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Comic Recommendation - The Middleman by Javier Grillo-Marxuach
Before The Middleman was an awesome TV show you should all watch, it was a comic book series you should all read. While I never even heard of it when it was being published in single issues and trades, Viper Comics kindly put out a volume containing all three miniseries in honour of its television debut.
If you're a fan of the TV show, this purchase is a no-brainer. While the first two stories made it to the screen in slightly altered form, the third is entirely new middlematerial. If you haven't seen the TV show but like funny, exciting comics that have six-gun toting ninjas, Mexican wrestlers and genetically-engineered sharks, you should read it too.
Either way, you eventually find out the Middleman's real first name, which should be reason enough for fans to buy the book.
The Middleman is the story of Wendy Watson, a photogenic young artist who's working as a temp at a lab when a genetically engineered monstrosity breaks lose and tries to kill her. When the world's only professional superhero comes to the rescue, he's impressed enough by her grace under pressure to recruit her as his apprentice.
The Middleman and Wendy solve exotic problems, which involves a lot of running around, kicking people in the head, and shooting at them with laser guns. They're assisted in their duties by Ida, a snarky android stuck in the shape of a domineering schoolmarm.
The TV, movie and comicbook references fly thick and fast, helped along by the fact that Wendy is a wonderfully geeky heroine. Here's some dialogue from when the Middleman is recruiting her:
MM: Ever read comic books?
Wendy: Yeah, I think Jughead's a real hoot.
MM: *glare*
Wendy: Astro City. Box Office Poison. Demo. Hellboy. Dead@17. And when I get nostalgic, I dig out my back issues of Superman.
MM: Before or after he died?
Wendy: Do you want me to leave?
For existing fans of the TV show, a lot of the fun in the first two segments comes from spotting the differences between comic and episode. While many scenes are shot-for-shot and line-for-line identical, not everything is the same. Comicverse Wendy is a redhead from Iowa instead of a brunette from Florida. Ben makes more than one appearance, and Lacey is a less prominent character. (The comic still passes the Bechdel test, though!) There are several sequences that were obviously modified on screen for reasons of budget or practicality.
The third section, a story which never made it to screen - apart from the bit with Wendy in a bikini - is an extra treat for TV Middlefans. Several of my assumptions about the backstory were confirmed, and the cliffhanger ending is a jawdropper. I really hope Grillo-Marxuach gives us some closure on that one, whether or not the TV series continues. There is also a particular fight sequence that I would love to see on screen, although alas I doubt ABC would have the budget to film the elephant polo game.
There are also some backup strips included here, which give us an Elseworlds-style look into alternate Middlemen. (Theoretically they could be past Middlemen, but only if you assume our hero's predecessors were all blond and square-jawed with sidekicks called Wendy *g*.) These are a hoot, especially the one with MM as a Conan analogue who works out of a Hyperborian-age brothel.
I would definitely recommend The Middleman to geeks and comic fans everywhere, in any medium. Maybe if the TV show doesn't get renewed, Grillo-Marxuach should starting writing it on cereal boxes.
If you're a fan of the TV show, this purchase is a no-brainer. While the first two stories made it to the screen in slightly altered form, the third is entirely new middlematerial. If you haven't seen the TV show but like funny, exciting comics that have six-gun toting ninjas, Mexican wrestlers and genetically-engineered sharks, you should read it too.
Either way, you eventually find out the Middleman's real first name, which should be reason enough for fans to buy the book.
The Middleman is the story of Wendy Watson, a photogenic young artist who's working as a temp at a lab when a genetically engineered monstrosity breaks lose and tries to kill her. When the world's only professional superhero comes to the rescue, he's impressed enough by her grace under pressure to recruit her as his apprentice.
The Middleman and Wendy solve exotic problems, which involves a lot of running around, kicking people in the head, and shooting at them with laser guns. They're assisted in their duties by Ida, a snarky android stuck in the shape of a domineering schoolmarm.
The TV, movie and comicbook references fly thick and fast, helped along by the fact that Wendy is a wonderfully geeky heroine. Here's some dialogue from when the Middleman is recruiting her:
MM: Ever read comic books?
Wendy: Yeah, I think Jughead's a real hoot.
MM: *glare*
Wendy: Astro City. Box Office Poison. Demo. Hellboy. Dead@17. And when I get nostalgic, I dig out my back issues of Superman.
MM: Before or after he died?
Wendy: Do you want me to leave?
For existing fans of the TV show, a lot of the fun in the first two segments comes from spotting the differences between comic and episode. While many scenes are shot-for-shot and line-for-line identical, not everything is the same. Comicverse Wendy is a redhead from Iowa instead of a brunette from Florida. Ben makes more than one appearance, and Lacey is a less prominent character. (The comic still passes the Bechdel test, though!) There are several sequences that were obviously modified on screen for reasons of budget or practicality.
The third section, a story which never made it to screen - apart from the bit with Wendy in a bikini - is an extra treat for TV Middlefans. Several of my assumptions about the backstory were confirmed, and the cliffhanger ending is a jawdropper. I really hope Grillo-Marxuach gives us some closure on that one, whether or not the TV series continues. There is also a particular fight sequence that I would love to see on screen, although alas I doubt ABC would have the budget to film the elephant polo game.
There are also some backup strips included here, which give us an Elseworlds-style look into alternate Middlemen. (Theoretically they could be past Middlemen, but only if you assume our hero's predecessors were all blond and square-jawed with sidekicks called Wendy *g*.) These are a hoot, especially the one with MM as a Conan analogue who works out of a Hyperborian-age brothel.
I would definitely recommend The Middleman to geeks and comic fans everywhere, in any medium. Maybe if the TV show doesn't get renewed, Grillo-Marxuach should starting writing it on cereal boxes.