Bullet Points (Bullet Points

by J. Michael Straczynski

Collects Bullet Points #1-5.

World War II. America needs a super soldier. Only one man possesses the formula to create the perfect fighting machine from volunteer Steve Rogers. But when a deadly bullet kills Dr. Erskine along with his bodyguard, M.P. Ben Parker, Steve's destiny - and that of the Marvel Universe - is changed forever.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Marvel, Superheroes, Comic Book, Science Fiction, Fiction

120 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 20, 2007

About the author

Joseph Michael Straczynski is an American filmmaker and comic book writer. He is the founder of Synthetic Worlds Ltd. and Studio JMS and is best known as the creator of the science fiction television series Babylon 5 (1993–1998) and its spinoff Crusade (1999), as well as the series Jeremiah (2002–2004) and Sense8 (2015–2018). He is the executor of the estate of Harlan Ellison.
Straczynski wrote the psychological drama film Changeling (2008) and was co-writer on the martial arts thriller Ninja Assassin (2009), was one of the key writers for (and had a cameo in) Marvel's Thor (2011), as well as the horror film Underworld: Awakening (2012), and the apocalyptic horror film World War Z (2013). From 2001 to 2007, Straczynski wrote Marvel Comics' The Amazing Spider-Man, followed by runs on Thor and Fantastic Four. He is the author of the Superman: Earth One trilogy of graphic novels, and he has written Superman, Wonder Woman, and Before Watchmen for DC Comics. Straczynski is the creator and writer of several original comic book series such as Rising Stars, Midnight Nation, Dream Police, and Ten Grand through Joe's Comics.
A prolific writer across a variety of media and former journalist, Straczynski is the author of the autobiography Becoming Superman (2019) for HarperVoyager, the novel Together We Will Go (2021) for Simon & Schuster, and Becoming a Writer, Staying a Writer (2021) for Benbella Books. In 2020 he was named Head of the Creative Council for the comics publishing company Artists, Writers and Artisans.
Straczynski is a long-time participant in Usenet and other early computer networks, interacting with fans through various online forums (including GEnie, CompuServe, and America Online) since 1984. He is credited as being the first TV producer to directly engage with fans on the Internet and to allow viewer viewpoints to influence the look and feel of his show. Two prominent areas where he had a presence were GEnie and the newsgroup rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated.

Reviews

[mark monday · Rating 1 out of 5]

sweet Jesus, I can't believe that a few years ago I was so excited about Straczynski's Supreme Powers series that I stockpiled a bunch of his titles. each one has been disappointing and this is the worst so far. ugh, I still have more to read.

the back cover amusingly refers to this graphic novel as "Destined to be the Marvels of the new millennium!"... which, hahaha NO. nice try, whoever wrote the back cover, but Straczynski is no Busiek.

basically this is a What If? story about the following:

>What if Steve Rogers didn't become Captain America but instead became Iron Man?
>What if Peter Parker didn't become Spider-Man but instead became The Incredible Hulk?
>What if Reed Richards didn't become Mister Fantastic but instead became Nick Fury?
>What if Bruce Banner didn't become The Incredible Hulk but instead became Spider-Man?
>What if Stephen Strange didn't become Doctor Strange but instead became Wolverine because why not?
>What if mark monday learned that just because you own something it doesn't mean you have to read it and then he spent his time reading things that were actually good?

the whole thing just tries so hard and never gets past the silly pretensions of its silly premise. and I'm not a person who usually minds silliness or pretensions in my comics. but the whole enterprise was like being stuck with that one guy at the party who only wants to talk about his one thing, and that one thing is incredibly convoluted and only interesting to him and even though he knows you are getting bored he just keeps talking and talking, knowing you are waiting for any excuse to bail on the conversation, and the one thing he keeps yammering on about gets more and more confusing and more and more annoying, even nonsensical, as he gets more and more desperate to keep you interested in his story, until finally you just feign death on the floor until he goes away.

I want to underline the word pretensions in regards to this nonsense. Straczynski is either rightfully insecure about his weak ideas or has his head way up his own ass, but whatever the reason, he constantly adorns his limp narrative with some of the most bogus existential musings I've ever read in a comic. he hammers away at the "one bullet changed history" idea in the most banal and obvious yet pretentious way imaginable. the worst part is that while the idea itself is fine, it literally makes no sense in terms of the story itself. it's not one bullet that changes history, it's the fact that the bullet was fired 24 hours in advance of when it was supposed to be fired. it's not about the bullet, it's about timing. ugh, amateur hour for real. did no one point out this fatal flaw before Bullet Points was fired at the public?

the art by Lee Edwards is okay, I guess. smudgy in that pretentious way that some comics use to identify themselves as a very serious comic about important things. which I suppose fits.

[Chelsea 🏳️‍🌈 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was b>spectacular! I can't believe I'd never heard of it before!

This is basically a reimagining of the Marvel Universe if Erskine was killed before Steve Rogers ever got the serum. It goes through the changes to Steve's life and how it branched out to effect Peter Parker, Reed Richards, Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, etc. It's fascinating how much thought Straczynski put into the different ways this characters would be affected.

The art is wonderfully. It really gives the book a rougher vibe. It's not pretty; Steve's life was really hard and Peter Parker was, in my opinion, angstier than he is in the 616 universe. All in all, I greatly enjoyed this and I'll definitely be reading it again.

One of the better written comic series I've read in quite some time.

A++

[Dan's · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simply amazing, I got it in half-price, maybe the clerc was flirting with me ( or I caught her in a good day)
Still, I would ask U to give a try on this amazing piece of work. It certainly takes a new look on many of the classic heroes that we all grw up with. It astonishes me on the last chapter, it takes a leap. and acatually looks on humanity as a whole. Here is a small extract:

"It is written in the blood of individuals.


"So as we go forth from this place as we watch our news and read the papers, let us never forget the importance of those single lives to the world, to history itself"

"As Johny Donne wrote, "No man is an island, entire of itself: Every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main."

[Fugo Feedback · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bueno, este tomo muestra una realidad paralela donde Steve Rogers es Iron Man, Tony Stark es un fulano, Peter Parker es Hulk, Bruce Banner es Spider-man, otros superhéroes son los mismos, y así durante cinco números. Me entretuvo bastante pero siento que podría haber dado para mucho más. Eso sí, me molestó lo mismo de siempre: cuando hablan de una reunión entre "los mayores superhéroes de todo el mundo", más del 95% de ellos son estadounidenses, que no renuncian a esa idea de que ellos son el mundo y el mundo son ellos. Pero bueh, mientras siga leyendo comics de superhéroes no me puedo quejar mucho, ya que al darles cabida no estoy haciendo más que darles motivos para que se la sigan creyendo.

[Tesutamento · Rating 2 out of 5]

Uzun ve zorlama hissettiren bir what if hikayesi. Fena bir başlangıç yapmasa da sihrini çabuk yitiriyor. Her olay bir sonrakini tetikliyor sözde fakat okurken o kadar doğal bir süreç varmış gibi hissedemedim. Son bölümdeki Galactus hikayesi de bence bunun en iyi örneğiydi. Ayrıca her bölümün başındaki mermi vurgusu da çok kötüydü. Mermi şöyle gider, şöyle döner, şöyle olursa mermi izi olur, işte bütün bunlar bir mermi yüzünden oldu diye diye baydı beni kitap. İşin kötü yanı hikaye pek de bir mermi yüzünden yaşanmış gibi hissettirmiyor.

[Owen Townend · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love counterfactual histories in mainstream superhero comics. If done well, every significant decision will seem like a logical progression of the last, even if the outcome doesn't seem quite as impressive.

Bullet Points works for me in precisely that way. While the concept of Dr Erskine dying before he could turn Steve Rogers into Captain America may not seem particularly shocking or revolutionary, I really loved the way that Straczynski followed it up, utilising technological capabilities during World War 2. It certainly seems more likely that a 'super soldier' would be created from a weaponised suit of armour during the 1940s, rather than a mysterious muscle-strengthening formula.

As for other alterations to Marvel mainstays, even if they don't always mesh with the expected characterisations, the domino effect makes it all worthwhile. It's just a shame we didn't get to see what became of the non-magical Dr Stephen Strange.

I recommend Bullet Points to those who loves Marvel's What If-? comics or just wants a shake-up from the superhero origin stories they have seen time and time again.

[Brent · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here is one long What If? style take on the Marvel Universe, lovingly crafted. I finally read the five issues I collected from the clearance bin, and I've grown in my appreciation for artist Tommy Lee Edwards, following up with his and Rick Veitch's miniseries The Question from DC. The Question: Falling in Place
Straczynski is a great scriptwriter, but this feels like a minor work, with much-loved characters. Still, the questions of what if one violent event had different consequences have increasing relevance.
Hey, did this alternate universe get dealt with or away in Secret Wars (2015)?
Mildly recommended.

[Sineala · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't, technically speaking, the best Marvel book I have ever read; if I were naming things I thought were objectively the best, there would be a lot of books higher on the list. But, man, does it ever hit me right in the feels, as they say.

It's basically a five-issue What If by JMS. The premise is that Erskine got shot right before Rebirth instead of right after. Rebirth doesn't run. Steve Rogers never becomes Captain America. Instead he stays skinny and volunteers for Project Iron Man, wiring himself up -- permanently -- to a suit chestplate. It takes an immense toll on his body. (This is the tragic angst I am here for.) He helps win the war. He doesn't get frozen.

There are a bunch of other changes: Peter Parker is the Hulk, Bruce Banner is Spider-Man, Stephen Strange is somehow sort of Wolverine, and Reed Richards is the director of SHIELD. Steve dies tragically while fighting the Hulk. Then Galactus shows up. Tony Stark, you guessed it, steals the Iron Man suit to fight Galactus in even though it could kill him because he has a heart condition. (This is also the tragic angst I am here for.)

Anyway. It was fun and I liked the AU a lot and I really like Steve as Iron Man and the art style is pretty spiffy and really, what more do you want?

[Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting concept that became more intriguing as it continued forward. I viewed some of the connections between characters to be a bit far-fetched and pieces of the narration felt clumsy, but the series was entertaining nonetheless and the creative team managed to end on a surge of emotional power that made me satisfied with the story as a whole.

[Jordan Lahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for alternate universes...

[Charles Spiegel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Again, this was alright and was an interesting take on the characters involved, but I feel like stories like Bullet Points and Powerless have a weakness that they try to do too much. The plot of this one was broadly "This guy's a different superhero in this universe! So's this one! And this one! Oh, then there's a big fight that brings everyone together!" It's not very interesting for the lot itself.
Also, no women superheroes at all in the main plot? You have the chance to do a big AU like this and choose a bunch of heroes to change the identity of, some of whom are serious bit-parts, and not one is a woman? Really?

[Jota Houses · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una interesante visión alternativa del universo Marvel. Un agente nazi se las arregla para asesinar al Dr. Erskine antes de que pueda inyectar a Steve Rogers con el suero del supersoldado evitando que se convierta en el Capitan América. En el mismo atentado muere el joven soldado Ben Parker lo que privará al futuro Peter Parker de la influencia moral que marca su vida. Las consecuencias de esta divergencia se multiplican a lo largo de las historias seminales del universo Marvel de forma inesperada. Muy agradable de leer pero un poco para aficionados incondicionales.

[Agnol · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second time I’ve read this, and I think I enjoyed it just as much this time. I’ve always been a fan of “Elseworlds” and “What If?” style stories, and this is no exception. I really like the idea that even in these alternate circumstances, all these characters still end up as heroes. That being said, I do think the story falls a bit flat towards the end — so much time is spent building up this alternate world and all the ways it differs from the one we know that when the final issue roles around, it feels like it just sort of ends out of nowhere.

[Furkan Erkan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tek bir kurşunun dünya tarihini değiştirdiği gibi Marvel tarihini de değiştirebileceğine dair çok iyi yazılmış ve çizilmiş bir What if öyküsü. İster çizgi romanları ister sinematik evreni olsun bir şekilde bu dünyaya aşinaysanız ve seviyorsanız Bullet Points de okuduğunuz en özel ve yaratıcı çizgi romanlar arasına girecektir. Öykünün çok uzun ve kapsamlı olmasından ziyade spesifik ve nokta atışı olarak yapılan değişikleri daha iyi olmuş.

[Jdetrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its not that this is bad; J Michael Straczynski puts together an interesting alternate future. However, the book seems to posit that the changes are caused by bullets flying at a different point in time than in the Marvel Universe we know. That's simply not true though; this book makes multiple changes to the timeline that don't stem from that change in bullets.

[Lee Wochner · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ho hum alternate Marvel history meets bad artwork.

[Hrishikesh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely adore how the narrative revolves around a single bullet being fired and the repercussions of it over time

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

WHAT IF?... Doctor Erskine was killed before he gave Steve Rogers the Super Soldier Serum?
This story asks, than answers that question by showing the fallout of said event to the 1960's era Marvel Universe.
I was never a big fan of the What If? comics. It seemed like it was always just a way to kill off a character, or have total destruction reign IF the focus event had not happened exactly like it did in the original story. And that is exactly what Bullet Points is; more in-depth, better written, but still just a standard Marvel What If? death and disaster story.
Tommy Lee Edwards art has a messy, slightly unfinished look to it, and while it is not bad for a specialty book, I would not want this style in my regular Avengers or Spider-Man book. None of the characters can be identified by appearance without the accompanying text to tell you, 'this is Steve Rogers, this is Peter Parker, this is Reed Richards', and those iconic characters should be easily identifiable by someone with more than a passing knowledge of Marvel Comics.

[Artur Coelho · Rating 2 out of 5]

E se... certo, assim começa a desenrolar-se aquilo que mais atrai na ficção especulativa. Neste e se Straczynski imagina uma bala. Imagina que essa bala, disparada por um agente nazi, mata ao mesmo tempo o Professor Erskine e um polícia militar chamado de Ben Parker. São personagens secundários mas centrais aos mitos da Marvel. Erskine é o inventor do soro que irá transformar Steve Rogers no icónico Capitão América e Ben Parker o tio de Peter Parker cuja morte o irá levar a assumir a responsabilidade de combater o crime como Homem Aranha.

Com esta inversão a premissa-base do universo Marvel pode ser desenrolada e reinventada. Straczynski não vai muito longe. Mistura um pouco a continuidade histórica da Marvel mas não se atreve a fazer grandes mudanças. E percebe-se. O público da editora pode apreciar volteios imaginativos mas arrepia-se perante a perspectiva de grandes mudanças ao que conhece e espera.

Resumindo, o jovem Steve Rogers não é transformado pelo soro do super-soldado mas é captado para um projecto militar que o transforma no Homem de Ferro. Peter Parker, rebelde inteligente que cresceu sem a figura paternal de Ben perde-se no deserto numa rambóia com os amigos e sobrevive ao teste de uma arma atómica de raios gama, mas ao acordar no hospital descobre que adquiriu a capacidade de se transformar num furibundo monstro verde. Já Bruce Banner, sentido-se responsável pelos males de Parker, é picado por uma aranha radioactiva e desfigurado num homem aracnídeo. Já Reed Richards consegue descolar com Sue, Johnny Storm e Ben Grimm em direcção às estrelas, mas um acto de sabotagem faz despenhar o foguetão. Único sobrevivente, Richards torna-se o líder da Shield, uma agência secreta anti-terrorista que recruta a fina-flor dos cientistas para desenvolver tecnologia de ponta. Entre os quais se encontra um cirurgião alcoólico que perante o cheque do governo não hesita em trocar o longínquo Tibete. Aqui Stephen Strange não se torna o maior místico do planeta. As linhas narrativas condensam-se quando a entidade conhecida como Galactus começa a devorar o planeta. Os heróis não o conseguem travar, nem um Tony Stark que se apossa da tecnologia do Homem de Ferro. Resta o sacrifício de Peter Parker como Hulk para comover o Surfista Prateado e convencê-lo a tomar o partido da humanidade. Num certo sentido, encerra em círculo.

Poderia ter ido mais longe, mas não deixa de ser uma série divertida. Estes e ses... desafiam-nos não só pela premissa como pela satisfação da curiosidade de ler como seriam narrativas alternativas das personagens que sempre conhecemos.

[Danny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can see why not everyone would like this book as on the surface it can seem like a gimmick having an alternate history and having heroes trade places. However I think that the actual story telling does a lot to make up for the gimmick. It shows how some simple decisions can change the course of history and how it wasn't the title that mattered as much as the character. However it was the ending with commentary of the silver surfer about the hulk sacrificing himself for a world that hates him simply for the love of one person that really put me over the edge. This book does more to capture life than many thousands of comic books. Good read by a good writer. Worth it.

"We cannot control the future, cannot control anything else but live out the circumstances that are put before us, and accept that while we are fragile...we are as strong as our choices make us. The road we take may not be the road we wished for...and it may be harder still by loss...by pain...by suffering...but what matters is that we do go on. We find ways. We struggle but we continue. We may lose those we care about but we continue. The world we inherit may not be the world we expected, the world we hoped for, the world we thought we deserved. But we continue. We continue. We continue. Because we know they would want us to continue...and to remember that the fate of even one life can change the world...that the history of our species is not just written in epic battles and wars. It is written in the blood of individuals. So as we go forth from this place, as we watch our news and read our papers, let us never forget the importance of those single lives to the world, to history itself. As John Donne wrote, no man is an island, entire of itself: every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. Every man'a death diminishes me because I am involved in mankind. Therefore, do not send to know for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee". -J. Michael Straczynski, Bullet Points

[Don · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love both of these creators, but this alternate-universe tale didn't really move me. Partly it's due to the fact that the "one bullet changes EVERYTHING" conceit doesn't really hold up under scrutiny; part of it is certainly my overly-fannish resistance to Elseworlds-like stories (lamely, there's always a sense of "so what's the point?"); but I think mostly it may be the fact that in a 5-issue miniseries featuring remixed versions of the Hulk, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Steve Rogers, Reed Richards and more, there's not really enough room for any personal journeys. It's decent enough, certainly - but considering the creators involved, I expected more.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

What If? is one of my favorite books. It takes historical events and changes just one little thing and then shows how it affects the future. I like this book because it does the same thing. It is fun to see Peter Parker as the Hulk and Steve Rogers as Iron Man. The story is very enjoyable.

The art is the only reason I give it a 4 instead of a 5. Some might like what I see as retro art, but I enjoy the new look look of comics. Maybe its just a sign of what generation I grew up in, but I like the nice crisp art of today's comics. The art in this book looks like it came right out of the 60's and I am not a fan.

[Adriano Barone]

Straczynski padroneggia talmente tanto l'arte dello storytelling che anche in what if un po' forzato riesce a costruire una storia interessante, una versione alternativa dell'universo Marvel in cui alcuni personaggi assumono l'identità di altri eroi rispetto all'universo Marvel ufficiale... ma l'eroismo rimane sempre lo stesso. Anche qui, sul finale sempre commozione. Certo, c'è sempre molta retorica dietro, ma stiamo parlando di fumetti mainstream. Bene così, quindi.
I disegni di Edwards rendono tutti un po' più giovani di quello che dovrebbero essere e non sempre sono leggibili, ma tutto sommato fanno quel che devono.

[James Bowman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A neat alternate history, with many Marvel heroes changing places due to the death of Dr. Erskine (the Super-Soldier Serum creator) before he could create Captain America. A few questions wind up unanswered by the end (who sabotaged Reed Richards' rocket?), and I feel like the story needed a metaplot that went beyond the alternate origins, but overall it's an interesting read. I wouldn't mind seeing more stories set in this universe. (B+)

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't in good conscience say this is a good series. As an alternate history of the Marvel Universe, it doesn't hang together very well, and there are huge gaps of logic. But the concept (one bullet changes everything) is awesome, and the thrill of seeing which characters take on which other characters' identities in this altered world is worth the investment.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some nitpicky things I could bring up, but the story was just really great and kind of made those things less important. I really like the sense of mystery in a somewhat familiar world. You feel at home, but at the same time turning the pages to see what comes next. I'm not sure if I would read an entire series like this, but it was a cool idea.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are a lot of events that were glossed over or not fully explained, but the premise in general I found easy to follow. Some of it was a bit contrived, but that's mainstream comics for you. Entertaining, but I could wish the "bullet" theme hadn't been so hard hit over, and over, and over, and over, and over again.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an alternate history of the Marvel Universe, based on moving one event in the Marvel timeline up 24 hours. The fates of all the main players are shifted radically and the results are rather bleak. This graphic novel is fascinating and well thought out however, and I enjoyed it a lot. A nice twist on Marvel history. Well done.

[Shaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing what one bullet can do, this was a great reinterpretation o the Marvel universe and some of its greatest heroes. I felt sorry for the demise of both Steve Rogers and Peter Parker. Straczynski does a great job as a writer and kept his alternate storyline as true to the Marvel spirit as possible.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

A 5-issue What-If from JMS. What if Steve Rogers had become Iron Man? What if Peter Parker was the Hulk? What if Reed Richards was the only survivor of his cosmic ray experiment?

It's a dark tale with a satisfying conclusion.