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Nemesis
Nemesis
Il team creativo che ha realizzato il più grande evento Marvel dell’ultima decade, Mark Millar & Steve McNiven, si ricostituisce per uno degli eventi fumettistici dell’anno. Civil War? Nulla in confronto. Kick-Ass? Un semplice riscaldamento. Cosa succederebbe se il più intelligente e forte supereroe al mondo fosse malvagio? Ecco a voi Nemesis! Ha distrutto la vita di ogni ufficiale di polizia in Asia e adesso è pronto a scagliarsi contro Washington D.C. Già, la polizia non ha speranza! Violenza, terrore e geniali trovate grafiche per quello che è già un fumetto di culto..
Questo eBook comprende i numeri da 1 a 4 della serie Nemesis, pubblicata negli USA da Icon, un'introduzione, le biografie degli autori e tutte le copertine originali.
104 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 26, 2012
16 people are currently reading
880 people want to read
About the author
Mark Millar
1,533 books2,585 followersMark Millar is the New York Times best-selling writer of Wanted, the Kick-Ass series, The Secret Service, Jupiter’s Legacy, Jupiter’s Circle, Nemesis, Superior, Super Crooks, American Jesus, MPH, Starlight, and Chrononauts. Wanted, Kick-Ass, Kick-Ass 2, and The Secret Service (as Kingsman: The Secret Service) have been adapted into feature films, and Nemesis, Superior, Starlight, War Heroes, Jupiter’s Legacy and Chrononauts are in development at major studios.
His DC Comics work includes the seminal Superman: Red Son, and at Marvel Comics he created The Ultimates – selected by Time magazine as the comic book of the decade, Wolverine: Old Man Logan, and Civil War – the industry’s biggest-selling superhero series in almost two decades.
Mark has been an Executive Producer on all his movie adaptations and is currently creative consultant to Fox Studios on their Marvel slate of movies.
His DC Comics work includes the seminal Superman: Red Son, and at Marvel Comics he created The Ultimates – selected by Time magazine as the comic book of the decade, Wolverine: Old Man Logan, and Civil War – the industry’s biggest-selling superhero series in almost two decades.
Mark has been an Executive Producer on all his movie adaptations and is currently creative consultant to Fox Studios on their Marvel slate of movies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 335 reviews
August 3, 2025
(B+) 79% | Good
Notes: Bit overkill on super-skills (if Batman were the Joker), a kind of mocking, edgelord-shocking, one-note cruelty stoker.
*Progress updates: Preamble ◦ Issues #1-2 ◦ Issues #3-4
Notes: Bit overkill on super-skills (if Batman were the Joker), a kind of mocking, edgelord-shocking, one-note cruelty stoker.
*Progress updates: Preamble ◦ Issues #1-2 ◦ Issues #3-4
September 13, 2023
I wanted to like it a bit more than I did.
Free embarrassing story: I'd never heard of Nemesis until I went to Charlotte's HeroesCon this past year where I ran into a guy wearing what I thought was a Moon Knight costume. The (Goodreads!) friend I was with thought he was someone completely different and even called out to him, Hey, are you {insert name I can't remember here}?
At this point, he looked at us like imbeciles and revealed that he was NEMESIS.
Feeling a bit like a dumbass, yet thankful I didn't yell out Hey, Moon Knight!, I decided to find out who had inspired such a rad costume. And that's how 13ish years after its publication, I'm just now reading this comic.
Sadly, I didn't love-love it as much as I'd hoped.
But that's not to say that this is a bad comic, it just didn't hit my sweet spot. And it's only 4 issues, so you really can't compare it to a villain-centric comic like Irredeemable, which had a lot more depth.
Plus, I don't think Millar was really going for depth here, focusing mainly on shock.
Now, I like my blood and gore in full-color splash pages just like every other girl, but there was a tad too much adolescent gross-out glee for me to get really invested in caring about any of the characters.
The gist is that Nemesis is Batman but evil.
Evil with a capital E.
Pain and suffering give him a woody, so he's continually upping the sadistic nature of his crimes. But what really gives him a hard-on is humiliating and killing the head of police departments around the world. And then he comes to the US and takes on the goodest good guy ever, Chief Inspector Blake Morrow.
There are a lot of twists and turns (too many? eh. nah.) as Nemesis remains 10 steps ahead of everyone, leaving gobs of disgusting carnage strewn behind him.
I can see why this became a hit, but there was just that whateveritis missing to propel it into a favorite for me.
Recommended for fans of Millar and blood spatter.
Free embarrassing story: I'd never heard of Nemesis until I went to Charlotte's HeroesCon this past year where I ran into a guy wearing what I thought was a Moon Knight costume. The (Goodreads!) friend I was with thought he was someone completely different and even called out to him, Hey, are you {insert name I can't remember here}?
At this point, he looked at us like imbeciles and revealed that he was NEMESIS.
Feeling a bit like a dumbass, yet thankful I didn't yell out Hey, Moon Knight!, I decided to find out who had inspired such a rad costume. And that's how 13ish years after its publication, I'm just now reading this comic.
Sadly, I didn't love-love it as much as I'd hoped.
But that's not to say that this is a bad comic, it just didn't hit my sweet spot. And it's only 4 issues, so you really can't compare it to a villain-centric comic like Irredeemable, which had a lot more depth.
Plus, I don't think Millar was really going for depth here, focusing mainly on shock.
Now, I like my blood and gore in full-color splash pages just like every other girl, but there was a tad too much adolescent gross-out glee for me to get really invested in caring about any of the characters.
The gist is that Nemesis is Batman but evil.
Evil with a capital E.
Pain and suffering give him a woody, so he's continually upping the sadistic nature of his crimes. But what really gives him a hard-on is humiliating and killing the head of police departments around the world. And then he comes to the US and takes on the goodest good guy ever, Chief Inspector Blake Morrow.
There are a lot of twists and turns (too many? eh. nah.) as Nemesis remains 10 steps ahead of everyone, leaving gobs of disgusting carnage strewn behind him.
I can see why this became a hit, but there was just that whateveritis missing to propel it into a favorite for me.
Recommended for fans of Millar and blood spatter.
September 2, 2022
Nemesis is Mark Millar's worst book ever and it would be nothing without Steve McNiven’s glorious artwork. It is without a doubt one of the worst “superhero” books ever made, with its 4 issues being some of the most pointless drivel I’ve ever had the displeasure to read. The story itself is basically: What if Batman was an evil supervillain with way too much time on his hands? But it just doesn’t work.
It wants to be this over-the-top and absurd romp that acts as a new spin on the whole good versus evil struggle that was seen in most capeshit comics at the time it was written and is even still seen nowadays, but it’s sadly just too childish and annoying for me to get anything of note out of it. It also tries to make some point about rich people being untouchable and all that, but it doesn’t land at all and even if it had, I could still think of a million other things off the top of my head that have done that better. This is just the epitome of pointless edgelord nihilism.
The whole series feels like one horribly overlong issue #0 setting up the inevitable sequel, and the only reason I checked it out was because of the artist who was announced to be drawing the sequel. And I'm still checking out the sequel even after how bad this was because Jorge Jiménez is the artist of it and I love that guy. Millar really gets the best artists in the industry to work with him, and then just ends up wasting them on stories as bad as this. At least we know Nemesis 2 is guaranteed to look as jaw-dropping as the first one though! The real villain of this book isn't Nemesis himself—it’s Mark Millar.
The story is this evil Batman goes around the world starting games with the policemen of different police departments, and the story picks up in the middle of one of his fucked up games in Tokyo. After Nemesis has finished having his fun there, he quickly sets his sights on the Chief of Police in Washington DC, Blake Morrow. And soon enough, DC becomes the playground for a very messed up game of cat and mouse…
I honestly don’t even hate Millar’s work as much as others seem to, but this book encapsulates everything wrong with him as a writer. Most people who read Millar knows he’s a hack who just gets super talented artists across the industry to draw his movie/TV show pitches, and I usually don’t mind his books because I go into them knowing that. And they usually are genuinely well-drawn comics that you can turn your brain off to and have fun with. But this isn’t fun at all even if it is well-drawn, because it’s just loud, obnoxious, and grating to read.
There is at one point, and I kid you not this actually happens, a woman has her brother’s semen surgically implanted in her, along with an “abortion bomb”, meaning if she aborts the baby she's been forced to have with her brother, her womb will collapse and she will explode. And yes, I'm serious. Just what the fuck...like…why? I mean they do explain why, but it doesn’t make it any less pathetic of any idea. It’s frankly just disgusting, unnecessary, and stupid. Kinda like this book!
And it doesn’t help that the story itself is bland and has zero substance. It’s also somehow boring all the way through, even with all the great-looking mindless action going on. Like yeah McNiven’s art is stunning, but why should I care about anything happening? Millar’s script drones on nonstop between the beats of meaningless, yet predictable shock value. And it’s all made worse by the fact Nemesis is just able to do whatever the story needs him to do. I’ve always disliked how much of a cop-out Batman's over-preparedness usually is, and Millar takes full advantage of that overused nonsense by making Nemesis this unbelievably effective version of murder Batman.
The whole book is: “Nemesis I have you dead to rights! Oh wait, you planned for this and every single thing I could possibly throw at you? How original!! I definitely didn’t see that coming!!”
Nemesis just outsmarts everyone at every turn and it’s never surprising or engaging or thrilling when he does. It’s just a thing that keeps happening. Even the ending tries to pull a surprise twist on the whole outsmarting thing that’s done throughout this, but it’s just as dumb as the rest of the book. And the beat with the president in the last issue wasn’t a shock either. I’m just so sick of the “smart character who is constantly outsmarting another smart character” nonsense at this point. It doesn’t work for me unless pulled off really well, and it falls especially flat when the story is as bad as this. I think even the Batman Who Laughs pulled it off better than this did, and that book is fucking horrendous.
Maybe if I read this when it came out I could appreciate what Millar’s going for more, but it just feels so same-y at this point. This isn’t the breath of fresh air Millar thinks it is. Nemesis is just an over-prepped dudebro that can do whatever Millar wants him to do, and it makes for a boring read since there’s absolutely no tension, stakes, or any reason to care about any of the characters throughout the whole thing. I haven’t even mentioned Morrow because who cares? None of this matters!
And the aforementioned ending twist is the cherry on top of the stupid sundae. I almost had to laugh at how bad it was, and it’s made even funnier by the fact Millar probably thought it was all clever and deep too. I also could be totally wrong because I am assuming this based on their history with one another, but I really feel like Millar rewrote the ending for this after the reveal in Grant Morrison’s Batman run that Bruce Wayne was running Batman Inc. That’s my little tinfoil hat theory, and the timeline matches up soooo…
The only good part about this entire thing is Steve McNiven's glorious art. I can't believe he had to draw a story as horrendous as this one, but at least the entire thing looks flawless from beginning to end. McNiven is able to fully flex his artistic muscles throughout these 4 issues, especially when he draws the disturbing hyper-violence and large-scale destruction. The book’s fucked up, but it always looks great. The action scenes are dynamic and easy to follow, and it makes me pretty excited to see what Jiménez will get to draw in the second series since he’s so great at those fast-paced action set-pieces.
And I did admittedly like most of that action from McNiven, especially the 4 panels where Nemesis shot a bazooka at a helicopter mid-backflip after jumping off his bike. Everything before and after that was dumb as fuck, but even I can admit that page was unironically sweet. Congrats Millar, I liked your shitty book for one whole page! But maybe reading this might actually be worth it if Jiménez somehow tops that in the next book. Even if the story is bad as this one, I’ll definitely end up at least flipping through the second volume to see Jiménez’s art. He’s the whole reason I even read this one in the first place!! I’ve also never seen Jiménez do an 18+ book, so I’m quite intrigued to say the least.
But this is a bad book. A very bad book. It’s boring, nonsensical, and embarrassing. It's just Millar being a disgusting hack for 4 issues as he tries to ship off the movie rights for another shitty Millarworld property that will most likely never get made. I remember the movie for this being announced years ago, and guess what’s happened since then? Nothing! Shocker! And on the off chance it actually does get green-lit again, it'll more than likely just stay stuck in development hell like all of Millar’s other Netflix originals.
Nemesis is overrated and overhyped garbage with some pretty artwork, and anyone acting like this is some original or thought-provoking superhero story is kidding themselves. It’s a poorly written nightmare that is saved by astounding art. But even that art can’t get it an extra star because the package as a whole is truly that shitty. You should avoid this derivative and pathetic mess at all costs unless you find it at the library and just flip through the art. If McNiven's art wasn't here, this would probably be the single shittiest comic I've touched this year. My roommate is a big Millarworld and Image fan so I’ll probably borrow the second volume from him whenever it comes out since I fucking love Jorge Jiménez, but no way in hell am I dropping a dime on that sequel myself.
It wants to be this over-the-top and absurd romp that acts as a new spin on the whole good versus evil struggle that was seen in most capeshit comics at the time it was written and is even still seen nowadays, but it’s sadly just too childish and annoying for me to get anything of note out of it. It also tries to make some point about rich people being untouchable and all that, but it doesn’t land at all and even if it had, I could still think of a million other things off the top of my head that have done that better. This is just the epitome of pointless edgelord nihilism.
The whole series feels like one horribly overlong issue #0 setting up the inevitable sequel, and the only reason I checked it out was because of the artist who was announced to be drawing the sequel. And I'm still checking out the sequel even after how bad this was because Jorge Jiménez is the artist of it and I love that guy. Millar really gets the best artists in the industry to work with him, and then just ends up wasting them on stories as bad as this. At least we know Nemesis 2 is guaranteed to look as jaw-dropping as the first one though! The real villain of this book isn't Nemesis himself—it’s Mark Millar.
The story is this evil Batman goes around the world starting games with the policemen of different police departments, and the story picks up in the middle of one of his fucked up games in Tokyo. After Nemesis has finished having his fun there, he quickly sets his sights on the Chief of Police in Washington DC, Blake Morrow. And soon enough, DC becomes the playground for a very messed up game of cat and mouse…
I honestly don’t even hate Millar’s work as much as others seem to, but this book encapsulates everything wrong with him as a writer. Most people who read Millar knows he’s a hack who just gets super talented artists across the industry to draw his movie/TV show pitches, and I usually don’t mind his books because I go into them knowing that. And they usually are genuinely well-drawn comics that you can turn your brain off to and have fun with. But this isn’t fun at all even if it is well-drawn, because it’s just loud, obnoxious, and grating to read.
There is at one point, and I kid you not this actually happens, a woman has her brother’s semen surgically implanted in her, along with an “abortion bomb”, meaning if she aborts the baby she's been forced to have with her brother, her womb will collapse and she will explode. And yes, I'm serious. Just what the fuck...like…why? I mean they do explain why, but it doesn’t make it any less pathetic of any idea. It’s frankly just disgusting, unnecessary, and stupid. Kinda like this book!
And it doesn’t help that the story itself is bland and has zero substance. It’s also somehow boring all the way through, even with all the great-looking mindless action going on. Like yeah McNiven’s art is stunning, but why should I care about anything happening? Millar’s script drones on nonstop between the beats of meaningless, yet predictable shock value. And it’s all made worse by the fact Nemesis is just able to do whatever the story needs him to do. I’ve always disliked how much of a cop-out Batman's over-preparedness usually is, and Millar takes full advantage of that overused nonsense by making Nemesis this unbelievably effective version of murder Batman.
The whole book is: “Nemesis I have you dead to rights! Oh wait, you planned for this and every single thing I could possibly throw at you? How original!! I definitely didn’t see that coming!!”
Nemesis just outsmarts everyone at every turn and it’s never surprising or engaging or thrilling when he does. It’s just a thing that keeps happening. Even the ending tries to pull a surprise twist on the whole outsmarting thing that’s done throughout this, but it’s just as dumb as the rest of the book. And the beat with the president in the last issue wasn’t a shock either. I’m just so sick of the “smart character who is constantly outsmarting another smart character” nonsense at this point. It doesn’t work for me unless pulled off really well, and it falls especially flat when the story is as bad as this. I think even the Batman Who Laughs pulled it off better than this did, and that book is fucking horrendous.
Maybe if I read this when it came out I could appreciate what Millar’s going for more, but it just feels so same-y at this point. This isn’t the breath of fresh air Millar thinks it is. Nemesis is just an over-prepped dudebro that can do whatever Millar wants him to do, and it makes for a boring read since there’s absolutely no tension, stakes, or any reason to care about any of the characters throughout the whole thing. I haven’t even mentioned Morrow because who cares? None of this matters!
And the aforementioned ending twist is the cherry on top of the stupid sundae. I almost had to laugh at how bad it was, and it’s made even funnier by the fact Millar probably thought it was all clever and deep too. I also could be totally wrong because I am assuming this based on their history with one another, but I really feel like Millar rewrote the ending for this after the reveal in Grant Morrison’s Batman run that Bruce Wayne was running Batman Inc. That’s my little tinfoil hat theory, and the timeline matches up soooo…
The only good part about this entire thing is Steve McNiven's glorious art. I can't believe he had to draw a story as horrendous as this one, but at least the entire thing looks flawless from beginning to end. McNiven is able to fully flex his artistic muscles throughout these 4 issues, especially when he draws the disturbing hyper-violence and large-scale destruction. The book’s fucked up, but it always looks great. The action scenes are dynamic and easy to follow, and it makes me pretty excited to see what Jiménez will get to draw in the second series since he’s so great at those fast-paced action set-pieces.
And I did admittedly like most of that action from McNiven, especially the 4 panels where Nemesis shot a bazooka at a helicopter mid-backflip after jumping off his bike. Everything before and after that was dumb as fuck, but even I can admit that page was unironically sweet. Congrats Millar, I liked your shitty book for one whole page! But maybe reading this might actually be worth it if Jiménez somehow tops that in the next book. Even if the story is bad as this one, I’ll definitely end up at least flipping through the second volume to see Jiménez’s art. He’s the whole reason I even read this one in the first place!! I’ve also never seen Jiménez do an 18+ book, so I’m quite intrigued to say the least.
But this is a bad book. A very bad book. It’s boring, nonsensical, and embarrassing. It's just Millar being a disgusting hack for 4 issues as he tries to ship off the movie rights for another shitty Millarworld property that will most likely never get made. I remember the movie for this being announced years ago, and guess what’s happened since then? Nothing! Shocker! And on the off chance it actually does get green-lit again, it'll more than likely just stay stuck in development hell like all of Millar’s other Netflix originals.
Nemesis is overrated and overhyped garbage with some pretty artwork, and anyone acting like this is some original or thought-provoking superhero story is kidding themselves. It’s a poorly written nightmare that is saved by astounding art. But even that art can’t get it an extra star because the package as a whole is truly that shitty. You should avoid this derivative and pathetic mess at all costs unless you find it at the library and just flip through the art. If McNiven's art wasn't here, this would probably be the single shittiest comic I've touched this year. My roommate is a big Millarworld and Image fan so I’ll probably borrow the second volume from him whenever it comes out since I fucking love Jorge Jiménez, but no way in hell am I dropping a dime on that sequel myself.
August 3, 2023
3.5/5
I think i would have liked it a lot more if it was only Nemesis, and if he actually won at the end of the day.
But the alternative is still good, its good action packed thriller, not sure if i read a mark millar before, but it was a great experience, i sure as hell seen the movies though! they were pretty good.
I was rooting for Nemesis all the way through, never deviated from cheer leading him on lol
But i felt something is wrong when he said i am rich i can do whatever i want to do, we don't lose at this moment, i felt something was off about the character, but then the ending letter explained everything.
I think i would have liked it a lot more if it was only Nemesis, and if he actually won at the end of the day.
But the alternative is still good, its good action packed thriller, not sure if i read a mark millar before, but it was a great experience, i sure as hell seen the movies though! they were pretty good.
I was rooting for Nemesis all the way through, never deviated from cheer leading him on lol
But i felt something is wrong when he said i am rich i can do whatever i want to do, we don't lose at this moment, i felt something was off about the character, but then the ending letter explained everything.
June 24, 2017
This comic is a near perfect page turner! Full of surprises! with only four issues, this is one hell of packed action comics. Issue 1-3 worth 4 or 5 star.
But... I don't like the final issue. I need to put spoiler tag, there are big spoilers . A 1 star for Issue #4.
But... I don't like the final issue. I need to put spoiler tag, there are big spoilers . A 1 star for Issue #4.
April 16, 2024
A cynical book, that has little to offer beyond violence and shock value.
I liked the art, though.
I liked the art, though.
January 27, 2013
Mark Millar teams up with his Civil War artist Steve McNiven for possibly the best book he's written so far. The book starts off at a blistering pace, throwing the reader straight into the action as Nemesis blasts a murderous path of vengeance across Asia before turning his attentions to Washington DC.
At every expectation in the story Millar draws the reader in only to pull the rug out and flip the situation on its head. I was hooked from the first page to the last as Millar throws in all the tropes of the superhero story and completely obliterate them. I won't go into them here but let you discover them for yourself because they're that good. Suffice it to say nobody out there is writing superhero books like this. Millar is a true original.
And Steve McNiven - is there another artist drawing superheroes at the top of his game like he is? Gorgeous artwork adorns every page, perfectly complimenting Millar's sharply written scenes. Quite simply the best in the business.
Do you like superhero stories but are bored with what most of DC and Marvel put out? Give this a go. It's a much needed adrenalin shot in the arm for a genre that's, frankly, become stagnant. Millar and McNiven together again, doing what they do best - amazing comics. A wonderful read and one of 2011's best so far.
*Update, 27 January 2013: Re-read this nearly 2 years after reading it the first time and have to say it holds up really well. Really well. Still amazing, over the top action goodness with a great twist at the end. Can't wait for the sequel!
At every expectation in the story Millar draws the reader in only to pull the rug out and flip the situation on its head. I was hooked from the first page to the last as Millar throws in all the tropes of the superhero story and completely obliterate them. I won't go into them here but let you discover them for yourself because they're that good. Suffice it to say nobody out there is writing superhero books like this. Millar is a true original.
And Steve McNiven - is there another artist drawing superheroes at the top of his game like he is? Gorgeous artwork adorns every page, perfectly complimenting Millar's sharply written scenes. Quite simply the best in the business.
Do you like superhero stories but are bored with what most of DC and Marvel put out? Give this a go. It's a much needed adrenalin shot in the arm for a genre that's, frankly, become stagnant. Millar and McNiven together again, doing what they do best - amazing comics. A wonderful read and one of 2011's best so far.
*Update, 27 January 2013: Re-read this nearly 2 years after reading it the first time and have to say it holds up really well. Really well. Still amazing, over the top action goodness with a great twist at the end. Can't wait for the sequel!
August 31, 2018
Storyline: ☆
Artworks: ☆☆☆☆
Final Vote: ☆☆1/2
What if Batman was the one and only supervillain in the world?
I loved Millar's Civil War: A Marvel Comics Event and Wanted, but like Wolverine: Old Man Logan, I've found this one too much grotesque and without substance, with some good ideas sacrificed together with characters development on the altar of action-packed ultraviolence for thill's sake.
The ending was just senseless for me and some scenes like the Air Force One assault just need a suspension of disbelief overdose to be really appreciated.
I'm afraid this was a wasted opportunity to analyze the third stage of superheroism, the immoral and nihilistic total embracing of villainess after the man turning superhero (Kick-Ass) and the gradual descent of an ordinary guy into the criminal underworld (Wanted).
Such a shame.
September 10, 2014
Interesting take on an old trope. The main character is sort of a reverse Batman. Answers the question, what if a Billionaire playboy became a super villian instead of a hero.
I enjoy Millar's style, and his stories are always tight, clever, and fast-moving. This one's no exception.
July 23, 2018
I found this book to be twisted, vulgar, unnecessarily violent and entirely in bad taste.
And that is precisely why I liked it.
I didn't feel like Nemesis was trying to challenge me to look at comics any differently. If this book was trying to make a point, it was lost on me. It felt more like a bloody, juvenile romp that just wanted to shock me. That was to be expected, based on the many reviews and "Worst comic book stories of all-time" lists I browsed beforehand. Sometimes, when the mood strikes, I enjoy watching a comic book story go off the rails so I can indulge in the twisted spectacle.
And that is precisely why I liked it.
I didn't feel like Nemesis was trying to challenge me to look at comics any differently. If this book was trying to make a point, it was lost on me. It felt more like a bloody, juvenile romp that just wanted to shock me. That was to be expected, based on the many reviews and "Worst comic book stories of all-time" lists I browsed beforehand. Sometimes, when the mood strikes, I enjoy watching a comic book story go off the rails so I can indulge in the twisted spectacle.
April 6, 2018
My introduction to Mark Millar was from reading Wanted, an over-the-top actioner set in a world where such villains have secretly taken control of the planet, which not only proved that Millar was the most demented writer I’ve read, but became a loose film adaptation in 2008. Known for his cynical sensibilities that he has applied to a number of Marvel comics, for better (The Ultimates) or worse (Civil War), Millar is at his best through his creator-owned work, or Millarworld as he’s called it to perhaps show off his ego.
Published by the Icon Comics imprint of Marvel, Millar and Steve McNiven’s Nemesis centres on the eponymous supervillain who is known for murdering cops throughout the world and his next target is Washington, D.C.-based metro police Chief Inspector Blake Morrow.
Much like Wanted, this is a story where there are no heroes and yet, despite the horrific nature Nemesis brings to the world, this comic doesn’t embrace the supervillain. Very much a two-header between Nemesis and Morrow, there is a subtle grey characterisation that Millar surprisingly brings, with the latter being more consumed by work than family no matter how much he tries to protect them, while the former whose childhood was ruined by the forces around him.
In four issues, Millar spends no time delaying the bloodshed with the gleefully sinister Nemesis luring a Japanese cop into his death by train and throughout the miniseries, things get bloodier and fantastic. Although his art here isn’t as polished as his Marvel work, McNiven still nails the over-the-top violent action as we expect from him and Millar, in particular the first issue with Nemesis reigning his escalation of destruction from Tokyo to Washington, whilst the pages do not shy away from the countless deaths shown in gory detail.
Following a terrific twist which shines a dark light towards its eponymous villain, it certainly leaves the door open for a sequel, should Millar and McNiven reunite to do so, as well as a film adaptation in the works. For those who like to read some OTT action-packed cynicism in superhero (or villain) comics, check out Nemesis!
Published by the Icon Comics imprint of Marvel, Millar and Steve McNiven’s Nemesis centres on the eponymous supervillain who is known for murdering cops throughout the world and his next target is Washington, D.C.-based metro police Chief Inspector Blake Morrow.
Much like Wanted, this is a story where there are no heroes and yet, despite the horrific nature Nemesis brings to the world, this comic doesn’t embrace the supervillain. Very much a two-header between Nemesis and Morrow, there is a subtle grey characterisation that Millar surprisingly brings, with the latter being more consumed by work than family no matter how much he tries to protect them, while the former whose childhood was ruined by the forces around him.
In four issues, Millar spends no time delaying the bloodshed with the gleefully sinister Nemesis luring a Japanese cop into his death by train and throughout the miniseries, things get bloodier and fantastic. Although his art here isn’t as polished as his Marvel work, McNiven still nails the over-the-top violent action as we expect from him and Millar, in particular the first issue with Nemesis reigning his escalation of destruction from Tokyo to Washington, whilst the pages do not shy away from the countless deaths shown in gory detail.
Following a terrific twist which shines a dark light towards its eponymous villain, it certainly leaves the door open for a sequel, should Millar and McNiven reunite to do so, as well as a film adaptation in the works. For those who like to read some OTT action-packed cynicism in superhero (or villain) comics, check out Nemesis!
May 12, 2015
Another great short story from Millar. Great artwork, great story, I just wish it wasn't so short and I wish there were sequels to his stories!
August 14, 2011
Nice little popcorn read, I'm sure Millar thinks he's making some profound commentary on the world zeitgeist - but really he's just earning dividends on the beast of his own making, and trying to place blame for the nihilistic world view elsewhere.
I usually enjoy Millar & McNiven, and this is a fun, breezy read - but also forgettable, even if the writing at least makes the effort to give us some Hollywood twists and turns.
I'm happy for Millar that he's found success between Hollywood and comics (aka Millar's movie development studio). I'm a little disappointed he couldn't invest more in the books for their *own* enjoyment, but not everyone can be an Ellis or Ennis.
Unfortunately despite what some may think, I don't care that much for the art. It's kinetic and conveys the scenes extremely well, but the art is both shiny and "flat" (i.e. lacking in depth of scenes, much background or necessary shading).
Yeah, that's why this tale is so forgettable - who gives a rat's ass about one-dimensional idle rich? Didn't exactly give me any insights into the world or myself, except that I'm glad I don't write this lazily.
I usually enjoy Millar & McNiven, and this is a fun, breezy read - but also forgettable, even if the writing at least makes the effort to give us some Hollywood twists and turns.
I'm happy for Millar that he's found success between Hollywood and comics (aka Millar's movie development studio). I'm a little disappointed he couldn't invest more in the books for their *own* enjoyment, but not everyone can be an Ellis or Ennis.
Unfortunately despite what some may think, I don't care that much for the art. It's kinetic and conveys the scenes extremely well, but the art is both shiny and "flat" (i.e. lacking in depth of scenes, much background or necessary shading).
Yeah, that's why this tale is so forgettable - who gives a rat's ass about one-dimensional idle rich? Didn't exactly give me any insights into the world or myself, except that I'm glad I don't write this lazily.
June 21, 2016
2.5 to make it clear. This is RIGHT down the middle.
So what if you created a villain with no constraints. You'd get Nemesis. He'll slice your dick off, he'll make your kids have sex with each other, he'll strap a bomb to your wife. He'll do whatever it takes, he has no limits, he is...THE NEMESIS.
This probably would have been cooler if I was 16 still and just wanted mindless insane action without any real characters. You can kill a million people, you can force incest as much as you want, but in the end if you don't have characters to care about...what's the point?
Oh yeah, shock factor. Well this story does a pretty good job at that.
Listen, this isn't a horrible story, hence the 2.5. It's actually a very quick read, the pacing is solid, there's no boring parts, and there are some crazy amount of violent moments. That's it though. There isn't much more to find here. It's like seeing a really cool action figure, you put it up, but never really look at it again. Okay...that was dumb, but you get the point.
This is a empty book with no real soul, just mindless violence. Which could mean a good time, which I had, but nothing I'll remember.
So what if you created a villain with no constraints. You'd get Nemesis. He'll slice your dick off, he'll make your kids have sex with each other, he'll strap a bomb to your wife. He'll do whatever it takes, he has no limits, he is...THE NEMESIS.
This probably would have been cooler if I was 16 still and just wanted mindless insane action without any real characters. You can kill a million people, you can force incest as much as you want, but in the end if you don't have characters to care about...what's the point?
Oh yeah, shock factor. Well this story does a pretty good job at that.
Listen, this isn't a horrible story, hence the 2.5. It's actually a very quick read, the pacing is solid, there's no boring parts, and there are some crazy amount of violent moments. That's it though. There isn't much more to find here. It's like seeing a really cool action figure, you put it up, but never really look at it again. Okay...that was dumb, but you get the point.
This is a empty book with no real soul, just mindless violence. Which could mean a good time, which I had, but nothing I'll remember.
April 16, 2021
The premise is what if Batman was like Joker and then more stuff like he was the only super criminal in the world and targeted cops chiefs and also he was a massive terror in Asia and now he has set his sights on Washington chief police and stuff. Its a weird book with the character going after the chief of police who caught his mother and when the whole chase starts, you see him take down the pentagon and kill the people there, abduct his children and reveal his family dark secrets to the world and getting himself caught and having the prisoners released from the prison and doing something with the president and the final standoff is there between Chief Morrow and Nemesis? Also his dark secrets in the last pages.. kind of a weird book, with so many things happening and characters jumping to actions without establishing proper motivation. Though the art is good it fails to stand as an incoherent story and at the end of the day is just a psychopath vs a good man who wants to protect his family and realizes family is more important. Not Millar's finest work.
March 19, 2015
Truly terrible. If you've ever read Millar, you know the dialogue is bafflingly bad. I think "Mark Millar" may actually be two kids in a trench coat. The characters all talk like they're fourth-graders who just learned curse words.
Most of the book is just the villain killing people. And not in clever ways, either. This actually happens:
he kills a hundred armed guards with his bare hands. Yeah.
And the villain's whole plan was to not kill his victim. What's that you say? That makes no sense? Ah, but you see, there's a brilliant twist: he's not a "real" villain; he's just some bored rich guy that paid a company to make him a super villain. Deeerp. "A team of artists and engineers ... made his dreams come true." Deeeeeeeeeerp. But there's more. Another glorious twist. The owner of the mysterious company planned everything that happened...10 YEARS AGO! What? Who gives a fuck. This book sucks.
Most of the book is just the villain killing people. And not in clever ways, either. This actually happens:
he kills a hundred armed guards with his bare hands. Yeah.
And the villain's whole plan was to not kill his victim. What's that you say? That makes no sense? Ah, but you see, there's a brilliant twist: he's not a "real" villain; he's just some bored rich guy that paid a company to make him a super villain. Deeerp. "A team of artists and engineers ... made his dreams come true." Deeeeeeeeeerp. But there's more. Another glorious twist. The owner of the mysterious company planned everything that happened...10 YEARS AGO! What? Who gives a fuck. This book sucks.
December 10, 2022
Rating 1 out of 5 | Grade: F; Disappointing, Infuriating, Tiresome
Warning for expletives and a whole bunch of cursing. Read at your own peril.
Full Disclosure, the reviewer is a lifelong DC fan, and a hardcore Bat nerd. So, any biases that you may spot are intentional.
When the whole premise of your story can be summed up as 'Batman, but if he was an a**hole', you as a reader can be justified in the sense of apprehension that is building up within you.
And when you finish reading the story and realize that it is just as much of a shit stain that you surmised, you can breathe a sigh of relief at not being prejudiced at a story merely because they alluded to one of your favorite fictional characters in a negative light.
You see, unlike the dark, gritty, gratuitously violent and offensive works of Garth Ennis such as The Boys, which also features a negative portrayal of the Justice league and Batman, Mark Millar's Nemesis is nothing more than a shallow sensationalist cash grab.
As unsavory as some of the things which Garth explores in the Boys is, they have a purpose. In that story, he has laid out a world, where there are superheroes, and unlike the glorified version portrayed in mainstream comics, he shows how beings with such superhuman powers can act, well, like f**king a**holes. And it's believable, how Absolute power corrupts, so Absolute superpowers would corrupt absolutely.
It serves to give us an alternative narrative, as well as holding a mirror to the borderline fetishism that we as readers and fans have towards these characters, with, arguably no accountability for their actions, other than their own moral conscience.
While in this case, Nemesis, doesn't really contribute anything to this school of discussion, other than maybe, 'Uber rich dudes who're bored, engage in homicidal destructive hobbies with human lives at stake'. Which is something that a lot of horror movies have already explored in a much better man. Squid game as a most recent and popular example.
But when the whole hook, line and sinker of your story, is that this A**hole who is your titular character, goes around killing innocent people and cops, all to get some sort of kicks out of it, is lazy and boring as a character motivation.
Coming back to the boys, what makes a villain like homelander so compelling, is not just that he's a psychotic version of Superman, it's also that his sense of entitlement, narcissism combined with the screwed-up upbringing he had, combined with the perpetual high that invincibility grants him, makes the worst part of his already bad personality to manifest in violent and disturbing manner.
Like a child throwing a tantrum when they don't get what he wants. There is a method to his madness.
As opposed to Nemesis, who is shrouded in mystery, and other than doing a whole bunch of stunts and gymnastics, we never get to know what this guy's deal is. What happened in his life, that he became such an a**hole? Or was he this homicidal to begin with.
When you don't have a solid base with which your readers can relate to the characters, even negative ones, the whole story amounts to nothing more than a bunch of lightshow and fireworks, much like the mediocre content that Disney-Marvel seems to pump out these days.
In closing statements, I'm really miffed that I had to close out the final days of 2022 with this heap of garbage, pardon my French, and go read something else.
Warning for expletives and a whole bunch of cursing. Read at your own peril.
Full Disclosure, the reviewer is a lifelong DC fan, and a hardcore Bat nerd. So, any biases that you may spot are intentional.
When the whole premise of your story can be summed up as 'Batman, but if he was an a**hole', you as a reader can be justified in the sense of apprehension that is building up within you.
And when you finish reading the story and realize that it is just as much of a shit stain that you surmised, you can breathe a sigh of relief at not being prejudiced at a story merely because they alluded to one of your favorite fictional characters in a negative light.
You see, unlike the dark, gritty, gratuitously violent and offensive works of Garth Ennis such as The Boys, which also features a negative portrayal of the Justice league and Batman, Mark Millar's Nemesis is nothing more than a shallow sensationalist cash grab.
As unsavory as some of the things which Garth explores in the Boys is, they have a purpose. In that story, he has laid out a world, where there are superheroes, and unlike the glorified version portrayed in mainstream comics, he shows how beings with such superhuman powers can act, well, like f**king a**holes. And it's believable, how Absolute power corrupts, so Absolute superpowers would corrupt absolutely.
It serves to give us an alternative narrative, as well as holding a mirror to the borderline fetishism that we as readers and fans have towards these characters, with, arguably no accountability for their actions, other than their own moral conscience.
While in this case, Nemesis, doesn't really contribute anything to this school of discussion, other than maybe, 'Uber rich dudes who're bored, engage in homicidal destructive hobbies with human lives at stake'. Which is something that a lot of horror movies have already explored in a much better man. Squid game as a most recent and popular example.
But when the whole hook, line and sinker of your story, is that this A**hole who is your titular character, goes around killing innocent people and cops, all to get some sort of kicks out of it, is lazy and boring as a character motivation.
Coming back to the boys, what makes a villain like homelander so compelling, is not just that he's a psychotic version of Superman, it's also that his sense of entitlement, narcissism combined with the screwed-up upbringing he had, combined with the perpetual high that invincibility grants him, makes the worst part of his already bad personality to manifest in violent and disturbing manner.
Like a child throwing a tantrum when they don't get what he wants. There is a method to his madness.
As opposed to Nemesis, who is shrouded in mystery, and other than doing a whole bunch of stunts and gymnastics, we never get to know what this guy's deal is. What happened in his life, that he became such an a**hole? Or was he this homicidal to begin with.
When you don't have a solid base with which your readers can relate to the characters, even negative ones, the whole story amounts to nothing more than a bunch of lightshow and fireworks, much like the mediocre content that Disney-Marvel seems to pump out these days.
In closing statements, I'm really miffed that I had to close out the final days of 2022 with this heap of garbage, pardon my French, and go read something else.
July 16, 2013
The more people I talk to about Nemesis the more I realize how many people do not like this book.
The reasons are many - whore to the movie inspiring ambitions of mark millar, too much blood and gore, lack of a credible motivation of the central character for doing what he does, over the top action etc.
That said -
I adore this book and totally loved reading through this pop corn action fest !
a) The villain or should I say the hero is exactly what a bad ass batman would be like.
b) The chemistry between him and the villain (a take on Gordon) is again underdeveloped but still agonizingly brilliant.
c) The action scenes are totally kickass / over the top and have a lot of blood/ gore/ attitude.
d) The story follows the villain rather than the hero which appeals to me personally a lot.
Personally my heart broke at the last comic to know
a) it was the last of the series and no Nemesis 2 is expected soon.
b) did not quite like the fact the basic premise
That said given the entire entertainment which this book gave me after a bad day at work.
I am so impressed !
Bloody good (and i mean bloody ) entertainment !
The reasons are many - whore to the movie inspiring ambitions of mark millar, too much blood and gore, lack of a credible motivation of the central character for doing what he does, over the top action etc.
That said -
I adore this book and totally loved reading through this pop corn action fest !
a) The villain or should I say the hero is exactly what a bad ass batman would be like.
b) The chemistry between him and the villain (a take on Gordon) is again underdeveloped but still agonizingly brilliant.
c) The action scenes are totally kickass / over the top and have a lot of blood/ gore/ attitude.
d) The story follows the villain rather than the hero which appeals to me personally a lot.
Personally my heart broke at the last comic to know
a) it was the last of the series and no Nemesis 2 is expected soon.
b) did not quite like the fact the basic premise
That said given the entire entertainment which this book gave me after a bad day at work.
I am so impressed !
Bloody good (and i mean bloody ) entertainment !
October 31, 2017
An example of style without substance.
Hyped as making Kick-Ass look like sh*t.
A pretty bold statement considering it didn't even come close.
Granted that Nemesis is crazy, he's not at all scary.
In fact, the white costume made him look stupid.
And the ending, what was that all about?
I'm a Millar fan, but this was disappointing :(
Hyped as making Kick-Ass look like sh*t.
A pretty bold statement considering it didn't even come close.
Granted that Nemesis is crazy, he's not at all scary.
In fact, the white costume made him look stupid.
And the ending, what was that all about?
I'm a Millar fan, but this was disappointing :(
March 23, 2016
Good, violent fun a.k.a. Mark Millar's sweet spot.
October 3, 2020
This series has been dismissed by many reviewers as lacking substance, a cash grab hoping to snag a lucrative film offer (it did, and no film has materialized) and enjoy enough sales success to launch a continuing series or at least a second mini-series (it was mentioned as happening, but it hasn't).
For me, it serves as another guilty pleasure. I almost hate to admit enjoying it, the same way I hesitate to admit I love Garth Ennis' violent run on The Punisher (for Marvel Max) and The Boys (Dynamite Entertainment). If Mark Millar could only write one ultra-violent comic, then NEMESIS would win out over KICK-ASS and several other series by him. In fact, the cover blurb on Issue #1 read "Makes Kick-Ass Look Like S#!T"
Steve McNiven's fabulous art is both stunning and gripping, a perfect enhancement to the carnage that Millar had in mind.
If you are disturbed by bloody displays of extreme violence, brutality, and inhumanity then NEMESIS is a book to stay away from. It is all of that 100%, but also an engaging story of a ruthless serial killer who preys on top cops around the world and the hunt by the top cop in the United States to hunt him down before he becomes the next victim.
There's an over-the-top assault on Air Force One and a prison break that are so excessive to make you amused since you can't take it seriously. Millar does give enough background on the super-villain through some flashback scenes to help us understand his vendetta. But that does not make him likable or seem valid enough for readers to empathize with the character.
If your reading tastes in the crime and horror genres runs towards the "extreme" examples, then this is a comic you should seek out. I make no apologies.
For me, it serves as another guilty pleasure. I almost hate to admit enjoying it, the same way I hesitate to admit I love Garth Ennis' violent run on The Punisher (for Marvel Max) and The Boys (Dynamite Entertainment). If Mark Millar could only write one ultra-violent comic, then NEMESIS would win out over KICK-ASS and several other series by him. In fact, the cover blurb on Issue #1 read "Makes Kick-Ass Look Like S#!T"
Steve McNiven's fabulous art is both stunning and gripping, a perfect enhancement to the carnage that Millar had in mind.
If you are disturbed by bloody displays of extreme violence, brutality, and inhumanity then NEMESIS is a book to stay away from. It is all of that 100%, but also an engaging story of a ruthless serial killer who preys on top cops around the world and the hunt by the top cop in the United States to hunt him down before he becomes the next victim.
There's an over-the-top assault on Air Force One and a prison break that are so excessive to make you amused since you can't take it seriously. Millar does give enough background on the super-villain through some flashback scenes to help us understand his vendetta. But that does not make him likable or seem valid enough for readers to empathize with the character.
If your reading tastes in the crime and horror genres runs towards the "extreme" examples, then this is a comic you should seek out. I make no apologies.
April 30, 2020
Collects the Nemesis series. The world's only super villain, Nemesis travels to America from the Far East, to take on Washington DC's and America's number one super cop Chief Marrow… and from then chaos ensues as a sizeable death toll mounts. An almost comedic over the top amount of killing and violence detracts from what was fundamentally a good idea, the phrase written for Hollywood comes to mind.
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March 28, 2020
As impressed as I was by Millar’s offering in Supercrooks nothing could prepare me for the pure stupefaction offered bu Nemesis. Pure brutality befitting of a death metal album finds itself interwoven with a narrative equally dense layered with layers of internalized feedback and distortion. Smashing faces, ejaculates of blood flowing fecundity can be the only result for any reader than dares approach this devastating tome.
What appears as a mere gimmick in the time honored tradition of supervillians since time immemorial quickly become subordinated unto something far more modern. Expertly applied under a truly experienced vision, a bevy of unexpected plot twists only cause us the readers to wince and squirm as a true labyrinthine labyrinth of rabbit holes unfold before our collective eyes. Expertly woven from the top to the bottom none can predict the extensive bloodlettings let alone the next hat trick deployed.
Cohesive at is effective, the extraction point of 100 pages proves a perfectly applied golden mean. Well perforated with an equally spontaneous balance of action and narrative, a tightrope of perfection has been brilliantly achieved.
Thinly bordering the rim of perfection, Nemesis deservedly remains in the running for one of the best comics of the 2010’s.
What appears as a mere gimmick in the time honored tradition of supervillians since time immemorial quickly become subordinated unto something far more modern. Expertly applied under a truly experienced vision, a bevy of unexpected plot twists only cause us the readers to wince and squirm as a true labyrinthine labyrinth of rabbit holes unfold before our collective eyes. Expertly woven from the top to the bottom none can predict the extensive bloodlettings let alone the next hat trick deployed.
Cohesive at is effective, the extraction point of 100 pages proves a perfectly applied golden mean. Well perforated with an equally spontaneous balance of action and narrative, a tightrope of perfection has been brilliantly achieved.
Thinly bordering the rim of perfection, Nemesis deservedly remains in the running for one of the best comics of the 2010’s.
August 26, 2018
Another great entry from Millar, and with this one the amazing pencils of Steve McNiven. This is the story of a super villain, in fact the only super villain in a world without superheroes, and that kind of sucks. Nemesis goes after governments and leaders of countries. He is rich beyond compare and has many, many secrets. He strikes all over the world where and when he decides to deface a land or remove a person of Law or a prime minister, czar or whatever he wishes, and he is never caught nor even challenged.
He has an end goal in the chief of police for Washington D.C., and his wife and kids. This man is a grail catch for him and being an old salty detective, the chief is no easy catch. Nemesis works him as he does most others, but in the end the results are spectacular and the true legacy of what Nemesis does and who he truly is is revealed....sort of. There are still secrets within secrets and the story is brimming with them.
This was a read for the ages, and again as much of Millar's stuff should be considered, a fine idea for a series or movie. This one was super violent and adult oriented. Really glad I got a chance to get this one.
Danny
He has an end goal in the chief of police for Washington D.C., and his wife and kids. This man is a grail catch for him and being an old salty detective, the chief is no easy catch. Nemesis works him as he does most others, but in the end the results are spectacular and the true legacy of what Nemesis does and who he truly is is revealed....sort of. There are still secrets within secrets and the story is brimming with them.
This was a read for the ages, and again as much of Millar's stuff should be considered, a fine idea for a series or movie. This one was super violent and adult oriented. Really glad I got a chance to get this one.
Danny
December 11, 2016
I've been thinking for a few days now on what to put in this review. I'm completely unsure how I feel about this short graphic novel. Millar has cornered the gratuitous violence genre but is edging towards the Ennis-esque shit where nothing makes sense unless you're dropping tabs while reading. The villain in this story owes his motivation to being "bored and rich."
Maybe I'm getting old. I'm complaining about gratuitous violence. Me...???
Other than that, the art was great and the story did flow. Only 4 issues though but they're still trying to charge you for the normal 6 issue trade price. Maybe someone should send Nemesis after Marvel execs...
Maybe I'm getting old. I'm complaining about gratuitous violence. Me...???
Other than that, the art was great and the story did flow. Only 4 issues though but they're still trying to charge you for the normal 6 issue trade price. Maybe someone should send Nemesis after Marvel execs...
December 12, 2020
How to NOT write an interesting villain: the seminar.
January 21, 2018
Book Info: This collection contains
Millar & McNiven's Nemesis
issues #1-4.
Other Useful Reviews: Mike's review and Tanya K's review
ABSOLUTE RATING: {2.5+/5 stars}
STANDARDIZED RATING: <3/5 stars>
From the same writer/artist duo that brought you Civil War and Old Man Logan comes Millar & McNiven's Nemesis!
This four-issue limited series follows the adventures Nemesis – a supervillain who is world-renown for his terrorist antics and brutal slaughter of high-ranking police officers around the globe. When his horrific campaign of senseless murder finally reaches America, Nemesis sets his sights on Blake Morrow – a Washington D.C. police chief who he claims ruined his childhood. Fearless, Catholic, and married with two kids, Morrow is the epitome of the ideal law enforcement figure. But to Nemesis, he's just another vain cop who needs to be brought down a peg or two. So ultimately, much blood is spilled, many lives are lost, and things get VERY personal indeed.
According to Dictionary.com, "nemesis" means "something that a person cannot conquer, achieve, etc." or "an opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome." So when it comes to the title of this book, Millar seems to have made an exemplary selection; in terms of fighting capability, Nemesis outclasses Morrow to the same extent that a tiger outclasses a mouse, and it’s an understatement to say that the blows traded between the two during the story aren’t even remotely balanced. For this reason, Millar's attempts at misdirection didn’t really make a whole lot of sense, and the writer conditions readers from the very beginning to expect Nemesis to come out on top in any and every situation. Think about it: If Nemesis can effortlessly hijack Air Force One to kidnap the president (which happens in the very first issue), would you really think a mere police chief can stop him?
[Damn... That's a really great question, Nem! I mean, *hello*, coppers: Have you guys been paying any attention at all?]
The only reason I can think of that Morrow’s defeat wasn’t a blatantly obvious inevitability from the jump – though I'm not saying that's what goes down – is that Millar blasts his plot forward at a disorientingly breakneck pace. By that I mean there’s really no time to be thinking about what’s going to happen next, or anything else for that matter. And, as you've probably guessed, that’s not because you’d be too captivated by the book to do so. But the more detrimental effect of this rapid-fire tempo is that the build-up of tension and emotional engagement/investment in the characters or story was virtually eliminated. As it turned out, the book was perhaps as much as two times as fast-paced as it needed to be, and ironically, it moved too fast for me to be the least bit thrilled!
Imagine if you, as a comic book writer, set out to write an eight-issue miniseries, and right before it's due for release, are suddenly told by your publisher that you've got two days to cut the story down by half and then resubmit it to your editor. I'm sure you'd agree that two days isn't really a whole lot of time to completely restructure a plot it had initially taken you weeks to put together, right? Well if you really, *really* buckle down and make the most of these two days – and manage to throw together a concise, coherent husk of a comic book – then I'm sure it would look a whole lot like Nemesis. Or, imagine if your friend is telling you about an exciting action movie they've very recently seen. Lucky for you, your friend has got an excellent memory and describes all the events, characters, and settings in great detail, even going so far as to perform some spot-on voice impressions for the important quotes/one-liners. But even if your friend is an exceptionally talented relator, and even if you've got the best imagination in the world, you're still going to miss out from actually seeing the characters react to and grow from their experiences. That said, reading Nemesis is much more like getting the CliffsNotes for a story, and much less like the satisfaction gleaned from actually reading the story itself.
And it's a pity, too, because this book isn't all bad; it's actually got some pretty cool ideas. For one thing, making Batman into a villain for a change is a gleefully horrifying thought, and is a premise that's only undermined by the fact that Morrow and the police don't seem like much of a threat to him. Plus, there's the ending and it's many implications, but I won't spoil that here for you. Aside from all that though, one of the most enjoyable parts of this story had to do with experiencing the depths of Nemesis' depravity. All in an effort to bring Morrow to his knees, Nemesis implements his villainous plots with remarkable grandiosity and precision. Among the numerous and inventive instances of mass murder Nemesis conceives, I've seen one of the most shocking acts of psychological violation I ever imagined a story could produce (comic book or otherwise). Normally, this is where I'd congratulate Millar, but sadly, his efforts were wasted on a book without the adequate substance to reinforce them.
[In a less compressed story, and in the hands of a more skilled writer, this could have been a really great moment. Unfortunately, drama was the last thing on Millar's mind here, and so his characters merely go through the motions of showing feeling with minimal impact or follow-up. So as potentially significant a moment as this was, there seemed to be no lasting emotional implications behind it for the characters involved, and it was probably included more for shock-value than anything else.]
What I think a lot of folks don't get is that even action-packed thrillers need to cultivate investment/sympathy in its characters and their plight. Or at least that's the case for any of the good ones. Even Hardcore Henry – the most insanely violent, heart-pounding action flick you're ever likely to see – takes the time to give you an emotional anchor before the ensuing mayhem. (Oh, and it's a brilliant movie, by the way. Quite possibly the greatest action film ever made. This is one of those rare times I'd advise you to *completely* ignore the critics and decide for yourself.) But with this story, Mark Millar doesn't even seem to try, and you're left wishing you cared more deeply about what was happening on numerous occasions. And I think the fact that you *want* to care more is because you can recognize that Millar somehow intended these scenes to be more dramatic. Well sorry, Mark: if you want to engage the sympathies and attention of your readership, you're gonna have to work for it. You don't get that shit for free.
Steve McNiven is, on the other hand, undoubtedly the best thing this book has got going for it. This could partly be due to to McCaig's vibrant colors, but I honestly doubt I've seen the artist operate quite this impressively before. The last I've seen of him must've been in Civil War , and then Ultimate Secret before that. There's about a 4-6 year gap in publications, so I guess that was long enough for the guy to even further hone his craft. And hone he did! I'm telling you: The destructive set-pieces and blood-soaked visuals are so wild and impossibly stimulating that I almost felt furious that Millar was the only available conduit for McNiven's exceptional talent. It's a damn shame. In fact, it's damn near criminal!
On GR's overview for this book, the description reads: "CIVIL WAR? Nothing. KICK-ASS? A warmup." You can forget for the moment that both Civil War and Kick-Ass were both overrated hack jobs; that's not terribly important at the moment. Point is, they're both successful and popular books, and one would think, for a 2.5-star quality book with such a tagline, that it's biggest crime would be inflated sense of importance. But that's not it. The real problem here is that it squandered so much clear potential. And honestly, I certainly see how Millar might have even believed he did that great a job here. Because he certainly could have, if only he remembered to write in a reason for us readers to give a shit. Oops.
Other Useful Reviews: Mike's review and Tanya K's review
ABSOLUTE RATING: {2.5+/5 stars}
STANDARDIZED RATING: <3/5 stars>
From the same writer/artist duo that brought you Civil War and Old Man Logan comes Millar & McNiven's Nemesis!
This four-issue limited series follows the adventures Nemesis – a supervillain who is world-renown for his terrorist antics and brutal slaughter of high-ranking police officers around the globe. When his horrific campaign of senseless murder finally reaches America, Nemesis sets his sights on Blake Morrow – a Washington D.C. police chief who he claims ruined his childhood. Fearless, Catholic, and married with two kids, Morrow is the epitome of the ideal law enforcement figure. But to Nemesis, he's just another vain cop who needs to be brought down a peg or two. So ultimately, much blood is spilled, many lives are lost, and things get VERY personal indeed.
According to Dictionary.com, "nemesis" means "something that a person cannot conquer, achieve, etc." or "an opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome." So when it comes to the title of this book, Millar seems to have made an exemplary selection; in terms of fighting capability, Nemesis outclasses Morrow to the same extent that a tiger outclasses a mouse, and it’s an understatement to say that the blows traded between the two during the story aren’t even remotely balanced. For this reason, Millar's attempts at misdirection didn’t really make a whole lot of sense, and the writer conditions readers from the very beginning to expect Nemesis to come out on top in any and every situation. Think about it: If Nemesis can effortlessly hijack Air Force One to kidnap the president (which happens in the very first issue), would you really think a mere police chief can stop him?
[Damn... That's a really great question, Nem! I mean, *hello*, coppers: Have you guys been paying any attention at all?]
The only reason I can think of that Morrow’s defeat wasn’t a blatantly obvious inevitability from the jump – though I'm not saying that's what goes down – is that Millar blasts his plot forward at a disorientingly breakneck pace. By that I mean there’s really no time to be thinking about what’s going to happen next, or anything else for that matter. And, as you've probably guessed, that’s not because you’d be too captivated by the book to do so. But the more detrimental effect of this rapid-fire tempo is that the build-up of tension and emotional engagement/investment in the characters or story was virtually eliminated. As it turned out, the book was perhaps as much as two times as fast-paced as it needed to be, and ironically, it moved too fast for me to be the least bit thrilled!
Imagine if you, as a comic book writer, set out to write an eight-issue miniseries, and right before it's due for release, are suddenly told by your publisher that you've got two days to cut the story down by half and then resubmit it to your editor. I'm sure you'd agree that two days isn't really a whole lot of time to completely restructure a plot it had initially taken you weeks to put together, right? Well if you really, *really* buckle down and make the most of these two days – and manage to throw together a concise, coherent husk of a comic book – then I'm sure it would look a whole lot like Nemesis. Or, imagine if your friend is telling you about an exciting action movie they've very recently seen. Lucky for you, your friend has got an excellent memory and describes all the events, characters, and settings in great detail, even going so far as to perform some spot-on voice impressions for the important quotes/one-liners. But even if your friend is an exceptionally talented relator, and even if you've got the best imagination in the world, you're still going to miss out from actually seeing the characters react to and grow from their experiences. That said, reading Nemesis is much more like getting the CliffsNotes for a story, and much less like the satisfaction gleaned from actually reading the story itself.
And it's a pity, too, because this book isn't all bad; it's actually got some pretty cool ideas. For one thing, making Batman into a villain for a change is a gleefully horrifying thought, and is a premise that's only undermined by the fact that Morrow and the police don't seem like much of a threat to him. Plus, there's the ending and it's many implications, but I won't spoil that here for you. Aside from all that though, one of the most enjoyable parts of this story had to do with experiencing the depths of Nemesis' depravity. All in an effort to bring Morrow to his knees, Nemesis implements his villainous plots with remarkable grandiosity and precision. Among the numerous and inventive instances of mass murder Nemesis conceives, I've seen one of the most shocking acts of psychological violation I ever imagined a story could produce (comic book or otherwise). Normally, this is where I'd congratulate Millar, but sadly, his efforts were wasted on a book without the adequate substance to reinforce them.
[In a less compressed story, and in the hands of a more skilled writer, this could have been a really great moment. Unfortunately, drama was the last thing on Millar's mind here, and so his characters merely go through the motions of showing feeling with minimal impact or follow-up. So as potentially significant a moment as this was, there seemed to be no lasting emotional implications behind it for the characters involved, and it was probably included more for shock-value than anything else.]
What I think a lot of folks don't get is that even action-packed thrillers need to cultivate investment/sympathy in its characters and their plight. Or at least that's the case for any of the good ones. Even Hardcore Henry – the most insanely violent, heart-pounding action flick you're ever likely to see – takes the time to give you an emotional anchor before the ensuing mayhem. (Oh, and it's a brilliant movie, by the way. Quite possibly the greatest action film ever made. This is one of those rare times I'd advise you to *completely* ignore the critics and decide for yourself.) But with this story, Mark Millar doesn't even seem to try, and you're left wishing you cared more deeply about what was happening on numerous occasions. And I think the fact that you *want* to care more is because you can recognize that Millar somehow intended these scenes to be more dramatic. Well sorry, Mark: if you want to engage the sympathies and attention of your readership, you're gonna have to work for it. You don't get that shit for free.
Steve McNiven is, on the other hand, undoubtedly the best thing this book has got going for it. This could partly be due to to McCaig's vibrant colors, but I honestly doubt I've seen the artist operate quite this impressively before. The last I've seen of him must've been in Civil War , and then Ultimate Secret before that. There's about a 4-6 year gap in publications, so I guess that was long enough for the guy to even further hone his craft. And hone he did! I'm telling you: The destructive set-pieces and blood-soaked visuals are so wild and impossibly stimulating that I almost felt furious that Millar was the only available conduit for McNiven's exceptional talent. It's a damn shame. In fact, it's damn near criminal!
On GR's overview for this book, the description reads: "CIVIL WAR? Nothing. KICK-ASS? A warmup." You can forget for the moment that both Civil War and Kick-Ass were both overrated hack jobs; that's not terribly important at the moment. Point is, they're both successful and popular books, and one would think, for a 2.5-star quality book with such a tagline, that it's biggest crime would be inflated sense of importance. But that's not it. The real problem here is that it squandered so much clear potential. And honestly, I certainly see how Millar might have even believed he did that great a job here. Because he certainly could have, if only he remembered to write in a reason for us readers to give a shit. Oops.
January 8, 2011
I'm not a huge Mark Millar fan, but I have to say the ending of this book was really lackluster. The reveal of "that thing you just did? I predicted it. Years ago. That thing too. Oh, and that too. All planned years ago" just felt like lazy writing. Not only was it lazy but it also didn't lead to anything.
I know that a second mini-series is in the works but the problem is that this feels like the first arc in an ongoing rather than a mini-series with a solid beginning, middle, and end in its own right.
I know that a second mini-series is in the works but the problem is that this feels like the first arc in an ongoing rather than a mini-series with a solid beginning, middle, and end in its own right.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2011
What if Batman was an obnoxious, whack job that decided to kill a bunch of people and blow stuff up because he was rich and bored?
Yet another juvenile attempt to sell the movie rights by Mark Millar. The art is nice, and the story idea has potential, but Millar's too busy showing us how cool and clever he is, for the story to progress much past the level of a Micheal Bay movie.
With lots of swearing to show us Millar is 'edgy.
You're better off finding an old Fantomas novel or an actual Batman comic.
Mark Millar has toppled into the pit of self-parody with Garth Ennis and Frank Miller.
Yet another juvenile attempt to sell the movie rights by Mark Millar. The art is nice, and the story idea has potential, but Millar's too busy showing us how cool and clever he is, for the story to progress much past the level of a Micheal Bay movie.
With lots of swearing to show us Millar is 'edgy.
You're better off finding an old Fantomas novel or an actual Batman comic.
Mark Millar has toppled into the pit of self-parody with Garth Ennis and Frank Miller.
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