Marvel 1602 (German Edition)

This is anachronism done right by Neil Gaiman. The title gives one the jist of this graphic novel’s theme. It’s the Marvel Universe circa 1602. There’s a big cast of Marvel characters in this collection of eight comics. However, those who don’t follow comics might not recognize some of the characters because they are decidedly less comic-esque in this take. The characters mostly go by their given names rather than their superhero nom de guerre and not one of them wears spandex—and even capes are fairly few and far between. While the cast is large, there’re just a few main players and some major Marvel superheroes play only minor or unheroic roles.

The principal heroes in this book are Nicholas Fury (as head of the Queen’s Intelligence Service), Carlos Xavier (principal of a school for mutants), Virginia Dare (the first girl born in the Roanoke Colony), Rojhaz (the--decidedly Caucasian but--Native American protector of Dare), Stephen Strange (close to his modern day namesake), Matthew Murdoch (think Daredevil), and a smattering of other X-men, Avengers, and Fantastic 4 members.

The principal villains are King James I (as himself), Count Otto Von Doom (similar to the modern character), The Inquisitor Enrique (a Magneto-esque character), David Banner (advisor to James I and--it would appear--the gray Hulk), and Natasha (think Black Widow). Before one bemoans the fact that the slate of heroes seems much stronger than the slate of villains, it should be noted that there is a threat that far exceeds the likes of Von Doom.

The world of Marvel 1602 is quite similar to Earth 1602, but there are differences such as the existence of pterodactyls and dinosaurs in some locales. The plot includes political intrigue in the form King James I of Scotland’s desire to nudge an ailing--but beloved—Queen Elizabeth I out of the way. We soon find out that three assassins have been dispatched to target Fury, the Queen, and Virginia Dare, but finding out who hired them and why takes up a fair piece of story line. There’s a sub-story that features Matthew Murdoch and Natasha on a mission to retrieve what can only be described as a McGuffin (a highly sought after artifact whose value and purpose remain completely unknown until a big reveal, but for which characters are none-the-less willing to lay their lives on the line on pure faith) that offers its own intrigue. There is also the matter of strange weather that increasingly comes to be considered a harbinger of doom (not Von Doom the character, but actual doom.) Ultimately, this is a bigger threat than is presented by any of the human villains, and it can only be overcome through a combination of Richard Reed’s brilliance, Nicholas Fury’s courage, and Rojhaz’s sacrifice of what matters most to him.

I enjoyed this graphic novel. First, having a top-rate writer like Gaiman was certainly a help. There was none of the juvenile / poorly written dialogue that usually plagues comic writing. Gaiman is his usual clever, witty self. Second, while the anachronisms often border on silly (e.g. 1602 Reed’s noodling out Einstein’s discovery of 300+ years later), they are intriguing and recognize real science. Third, the last being said, there’s a lot of effort put into making the comic appropriate for the era in which it’s set. It’s not just putting frilly shirts on modern day characters. The blending of fact into the fiction is thought-provoking.

If you read graphic novels--even sparsely--this is one that you should definitely check out.

There are times when the universe of heroes becomes too predictable, too bland. Occasionally we need a new setting to bring us back to the basics - The relationships, the origins, the raw talents each hero wields.

As someone who read X-Men, Avengers, etc. back in the 80's & only intermittently since, I thoroughly enjoyed this collection. I liked the clever premise & the fact that it stands alone quite nicely. Maybe there is something a little lazy about over-relying on the thrill of recognition when a new character reveals themselves ("oooh! it's Quicksilver!") but I didn't care at all. Couldn't put it down & would definitely read any & all sequels.

This is an absolutely fantastic twist on the classic marvel story lines. The character relationships are genuine and engaging. All actions and consequences that flow within this 'verse maintain a tight continuity while also sticking by their classic story lines.
I would strongly recommend this series to anyone looking for a truly unique twist to the Marvel world.

Gaiman never disappoints. I was completely entertained by this thought-provoking and immersive new story. --A convincingly respectful salute to the Marvel heroes we grew up with, albeit with an added twist and flourish!

I had originally rated this 3 stars, but the story stayed with me and not in a good way. For hours after reading it, I kept thinking about all of the things that I disliked about it or that didn't make sense. I usually love Gaiman, though like Douglas Adams his ideas can often be better than his execution of those ideas, and I always love AU stories of favorite characters. But this.... I don't know, maybe it's because I read it so far removed from the time it was written. I didn't care for the artwork, and honestly would have probably preferred this as a short story. The story fell flat and seemed very slow, then suddenly everything happened at once. Several plotlines didn't make sense if you stop to think about them. I read it very quickly, but partially because I kept thinking there'd be something more to it.

I enjoyed the combination of Elizabeth I into the marvel universe. The medieval aspect gave the whole story a mythological flavor. Neil Gaiman did a terrific job incorporating the origin stories of the heroes. A great read!

Having only read DC before I was concerned that I would be unable to follow the characters, but since this is an "elseworlds" tale I was able to catch the references with only a pedestrian knowledge of the MU.

OMG!, NEIL GAIMAN and ANDY KUBERT, the story is superb, the art is top of the game, a must have for fans of marvel's universe, for fans of Andy Kubert, for fans of NEIL GAIMAN, loved the story, the twists, everything, a work of art, a must have.

Marvel 1602 was a really good read. The different elements of the marvel universe were woven in really well. I enjoyed the many references to different marvel characters, whether directly or indirectly. However, I felt that there wasn't the payoff that there should have been. If you are willing to enjoy the journey, and not be too concerned about the destination, this is a really fun read.

This book deserves 5-stars! It was thoughtful and entertaining. Some of the character introductions caught me off guard, even though looking back on it I should've known.

The only reason I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5, is because the ending seemed a little too.. Without spoiling the ending...I felt the confrontation between the two iconic characters at the end was unrealistic. One of them came off as insanely selfish, which is completely out of character for him. The other character seemed to take over the aforementioned character a little too effortlessly. It wasn't much of a fight at all, if you could call it a fight in the first place.

Everything else was great though. I love alternate universe stories, and this one was very well done from the character reinterpretations to the artwork. I'd definitely recommend it.

While I would have loved to see Wolverine and Deadpool in it, I loved the artwork and the plot. I am looking forward to getting the other titles in this series but am a little skeptical given that they are not by Gaiman.

A great alternate time line story. The art is really nice, though Reed Richards is a little too stretchy and looks a little awkward at times. As I read it I kept expecting Peter to be bitten by a spider and something to happen with King James' man, Banner. Oh well, maybe in another graphic novel....

Neil Gaiman has always been a force to be reckoned with in any medium, and his take on the Marvel Universe is no exception. Inside, Gaiman translates Nick Fury, Daredevil, the Fantastic Four and X-men 400 years into the past for a good old fasioned romp of an adventure.

The new versions of all the characters are fun and generally recognizable, though you don't have to know the Marvel universe already to understand the story. And the artwork is fantastic, some of the best I've seen in comics.

The only downside is the limited edition format left some things unexplained in an unsatisfying way. This is clearly recognizable in the Von Doom part of the story, who managed to become weirdly successful before he had his powers. But it is still a book I can recommend to any Marvel fan.

Yet another masterpiece from Neil Gaiman. If you are a Marvel fan you will not be disappointed. Neil blends the Fantastic four, the X-Men, Fury, Widow, Daredevil, Spidey, and Strange perfectly. Then he drops them into the 1600s so seamlessly that it is like they always belonged there.

I really enjoyed reading this graphic novel. It was an interesting read to give a different insight on comic book charactors. I am not an expert on these particular characters so I wasn't bothered by differences in their "true" natures.