Astonishing X-Men Ghost Boxes #1 (OF 2)

Déjà vu is more than just a movie starring Denzel Washington. While I have had bouts with this feeling before, I’ve never been able to pin the exact reason for it, thus the meaning of the word. Webster’s defines this as “a feeling that one has seen or heard something before.” That kind of fits here but I think the second definition, “something overly or unpleasantly familiar,” describes this book a lot better.

This is Warren Ellis’s run on the Authority, only not nearly as good. Now I’m not just saying this because the X-team is dealing with alternate realities. This concept is nothing new to the Marvel universe, heck it gets used every other month in one book or another. However, the similarities are far too many to be a coincidence. I would like to hear recordings of Ellis’s pitch for both of these and try and match all of the key words.

The Carrier = The Ghost Box

Sliding Albion = Whoever these invading people are from this alternate earth

There are more, and I’m sure more will become apparent as we progress, but you get my point.

Also, why could these short stories not have been incorporated into the regular book as back-up stories? Charging $3.99 for nothing more than short alternate reality tales that only take up half of a book is a complete rip-off. If I wanted sketches and script books I would buy the director’s cuts that the companies are so fond of releasing these days. But if I pay $3.99 for a book I need more than 16 pages of recycled story.

I will say that the art is superb in this book. Both stories choice of technique match the story telling perfectly and I would not assume to take anything away from these talented artists.

If story is what you’re looking for take your $3.99 and put it towards an Authority trade at instocktrades.com.