Dive into the dark and thrilling world of Mark Millar’s “Nemesis” Comic book series with my latest breakdown! I cover the first six issue run, unveiling the chaotic genius of this indie comic book masterpiece. Mark Millar, renowned for his work on “Wanted” and “Kick-Ass,” turns the superhero trope on its head with Nemesis, a villain who mirrors Batman, but revels in chaos.
This video is a must-watch for comic book fans eager to delve into the depths of villain-centric storytelling, where Nemesis, a man so cruel and unrelenting, he challenges the very essence of justice and morality. I outlinen the plot, alongside visual by Steve McNiven, and discuss how these issues set the stage for one of the most iconic new characters in comic books. Whether you’re a fan of Mark Millar’s dark narratives or just love the twist on superhero dynamics, this review covers the shocking twists, bloody action, and the moral questions posed by Nemesis’ rampage. Get your dose of comic book analysis, indie comic highlights, and villain lore all in one video. Don’t miss out on this deep dive into Mark Millar’s “Nemesis” – your gateway to understanding the darker side of comic book storytelling.
Millar & McNiven’s Nemesis is a creator-owned comic book limited series written by Mark Millar, drawn by Steve McNiven and published by the Icon Comics imprint of Marvel Comics.
Two Image Comics-published sequels followed: Nemesis Reloaded, and Big Game (both 2023), with a new volume, Nemesis: Rogues’ Gallery, set to be published by Dark Horse Comics in 2024.
The publicity was launched in October 2009, with a teaser image containing the caption “What if Batman was the Joker?” and in a subsequent interview Millar revealed that it was only one of a number of possible lines they went with, his favourite being “What if Batman was a total bastard?” This caused concern at DC Comics, the publisher of Batman, but Millar denied there had been threats of legal action:
One of my friends at DC legal dropped me an informal email back in December saying that someone in editorial was a bit worried by the Batman and Joker mentions in an interview to promote a creator-owned book. They politely asked if I could avoid using those names as it was creating a bit of grief for them and I agreed, saying that’s absolutely fine. Steve and I chatted after, wondering if the cover was a little too much too and we decided to ditch it and do another one. It was entirely our decision and a gesture of goodwill, which the lads at DC appreciated. This has never been anything beyond a couple of friendly, informal emails.
The series also gained pre-publication attention when Millar auctioned the right to name the main policeman character, something he had done with Kick-Ass. The winning bid was $8,500 and, as with the previous auction, proceeds went to the charity run by Mark Millar’s brother Dr. Bobby Millar which helps children with special needs. It proved so successful that the real name of the main supervillain character was also auctioned off.
In 2017, a one-shot, Nemesis: We are Nemesis, written by Steve Lawrence and illustrated by Marcelo Salazo, was published by Image Comics as part of the Millarworld New Talent Annual 2017, an anthology annual consisting of one-shot specials containing winning entries from the online contest for up-and-coming creators held by Millar in 2016. Set during the events of Nemesis, the story is told from the perspective of one of Nemesis’ followers.
A follow-up miniseries, titled Nemesis Reloaded, launched in January 2023 with Jorge Jimenez serving as artist, with the series serving as a soft reboot of the character, helping to better integrate the character into the greater Millarworld shared universe, with a new Matthew “Nemesis” Anderson being trained by Wesley “The Killer II” Gibson. Following the conclusion of Reloaded, Nemesis then appeared in Big Game, a crossover with every Millarworld property illustrated by Pepe Larraz in July the same year. In December 2023, it was revealed that Millar had signed a deal with Dark Horse Comics to become the new publisher of the Millarworld titles, including a new Nemesis series, Nemesis: Rogues’ Gallery, to be written by Millar with Valerio Giangiordano serving as artist, set to release in 2024.
