin.
Likewise, many comic readers have been happy for little more than sexy, fast-paced excitement. This demand has been met by a bevy of innumerable authors over the years, but usually with the same old band of familiar heroes. This preponderance has lead to a wealth of stories and histories for each character, often contradictory ones. However, none of that mattered until some of the more leisure-gifted fans tried to make sense of it.
The ever-blossoming result of these hundred thousand monkeys can be at turns humbling, nonsensical, horrifying, and depressing. If you are the sort who teases tigers at the zoo, then perhaps you'll enjoy the effect of whispering the word 'continuity' amongst a band of the faithful. You'll have to be careful, of course, as breathing the word at ComicCon is liable to end in broken marriages, sundered friendships, oceans of tears, and rivers of blood.
It was not always so dire. Alan Moore carelessly sauntered over from England and after writing two or three things, made it okay to take comic books seriously. His dangerous artistry spawned a generation of new writers, who all, to one degree or another, have come to consider comics to be Art.
These writers have been trying to 'fix' continuity since about when I was born. They write year-long series called "Secret Countdown to Final Infinite Earth Civil War Crisis: Zombie Zero Hour", just so you know that they mean business and once they're done, you can finally get along with the escapist power fantasies in peace.
Warren Ellis is one of those literary writer guys inspired by Moore to use things like 'tropes' and 'metaphors' in his 'tales of existential exploration'. It's all quite serious. In this particular philosophical exegesis, Ellis takes on a common theme of artsy writers, namely: what would the lives of superheroes really be like, if they were real people.
He chooses a group of heroes to represent, each chosen for being forgotten and mishandled by the 'continuity gestapo'. He then imagines what it would be like to live in a world where giant dragons in purple underwear threaten the peace of the world on a daily basis. His exploration (exploitation?) of the contradictions inherent to heroism in a world where battles often level cities is particularly poignant.
Like [b:Watchmen|472331|Watchmen|Alan Moore|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1238274511s/472331.jpg|4358649], Nextwave holds a wink and a nod up to the genre, stomping thoughtlessly on the already blurry line between the ideals of right and wrong, the point of inescapable gray where the serious cannot escape the ludicrous, and the ludicrous cannot escape Warren Ellis. But unlike Watchmen, this is a satire which attempts to maintain the absurdity of its genre. In the end, however, Ellis must bow respectfully to the men who came before him, and he duly admits that he could not be as ridiculous on purpose as they were by happy accident.
Likewise, many comic readers have been happy for little more than sexy, fast-paced excitement. This demand has been met by a bevy of innumerable authors over the years, but usually with the same old band of familiar heroes. This preponderance has lead to a wealth of stories and histories for each character, often contradictory ones. However, none of that mattered until some of the more leisure-gifted fans tried to make sense of it.
The ever-blossoming result of these hundred thousand monkeys can be at turns humbling, nonsensical, horrifying, and depressing. If you are the sort who teases tigers at the zoo, then perhaps you'll enjoy the effect of whispering the word 'continuity' amongst a band of the faithful. You'll have to be careful, of course, as breathing the word at ComicCon is liable to end in broken marriages, sundered friendships, oceans of tears, and rivers of blood.
It was not always so dire. Alan Moore carelessly sauntered over from England and after writing two or three things, made it okay to take comic books seriously. His dangerous artistry spawned a generation of new writers, who all, to one degree or another, have come to consider comics to be Art.
These writers have been trying to 'fix' continuity since about when I was born. They write year-long series called "Secret Countdown to Final Infinite Earth Civil War Crisis: Zombie Zero Hour", just so you know that they mean business and once they're done, you can finally get along with the escapist power fantasies in peace.
Warren Ellis is one of those literary writer guys inspired by Moore to use things like 'tropes' and 'metaphors' in his 'tales of existential exploration'. It's all quite serious. In this particular philosophical exegesis, Ellis takes on a common theme of artsy writers, namely: what would the lives of superheroes really be like, if they were real people.
He chooses a group of heroes to represent, each chosen for being forgotten and mishandled by the 'continuity gestapo'. He then imagines what it would be like to live in a world where giant dragons in purple underwear threaten the peace of the world on a daily basis. His exploration (exploitation?) of the contradictions inherent to heroism in a world where battles often level cities is particularly poignant.
Like [b:Watchmen|472331|Watchmen|Alan Moore|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1238274511s/472331.jpg|4358649], Nextwave holds a wink and a nod up to the genre, stomping thoughtlessly on the already blurry line between the ideals of right and wrong, the point of inescapable gray where the serious cannot escape the ludicrous, and the ludicrous cannot escape Warren Ellis. But unlike Watchmen, this is a satire which attempts to maintain the absurdity of its genre. In the end, however, Ellis must bow respectfully to the men who came before him, and he duly admits that he could not be as ridiculous on purpose as they were by happy accident.
happentobeshort's review
5.0
[This was written originally for an 'article' I submitted to rookiemag.com, but it was not used.]
It’s not often you find more ladies than men in a super hero group comic, nor is it often to find a lady leading that group. And it’s even less likely to find a hilarious, weird and ludicrous super hero comic either. The Highest Anti-Terrorism Effort put together NEXTWAVE to fight Bizarre Weapons of Mass Destruction. When the group discovers that H.A.T.E. are really terrorists themselves and that they intended to kill the NEXTWAVE, they become rather angry. So they blow things up. All the things. Like the cover says, “they heal America by beating people up” except without the healing part and more emphasis on the beating. Ellis has taken five C-list Marvel characters and slapped them together to form a team who then fight with some of the weirdest – and legit – Marvel concepts. There are some really funny one liners and I’m pretty sure my neighbours think I’m crazy because nobody should be laughing that hard at 2am.
https://hercommonplaceblog.wordpress.com/
It’s not often you find more ladies than men in a super hero group comic, nor is it often to find a lady leading that group. And it’s even less likely to find a hilarious, weird and ludicrous super hero comic either. The Highest Anti-Terrorism Effort put together NEXTWAVE to fight Bizarre Weapons of Mass Destruction. When the group discovers that H.A.T.E. are really terrorists themselves and that they intended to kill the NEXTWAVE, they become rather angry. So they blow things up. All the things. Like the cover says, “they heal America by beating people up” except without the healing part and more emphasis on the beating. Ellis has taken five C-list Marvel characters and slapped them together to form a team who then fight with some of the weirdest – and legit – Marvel concepts. There are some really funny one liners and I’m pretty sure my neighbours think I’m crazy because nobody should be laughing that hard at 2am.
https://hercommonplaceblog.wordpress.com/
rabbithero's review
4.0
Unabashed comics goodness. Instead of ringing it's hands and being all dour and complex like most modern comics, this anomaly of a series lets its crazy flag fly. The satire is affectionate, as it embraces whole-heartedly the wild, the bizarre, and all the other things that made me love comics as a 7 year-old. Good stuff; Great, GREAT art and a lot of hilarious jokes.