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Ruins (comics)
Encyclopedia
Ruins is a two-issue comic book
mini-series
, written by Warren Ellis
with painted artwork by Terese Nielsen
, her husband Cliff Nielsen
, and Chris Moeller, who took over for the last seventeen pages of the second issue.
The series, conceived by Ellis as a parody, is set in a dystopian version of the Marvel Universe
. The main character, Phil Sheldon, is also the central character of the Marvels
series by Kurt Busiek
and Alex Ross
, and this series can be seen as a darker retelling of this story. Like Marvels, the comic was published in prestige format
, with fully painted artwork and acetate covers, further creating the impression that it is a more twisted companion piece.
reporter Phil Sheldon as he explores a dystopia
n alternate Marvel Universe
where, in his words, "everything that can go wrong will go wrong"; a world where the myriad experiments and accidents which led to the creation of superhero
es in the mainstream Marvel Universe
instead resulted in horrible deformities and painful deaths. Sheldon tours the country investigating the after-effects of these events, researching a book about the strange phenomena in order to prove that the world has taken a wrong turn somewhere.
In the first issue, after witnessing the destruction of the last Avengers
Quinjet (in this reality, the Avengers are a radical secession
ist rebel group rebelling against an oppressive American government led by 'President X
'), which has killed both Captain America
and Iron Man
, and encountering a decaying Wolverine
- whose flesh is slowly falling off from the toxicity of his adamantium bone structure - Sheldon proceeds to a Kree
internment camp in Nevada, situated on a nuclear test site, where the last survivors of a Kree
invasion fleet are slowly dying of cancer. Sheldon interviews Captain Mar-Vell, one of the Kree prisoners, who tells him why their invasion failed. The Kree
had encountered the Silver Surfer
(who had gone mad and torn open his own chest in a futile attempt to experience respiration
again) only to discover that the Power Cosmic
emanating from the Surfer's body had been interfering with their scanners. This prevented the Kree fleet from detecting a nuclear barrage which subsequently destroyed ninety percent of the Kree warships. In Washington, D.C.
, Sheldon meets government agent Nick Fury
, who attacks and almost shoots him, insisting that 'proved he was clean' and claiming that Captain America introduced him to cannibalism
. They are interrupted by Jean Grey
, here a prostitute, who offers herself to the two men for twenty dollars; but Fury shoots her dead and then kills himself. After his encounter with Fury, Sheldon visits Chicago
and interviews Rick Jones
, a morphine addict living with fellow addict Marlo Chandler
, who tells the story of when Bruce Banner saved him from a gamma radiation blast - which did not turn Banner into the Hulk
, but instead transformed him into a monstrous green mass of pulsating tumors. Leaving the apartment, Sheldon trips over the corpse of the Punisher
in the snow, and the issue ends with him on his knees as he begs to be allowed to show the world how this state of affairs came to pass.
Issue two starts with Sheldon on a plane with Mystique
, who begins to shapeshift uncontrollably. As she is taken off the plane, a security guard bumps into Magneto
, damaging a magnetic dampening device that Magneto carries to nullify his powers, which causes every metal object within radius to attach itself to him, killing him and several others. After this, Sheldon visits a special prison which houses many mutants, including X-Men
Scott Summers, Kitty Pryde
, Kurt Wagner and Quicksilver
, all of whom have been mutilated and deformed in an effort to control their powers. Sheldon is given a tour by the warden, Wilson Fisk who says that the only reason Sheldon was allowed to see the prison was because President X knew Sheldon was dying, and wanted to grant a dying man his wish. After witnessing a carnival show with Johnny Blaze
, who commits suicide by setting his skull on fire, and interviewing Ben Grimm, who describes the deaths of the rest of those who would become the Fantastic Four
and Victor Von Doom when their space ship flew through a cloud of radiation (as Grimm refused to pilot the ship due to safety concerns, Reed Richards hired Von Doom instead), Sheldon decides to begin writing his book, which he will title Marvels
. However, he discovers that he has run out of the medication he has been taking; he has been infected with a virus passed on to him by Peter Parker
(who had worked at the Daily Bugle alongside Sheldon), a virus caused by an irradiated spider. The virus overcomes Sheldon and he dies. As he lies on the ground, ignored by the passersby, his notes scatter in the wind.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
mini-series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
, written by Warren Ellis
Warren Ellis
Warren Girard Ellis is an English author of comics, novels, and television, who is well-known for sociocultural commentary, both through his online presence and through his writing, which covers transhumanist themes...
with painted artwork by Terese Nielsen
Terese Nielsen
Terese Nielsen is a California-based freelance fantasy artist.-Career:Nielsen has gained a fan following mainly because of her illustrations for the trading card game Magic: The Gathering...
, her husband Cliff Nielsen
Cliff Nielsen
-Work:Nielsen who has illustrated the covers of several children's books, including:* Heir Apparent* The Giver cover art.* The Mortal Instruments series* The Infernal Devices* The Cirque Du Freak series...
, and Chris Moeller, who took over for the last seventeen pages of the second issue.
The series, conceived by Ellis as a parody, is set in a dystopian version of the Marvel Universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
. The main character, Phil Sheldon, is also the central character of the Marvels
Marvels
Marvels is a four-issue comic book limited series written by Kurt Busiek, painted by Alex Ross and edited by Marcus McLaurin, and published by Marvel Comics in 1994....
series by Kurt Busiek
Kurt Busiek
Kurt Busiek is an American comic book writer notable for his work on the Marvels limited series, his own title Astro City, and his four-year run on Avengers.-Early life:...
and Alex Ross
Alex Ross
Nelson Alexander "Alex" Ross is an American comic book painter, illustrator, and plotter. He is praised for his realistic, human depictions of classic comic book characters. Since the 1990s he has done work for Marvel Comics and DC Comics Nelson Alexander "Alex" Ross (born January 22, 1970) is an...
, and this series can be seen as a darker retelling of this story. Like Marvels, the comic was published in prestige format
Prestige format
Prestige format is a term coined by DC Comics and later came into wider use to refer to a square-bound comic book with cardstock covers. A prestige format comic book is usually longer than a normal, stapled 32-page comic...
, with fully painted artwork and acetate covers, further creating the impression that it is a more twisted companion piece.
Plot summary
Ruins follows former Daily BugleDaily Bugle
The Daily Bugle is a fictional New York City newspaper that is a regular fixture in the Marvel Universe, most prominently in Spider-Man comic titles and their derivative media...
reporter Phil Sheldon as he explores a dystopia
Dystopia
A dystopia is the idea of a society in a repressive and controlled state, often under the guise of being utopian, as characterized in books like Brave New World and Nineteen Eighty-Four...
n alternate Marvel Universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
where, in his words, "everything that can go wrong will go wrong"; a world where the myriad experiments and accidents which led to the creation of superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
es in the mainstream Marvel Universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
instead resulted in horrible deformities and painful deaths. Sheldon tours the country investigating the after-effects of these events, researching a book about the strange phenomena in order to prove that the world has taken a wrong turn somewhere.
In the first issue, after witnessing the destruction of the last Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...
Quinjet (in this reality, the Avengers are a radical secession
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
ist rebel group rebelling against an oppressive American government led by 'President X
Professor X
Professor Charles Francis Xavier, also known as Professor X, is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero known as the leader and founder of the X-Men....
'), which has killed both Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
and Iron Man
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
, and encountering a decaying Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
- whose flesh is slowly falling off from the toxicity of his adamantium bone structure - Sheldon proceeds to a Kree
Kree
The Kree, also known as the Ruul, are a scientifically and technologically advanced militaristic alien race in the fictional Marvel Universe. They are native to the planet Hala in the Large Magellanic Cloud...
internment camp in Nevada, situated on a nuclear test site, where the last survivors of a Kree
Kree
The Kree, also known as the Ruul, are a scientifically and technologically advanced militaristic alien race in the fictional Marvel Universe. They are native to the planet Hala in the Large Magellanic Cloud...
invasion fleet are slowly dying of cancer. Sheldon interviews Captain Mar-Vell, one of the Kree prisoners, who tells him why their invasion failed. The Kree
Kree
The Kree, also known as the Ruul, are a scientifically and technologically advanced militaristic alien race in the fictional Marvel Universe. They are native to the planet Hala in the Large Magellanic Cloud...
had encountered the Silver Surfer
Silver Surfer
The Silver Surfer is a Marvel Comics superhero created by Jack Kirby. The character first appears in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue arc that fans call "The Galactus Trilogy"....
(who had gone mad and torn open his own chest in a futile attempt to experience respiration
Respiratory system
The respiratory system is the anatomical system of an organism that introduces respiratory gases to the interior and performs gas exchange. In humans and other mammals, the anatomical features of the respiratory system include airways, lungs, and the respiratory muscles...
again) only to discover that the Power Cosmic
Power Cosmic
The Power Cosmic is a fictional type of cosmic energy that appears in comic books published by Marvel, most commonly mentioned in stories involving the cosmic entity Galactus and his heralds...
emanating from the Surfer's body had been interfering with their scanners. This prevented the Kree fleet from detecting a nuclear barrage which subsequently destroyed ninety percent of the Kree warships. In Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, Sheldon meets government agent Nick Fury
Nick Fury
Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day super-spy in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, Fury first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 , a World War II combat series that portrayed the...
, who attacks and almost shoots him, insisting that 'proved he was clean' and claiming that Captain America introduced him to cannibalism
Cannibalism
Cannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh of other human beings. It is also called anthropophagy...
. They are interrupted by Jean Grey
Jean Grey
Jean Grey-Summers is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix, and Dark Phoenix and is best known as one of five original members of the X-Men, for her relationship with Cyclops, and for her...
, here a prostitute, who offers herself to the two men for twenty dollars; but Fury shoots her dead and then kills himself. After his encounter with Fury, Sheldon visits Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and interviews Rick Jones
Rick Jones (comics)
Richard Milhouse "Rick" Jones is a fictional comic book character in the .-Publication history:Rick Jones first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1, as a sidekick to the Incredible Hulk...
, a morphine addict living with fellow addict Marlo Chandler
Marlo Chandler
Marlo Chandler is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Peter David, she first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #347 , and became an ongoing supporting character, first in that book, and later in the Captain Marvel series published between 1999–2004...
, who tells the story of when Bruce Banner saved him from a gamma radiation blast - which did not turn Banner into the Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
, but instead transformed him into a monstrous green mass of pulsating tumors. Leaving the apartment, Sheldon trips over the corpse of the Punisher
Punisher
The Punisher is a fictional character, an anti-hero appearing in comic books based in the . Created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita, Sr., and Ross Andru, the character made its first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 .The Punisher is a vigilante who employs murder,...
in the snow, and the issue ends with him on his knees as he begs to be allowed to show the world how this state of affairs came to pass.
Issue two starts with Sheldon on a plane with Mystique
Mystique (comics)
Mystique is a fictional character associated with the Marvel Comics' franchise X-Men. Originally created by artist David Cockrum and writer Chris Claremont, she first appeared in Ms...
, who begins to shapeshift uncontrollably. As she is taken off the plane, a security guard bumps into Magneto
Magneto (comics)
Magneto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the central villain of the X-Men comic, as well as the TV show and the films. The character first appears in X-Men #1 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby...
, damaging a magnetic dampening device that Magneto carries to nullify his powers, which causes every metal object within radius to attach itself to him, killing him and several others. After this, Sheldon visits a special prison which houses many mutants, including X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
Scott Summers, Kitty Pryde
Kitty Pryde
Katherine Anne "Kitty" Pryde is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #129 and was created by writer-artist John Byrne....
, Kurt Wagner and Quicksilver
Quicksilver (comics)
Quicksilver is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
, all of whom have been mutilated and deformed in an effort to control their powers. Sheldon is given a tour by the warden, Wilson Fisk who says that the only reason Sheldon was allowed to see the prison was because President X knew Sheldon was dying, and wanted to grant a dying man his wish. After witnessing a carnival show with Johnny Blaze
Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze)
Ghost Rider is a fictional character, an antihero in the Marvel Comics Universe. He is the second Marvel character to use the name Ghost Rider, following the Western hero later known as the Phantom Rider, and preceding Daniel Ketch.Johnny Blaze was portrayed both in the 2007 film Ghost Rider and...
, who commits suicide by setting his skull on fire, and interviewing Ben Grimm, who describes the deaths of the rest of those who would become the Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four is a fictional superhero team appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The group debuted in The Fantastic Four #1 , which helped to usher in a new level of realism in the medium...
and Victor Von Doom when their space ship flew through a cloud of radiation (as Grimm refused to pilot the ship due to safety concerns, Reed Richards hired Von Doom instead), Sheldon decides to begin writing his book, which he will title Marvels
Marvels
Marvels is a four-issue comic book limited series written by Kurt Busiek, painted by Alex Ross and edited by Marcus McLaurin, and published by Marvel Comics in 1994....
. However, he discovers that he has run out of the medication he has been taking; he has been infected with a virus passed on to him by Peter Parker
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
(who had worked at the Daily Bugle alongside Sheldon), a virus caused by an irradiated spider. The virus overcomes Sheldon and he dies. As he lies on the ground, ignored by the passersby, his notes scatter in the wind.
External links
- Ruins at the Marvel Database Project
- Warren Ellis’ not so Mighty World Of Marvel, Forbidden PlanetForbidden Planet (bookstore)Forbidden Planet is the trading name of two separate science fiction, fantasy and horror bookshop chains across the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the United States of America, after the feature film of the same name....
International Blog Log, May 27, 2009