One of the first things that struck me about Millar/McNiven’s Nemesis, was what a great character to throw into the whole “who would win in a fight between x and y” arena. One of Comic book fans greatest pleasures for sure.
Anyway…
The latest of a string or creator owned books from the twisted brain of Mark Millar, Nemesis conjures images of “The Most Dangerous Game” thrown in with a classic Western, pitting a sadistic drifter against gritty lawmen who are tougher than leather and smarter than God while normal folks watch helplessly in terror. In the case of Nemesis, he drifts from Tokyo to Washington D.C. with malicious intent toward her (not super) heroic Police Chief Morrow.
Clad in a pristine, hornless white cape and cowl, it is clear right off the bat that even though we’ve never met this character, NEMESIS is Batman’s polar opposite, morally, philosophically and tactically. While Batman operated from the shadows to bring down the worst kind of scum the world has to offer, Nemesis makes a spectacle of taking down prominent police chiefs around the globe for sport while greedily commanding the worlds spotlight. Well equipped, well funded, a tactical genius and a complete psychopath to boot, Nemesis is most simply put, Batman behaving like the joker. Scary to think about, scary to watch but darkly exhilarating all the same. The world’s only super-villain going up against a flesh and blood man of the law. It would be like the joker setting his sights on Chief Gordon without Batman there to do anything about it.
Thankfully, Millar does not seem inclined on letting up on his creator owned works, and similarly to Robert Kirkman seems determined to inject the industry with new blood (by the gallons) and characters – and if Kick-Ass and Nemesis are any indicator’s, I say let it pour. These books are created at high risk to both writer and artist who seen no money at all unless the book sells really well, and without a marketing budget of any kind, these endeavors are very much a leap of faith with no one but you and I standing there to catch them.
What I liked most about Nemesis is the lack of expectations that come with a brand new character and universe, the unpredictability that it often so hard to come by in the established world of mainstream comics. I love the Avengers, the X-Men, the Fantastic 4 and all the others and I sincerely hope they’re still around for me to read while I’m pooping my pants in a convalescent home some day but familiarity can only do so much for you – something new and exciting is… well, new and exciting.
Lets keep these fresh stories coming.