Grant Morrison's Seven Soldiers

Well, I kind of got my wish...sort of. I've blathered in these posts about how all I really want from comics is for them to be well written. Now, with the help of a fellow comic fan, I have access to all of the individual issues that comprise Seven Soldiers.

This is a noteworthy aspect of this collection. It was something that I was interested in reading, as it was written by Grant Morrison, and it features obscure, forgotten characters. Just up my alley. Then I saw the trade paperbacks.

What a mess. They (DC Comics) reprinted mixed issues from each of the seven miniseries that are part of the overall SS concept. For example, the first trade could have had something like SS 0, Bulleteer 1, Klarion 1, Mister Miracle 1, Shining Knight 1 and Manhattan Guardian 1.

I know that Grant Morrison may have intimated that he had a plan as to the order in which the books should be read. But he's also the guy who complained to Marvel about fill-in artists on New X-Men when his choice, Frank Quitely, was apparently unable to keep up with the monthly schedule.

Note to DC: If you go to reprint Seven Soldiers again, please please please put all four of a particular mini series in the same reprint volume. Even if this is not the way the story is intended to be read...there's something to be said for cohesiveness.

So far, I have read all of the Bulleteer and the first couple of Klarion issues. I liked the Bulleteer a lot - it explores a lot of superhero traditions and stereotypes and puts some new perspective on things. Plus the Yanick Paquette art is quite good.

Klarion is also looking good, but it has the trappings of Morrison delving into the weirder aspects of an odd assortment of characters...which can sometimes result in good stories, but can also result in something like Doom Patrol, which I didn't like at all.

Still haven't read much of it, but I do like what I've gotten to so far. Based on Morrison's past history, I think I will enjoy this collection. I just need to find the time to read it...