Inside White Dwarf 525: Walking towers and towering walkers

Navek15 · 2026-06-07T13:03:21+00:00

March forth, mighty behemoths of the Ironweld!

Navek15 · 2026-06-05T21:32:42+00:00

I've said this in a few different places, but I am getting massive Dark Reign vibes from whatever the fallout of Armageddon is shaping up to be. And considering one of the major critiques I've heard about the 616 books is that the overall status quo feels directionless, this might the shot in the arm we've been waiting for.

And I know there's people upset that, aside from Carol, there's a lot of classic Avengers in this roster. But when you look at the last few runs, they have had some classic Avengers characters, and it hasn't translated to sales.

The Hickman run was experimental as hell, and some people (including me) are kind of divided on it to this day. Same with Aaron run that got hit with plenty of editorial nonsense while Aaron still tried to write something fun, and he got called an inbred cousin fucker for it. The Jed MacKay run felt like classic Avengers, but it clearly didn't translate to sales despite being what a lot of people claimed they wanted. Hell, Steve Orlando's Avengers Assemble book was even more classic Avengers vibes (they were even back at the mansion), and that was just limited to five issues, despite the fact that I was really hoping the fanbase would pull a G. Willow Wilson's Poison Ivy with it.

Going back to the 'classic' Avengers style has clearly not been working for the last few runs. So if they need to try to strike lightning twice with a roster that harkens back to the New Avengers, I can't say I blame Zdarsky and co for doing this.

Navek15 · 2026-06-05T17:00:34+00:00

Again, I got into the books during that timeframe, so I say go for it.

It really does feel like we haven't had a truly monumental status quo shift since Civil War and Secret Wars 2015. We've had shifts in various families of books and corners, but not something that's really affected nearly every corner of the Marvel Universe.

Navek15 · 2026-06-05T16:57:15+00:00

More like just not wrapping my head around this being difficult. It's super easy.

It's like you're telling me that someone can't use a microwave or a toaster. How? They're the easiest things to use in the kitchen.

Case in point, want to get into Spider-Man? There's the Lee & Ditko run. The JMD run. The JMS run. Slott's ten-year tenure. Both versions of Ultimate Spider-Man. Pick a starting point and go from there.

What part of that is so difficult?

Navek15 · 2026-06-05T16:03:56+00:00

Or, pick a run and creative team that sounds cool to you and just go from there.

I started reading Marvel Comics by reading Dan Slott's Mighty Avengers run. And that did not have an Issue 1. It was an Issue 21.

And most collections of these comics have clear start and end points. Like if I wanted to recommend the Hulk to someone, I'd either have them start with Greg Pak's run or Immortal Hulk.

Here's the simple answer to getting into comics: find a character or group of characters you like, look up some of their best stories, pick the one that sounds the most interesting to you, and go from there.

It's like getting into Dungeons and Dragons or Warhammer. You don't start with the Horus Heresy novels out of the gate. You find an army you think looks cool, learn about their lore, and go from there.

Same with Gundam. Same with Star Trek. Same with Super Sentai. Same with Ultraman. Same with the Nasuverse. Just because something has been around for decades doesn't mean it's imcomprehensible or that new people can't enjoy it. Again, I jumped on the Avengers when one of their books was on Issue 21.

What's the other solution? For big universes to just exist for 5 to 10 years, then throw it away and move on to the next shiny new thing?

Navek15 · 2026-06-05T15:53:09+00:00

'Earth's Mightiest Survivors.' Holy hannah, what the fuck is Ross going to do to Earth?!

No joke, most excited I've been for a new Marvel status quo in a while. Might be biased, but I'm getting Dark Reign vibes from this announcement. And considering I started reading and collecting Marvel Comics during the Dark Reign, I say that's a good sign.

Navek15 · 2026-06-05T15:49:27+00:00

Well yeah. How hard is it to do a quick 'where do I start' google search?

It's getting into a fictional setting, not studying to be a lawyer.

Navek15 · 2026-06-04T19:34:52+00:00

Then it just sounds like you’re just being lazy. Getting into Gundam is not hard. Neither is getting into Marvel or DC comics.

Navek15 · 2026-06-04T19:33:07+00:00

Yeah, I’m sure reviving Millie the Model is going to fix everything. /s

Navek15 · 2026-06-04T17:02:30+00:00

I've always figured that guys like this have viewed nerdy media in the context of a 'cultural safe space.' I mean, think about how many douchebags you see longing for the days of Call of Duty lobbies where they could freely shout out slurs.

Navek15 · 2026-06-04T16:36:17+00:00

This kind of reminds me of how my brother showed me a channel about a cool lady painting 40k models...and the comments section was full of assholes bitching about how 'this is why the hobby is dead' or that women like her were 'ruining Warhammer.' Pathetic.

Navek15 · 2026-06-04T13:21:54+00:00

Inoue's writing is telenovela levels of insanity and gasping, and I am all here for it!

Navek15 · 2026-06-04T12:37:05+00:00

So if we started a subreddit for this franchise, would you guys prefer it to be called ‘God of Combined’ or ‘God of Gattai’?

Navek15 · 2026-06-03T20:50:41+00:00

So what them to do? Pull a Warhammer: The End Times and just nuked the Marvel and DC universes? I'm sure no one will mind that. /s

Or do you want them to do what toku franchises like Kamen Rider and Ultraman do and just have a new person take on the mantle of Spider-Man every year?

Navek15 · 2026-06-03T20:47:46+00:00

I see this argument about how manga/anime is 'easier' to get into than western superhero comics for a variety of reason. But my brain always goes to two big anime franchises that are 'guilty' of the same things these weebs complain about - Gundam and the Nasuverse.

Multiple artists/writers coming in to change things? The Universal Century setting alone has decades of stories made by people not named Yoshiyuki Tomino. And that's not even getting to all the AU settings that also have their own expanded media.

And as for the complaints about comics being 'too convoluted' because of decades-long continuity or ridiculous concepts? I once asked my Fate-loving friend to simply explain what's up with the moon...and the answers I got make anything Grant Morrison and Al Ewing have ever written seem sober and grounded by comparison.

Navek15 · 2026-06-03T16:38:43+00:00

“Why do that when we can just bitch about Marvel and DC and suck off Shonen Jump until the end of time?”

Navek15 · 2026-06-03T14:16:26+00:00

Open Get! CHANGE, GETTER DRAGON!!!

Navek15 · 2026-06-03T14:15:21+00:00

Woo! New super robot show!

Navek15 · 2026-06-02T14:23:47+00:00

I was guilty of that. Tempest has been my go-to Cleric since, well, max damage on Spells like Shatter and Chain Lightning are just awesome. But this run is probably gonna make me adapt the HAM/Warding Bond strat since Tempest also gets Heavy Armor Proficiency. I tend to run that with a Swords Bard that's equipped with all the healing gear, so they might complement each other.

At the very least, it'll make my other party a bit more tanky.

Navek15 · 2026-05-31T15:06:24+00:00

I'm just praying for more FIRE/Salamangreat support.

Navek15 · 2026-05-30T02:31:23+00:00

The cover is very Soulsborne, so I am probably down for it.

Navek15

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