Iron Man Writer Warren Ellis Reviews 'Avengers: Infinity War'

by Troy-Jeffrey Allen

Overhead is a picture of Eagle Award-winning writer Warren Ellis. If you've heard the name but can't match the face it's because you've definitely read his work or know someone who swears by his bibliography. Ellis was behind the critically-acclaimed Transmetropolitan series at Vertigo, Hellblazer for Vertigo/DC Comics, and Planetary for Wildstorm.

That's just a smattering of his contributions to comics, really. This prolific writer has spent considerable time at just about every major publishing house in the funny book biz, leaving a considerable mark on several properties inside and outside the industry. Marvel's Ultimate Galactus event, which Ellis made with artist Trevor Harsine, influenced actor Anthony Mackie's live-action version of The Falcon. Also, Ellis' Iron Man: Extremis arc with artist Adi Granov served as the visual and narrative inspiration for Robert Downey, Jr.'s Iron Man movies.

In recent years, Ellis' comics output has shrunken. Inbetween comics like Injection (AUG150488), the Essex native has transitioned into prose work (Normal, Gun Machine) while being pursued by film and television studios (Bruce Willis' Red and Netflix's Castlevania, for example). He did, however, take time out of his busy schedule to let those who follow his newsletter know his thoughts on the Marvel's latest tentpole...Avengers: Infinity War. 

From Warren Ellis:

So. INFINITY WAR, then. No spoilers.

It is perhaps best understood as an unprecedented brand power move. It is not "a film" as that term is commonly understood. It is a sequence of connections. It's a statement from a bizarre place of popular-culture ownership. It's a statement that they have done ten years of film storytelling, often with very conventional story templates, so that everyone in the world will show up for what is often an extraordinarily unconventional story-like event with one extremely unexpected tonal shift.

It, by design, makes no sense unless you've watched most if not all of the other Marvel films. There cannot be a casual viewer of this emanation. Only a committed one. It is likely to be the largest worldwide opening of all time, as I write this, even though it's not opening in China or Russia this weekend.

The production values are near-perfect. The days of the slightly janky AVENGERS special effects are long gone, and every pixel is painted with jewelled, exquisite skill. As a visual experience, it is peak, Marvel. The mocap on Josh Brolin makes Thanos a far more effective "CGI villain" than the waste of Ciaran Hinds on JUSTICE LEAGUE, which had all the performance nuance of a level boss in DOOM II.

Per the trailer, I think it was a brave choice to have the evil spaceship apparently designed by James Dyson.

The writers and the directors worked very, very hard to make something that did not feel beholden to rules. They'll stop the thing dead for sixty seconds to do a gag. There are a lot of gags. I mean, no possible joke goes unjoked. Nothing I say here should be taken to denigrate the work of those people. They have achieved a remarkable thing.

(Special nod to whoever designed the sonics for the next-to-final scene.)

It is not a movie. It is a brand manifestation that wants to have prolonged, eager and reasonably skilled cultural sex with you. It wants your experience with its content™ to be satisfying and it hopes you are pleased enough to return for further interaction with the Brand. This is a very 21C thing. I like it for that alone, to be honest.

AVENGERS 4 happens next year, of course, and I will be interested to see how they stick the landing. But, in terms of cultural power plays, this one is the pinnacle.

Personally, I have no idea what "21C" is a reference to, but I do agree that Avengers: Infinity War is a remarkable thing.

If you're at all interested in checking out more from Orbital Operations, Warren Ellis' newsletter, simply subscribe HERE. It's totally free.

If you were amused by "skilled cultural sex" then let me suggest some reading recommendations from Ellis' time at Marvel. You should check out The Ultimate Galactus Trilogy (MAR092654), Moon Knight ( JUL140728), Thunderbolts (MAR093405), Nextwave (JUN150835), Astonishing X-Men: Xenogenesis (JUL110752), Secret Avengers: Save the World (JUL120662), and, if you're feeling really froggy, dive into his upcoming Hellstorm Omnibus (APR180843) too.   

****

Troy-Jeffrey Allen is the Consumer Marketing Digital Editor for PREVIEWSworld.com and Diamond's pop culture network of sites. His comics work includes BAMN, Fight of the Century, and the Harvey Award-nominated District Comics.