Can't watch anything on Hulu, since I'm not a resident of the US, but I assume the comic focuses on some superpowered woman of some sort who kicks some ass while dropping some cliché one-liners and eventually ends up sobbing in the corner before being "cured" by some guy's penis...

These motion comics BLOW! Whedon's and Cassady's Astonishing X-Men was one of my favorite comics ever. And someone decided to make it into a crappy slide show? It's looks like a bad children's learning video. I find this video insulting.

Animation isn't as bad as that Dragonlance... thing... that came out whenever. Big name stars doing the voice acting (totally phoning it in and just collecting a paycheck, for the most part) accompanied by the worst... I don't even know what to call it. Animation? Deformed love-child of a motion comic and late ninties "3d"?

I think it's pretty sweet.
And, dude, I really love this site, but...not an X-Men fan? Not a Star Trek fan? Don't know much about Dr. Who? What, exactly, IS your geek street cred?
(Incidentally, thanks for posting all the stuff about Trek and Marvel and The Doctor.)

This comic taught me that Kitty spells her name by adding a Y to the end of the name of her favorite vehicle: KITT.

MordBrand-

Rob has never made any bones about being primarily a toy collector with a strong focus on action figures.

Lovin' you.

I fully endorse this product and/or service.

Whedon's run on Astonishing X-Men is just about the only good, entertaining thing he's ever done. Why? Because he was working with established characters. Any character that he makes on his own is completely unrealistic and far too idealistic that only simpletons would enjoy.

Yes, that's how bad Whedon is. Guys who can shoot lasers from their eyes and turn into metal are more believable that the crap he creates.

Whedon is the god, thanks for posting his stuff Rob.

"Any character that he makes on his own is completely unrealistic and far too idealistic that only simpletons would enjoy."

Can we put this under the definition of "troll" in the internet dictionary? Thanks.

*mmmmmph* *mmmph* *choke* Don't ever stop posting Whedon stuff. *mmmph* *slurp* *gag* *swallow*

I've seen the comic and rather enjoyed it. Hope to see more in the future.

and just because I feel like saying it.

Emma Frost is hot.

ME rite amazing storys. Me write the most best conversations between people like a normal folk do.

Worship me and my Weadonverse.

I don't get why everyone has to be so either/or about everything. Sometimes Joss Whedon creates some entertaining work, such as the early seasons of Buffy before it got really angsty, Firefly (which didn't last long enough to devolve into angsty soap opera), Angel before it got really convoluted, and Dr. Horrible. He also writes some stories that aren't so good, and has some serious ticks in his writing. His belief that no couple can ever be happy, his love of anticlimax, his overly cutesy dialogue, and his constant killing of female characters are all problematic. Still, he can write moments of genuine pathos, engaging twists, and enjoyable character interaction. He's not perfect, by a long shot, but he has his good points. This need to compartmentalize everything into love/hate is kind of immature.

I never really thought you focused on Whedon's work. You post stuff about him from time to time just like you post anything else. If its nerd news its up.
I'm a professional salesman and the one thing we are told is that we run our business our customers don't, its no different for you Rob. Post what you want and run your site, that's what you get paid for.

Fuck motion comics.

I have no problem with you sucking Joss Whedon's dick. In fact, I wish he had two dicks so I could suck one as well.

I've been reading Marvel Comics and X-Men for years, and I've spent a LOT of money in collecting, and I have to say that the Whedon/Cassady run of Astonishing X-Men literally made me believe in the X-Men again. As with all long running comic lines, there has been a lot of crap written and drawn over the years. And it's been a serious problem for any X title. But something awesome happens when a great writer and great artist get together and really do something amazing. Astonishing was a tight, well written and well drawn series that held true to the X-men mythos and history as well as shaking things up- not the least of which being bringing back Colossus. Hopefully the motion comics will just get more people into this title, buying trade paper backs and making this kind of story telling even more popular.

GaryML said:

Can we put this under the definition of "troll" in the internet dictionary? Thanks.
Posted 11/09/2009 at 02:53:38 PM

My comments were actually very much in line with the topic of the post. Thus, what I said was the complete opposite of trolling. In fact, you taking the time to post nothing but an insult is trolling. Ironic, isn't it?

Please try to keep your comments to the topic at hand in the future. Thanks.

I haven't seen an X-Men comic since I was a freshman in highschool. In his current form he look freaking horrible. He looks like a blue Garfield. Lame.

This was my first motion comic. It creeped me out. Never again. Never again.

I collected Astonishing X Men due to Cassiday's art, but found something about the writing bugged me, and I didn't think the story was all that amazing, let alone astonishing.
Can't watch Buffy and Angel and all that crap, either. Joss Whedon is not my master now, nor will he ever be.

Black Snow, insulting people who like what you don't like is the definition of being a troll. And your response, which serves as nothing more than an effort to bait me into arguing with you over "who's the bigger troll," seals the deal. Grow up. Didn't your mother ever teach you that if you don't have anything nice to say, shut the hell up?

As for Whedon, he's hit or miss, but I still love his writing (as in screenwriting, not just dialog). Buffy was unique for its time and has suffered because of the trend it started. I never understood the love for Firefly (too derivative for my tastes), but I thought Serenity was everything the series should have been. And Dollhouse has been downright awful at times, something I never said about Angel.

But according to Black Snow, I'm a simpleton because I actually like some of Whedon's stuff. So I'm the troll? Don't think so.

PS - Black Snow, if you choose to respond, please don't mention me. I don't want you getting excited that you've finally got someone online to play with. You don't. Move on.

You know, I kinda dig this. Not enough that I'd buy it, but it was enjoyable for what it was once the uncanny valley effect wore off.

Though I have to say the current version of the beast just looks hilarious. It's hard to take him seriously.

"OMG I luvs teh Whedon"

"OMg, Whedon is teh suck. You suck Whedon's cock, you Whedon-cock sucker, you."

"Oh, you vicious troll!"

"No, you're the troll. I hates you!"

Keep going. You only get funnier the more seriously you take yourselves.

GaryML said:

Black Snow, insulting people who like what you don't like is the definition of being a troll. And your response, which serves as nothing more than an effort to bait me into arguing with you over "who's the bigger troll," seals the deal. Grow up. Didn't your mother ever teach you that if you don't have anything nice to say, shut the hell up?

As for Whedon, he's hit or miss, but I still love his writing (as in screenwriting, not just dialog). Buffy was unique for its time and has suffered because of the trend it started. I never understood the love for Firefly (too derivative for my tastes), but I thought Serenity was everything the series should have been. And Dollhouse has been downright awful at times, something I never said about Angel.

But according to Black Snow, I'm a simpleton because I actually like some of Whedon's stuff. So I'm the troll? Don't think so.

PS - Black Snow, if you choose to respond, please don't mention me. I don't want you getting excited that you've finally got someone online to play with. You don't. Move on.
Posted 11/09/2009 at 04:23:38 PM

You're adorable.

Yeah, last time I was on here commenting on how I'm glad Rob linked to Whedonesque and the Terminator letter, I was called a troll and a "Wheedork" (side note: Whedon loves those Portmanteaus, and there's only one E in Whedon).

Ignore the haters, Rob. We'll be too busy enjoying those Motion Comics.

I've never seen a motion comic before.

The animation is actually better than I thought it would be.

People, people, people, people. If you don't like Joss Whedon's work, just ignore the Joss Whedon-related posts. It isn't hard to do. Most of us ignore or choose not to post on topics we aren't interested in or don't like. Try it sometime, you may find the sun shines a little bit brighter when you don't explode with righteous Alien blood at the drop of Joss Whedon's (or James Cameron's, or George Lucas's, etc. etc. etc) name.

Not that fostering debate is a bad thing. But we know how this game is played. Step 1: Topic is postead on the web and read by people like you. Step 2: RandomUserA posts comment loving/hating the Topic. Step 3: RandomUserB posts negative response to RandomUserA's original comment (may or may not include Trollcalling). Step 4: If RandomUserB did not instigate Trollcalling, RandomUserA must now make this claim about his/her aggressor in an attempt to discount any- and everything RandomUserB has ever, or will ever, say. And these steps repeat ad nauseum, nothing is ever learned, nothing is ever gained. Everyone loses. Except, perhaps, the site admins as traffic usually spikes during these "debates". Whee!

Ugh. It's just all so boring. Your being boring on the internet. Stop it.

I am thoroughly disappointed that Emma Frost does not sound like M.O.D.O.K., I was really looking forward to that nasally voice coming out of those blue lips. Ah, so much for dreams.

a commercial in the middle of a motion comic?! and 2 minutes of end credits?!
They better improve on this.

loved the video. for joss gave the x-men some new blood and seeing ord animated is creepy. not to mention love the screaming the beast does to scott and Logan about behaving themselves. plus the swipes of Kitty and Emma. hope they get around to having the storyline with Danger as a future motion comic.

topless robot is joss whedons secret butt sex slave

ps joss whedon is horrid

as i was the person who actually asked if rob would take up the challenge of putting a moratorium on whedon for a week, i feel compelled to post.

the challenge was really misunderstood by rob, i think. more than calling HIM out for sucking whedon's cock, i was asking if he thought it might be appropriate to regulate the whedon-related comments by TR readers and guest contributors, since that was what was irking me. i thought it was a good time to ask, since rob was in a ridiculously comment-deleting mood that week.

anyway he misunderstood apparently and thought i was attacking his perceived love for whedon. not the case. also, I WAS PRETTY MUCH JOKING ANYWAY. just wanted to make that clear.

this website isn't a whedon haven all the time, but for a few days select bits of internet dickery involving whedon were cropping up on this site and bugging me a bit. the first was the halloween contest, where one person talked about how his/her pre-teen children were already showing signs of being asshole fanboys while viciously berating some poor kid in a darth maul costume while the parents stood there smugly smiling at the opposing kid's parents. while rob applauded the child's (dressed as captain mal, natch) parents, i had my own say and my comment was promptly deleted.

then there was that sci fi western article where the whole damn list was obviously just a ploy to rave about serenity (and iw as not the only poster who thought this way).

then in some random twilight article the comments again swung around to whedon. it was just like shut the fuck up already about whedon.

so that's my shpiel if anyone's still reading (you're not).

as for THIS particular article, i LOVED whedon's run on AXM, and i rarely buy comics, but i picked up all 4 collections of this. the writing was great, and to be honest, whedon's writing often IS pretty great, i seriously don't dislike the guy's work at all. i just hate the fanwankery that seems to happen around whedon.

as for motion comics...to hell with them. they are pointless. who are they for? someone who thinks cartoons are too mainstream, but thinks turning the pages of comics is too hard? motions comics have got to be the brainchild of some a-hole exec who piped up when someone suggested making a cartoon version of something and he instead said "why don't we just take the comic pages and get a skeleton crew of designers to come in and scan them so they'll work as a rudimentary awkward and awful flash animation. it'll save money and some retards will probably think it's just as good as a cartoon."

so in summation: BOO whedon fanwankery, YAY whedon's run on AXM, BOO motion comics in general, and have a nice day everyone.

Whedon Whedon blah blah blah...

The animation in that there cartoon was weird. Movement and speech made characters' heads appear to be made from a thick liquid that responds slowly to motion in its container. Creepy. Are all motion comics like that?

So...basically we're going cheap on the animation and calling it "motion comics"? Maybe I'm old, but we just used to call them "cartoons". I just can't get into the motion comic thing, it reminds me too much of PBS children's book hour shows. For the life of me, I don't understand the appeal of it. Not to knock those of you who like it, but...I just don't get it.

I honestly couldn't get into this. I tried. Same with Buffy and Angel. Haven't seen Dollhouse. Doesn't matter. Firefly/Serenity makes up for everything else. I will forever have a man-crush on Whedon because of it.

I thought Whedon's Astonishing X-Men run was pretty lame, actually. It was a bunch of nostalgic fan-service to Chris Claremont, where Whedon just did everything he could to duplicate all the things that were popular about the CC era, and mixed in his own silly Buffy-style banter for good measure.

But to each their own, I guess. I just thought everything Whedon did on AXM was better the first time around, in the 80s, when Chris did it.

@ZeroCorpse: Claremont also had the partnership with Byrne, don't forget that. Claremont hasn't been the same since he came back with X-Treme X-Men. He's really dependent on the artist not making his stories/dialogue seem childish and pedantic.

As for Whedon: Inspiration isn't the same as imitation. That style of story/storytelling was popular in the 70s, particularly with the X-Men, and specifically with the Claremont/Byrne duo. Whedon said he wanted to write the comic as an homage to that era, because that's what he loved to. How is that a bad thing if the end result is good, or, at least, isn't easily mistaken for bad?

@ RobP

It's bad when in New X-men by Morrison changed things, made them interesting and whatnot again. And then as soon as he leaves, things are shuffled back to the same damn thing they used to be.

"Grant Morrison's New X-Men is about cool and inventive changes to the status quo, which the next writers promptly drop in favor of telling the same damn stories."

Plus bringing back Colossus was a dick move.

"Claremont hasn't been the same since he came back with X-Treme X-Men."

All too true.

I've read the "Dark Phoenix Saga" way too many times and given away multiple copies of various editions of the trade. It's definitely in my top ten story arcs of any title, and may be my single favorite in-universe plotline ever. But Calremont's work now? Ugh! It's the comics equivalent of yet another Rolling Stones tour: past glory relived in as ugly a fashion as possible.

@Warped

Have you read Whedon's and Cassaday's run on Astonishing? The status is most certainly not quo. As much as I liked a lot of Grant Morrison's New X-Men stuff, I was never even close to being emotionally invested in the characters-- mainly because we were suddenly inundated with n00bz we'd never seen nor heard of before. If Morrison had taken a bit more time establishing these new characters before he started killing them off or making their subplots central to the storyline, I would have liked it more. Meanwhile, the characters we don't need set-up for, the established ones, often didn't seem to live up to expectations or were given short-shrift. That's one thing that can't be said about Whedon, give him just a little bit of time and all the characters he writes have moments in the spotlight. Whedon and Morrison had almost the exact same amount of time writing their books-- about 2 years each-- and Morrison never got anywhere the pathos of Giant-Sized Astonishing X-Men. Hell, Morrison's never written anything as emotionally charged as "Where Do We Go From Here," the final ballad in Buffy's musical episode Once More With Feeling.

But, I'm rambling. My point is, as much as I enjoy Morrison's work-- especially his DC/Vertigo titles-- he doesn't reach the emotional highs, or lows, that Whedon is capable of. Maybe it's because he's British?

Oh, and Colossus was coming back no matter what Whedon did. That was a decision made by Joe Quesada, if I'm not mistaken. So, I'm glad Whedon brought him back instead of Morrison. Morrison would have rushed it and never bothered with the personal implications of his return. We would've only had a moral examination of whether or not it was the right thing to do, and while that could be an interesting read, it's not what I want from X-Men. Joss Whedon knows what I want from my favorite characters, and he gave it to me with Astonishing.

'Nuff said (finally).

"Hell, Morrison's never written anything as emotionally charged as "Where Do We Go From Here," the final ballad in Buffy's musical episode Once More With Feeling."

Go read his JLA run and try to say that with any seriousness.

And as I've said before, Morrison's run was designed mainly to appeal to people who'd long since thrown up their hands at the inherent stupidity of the X-Men line. If you've stuck with the line for a long time, fine, more power to you, but those of us who'd long since bailed out, actually making that series readable was a big improvement.

@Geoff

Oh, I'd certainly never try to argue that the X-Men hasn't been awful at times. In my opinion, it's usually from the peripheral titles, but the main two books have had their fair share of badness. That's going to happen with ANY comic book that's taken virtually no breaks since it started more than 40 years ago. If comics had gone the way Alan Moore had originally envisioned, or the way Dark House puts out books, we'd have more mini-series, one-shots, and the like rather than on-going. It's a shame the industry didn't go that route, especially now that everything is getting printed as "graphic novels" anyway. But, when you're constantly trying to jam in 12 issues a year, with a round robin of creators, shit is going to happen.

Oh, and you're right, I do need to read his run on JLA. It's one of the few things Morrison's done that I haven't read, but I wasn't reading any DC comics when that originally came out, so I missed it. I have heard great things about it, though.

Oh!

And, just as a defense to my previous argument, re: Whedon v. Morrison: One emotionally resonant story in JLA 10 years ago is not the same as a career built on them.

(sorry for the triple post. ugh. I need more coffee...)

I won't say Whedon is better then any particular person, but anyone who can look at "Toy Story", "Buffy", "Angel", "Firefly", "Serenity", "Fray", "Astonishing X-men", and "Dr. Horrible" and not find something they appreciate, then there is only one possibility.

You are a cylon and I have to throw you out the airlock.

@RobP

By "Status quo" I mean "Hey let's bring back goofy costumes" and "Hey let's ignore all this character development and whatnot and make it like the Claremont/Bryne stuff again".

The only character who was slightly different was Colossus, because he was tortured. So now he's an emo artist. Boo hoo.

I read all of Whedon's run, and the wrap up Giant Sized, which was fucking idiotic.

I found most of the villains boring and bland. Most of the character interactions crap that's already been done before and explored with more depth elsewhere. Wolverine's character portrayal can be forgiven because he's a walking cliche now. But making Kitty sorta ditzy and childish again and inescure? Annoying. Emma Queen as a cold bitch, been done. The jokes were, like Whedon's style, campy or slapstick. I'm not a fan of that. It's just too easy. I guess I just expect more.

Beast's "hey let's throw him back to being COMPLETELY insecure about his looks and mutation again, despite it being done over and over and over and over again" is just like "Hey let's make Deadpool want to be a hero again!" by any writer out there.

The big wrap up? A giant fucking bullet that somehow goes faster than the speed of light, and was fired JUST right, so that it could hit the Earth when it's orbiting around the sun, at just the right moment so that it doesn't hit any other planets or anything.

I know comics are implausible by nature. Gamma radiation making a Hulk, instead of a giant walking tumor (Which was an awesome fucking Elseworlds style tale by Warren Ellis) sure. But a giant bullet, across the cosmos, which projects happy rays to keep it from being stopped? For fuck's sake. That's retarded.

It was a boring run for me. Grand Morrison introduced new things, new aspects, and made it fit. Whedon just said "Copy paste, gay joke, small fight, beer, repeat" and let it go on way too long.

@ Bryant

Randy Newman made me hate Toy Story. Horribly. As a child it made me angry to think of that movie, and those horrible fucking way too direct songs.

Angel/Buffy were too campy and over the top for me to enjoy, and the mythos was way too convoluted, and by the 5th or 6th season, just stopped trying.

Firefly, I enjoyed it better in anime form with less camp and goofiness.

Never read Fray, figured it more for the same.

Astonishing X-Men was a rehash of The Claremont/Bryne X-men comics, after there were many changes and alternations to the characters that make their interactions in Astonishing unbelievable.

And bringing back Colossus, after a nice well done death, was still a dick move.

Dr. Horrible made me sorta chuckle at one or two of the lyrical content of the songs, but the horrible cheesiness of the tunes themselves made me cringe. It's like he took Wesley Willis' beat machine and turned it to pop mode.

@WarpedElements

Fucking Toaster!!!

*SHOOMP...or whatever noise a douchebag makes me when sucked in to space*