1602 was a great read. It was fun spotting all the Marvel in-jokes (I especially loved Matt and Foggy's appearance, although I agree that the Peter Parker character is kind of a twit so far) and Gaiman has done a very good job creating this alternate version of history. Mainly it's just great to have him writing comics again. His novels were decent, but they're nowhere near as interesting and unique as Sandman or Signal to Noise. Can't wait to read his next Sandman anthology Endless Nights.

Speaking of Sandman did anyone else expect to see Hob Gadling turn up somewhere in 1602?

SFMARTY: There are, what, 8 of them? Go for it, & let me know how much. Or, let me know how much, & then go for it. Either way works.

Gandalfe, look up my e-mail addy and we can talk. Meanwhile I will go and get them tomorrow.

I have the new Marvel and left it in the car. Will read it too.

Gandalfe, if you want that one as well, e me and I will pick it up too. Can't make more than one trip tho. Really busy week.

1602 Thoughts

First about the overall story: Supposedly, this is not a what-if story. What does that mean, I'm not sure...

And about one set of characters: I don't think Virginia Dare is Storm, since that would tie up her story with the witchbreed. Though her Native American protector would make sense to be Steve Rogers AKA Captain America. Could Virginia be some sort of Bucky analogue? Though I suspect she may be an original character.

And a question about one of the characters: The man with wings is Angel, aka Warren Worthington III, a founding member of the X-men. His mutant ability? Umm, wings that allow him to fly, mostly.

My co-worker is an artist and a comic-book geek, and he's grooving on my copy of 1602. He took one look at the pages and said "It isn't inked -- it was penciled and scanned."

I have to take his word on that, because even though he explained to me how he can tell, I don't see it.

And he says that the Virginia Maid and the Indian bodyguard are from Alpha Flight.

t edit Dude, co-worker is identifying *all* the characters. Impressive.

I have only the barest knowledge of the Marvel comics and I thought it a great read, the artwork was not so great to me, but a good read.

You all have filled in some blanks that make it more interesting. Peter Parker looks like a goob, agreed. However, Fury and Daredevil are very un-gooblike and I want to see more.

edited: whitefont, just in case

After re-reading 1602 three or four times, I have decided that Sir Nicholas Fury is the hottest thing ever. Elizabethan intrigue is so much sexier than American military intelligence. So help me, I'm tempted to write Fury/Murdock slash after this issue.

Hmm. I'm not sure if I agree with the Alpha Flight thing. I wouldn't be surprised if Gaiman has a few twists and turns in store. In fact, I have a feeling that he's probably leading us to make any number of assumptions about the 1602 'verse.

Gah. I need to find out if there's a comic store near work. The wait is killing me.

Yeah, I thought I could wait 'til tomorrow -- nope. Going to go today.

Now I'm spoiler ho-ing for 1602. So far I've found out which Marvel characters will NOT appear, and that's it.

The characters are (spoiler-fonted) Wolverine and Iron Man. From an interview with Gaiman: "One of the greatest challenges for this project was in deciding which Marvel characters to include, and which to omit. In the end, Gaiman says he had two cardinal rules: "1) The Marvel Universe will come into existence much the same way we're used to, only 400 years earlier, and 2) Jettison anything that doesn't forward the story." Case in point: Wolverine. Also Iron Man, since no matter how you slice him "he's still just a bloke in armor."

Want more.