Madame Xanadu #1 (Spoilers)

Mr Wallstreet · Post by **Mr Wallstreet** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:18 pm

Proper review pending ;D

wolf_2099 · Post by **wolf_2099** » Sun Feb 15, 2009 10:26 pm

Answer me this at least.

Any good?

XIII · Post by **XIII** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 1:35 pm

I'm gonna the first TPB at least. 220 pages for 10$, it would be a seen not to get it.

wolf_2099 · Post by **wolf_2099** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 1:42 pm

Be a seen?

XIII · Post by **XIII** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 1:52 pm

Oops. Be a sin.

Stocky Boy · Post by **Stocky Boy** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 2:04 pm

I enjoyed it very much.

I don't think we've reached #10 yet in the serial format, however, I expect all of the issues to be much like the first one. It's a romp through time, exploring the powers and various limitations to Nimue/Madame Xanadu's power, with the first issue debuting in the age of Camelot.

Nice, clean art. Simple, effecctie origin story with every issue moving forward in time to an important historical event, where we find Mde X interacting with history.

wolf_2099 · Post by **wolf_2099** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 2:11 pm

Good description, and yet, I still have no idea what it is about.

Stocky Boy · Post by **Stocky Boy** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 2:33 pm

The camelot issue deals with he dowfall of Camelot. This comes an assasination attempt on Ghenghis Khan, then the beheading of Marie-Antoinette and currently Jack the Ripper. Nimue is trying to have a positive effect on every event she encounters. Alas, poor her, she does not know the outcome of all these events like we do and like the stranger who keeps appearing before her seems to.
The enjoyment comes in seeing Nimue interact with history wondering how Wagner will resolve her interaction with historical accuracy and the mystery of this other character.

wolf_2099 · Post by **wolf_2099** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 2:40 pm

Who is Madame Xanadu then, exactly?

Stocky Boy · Post by **Stocky Boy** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 2:49 pm

I didn't know anything about her until this series.

She's Nimue of Camelot lore. I'm not sure if she's traditioally otivated by good or bad intent, but in this, she's the good one. She's a forest spirit thing. Merlin'scrumpet, too.

wolf_2099 · Post by **wolf_2099** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 2:56 pm

This sounds so very very messed up I might just need to try it.

Mr Wallstreet · Post by **Mr Wallstreet** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 3:14 pm

Madame Xanadu is a forest dweller who is very learned in magic. At this stage we don't know the full limits of her abilities. She is summoned by a group of men who inhabit a nearby area who beg her to try to avert an impending war they feel is barreling down on them.

Xanadu makes no promises but tells them that she will try. She first attempts to contact her older sister Morgana (at this revelation we see where this is going). Morgana refuses to assist Xanadu; curses her and throws her out of this castle.

Going back to her home, Xanadu is confronted by the Phantom Stranger who warns her of this war and cautions her not to get involved to take it too personally. After her failed attempt at getting Morgana's help, Xanadu then makes her way to Merlin (who Xanadu has a relationship of sorts with him) in the hopes that Merlin can use his ability to see into the future to see what is coming ahead. Though we (the reader) don't know if she ever found out anything from Merlin we can only assume its not much. After this meeting, we know for a fact that this is Camelot.

Finally, on her way back to home, Xanadu is confronted by the Phantom Stranger again who again cautions her against getting involved in this conflict, as destiny has already decided what will happen. Xanadu attempts to show the Phantom Stranger how peaceful this land is but is cut short by invaders who massacre the villagers inhabiting a land and make their way to storm a nearby castle.

Right off the bat I'm not a big reader of stories that center around magic, but this was intriguing. I really only picked this issue up because I saw it ina dollar bin, and I figured I'd get it on the off chance I meet Wagner and can get him to sign it.

I'm already a bit familiar with Camelot but it didn't make much difference anyway. The story didn't seem to require you to know the complete history of Camelot. Knowing a few of the major players is enough: Morgana, and Merlin. I also don't know diddly about Xanadu herself, but this seems like a clean slate of sorts' giving you character information as move forward. For me what took the most getting used to was reading the "spells" (re: gibberish) and the way the narrative boxes and dialogue are spoken. Unlike many other titles out there, the characters and narrative boxes are written in a bit of a roundabout sort of way; which is not bad as it is supposed to reflect how the people of that time spoke - but it takes some getting used to.

It's unknown at this point if Arthur and his knights will even be involved but it seems all things in good time.

For now, I'm on board, though I'm too tired to hunt down other back issues, I'll get the trade once its released

Mr Wallstreet · Post by **Mr Wallstreet** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 3:15 pm

And yea, Merlin is doing the nasty with Xanadu

wolf_2099 · Post by **wolf_2099** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 3:15 pm

Well, I like his Zorro, so I guess I can try.

Mr Wallstreet · Post by **Mr Wallstreet** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 4:27 pm

I've got Wagner's Batman/Grendel Tpb but I haven't had a chance to read it yet.

wolf_2099 · Post by **wolf_2099** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 11:18 pm

Mr Wallstreet wrote:I've got Wagner's Batman/Grendel Tpb but I haven't had a chance to read it yet.

I did not enjoy it.

I don't seem to enjoy grendel comics.

MGM · Post by **MGM** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 4:05 am

XIII wrote:I'm gonna the first TPB at least. 220 pages for 10$, it would be a seen not to get it.

Really? That's indeed good incentive to try it out.

XIII · Post by **XIII** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 1:31 pm

Vertigo is going for a lot of those incentives. Cheap prices on first collections for a serie, new titles and jumping-on issues priced at $1.
Smart move by our lovely Karen Berger.

Stocky Boy · Post by **Stocky Boy** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 2:07 pm

She can't 'tallk the talk' but she can 'walk the walk'. Did you get this from the House of Astonishing podcast?

XIII · Post by **XIII** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 3:29 pm

Haven't listened to it yet, as I still haven't read Batman #686.