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Marvel 1602 (Marvel 1602)

by Neil Gaiman (Goodreads Author) (Text), Andy Kubert

3.89 of 5 stars 3.89 · rating details · 21,376 ratings · 604 reviews

All's not well in the Marvel Universe in the year 1602 as strange storms are brewing and strange new powers are emerging Spider-Man, the X-Men, Nick Fury, Dr. Strange, Daredevil, Dr. Doom, Black Widow, Captain America, and more appear in the waning days of the reign of Queen Elizabeth. As the world begins to change and enter into a new age, Gaiman weaves a thrilling myster...more

Hardcover, 248 pages

Published March 7th 2007 by Marvel (first published 2003)

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Feb 24, 2012 Stephen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2000-2005, comics-graphic-novels, alternative-history, retellings-reimaginings-and-mashes

Dear Mr. Gaiman and Nameless Marvel Suits:

I’d like to start this mostly favorable review by first dropkicking in the baby maker the marketing wizard who approved the decision NOT to include Wolverine in the story-line.

Remember him…the surly, long-lived, fast-healing anti-hero who’s been your most popular character since “Hey bubbing” the Hulk for the Canadian government back in the 1980’s**. Yes, that guy. Not only was his absence noticed, but his persona would have been PERFECT for the tale....more

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Apr 11, 2012 mark monday rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: comikon

in elizabeth england - and across the world - mysterious and sinister events are taking place that threaten existence itself. a varied cast of heroes and villains seek to understand and perhaps even control this threat. of course, the heroes and villains in question are a gallery of classic Marvel characters, including Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, the Incredible Hulk, Captain America, Doctor Doom, and Nick Fury.

Neil Gaiman is known for his striking reinventions of classic and even mythic characte...more

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Aug 20, 2007 Steve rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

American comics seem to go for alternative futures (various potential futures) or parallel universes in the present - anyone who has read Superman comics from the 1960s knows what I mean.
British comics, on the other hand, often tend to lean more towards addressing alternate pasts - something I found more enjoyable, since it's grounded in something (history) rather than being an imaginitive free-for-all (hence, the camp of the 1960s, which American comics are still recovering from). While Alan Mo...more

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Oct 17, 2012 Melissa rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It pains me to give anything by Neil Gaiman less than 5 stars. I think the only other book of his that got this treatment from me was Anansi Boys, which I basically liked only because Neil signed my copy right before he spilled silver ink all over my friend Norm's pristine first edition Sandman #1. But while I get what he's trying to do here, and I'm not entirely without appreciation for it, I'm just not that interested.

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Oct 12, 2011 Jonathan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: graphic-novels, science-fiction, neil-gaiman, favourites

I once had a teacher remark how lowly they thought of graphic novels. And yet I believe that graphic novels are one of the more creative methods of generating stories for modern audiences myself. As such I am an avid fan of many of DC and Marvel's more brilliant story line arcs.

Having, with my typical flair, discussed my particularly good reasons for reading graphic novels, I shall now briefly review in particular Marvel 1602. Millions of readers, film viewers and pop culture observers know of...more

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Aug 27, 2008 Nicholas rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Really? A Quill Award? I don't know about that. 1602 places the Marvel Universe squarely in the year....well, 1602 and uses the backdrop of the Spanish Inquisition and the mysterious disappearance of the colony of Roanoke to tell the story of the multiverse in crisis, again...this time involving a time traveling Captain America who upsets the balance of the world. There are some clever adaptations to the characters to suit the time period. Mutants are Witches persecuted by the church, the Knight...more

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Jul 16, 2008 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Some things in life are just cool. Leather jackets, for example, also laser beams. Sometimes Charles Nelson Reilly, but only if he's being impersonated by Alec Baldwin. Scientists aren't completely sure, but they believe coolness comes from some ineffable, perhaps quantum, relationship between the observed and the observer. Are laser beams cool if no one witnesses their awesome powers of destruction? Do cows share our appreciation for the kick-assedness of a finely cut leather jacket?

Gaiman's M...more Some things in life are just cool. Leather jackets, for example, also laser beams. Sometimes Charles Nelson Reilly, but only if he's being impersonated by Alec Baldwin. Scientists aren't completely sure, but they believe coolness comes from some ineffable, perhaps quantum, relationship between the observed and the observer. Are laser beams cool if no one witnesses their awesome powers of destruction? Do cows share our appreciation for the kick-assedness of a finely cut leather jacket?

Gaiman's Marvel 1602 reimagines the Marvel universe as it might have been had it been born not in mid-twentieth century America, but instead at the dawn of the seventeenth century in Elizabethan England. The X-Men, the Brotherhood, they all appear, and part of the fun comes from that uncanny moment of recognition when you spot an old friend or villain dressed in strange but familiar garb, living their lives in strange but somehow fitting ways. Matthew Murdoch is a blind bard singing songs of the four lost heroes that sailed the ship Fantastik. Sir Nicholas Fury runs Elizabeth's spy network. A bald, crippled man by the name of Carlos Javier is gathering a group of super-powered individuals, named ‘witchbreed’ by the Inquisition among others, together at a secret school. All in all, there’s twenty some characters here, and Gaiman attempts to juggle page space for each of them at the same time he tries to weave together a plot that includes another of Doom’s attempts at world domination, the combined efforts of King James and the Inquisition to wipe out the witchbreed, plus a rip in space and time that might very well end the existence of every universe, ever.

It may sound all a bit too cute, and maybe if Gaiman were a lesser writer, that’s all this would have been. But he’s not a lesser writer, he is in fact a very awesome writer, and by inserting these characters, so long stuck in one place and time or role, into a completely new universe, as a group just learning of their powers and how to interact with the world, Gaiman resurrects a bit of the fun I’m sure readers had in the 60s reading and watching as Lee, Ditko, and Kirby brought these icons to life the first time around. What could have just been another meaningless exploitative stunt (dear god, they've killed Superman), becomes instead an entertaining, sometimes touching, not altogether unrealistic, or even uncanonical (by Marvel standards), exploitative stunt. It is to put it simply, very, very, cool.
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Jul 24, 2007 Mikey rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: marvel comics lovers

Shelves: fiction

Marvel 1602 is a fun, engaging bit of pulp comic work. Neil Gaiman re-imagines the classic Marvel heroes and villains as having appeared 400 years earlier, and it's pretty effective. As for as writing and content go, the vast majority of the joy in this book - which is far from trivial - comes from recognizing the characters and appreciating how they've been worked into the narrative. As such, Marvel novices are unlikely to enjoy the story very much. Also, the opportunity to further explore the...more

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Jan 30, 2009 Melvin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've got to say, this book made me feel Marvel characters could actually be subtle and nuanced. Gaiman's handling of these heroes is (in my opinion, anyway) a welcome breath of fresh air. Almost DC-like. (And no, I'm not trying to start a fight.)

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Feb 16, 2009 Peter rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Gaiman fans, Marvel fans

Shelves: comic-graphic-novel, library

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Neil Gaiman ventures into Alan Moore territory for Marvel. Oddly, it's not a very exciting expedition.

Gaiman may be the victim of expectations. I was a huge fan of Sandman and The Books of Magic. Frankly, nothing he's done since has impressed me half as much.

In 1602, he takes a clever idea - what if all the Marvel superheroes were alive in the time of Queen Elizabeth? - and does less with it than I would have expected.

But I'll admit that in part, that's because Alan Moore has done so much remark...more

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Feb 09, 2009 Kenneth rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As a boy I loved comic books. My first choice was DC Comics. Marvel comics came later. During that time I also discovered comics that presented illustrated biographies and histories. One that still stands out in my mind from that time was the biography of St. Francis of Assisi.

As an older adult I once in a while will look at some comic book but I find them on the whole disappointing as they try to re-invent stories in so many ways that they lose any fabric. The female heroes are very disappointi...more

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Jan 23, 2009 Eric rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book got a lot of mixed reviews in the comic book world, and I can understand both views, but I definately liked it. I really wonder if I didn't "really like it" (four stars people) because I expected it to be "amazing" (five stars). I expected that with such a versatile writer (they got an actual writer, who after writing a very successful comic book went on to write memoir, plays, novels), and with the same artists who did the Origin artwork (which I thoroughly enjoyed), I thought this bo...more

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Dec 12, 2008 Su rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A very interesting AU featuring a whole slew of famous comic book characters living life with their superhuman powers in the year 1602. Written by Neil Gaiman, the dialogue is crisp and sounds correct for the time period. The artwork is also very beautiful (though the cover artwork is a bit better than what you get inside--at least, in the edition I had (not the one pictured here); "John" Grey especially looks fantastic on my cover and rather convincingly cross-dressed!)). Speaking of which, I l...more

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May 20, 2013 adventurat rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, action-adventure, fiction, graphic-novel, library-book, historical

Superheroes in Elizabethan England! Mutants at the court of Elizabeth I! History, royal succession, kidnapping, torment, murder, beheading! What's not to like about this? Only that Peter Parker is not yet Spider-Man. And Shakespeare is nowhere to be seen. Apart from that? Pretty great stuff.

I read this on the recommendation of Lani Diane Rich; in her StoryWonk course "Making Magic", she exhorts students to immerse themselves, at least once a day, in narrative of all kinds, including books, movi...more

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Mar 22, 2013 Faith rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: marvel, comics

Let me get this out of the way: if you like superheroes, the Elizabethan era, and/or any mash-ups thereof, then this book is something you will like. I enjoy all of those things, and, indeed, I enjoyed this book very much. For me, the book never really went deeper than "Hee, Natasha Romanoff as a widowed Russian assassin!" level, but I don't think that it really needed to be, and a lot of the elements are pretty clever. Since so much of the story rests on the reader being able to recognize the c...more

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Mar 06, 2013 Helmut Barro rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: comics, superheroes

Much Ado about Superheroes

Es gibt ein paar Comics im Superheldengenre, die über die Beschränkungen hinausgehen, die einem Autor auferlegt sind, wenn er über Machos in Latexkostümen schreiben soll. Dieser Titel hier gehört dazu.

Eine Warnung voraus: Wer keine Kenntnis des Marvel-Universums hat, sollte diesen Titel nicht als erstes lesen, da die Hälfte des Spasses darin besteht, die bekannten Gesichter in ganz neuen Interpretationen zu sehen. Dies ist auch der Hauptreiz der Storyline, und Gaiman un...more

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Jan 19, 2013 Abhishek rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Afterword by Neil Gaiman: "Something for summer, to be read under a porch or in a treehouse; or up on a roof; or in a small field, a long time ago, beside the bulrush patch."

And that is exactly the feel that Marvel 1602 carries with it. A rustic feel of a time unknown. And yet, in such a backdrop, Gaiman brings across the characters of the Marvel Universe we have come to read and love, in a heroic and grandiose manner that they deserve. Altering their looks and names to suit the olden times and...more

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Jan 18, 2013 Margot rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novel-comics

A large part of my delight in this book comes in the last section, the "bonus features" that aren't part of the story at all. I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone, whether you're already a comics fan or just not convinced yet. Not only do readers get preliminary character sketches, which I've seen in other books occasionally, but we also get correspondence between Neil Gaiman (writer) and Andy Kubert (illustrator); the script for the beginning pages; and the un-colored sketches to see th...more

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Nov 19, 2012 R. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Lorsqu'un très grand scénariste BD rencontre un dessinateur talentueux, le résultat est forcément à la hauteur. Il l'est d'autant plus lorsque le projet est ambitieux. Il consiste à se projeter en 1602 à l'époque où les premiers colons s'installèrent sur le sol américain. Même si c'est un élément important, le coeur de l'histoire ne se trouve pas là mais de l'autre côté de l'Atlantique, en plein coeur du centre névralgique du monde d'alors : L'Angleterre. Le pays est en proie à des phénomènes mé...more Lorsqu'un très grand scénariste BD rencontre un dessinateur talentueux, le résultat est forcément à la hauteur. Il l'est d'autant plus lorsque le projet est ambitieux. Il consiste à se projeter en 1602 à l'époque où les premiers colons s'installèrent sur le sol américain. Même si c'est un élément important, le coeur de l'histoire ne se trouve pas là mais de l'autre côté de l'Atlantique, en plein coeur du centre névralgique du monde d'alors : L'Angleterre. Le pays est en proie à des phénomènes météorologiques inquiétants qui alourdissent un climat déjà tendu par d'âpres luttes de pouvoir. Il se pourrait même que le trésor des templiers joue un rôle dans cette histoire.

Oui bon, il est vrai que des histoires comme celle-ci, il en existe des tonnes. C'est lorsque l'on s'intéresse au casting qu'elle prend toute sa dimension: Nick Fury, Peter Parker (Spider-Man), Stephen Strange, Captain America, Matthew Murdoch (Daredevil), le Professeur Xavier et ses X-Men, le Docteur Fatalis, la Veuve Noire, Magnéto et ses enfants (Vif-Argent et la Sorcière Rouge), les Quatre Fantastiques et Thor — j'espère n'avoir oublié personne, je ne voudrais pas froisser tout ce beau monde.

Neil Gaiman n'est pas le premier venu, sa connaissance des comics et des mythes lui a permis de tirer partie de la richesse des personnages et de leur univers pour l'exploiter à merveille dans le monde de 1602. Ainsi nous retrouverons le combat entre les hommes et les mutants — c'est l'un des thèmes récurrents de l'univers Marvel — matérialisé ici par la sainte inquisition et cristallisée par la rivalité entre Xavier et Magnéto. Ne vous inquiétez pas il y a aussi de l'action et du suspense mais il est vrai que c'est la virtuosité du scénario qui frappe le plus.

Les dessins sont vraiment magnifiques et le dessinateur a un souci du détail hallucinant, une finesse dans le trait, bref du travail de très grande qualité dans un style mainstream de très haute volée. Le seul choix surprenant concerne la mise en couleur qui use et abuse d'un effet de balayage — je ne sais pas comment le caractériser autrement. Il produit un effet original mais, à mon avis, les dessins n'avaient pas besoin de cet artifice qui a plutôt tendance à les desservir.

Si je vous conseille sans la moindre hésitation la série originale (maxi série) de Neil Gaiman, je n'ai pas le même avis sur la suite que j'ai trouvé une classe en dessous — il faut dire que le binôme scénariste / dessinateur n'est plus le même. http://www.aubonroman.com/2012/11/160...(less)

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Jul 22, 2012 Justinbwood rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In different hands, this book would likely have been an absolute disaster. Neil Gaiman does an immaculate job of weaving Marvel's superheroes into the final days of Queen Elizabeth. It's fascinating to see how he changed each character to fit within a fictionalized view of the time, attempting to realistically portray the effect of their presence on the political machinations of the time.

Gaiman wonderfully captures the self-interest of the political leaders and their scheming, all set against a...more In different hands, this book would likely have been an absolute disaster. Neil Gaiman does an immaculate job of weaving Marvel's superheroes into the final days of Queen Elizabeth. It's fascinating to see how he changed each character to fit within a fictionalized view of the time, attempting to realistically portray the effect of their presence on the political machinations of the time.

Gaiman wonderfully captures the self-interest of the political leaders and their scheming, all set against a backdrop of impending doom. He writes with great discretion and restraint, giving nods to characters' continuity histories while not tearing any of them down in an effort to fit them in the world. The plot itself is interesting, and he handles all the many characters and their competing interests well. It is a well-crafted story that comes together interestingly in the end.

If there is a flaw, it is in some of the reference to the existing universe and Gaiman's attempts at explaining the metaverse and time physics in the context of the time. Everything was meshed into the historical time period so well, that the inclusion of modern ideas on time was jarring. Since comics discovered the metaverse, it's led to lots of faux-scientific silliness and physics babble to handle continuity problems and create ever more outlandish threats. It's unfortunate that showed up here, as it broke what was an otherwise compelling story. For his part, Gaiman does put the space-time babbling in a cool context, and Reed's self-referential musings on a physics of his own are actually quite clever. I think a mysterious anomaly never fully understood by the characters (and without the shots from the future) would have been stronger, but the interactions between the Watcher and Strange were nevertheless worthwhile.

The art in the book is wonderful. Characters are recognizable, but also look very period-appropriate. The covers are particularly worth of mention. They are styled to look like old engravings and are spectacular, especially the cover for the 8th issue. The book also includes cool extras like an afterword from Neil Gaiman, part of the script, and notes from the artist.

Definitely worth reading for quality of characterization, interesting recreation of the Marvel superheroes, plot and art.(less)

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Jul 01, 2012 Dale rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Didn't do much for me

Marvel 1602 just didn't do much for me, which is surprising since I'm a casual comics fan but a serious reader of history. I figured (correctly) that there'd be no problem taking superheroes into a different time period. But I also figured (incorrectly) that the story would be more interesting and have more of a focus.

Lack of focus is really the problem I have with the series. Is it a spy novel in which the familiar superheroes are involved in a complicated web of deceit an...more

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May 17, 2012 Megan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kyle-s-books, graphic-novels, owned

As an avid comic book and Marvel fan, I picked up Marvel 1602 because I had heard nothing but glowing reviews about it. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed. The series is solid, I will give it that. However, I felt that the pacing was very slow and didn't truly pick up until the last issue or so. The rest of the time, it felt like I was slogging through exposition to get to the action. In my mind, this series is definitely of the slow burn variety. What kept me turning the pages was the gorg...more

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Jan 05, 2012 Homewood Public Library rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: graphic-novels

The premise of the series is simple: What if Marvel’s Silver Age superheroes had appeared in Britain of 1602, instead of the America of the mid-20th Century? The result is intricate, intriguing, and most of all, entertaining.

In this timeline, Nick Fury is Sir Nicholas Fury, Queen Elizabeth’s spymaster, and Peter Parker, sans his Spider Man super-powers, is Peter Parquagh, Sir Nicholas’ protégé. Carlos Xavier runs a haven for witchbreed (mutants) like himself whilst his nemesis The Grand Inquisit...more The premise of the series is simple: What if Marvel’s Silver Age superheroes had appeared in Britain of 1602, instead of the America of the mid-20th Century? The result is intricate, intriguing, and most of all, entertaining.

In this timeline, Nick Fury is Sir Nicholas Fury, Queen Elizabeth’s spymaster, and Peter Parker, sans his Spider Man super-powers, is Peter Parquagh, Sir Nicholas’ protégé. Carlos Xavier runs a haven for witchbreed (mutants) like himself whilst his nemesis The Grand Inquisitor (Magneto) has his own agenda in Spain. The Fantastic Four still gain their powers on a voyage to the remote frontier, but this time to the New World instead of outer space. Doctor Doom still rules Latveria, and is still a villain, but as a physically unscarred Count Otto Von Doom. Doctor Strange, Daredevil, Black Widow, Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, Captain America, Thor, Hulk and The Watcher are some of the other characters you’ll find subtly altered in these pages.

Overall all, Marvel 1602 lived up to my expectations. I liked reading about characters that were similar to my old friends, but different. I liked how Neil Gaiman entwined historical characters, like Virginia Dare, with fictional superheroes. And I loved the historically inspired covers.

Apparently it was the writer’s and artist’s creative choice, but I found the use of multiple, small panels, laid out in fairly standard patterns to be slightly disappointing. Something this epic, with all the historical details, needed larger panels and more dramatic layout. Perhaps, these small panels also dictated the simplified, slightly anachronistic, clothing choices for our heroes, so they could be as recognizable in their tight panels as if they were wearing their contemporary costumes.

While it was nice to see so familiar faces, it also meant that many of them were given short shrift -- the Hulk and Thor and the Fantastic Four particularly. Luckily, some of this may be addressed by the sequels: 1602 New World and 1602 Fantastik Four, but I don’t believe either has been collected into a graphic novel yet.

This graphic novel collects the eight book series. It includes the “script” for the first issue that Neil Gaiman delivered to Andy Kubert, a great addition for both aspiring comic book writers and artists. Scott McKowen also talks about the process behind the creation of his unique scratchboard covers in a short article. Plus there are several preliminary sketches of characters, as well as a couple of pages of the enhanced pencil art that Andy Kubert delivered to colorist Richard Isanove.(less)

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Aug 02, 2011 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: graphic_novels

Sometimes, I wonder if I'm just automatically disappointed by any Neil Gaiman comic book that isn't Sandman, which isn't exactly a fair reaction, but there it is. In the end, I think that perhaps Gaiman is just one of those people who is far better writing his own creations.

This concept was absolutely fascinating, and had some really good things about it. The art was awesome (which, hey, gives it one up on the Sandman run), and the story kept me hooked enough to stay up way too late reading it....more

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Jul 29, 2011 Niall519 rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: comics

Despite Batman being a more obvious natural fit for Neil (tall, brooding heroes dressed in black, obsessing over past wrongs), I think this worked better than Whatever Happened To The Caped Crusdader. Possibly because the author was... trying less hard to do it right? It mattered less to him maybe? Which is not to say that it doesn't show a lot of love for the source characters and material.

I've never been greatly troubled by alternatives or rewrites of comic canon (DC's Elseworlds series for ex...more

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Apr 23, 2011 Matt Anderson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 12, 2011 Sarah Payok rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: comics

I am a fan of comics but not particularly superhero comics. However, I am a huge fan of historical fiction. Thus Marvel 1602 was sort of a perfect storm for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was awesome to learn more about characters that I had previously only had limited exposure to (such as the Fantastic Four) and to see other characters I liked in a different light (such as Dr. Xavier). I really enjoyed the weaving of the superhero stories among historical events such as the Inquisition and...more

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Jan 30, 2011 Justin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: graphic-novels, superheroes, england

So, now that my newfound love of graphic novels has really taken hold, I figure it's about time to take a few cautious steps back into the Marvel Universe, in which I more or less lived from the ages of 9 to 13. What better place to start than an alternate history tale by Neil Gaiman?

This collected volume of eight comics posits the existence of Marvel superheroes in Elizabethan England. The world appears to be coming apart at the seams; strange storms and unexplained phenomena rip across the cou...more So, now that my newfound love of graphic novels has really taken hold, I figure it's about time to take a few cautious steps back into the Marvel Universe, in which I more or less lived from the ages of 9 to 13. What better place to start than an alternate history tale by Neil Gaiman?

This collected volume of eight comics posits the existence of Marvel superheroes in Elizabethan England. The world appears to be coming apart at the seams; strange storms and unexplained phenomena rip across the countryside. The queen is old and ailing, and insidious plots surround her. Her spymaster, Sir Nicholas Fury, works with his agents to shield (ha ha!) her life, and to bring a mysterious treasure from the Holy Land that the court magician, Doctor Stephen Strange, promises will aid England. However, her successor plots with mysterious Latverian counts and Spanish Inquisitors, working to bring about a new, more merciless rule. Meanwhile, Doctor Strange discovers that the strange storms are connected to the legends of the age- the lost crew of the Fantastick, the powerful Witchbreed of Carlos Javier's school and sanctuary, and even the agents of the crown. Moreover, if the storms are not stopped, the overthrow of the English monarchy will be the least of their worries.

Honestly, at first I was convinced that I wouldn't like this one. I think I was the victim of my own expectations. The engraving-style illustrations and Gaiman's name in giant letters led me to believe that I'd be reading a subtle, dense tale of intrigue. What I got was... not that, exactly. The dialogue was straightforward (and riddled with punny Marvel references), and the story was slick and moved quickly. This is, all told, a solid historical comic book, and meets (but not necessarily exceeds) the general expectations a reader would have of something like that.

My problem was that I approached 1602 in the same way I do most graphic novels: I started reading it in bite-sized chunks, in order to savor it. The first third of this story does not lend itself to this kind of reading, and I think it would take a while to get going even if I read it all in one sitting. There are just so many characters to introduce, so much Marvel fan service, that it approaches the level of gimmick. The constant scene-shifting makes things hard to follow, and seems to happen solely to allow Elizabethan Daredevil or Elizabethan Scarlet Witch to elicit a squee or two from the true believers. I initially thought I was being a little unkind, but I was vindicated by Gaiman's own admission in the afterword that he was plagued by second thoughts about writing a story with so many main characters.

Once I got through the first three or so issues, though, the story finally started to get going. I started reading it issue by issue (as it was meant to be read) at that point, and the pace obviously felt much better. There were still some story oddities that bothered me; there were so many subplots that some of them meandered into conclusions without any real relevance to the main story arc. Also, I liked the ending twist that connected things to the Marvel Universe we know and love, but I honestly would have been just as happy without it. But once I got on board with what this volume is— a homage-laden look into how the Marvel Golden Age characters might have got their start four centuries ago— I ended up enjoying it a great deal. The artwork was fantastic, too. The scratchboard covers and the mix of enhanced pencil work and digital color (with very minimal inking) offered just the right balance of old-timey flair and streamlined, consumable comic art. Not a confusing or wonky panel in sight, either.

I didn't know this graphic novel had any extras with it, and they proved to be a pleasant surprise that knocked this one up a notch for me. I recently woke up one morning with a fledgling idea for comic characters, and I've been wondering what I could do with those character notes, seeing as how I can barely draw a stick-figure. And then I turn a page in 1602 and see a reproduction of the script Gaiman gave to artist Andy Kubert for the first issue. Sweet. Thanks, Neil.

I wonder how this one might play out for readers who aren't intimately familiar with Marvel heroes; the fan service might not get in the way as much as it did with me in the beginning. Eventually, though, I was won over. The intriguing historical setting is a great fit for the classic heroics of the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, Daredevil, etc. Taken as a whole, this is a fun superhero yarn by a great author and talented artists.(less)

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Dec 05, 2010 Kristopher rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: comics, fiction

Despite being written by Neil Gaiman and starting with an interesting concept, I had a lot of trouble working up any enthusiasm for this book. It took me a long time to read, and in the end I was pretty underwhelmed. It didn't give me lots of time to think about what makes a good alternate universe/Elseworlds story, though.

The best, like Red Son and Days of Future Past (actually set in a possible future, not an alternate universe, but let's not split hairs) are first and foremost, great stories....more Despite being written by Neil Gaiman and starting with an interesting concept, I had a lot of trouble working up any enthusiasm for this book. It took me a long time to read, and in the end I was pretty underwhelmed. It didn't give me lots of time to think about what makes a good alternate universe/Elseworlds story, though.

The best, like Red Son and Days of Future Past (actually set in a possible future, not an alternate universe, but let's not split hairs) are first and foremost, great stories. The first time I read Watchmen, I had no idea the characters were based on old Charleston Comics characters, and it didn't matter. It was a complex, mesmerizing story that stood on its own. Second, good alternative universe stories take the opportunity to let their characters do things they could never do in the main continuity, like have Batman plotting to assassinate Superman. Third, by contrasting the main continuity character and their alternative universe counterparts, they manage to reveal something essential in that character. I really believe that Days of Future Past, showing the X-Men as hunted and desperate, was the moment the relentless, animal-like Wolverine became everybody's favorite mutant.

Marvel 1602 never manages to do any of that. The first appearance of each character, revealing their redesigned costume and re-imagined origin, tends to be the high point of their story arc, with diminishing returns from that point on.

Also, the story is just overstuffed and slow. The X-Men and Brotherhood of Evil Mutants could be cut out completely with only minor changes to the plot. There's only one or two really good action sequences (action never being Gaiman's strong point), and most of the book is people standing around explaining the plot to each other. Gaiman obviously loves the history and emerging science of the Elizabethan period. But in comics, there's always a trade off between word and pictures, so while Gaiman talks and talks and talks, Andy Kubert struggles to inject any life or action into small, increasingly cramped panels. (And as a side note, it annoys me that Goodreads only lists the writer of comic books, not the artist(s). Great comics depend on both words and images, and to not acknowledge part of that creative team is to do the entire genre a disservice.)(less)

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Sep 25, 2010 Kira rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm torn between appreciation for this phenomenal craft of Marvel storytelling, and concern over the deeper implications of its resolution. Gaiman crafts an exciting historical fantasy, filled with compelling, age-appropriate superheroes. In fact, as a relative Marvel newbie, it's hard for me to imagine Dr. Strange or Sir Nicholas Fury in any other century! And Irish devil Matthew Murdoch is just too sassy for words. The artistry, both visual and theatrical, is unmatched in its art.

Alas, the sam...more

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“What are these fundamental principles, if they are not atoms?"
"Stories. And they give me hope.” — 78 people liked it

“If a Devil is one who dares, when others hold back, then I am happy to play the Devil in this Mystery, boy.” — 12 people liked it

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