# comic book nerds UNITE!



## Red Raven (Feb 1, 2009)

I didn't see one elsewhere so I decided to start one. Anyway what books are ppl reading these days? I'm loving Green Lantern so far.


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## Oirish (Feb 2, 2009)

Life long Marvelite here. I picked up Dark Avengers #1 last week and it was excellent! The way Bendis has steered the Marvel Universe is awe inspiring to say the least. His stories have more heart and complexity than nearly any other mainstream titles out. I'm especially impressed with his ability to keep a true continuity going over the span of many years. Who here wasn't impressed by how he has linked everything from the start of New Avengers through House of M, to Civil War, World War Hulk, and through the Secret Invasion to get to Dark Reign. 
These stories have heart and are structured so that the tales are complete and realistic (all things considered). I wish I could say the same for Final Crisis. 
Another title I've been following since it began is Star Wars Legacy. Quite good so far. I highly recommend it.


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## disconnectedsmile (Feb 2, 2009)

i posted a thread about DC's _Final Crisis_ ( http://dimensionsmagazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53743 ) and it failed miserably. 

anyway, i didn't get into comics until this past summer. but i'm a total Batman fanboy. i picked a hell of a time to get into Batman comics though, seeing as they recently "killed off" Bruce Wayne. thanks a lot DC!


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## chicken legs (Feb 2, 2009)

I was checking out photography books and got sidetracked by DC's Superman Confidential..#7. All i need now is a comic book cover. It the first one i bought since i was a kid. Usually i bought Marvel comics back then. I would have loved to get the more graphic novels but Moms did not approve...lol.

I want to check out the Watchmen series before i see the movie...anyone read that one.


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## Maxx Awesome (Feb 2, 2009)

chicken legs said:


> I was checking out photography books and got sidetracked by DC's Superman Confidential..#7. All i need now is a comic book cover. It the first one i bought since i was a kid. Usually i bought Marvel comics back then. I would have loved to get the more graphic novels but Moms did not approve...lol.
> 
> I want to check out the Watchmen series before i see the movie...anyone read that one.



READ! _WATCHMEN_! NOW! It is quite possibly the best thing ever written (take that _Hamlet_!). Honestly, the movie will not nearly do it justice. Not saying it will suck, but it can't possibly compare to what was originally written/drawn. _Watchmen_ is the type of book that really lends itself to multiple readings. My own paperback copy is nearly falling apart because of how often I've read it & I'm _still_ discovering new things in it, lol!

And if you enjoy _Watchmen_ I would also recommend Frank Miller's _The Dark Knight Returns_ (but steer clear of _The Dark Knight Strikes Again_), Mark Gruenwald's _Squadron Supreme_ (& it's modern counterpart), Miller's run on _Daredevil_ is also excellent (I highly recommend the _Born Again_ storyline, in particular).

I pick up nearly everything _Daredevil_ related. For some reason he's the only hero I can stand these days. Bendis' run on DD was great, certainly better than his _New Avengers_ stuff, IMO. In writing that, Bendis made me hate Spider-Man. I know he's supposed to be a guy that quips alot to throw villains off-guard & all that, but in this he was just SOOOOO annoying I often felt like tearing up the damn books!


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Feb 2, 2009)

See, I thought I would start a good comic book thread here, but it's also been done here and here.

I am actually in the process of winding down from the "crises" of 2008 (Final Crisis, Secret Invasion) and am trying to cull my pull lists down to something more economically viable. I shudder to think what I spent on those books last year, and really at the end of things only found about 40% of it worth my trouble.

I will say the book that got me back into it a few years ago was the Superman/Batman run of Jeph Loeb and the Amazing Spider-Man run of J. Michael Straczynski. Supes/Bats is still good, although the writing has suffered since Jeph went on to bigger and better things, and Marvel absolutely killed Spidey with their horrific "Brand New Day" reboot. I could go on for days about this, but in the end, I would just sound like an angry fanboy who gets up in arms because Han shot FIRST.

Two books I am going through and filling in the holes are the Green Lantern and Deadpool runs. GL did an excellent series last year with their Sinestro Corps run, and with all they've done this year it's setting up for a nice new crisis (the "Blackest Day" saga) for 2009. Deadpool was a fan fave for years, and he now has a new series tied in with the Secret Invasion saga, which forces me to go back and get his run with Wolverine and Cable.

Todd McFarlane came back to writing Spawn, and the jury is out right now in terms of whether it will be a hit. I kept away from Batman for the most part with their RIP series, but Kevin Smith did well with his new book "Batman - Cacaphony" which I hope stands up with his runs on Green Arrow and Daredevil which were excellent.

Now I'm off to check eBay for a Michael Turner signed litho that I hope to get without having to forefit my firstborn son.


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## marlowegarp (Feb 2, 2009)

GL is indeed awesome. I still disagree with the need to bring Hal Jordan back and maintain that he will always be an interstellar murderer but the character arc is great to see. I've been reading the trades and just finished the second one. Can't wait to read the Sinestro Corps War. 

Bendis is an albatross around the neck of the Marvel Universe. He has written 5 or 6 great issues of New Avengers, yes, but out of fifty that is not nearly enough. The Sentry issue during Civil War was quite good, as was #26 (Hawkeye/ Scarlet witch), but he generally has no idea how to write Spider-Man or really any character that isn't Luke Cage or Jessica Jones. Dr. Doom and Dr. Strange are especially painful. I understand the need for a shift to slightly less ridiculous stories in Marvel and to kick something like that off, he wasn't a bad choice, but enough is enough. Just like JMS overstayed his welcome on Spider-Man, (and is now writing a MAGNIFICENT Thor) Bendis just needs to stop and stick with Powers.The naturalistic, David Mamet style dialogue works in certain specific instances, but not when you're writing a story about aliens taking over the Earth. I actually enjoyed his Daredevil run, though. 

The nice thing about the turn toward realism is that writers with actual talent have come to Marvel as well. Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction and Warren Ellis have all done great things. I'm really hoping Greg Rucka does some more stories on Daredevil. 

I am functionally addicted to comics and after rent, they're my biggest expense, but the ones I am most excited about right now are:

Anything Jonathan Hickman does, Thor, Scalped, 100 Bullets (for 1 more month), Paul Dini Batman, Marvel's cosmic titles, Queen and Country (once a year), Runaways, Eternals, Captain Britain, Top 10, Fell and The Killer.


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## Melian (Feb 2, 2009)

Back in the day, it was all about the Marvel Universe...

These days, the only comics I still follow are Gunnm: Last Order and Zombie Loan. Also, the somewhat random works of Roman Dirge.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Feb 2, 2009)

marlowegarp said:


> GL is indeed awesome. I still disagree with the need to bring Hal Jordan back and maintain that he will always be an interstellar murderer but the character arc is great to see. I've been reading the trades and just finished the second one. Can't wait to read the Sinestro Corps War.


Yeah, after reading the whole "I killed your mom and farked your dad, Love Hal Jordan" saga with Parallax I am not too keen...some things you just can't forgive with a wave of "oh, he wasn't in control of his actions". It may have worked for Hal and Jean Luc Picard, but that shit doesn't sell in the real world (yes, I know they're _fic-shun-ull characters_ but still).



> Just like JMS overstayed his welcome on Spider-Man, (and is now writing a MAGNIFICENT Thor)


 I have to disagree, although you can say that an adult Peter Parker with adult-style problems made Spidey somehow boring. The Other intermission saga, with Peter coming back from the dead with even more-better powers was up and down, but then the whole "I'm giving it all up to save Aunt May" excuse just SUCKED. Ironically, Marvel did a recent What If? on that to the tune of "What if the hitman's bullet had killed Mary Jane?" and it was a much darker outcome than I would have envisioned. It was all revisionist crap to make Brand New Day more palatable, like putting cheese on broccoli so you can choke it down easier, but I get what they're saying and I do understand that no, they can't go back to The Way Things Used To Be.



> The nice thing about the turn toward realism is that writers with actual talent have come to Marvel as well. Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction and Warren Ellis have all done great things. I'm really hoping Greg Rucka does some more stories on Daredevil.


 I'm oddly a Geoff Johns fan, mainly since he's been doing excellent work on the Superman series, not to mention his work with JLA, JSA and Green Lantern.



> I am functionally addicted to comics and after rent, they're my biggest expense, but the ones I am most excited about right now are:
> 
> Anything Jonathan Hickman does, Thor, Scalped, 100 Bullets (for 1 more month), Paul Dini Batman, Marvel's cosmic titles, Queen and Country (once a year), Runaways, Eternals, Captain Britain, Top 10, Fell and The Killer.


 OK, can tell I'm not as deep as I would like to be; I stick to Image, DC and Marvel regulars. Mark Millar is my current rogue writer, mainly because with Wanted, Marvel 1985 and Kick-Ass he's making comics for adults.


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## chicken legs (Feb 2, 2009)

ok, now i'm going to pick up Watchmen series TODAY....lol

I just love how far special effects has come in regards to the adaptations of Spiderman, Fantastic Four, the Hulk, etc. With that said, i cannot wait to see Wolverine.


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## chicken legs (Feb 2, 2009)

I found a "GEM" of a superhero/erotica short story...


The Dryad Ch. 1

http://www.literotica.com/stories/showstory.php?id=330811



The Dryad Ch. 2

http://www.literotica.com/stories/showstory.php?id=331092



The Dryad ch 3

http://www.literotica.com/stories/showstory.php?id=332827


The Dryad Ch 4

http://www.literotica.com/stories/showstory.php?id=352761


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## Honey Parker (Feb 2, 2009)

Oh fabulous! Yet another corner of the net I can slip into with like minded souls, who do not cast the finger of "geek" upon me. . okay, fair enough I do proclaim to be Queen Geek, but hey, only geeks can call a geek a geek, right?

I've never been able to divide my allegiance between Marvel and DC, my first loves in the comic world were Batman and the Xmen, something that stick with me to this day. . .despite the horrors each title has undergone. (What exactly was Josh Weldon snorting when he decided to return Colossus from the dead? I mean the guy sacrificed his life for the most noble of causes and went out like a true hero. So dude from Buffy resurrects him in skimpy undies so Kitty Pryde isn't lonely anymore? I mean I love Kitty and Peter as much as the next person, but seriously?)

Since moving back to Canada, my comicbook buying has eventually weened out into an occasional treat of a tasty one shot, in favour of finally having the green to start buying everything I have lovingly preserved in mylar bags backed with acid free, museum quality board, plus the stuff i was either too young or too broke to pick up when it first came out.

Anything touched by the hands of Alan Moore, Garth Ennis, Mike Mignola, Warren Ellis and Robert Kirkman is slowly being bought, one graphic at a time and if available, in glorious glossy hardback editions.

I recently bought "The Killing Joke", well technically rebought it was my original was looking a rather _over loved_. I don't know if anyone else has glanced at the sumptuous "redux" in all it's hardbacked glory? Bolland completely recoloured each panel and added some tasty little treats. I was somewhat suspicious before I opened the book and was bedazzled by the contents. It looks nothing short of glorious and no big surprise, that Alan Moore's script stands the test of time and is still on of the THE best Bat capers EVER.


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## chicken legs (Feb 2, 2009)

mmmmmmmmm
 
I'm getting all hot and bothered with your descriptions of "occasional treat of a tasty one shot","mylar bags backed with acid free, museum quality board", etc...lol


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## Tad (Feb 2, 2009)

A friend started picking up the X-men just before the original Dark Pheonix storyline started back around 1980 or so. He later got a few of us to read them and get hooked. We were all young and of limited pocket money at the time, so another friend got assigned to Daredevil, during the Frank Miller run. I got one of the Spider Men titles, which was pretty bland in comparison. After a few years I gave up on the Spider man and started buying my own X-Men.

For quite a few years thereafter I followed the X-Men and some of their spin offs, New Mutants in particular (any other FA have mixed feelings when Karma ended up hugely fat, then lost it all shortly afterward?). I did get into a few other titles for a while, most particularly The New Defenders which for a while had some really creative and fascinating storylines, before they were canceled to free up some characters for X-Factor (I never did forgive X-Factor!). Actually aside from the X-Men, most of the titles I liked didn't last for too long (I forget some of the titles, but a couple of others that I think I recall are Power Pack and Black Canary).

Eventually I finished university and had nobody around me interested in comics, but did have a girlfriend, and concluded that comics were just getting too expensive when I could be spending the money on her. That was over 15 years ago, but I still have fond memories of Nightcrawler, Kitty Pryde, and many others. 

I kept a couple of boxes of comics for many years, all stored in their bags and so forth. Eventually just didn't have the space to keep them any more, by which time the market had tanked and I got almost nothing for them. It was a shame I hadn't the space to keep them, as my son is reaching the age to appreciate them now, would have liked to have passed them on to him.

So I guess I'm something of a retired comic book nerd?


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Feb 2, 2009)

Honey Parker said:


> Since moving back to Canada, my comicbook buying has eventually weened out into an occasional treat of a tasty one shot, in favour of finally having the green to start buying everything I have lovingly preserved in mylar bags backed with acid free, museum quality board, plus the stuff i was either too young or too broke to pick up when it first came out.


If you're looking for a tasty "one shot," there was one that I read lastmonth as a "Wolverine - The Christmas Special" (it was actually entitled "Flies to a Spider") which has our favorite Canuck opening up a keg of ball stomp on a bunch of local sleazeballs.


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## marlowegarp (Feb 2, 2009)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> I have to disagree, although you can say that an adult Peter Parker with adult-style problems made Spidey somehow boring. The Other intermission saga, with Peter coming back from the dead with even more-better powers was up and down, but then the whole "I'm giving it all up to save Aunt May" excuse just SUCKED. Ironically, Marvel did a recent What If? on that to the tune of "What if the hitman's bullet had killed Mary Jane?" and it was a much darker outcome than I would have envisioned. It was all revisionist crap to make Brand New Day more palatable, like putting cheese on broccoli so you can choke it down easier, but I get what they're saying and I do understand that no, they can't go back to The Way Things Used To Be.
> 
> 
> OK, can tell I'm not as deep as I would like to be; I stick to Image, DC and Marvel regulars. Mark Millar is my current rogue writer, mainly because with Wanted, Marvel 1985 and Kick-Ass he's making comics for adults.



I loved JMS all through the "Book of Ezekiel" story (508?) but JRJR left and that would have been the perfect time for a new writer. I had mixed feelings about The Other as well. I thought it was a couple issues longer than it needed to be and it really bothered me that he killed Morlun, but it was actually an organic direction for him to go. One More Day was the real cock-up, though. Quesada's art was not worth waiting for and the logic was inscrutable. The tying-up of the Dr. Strange angle was about the only good thing. 

Definitely agree about Millar. One thing he does very well is know when to stop. 8 issues here, 12 there and he's gone. His first run on Wolverine was really the model of that. He's a great writer as well, but his discretion is really admirable as well. Can't wait for the rest of Old Man Logan.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Feb 2, 2009)

marlowegarp said:


> I loved JMS all through the "Book of Ezekiel" story (508?) but JRJR left and that would have been the perfect time for a new writer. I had mixed feelings about The Other as well. I thought it was a couple issues longer than it needed to be and it really bothered me that he killed Morlun, but it was actually an organic direction for him to go. One More Day was the real cock-up, though. Quesada's art was not worth waiting for and the logic was inscrutable. The tying-up of the Dr. Strange angle was about the only good thing.


I never figured out how the new BND continuity gelled with the Civil War saga, because he was still a masked unlicensed superhero in the new series. To me Peter's 'coming out' was what made the CW saga so good, and made all the resulting storylines that more poignant in a "see, I told you so" sort of way. It would have made the whole Tony Stark as Skrull theory that much more plausible, since Stark was taking a lot of liberties with everyone's life all for the sake of national security.

I'm finding J.G. Jones to be better for Spider-Man than Quesada Jr.. His stuff seems so forced and Jones is much more organic. That being said I'm a huge Ed McGuiness fan, and his are about as distanced from reality (esp. his Superman/Batman) as anything else.


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## marlowegarp (Feb 2, 2009)

Honey Parker said:


> I recently bought "The Killing Joke", well technically rebought it was my original was looking a rather _over loved_. I don't know if anyone else has glanced at the sumptuous "redux" in all it's hardbacked glory? Bolland completely recoloured each panel and added some tasty little treats. I was somewhat suspicious before I opened the book and was bedazzled by the contents. It looks nothing short of glorious and no big surprise, that Alan Moore's script stands the test of time and is still on of the THE best Bat capers EVER.



Good to know about Killing Joke. I have read my original copy a couple dozen times and I'm still amazed by how good it is. Sometimes the recoloring works (Crisis) and sometimes not, but if Bolland did it himself I would love to see that. Have you read the Batman Black and White he did?


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## Oirish (Feb 2, 2009)

disconnectedsmile said:


> i posted a thread about DC's _Final Crisis_ ( http://dimensionsmagazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53743 ) and it failed miserably.
> 
> anyway, i didn't get into comics until this past summer. but i'm a total Batman fanboy. i picked a hell of a time to get into Batman comics though, seeing as they recently "killed off" Bruce Wayne. thanks a lot DC!



Read issue 7 of Final Crisis. Bruce is in some cave in some other time/dimension/god knows what and is drawing bats on the wall with charcoal while sporting a beard. DC has to pull a copy-cat stunt to counter the death of Captain America and can't even pull it off for more than an issue. Final Crisis was a HUGE let down. A great idea and some really quite brilliant moments but it lacked continuity and did not explain how a lot of things happened. A big one being how Wonder Woman overcame Darkseid's influence and the virus she was infected with. There wasn't ANY half-assed explanation, she just pulled off the mask and was better. LAME.


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## Oirish (Feb 2, 2009)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> See, I thought I would start a good comic book thread here, but it's also been done here and here.
> 
> I am actually in the process of winding down from the "crises" of 2008 (Final Crisis, Secret Invasion) and am trying to cull my pull lists down to something more economically viable. I shudder to think what I spent on those books last year, and really at the end of things only found about 40% of it worth my trouble.
> 
> ...



Deadpool is awesome! Other than Spidey he is the only character that makes me laugh out loud. I hope the film incarnation is as enjoyable. I absolutely agree that "Brand New Day" was awful, despite the quality of art. I do want to point out that JMS most certainly did not overstay his welcome as was said by someone else. Brand New Day was entirely Quesada's idea and JMS wanted to have his name taken off the credits for it because it pissed on all of his hard and brilliant work on AMS. His run was the best thing to happen to Spidey since Gwen. With how the MU is situated post-invasion with Norman running the show and Spidey still in the New Avengers I think it would have been incredible to still have his identity public knowledge. There was just such amazing character growth in the JMS run. Its sad to see it washed away. There's my Han shot first rant.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Feb 2, 2009)

Oirish said:


> Read issue 7 of Final Crisis. Bruce is in some cave in some other time/dimension/god knows what and is drawing bats on the wall with charcoal while sporting a beard. DC has to pull a copy-cat stunt to counter the death of Captain America and can't even pull it off for more than an issue. Final Crisis was a HUGE let down. A great idea and some really quite brilliant moments but it lacked continuity and did not explain how a lot of things happened. A big one being how Wonder Woman overcame Darkseid's influence and the virus she was infected with. There wasn't ANY half-assed explanation, she just pulled off the mask and was better. LAME.


I just read the Superman Beyond issue of the FC series and I got the same feeling watching the Bowman in the Monolith scene in 2001. Someone was doing some SERIOUS drugs to come up with some of this hoo-hah. Maybe I needed to wear the 3D glasses.


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## Oirish (Feb 2, 2009)

I agree with you on the resurrection bit. I teared up a bit when he died. It was an excellent story. I don't think Whedon did too bad a job with how he explained his return though. It was a hell of a lot better than a lot of the other times someone returned. What pissed me off was killing Kitty like that. They haven't even shown them look for her. She was on a giant damn bullet. It goes straight. Its not like they couldn't have Mr. Fantastic come up with some doohickey to get her. Lame. 

The reprint of The Killing Joke is incredible! I bought a few copies to pass around my non-comic geek friends before Dark Knight came out so they could see where some of the ideas for the flick came from. I think I added a few to our ranks




Honey Parker said:


> Oh fabulous! Yet another corner of the net I can slip into with like minded souls, who do not cast the finger of "geek" upon me. . okay, fair enough I do proclaim to be Queen Geek, but hey, only geeks can call a geek a geek, right?
> 
> I've never been able to divide my allegiance between Marvel and DC, my first loves in the comic world were Batman and the Xmen, something that stick with me to this day. . .despite the horrors each title has undergone. (What exactly was Josh Weldon snorting when he decided to return Colossus from the dead? I mean the guy sacrificed his life for the most noble of causes and went out like a true hero. So dude from Buffy resurrects him in skimpy undies so Kitty Pryde isn't lonely anymore? I mean I love Kitty and Peter as much as the next person, but seriously?)
> 
> ...


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## Maxx Awesome (Feb 2, 2009)

chicken legs said:


> ok, now i'm going to pick up Watchmen series TODAY....lol



You will not regret it. Other random recommendations, _Bone_: Great story (& soooooo cute:happy & _Preacher_: Easily the most enjoyable series I've read. Any comic that contains a page wherein a character shouts nothing but "DOOM-COCK!!!" over & over again is worthy of high-praise. It's violent, funny, well-scripted, superbly-plotted & the art is beautiful. Best bit: believable dialogue from an Irish character. None of this "Aw, b'jaysus. I'm off to the field to poke me spuds wit' a stick, begorrah." shite that Banshee says in X-Men. Cassidy is the voice of a generation (a generation of North Dublin skangers, but a generation none the less).


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Feb 2, 2009)

Maxx Awesome said:


> You will not regret it. Other random recommendations, _Bone_: Great story (& soooooo cute:happy & _Preacher_: Easily the most enjoyable series I've read. Any comic that contains a page wherein a character shouts nothing but "DOOM-COCK!!!" over & over again is worthy of high-praise. It's violent, funny, well-scripted, superbly-plotted & the art is beautiful. Best bit: believable dialogue from an Irish character. None of this "Aw, b'jaysus. I'm off to the field to poke me spuds wit' a stick, begorrah." shite that Banshee says in X-Men. Cassidy is the voice of a generation (a generation of North Dublin skangers, but a generation none the less).


There was a guy who went by "Tetsubo" who wrote a completely shopped remix of the Civil War saga, whiting out the existing dialog and (rather deftly, matching font and everything) inserted his own dialog as it 'should have been'.

Once I find it I will have to post it, assuming Marvel didn't sue him into nonexistence over copyright infringement. He had such fun with Cyber-Thor, the clone/cyborg Reed Richards made from Thor's DNA. You see the clone flying into battle screaming 

*10 SMITE!
20 GOTO 10!*


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## FaxMachine1234 (Feb 2, 2009)

I was really into comics from about 2001-2005 (tho I read them occasionally when I was a wee one), but Marvel lost me with the New Avengers (and a lot of other things at the same time) and later the Civil War, and DC, my favorite of the two, finally lost me when they killed off Superboy and with a lot of the Identity Crisis stuff. Plus the things were and are damn expensive. Still, I still go to a shop every once in awhile to see if things have improved.


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## BTB (Feb 2, 2009)

First of all Marvels G.L.A with the überBBW Big Bertha should be a monthly book instead of some miniseries.
Also because it is still playful and not so dead serious like most superheroes comics today
I am eagerly waiting for Morrisons Sequel to Seaguy which was the biggest deconstruction of Escapism I ever read
The fact that a lot of old stuff is reprinted in huge Omnibuses is a treat for instance if you chose Zot by scott Mccloud

(Here is one Onlinechapter which is still good but not as good as the last six Issues of the series http://www.scottmccloud.com/comics/zot/zot-01/zot-01.html )

By now I am more prone to comics which have everyday Charcters like Berlin by Jason Lutes or the works of Guy De Lisle ( or this Piece which is probably one of the best onlinecomics ever, also by Scott Mccloud 
http://www.scottmccloud.com/comics/mi/mi-25/mi-25-1.html )

And I would advice you to order The Illustrated Moby Dick by Bill Sienkiwicz from imagecomics which is featured in the Previews this Month. It is a rather old comic which is thankfully reprinted and is probably sinkiwiecz in his prime and is beautiful and imaginative and not just a retelling but a haunting dreamlike depiction of the Book.


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## Tanuki (Feb 2, 2009)

I myself am a comic book nerd wannabe.... That is, I am trying to get into comics more and more, the problem is I LOVE comics and love reading about characters and different series but I don't know where to start... I have been buying a few trades and a few single issues but its hard to break into it 

I'm thinking I will start getting into X-men because while there are many spin offs and stuff its still under one single umbrella that I can follow

Any suggestions?

...I am however a hardcore Otaku, Manga is so much easier to follow!


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## Maxx Awesome (Feb 2, 2009)

BTB said:


> First of all Marvels G.L.A with the überBBW Big Bertha should be a monthly book instead of some miniseries.
> Also because it is still playful and not so dead serious like most superheroes comics today.


I second that. _GLA_ (when written by Dan Slott) was hilarious. His run on _She-Hulk_ is also worth looking at for those who like "fun" in their "funnybooks". Thing is, Slott also knows how to write a good action scene (ie. The end of _GLA: Misassembled_ or She Hulk's fight with Titania). The man can put everything together.

I know this one's a few years old, but what did everyone think of Peter Milligan & Mike Allred's _X-Force/X-Statix_? I, for one, enjoyed it. I know some were bemoaning the fact that it wasn't the "real" X-Force, but anyone who's read the "real" X-Force knows that they epitomized everything wrong with comics in the 1990s. _X-Statix_, on the other hand was light-hearted book that satirised the cult of celebrity. Too many people didn't actually pick up on the satire & missed out on a great read in the process.


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## disconnectedsmile (Feb 2, 2009)

Maxx Awesome said:


> READ! _WATCHMEN_! NOW! It is quite possibly the best thing ever written (take that _Hamlet_!). Honestly, the movie will not nearly do it justice. Not saying it will suck, but it can't possibly compare to what was originally written/drawn. _Watchmen_ is the type of book that really lends itself to multiple readings. My own paperback copy is nearly falling apart because of how often I've read it & I'm _still_ discovering new things in it, lol!


the thing about the Watchmen film.
i've come to realize that there will never ever be a pitch perfect comic book movie. there just must be some concessions that must be made when translating a comic to the big screen. Batman Begins and The Dark Knight aren't pitch perfect representations of most Batman comics, but both films were still amazing takes on Gotham City.
likewise, i think Watchmen will be a great take on a beloved story that any comic geek with their salt should know by know.
it's one of the best stories ever written, and it will be nice to see a fresh take on it that (HOPEFULLY!) won't completely derail from the story (so far it doesn't look like it will).

also, that Watchmen game (_The End is Nigh_) looks pretty awesome, too. it's a prequel! look into it.


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## Red Raven (Feb 2, 2009)

Watchmen is going to be amazing! Even though they did change the ending. Also anyone here read Gerard Way's umbrella academy?


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Feb 2, 2009)

Away from the wonderful world of work Internet filters (I swear they block a site of they have "bewbs" in the keywords), the new Tetsubo link for his Civil War parodies.

NOTE: Lots of profanity so...ya know.


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## marlowegarp (Feb 3, 2009)

Red Raven said:


> (A)nyone here read Gerard Way's umbrella academy?



I read the first series and liked it. Haven't checked out the sequel.


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## Oirish (Feb 3, 2009)

T-Bear said:


> I myself am a comic book nerd wannabe.... That is, I am trying to get into comics more and more, the problem is I LOVE comics and love reading about characters and different series but I don't know where to start... I have been buying a few trades and a few single issues but its hard to break into it
> 
> I'm thinking I will start getting into X-men because while there are many spin offs and stuff its still under one single umbrella that I can follow
> 
> ...




A good place to start, if you want to get some backstory, is with the Essential X-Men collection. Its in B&W but covers a huge stretch of stories. Otherwise I would suggest starting with Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's run on New X-Men. I've been an X-Men fanatic for about 20 years now and that was one of the best runs in the series. It really is a great point to start to get caught up on the more modern tales. Joss Whedon on John Cassaday's Astonishing X-Men was great as well.


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## Oirish (Feb 3, 2009)

Red Raven said:


> Watchmen is going to be amazing! Even though they did change the ending. Also anyone here read Gerard Way's umbrella academy?



Oh god, tell me they didn't! I really had some high hopes for this. I hope its not too far an alteration. Tell me it still takes place in Nam and the Nixon era at least.


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## marlowegarp (Feb 3, 2009)

Changing the ending? WHAT THE FUUUUUCCCCCKKKKK?


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## None (Feb 3, 2009)

marlowegarp said:


> I read the first series and liked it. Haven't checked out the sequel.



I've been reading the sequel, it's fantastic. The book has a cross-dressing monkey, which is aces.


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## kayrae (Feb 3, 2009)

I do not read any of the comic books listed. I am more of a relationship girly comic book reader. Just finished this one:


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## marlowegarp (Feb 3, 2009)

What a girl! I bet you read Strangers in Paradise! Girl.


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## chicken legs (Feb 3, 2009)

What's the comic book ending for Watchmen...don't worry i'll still read it.


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## BTB (Feb 3, 2009)

The problem with changing the ending is the same that happened to V for Vendetta.

This was a great executed movie but lost everything that was important to the Author of the comicby transforming it in another free the people from tyranny movie instead of the intended Question for responsibility and awareness of politics.

As for the ending of Watchmen it is a rather interesting and questionable concept for Peace on Earth.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Feb 3, 2009)

marlowegarp said:


> Changing the ending? WHAT THE FUUUUUCCCCCKKKKK?


My understanding is that the changes were as follows (select for spoilers):

1. A giant image of Dr. Manhattan destroys New York, not a giant space squid.
2. Rorschach still dies by Dr. Manhattan's hand (there were rumors they were going to (shudder) keep him alive for the sequel Rorschach 2: Sociopathic Boogaloo, but those were just rumors, thank the maker.
3. Ozymandias kills Dumbledore on page 437 instead of Snape ;-)


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## Armadillojellybeans (Feb 3, 2009)

<----- Marvel kinda guy, although I do enjoy some DC, currently on Punisher War Journal #1 and Army of Darkness vs, Darkman


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## Ned Sonntag (Feb 3, 2009)

Um... I used to actually be in the biz to a certain extent... I was in Borders right after the holidays during a long bout with the flu and flipped thru the Marvel Zombies compilation that was on display... all the stuff about oral cravings(what the Paysite Board is all about) and infection(like I was about to go zombie myself) was truly disturbing... being taken back to a certain point in maybe 1965 and then diverging down a dark stenchy timeline... Yipes.
http://sonntag.hipsterfag.com/ http://dr-acula.com/ned.html http://www.capecodtoday.com/blogs/index.php/Sonntag
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=637819095&ref=profile
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=94392737


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Feb 3, 2009)

Ned Sonntag said:


> Um... I used to actually be in the biz to a certain extent... I was in Borders right after the holidays during a long bout with the flu and flipped thru the Marvel Zombies compilation that was on display... all the stuff about oral cravings(what the Paysite Board is all about) and infection(like I was about to go zombie myself) was truly disturbing... being taken back to a certain point in maybe 1965 and then diverging down a dark stenchy timeline... Yipes.
> http://sonntag.hipsterfag.com/ http://dr-acula.com/ned.html http://www.capecodtoday.com/blogs/index.php/Sonntag
> http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=637819095&ref=profile
> http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=94392737


Marvel Zombies was definitely a guilty pleasure of mine, especially as someone who wasn't really into that particular cult favorite. The cover art by Arthur Suydam was amazing; he did a commission print of a zombified Batman that sold for almost 100K at auction a couple years ago.


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## disconnectedsmile (Feb 3, 2009)

Oirish said:


> Read issue 7 of Final Crisis. Bruce is in some cave in some other time/dimension/god knows what and is drawing bats on the wall with charcoal while sporting a beard. DC has to pull a copy-cat stunt to counter the death of Captain America and can't even pull it off for more than an issue. Final Crisis was a HUGE let down. A great idea and some really quite brilliant moments but it lacked continuity and did not explain how a lot of things happened. A big one being how Wonder Woman overcame Darkseid's influence and the virus she was infected with. There wasn't ANY half-assed explanation, she just pulled off the mask and was better. LAME.


i have all 7 issues. so yes, i know what you are talking about. i'm curious, but also very fearful and skeptical to see when/how they will bring Bruce Wayne back.
i bought #1-#5 so i could have an idea of what was going on before i read #6 to learn the fate of Batman. the whole time i was reading, i just had so many questions as to what the hell was going on. nothing made sense, and every event was very anti-climatic and raised more questions than it answered. and the whole "it was all a dream" ending was just pathetic. i really expected more from Grant Morrisson. oh well.
on to "The Battle for the Cowl!" *braces for impact*


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Feb 3, 2009)

disconnectedsmile said:


> i have all 7 issues. so yes, i know what you are talking about. i'm curious, but also very fearful and skeptical to see when/how they will bring Bruce Wayne back.
> i bought #1-#5 so i could have an idea of what was going on before i read #6 to learn the fate of Batman. the whole time i was reading, i just had so many questions as to what the hell was going on. nothing made sense, and every event was very anti-climatic and raised more questions than it answered. and the whole "it was all a dream" ending was just pathetic. i really expected more from Grant Morrisson. oh well.
> on to "The Battle for the Cowl!" *braces for impact*


Yeah, I lost respect for DC because at least the previous Crisis stories made more sense and were less disjointed. Secret Invasion may have jumped around into a dozen other comic properties, but all together told a relatively cohesive story with a legitimate "holy shit" ending. What will be cool is ex-SHIELD directory Tony Stark gets back at Norman Osborn and his "Dark Avengers" to keep him from ruining the world.

If only the Amazing Spider-Man BND series could be a nightmare Peter had from a rotten piece of Aunt May's meatloaf, then all would be groovy.


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## kayrae (Feb 3, 2009)

I do read Strangers in Paradise! I just can't get into super hero comic books (with the exception of X-Men). 



marlowegarp said:


> What a girl! I bet you read Strangers in Paradise! Girl.


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## marlowegarp (Feb 3, 2009)

disconnectedsmile said:


> i have all 7 issues. so yes, i know what you are talking about. i'm curious, but also very fearful and skeptical to see when/how they will bring Bruce Wayne back.
> i bought #1-#5 so i could have an idea of what was going on before i read #6 to learn the fate of Batman. the whole time i was reading, i just had so many questions as to what the hell was going on. nothing made sense, and every event was very anti-climatic and raised more questions than it answered. and the whole "it was all a dream" ending was just pathetic. i really expected more from Grant Morrisson. oh well.
> on to "The Battle for the Cowl!" *braces for impact*



The RIP event was pretty underwhelming for me, except for Paul Dini's contribution. It didn't help that after Kubert, Morrison seemed to seek out the worst artists imaginable. There really wasn't that much to get except the dominant theme of "Batman is a hard-ass". If I want to read six issues of that there are 10 arcs of Punisher Max which do it much better. I did enjoy the Final Crisis tie-in but again, the art was God-Awful!


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## Maxx Awesome (Feb 3, 2009)

disconnectedsmile said:


> the thing about the Watchmen film.
> i've come to realize that there will never ever be a pitch perfect comic book movie. there just must be some concessions that must be made when translating a comic to the big screen. Batman Begins and The Dark Knight aren't pitch perfect representations of most Batman comics, but both films were still amazing takes on Gotham City.
> likewise, i think Watchmen will be a great take on a beloved story that any comic geek with their salt should know by know.
> it's one of the best stories ever written, and it will be nice to see a fresh take on it that (HOPEFULLY!) won't completely derail from the story (so far it doesn't look like it will).
> ...


The stuff I've heard so far makes me fear for the film. I know it's not really feasible to have a 100% perfect translation from page to screen, but based on the rumors... yeesh! I will go to see it in the hope that what I've read are nothing _but_ rumors!

I have no interest whatsoever in buying a Watchmen-based game. To me, that seems like the wrongest thing ever. I mean, I know that Alan Moore hates all this sort of commercial-type stuff, so I kind of feel sorry for him. And now I wonder how truly far we are from seeing Watchmen Babies:


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## disconnectedsmile (Feb 3, 2009)

Maxx Awesome said:


> I have no interest whatsoever in buying a Watchmen-based game. To me, that seems like the wrongest thing ever. I mean, I know that Alan Moore hates all this sort of commercial-type stuff, so I kind of feel sorry for him. And now I wonder how truly far we are from seeing Watchmen Babies:


well, the story line of the Watchmen game (which is a prequel) has been established as canon by Alan Moore himself...sort of.
back in the day, Alan Moore and Len Wein wrote the story for a table top game which took place before the events in the comic.
this story is being expanded by Len Wein, and the whole project is being overseen by Zack Snyder and Dave Gibbons. 
if nothing else, i want to play the game for the story -- takes place before the signing of The Keane Act, and the game revolves around the Rorschach and Dan "Nite Owl" Dreiberg. so yeah. WHEE. :happy:

(also, i would _totally_ love to own a copy of V for Vacation.)


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## Oirish (Feb 3, 2009)

Armadillojellybeans said:


> <----- Marvel kinda guy, although I do enjoy some DC, currently on Punisher War Journal #1 and Army of Darkness vs, Darkman



Army of Darkness VS Darkman?! WTF????? That sounds amazing! Gimme gimme gimme, I need I need I need!


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## Oirish (Feb 3, 2009)

disconnectedsmile said:


> i have all 7 issues. so yes, i know what you are talking about. i'm curious, but also very fearful and skeptical to see when/how they will bring Bruce Wayne back.
> i bought #1-#5 so i could have an idea of what was going on before i read #6 to learn the fate of Batman. the whole time i was reading, i just had so many questions as to what the hell was going on. nothing made sense, and every event was very anti-climatic and raised more questions than it answered. and the whole "it was all a dream" ending was just pathetic. i really expected more from Grant Morrisson. oh well.
> on to "The Battle for the Cowl!" *braces for impact*



Yeah, I hear you loud and clear about the "Battle for the Cowl" event. It just feels anticlimactic to ALREADY know Bruce is alive and eventually returning. I was genuinely a little excited by the adverts for it until FC #7. I really do think that Steve Rogers will eventually be Cap once more due to some ridiculous story but for now the tales are realistic and engaging. I love the direction of the book right now and was hoping that we might get something on par with Bruce's death. I think the WORST part of Final Crisis was how issue 7 was told as a narrative after the victory. It was trash. No explanation for most of the events leading to victory really. Mandrak is a crap character and Superman 3D read like a chapter of Dyanetics . Issue 7 should have been a tale told linearly and we should have been privy to the repercussions in an 8th issue.


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## disconnectedsmile (Feb 3, 2009)

Oirish said:


> I really do think that Steve Rogers will eventually be Cap once more due to some ridiculous story but for now the tales are realistic and engaging.


i heard a rumor that Steve Rogers is the Iron Patriot?


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## Maxx Awesome (Feb 3, 2009)

I really hope that Steve Rogers stays dead. I, for one, want to see a lasting change in a comic. I was concerned that Secret Invasion might be a way to bring him back. Cap is such an iconic character it would be a real shame to see his death thrown away like that (at least I think so).


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## Maxx Awesome (Feb 3, 2009)

disconnectedsmile said:


> i heard a rumor that Steve Rogers is the Iron Patriot?



Select for possible *SPOILERZ!1!11*
Iron Patriot = Norman Osborn


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## Oirish (Feb 3, 2009)

disconnectedsmile said:


> i heard a rumor that Steve Rogers is the Iron Patriot?



Nope, Norman Osborn. With a team mostly comprised of super-villains wearing the costumes of established heroes completely under his direction there is no way he could resist pouring MORE salt in the wound by dressing up as Iron Man AND Captain America at the same time. Bendis is brilliant.


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## marlowegarp (Feb 3, 2009)

It's the same as the Thunderbolts did in the way beginning. Before being villains looking for redemption, they were just villains disguised as heroes headed by Baron Zemo.


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## Oirish (Feb 3, 2009)

Maxx Awesome said:


> I really hope that Steve Rogers stays dead. I, for one, want to see a lasting change in a comic. I was concerned that Secret Invasion might be a way to bring him back. Cap is such an iconic character it would be a real shame to see his death thrown away like that (at least I think so).



Seriously. I was so worried they were going to say that Cap was a Skrull and totally devalue the Civil War event


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## Oirish (Feb 3, 2009)

marlowegarp said:


> It's the same as the Thunderbolts did in the way beginning. Before being villains looking for redemption, they were just villains disguised as heroes headed by Baron Zemo.



Totally. The rub in that line was that some of them eventually started to enjoy being heroes and strived to live up to what was initially a lie. I wonder how THIS group is going to respond. I have a lot of doubt that Bullseye will be one to embrace the role of a hero as anything more than the biggest piss take of all time. Its likely to be the same for Venom. Since Moonstone didn't go straight with the Thunderbolts its doubtful for her as well. Cap. Marvel though? Maybe


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## disconnectedsmile (Feb 4, 2009)

kayrae said:


> I do read Strangers in Paradise! I just can't get into super hero comic books (with the exception of X-Men).


what is _Strangers in Paradise_?


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## Maxx Awesome (Feb 4, 2009)

Oirish said:


> Seriously. I was so worried they were going to say that Cap was a Skrull and totally devalue the Civil War event


As was I. My mind was put at rest though when someone pointed out that when "Elektra" was killed she reverted back to Skrull form, ergo, the same shoul have applied if Cap was a Skrull all along. This is one death I REALLY hope doesn't get ret-conned out of existence, even moreso than Aunt May's in _Amazing Spider-Man #400_. It's just too meaningful a death to be handled like that.



Oirish said:


> Totally. The rub in that line was that some of them eventually started to enjoy being heroes and strived to live up to what was initially a lie. I wonder how THIS group is going to respond. I have a lot of doubt that Bullseye will be one to embrace the role of a hero as anything more than the biggest piss take of all time. Its likely to be the same for Venom. Since Moonstone didn't go straight with the Thunderbolts its doubtful for her as well. Cap. Marvel though? Maybe


Well, Nova is already a hero anyway (isn't he?). And is The Void in control of The Sentry or something? Or is he for some reason unaware that he's hanging around with Bullseye, Scorpion/Venom, Moonstone, Green Goblin & Wolverine's crazy son? That's the only way I can see his being on the team make sense. Please note, I am _VERY_ behind on my current comics...


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Feb 4, 2009)

Oirish said:


> Totally. The rub in that line was that some of them eventually started to enjoy being heroes and strived to live up to what was initially a lie. I wonder how THIS group is going to respond. I have a lot of doubt that Bullseye will be one to embrace the role of a hero as anything more than the biggest piss take of all time. Its likely to be the same for Venom. Since Moonstone didn't go straight with the Thunderbolts its doubtful for her as well. Cap. Marvel though? Maybe


Well, even Eddie Brock made a turnaround in the Amazing Spidey series; the remaining Venom symbiote cells in his body killed his cancer and he eventually became a good guy, "Anti-Venom." :doh:

Realistically, Eddie always thought HE was the hero and Spider-Man was the bad guy in his deluded mind.


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## marlowegarp (Feb 4, 2009)

Anti-Venom was WAY cooler than he had any right to be. I'm hoping they kill the Sentry soon, because for nearly the last four years, every fight with him has had to begin abruptly begin with someone hitting him with some sort of mental attack so he does end the fight in milliseconds. 

In other news, Moonstone is SUCH a cool villain and a nice counter to Norman's more traditional psychosis.


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## BTB (Feb 4, 2009)

disconnectedsmile said:


> what is _Strangers in Paradise_?



Strangers in Paradise is a great series by Terry Moore published by Abstract Press and can be found in six Pocket Books or multiple Trade Papers.
The series Centers about Katchoo, Francine ( a BBW ) and David.
It's a funny witty, love triangle with some art, slapstick, poems and even some mafia elements but mostly really good depicted Characters who grow on you and evolve during the series.

And I do really like the fact that it finds a end.

I have thousands of superheroes Comics and as much as I like them I truly despise some of the storylines which come along because those comics never end but deliver the likes of the Spiderman Clone saga, Onslaught Spiderman making a pact with Mephisto to save his aunt and so on. 
I recommend Hitman it's funny and something to read for everybody who liked the good, the bad and the ugly or Kellys Heroes.


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## disconnectedsmile (Feb 4, 2009)

BTB said:


> Strangers in Paradise is a great series by Terry Moore published by Abstract Press and can be found in six Pocket Books or multiple Trade Papers.
> The series Centers about Katchoo, Francine ( a BBW )...


you had me there.
i TOTALLY wanna read _Strangers in Paradise_ now.


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## Maxx Awesome (Feb 4, 2009)

marlowegarp said:


> Anti-Venom was WAY cooler than he had any right to be. I'm hoping they kill the Sentry soon, because for nearly the last four years, every fight with him has had to begin abruptly begin with someone hitting him with some sort of mental attack so he does end the fight in milliseconds.



But that Anti-Venom costume? P-U!!! That thing was horrendous. Okay, inverting the Black & White scheme, I get that, but still...

They've almost made The Sentry too powerful. I get that he's been made into Marvel's equivalent of Superman, but other than the two _Sentry_ mini-series' & early issues of _New Avengers_ I feel he's been mis-handled. Fact is he seemed to disappear for a while after the New Avengers started & sometimes he'd be randomly absent for entore story arcs with no explanation.


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## chicken legs (Feb 4, 2009)

ok i just got the watchmen book from "borders". It goes from chapter I to chapter xii. Is this entire series in 1 book?


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## olwen (Feb 4, 2009)

BTB said:


> First of all Marvels G.L.A with the überBBW Big Bertha should be a monthly book instead of some miniseries.
> Also because it is still playful and not so dead serious like most superheroes comics today
> I am eagerly waiting for Morrisons Sequel to Seaguy which was the biggest deconstruction of Escapism I ever read
> The fact that a lot of old stuff is reprinted in huge Omnibuses is a treat for instance if you chose Zot by scott Mccloud
> ...



I loved Zot!. I also loved the online setup. It's interesting to read a comic without the boundaries of a page....superhero comics are kinda....I've never been able to keep up with one character in comic book form for very long, even Batman. I only really care for the ones Jim Lee penciled/inked anyway...I'm rambling, point is, Zot! is cool. 

On a separate note: He is going to be at Comic Con and of course tickets are sold out for his signing.


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## olwen (Feb 4, 2009)

disconnectedsmile said:


> the thing about the Watchmen film.
> i've come to realize that there will never ever be a pitch perfect comic book movie. there just must be some concessions that must be made when translating a comic to the big screen. Batman Begins and The Dark Knight aren't pitch perfect representations of most Batman comics, but both films were still amazing takes on Gotham City.
> likewise, i think Watchmen will be a great take on a beloved story that any comic geek with their salt should know by know.
> it's one of the best stories ever written, and it will be nice to see a fresh take on it that (HOPEFULLY!) won't completely derail from the story (so far it doesn't look like it will).
> ...



The comic won't compare to the movie, but I've seen the previews for the movie and I'm psyched. I can't wait. Paradoxically, I wouldn't be surprised if it surpassed the comic in some way. That's a big IF tho.

Christopher Nolan's Batman movies....They are EXACTLY the way I think Gotham would be like if it were real and the villains jump out of the comics and cartoons in a way that makes them seem actually scary. That scene in Batman Begins when Batman is questioning scarecrow where we see what batman looks like after scarecrow gets a whif of fear toxin...that scene still creeps me out. No way it would in a comic. His representations seem pitch perfect to me. Soooooooo much better than any other batman movie. I think part of the reason why it's like that for me, is that the actors and whatnot somehow come close to Jim Lee's illustrations of DC characters....For me, Lee's illustrations are like exactly what those characters have always looked like in my head.

I can see why it would seem like no movie will be a pitch perfect representation of the comics. Could it be because Batman has been depicted in so many different ways over the years....short ears, long ears, menacing and phsycho, fatherly and smiling, darkness and light, grey suit, blue suit, black suit, metal armor, leather, kevlar, spandex, long boots, short boots...how do you encapsulate and translate all of that into celluloid?


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## olwen (Feb 4, 2009)

chicken legs said:


> ok i just got the watchmen book from "borders". It goes from chapter I to chapter xii. Is this entire series in 1 book?



YES! But don't let that stop you from reading it. Once you start, you won't be able to put it down. You can kinda skip thru the book like parts, and maybe the pirate parts and come back to them, but they are part of what makes the work interesting, so maybe you shouldn't skip them. LOL. I do wonder how Snyder will handle that in the movie.


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## Red Raven (Feb 4, 2009)

Anyone here picking up Agents of Atlas this month?


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## chicken legs (Feb 4, 2009)

What is agents of the atlas

you know i got confused with which watchmen book to get because the had a companion book that showed sketches and what not. I was tempted to get it but i know it is going to take me awhile to digest the novel first (at least a week...lol)


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## marlowegarp (Feb 5, 2009)

I bought it today. Agents of Atlas is about a group of heroes who have since come into leading a massive criminal empire. Jimmy Woo, their leader has decided that it is better to pretend to be on board for the group's criminal ends than to just let it run wild. This stance pits them firmly against Norman Osborn, who is the new head of HAMMER and basically the rule of law in Marvel. He is dangerously insane with a fixation on Spider-Man. The Agents of Atlas first appeared in a limited series of the same name in 2005 where most of this was established.


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## disconnectedsmile (Feb 5, 2009)

olwen said:


> Christopher Nolan's Batman movies....They are EXACTLY the way I think Gotham would be like if it were real and the villains jump out of the comics and cartoons in a way that makes them seem actually scary. That scene in Batman Begins when Batman is questioning scarecrow where we see what batman looks like after scarecrow gets a whif of fear toxin...that scene still creeps me out. No way it would in a comic. His representations seem pitch perfect to me. Soooooooo much better than any other batman movie. I think part of the reason why it's like that for me, is that the actors and whatnot somehow come close to Jim Lee's illustrations of DC characters....For me, Lee's illustrations are like exactly what those characters have always looked like in my head.
> 
> I can see why it would seem like no movie will be a pitch perfect representation of the comics. Could it be because Batman has been depicted in so many different ways over the years....short ears, long ears, menacing and phsycho, fatherly and smiling, darkness and light, grey suit, blue suit, black suit, metal armor, leather, kevlar, spandex, long boots, short boots...how do you encapsulate and translate all of that into celluloid?



marry me.
seriously.


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## disconnectedsmile (Feb 5, 2009)

olwen said:


> YES! But don't let that stop you from reading it. Once you start, you won't be able to put it down. You can kinda skip thru the book like parts, and maybe the pirate parts and come back to them, but they are part of what makes the work interesting, so maybe you shouldn't skip them. LOL. I do wonder how Snyder will handle that in the movie.


the way i hear it, _The Black Freighter_ will be its own mini movie that will be included with the DVD/Blu-Ray release.


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## Still a Skye fan (Feb 5, 2009)

Comics huh?

Well, considering how damned expensive they are now and what little value you actually get from them (22 pages of story and art...no, I don't count the ads...and I can read the things in five minutes), I've been reading less and less of them each year. And I really don't miss them.

The only Marvel book I like is "Criminal" from their Icon imprint.

"Strangers in Paradise" is a long time favorite: wonderful writing and wonderful art from Terry Moore, one of the very few male comic book artists who know how to properly draw a woman and do it well. I've met him at conventions a few times and he's a super nice guy in person.

WATCHMEN: Read it! If you're a new comic book fan (are there any?), don't ask...read it!

BATMAN: Let's see...2009 is Batman's 70th anniversary year, so what does DC do? Kill off this character, of course...brilliant move, guys! Yeah, I know Bruce will be back eventually but after the past year or two of lousy stories I really don't care when he comes back.

FINAL CRISIS was an incomprehensible mess with lousy art. I'm sorry, but DC is out of its tiny mind if it thinks I'm going to pay $2.99 per issue for a year long weekly Countdown prequel series to this and none of the tie-ins interested me. All I wanted to do was read the regular series and I couldn't do that.

Green Lantern: He's still a mass-murderer.

Flash: I cried when Barry Allen had his noble heroic death back in 1986 and DC is undoing all of that. DC seems to have forgotten that Barry Allen's comics really weren't very good from the mid-1970s to mid-1980s, there's a reason when characters buy the farm.

I like Justice Society of America a great deal but DC seems incapable of keeping a decent Justice League of America book on the stands.

With more and more stuff getting reprinted as trade paperbacks, I'm stopping more and more superhero books and just waiting for the trades of whatever interests me.

I'm mainly a Vertigo guy now: Fables-which is always delightful, Jack of Fables-not as good but still fun, 100 Bullets-which is ending soon, House of Mystery.

I get Dark Horse books now and then. Ex Machina is cool. Walking Dead is great. Invincible is fun...I get this stuff as trades.

And I also get manga once in a while: usually the horror, action, samurai stuff.


So, I'm still a comic book nerd but my interests have been changing lately.


Dennis


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## Maxx Awesome (Feb 5, 2009)

chicken legs said:


> you know i got confused with which watchmen book to get because the had a companion book that showed sketches and what not. I was tempted to get it but i know it is going to take me awhile to digest the novel first (at least a week...lol)


The companion book is probably not really worth getting (at least, I have no intention of buying it). Just seems like another thing to get more money/hype for the movie.
Ignore what olwen said. You cannot skip ANY part of the book. Each & every panel, every word is significant!


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## Armadillojellybeans (Feb 5, 2009)

Watchmen is amazing, gotta get through it again before the movie comes out


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## Still a Skye fan (Feb 5, 2009)

Yup, I last read WATCHMEN about 10 years ago, so I haveta pull it off my shelf and give it a read before I see the movie.


Dennis


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## Mishty (Feb 5, 2009)

I love comics.
Realllly love 'em, and I haven't watched one single movie based on 'em.
I just have this fear I'll leave hollow, so I don't even bother.

ALTHOUGH, I did sneak and watched a few minutes of IronMan... 


My recent faves are more mature and...weird :








But once upon a magazine rack and a roll of Bubble Tape...
I was a die hard Ironman reader,but lately I've fallen head over heels for New Mutants, which I found a shitload of at an estate sale...

Now don't get me started on my Comic Card collection....:blush:


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## Oirish (Feb 5, 2009)

Maxx Awesome said:


> As was I. My mind was put at rest though when someone pointed out that when "Elektra" was killed she reverted back to Skrull form, ergo, the same shoul have applied if Cap was a Skrull all along. This is one death I REALLY hope doesn't get ret-conned out of existence, even moreso than Aunt May's in _Amazing Spider-Man #400_. It's just too meaningful a death to be handled like that.
> 
> 
> Well, Nova is already a hero anyway (isn't he?). And is The Void in control of The Sentry or something? Or is he for some reason unaware that he's hanging around with Bullseye, Scorpion/Venom, Moonstone, Green Goblin & Wolverine's crazy son? That's the only way I can see his being on the team make sense. Please note, I am _VERY_ behind on my current comics...




Well Noh-Varr is kind of a hero in some sense. He was in charge of Reed Richards' prison in the negative zone I think. Before that he definitely wasn't a hero. Not really a villain either. I don't think Sentry is controlled by the Void. I know that Norman promised him something and that's why he's there but what the promise is is a bit of a mystery. Probably has something to do with controlling his psychosis or the Void. Something like that. Odds are they are just going to screw him over and try to bring out the Void instead.


----------



## Edens_heel (Feb 5, 2009)

Don't know how I missed this thread earlier, but I have to post!

My comic history stretches back to sixth grade, when I discovered the Jim Lee / Chris Claremont X-Men series, the one started in the late 80s or early 90s. For a few years following it was all about the Marvel universe, but I quickly fell hard into Batman as well. During high school I fell out of touch with the industry, then discovered them again in my undergrad, when I found two series that blew me away: Y: The Last Man, and 100 Bullets. Then came Watchmen and I was taken all over again. Since then I have become further enamored in the graphica scene, particularly diving headfirst into the indie scene. This past summer I interned and subsequently became a contracted freelance editor for Drawn & Quarterly publications in Montreal. Now there's just no going back for me, heh.


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## Oirish (Feb 5, 2009)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> Well, even Eddie Brock made a turnaround in the Amazing Spidey series; the remaining Venom symbiote cells in his body killed his cancer and he eventually became a good guy, "Anti-Venom." :doh:
> 
> Realistically, Eddie always thought HE was the hero and Spider-Man was the bad guy in his deluded mind.




Not talking about Eddie as Venom. I'm talking about Mac Gargan/Scorpion Venom. He's been in the suit for a while and is now having the suit look like Spidey's black costume for the public. Mac's pretty much a monster so I doubt he'll try to embrace the hero role. I was really anticipating seeing the suit go back to Peter when the teaser ad came out for that Anti-Venom storyline but alas no. 
Here was my idea I had cooking up ever since Norman took over the T-Bolts:
T-Bolts go after Peter. Bullseye and the rest beat the hell out of him (so far just like the comic turned out). Norman as the Green Goblin comes in and makes things worse. Peter's in an awful spot when Venom approaches. Peter, talking to the suit tries to appeal to any part of it that remembered what being a real hero was like and apologizes for ditching it (or dumping it since I always saw it as a jilted lover gone crazy). Mac laughs, bragging about his bond with the suit and it jumps to Peter, fixing him up a bit and boosting his power again. Huge fight ensues. Pumpkin bombs make fire (one of symbiote's weaknesses). Songbird is hurting him too with her sonics. Pete escapes though. The suit recognizes a few things different with Peter. Namely that he has organic webbing, fangs, stingers, etc. from the JMS run that Peter didn't realize he had. Makes him wonder what the hell happened to him/ why he didn't know this,etc. and some of the god-awful damage done by "One More Day" could be counteracted. Any thoughts?


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## None (Feb 5, 2009)

Red Raven said:


> Anyone here picking up Agents of Atlas this month?



I read it yesterday, as much as I liked the 2006 miniseries, I'm not completely sold on this as an ongoing. The characters are still great and definitely have chemistry, but the purpose doesn't seem to be there just yet. That said, I'm still looking forward to next month's issue. Also, one of the more interesting uses of the Dark Reign atmosphere.

Anyone check out Secret Warriors?


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## chicken legs (Feb 5, 2009)

whats Secret Warriors about


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## None (Feb 5, 2009)

chicken legs said:


> whats Secret Warriors about



Nick Fury is leading a group of super powered rookies from his caterpillar files (people with powers with no affiliation or training, only Fury knows about them) in a cover operation to save the world. The first issue ends with a twist.


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## olwen (Feb 5, 2009)

disconnectedsmile said:


> marry me.
> seriously.


 LOL 



disconnectedsmile said:


> the way i hear it, _The Black Freighter_ will be its own mini movie that will be included with the DVD/Blu-Ray release.



Booo! I knew that was gonna happen. I just knew the Black Freighter would probably be cut entirely, but I haven't seen it yet, so I'll try to restrain judgement until after I've seen it.




Maxx Awesome said:


> The companion book is probably not really worth getting (at least, I have no intention of buying it). Just seems like another thing to get more money/hype for the movie.
> Ignore what olwen said. You cannot skip ANY part of the book. Each & every panel, every word is significant!



Maxx dude, the first time I read this book (i read it in it's entirety not in parts) I found the non graphic parts jarring and the black freighter creepy. Yes, it ties into the story, but honestly, the story reads faster without it. Now the next few times I read it I didn't skip over them and I found that the black freighter did elevate the rest of the story, and that the background of the characters was helpful, but I do wonder how Alan Moore would have written it if those parts were left out - he'd have to do it in story telling and the story would have been longer and possibly more convoluted....omg, I'm arguing your point for you LOL. Okay, to anyone who's reading Watchmen for the first time don't skip over the readerly bits. LOL.


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## olwen (Feb 5, 2009)

Edens_heel said:


> Don't know how I missed this thread earlier, but I have to post!
> 
> My comic history stretches back to sixth grade, when I discovered the Jim Lee / Chris Claremont X-Men series, the one started in the late 80s or early 90s. For a few years following it was all about the Marvel universe, but I quickly fell hard into Batman as well. During high school I fell out of touch with the industry, then discovered them again in my undergrad, when I found two series that blew me away: Y: The Last Man, and 100 Bullets. Then came Watchmen and I was taken all over again. Since then I have become further enamored in the graphica scene, particularly diving headfirst into the indie scene. This past summer I interned and subsequently became a contracted freelance editor for Drawn & Quarterly publications in Montreal. Now there's just no going back for me, heh.



Cool.

I started with Archies when I was like 12 and gradually moved onto Marvel and Xmen, but the X-men stories were so complicated I gave up on them. I never knew what was going on. Then I didn't pick up comics again till college when I worked for a used bookstore and I started reading all the independent comics that came in and I was dating a total comic book/sci-fi nerd who hooked me onto Batman - this was also the same time as the dark and edgy Batman cartoon. My ex taught me everything he knew about Batman, which was considerable and then after I learned all I could I moved onto Spiderman and back to Xmen, Punisher, Nightwing, Batgirl (the asian one) and the silly Predator stuff. I never really got into other DC and Marvel characters as fully as I did with Batman, so I'm not as familiar with Green Lantern, Superman, Wonder Woman, Spawn (yeah, I know it's not DC or Marvel), et al. I never read the Crisis books, quite frankly I'm scared it will confuse me even more. I have had a lot of friends into comics tho so over the years they've clued me into all the comic book must read essentials, so I've read most of those. Every once in a while I'll go into a comic book shop just to see what's going on, but I haven't in a while.

Also, super hero comics always left me feeling alienated. The characters have lives that are nothing like mine, they don't look like me, the women are male fantasies and the stories just get more and more tedious almost. I much prefer indies.


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## BTB (Feb 6, 2009)

Has anyone purchased "a lot of love" by Geoff Watson and published by Slave labor?
It's a graphic novel depicting the story of a man who finally gives in to his urges and becomes a feeder.
See also:
http://www.sequentialtart.com/archive/feb02/indy_0202.shtml

of course there is no happy ending but it bugs me that I didn't purchase it when I had the chance.


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## Maxx Awesome (Feb 7, 2009)

olwen said:


> Maxx dude, the first time I read this book (i read it in it's entirety not in parts) I found the non graphic parts jarring and the black freighter creepy. Yes, it ties into the story, but honestly, the story reads faster without it. Now the next few times I read it I didn't skip over them and I found that the black freighter did elevate the rest of the story, and that the background of the characters was helpful, but I do wonder how Alan Moore would have written it if those parts were left out - he'd have to do it in story telling and the story would have been longer and possibly more convoluted....omg, I'm arguing your point for you LOL. Okay, to anyone who's reading Watchmen for the first time don't skip over the readerly bits. LOL.



Just that, see, everything is essential. First time I read it, I did so in entirety (not in one sitting, though... jeez). Second time, I stuck just to the comic parts. Then I went back afterwards & read the text supplements alone. It does help, sometimes, to just look at a single aspect of the story in _Watchmen_. There's so much there that it's too much to take in on your first reading. It's the not the kind of story that you just want to go back & read again, it's the kind that you have to go back & read again. The Black Freighter stuff is creepy, yeah, but that's the point of it (&, as you said, it really ties in to the main story). Some of the text pieces are not so interesting (the pieces "written" by Nite Owl & Dr. Manhattan didn't seem as relevant to me, I can't recall anything too important from those parts, but it's been a while since I read the book). That said, any new readers read every word, study every panel, read it time & time again... I can't endorse this book enough.


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## Maxx Awesome (Feb 8, 2009)

Just want to bump this back up again with a wee question. See, I'm a bit of a completist & I have the main trades from Marvel's House of M & Civil War series & I was wondering if anyone thinks that the other tie-in books would be worth getting so I could get a clearer picture of the stories surrounding those stories (if that makes any sense).


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## BTB (Feb 8, 2009)

Edens_heel said:


> Don't know how I missed this thread earlier, but I have to post!
> This past summer I interned and subsequently became a contracted freelance editor for Drawn & Quarterly publications in Montreal. Now there's just no going back for me, heh.



Respect, you are working for a great publisher. I recently started with the works of Rutu Modan, which I regard highly influenced by Tintin.


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## marlowegarp (Feb 8, 2009)

MAXX:

House of M, definitely not. The other stories are fun, especially Wolverine (#33-35), Captain America (#10) and Black Panther (#7), but the main mini definitely covers it.

With Civil War, the Illuminati Special is important and the Wolverine issues (#42-48) that actually go into why Stamford happened are worth reading. Also, the Cap/Iron Man Casualties of War is really good as is the Winter Soldier: Winter Kills one-shot.


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## None (Feb 8, 2009)

Marlowe is right, the Illuminati special is worth reading. Wolverine is meh, mainly because I'm not a huge fan of Humberto Ramos' art. Winter Soldier: Winter Kills and Civil War: The Confession one-shots are also worth getting.


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## Maxx Awesome (Feb 8, 2009)

marlowegarp said:


> MAXX:
> 
> House of M, definitely not. The other stories are fun, especially Wolverine (#33-35), Captain America (#10) and Black Panther (#7), but the main mini definitely covers it.
> 
> With Civil War, the Illuminati Special is important and the Wolverine issues (#42-48) that actually go into why Stamford happened are worth reading. Also, the Cap/Iron Man Casualties of War is really good as is the Winter Soldier: Winter Kills one-shot.





None said:


> Marlowe is right, the Illuminati special is worth reading. Wolverine is meh, mainly because I'm not a huge fan of Humberto Ramos' art. Winter Soldier: Winter Kills and Civil War: The Confession one-shots are also worth getting.



I think the Wolverine & Black Panther stories were collected in one volume for the House of M (might pick that up for teh lulz).
I have The Illuminati special (collected in a Prelude to Civil War trade along with some Fantastic Four & Spider-Man/Iron Man stories). I'll have a hoke around the comic shops in Belfast for the other books you mentioned (though they're usually not very reliable). Thanks for the recommendations, guys. 

Was Decimation worth looking at at all? I was keen on getting Generation M & Son of M, but my friend loaned me the first Decimation trade & it was... well... crap. I think it had a few issues of Uncanny X-Men collected that, frankly, weren't very good.


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## Pixelpops (Feb 8, 2009)

I have a small question about Watchmen.

'Katies' have come up a couple of times now.. Is this some sort of super cool comic book slang I don't know, or will it be explained in the book at the some point, and I should be patient and keep reading?


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## marlowegarp (Feb 8, 2009)

Maxx Awesome said:


> Was Decimation worth looking at at all? I was keen on getting Generation M & Son of M, but my friend loaned me the first Decimation trade & it was... well... crap. I think it had a few issues of Uncanny X-Men collected that, frankly, weren't very good.



The only Decimation thing I read was Son of M, which was really good. It begins the reintroduction of the Inhumans, which lead into Silent War, Secret Invasion: Inhumans and now War of Kings, but it also works on its own.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Feb 9, 2009)

Oirish said:


> Here was my idea I had cooking up ever since Norman took over the T-Bolts:
> T-Bolts go after Peter. Bullseye and the rest beat the hell out of him (so far just like the comic turned out). Norman as the Green Goblin comes in and makes things worse. Peter's in an awful spot when Venom approaches. Peter, talking to the suit tries to appeal to any part of it that remembered what being a real hero was like and apologizes for ditching it (or dumping it since I always saw it as a jilted lover gone crazy). Mac laughs, bragging about his bond with the suit and it jumps to Peter, fixing him up a bit and boosting his power again. Huge fight ensues. Pumpkin bombs make fire (one of symbiote's weaknesses). Songbird is hurting him too with her sonics. Pete escapes though. The suit recognizes a few things different with Peter. Namely that he has organic webbing, fangs, stingers, etc. from the JMS run that Peter didn't realize he had. Makes him wonder what the hell happened to him/ why he didn't know this,etc. and some of the god-awful damage done by "One More Day" could be counteracted. Any thoughts?


I find your ideas interesting and would like to subscribe to your newsletter .

That would have been an amazing storyline, and it would have kept my beloved JMS storyline intact. Now every issue I just wait for the other shoe to drop; my comic dealer in his patient style simply says if I had stuck with the Ultimate Spider-Man series I wouldn't have to deal with this shit, but I was never an Ultimates person--although considering how things are now, with the fact those mo-fo's KILL people and don't bring them back--I may try them out. So far I did pick up the Ultimatum short series and am liking that.

I always say pound for pound that Norman Osborn is one of the best villains in the Marvel universe; the perfect counterpoint to Lex Luthor, only with the obvious sadism and insanity of the Joker thrown in. Norman is insanely smart, knows how to manipulate a public and can connive just like Stark but without that underlying pesky morality getting in the way. His weakness though is that his insanity gets the best of him, but it's also what makes him totally unpredictable.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Feb 9, 2009)

One other thing...

The Rage of the Red Lanterns series so far is pretty cool, and the most recent "Faces of Evil" issue has a shocker that will have you pissing yourself until the next issue. If they can just tone down the Blue Lanterns and their "Care Bear Stare" powers a bit, I think we will be in bidness.


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## None (Feb 9, 2009)

marlowegarp said:


> The only Decimation thing I read was Son of M, which was really good. It begins the reintroduction of the Inhumans, which lead into Silent War, Secret Invasion: Inhumans and now War of Kings, but it also works on its own.



Son of M is definitely worth checking out. Outside of that the only good thing that came out of House of M was X-Factor as an ongoing, which you should track down the trades.


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## Oirish (Feb 9, 2009)

Maxx Awesome said:


> Just want to bump this back up again with a wee question. See, I'm a bit of a completist & I have the main trades from Marvel's House of M & Civil War series & I was wondering if anyone thinks that the other tie-in books would be worth getting so I could get a clearer picture of the stories surrounding those stories (if that makes any sense).



I thought that pretty much everything Civil War related was worth a go. As for House of M I thought most of it was pretty fun but it was no Age Of Apocalypse. The Spider-Man issues were quite good, as was Wolverine. Hulk was ok but could be skipped. FF was pretty fun though. Nothing was overwhelmingly necessary to go out and buy though unless you really enjoyed the series.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Feb 9, 2009)

There was a 5-part Civil War: House of M series that went fairly well(concluding this month), and had the appropriate, "this is what happens when you try to fuck Magneto in the ass" response that I found invigorating. Plastic Sentinels are still his bitch.

I recommend it if only for the somber ending...read more like a "What If" than anything else.


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## Suze (Feb 9, 2009)

Maxx Awesome said:


> I think the Wolverine & Black Panther stories were collected in one volume for the House of M (might pick that up for teh lulz).
> I have The Illuminati special (collected in a Prelude to Civil War trade along with some Fantastic Four & Spider-Man/Iron Man stories). I'll have a hoke around the comic shops in Belfast for the other books you mentioned (though they're usually not very reliable). Thanks for the recommendations, guys.
> 
> Was Decimation worth looking at at all? I was keen on getting Generation M & Son of M, but my friend loaned me the first Decimation trade & it was... well... crap. I think it had a few issues of Uncanny X-Men collected that, frankly, weren't very good.


you just broke the nerd barometer there, bro.


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## Maxx Awesome (Feb 9, 2009)

Pixelpops said:


> I have a small question about Watchmen.
> 
> 'Katies' have come up a couple of times now.. Is this some sort of super cool comic book slang I don't know, or will it be explained in the book at the some point, and I should be patient and keep reading?



Katies is reference to a drug of some sort (KT-28s or something). Not a drug I've ever heard of, I can tell you...

Okay then, Son of M is definitely a go. If I can pick the other stuff up on the cheap I might try to get a few other things too.


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## icenine (Feb 11, 2009)

Red Raven said:


> I didn't see one elsewhere so I decided to start one. Anyway what books are ppl reading these days? I'm loving Green Lantern so far.



I'm not a huge fanboy but I dabble. Some of the more well known stuff I like: Preacher, The Invisibles, American Splendor, Hellblazer, Sandman, etc. I like my comics kind of dark so I dont usually go for the more mainstream superhero stuff.


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## BTB (Feb 11, 2009)

The Invisibles are fantastic and regarding american Splendor I would like to point at an Anthology called " The new American Splendor" which has the episodes from the eighties esspecially the infamous appearance at Letterman. The recent works are still good but there are too many stories which focus more about making a comic than everyday life.


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## Oirish (Feb 12, 2009)

I absolutely LOVE Planetary. I got into it a bit late so I bought it in paperback collected volumes 1-3. I'm still waiting for the last collected edition to come out so I have yet to read the ending (no spoilers please). They aren't still waiting on the last issue to come out are they? Planetary was one of the most well-written stories I've ever come across and there are VERY few artists on par with Cassiday.


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## None (Feb 12, 2009)

Oirish said:


> I absolutely LOVE Planetary. I got into it a bit late so I bought it in paperback collected volumes 1-3. I'm still waiting for the last collected edition to come out so I have yet to read the ending (no spoilers please). They aren't still waiting on the last issue to come out are they? Planetary was one of the most well-written stories I've ever come across and there are VERY few artists on par with Cassiday.



Issue 27 (the "last" issue) hasn't come out, apparently it's written, and Cassaday just has to draw it but who knows. If it ever does, I'll be glad to read it, but I felt issue 26 gave the series a good ending.


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## disconnectedsmile (Feb 12, 2009)

picked up the final issue of _Nightwing_ yesterday. i thought it was a fitting end to the series... of which i'd only read one issue of before. 

and i just now realized i missed the final issue of _Robin._ :doh: and it doesn't appear to be on ebay, either. i fail.

i started reading the _Batman and Son_ paperback... makes me wonder how a writer as good as Grant Morrisson can write something as misguided as _Final Crisis_.

also, spoiler.
Kate "Batwoman" Kane to take's Bruce's job position in June.


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## marlowegarp (Feb 12, 2009)

Although by the end of Final Crisis, I loved the story I was pretty dubious most of the way through. Morrison's Batman run was the opposite. Up through the Ra's story, I loved it, although 664 and 665 were a little iffy. A lot of it had to do with the art taking a nosedive, but ultimately, RIP was a pretty weak story.
Batman not being Bruce Wayne has been done. Knightquest may not have been up there with The Killing Joke, but it was recent and decent enough that they should leave the territory alone for the foreseeable future. If I want to read six issues explaining what an utter hard-ass a character is, there's 10 Punisher MAX trades that do it much better. That said, Frank Quitely is coming and if he drew a comics adaptation of an Over-70 porn flick, I would likely still buy it.


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## Edens_heel (Feb 12, 2009)

BTB said:


> Respect, you are working for a great publisher. I recently started with the works of Rutu Modan, which I regard highly influenced by Tintin.



Thanks! Funny you mentioned Rutu Modan - her book Jamilti was one of the first things I proofed at D+Q. Not sure if you are familiar with their Tatsumi books at all, but there's one coming out in April called _A Drifting Life_. It has been my main project with the company since August. Proofed the translation, proofed Adrian Tomine's stylistic edits, did all the lettering, and helped to compile the appendix and serve as a go-between for Tomine and the book's translator. All told, it's an 856 page graphic memoir of Tatsumi's life from the end of the second world war until the late 50's/early 60's - mainly about his progress through the manga industry as a child. Fascinating stuff all around.

Okay, ending my shameless plug now... BUY IT! lol


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Feb 12, 2009)

I can't wait until the film is released so I can find an excuse to say the following (preferably to the tune of "Ride of the Valkyries"): 

View attachment 423650-Tigra5_super.jpg


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## Still a Skye fan (Feb 12, 2009)

FABLES, baby! I've loved it since issue #1.

The only comic which makes this english major's heart swell with pride.

I also enjoyed REX LIBRIS, the only comic to expose the true nature of librarianship to the world.

Unfortunately, it got cancelled ~goes off to pout in the corner~


Dennis


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## None (Feb 12, 2009)

Still a Skye fan said:


> FABLES, baby! I've loved it since issue #1.
> 
> The only comic which makes this english major's heart swell with pride.



One of my favorite comics out now, the current issue was heart breaking.


Obviously, anyone who hasn't read Sandman yet, should track down the absolute editions or trades immediately.


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## Oirish (Feb 13, 2009)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> I can't wait until the film is released so I can find an excuse to say the following (preferably to the tune of "Ride of the Valkyries"):



Hell yeah! So this is what I've heard on the rumor mill, correct me if you've heard otherwise. Before Avengers comes out there will be another Iron Man with Robert Downey Jr. (who was INCREDIBLE), a Captain America movie set in WWII and is rumored to have Aaron Eckhart as Cap, a Thor movie with Don Blake on Earth rumored to have Brad Pitt in talks for the thunder god's role, and I have no idea if another Hulk is coming out. I hear the roster is Cap, Iron Man, Thor, Wasp, Hank Pym as one of his characters, Hawkeye, potentially Wolverine, and the Hulk perhaps. Sammy J as Nick Fury too of course.
I know that Ed Norton said he would be interested if he liked the script and it had a good ensemble cast. I wonder if they'll go more toward the Ultimates Vol. 1 route.


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## Oirish (Feb 13, 2009)

None said:


> Issue 27 (the "last" issue) hasn't come out, apparently it's written, and Cassaday just has to draw it but who knows. If it ever does, I'll be glad to read it, but I felt issue 26 gave the series a good ending.





Thanks. I haven't read that far since I'm waiting for the TPB but I'm really looking forward to it. Cassaday just keeps getting better and better.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Feb 13, 2009)

With all the different Lanterns rising up this year (blue, red, orange), I kept wondering about fat lanterns.

In chat last night I came up with a new take on it:

_In slowest day
On longest flight
No chocolate shall escape my sight
Let those who say my pants are tight
Beware my power...
Cocoa Lantern's bite!!!_

Such is the pain of being a nerd...


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## marlowegarp (Feb 13, 2009)

If they ever bring back Jade, I hope that is the corps she winds up in. We already have greed and wrath, right? A ring of gluttony would kind of work.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Feb 13, 2009)

marlowegarp said:


> If they ever bring back Jade, I hope that is the corps she winds up in. We already have greed and wrath, right? A ring of gluttony would kind of work.


I mean, what could be cooler than a Ring beam made of pure chocolate? A little Guardian who looks just like Wilder's Willy Wonka.

Instead of a hard light construct to immobilize someone, you just drop them into a ring-generated cookie jar.


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## marlowegarp (Feb 13, 2009)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> I mean, what could be cooler than a Ring beam made of pure chocolate? A little Guardian who looks just like Wilder's Willy Wonka.
> 
> Instead of a hard light construct to immobilize someone, you just drop them into a ring-generated cookie jar.



"For your crimes, Superboy Prime, we send you down the garbage chute! We are unaware if the incinerator is lit today. We don't keep track."


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Feb 13, 2009)

marlowegarp said:


> "For your crimes, Superboy Prime, we send you down the garbage chute! We are unaware if the incinerator is lit today. We don't keep track."


The only way you're going to kill Superboy Prime is a beam made of flowers, puppies and Joshua Radin songs from Scrubs. No one in the multiverse has been able to create something of such amazing sweetness, because as soon as the three objects reach any sort of subcritical mass anyone handing it does of massive blood sugar poisoning.


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## Oirish (Feb 14, 2009)

Did you read the latest "Legion of Three Worlds" yet? I'm really wondering what is going to happen with him. I can't believe they brought back Bart Allen as Kid Flash. Wasn't he pretty much beaten to death by the Rouges? Hardly something to come back from. And wasn't the resurrection of Barry Allen enough for one major crossover? With how Superboy Prime was reacting I really expected Connor to come back.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Feb 14, 2009)

Oirish said:


> Did you read the latest "Legion of Three Worlds" yet? I'm really wondering what is going to happen with him. I can't believe they brought back Bart Allen as Kid Flash. Wasn't he pretty much beaten to death by the Rouges? Hardly something to come back from. And wasn't the resurrection of Barry Allen enough for one major crossover? With how Superboy Prime was reacting I really expected Connor to come back.


Well, Superman tried to appeal to his emotions, get him to repent: No good. A Guardian of the Universe sacrificed himself to destroy Prime - no go. Prime broke through realities in Infinite Crisis. He's pretty much become the unstoppable menace across realities, and the only thing I'm guessing they haven't tried is trapping him inside the Speed Force.

I feel they tried to cram too much into Final Crisis; you don't spend enough time fixing one 'new development' by trying to create some Rube Goldberg device that fixes ALL of them.

I'm going to stick with Dark Reign; it's a little less fantastical than where DC is going with things. I figure I will still read the New Krypton and Green Lantern sagas, but I'm done with the rest of DC for a while. It's like a girl you have a really good time with but can't seem to secure another date for weeks and weeks because they've got too many things going on in their life.


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## BTB (Feb 14, 2009)

Ever considered a mature relationship with a comic not from DC/Marvel/Image/DarkHorse ?

Nothing against those but other publisher have also beautiful daughters err... Comics.


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## marlowegarp (Feb 14, 2009)

The Killer from Archaia and Local from Oni are my two main walks on untrodden ground.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Feb 15, 2009)

BTB said:


> Ever considered a mature relationship with a comic not from DC/Marvel/Image/DarkHorse ?
> 
> Nothing against those but other publisher have also beautiful daughters err... Comics.


I am reading the Luna Brothers, The Sword series through Image comics. I read the Dynamic Forces Project: Superpowers series from Alex Ross. I've flipped through a few other series of different publishers but never really had much interest.


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## marlowegarp (Feb 15, 2009)

Zorro and The Man With No Name are a lot of fun to read, but I couldn't honestly call them mature relationships.


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## James (Feb 15, 2009)

are a new love for me...

so far I've read;

Y-The Last Man
Ex Machina
Preacher
Runaways

any suggestions for future reading would be gladly accepted!


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## BTB (Feb 16, 2009)

The mature relationship was a pun on the prior post. A for recommendations I pointed out to strangers in Paradise before (abstract studios). I would also very much recommend Berlin by Jason Lutes and published by Drawn and quarterly.
But mostly i advise to order The big book of Barry Ween Boy Genius from oni Press. 
This piece is like Dexters Labaratory combined with calvin and hobbes and Kevin Smith's Clerks. It's infinitely funny and is everything a comic should be.

Another thing Alan Moore starts with the publisher Top shelf a new volume of the league of extraordinary Gentlemen. I know the movie was bad. Very bad. The comic is quite the opposite.

I know this reads like a commercial but comics are a big Passion of mine and those listed are among those I would advise anybody.
Regarding the big Publishers I started reading the Batman 2-parter Whatever happened to the man with the cape and I think Neil Gaiman made a hit. ( I was somewhat disappointed by 1602 and Eternals)


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## marlowegarp (Feb 16, 2009)

Barry Ween is indeed the shit.


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## kayrae (Feb 17, 2009)

this is such a nerdy thread. this is what I've been reading:


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## marlowegarp (Feb 17, 2009)

Is that Incognegro?


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## kayrae (Feb 17, 2009)

It's Daddy Cool


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## marlowegarp (Feb 17, 2009)

If Wikipedia is to be believed (and it always is) the author sounds really interesting.


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## kayrae (Feb 17, 2009)

It's the first all-black graphic novel I've ever read, which btw, had many torn out pages.


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## Edens_heel (Feb 17, 2009)

People! Buy this book when it comes out in April - the work that occupied my life editing, proofing, and doing the lettering on from May - January (and also the topic of my Master's thesis)... God I am becoming a shameless whore at self-promotion 

View attachment drift_book_of_the_year.jpg


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## Tanuki (Feb 18, 2009)

Edens_heel said:


> People! Buy this book when it comes out in April - the work that occupied my life editing, proofing, and doing the lettering on from May - January (and also the topic of my Master's thesis)... God I am becoming a shameless whore at self-promotion



Consider it done, looks interesting!

Also..I have just come across Cerebus by Dave Sim and ordered the first volume online, anyone read it and have any thought on it? it looks like i would love it


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## BTB (Feb 18, 2009)

Read the whole saga.
the series changes a lot after volume 1
You will love vol 2 if you have a tendency for the marx brothers, absurd humor and political humor.
3 & 4 are also a very interesting fullblown epic if you like satirical approach to religion and politics .
5 is a epic novel concentrated on the life of the main feminine character and 6 more or less tells the story of Oscar Wildes death.
7 is a cosmic transcension spectacle
8 a satire of the sandman series
and nobody ever read 9 completely since it's mostly a boring novel than a comic and the author insulted the whole female popularity on this planet
10 is an epic but fun self-monologue
11 is any chat you had with the guys at a pub 
12 is any chat you had with a drunkard at a pub
13 is the death of hemmingway
14 is the life of F.Scott Fitzgerrald
15 is the downfall of the three stooges and the philosophy of Woody Allen
16 is a phone book of a comic telling of an old Aardvark attempts to climb at a chair and the most interesting attempt at religion since Philip K. Dicks V.A.L.I.S.
If possible get issue Zero which has three very funny stories which connects vol 2 & 3 4&5 6&7
You will probably regard Cerebus as innovative, funny, sometimes insulting, sometimes boring but not mundane and respect the good art and superb lettering.
The inserted Letters are like the Annotations
I will reread the bastard in time and can guarantee you it's a pretty unique read.


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## marlowegarp (Feb 18, 2009)

BTB said:


> Read the whole saga.
> the series changes a lot after volume 1
> You will love vol 2 if you have a tendency for the marx brothers, absurd humor and political humor.
> 3 & 4 are also a very interesting fullblown epic if you like satirical approach to religion and politics .
> ...



Yeah, that about covers it.


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## BTB (Feb 18, 2009)

You didn't read Cerebus 9 completely as well, or?


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## marlowegarp (Feb 18, 2009)

I've read excepts from it. Only read 1-4 all the way through. He's kind of a fascinating guy. He has aspects of John Byrne's douchiness, yet is an original enough thinker that I can deal with it. John Byrne is one of very few people that I've never met who I would punch in the face.


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## BTB (Feb 18, 2009)

Regarding Byrne, I know there have been lots and lots of sins in the recent past but in his younger days when he was not lazy, had a bloated efo and was uncreative he created great work. And we can't forget he created Big Bertha and Pink pearl. 

View attachment Big Bertha (WCA#49).jpg


View attachment pinkpearl-sketch.jpg


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## marlowegarp (Feb 19, 2009)

I think that's partially it. With him it's always extremes: SSBBW or weird, anorexic protagonists with visible ribcages so it's hard to know, but I've always assumed he was an FA. As such I take his douchery more personally.

A lot of comic creators are kind of egomaniacs, but every so often there's one you take personally. Plus he tried to rewrite Spider-Man's origin and then have his shitty work supercede everything else that had been done, which is a pretty unpardonable crime.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Feb 19, 2009)

marlowegarp said:


> Barry Ween is indeed the shit.


Oh man! Ween is what got me back into comics. So pissed at Judd Winick for selling out to DC and not giving more Barry!


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## BTB (Feb 19, 2009)

Winnicks comics at DC are nothing special but his earlier works at oni still are. I liked the fact that Barry Ween never had any weak episode.
Also did you read "Pedro and Me" by Winnick, which is probably one of the most touching biographical depictions in Comics ever done.
It's great that lots of works are now bundled in Omnibuses.
Like Scud the disposable Assasin or the Tick ( great comic but I hate, hate, hate Ticks)
As for comic creators decline similar to John Byrne who did not always draw sh*tty I think Kyle Baker lost his snap.
Cowboy Wally and Why I hate Saturn are immensly funny and the Helfer/Baker run at the shadow was fantastic and thankfully nothing like the lame movie.
But recent works are only showing off and consist of lame Humor.
Joe Madureira looses himself these days in the coloring (Ultimates 3 was unreadable ) 
And I want Frank Cho to continue Liberty Meadows which was mostly very funny ( Not as funny as the predecessor University Freaks but still is very funny)


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## Oirish (Feb 19, 2009)

Ha! That's one way of looking at it. Dark Reign is starting nicely. What I have loved about these huge Marvel events is the sense of continuity between each of them and in the rest of the universe as well. Everything is quite neatly tied together. You don't have that with DC. There are stories going on right now that will not finish for a few more months that should have been wrapped up before Final Crisis began. If they timed that one event up properly then there could have been a far more complete tale told with Final Crisis. They tried to bill it as their "Lord Of the Rings" and fell well short of the mark, despite the most incredible premise. It sucked. Finishing these stories after the fact is like remembering the events of a great night out through the fog of a hangover when a friend reminds you of a piece of the tale. It's lackluster to say the least. 
As for trying "one of the other girls" as has been suggested...of course. You have to sample from the fringe. Watchmen was from the fringe and look how amazing that was. But to be honest, the "other" category of comics is the "rebound girl." Marvel and DC are the great loves for most fans. The ones that no matter how much they piss you off or make you feel betrayed and hurt there is something that is so magical and unforgettable about them that you will forgive and come back...knowing that good times will return with patience. 





Admiral_Snackbar said:


> Well, Superman tried to appeal to his emotions, get him to repent: No good. A Guardian of the Universe sacrificed himself to destroy Prime - no go. Prime broke through realities in Infinite Crisis. He's pretty much become the unstoppable menace across realities, and the only thing I'm guessing they haven't tried is trapping him inside the Speed Force.
> 
> I feel they tried to cram too much into Final Crisis; you don't spend enough time fixing one 'new development' by trying to create some Rube Goldberg device that fixes ALL of them.
> 
> I'm going to stick with Dark Reign; it's a little less fantastical than where DC is going with things. I figure I will still read the New Krypton and Green Lantern sagas, but I'm done with the rest of DC for a while. It's like a girl you have a really good time with but can't seem to secure another date for weeks and weeks because they've got too many things going on in their life.


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## Oirish (Feb 19, 2009)

James said:


> are a new love for me...
> 
> so far I've read;
> 
> ...




PLANETARY! WATCHMEN! No collection is complete without them.


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## Oirish (Feb 19, 2009)

BTB said:


> Read the whole saga.
> the series changes a lot after volume 1
> You will love vol 2 if you have a tendency for the marx brothers, absurd humor and political humor.
> 3 & 4 are also a very interesting fullblown epic if you like satirical approach to religion and politics .
> ...





Whoa whoa whoa! Vas is das? Is this that Barry Ween thing? It sounds awesome! Hemingway and Fitzgerald? Cerberus and pub drunkards? Simply amazing. I want it. By the way, this reminded me of a favorite piece of Hemingway trivia: his brother's death. His brother was a bit of a nutter (go figure) and built a raft. On said raft he loaded as much booze as it could carry and floated out to see. He christened this vessel "Atlantis" and declared it his own sovereign nation while proceeding to drink himself as blind stinking drunk as possible before either sinking or falling off the damn thing to his watery doom. Sad? Yes, but there is some dark humor to be found still.


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## Oirish (Feb 19, 2009)

marlowegarp said:


> I've read excepts from it. Only read 1-4 all the way through. He's kind of a fascinating guy. He has aspects of John Byrne's douchiness, yet is an original enough thinker that I can deal with it. John Byrne is one of very few people that I've never met who I would punch in the face.



YES!!!!!!!!!!! And one of the few who I would even take time to first locate a fist pack! HOW DOES HIS ART KEEP GETTING WORSE TOO? I understand running out of ideas but the man's hands haven't worked the same since he quit X-Men!


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## Ned Sonntag (Feb 19, 2009)

Back when I was drawing for CRAZY in like '82 we were all in some sort of staff meeting and I ended up sitting next to John Byrne... rumors at that point were circulating that he's been spotted at the Mine Shaft... something about Crisco and six feet of chain... Jim Shooter looked at me like, 'One word and I'm calling security' so I said something polite and nonoffensive to Mr.Byrne. Next month Shooter cancelled CRAZY anyway for being too leftie as the Reagan Era approached...:doh:


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## Oirish (Feb 19, 2009)

Should have called out Byrne in retrospect, eh? Sitting next to Shooter and chatting must have been a bit of a treat though. Any good stories to tell of that interaction? BTW...what is "the Mine Shaft?" Lol. The Crisco and Six Feet of Chain bit is leading the mind to a pretty awful place (especially when Byrne is thrown into the mix) without a point of reference.


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## Tanuki (Feb 19, 2009)

BTB said:


> Read the whole saga.
> the series changes a lot after volume 1
> You will love vol 2 if you have a tendency for the marx brothers, absurd humor and political humor.
> 3 & 4 are also a very interesting fullblown epic if you like satirical approach to religion and politics .
> ...



Thanks a lot for the into! sounds fascinating

Hopefully it will be in my hands soon


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## Ned Sonntag (Feb 19, 2009)

Oirish said:


> Should have called out Byrne in retrospect, eh? Sitting next to Shooter and chatting must have been a bit of a treat though. Any good stories to tell of that interaction? BTW...what is "the Mine Shaft?" Lol. The Crisco and Six Feet of Chain bit is leading the mind to a pretty awful place (especially when Byrne is thrown into the mix) without a point of reference.


 The Mine Shaft rumor-my mistake!- was about Chris Claremont! Shooter was no treat. He had a 9th-grade education yet managed to get work while still a teen(!) writing Parasite stories for SUPERMAN. His intimidating Karloffian appearance led Smilin' Stan to hire Shooter as Editor-in-Chief. Not a happy time for staffers... His star began to wane http://books.google.com/books?id=F9...zvzaBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=3&ct=result (see COMICS JOURNAL#115) when he perjured himself in an Libel suit http://www.tcj.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=178&Itemid=48
involving Michael Fleisher and Harlan Ellison... as for the Mineshaft, that was a preAIDS basement niteclub where sweaty men did dreadful things to each other... at the time, the cutting edge of hip.
Cover art by 'Dandy Don' Simpson
http://www.comiccollectorlive.com/LiveData/Issue.aspx?id=1a881ed5-5b8c-4230-bbc9-3c199db0f789


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## BTB (Feb 19, 2009)

Oirish said:


> Whoa whoa whoa! Vas is das? Is this that Barry Ween thing? It sounds awesome! Hemingway and Fitzgerald? Cerberus and pub drunkards? Simply amazing. I want it. QUOTE]
> I summarized Cerebus.
> The Summary of Barry Ween is that is a story of a 10-year-old boy with an IQ of 350 ,quite the Attitude, a laboratory and his best friénd Jeremy.
> Less Hemmingway but more Aliens, Gorillas, Sasquatches and apes.
> ...


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## marlowegarp (Feb 24, 2009)

Less than 1 month left until the last 100 Bullets! Squeal! Sob.


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## disconnectedsmile (Feb 24, 2009)

so, i was reading IGN's preview of _Battle for the Cowl_.
i just have one have question: _*why*_ is Jason Todd alive?


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Feb 24, 2009)

disconnectedsmile said:


> so, i was reading IGN's preview of _Battle for the Cowl_.
> i just have one have question: _*why*_ is Jason Todd alive?


It's a retcon from Infinite Crisis.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Feb 24, 2009)

BTB said:


> The Summary of Barry Ween is that is a story of a 10-year-old boy with an IQ of 350 ,quite the Attitude, a laboratory and his best friénd Jeremy. Less Hemmingway but more Aliens, Gorillas, Sasquatches and apes. Less Fitzgerrald but more cursing. It's the way we all would have behaved at ten ( and probably would still) if we were infinitely smart.


I saw Barry Ween as Jimmy Neutron meets South Park. Hell, even Jimmy's sidekick had some comparisons to the Jeremy character in Barry Ween (Barry's horny, Hispanic, hyperactive best friend, who more often than not gets Barry into his adventures in the first place).

Ween was one of those comics where you really need to read all of them, and each one gets successively better and more interesting. When Barry breaks into the CIA to rescue Jeremy, the conclusion is heartily satisfying. The last issue where Barry and company are transported to an alien planet to fight in a war, the ending really gets emotional.

I haven't read the other Judd Winick books, although I hear his work on Green Lantern and Exiles was rather interesting; Exiles was a series I really wanted to get into but the first book was sort of meh. I hear it gets better (think of Quantum Leap meets Sliders but with obscure superheroes).


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## disconnectedsmile (Feb 24, 2009)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> It's a retcon from Infinite Crisis.


:blink:
ow...my brain hurts.
(by the way, i know what retcon is, but thanks for the link.)


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## marlowegarp (Feb 24, 2009)

Oddly enough the story where Batman meets the resurrected Jason Todd was written by Judd Winick. Weird.


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## Jigen (Feb 24, 2009)

Soon I will be reading Saint Seiya - The Lost Canvas number 12. I can't wait!


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## Tanuki (Feb 25, 2009)

Jigen said:


> Soon I will be reading Saint Seiya - The Lost Canvas number 12. I can't wait!



I LOVE Saint Seiya so soooo much <3


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## Jigen (Feb 25, 2009)

T-Bear said:


> I LOVE Saint Seiya so soooo much <3



Me too.  Which is your favourite season, fron Sanctuary to Lost Canvas?


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## BTB (Mar 1, 2009)

Ah, we are talking Manga now, although I am more prone to western comics I enjoyed some Mangas too.
Slam Dunk is fantastic ( I have read it completely already ),20th century boys was great and most important sometimes very surprising. Akira as well as Lone Wolf and Cub are still the standards for good storytelling.
I enjoyed Ranma in the beginning very much but it was definitely too long.
The feud between Manga and western comics readers seems to me to be more dire than the animosity between Marvel and DC readers. ( Remember Marvel won the Marvel versus Dc comic ).
On another note I saw in the recent Previews that David Mazzuchelli is finally back with a new comic. David ( Batman year one, Daredevil Born again, Stuck Rubber Baby and City of glass )Mazzuchelli. I thought he would forever waste his talents working for the New Yorker ( not exactly wasting[see Charles Addams and Art Spiegelmann] but not making the most of it.
It's like the return of Salinger or an yet unfound novel by Capote.
I am so excited.


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## marlowegarp (Mar 2, 2009)

I agree completely. Born Again is a Desert Island comic, no doubt about it. The fight between Matt and Kingpin in 228 was really something. "I'm loyal to the dream, General, nothing more" always gives me shivers.


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## disconnectedsmile (Mar 6, 2009)

so i take it that we will all meet here on monday after everyone has seen Watchmen so that we can praise/bash the film?


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## None (Mar 6, 2009)

disconnectedsmile said:


> so i take it that we will all meet here on monday after everyone has seen Watchmen so that we can praise/bash the film?



I posted my thoughts about the film in the last movie you watched thread. I liked it.


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## marlowegarp (Mar 6, 2009)

disconnectedsmile said:


> so i take it that we will all meet here on monday after everyone has seen Watchmen so that we can praise/bash the film?



I was planning on it.


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## disconnectedsmile (Mar 6, 2009)

None said:


> I posted my thoughts about the film in the last movie you watched thread. I liked it.


say no spoilers! i have to wait until tomorrow night. i got my IMAX tickets all set.


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## Oirish (Mar 6, 2009)

BTB said:


> Oirish said:
> 
> 
> > Whoa whoa whoa! Vas is das? Is this that Barry Ween thing? It sounds awesome! Hemingway and Fitzgerald? Cerberus and pub drunkards? Simply amazing. I want it. QUOTE]
> ...


----------



## Oirish (Mar 6, 2009)

Ned Sonntag said:


> The Mine Shaft rumor-my mistake!- was about Chris Claremont! Shooter was no treat. He had a 9th-grade education yet managed to get work while still a teen(!) writing Parasite stories for SUPERMAN. His intimidating Karloffian appearance led Smilin' Stan to hire Shooter as Editor-in-Chief. Not a happy time for staffers... His star began to wane http://books.google.com/books?id=F9...zvzaBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=3&ct=result (see COMICS JOURNAL#115) when he perjured himself in an Libel suit http://www.tcj.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=178&Itemid=48
> involving Michael Fleisher and Harlan Ellison... as for the Mineshaft, that was a preAIDS basement niteclub where sweaty men did dreadful things to each other... at the time, the cutting edge of hip.
> Cover art by 'Dandy Don' Simpson
> http://www.comiccollectorlive.com/LiveData/Issue.aspx?id=1a881ed5-5b8c-4230-bbc9-3c199db0f789




That's interesting. I didn't know that about Shooter. Thanks for sharing! Sorry it was such a bad experience though. That "Mine Shaft" bit has me cracking up! So it was Claremont that was rumored to go?


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## Oirish (Mar 6, 2009)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> I saw Barry Ween as Jimmy Neutron meets South Park. Hell, even Jimmy's sidekick had some comparisons to the Jeremy character in Barry Ween (Barry's horny, Hispanic, hyperactive best friend, who more often than not gets Barry into his adventures in the first place).
> 
> Ween was one of those comics where you really need to read all of them, and each one gets successively better and more interesting. When Barry breaks into the CIA to rescue Jeremy, the conclusion is heartily satisfying. The last issue where Barry and company are transported to an alien planet to fight in a war, the ending really gets emotional.
> 
> I haven't read the other Judd Winick books, although I hear his work on Green Lantern and Exiles was rather interesting; Exiles was a series I really wanted to get into but the first book was sort of meh. I hear it gets better (think of Quantum Leap meets Sliders but with obscure superheroes).




I really enjoyed Judd Winick's stint on Exiles...Claremont's was not very impressive.


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## marlowegarp (Mar 7, 2009)

Watchmen.

Well, for the most part, Alan Moore is right: it is largely unfilmable. It wasn't really BAD, per se, except for the Big Figure and Silk Spectre II, who were actually bad. 

Two or three scenes actually worked beautifully, but overall I now know how my 9th grade Social Studies teacher felt when he read kids' papers about Animal Farm and saw that they liked it but didn't get the metaphor.


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## Maxx Awesome (Mar 7, 2009)

marlowegarp said:


> Watchmen.
> 
> Well, for the most part, Alan Moore is right: it is largely unfilmable. It wasn't really BAD, per se, except for the Big Figure and Silk Spectre II, who were actually bad.
> 
> Two or three scenes actually worked beautifully, but overall I now know how my 9th grade Social Studies teacher felt when he read kids' papers about Animal Farm and saw that they liked it but didn't get the metaphor.



I long ago decided that I would not see this film. Maybe in a few years time when it's onn TV for free, but I can't imagine how it would work. All the things that are great about the comic would be lost in the translation to the screen. And, Zack Snyder's a hack... There's that too.


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## Oirish (Mar 7, 2009)

I have to say that if you see Watchmen and concentrate on how much of it was similar to the comic, rather than what was different, it is a very enjoyable adaptation. They kept a lot of it intact. The soundtrack didn't fit the scene in plenty of moments and it had a little cheese at moments but it in no way ruined it for me. I'm not a huge fan of this director's style, really. The type of cinematography his films have was suitable for 300 but not Watchmen. I still say go see it if you haven't. It was a more fair adaptation than any other Moore work has been.


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## Edens_heel (Mar 7, 2009)

I enjoyed Watchmen quite a bit, but I went into it accepting that it was a different entity entirely, and that when not compared to the comic (if you can segregate the two) it works very well - for the most part. Also, I'm reserving judgment until I can gander the extended cut on DVD. And I think having only 3 films to his name makes it too soon to cal Snyder a hack with any kind of legitimacy. Now Ratner and Bay, those are fucking hacks.

My biggest frustrations with Watchmen are when I would slip back into thinking about the book, and seeing clearly where there was SO much promise in the film, where they would NAIL something just right, but then they'd not get the very next thing.

Rorshach - NAILED.

Comedian - NAILED.

Opening credits - some of the best ever.

And I even thought that Billy Crudup as Manhattan wasn't all too shabby. I didn't hate the change from the squid at the end (come on people, it was too over the top and would have lacked all menace on film). And in parts, the music wasn't bad, though I would have preferred an entirely original score in place of the stock choices. 

What, for me was truly lacking, was the subtext that the inserts in the comics provided, the belief that Veidt was truly the smartest man alive, the final conversation between Veidt and Manhattan that so subtly sows the seeds of doubt and brings Veidt back from being a true villain, and I never quite felt the epic nature of the Mars journey. 

The only other thing that truly was a misstep for me was the same thing that bugged the shit out of me with Return of the King several years back - the climax. I wanted the awe of seeing those splash pages of New York's destruction with bodies everywhere - not because of the gore, but because it brought a human face (or faces) to Veidt's plan. It measure the COST of his concept. With Lord of the Rings, the ONE place where I thought the book was better than the films (yes I'm one of those who thinks Tolkein couldn't write worth shit) was the moment that Frodo put the ring on in Mount Doom. At that moment, in the book, you got the sense that the entire battle suddenly shifted, that even the clouds were suddenly moving en masse to Mount Doom, that those final few moments were chaos on a scale never imagined. But in the film, the spotlight eye shifts and the flying Nazgul turn to race to the mountain. That's it. It doesn't have the same weight, and that's exactly my problem with the ending of Watchmen. The book slammed you in the stomach with the opening of Chapter 12. The film, while still epic in scope, doesn't have the same punch that the human evidence would have provided.

Again, I still loved the film. It was a step in a new direction for comic films and I hope it achieves a lot so that studios may not cower in the face of an epic-length hard R film. That's a step that needs to be taken. That said, I still think The Dark Knight was a far better film (though I don't get the rampant love Iron Man seems to get - it was stupid fun, but by no means great - hell X2 was better and that came out years earlier).

Venting done.


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## Edens_heel (Mar 7, 2009)

Oirish said:


> I have to say that if you see Watchmen and concentrate on how much of it was similar to the comic, rather than what was different, it is a very enjoyable adaptation. They kept a lot of it intact. The soundtrack didn't fit the scene in plenty of moments and it had a little cheese at moments but it in no way ruined it for me. I'm not a huge fan of this director's style, really. The type of cinematography his films have was suitable for 300 but not Watchmen. I still say go see it if you haven't. It was a more fair adaptation than any other Moore work has been.



I agree, it was - though I will say that I do like V for Vendetta. Again, the film pales compared to the book, but as a separate entity, the film is a blast! It's all about taking yourself out of one and putting yourself into another. I've had to do that with the Harry Potter films because if I don't, I would hate the films for all that they leave behind. As they are, as unique entities unto themselves, they are a lot of fun and great fantasy fare. But if taken as a direct comparison to the books, you are going to be damn disappointed.


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## Oirish (Mar 7, 2009)

Ha! Yeah, Rattner and Bay ARE fucking hacks.


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## None (Mar 7, 2009)

Oirish said:


> Ha! Yeah, Rattner and Bay ARE fucking hacks.



The mise en scene where that stupid sports car pisses on John Turturro disagrees with you, sir.


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## Maxx Awesome (Mar 8, 2009)

Edens_heel said:


> I enjoyed Watchmen quite a bit, but I went into it accepting that it was a different entity entirely, and that when not compared to the comic (if you can segregate the two) it works very well - for the most part. Also, I'm reserving judgment until I can gander the extended cut on DVD. And I think having only 3 films to his name makes it too soon to cal Snyder a hack with any kind of legitimacy. Now Ratner and Bay, those are fucking hacks.


I suppose I was being a bit harsh in my appraisal of Snyder. It's just that from the scenes I had, _erm_, seen they all seemed a bit pretentious. Like they were trying to be really artsy or something & it wound up looking daft (what the hell is up with all the slow-mo?). But I read an interview in which he said what the studio wanted to do with the film &, well... it could've been worse, MUCH worse. So at least he stuck to his guns on that front.

Also, I heard there's boobies in it... that's always fun.

And I thought some here might enjoy this if you haven't already seen it (even if you have, it's still awesome):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDDHHrt6l4w


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## Suze (Mar 8, 2009)

you show up in like... EVERY geeky thread


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## Maxx Awesome (Mar 8, 2009)

susieQ said:


> you show up in like... EVERY geeky thread


And YOU show up in EVERY thread I show up in!


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## BTB (Mar 8, 2009)

Now I feel challenged by Max Awesome regarding my geekhood.
To settle this I challenge you to list your 3 most obscure
Comics because this one of the ways for a true geek to duel
I got
X-Men: Heroes for Hope
a jam session from the eighties benefitting Africa like Live Aid with the only Official work from Alan Moore for Marvel (not counting Marvel UK ). He did a page with Richard Corben

Bizarre Adventures 33 - a Horror Magazine which featured the "private lives of the x-men"

Howard the Duck Magazine # 6 
where a serial called "Street People" started
it was drawn by an aspiring Artist called Ned Sontag.


Beat this.


----------



## Suze (Mar 8, 2009)

Maxx Awesome said:


> And I WISH YOU WOULD show up in EVERY thread I show up in!:smitten:



......................i know how you rly feel.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Mar 8, 2009)

I concur with Edens_heel in that Rorschach and the Comedian were dead-on, but I also think Night Owl and Dr. Manhattan were wonderfully done as well. There was so much subtext to the two characters that wouldn't really translate well to film, but I felt they did an excellent job.

If this role doesn't garner Jackie Earl Haley another Oscar nod, then the Academy is full of dickholes who wouldn't know talent if it banged them all night. Yes, he was quite a fan of the character and did audition specifically with Rorschach in mind but hot damn if he didn't draw out every. single. awesome. element of the movie. There were audible cheers during the prison chow line scene, and I was amazed they were able to get the prison psychologist subtext in there as well as they did and still manage to get all the critical elements.

Veidt was way underplayed and I thought the actor (who everyone bemoaned because he wasn't this massively-built Aryan type) did an excellent job but was just too damn pretty and understated. You never get the idea that he's just a tiny bit insane for doing what he did, and as Edens_heel said, the last dialog between him and Manhattan really left some things unanswered.

I for one was happy there wasn't some horrid joke teaser at the end, ala Watchmen 2: Rorschach's Revenge. I also found the trailer for the new Pixar UP movie to be excellent, and I am so looking fwd to taking the #1 son to see it this summer.


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## Maxx Awesome (Mar 9, 2009)

BTB said:


> Now I feel challenged by Max Awesome regarding my geekhood.
> To settle this I challenge you to list your 3 most obscure
> Comics because this one of the ways for a true geek to duel
> I got
> ...



I can't even contend. I'm not sure what I have that would be obscure enough to out-geek this.
Might have to root around in the cupboard to see what I have back there.

Say... whatever happened to that Ned Sonntag fella, anyway?


----------



## marlowegarp (Mar 9, 2009)

BTB said:


> Now I feel challenged by Max Awesome regarding my geekhood.
> To settle this I challenge you to list your 3 most obscure
> Comics because this one of the ways for a true geek to duel
> I got
> ...



Awright (cracks knuckles)

Time Beavers: A 1985 graphic novel from Eclipse written and drawn by Tim Truman who would go on to do Hawkworld, Jonah Hex and JLA: Gatekeeper. It's about what it sounds like: time-traveling beavers that protect the Great Dam from a variety of vermin. 

Rock n' Roll Comics 49: Rush: The story of Rush from their early days without Geddy Lee to super-stardom. See how they party (they read and practice mostly) watch them take the North American continent by storm!

Punisher: (Vol. 1) 60-62: The Punisher is transformed into a black guy. Seriously. Fabian Nicieza with a rare misfire in this misbegotten story. Frank is used to dealing with scum, but racist scum? Sounds like Luke Cage or Power Man as he was still called needs to take a hand.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Mar 9, 2009)

I just read a CBR scan my buddy sent me titled "The Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe," a sort of "What If" yarn where an accident with Frank Castle's family running into an Avengers/X-Men/Brood crossfire triggers a tangent to the Punisher origin, and he makes it his life's work to kill off every Marvel hero.

Spooky but a wonderful yarn about how a resourceful person could pull it off.


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## Wagimawr (Mar 9, 2009)

> Watchmen


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## marlowegarp (Mar 9, 2009)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> I just read a CBR scan my buddy sent me titled "The Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe," a sort of "What If" yarn where an accident with Frank Castle's family running into an Avengers/X-Men/Brood crossfire triggers a tangent to the Punisher origin, and he makes it his life's work to kill off every Marvel hero.
> 
> Spooky but a wonderful yarn about how a resourceful person could pull it off.



That's such a cool issue. I love the society of super-hero victims. There is an earlier issue called Fred Hembeck Destroys The Marvel Universe whicg is more of a comedy yet has some similar ideas. Then of course there is Sergio Aragones Massacres Marvel. Ahhh...death


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## BTB (Mar 10, 2009)

marlowegarp said:


> Awright (cracks knuckles)
> 
> Time Beavers:
> 
> ...




Good answer, especially bringing Rush into the play, who composed one of the greatest Hymns of Geekdom with their Song "Tom Sawyer"

"Todays Tom sawyer,
He gets high on you,
And the space he invades
He gets by on you."

But Marlowegarp you force me to bring a comic which also ties to the Discussion regarding the punisher. And guess who survived. 

View attachment Archie_meets_Punisher.jpg


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Mar 10, 2009)

marlowegarp said:


> That's such a cool issue. I love the society of super-hero victims. There is an earlier issue called Fred Hembeck Destroys The Marvel Universe whicg is more of a comedy yet has some similar ideas. Then of course there is Sergio Aragones Massacres Marvel. Ahhh...death


I would say there are two books that delve into that well. Alex Ross' Justice series is a very unique take on just how supervillains would overthrow the Justice League. Amazing art as well.

Warren Ellis' Wanted is a book with fictional heroes/villains, but the overarching idea was that the supervillains teamed up, killed off all the heroes (since they outnumbered them sometimes 3:1) and then retroactively altered reality so that normal people never even noticed the heroes being gone.


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## BTB (Mar 11, 2009)

This old collaboration of me with Willix demonstrates again who is the comic book nerd here.
The joke is as corny as any Archie cover ever.

http://willixartist.deviantart.com/art/Veronica-115552356


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## marlowegarp (Mar 11, 2009)

Pretty much on par. Has anyone seen the new anime Archies they are putting out? I find them creepy.


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## disconnectedsmile (Mar 11, 2009)

Battle for the Cowl #1 is out today.
is anyone interested? i've not yet decided if i want to read this three-parter.
i mean, i read the "Gotham Gazette" one-shot, and i found that to be a very good read, but...i dunno. something about Battle for the Cowl doesn't have my interest piqued. maybe it's the fact that Jason Todd is still alive >_<


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Mar 11, 2009)

disconnectedsmile said:


> Battle for the Cowl #1 is out today.
> is anyone interested? i've not yet decided if i want to read this three-parter.
> i mean, i read the "Gotham Gazette" one-shot, and i found that to be a very good read, but...i dunno. something about Battle for the Cowl doesn't have my interest piqued. maybe it's the fact that Jason Todd is still alive >_<


I'm getting this deja vu feeling like when Superman died, that you're gonna get four Batmen to show up, and one of them is going to be a clone of Bruce Wayne.

If Cyborg Batman appears I'm just done, man.


----------



## disconnectedsmile (Mar 11, 2009)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> I'm getting this deja vu feeling like when Superman died, that you're gonna get four Batmen to show up, and one of them is going to be a clone of Bruce Wayne.
> 
> If Cyborg Batman appears I'm just done, man.


i did hear rumblings that the corpse from the end of Final Crisis #6 is going to have a place in the storyline sometime between now and Bruce's return next year.
...you've been forewarned.


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## marlowegarp (Mar 11, 2009)

So it's Reign of the Superman and The Clone Saga? Wooof. I think the Dini chapters and Rucka stuff may be good, but otherwise, nuh-uh.


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## marlowegarp (Mar 11, 2009)

Ooh! New Scalped, Top 10 and Captain Britain this week!


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Mar 11, 2009)

disconnectedsmile said:


> i did hear rumblings that the corpse from the end of Final Crisis #6 is going to have a place in the storyline sometime between now and Bruce's return next year.
> ...you've been forewarned.


If Batman becomes a Black Lantern I will be so very pissed. It seems, unnatural for him.


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## BTB (Mar 11, 2009)

No, Bat-Mite will become his sucessor, but it won't matter since all the Fanboys will be reading the new Power Girl comic instead.


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## disconnectedsmile (Mar 11, 2009)

BTB said:


> No, Bat-Mite will become his sucessor, but it won't matter since all the Fanboys will be reading the new Power Girl comic instead.


Power Girl comic? do tell.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Mar 11, 2009)

disconnectedsmile said:


> Power Girl comic? do tell.


You know, it's the Power Girl comic where everyone notices her giant rocking Kryptonian tits. They always seem to downplay that aspect of her anatomy.


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## marlowegarp (Mar 12, 2009)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> You know, it's the Power Girl comic where everyone notices her giant rocking Kryptonian tits. They always seem to downplay that aspect of her anatomy.



I suspect that those VERY tits will hold the key to defeating the newly powered Kryptonians over in the Superman books.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Mar 12, 2009)

marlowegarp said:


> I suspect that those VERY tits will hold the key to defeating the newly powered Kryptonians over in the Superman books.


So the trick to defeating them is a Victoria's Secret bra studded with Gold Kryptonite?


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## BTB (Mar 12, 2009)

You should get Nerd Karma for the gold Kryptonite, nice touch.


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## marlowegarp (Mar 12, 2009)

I think that the ghost of Roy Thomas is floating around the globe perpetually handing out that particular brand of karma.


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## pineapple cake (Mar 12, 2009)

anyone mention zenith or vertigo?

i love love love both... but i also like daniel clowes and non super hero graphic novels as well.


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## marlowegarp (Mar 12, 2009)

Not familiar with Zenith, but I've loved Vertigo for years, pretty much since Sandman Mystery Theatre. Really enjoying the DMZ trades and Scalped and 100 Bullets in singles. Northlanders is okay, but kind of uneven. 

I really liked Ghost World and Like A Velvet Glove Cast In Iron. Do you know if Eightball is still coming out?


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## natesnap (Mar 12, 2009)

I just got done reading Marvel Zombies: Dead Days, 1, and 2. Excellent writing with the way it mixed the drama of the entire marvel u being zombified/devoured along with some good dark humior. Plus zombie hulk just be exploding heads all over the place.  Can't wait until MZ 3 comes out as a trade and MZ 4: Midnight Sons comes out this fall.


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## kayrae (Mar 13, 2009)

Does anyone else read any comics that doesn't fall in the action or superhero genre?


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## None (Mar 13, 2009)

kayrae said:


> Does anyone else read any comics that doesn't fall in the action or superhero genre?



There are plenty of comics that aren't superhero related that were mentioned in this thread.


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## kayrae (Mar 13, 2009)

Of course, yes, but the thread is largely dominated by that one  

I'm re-reading Michelle Tea's Rent Girl:


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## None (Mar 13, 2009)

kayrae said:


> Of course, yes, but the thread is largely dominated by that one



Whatever, yo. You're right though.


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## BTB (Mar 13, 2009)

I go both ways.
Living in europe I also see a lot of the francobelgian scene.
I am very enthusiastic of the works of an artist named Manu di Larcenet. Great Depictions of everyday life.
Oh and regarding the USA there is still World War III. Does anybody read this great Magazine?


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## marlowegarp (Mar 13, 2009)

Just read one recently called Fun Home that was quite good.


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## Maxx Awesome (Mar 13, 2009)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> You know, it's the Power Girl comic where everyone notices her giant rocking Kryptonian tits. They always seem to downplay that aspect of her anatomy.



I wish Power Girl had bigger tits sometimes. Those things just aren't big enough for my liking. They may be three times the size of her head, but they could be bigger!


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## marlowegarp (Mar 13, 2009)

Maxx Awesome said:


> I wish Power Girl had bigger tits sometimes. Those things just aren't big enough for my liking. They may be three times the size of her head, but they could be bigger!



Maybe DC could get a B-List character book to last if they just gave her tits their own comic. Or kept a creative team on a comic. The latter is pretty experimental though.


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## BTB (Mar 13, 2009)

Thanks for Fan movies (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUiNFzzF-ZI)

Perhaps she should be drawn by Jim Balent.

Oh, how do I miss the old catwoman.

By the way does anybody understand her origin besides us nerds?

Regarding non superheroes did you read all those great Gaiman/Mckean Collaborations (Mr.Punch, Violent Cases, Signal to Noíse)?
Is the effect those distorted Images with Gaimans writing not most intriguing? 

Or were you saddened by Chris Ware's Jimmy Corrigan?

And by the way out of Interest is Asterix the gaul known in the states?


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Mar 13, 2009)

natesnap said:


> I just got done reading Marvel Zombies: Dead Days, 1, and 2. Excellent writing with the way it mixed the drama of the entire marvel u being zombified/devoured along with some good dark humior. Plus zombie hulk just be exploding heads all over the place.  Can't wait until MZ 3 comes out as a trade and MZ 4: Midnight Sons comes out this fall.


Good series, but I'm kind of pissed that Arthur Sudyam isn't doing the covers anymore.


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## kayrae (Mar 14, 2009)

pineapple cake said:


> anyone mention zenith or vertigo?
> 
> i love love love both... but i also like daniel clowes and non super hero graphic novels as well.




Lovelovelove Daniel Clowes. My favorite of his is this one:


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## QueenB (Mar 14, 2009)

my sister met dan clowes. she got him to autograph a copy of ghost world for me. :wubu:


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## kayrae (Mar 14, 2009)

jealous!!! what other types of comics are you into?


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## QueenB (Mar 14, 2009)

well, i obviously love clowes.

&




& 





&





love and rockets
optic nerve
tank girl
Luba
shortcomings

want to read these:


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## marlowegarp (Mar 14, 2009)

As Werner Herzog says in Julian Donkey-Boy.

"Ahh! De Artzy-Fartsy!"


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## QueenB (Mar 14, 2009)

hahah. :blush:


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## FreeThinker (Mar 14, 2009)

kayrae said:


> Does anyone else read any comics that doesn't fall in the action or superhero genre?



*Stig's Inferno* by Ty Templeton was good, before it disappreared after issue #7. It was Canadian, so you might have trouble finding hard copies of it. It was a comedy (and parody of Dante's Divine Comedy) about a guy (Stig) who got killed by his piano (or something living in it) and ended up in Hell.

...uh...it's actually a LOT funnier than it sounds.

It's available online for FREE right here.


A six-issue mystery/suspense mini-series (later re-released as a graphic novel) from the United States, *Somerset Holmes* remains one of my favorites. Written by Bruce Jones and illustrated by Brent Anderson (who also illustrated the X-Men graphic novel), the story revolved around a woman with amnesia, being hunted down by agents apparently working for the government.

A brief synopsis and an interview with the author are available in this link.


One from the Netherlands that I like quite a bit is the detective/action series *Franka*, by Henk Kuijpers. I have issues 1 through 13, but haven't been to Holland in quite some time. When I return, I look forward to picking up some more.

Here's a site about Henk Kuijpers.

Here's the Official Franka Site...If you read Dutch.


Another good Dutch comic is the spy series *Alfa*. Unlike Franka, in which the main character is unapologetically Dutch, Alfa is about a CIA agent.

I couldn't find an official site for Alfa, but here's a site that sells it. Sorry, best I could do. Once again, this one is in Dutch.


Of course, stepping outside the Superhero genre makes me think of two of my earliest favorites: *Tintin*, and *Asterix and Obelix*.


Later on, I discovered that *Prince Valiant* was also a well-written and beautifully-drawn series as well.


And then there's *Cutey Bunny*. :smitten: Super-hero-ey, yes, but fun.


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## FreeThinker (Mar 14, 2009)

I forgot to mention in my previous post the series *Strangers In Paradise*, by Terry Moore.

The story follows Katina Choovanski (Katchoo) and Francine Peters as they deal with revenge on their exes, falling inconveniently in love, a dark and troubled past, nagging parents, and daily life in general.

Not intrigued yet? Well, it's much better than my description of it, so check out the Official Website.







AND...the hottest pancake-eating/feeding/kiss scene anywhere in comics!




*EDIT:* I just did a search and noticed that BTB and Still A Skye Fan have already mention this series in this thread. Sorry, should have done my homework!


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## Maxx Awesome (Mar 15, 2009)

marlowegarp said:


> Maybe DC could get a B-List character book to last if they just gave her tits their own comic. Or kept a creative team on a comic. The latter is pretty experimental though.


Keep a creative team...? That's crazy talk, boy! Back to the nuthouse with you!

A comic about PG's tits would last for, at least, seven years. It'd be a massive hit with the 14-year-old horny virgin nerd market... & me as well.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Mar 15, 2009)

A quick way to get rid of two very annoying characters:

WONDER TWIN POWERS: ACTIVATE!

Form of...a litterbox full of water!

Shape of...a cat made of sodium!

Kablooie. Fin.


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## marlowegarp (Mar 16, 2009)

I always thought they should have had the Wonder Twins turn out to be Black Adam's illegitimate children whom he sired in space when the wizard exiled him. I mean c'mon, look at them! That would make their mother some kind of humanoid space genie, but I think it works.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Mar 16, 2009)

marlowegarp said:


> I always thought they should have had the Wonder Twins turn out to be Black Adam's illegitimate children whom he sired in space when the wizard exiled him. I mean c'mon, look at them! That would make their mother some kind of humanoid space genie, but I think it works.


I always go back to the movie Sky High and all the silly nonsensical reasons they have sidekicks in the first place. 

It was funny that one of the Justice League Unlimited episodes spoofed the Wonder Twins where there were two sisters (genetically created by Project Cadmus), one of whom could morph into animals and the other could become various types of matter. I think at one point the JL had one of them as a body of water and another as an animal and then the kid with lightning powers got dumped into the pool and knocked all three of them out.


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## marlowegarp (Mar 17, 2009)

JLU was such a beautiful payoff. The one where Flash and Luthor switch bodies was soo cool!


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Mar 17, 2009)

marlowegarp said:


> JLU was such a beautiful payoff. The one where Flash and Luthor switch bodies was soo cool!


Minor spoilers, for those who haven't seen JLU:

I for one thought the final two episodes were rather a letdown. Brainiac merges with Darkseid? Luthor as a 12th level intellect, then going PAST the Source Wall to give Darkseid the Anti-Life Equation? WTELF is with that? Why not have time travellers find out that a second JFK from an alternate reality was the 2nd gunman in the grassy knoll, and that it was some bizarre quantum universe insanity thing?

It just seemed like a big F-U to the fans, sort of how Don Bellisario got back at the execs for cancelling Quantum Leap, i.e., "he's never coming home, assholes. F-U."

I thought they could have done more with the Justice Lords from Season 1, because it was just an amazingly unique take on the JLA, if you ignore the Injustice League (Ultraman, the Owl, etc.) from the comics. Seeing Superman as this dark-costumed badass just had a lot going for it, finding out what happens when you push the Man of Tomorrow too far.

I actually liked the Christmas episode with Flash and the Ultra-Humanite, and especially the ep where Morgan Le Fay turns the JLA into children to fight her combative child, Mordred. Excellent Green Lantern episodes as well. I really miss that series.


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## disconnectedsmile (Mar 23, 2009)

kayrae, i must apologize cos i'm about to bring up superhero stuff again 

so, i spent half of my saturday going through Kevin Smith's Green Arrow stories.
LOVED THEM. especially _Sounds of Violence_ - this story literally had me on the edge of my seat and exclaiming "OMG." the writing was rich and enthralling throughout. the characters are well thought out, too.
Kevin Smith did good with these two books. makes me wonder what the hell went wrong with _Batman: Cacophony_...


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## marlowegarp (Mar 23, 2009)

I, too wonder what went wrong with Kevin Smith. He did three great issues of a series called Spider-Man/ Black Cat: The Evil That Men Do...and then three years went by, they resurrected MJ and...the last three issues blew. It's like after Green Arrow and Daredevil he just stopped caring.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Mar 24, 2009)

Smith is notorious for not doing well on deadline. With whatever else he is working on, I am sure he had some reason for not doing Cacaphony well. He was two issues in but everything felt...forced.

At least with his Daredevil run he took something different and put it on it's ear, even if he had to use a Spider-Man villain to do it.

The Green Arrow comic was just sort of meh. Never been a fan of that character. 

I think for Smith comics is just a side gig he does to cater to a specific group of fans, because he knows overall it's easy money, it brings in business for his comic stores and a little publicity (as he says constantly, he's a press whore).


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## Fish (Mar 24, 2009)

As a comic geek myself, I've missed THIS particular thread for too long.

For most of my time enjoying comics, I've been a Marvel guy, but that was then and this is now, and while I enjoy comics from most every publisher out there, my interest tends to come back to the creator owned titles out there. Maybe it's just because I'm a creator myself, but I've largely lost interest in the corporate-owned "mascot" heroes like Batman and Spidey. I still dig the characters and occasionally pick up new stories with them in it, but they just don't grip me like they did when I was younger and I could suspend my disbelief long enough to believe in them as CHARACTERS rather than just icons controlled my the marketing interests of their parent companies. I can't bring myself to care what happens to Peter Parker when I KNOW that everything will eventually be re-set to a certain status quo to maintain Marvel's business interests in Spider-Man as a marketable symbol.

Give me a comic made with passion by creators that can and do do whatever they want with their creations. If I want super hero action, I'll enjoy Robert Kirkman's INVINCIBLE. Frankly, there's precious little that the corporate symbols of Marvel and DC can give me that I can't get from POWERS, The Mice Templar, BONE, RASL, Echo, Madman, Strangers in Paradise, Tellos, Kick Ass, Astro City, Atomic Robo or a dozen other GREAT comics.

Heck, when I'm not drawing my big, beautiful commissions, I make a few of my own. (_Shameless linkage. lol _)


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## Les Toil (Mar 24, 2009)

My heart lies within the Marvel Universe--when it came to be in the 1960s. As a matter of fact two of the reasons I'm glad to be in my mid 40s is to boast that I was around when The Beatles pretty much ruled the planet, and when Marvel Comics was a blossoming pop phenomenon. Because there weren't a zillion comic titles to choose from and because DC was still trying to breath life into what was then the two most boring super heroes in the world (Superman and Bat-Man), kids nationwide couldn't wait to see who Spider-Man was gonna battle or what galactic foes the FF were gonna take on or when Thor was going to return to Asgard. And besides all that, Marvel had Jack Kirby. Nuff said.

So yeah, I was obsessed with the Fantastic Four myself. Without a doubt the team of Jack Kirby, Joe Sinnott and Stan Lee were responsible for the greatest and most handsomely drawn handful of issues in comics history with their Inhumans/Silver Surfer/Galactus saga. We're talking FF #43 to about #60. Technique-wise they're the issues I refer back to the most often as a gauge of artistic excellence. Jack and Joe were FIERCE with talent during that period. I still haven't seen the second FF movie to see if and how they dealt with the Silver Surfer saga. I'll probably get drunk and watch it one night. Couldn't be worse than that first Fantastic Four movie.











As I got a bit older I became obsessed with underground comics, specifically R. Crumb. Crumb's art and sense of humor just snatched my breath away--obviously in a much different way than Kirby and the Marvel gang. I still re-read all those early Crumb stories religiously. I personally like his early Zap Comix period when the stories were raw, bitingly offensive and nonsensical. His art was infinitely better then. He's one of the few examples of a person _excelling_ under the influence of drugs.






And later on I got heavy into Dan Clowes and Joe Matt. Dan for story-telling and art. Joe for story (what little that was there). Again, I think Dan's early Eightballs are stunning to look at and,sadly, his style of art went south after a couple years in the business, although the later years were his commercially successful years. But for me, that early quirky beatnik style is to DIE for! 






I guess there isn't enough space to list all of the hundreds of other comic titles I've been a fanatic of since I was a wee lad. Everything from funny animal type comics of the 40s and 50s to EC horror comics to anything written by Frank Miller and most other comics in between.


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## Les Toil (Mar 24, 2009)

olwen said:


> after I learned all I could I moved onto Spiderman and back to Xmen, Punisher, Nightwing, Batgirl (the asian one) and the silly Predator stuff. I never really got into other DC and Marvel characters as fully as I did with Batman, so I'm not as familiar with Green Lantern, Superman, Wonder Woman, Spawn (yeah, I know it's not DC or Marvel), et al. I never read the Crisis books, quite frankly I'm scared it will confuse me even more. I have had a lot of friends into comics tho so over the years they've clued me into all the comic book must read essentials, so I've read most of those.



Damn, we kid comic collectors would have been a much happier lot back in the 70s if girls like you were around. I can remember when I was about 13 and I went to a comic convention in Berkeley, CA. One of my buddies spotted a _girl_ at the show and before the event was over, we all pooled our data together and found out her name, what city she lived in, what school she went to and what her favorite comic was. Of course none of us got this info' directly from her. Point being, you would have rocked our world Olwen.


----------



## Edens_heel (Mar 24, 2009)

Woot! Just got this in the mail from the Drawn and Quarterly offices in Montreal. I think it hits stores in April (and is going to be debuted in a big way at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival in May). Everyone should read this, and not just because I lived it for 6 months while proofing, helping construct the appendix, and doing all the lettering, but because it's amazing and epic.

And this is totally gloating, but this is the first time my name has appeared inside a book (in the special thanks section).

P.S. - Ignore the clown-nose pimple on the forehead. 

View attachment IMG_0911.jpg


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## Tanuki (Mar 24, 2009)

Edens_heel said:


> Woot! Just got this in the mail from the Drawn and Quarterly offices in Montreal. I think it hits stores in April (and is going to be debuted in a big way at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival in May). Everyone should read this, and not just because I lived it for 6 months while proofing, helping construct the appendix, and doing all the lettering, but because it's amazing and epic.
> 
> And this is totally gloating, but this is the first time my name has appeared inside a book (in the special thanks section).
> 
> P.S. - Ignore the clown-nose pimple on the forehead.



I pre-ordered mine on amazon a while ago, cant wait!


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## kayrae (Mar 24, 2009)

I will not act like a complete tool, but um... you're cool.



Fish said:


> few


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## Jigen (Mar 26, 2009)

BTB said:


> Ah, we are talking Manga now, although I am more prone to western comics I enjoyed some Mangas too.
> Slam Dunk is fantastic ( I have read it completely already ),20th century boys was great and most important sometimes very surprising. Akira as well as Lone Wolf and Cub are still the standards for good storytelling.
> I enjoyed Ranma in the beginning very much but it was definitely too long.
> The feud between Manga and western comics readers seems to me to be more dire than the animosity between Marvel and DC readers. ( Remember Marvel won the Marvel versus Dc comic ).
> ...




I know that Kia Asamiya realized one X-Men story and "Return Of The Dark Knight" for DC comics. He is a trait d'union between western stories and eastern drawing.


----------



## disconnectedsmile (Apr 8, 2009)

hello, true believers! a question for you all.
the paperback of _Batman: Haunted Gotham_ hit shelves a couple weeks ago, and i'm not sure if i should get it.
i have _Batman: Vampire_, which collects the trilogy by the team of Doug Moench and Kelley Jones, who also did _Haunted Gotham_. now, i love _Vampire_ to pieces -- it's got everything i could ever want in a Batman story and more.
can i expect the same high quality comic writing in _Haunted Gotham_, or should i spend my money on something else?


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## marlowegarp (Apr 8, 2009)

I wish I could help. I also enjoyed Red Rain, but I never read any of the team's other stuff. At first I thought you meant Haunted Knight, which is AMAZING. That collects all three Loeb/Sale Halloween specials which are some of the best single Batman stories I can think of, especially Madness.


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## Edens_heel (Apr 8, 2009)

Anyone else going to TCAF in May? I'm making the trek to Toronto to meet Yoshihiro Tatsumi, to kind of come full circle with the _A Drifting Life_ project. It will be my first time at anything like this so not sure what to expect, but curious if any Dimmers are planning on attending.


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## marlowegarp (Apr 8, 2009)

I will not be going, but my friend Ted will be. Last year he gave a presentation of Evan Dorkin. Not sure what he is doing this year.


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## Edens_heel (Apr 8, 2009)

http://www.avclub.com/articles/march-26-2009,25752/

Boom goes the dynamite, baby! This is the first time I've been so involved in the making of a book, so I'm just devouring reviews like candy.

Love the finale: "_A Drifting Life_ is as involving and thorough as any prose memoir, while remaining as immediate and concise as the best comics. It is, honestly, one of the most significant works the medium has ever produced *A*"

Okay, I'll try to stop hijacking this thread for my giddy promotional means.

Also, I feel a huge urge to read _Watchmensch_. It just sounds too good.


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## disconnectedsmile (Jun 26, 2009)

okay, so...
Dick Grayson is Batman now. Tim Drake has gone crazy and is looking for Bruce Wayne. Batwoman is headline Detective Comics (and doing quite well at it, i must say). Harley and Ivy are trying to find their place with a brand new monthly.

and Blackest Night is coming...

thoughts?


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## marlowegarp (Jun 26, 2009)

So far, I have enjoyed Batman: Reborn, although I have only read three issues (Batman & Robin 1, 'Tec 854 and Batman 587). The new Batwoman has been really fun to see. It's rewarding when they wait and don't use characters until it makes sense to do so (which, in her case, it hasn't since 52). 587 was a little underwhelming, as I skipped Battle For the Cowl, but it was cool to see how Judd Winick would start it off. Morrison and Quitely are just gold. 

So, yes, we have seen this before in Prodigal, but this time there are better creators involved. It's actually that simple.


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## Fish (Jun 26, 2009)

marlowegarp said:


> So, yes, we have seen this before in Prodigal, but this time there are better creators involved. It's actually that simple.



The big difference between this and "Prodigal" was that in that story, Dick KNEW he was just keeping the cowl warm for Bruce. Now, he really believes it's for good.

I REALLY enjoyed "Batman and Robin #1" and am on the fence about "Red Robin". I don't think Tim's gone particularly nuts and it's not unreasonable in the DCU to expect someone to come back from the dead. (Ask Jason Todd) However, I was very underwhelmed by the art and don't know why they didn't just move Freddie Williams II from the old ROBIN title to this.


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## disconnectedsmile (Jun 29, 2009)

marlowegarp said:


> So far, I have enjoyed Batman: Reborn, although I have only read three issues (Batman & Robin 1, 'Tec 854 and Batman 587). The new Batwoman has been really fun to see. It's rewarding when they wait and don't use characters until it makes sense to do so (which, in her case, it hasn't since 52). 587 was a little underwhelming, as I skipped Battle For the Cowl, but it was cool to see how Judd Winick would start it off. Morrison and Quitely are just gold.


so far, Detective 854 has been the highlight of _Batman Reborn_ for me. i thought the first issue was paced very well and the scenes were just explosive. great, great stuff. i was also digging the _Question_ feature.

Batman & Robin #1... still not sure about that one. i didn't hate it, but it definitely made me anxious for more. but i guess that's one of the markings of a good comic.

Batman: Streets of Gotham #1 was pretty good, too. Dini was strong in this one. 
i was expecting more of this from Gotham City Sirens, but i'm still looking forward to the next issue.

marlowegarp, here's a brief rundown of Battle for the Cowl (in white): Black Mask blows up Arkham Asylum, makes attacks on The Penguin and Two-Face, and Jason Todd puts on a Batman suit and starts shooting everyone.


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## marlowegarp (Jun 29, 2009)

disconnectedsmile said:


> marlowegarp, here's a brief rundown of Battle for the Cowl (in white): Black Mask blows up Arkham Asylum, makes attacks on The Penguin and Two-Face, and Jason Todd puts on a Batman suit and starts shooting everyone.



Way back in the mid-90s, I read the clone saga in the Spider-Man books. In one issue, it was decided that Peter Parker would not be Spider-Man but rather Ben Reilly, his clone (who, at the time was supposed to ACTUALLY be Peter Parker, long story). Anyway, after that issue, instead of having the books proceed normally, they stopped all the Spider-Man books and for two issues they were all renamed Scarlet Spider. Those issues remain, to this day, some of the worst comic books I have ever read. They were worse than Sleepwalker, worse than Thunderstrike and worse than DC's Genesis mini. The point of all this is I now have a "filler sense" and let me tell you, Battle For The Cowl was making it tingle.


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## disconnectedsmile (Jun 29, 2009)

marlowegarp said:


> Way back in the mid-90s, I read the clone saga in the Spider-Man books. In one issue, it was decided that Peter Parker would not be Spider-Man but rather Ben Reilly, his clone (who, at the time was supposed to ACTUALLY be Peter Parker, long story). Anyway, after that issue, instead of having the books proceed normally, they stopped all the Spider-Man books and for two issues they were all renamed Scarlet Spider. Those issues remain, to this day, some of the worst comic books I have ever read. They were worse than Sleepwalker, worse than Thunderstrike and worse than DC's Genesis mini. The point of all this is I now have a "filler sense" and let me tell you, Battle For The Cowl was making it tingle.


Battle for the Cowl wasn't terrible. it was solid. not great, not terrible, not quite mediocre... just... solid. Battle for the Cowl 3 kinda felt a bit rushed, but the first two were entertaining. i don't regret buying them.
which is more than i can say for Kevin Smith's Batman...


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## disconnectedsmile (Jul 2, 2009)

disconnectedsmile said:


> Batman & Robin #1... still not sure about that one. i didn't hate it, but it definitely made me anxious for more. but i guess that's one of the markings of a good comic.


wow. Batman & Robin #2 was _amazing_. i think i can forgive Grant Morrisson for Final Crisis now.


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## marlowegarp (Jul 2, 2009)

I quite agree. And Frank Quitely is SUCH an FA.


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## debz-aka (Jul 2, 2009)

I love Frank Miller, Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman (love his prose)...classics! Great thread for me to learn what's new on comic scene.

What do you think about the movie Watchmen? Loved the guy who played Rorschach, I think he nailed that role; but I had some issues with the rest.


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## Maxx Awesome (Jul 3, 2009)

debz-aka said:


> What do you think about the movie Watchmen? Loved the guy who played Rorschach, I think he nailed that role; but I had some issues with the rest.


Alan Moore told me that the _Watchmen_ movie sucked!
His exact words.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Jul 5, 2009)

Really enjoying the ongoing Darkest Night saga for Green Lantern. I get the impression that Hal Jordan is again being set up for epic status. With the descent of the Guardian Scar into the Black Lantern group, it's becoming ever more mysterious how they're going to bring some closure to things. It's already making the Sinestro Corps War from 2007 look pale in comparison.

The Superman: New Krypton series is also shaping up as interesting; having 100,000 Kryptonians from Kandor now under a yellow sun, but still having a thing to learn from Superman is cool to follow (plus seeing all the shit Supergirl is having to go through with a US military eager to remove any Kryptonian influence from the planet), but it's obvious that his people still have a lot to learn about how things get done on Earth.

Joe Hill's Locke and Key is very well drawn but has a very good WTF feel to it.

Have Batman and Robin #1 in queue, hoping to read it tomorrow as soon as I finish the Battle of the Cowl series. Not a big Batman fan but am curious to see how they exit Bruce Wayne and usher in the heir apparent.


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## disconnectedsmile (Jul 15, 2009)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> Really enjoying the ongoing Darkest Night saga for Green Lantern. I get the impression that Hal Jordan is again being set up for epic status. With the descent of the Guardian Scar into the Black Lantern group, it's becoming ever more mysterious how they're going to bring some closure to things. It's already making the Sinestro Corps War from 2007 look pale in comparison.



see, i want to read this, and i want to enjoy it, but i've never read a GL book in my life. i don't think that Blackest Night is meant for newbies like me.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Jul 15, 2009)

disconnectedsmile said:


> see, i want to read this, and i want to enjoy it, but i've never read a GL book in my life. i don't think that Blackest Night is meant for newbies like me.


Well, for one thing as with the likes of Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, it all depends on when you pick it up. If you choose the reboot from the mid-90s (the Green Lantern: Rebirth saga), it is the best place to start for the modern incarnation of the Corps. I would also say going back to the Alan Moore comic (there's an Alan Moore DC Comics collection out on Amazon) and reading "In Blackest Night" sets the whole process up for this new saga gives a bit of backstory--and also supports the aspect of Moore as being ahead of his time. 

I would also recommend starting at last year's Sinestro Corps series (which I think are in trade PB now) since it began the lead-in for much of the modern status of things. Geoff Johns is my favorite writer in comics now next to Jeph Loeb, and he's winning me over with each issue whether it's GL or Superman some other series he is working with.

When I picked up the GL books 2 years ago I had the same odd thoughts. The costumes looked a tad hokey, not to mention the quickest way to disable a lantern is to cut their finger/hand off, but they work around it fairly well. Seeing an actual believable villain (Sinestro, a former GL himself who tired of the Guardians and their methodologies) as well as flawed main characters with gritty past histories grew on me. The cycle of corruption/redemption of the Jordan character has been the most interesting aspect, not to mention how one deals working for a group of omnipotent midgets who seem to keep changing the rules on their employees.


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## disconnectedsmile (Jul 15, 2009)

i'm tempted to get _GL: Secret Origin_, _GL: Rebirth_, and _The Sinestro Corps War Vol. 1 & 2_ and _Blackest Night #1_ in addition to my other weeklies, but i fear that may be too much to take in. also, i don't feel like draining my checking account in one fell swoop. i'll probably just wait for _Blackest Night_ to be released in hardcover.

in other news, really looking forward to _Wednesday Comics #2_. last week's was an absolute joy to read. did anyone else pick it up?


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Jul 17, 2009)

In regard to the latest three Green Lantern comics out, the one that introduces the Black Lanterns and a few other side stories, I have only one thing to say:

Pants, meet shit.

This is shaping up to be an amazingly cool saga. I hope they do it right and don't fuck it up with a Dean Koontz ending.


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## Still a Skye fan (Jul 17, 2009)

I've been on a western kick lately and just read a batch of JONAH HEX issues.

I like the original series from the 1970s better but this new series has decent, done in one issue stories. I just wish the book would have a steady artist is all.


Dennis


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## marlowegarp (Jul 17, 2009)

Still a Skye fan said:


> I just wish the book would have a steady artist is all.
> 
> 
> Dennis



If the artists are consistently as awesome as JH Williams and Darwyn Cooke, the lack of a regular artist doesn't bother me at all. Those two issues were amazing.


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## marlowegarp (Jul 17, 2009)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> In regard to the latest three Green Lantern comics out, the one that introduces the Black Lanterns and a few other side stories, I have only one thing to say:
> 
> Pants, meet shit.
> 
> This is shaping up to be an amazingly cool saga. I hope they do it right and don't fuck it up with a Dean Koontz ending.



I wait for almost no trades. Bomb Queen, The Damned, The Atheist and Green Lantern. Whenever I buy them, I always think 'why don't I get everything in trade?'. And then series like this come out and I $#@% remember.


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## Zoom (Jul 23, 2009)

Just finished reading the complete Animal Man and the complete Shade: The Changing Man (including the 1970s series and the unprinted issue #9).

I didn't like Animal Man, because I was surprised how preachy Grant Morrison was compared to his Doom Patrol work, and his successors were confusing everything hopelessly. Shade's daughter was quite interesting though in the things she would do and say...

Shade, on the other hand, was the most interesting thing I'd read in five years. (SPOLERS AHEAD, I recommend you download and read this first!) Death was no longer a constant, and it was nearly impossible to follow the strange interactions between the major characters. By the end, Rac Shade was a very unlikeable person, until suddenly he tried real hard to make everything right. Obviously the book suddenly developed the "We're about to be cancelled, so let's resolve as many of the plotlines as we possibly can" Syndrome. Apart from his deceased son inhabiting a girl's body and deciding to become a lesbian (or something like that), and the "Quick! Let's run a massive time travel retcon and get Shade back together with his alive-again girlfriend!" thing, it was all nice.

Now I have started Sgt. Fury, which astonished me as to how good it was. I was expecting something hackneyed and finished in a hurry, like most of the Silver Age Marvel works. Or worse, something like Blackhawks, where everyone is stereotyped very badly. So far, the only offensive stereotyping is the British guy who replaced the kid who died early on. If they wanted someone as rowdy as the Howlers were, they should have got a pubcrawler hooligan who enjoyed soccer-- maybe someone with a Northern accent. You'd think that Stan Lee or Jack Kirby, both WWII veterans, would have come across one... instead, we get a guy who says "Jolly good show!" and "Pip pip!" and sounds like a Boer War Colonel.

I downloaded the Nick Fury stuff for the Agent of SHIELD issues, specifically the Steranko material, but if it's better than the Sgt. Fury stuff I will be severely floored. Can't wait for that.

After that I have a ton of Thor to read, which I've been putting off a long time, maybe a year or so. In the interim I've read all the Flash comics (hated the Golden Age stuff, tolerated the Silver Age stuff, and liked the Wally West stuff once he really got going with longer storylines). Didn't read Impulse yet (Kid Flash from the future), and not sure if I want to bother.

Then I have to sort out the issues of the JLA (at least 15 GB and maybe 20), Judge Dredd work in 2000 AD (no idea), and the sum totality of all the Crises from the 1960s to the Final Crisis, which once sorted out is a megawork which I've been itching to read all of.

The final mess to sort out is a complete X-Men and related material, which is some 16 GB nearly impossible to get into chronological order. Got as far as the New Mutants issues with Karma possessed by Amahl Farouk (remember those awful attempts by Sienkiewicz and Leialoha at drawing her fat? At least Art Adams got it right) but someone put something in the wrong order and I've been stuck trying to remember how it's supposed to go.


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## Edens_heel (Jul 23, 2009)

Finally got around to marathoning all 13 TPBs of 100 Bullets. Very impressed with the entire run, and I love how the ending was not a "clean" wrap-up. With this and Y: The Last Man over with, I'm down to just Fables as my only closed-ended series left (at least, it will be closed at some point). 


Spoilers...


I was a little upset that Dizzy bought it at the end - or is about to by the time the final curtain falls - but for the same reasons that I'm still miffed about Agent 355's death near the end of Y: because that was one of the most interesting characters I've ever seen in a comic series.


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## marlowegarp (Jul 23, 2009)

Edens_heel said:


> Finally got around to marathoning all 13 TPBs of 100 Bullets. Very impressed with the entire run, and I love how the ending was not a "clean" wrap-up. With this and Y: The Last Man over with, I'm down to just Fables as my only closed-ended series left (at least, it will be closed at some point).
> 
> 
> Spoilers...
> ...



The only problem I had with 100 Bullets was how they explained the source of the untraceable guns. It was one guy with connections to three agencies. That doesn't account for just how "magic" the bullets are. It barely seemed to involve the Trust at all, (although that would have made sense and helped explain it a little) and yet they were aware of it and seemed to just tolerate it even though they are clearly at war with Graves almost from the beginning.  Plot details above... Aside from that and a vague desire to have the other members of the Trust fleshed out more, I had no complaints. Some of my favorite characters and some of my favorite writing ever. Also, Eduardo Risso draws some LOVELY (and a few monstrous) BBWs.


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## Edens_heel (Jul 23, 2009)

marlowegarp said:


> The only problem I had with 100 Bullets was how they explained the source of the untraceable guns. It was one guy with connections to three agencies. That doesn't account for just how "magic" the bullets are. It barely seemed to involve the Trust at all, (although that would have made sense and helped explain it a little) and yet they were aware of it and seemed to just tolerate it even though they are clearly at war with Graves almost from the beginning.  Plot details above... Aside from that and a vague desire to have the other members of the Trust fleshed out more, I had no complaints. Some of my favorite characters and some of my favorite writing ever. Also, Eduardo Risso draws some LOVELY (and a few monstrous) BBWs.




I'm not sure how I feel about that to be honest. It was actually something I wanted explained, but I wanted it to be far more epic and sinister. It almost had to be considering what they had built it all up to - the mythic level of intelligence that Graves seemed to have about such personal things. How much of that was maybe inferred by him (like the girl who had run away from home only to die living on the streets at 16 because her father had abused her)? Did he take basic info and extrapolate to his needs the most likely scenario? Or did the intelligence really go just that deep?

I felt very much the same about Atlantic City and the Crime of the Century. I didn't feel as if I needed my hand held in terms of explanation, but I expected more of an impact from those elements. 

Then again, the story was really more an excuse to tell the tales of these characters, much more so than the details of the conspiracy. I remember also feeling a little let down by the "reveal" to the gendercide in Y, but that didn't matter compared to the amazing character arcs.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Jul 23, 2009)

Still awaiting the new GL books but I am out of town this week and won't get to the comic store until next Wed. or so. Waiting sucks. I've read reviews far and wide and it seems to be an almost 50/50 split down the middle. It's either going to be Geoff Johns' _magnum opus_ or it will divide everything into a Before/After G.J. period where he totally jumped the shark and everything written to page was lower than hammered dog shit.

Deadpool remains a steady favorite, even with the WTF ending of issue #12 when post-battle with Bullseye; seems our Dark Hawkeye has a bit of a phobia: He doesn't want to die and apparently finds himself facing exactly that but offers our Merc with a Mouth a sweet deal. The issue ends with this moment where you're thinking, "ok, where does it go from here?". 

Not sure what they're trying to do with Marvel Zombies series 4, but whatever they are doing it's not the series I grew to love, even with my anti-walking dead (not the series which kicks ass, but the overall theme) take on comics. Just stop already and let a good series end gracefully.

Caught up on the latest Amazing Spider-Man, the newest of which is pretty good considering the earlier issues since "Brand New Day" suffered so bad from what I called the "Smallville Meteor Freak of the Week" syndrome. Adding more of Norman Osborne and the Dark Avengers is a breath of fresh air to Marvel, very much like the post-Roddenberry DS9 was refreshingly _real_, where in a utopian future we still had secret agencies, dark alliances and shady, unethical behavior not befitting Starfleet Officers. Osborne makes you believe that this is what would happen if a younger, more publicly savvy Dick Cheney was running the country.

For shits and giggles I re-read The Other and Spidey Civil War sagas from the JMK days (pre-reboot of the character) and dammit if that wasn't some good stuff. To this day I reel as to why Marvel decided to take Parker back to basics, and I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, Dallas style. Peter wakes up next to MJ, older, wiser, ready to face the world as an adult rather than as the same dorky kid from yesteryear.


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## disconnectedsmile (Jul 23, 2009)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> Still awaiting the new GL books but I am out of town this week and won't get to the comic store until next Wed. or so. Waiting sucks. I've read reviews far and wide and it seems to be an almost 50/50 split down the middle. It's either going to be Geoff Johns' _magnum opus_ or it will divide everything into a Before/After G.J. period where he totally jumped the shark and everything written to page was lower than hammered dog shit.


i gotta say, Blackest Night #1 was a jaw dropper and i was very impressed with GL #43 and #44.
i'm just now getting inot G.J.'s Green Lantern stuff because of Blackest Night. maybe you're reading different stories than i have, but i think G.J. is a great writer.
i've read "Rebirth" and "Sinestro Corps, Vol.1" and i'm in the process of "Sinestro Corps, Vol.2" and all of these books have delivered everything i look for in a superhero comic.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Jul 23, 2009)

disconnectedsmile said:


> i'm just now getting inot G.J.'s Green Lantern stuff because of Blackest Night. maybe you're reading different stories than i have, but i think G.J. is a great writer.


I'm not saying Johns is a bad writer, quite the opposite. I'm just saying that he's juggling a lot of prime characters with a huge amount of recent treatment given the recent Sinestro Corps/Final Crisis sagas. Taking the death of two of the DC Universe's biggest heroes (Batman and Martian Manhunter) and zombifying them is a very delicate task. Do it right with the detail and focus of the Sinestro series and it will be the penultimate feather in his cap. Do it wrong and you're going to piss off a lot of people in the process. I think the "death" of Bruce Wayne was the comic equivalent of Han Solo shooting first--no one really wants to accept it either as canonical or as a permanent fixture of the character's history.

On a completely unrelated note, I found out that the first 6 issues of Superman/Batman, "Public Enemies" are being made into an animated film with the original character voice actors from the two Superman and Batman animated series. AE is happy; it's hard for me to imagine an animated Lex Luthor without Clancy Brown's voice coming out of his mouth no matter how close Kevin Michael Richardson can match it.

Superman/Batman, FYI happens to be the series that got me into comics in the early 2000s, cementing Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuiness as two of my favorites in the medium. While the series is sort of in limbo now after Final Crisis, it had some of the coolest stories around (it also had one of the early previews of the Final Crisis arc with a Mr. Mxyzptlk/Darkseid discussion about the Fourth World)


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## disconnectedsmile (Jul 24, 2009)

so, is anyone familiar with Marvelman/Miracleman? seems the twitter is celebrating the fact that Marvel Comics picked up the franchise.
the news was announced at Comic-Con.


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## Fish (Jul 24, 2009)

I'll believe it when I see a book published with the character. TOO many people have their hands in that pot for me to believe it's ALL settled.


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## Fish (Jul 25, 2009)

Here's a great article going into details of the legal nonsense surrounding "Marvel/Miracleman"


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## marlowegarp (Jul 27, 2009)

In a perfect world, they will publish it in an accessible form, and leave it alone. I really don't want to see Marvelman fighting the Hulk.


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## Tragdor (Jul 28, 2009)

After Blue Beetle was recently canceled I really lost my drive to continue with comics. Even titles I loved a year ago, like Runaways, are marred in unoriginal plot lines that make me forget what happened from one issue to the next. Also I feel 

I might still get some graphic novels of some things that look cool but I have no patience to get in monthly format such as Agents of Atlas. But I am done with most comics now.


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## Fish (Jul 28, 2009)

Tragdor said:


> After Blue Beetle was recently canceled I really lost my drive to continue with comics. Even titles I loved a year ago, like Runaways, are marred in unoriginal plot lines that make me forget what happened from one issue to the next. Also I feel
> 
> I might still get some graphic novels of some things that look cool but I have no patience to get in monthly format such as Agents of Atlas. But I am done with most comics now.




That's a big problem for me regarding most all of the corporate owned comic properties. They're not interested in telling great stories near as much as they are in maintaining their branded trademarks. 

As such, I find more enjoyment in indie titles like 'The Mice Templar", "Invincible", "Echo" or "RASL". Books controled by their creators where anything can and often does happen.


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## Tragdor (Jul 28, 2009)

Fish said:


> That's a big problem for me regarding most all of the corporate owned comic properties. They're not interested in telling great stories near as much as they are in maintaining their branded trademarks.
> 
> As such, I find more enjoyment in indie titles like 'The Mice Templar", "Invincible", "Echo" or "RASL". Books controled by their creators where anything can and often does happen.



Agreed. The constant event schedule of the corporate comics really makes story telling impossible. Its all about sales. Its annoying that trades for indie comics are hard to come by in big box book stores while the same store will have 8 copies of "Countdown to Final Infinite Dark Civil War"


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Sep 23, 2009)

God DAMN Blackest Night is shaping up into an excellent saga. I don't recall ever being this anticipatory about a book series. I'm short on funds this week until Friday so I ran to the comic store yesterday and asked just for the GL books for this week. Excellent issue (Blackest Night #3) which really goes to expose a lot of what has to happen in order to defeat the Black Lanterns (an idea which goes back to the entire basis for all the corps, which (highlight to see spoilers) forces you to think of the visible spectrum of color and someone serving as the prism). I will say the new GL books don't fail to deliver the gross out, and while the Sinestro Corps war was invariably much bloodier (you had so many dismembered bodies floating in space), this one is just gruesome, like an old EC comic that just drives home the horror with dark humor.

The new GL series is going along with a promo featuring various breakouts into other titles (Titans, JLA, etc.) and each week they will feature a different colored ring 'prop' to customers who collect all the relevant issues. Kinda dorky but the boys like playing with them.

And, to surprise even me, Amazing Spider-Man is really getting GOOD. They brought back the old enemy Chameleon and took it out a whole new door with a short doppelganger saga that concludes next week. I am happy now that they seem to be getting out of the villain of the book storyline and that Peter is becoming less the dorky dude he was at the beginning of "Brand New Day" and back to his old self.

Going to be dumping the Superman/Supergirl books. New Krypton saga is rather meh, and I'm not getting near the enjoyment out of the series as I did with the Superman books 20 issues ago. Still trying to divest myself of the Hulk/Hercules books but dammit, they have two lame issues and then two AWESOME ones and I find myself reconsidering. Damn you, Jeph Loeb.


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## marlowegarp (Sep 23, 2009)

Blackest Night sounds great. I've been reading GL in the trades, and I can't wait until DC stops putting every goddamn book in hardcover for a year first. 

I completely agree about Spidey. I've enjoyed everything about BND except Peter so far. Making him unmarried doesn't mean making him 17 again. The recent Chameleon arc was perfect. I've been reading Spidey for 17 years, and this issue nailed both the tone of the book and most of the lingering questions longtime fans have about the characters (IE why doesn't Peter just say this to character A or why can't MJ just do this other thing).

I haven't liked Jeph Loeb at all since Hush, but Incredible Hercules has been terrific. The concept of a goofy, likable super-hero who endlessly thinks with his dick just never gets old. 

Really miss Captain Britain and now Agents of Atlas is stopping regular production. Lame! Let's see: Dark Avengers, Red Mass For Mars, Invincible Iron Man and Cap (although Reborn is less a clever homage than a bad rip-off) are my main picks right now. I was enjoying Batman before it became Saw Comics featuring Torture-Porn Batman. I don't know what the hell Grant Morrison is doing but I hope he moves on soon.


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## disconnectedsmile (Sep 23, 2009)

marlowegarp said:


> Blackest Night sounds great. I've been reading GL in the trades, and I can't wait until DC stops putting every goddamn book in hardcover for a year first.


hear hear. i really wanna read "Rage of the Red Lanterns" but $25 for hardcover is a little steep. but Green Lantern fan that i am, i'll probably get it anyway.
and dude, Blackest Night is truly worthy of the hype. it's damn near perfect. the plot, the pacing, the characterization... everything it does well, it does really damn well.



marlowegarp said:


> I was enjoying Batman before it became Saw Comics featuring Torture-Porn Batman. I don't know what the hell Grant Morrison is doing but I hope he moves on soon.


you aren't liking Batman & Robin? it's my favorite monthly right now. each issue flows so brilliantly. so much so that each issues seems too short -- each issue is filled to the brim with damn good fun.
i do miss Quietly, though. Tan is good, but not nearly as good.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Sep 23, 2009)

marlowegarp said:


> I haven't liked Jeph Loeb at all since Hush, but Incredible Hercules has been terrific. The concept of a goofy, likable super-hero who endlessly thinks with his dick just never gets old.


Jeph got me back into comics (Along with Ed McGuiness' artwork) with the launch of Superman/Batman. The first "Worlds Finest" collection hooked me. I like his sense of humor and his pacing. His work on She-Hulk was excellent, albeit disjointed with all the Secret Invasion stuff going on, but I find him to be one of my favorite writers. I like the concept of Amadeus Cho a bit more in the Herc series, namely because he is such an excellent foil to Herc and is interesting enough by himself. The scenes in the Skrull saga when Cho is being seduced by this Gorgonesque amazon warrior was priceless.



disconnectedsmile said:


> hear hear. i really wanna read "Rage of the Red Lanterns" but $25 for hardcover is a little steep. but Green Lantern fan that i am, i'll probably get it anyway.
> and dude, Blackest Night is truly worthy of the hype. it's damn near perfect. the plot, the pacing, the characterization... everything it does well, it does really damn well.


I was terribly disappointed how little the Red Lanterns had for center stage; I remember reading in Wizard how badass they were going to be, heads a flyin' everywhere and then bleh, Blue + Green cancels Red.



> you aren't liking Batman & Robin? it's my favorite monthly right now. each issue flows so brilliantly. so much so that each issues seems too short -- each issue is filled to the brim with damn good fun.
> i do miss Quietly, though. Tan is good, but not nearly as good.


The new Batman and Robin is decent, very dark and Saw-esque as marlowe said, but I was never really that huge of a Batman fan to begin with. They are definitely taking it down a horror street with the new title, so I hope that works for them. I read the first 3 issues (Mainly to find out about the pig guy murders) but not sure how long I will stick with it.


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## marlowegarp (Sep 23, 2009)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> Jeph got me back into comics (Along with Ed McGuiness' artwork) with the launch of Superman/Batman. The first "Worlds Finest" collection hooked me. I like his sense of humor and his pacing. His work on She-Hulk was excellent, albeit disjointed with all the Secret Invasion stuff going on, but I find him to be one of my favorite writers. I like the concept of Amadeus Cho a bit more in the Herc series, namely because he is such an excellent foil to Herc and is interesting enough by himself. The scenes in the Skrull saga when Cho is being seduced by this Gorgonesque amazon warrior was priceless.
> 
> 
> The new Batman and Robin is decent, very dark and Saw-esque as marlowe said, but I was never really that huge of a Batman fan to begin with. They are definitely taking it down a horror street with the new title, so I hope that works for them. I read the first 3 issues (Mainly to find out about the pig guy murders) but not sure how long I will stick with it.



The whole Sacred Invasion story was perfect. The thing that made DC's Invasion story of the late 80's so cool was how there were all these different aliens and writers who participated could really tell any story they wanted. As a whole, Secret Invasion didn't work, but the idea of a strike force of gods is too cool.

As Grant Morrison goes along, it's like he's regressing, becoming more and more fixated on telling stories about beautiful people (from his POV anyway) doing superhuman things. Maybe it's a mid-life crisis move, the Scottish genius equivalent of buying a Corvette. As he is Grant Morrison, the idea that he's just not on the same dimensional wavelength would not surprise me either. What a charmer in person! He still is a great storyteller, but the "beautiful people" motif is so strong now I feel like I'm watching Batman Forever. Everything is so glitzy and cruel and, as a result, kind of unpleasant. If I'm going to be looking at some yawning atrocity, I like the earthier nature of say, Mike Mignola or Guy Davis. Also, Frank Quitely takes FOREVER to do shit, which is fine if the book is AS Superman, perhaps the best thing to come out since the new millennium. Issue two and especially issue three seemed rushed, however.


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## Clonenumber47 (Sep 24, 2009)

I have been reading "The Punisher : Max Content" series on TPB.

I must say I am quite thrilled with the story line and the complete graphic nature of this story line.

I have also been reading The Punisher : Dark Reign" on TPB (runoff of Punisher War Journal) as well

I like the story arch, but I hate how the animators keep switching.


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## marlowegarp (Sep 24, 2009)

Some of those are great. The "Mother Russia" story was my favorite.


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## James (Oct 15, 2009)

I recently watched the firefly series for the first time... watched Serenity... and then checked out the comics. In some ways I wish I hadn't because its such a great premise and such great science fiction that its deeply saddening to realize that it was all left hanging and there's (probably) not going to be any more. 

The comics are pretty good for fans of the series. You need to have watched firefly and serenity to get whats going on though... one would be totally lost if you came at these cold...


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## marlowegarp (Oct 15, 2009)

I quite agree. Everything else Whedon is really hit or miss for me, IE some great Buffy, some SHHHIIIIIITTTT, hated Dr. Horrible. Firefly totally fired on all cylinders for me, although I am in the minority that prefers the story to end with the comics, excluding the movie. I just thought "Objects In Space" was a much better ending for the show, if a shoehorned one was necessary.


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## Rojodi (Oct 15, 2009)

This is what I'm reading 

View attachment Avengers.jpg


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## sweet&fat (Oct 18, 2009)

marlowegarp said:


> I quite agree. Everything else Whedon is really hit or miss for me, IE some great Buffy, some SHHHIIIIIITTTT, hated Dr. Horrible. Firefly totally fired on all cylinders for me, although I am in the minority that prefers the story to end with the comics, excluding the movie. I just thought "Objects In Space" was a much better ending for the show, if a shoehorned one was necessary.



I second that- I HATED the movie. It was a superficial attempt at gratification that wound up being both boring and unsatisfying. Haven't read the comics though- good to know that it lives on in some form. But I love Dr. Horrible!


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## marlowegarp (Oct 18, 2009)

Rojodi said:


> This is what I'm reading



How is Defenders War? I like Englehart but is the artist Sal or John Buscema?


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## DreamyInToronto (Oct 19, 2009)

I am currently reading the Scott Pilgrim graphic novel series and I love it. I am also about to start Bone after that. I also have on order the Sandman Series form Neil Gaiman and in bed at night I read TransMetropolitan.

Can anyone recommend any comics/manga or graphic novels that feature BBWs or BHMs as the main characters? 

I am new to the comic book scene and I love it. Would love to read about characters that are BBW/BHM.


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## Edens_heel (Oct 19, 2009)

sweet&fat said:


> I second that- I HATED the movie. It was a superficial attempt at gratification that wound up being both boring and unsatisfying. Haven't read the comics though- good to know that it lives on in some form. But I love Dr. Horrible!



Wow - I LOVED Serenity. I mean, it was definitely a sadly truncated ending to a brilliant series, but the only thing I didn't like about it was that we lost two great characters. I think killing them was right, I just liked them so much I didn't want them to die. Certainly never found it boring.

I've been a long-time Whedon fan, and for the most part I find I can sometimes go back to Angel, Firefly, Serenity, and Dr. Horrible, but Buffy has totally worn out it's welcome for me. I can watch individual eps, but marathoning the series like I used to is long since over with me. And Dollhouse doesn't at all feel like it's going anywhere. 

I don't know, maybe I've lost a bit of Whedon love after experiencing Lost, The Wire, and Battlestar Galactica... they might have raised the bar a little too high for me, heh.


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## marlowegarp (Oct 19, 2009)

That really nails it. I think a lot of the fun of Buffy for me was that it realized ideas that had previously only been done in comics. Lost, however, has since done that a lot better. Lost really is a lot like a comic and having characters like Hurley emerge at the same time as writers like Bendis are doing more cinematic comics just muddies the waters further. The only exception I can think of was Season 7 of Buffy, episode 1 where the big Ancient Evil dude morphs into all the series' previous "Big Bads", going from Warren all the way back to the First from Season 1. That brief scene may be the best example of TV nailing a comic book's style. All it was missing was the characters' names appearing in their own font like a mid-90's X-Men comic.


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## disconnectedsmile (Dec 9, 2009)

*Green Lantern fans*:
who's still loving Blackest Night? did anyone check out BN#5? my head is still spinning about the final twist at the end of that issue.
also, anyone have any thoughts about the shocking conclusion to GLC#42?

*
Batman fans*:
hear the news about the Return of Bruce Wayne? http://bit.ly/4UDSNz personally, i'm excited as a Bat-fan, but i think it's a bit too soon. i was just now getting used to Dick as Batman, and was of the belief that he'd be under the cape and cowl for at least a year.


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## marlowegarp (Dec 9, 2009)

disconnectedsmile said:


> *Green Lantern fans*:
> who's still loving Blackest Night? did anyone check out BN#5? my head is still spinning about the final twist at the end of that issue.
> also, anyone have any thoughts about the shocking conclusion to GLC#42?
> 
> ...



I am really looking forward to the return. It seems soon, but Dick just doesn't work as Batman for me. The whole "Saw" feel of B & R right now is just not my cup of tea and I'm a little mystified at why Tony Daniels is still allowed near Batman. Tec, on the other hand is great. I would like it if when Bruce finally takes the book back from Kate it is a smooth transition, maybe even having them share it for a while.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Dec 10, 2009)

disconnectedsmile said:


> *Green Lantern fans*:
> who's still loving Blackest Night? did anyone check out BN#5? my head is still spinning about the final twist at the end of that issue.
> also, anyone have any thoughts about the shocking conclusion to GLC#42?


I have to say I loved and hated it. In one way, it elevated the suspense, and made perfect sense in many ways (I won't go into spoilers, but the whole thing about superheroes coming back to life...let's just say payback is a bitch).

The twist ending? Felt too Superfriends-y, in terms of (highlight to read) episodes like the one where they were all turned into hobbits or ghosts, or even the old Starro series where they were taken over by facehugging starfish, and you just KNOW they're going to recover. I mean, so far they only way to "cure" a Black Lantern is to discorporate it, which would suck in this instance.

I am liking Larfleeze (the Orange Lantern) a lot. He's a good bit of comic relief in an otherwise very morbid storyline. I would also say to thems who hate spoilers, stay away from DC Comics' website, they have some covers for upcoming issues that give a bit of things away.


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## disconnectedsmile (Dec 10, 2009)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> The twist ending? Felt too Superfriends-y, in terms of [SPOILERS EDITED] . I mean, so far they only way to "cure" a Black Lantern is to discorporate it, which would suck in this instance.
> 
> I am liking Larfleeze (the Orange Lantern) a lot. He's a good bit of comic relief in an otherwise very morbid storyline.



i was actually talking about the ending to last month's issue of Green Lantern _Corps_. there's a bit of a shocker at the end. i don't wanna say anything for those who want to avoid spoilers.
i'll just say it was very unexpected, and a little heart-wrenching.

and yes, Larfleeze is quickly becoming one of my favorite characters in the current GL mythos.
i think he should get his own one-shot at some point.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Dec 11, 2009)

disconnectedsmile said:


> i was actually talking about the ending to last month's issue of Green Lantern _Corps_. there's a bit of a shocker at the end. i don't wanna say anything for those who want to avoid spoilers.
> i'll just say it was very unexpected, and a little heart-wrenching.
> 
> and yes, Larfleeze is quickly becoming one of my favorite characters in the current GL mythos.
> i think he should get his own one-shot at some point.



Aah, my mistake. I will say that during these big sagas, at least one beloved character (or several if you count The Ultimates story) is going to die, hopefully heroically. With the Black Lantern saga, the sucky part is if they don't watch out, the heroic dead will become Black Lanterns and undo all the good, so who knows?

Trying not to predict too much...the main BL comic still has three issues to go. Where it goes from there is anyone's guess.


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## disconnectedsmile (Dec 11, 2009)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> Aah, my mistake. I will say that during these big sagas, at least one beloved character (or several if you count The Ultimates story) is going to die, hopefully heroically.


the only thing i take issue with, is that Geoff Johns said that on his watch, certain characters would not die during Blackest Night.
so this either means:
a) Geoff was throwing a curveball to his fans
b) resurrection always sells comics


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## Preston (Dec 11, 2009)

There is no way that character is staying dead. It's entirely likely he'll be back in his former guise considering what other character just died to kick off Blackest Night. Highlight ahead for spoilers: With Sodam Yat, the former Ion dying, I gotta believe Kyle is going back to Ion, which could probably bring him back.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Dec 12, 2009)

disconnectedsmile said:


> the only thing i take issue with, is that Geoff Johns said that on his watch, certain characters would not die during Blackest Night.
> so this either means:
> a) Geoff was throwing a curveball to his fans
> b) resurrection always sells comics



No one ever really dies in comic books. They've tried to kill Superboy Prime about 16 times and he just keeps coming back!

I wouldn't shed a tear over G'Nort, though. What a thoroughly useless character - the Jar-Jar Binks of comic books. It was so nice that they made him with the voice of a _nebbish_ Jew in Batman - Brave and the Bold. I think the guy who thought that up was the same dolt who thought the Neimoidians in Star Wars should sound like ruthless Japanese businessmen.


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## freakyfred (Dec 13, 2009)

Hahaha....comic book death.


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## Weirdo890 (Dec 14, 2009)

One of my favorite comic book series is the classic _Howard The Duck_ series by Steve Gerber and Gene Colan. It combines humor, action, satire, and existentialism all into a glorious package that was beautifully illustrated. I consider one of the greatest comic book series of all time.


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## disconnectedsmile (Dec 17, 2009)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> Aah, my mistake. I will say that during these big sagas, at least one beloved character (or several if you count The Ultimates story) is going to die, hopefully heroically. With the Black Lantern saga, the sucky part is if they don't watch out, the heroic dead will become Black Lanterns and undo all the good, so who knows?
> 
> Trying not to predict too much...the main BL comic still has three issues to go. Where it goes from there is anyone's guess.


**POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD**

i understand that no one stays dead in comics.
but when someone dies in one issue, only to come back in THE VERY NEXT ISSUE, that's pretty ridiculous story telling.
what emotional impact does a death have if it's undone as quickly as it happened?


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Dec 28, 2009)

A brief geek interlude:

So I'm reading through some of the recent GL comics (waiting to get Blackest Night #6 on the 30th), and was thinking of the Power Rings. More often than not, the ring chooses the wielder, and it's not a random thing. There also has to be a certain mindset to whomever does wield them, since just because someone is a smarmy git (like Green Arrow) doesn't mean he has the willpower to wield a ring.

In an Elseworlds comic, Batman was offered the green ring instead of Hal Jordan and became Earth's Green Lantern. It was a silly story to be sure, but it still spoke a lot to potential.

In another comic series (whose title I can't recall, might be Countdown: Arena), Batman was offered the green ring again and became the GL of Earth and was very good at it. In yet another he was offered the yellow ring due to his ability to inspire great fear.

Now we can say that Bruce Wayne has both an indomitable will, as well as the ability to strike fear into the hearts of bad guys. As a Sinestro Corpsman he'd be unstoppable, but what about aliens? Would Batman have the same effect on some of the aliens in the GL universe, especially ones who may not have the human atavistic fear of bats?

For that reason alone I think he'd do better as a Green Lantern, since his will is what sets him apart from the powered heroes in the comics.

I also think Batman would kick Sinestro's ass after two days of being in the Sinestro Corps. There's only room for one cocky sonofabitch when Bats is in the room and seeing Bruce take orders from Sinestro just wouldn't cut it.


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## disconnectedsmile (Dec 28, 2009)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> A brief geek interlude:
> 
> So I'm reading through some of the recent GL comics (waiting to get Blackest Night #6 on the 30th)...


i got BN#6 this past Wednesday.
I'll refrain from spoilers, but i would like to say that the *ahem* "colorful" plot twist at the end was a bit disappointing...
but I'm still very much intrigued as to where the story will go from here.

I'd like to know your thoughts once you get it.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Dec 29, 2009)

disconnectedsmile said:


> i got BN#6 this past Wednesday.
> I'll refrain from spoilers, but i would like to say that the *ahem* "colorful" plot twist at the end was a bit disappointing...
> but I'm still very much intrigued as to where the story will go from here.
> 
> I'd like to know your thoughts once you get it.



I Just read Adventure Comics #5 today which is a Blackest Night tie-in. Basically Superboy Prime was banished to Earth Prime (OUR Earth where superheroes only exist in comics) and some Black Lanterns followed him there. There's a denouement that was I think rather enlightening as to what Geoff Johns has planned for the closure of the series.

And yes Rainbow Brite was involved to a degree. Discuss 

I will let you know my thoughts when I get BN6.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Jan 1, 2010)

So I'm reading Blackest Night #6, wondering the whole time who slipped me the WTFitol tablet, and it suddenly hits me: This would fit really well into a Warner Bros. cartoon.

Marvin of Mars. Someone just stole your Illudium Pu-36 Explosive Space Modulator. This makes you very angry. Welcome to the Red Lantern Corps.

Wile E. Coyote of Earth. Meep, Meep! Welcome to the Orange Lantern Corps.

Pepe Le Pew. You ARE the Casbah. Welcome to the Star Sapphires.

Elmer J. Fudd of Earth. It's hunting season. Wewcome to da Sinestwow Cowps.

Tweety Bird of Earth. You still wuvs dat puddy-tat. Welcome to the Indigo Tribe.

Bugs Bunny of Earth. You only think you're a stinkah, doc. Welcome to the Blue Lantern Corps.

Daffy Duck of Earth. You have the ability to resist great fear, plus you were already in a really cool Duck Dodgers episode with the same theme, so welcome to the Green Lantern Corps.

Now I just need someone to draw it up and Noel Blanc to do the voicework. Anyone know someone at DC?

Oh, and happy new year to everyone


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Jan 3, 2010)

OK this post is full of spoilers about pretty much the entire Spider-Man comic saga from late 1990 to present, so you've been warned.

Some of you have been following Spider-Man for maybe 20-30 years. I only rediscovered him in the early 2000s, with the saga begun by J. Michael Straczynski (JMS) of Babylon 5 fame. Granted we all KNOW the origin of the character, and I picked up enough of the original Stan Lee run, the Todd McFarlane years with Venom and Carnage and so forth to carry it forward. The entire premise, if you're a non-geek is rather silly. Even scientifically, it made little sense (but then what about comic book science does). For one, very few species of spider actually "sling" webs, and none of them do it from the ends of their legs. One is the Bolas spider, which swings sticky blobs of webbing to capture moths, the second is a family of stick spiders that string a webbing net between their legs and snag prey walking beneath them. 

Since the premise of a teenager who shoots wads of white, sticky material from his nether regions drew up too many nightmares of horrified parents realizing the truth of what really goes on behind closed doors, Stan Lee rightly opted for the superhero to develop webshooter gadgets affixed to his arms, thereby enabling him to command the entire skyline of New York City. If I were a supervillain, the easiest way to disable our hero would be to teleport him to the fucking Sahara Desert. I don't even have to be a being of sentient sand to do it, either. The spider-sense thing I can get, because we know scientifically that most insect nervous systems operate many times faster than humans, so superhuman reflexes I can buy. The sticking to walls thing also didn't make much sense, but once we determined the structure of a spider foot via electron microscopy, it made a helluva lot of sense. I always was amazed that the Sam Raimi movie actually got that power somewhat right, what with several hundred little 'hooks' increasing the surface area and nuclear adhesion forces. Overall you have to give a bit of dramatic license to how many comic heroes are born, and as Stan Lee himself said, giving a kid a bite from a "radioactive spider," made sense at that time. Again, the movie got it somewhat more accurate in that it was actually a retroviral transfer of sorts that gave Parker his powers, although we don't know of any spiders that can transmit viruses (or active DNA plasmids) through their venom.

When JMS came on board, 9/11 had just occurred. We had a moving tribute of the event by the Spidey comic, and the creation of a new path for the hero...the aspect of a totemic being that gives certain people special powers. In this case, Spidey comes across a character named Ezekiel, a business mogul who gained spider powers as a young man in the jungles of South America after undergoing a blood ritual to gain spider abilities. Naturally even though the ritual is an element, the spider totem "chooses" a new host, in this case a teenager bit by a radioactive spider. They carried this storyline through several issues, ultimately culminating in a showdown between the totemic evil wanting the power for it's own hunger, and Peter Parker finally accepting this "Other" aspect to his abilities that he never believed before. Peter dies in a climactic battle, but is resurrected after a 'molting', gaining even more abilities, stingers that spring from his wrists, and much faster reflexes. By this time he's become an Avenger, moved Mary Jane and Aunt May into the Stark Building and everything seems groovy.

Civil War comes along and now you have the ultimate "oh shit" moment: Parker, in a move of solidarity, reveals his secret identity to the world, something the character spent some 40 years of comic history trying to prevent. Kingpin puts out a hit on Parker, it hits Aunt May instead, and Parker goes above the law hunting down the killer and trying to save Aunt May's life, all the while blaming Tony Stark for everything. This is where the story, in my opinion, could have gone on for years. There was a poignant moment in one issue where Doc Ock confronts Spidey, furious and incredulous that all his genius, his well-laid plans had been undone by a kid. JJJ files a lawsuit at one point for fraud. Generally I could see this working well for the comics, and I truly enjoyed the 3 series they had at Marvel trying to sort out all this business over what Parker is going ot have to do.

Then the powers that be dump JMS and decide to go back to their roots: Peter and Mary Jane, in an absolutely unbelievable move, make a literal deal with the devil; they give up their love, their marriage, the past 10 years of comic history, and in return Aunt May is saved. This resets the entire Spider-Man universe. He's a 20something punk again, still out of money, still scraping by to get cash for web fluid, meanwhile Mary Jane is an ex-girlfriend and Peter is being confronted by every whackadoo bad guy they decide to resurrect or create out of shit air. But hey, Aunt May is still alive, so that's just fine. Somewhere I think we needed to sit Peter down and explain the story of Oedipus to him and have him understand that sometimes the unhealthy love and fixation you have for your parental figure just needs to be let go.

They do this revised approach for a while, trying to please the kids who don't like married superheroes, the newcomers who maybe didn't like the totemic storyline or the extra-powered Spidey. As a reader, it didn't make much sense to me, and a lot of the love I had for the earlier writing and art just got blindsided by trying to rehash the same crap we dealt with for 30 years. Only recently have they worked in a love triangle for Peter (MJ apparently still wants him), Aunt May gets married to JJJ's dad (who promptly end scene by dropping off the page to go traveling the world) and now they reintroduce some classic Spidey villains in another attempt to resurrect the Sinister Six approach in "The Gauntlet." As someone who has read comics (and granted, not too far outside the Marvel/DC group), I thought superheroes had to evolve, moving forward not back, realizing that old canards and tired stories or villains aren't always a good thing.

I'm sure there's an aspect to this that I as someone who doesn't work in a comic book industry can't understand. Lord knows with the clone saga and all the other bullshit reboots and side stories that happened (not mentioning the Ultimate Spider-Man series, which I'm told is the best one out there now), there's a lot about the character we'd like to forget. I personally would like to forget Spider Man III and all the asshattery that whats-his-face brought to Eddie Brock's Venom. It just bugs me that as I review my comic book budget for 2010, that I'm not willing to wait for the light at the end of the tunnel and want to dump Amazing Spider-Man or pretty much any Spider-Man property out there. I've held out for this long and just when I see an issue that may give me hope, I have another four that aren't even good enough to line a birdcage with.


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## marlowegarp (Jan 3, 2010)

Hey, no one ever said being a Spidey fan would be easy. I have been reading Spidey since 1992, so 18 years and wow I'm old. The frustrating thing about this for me is that when they did Brand New Day, they were actually onto something. It's not what they went with, but it is something. He does work better single. There were great stories during the marriage but fundamentally, the marriage existed because Stan Lee (who, I'll grant did CO-CREATE THE CHARACTER) married Peter and MJ in the newspaper strip. For the character who they were writing in 1987 or '88 it didn't make sense. 

One of the most galling things for longtime readers is when the current writers have a character make a decision that, in the past, usually in a famous story, the character decided against for a solid reason. For example in the late 100s (issues I mean) Peter proposed to MJ and she said no. It was a good issue and it made sense. In Spidey Annual 3 (from 1960-something) the Avengers wanted Spidey to join so they had him try to capture the Hulk. He decided against it on principle and realized that he shouldn't be an Avenger. Roger Stern had a similar take on it: he's not a team player. 

This isn't to say people can't change their minds but one of the big draws of reading a Universe like Marvel is the "saga aspect", the idea that every piece, while sometimes good on its own is all building to an epic tale greater than the sum of its parts. Characters can die and be reborn, they can change their costumes or keep them the same but one thing they should always be doing, even in some small way, is evolving. That is what makes the "continuity" that so many people fetishize, even if it's something so minute as the Vulture fixing his electromagnetic harness in Spidey #7 so that Spider-Man's inverter won't counteract it anymore, as it did in Spidey #2. Tony Stark is a recovering alcoholic, Wolverine learns about his past, Aunt May is no longer mortally afraid of Spider-Man. It is a soap opera but I love it. Things change. Things happen.

When Spider-Man decides to join the Avengers despite 40 years of being against it, it is hard to see that as a valid move and easy to see it that Brian Bendis wanted to write the Justice League but with Marvel characters. So when writers endeavor to fix things that don't work about characters, like the marriage or explaining why nobody ever really dies like the writers of Hercules recently did, or when Dwayne McDuffie explained that Reed Richards was pro-registration during Civil War because he'd worked it out on paper not because of him having a beatnik uncle and was afraid of bucking the country's political trends, I tend to favor it. The marriage should have ended. It could've ended several ways. In the late 90's they actually killed off MJ (in an issue my letter got printed it and I was so happy) before bringing her back for JMS' run. They could've gotten a divorce. But instead of either option, both of which are actually sensible, they had him go on a badly-drawn quest throughout the Marvel Universe where it was explained that neither science or sorcery could save Aunt May's life and that only a demon (who Marvel has gone to ridiculous lengths to insist is NOT the Devil) could do it (even though if demons don't operate via magic I don't know how they work).

This is so frustrating because there are ways to fix mistakes without ceasing to tell a story. Grant Morrison did it in Animal Man and Alan Moore did it in Swamp Thing. Unfortunately JMS, while talented, is neither of these writers. So here we are, a year into Brand New Day and some good stories have actually come out of it. There are moments of an unmarried Peter Parker that have been worth reading, however to get to this point has forced readers to sit through some really painful stuff. I think one thrice-a-month title really is ideal, but I also agree with Snackbar that the story of the world knowing Spider-Man's identity had a lot of miles left on it and that this is one of the worst ways to segue. I won't be dropping it, but some of the issues (#611, notably, which was apparently both scripted and drawn by a spastic, rabid five year-old comes to mind) make me hurt a bit. I love Spider-Man. Throughout most of my life, if there was one character in real life or fiction I both identified with and considered a role model, it would be him. The Death of Jean DeWolff, Kraven's Last Hunt, Hobgoblin, the first Sinister Six story, the Black Cat saga, and in fact, Fred Van Lente's recent Chameleon story are some of my favorite comics. The road to this point has been treacherous at times and when they try to bring it all back home and explain what really was going on with One More Day, there will be a gigantic pothole, but I'm still reading.


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## steve-aka (Jan 6, 2010)

marlowegarp said:


> Hey, no one ever said being a Spidey fan would be easy. I have been reading Spidey since 1992, so 18 years and wow I'm *old*.



*OLD!!!?* 

Dude, if yer old then I've been dead for several decades!

Oh, uh, is this here thread about comic books?

Hmm...

Fantagraphics Rules!


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## BoomSnap (Jan 6, 2010)

I'm digging "Kick-Ass" right now but it takes so long Miller and Romita to get their shit together and put out an issue. The movie BASED on the series will be out before we have the final 5 issues. Oh well, at least it's nothing like the delay hell that "Ultimate Hulk vs. Wolverine" was.


----------



## BTB (Jan 10, 2010)

BoomSnap said:


> I'm digging "Kick-Ass" right now but it takes so long Miller and Romita to get their shit together and put out an issue. The movie BASED on the series will be out before we have the final 5 issues. Oh well, at least it's nothing like the delay hell that "Ultimate Hulk vs. Wolverine" was.



Please, talking delay I just finished Beanworld ( great comic ) and waited more than a decade for it to end. And everytime I enter my comic-shop these days I first check the Marvel catalogue just barely holding a glimmer of hope that they will release Miracleman after acquiring the rights.
And this is another one of those tests of endurance and patience.
Or do you remember how long it took Marvel to release the last issue of the Danny Ketch Ghost Rider story.
And Battlechasers, I haven`t stop believing. 


.


----------



## Weirdo890 (Jan 12, 2010)

I think a great comic book series are the classic EC Comics from the 50s. Has anybody here read those? One of my favorites were the classic _Mad_ comics by Harvey Kurtzman. Still funny to this day.


----------



## Preston (Jan 12, 2010)

So the follow up to Blackest Night is going to be called "Brightest Day."

Shocker, I know.


----------



## Admiral_Snackbar (Jan 12, 2010)

Preston said:


> So the follow up to Blackest Night is going to be called "Brightest Day."
> 
> Shocker, I know.



Oh for fuck's sake, NO!  :doh:


----------



## BTB (Jan 13, 2010)

Weirdo890 said:


> I think a great comic book series are the classic EC Comics from the 50s. Has anybody here read those? One of my favorites were the classic _Mad_ comics by Harvey Kurtzman. Still funny to this day.



I was amazed after buying the first Mad TP.
Its just perfect in composition and very funny and (nearly) timeless to read.
I hope for Tps 3 & 4 to be printed in my lifetime and am eagerly awaiting Kurtzmans Trump from Dark Horse im mid 2010.


----------



## disconnectedsmile (Jan 13, 2010)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> Oh for fuck's sake, NO!  :doh:



26 issue, bi-weekly series.
think of Brightest Day as this year's 52.


----------



## marlowegarp (Jan 13, 2010)

Weirdo890 said:


> I think a great comic book series are the classic EC Comics from the 50s. Has anybody here read those? One of my favorites were the classic _Mad_ comics by Harvey Kurtzman. Still funny to this day.



Personally, I like the short-lived Piracy series EC did. Only 7 issues, but great, unsettling art.


----------



## Weirdo890 (Jan 13, 2010)

marlowegarp said:


> Personally, I like the short-lived Piracy series EC did. Only 7 issues, but great, unsettling art.



I've never actually read those, but I have heard they're great. I'll try to check them out.


----------



## Admiral_Snackbar (Apr 1, 2010)

My summary of the conclusion to Green Lantern's Blackest Night:

It's like getting the most incredible blowjob of your life from a gorgeous lady, feeling your life flash before your eyes; you blow your wad, one so prodigious and volcanic it makes Peter North jealous, and then as you lay basking in the afterglow, you feel her rigid member next to you and she goes, "ok, now you suck ME off."

I've re-read it twice and am still sort of reeling from it. It's too hopey-changey. It brought the worst parts of Final Crisis out and said HA HAA, APRIL FOOL'S! It had wayy too much Sinestro, again. Geoff, we've had TWO FUCKING SAGAS with this dude, can we just move the purple poofter along and find someone new worthy of nemesis status?

I was happy to see them shift from the original approach of "MUST HARVEST HEARTS" to a more psychological attack, and seeing the final battle with The Black Lantern was impressive. Again, lots of good stuff, but I just had too many points where I could have inserted a Hello Kitty Pink Lantern in there and it would have been totally cool and completely unexpected.

Plus we see one total badass enemy come back in a way that opens the door for some interesting future stories.

Either way, I still say read it, because the denouement is still light years ahead of the absolute diarrheal abortion that was Final Crisis.


----------



## disconnectedsmile (Apr 2, 2010)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> Either way, I still say read it, because the denouement is still light years ahead of the absolute diarrheal abortion that was Final Crisis.


anything's better than that.
personally, i was thrilled with Blackest Night #8. there were more than a few gasp-inducing moments for me.
including the... *SPOILERS IN WHITE* white rings and the white lantern corps. not to mention Barry's reaction to not seeing Ralph and Sue come back - that made me genuinely sad. AND WTF DEADMAN IS ALIVEMAN NOW

all in all, i thought it was a great conclusion to the series... and it left me hungry for Brightest Day!


----------



## disconnectedsmile (Apr 20, 2010)

so who read Brightest Day #0?


----------



## Admiral_Snackbar (Apr 20, 2010)

disconnectedsmile said:


> so who read Brightest Day #0?



It was so-so. Apparently what I am gathering is that those who came back at the end of Blackest Night have a new purpose, new issues to cope with, and Deadman has to deal with the fact he's alive again and is apparently the primary white lantern. Another visit by our mauve marauder at the end, which of course says nothing specific.

I am still interested if for no other reason than it's one of the better books out there right now. The Sword wraps up this month with what I fear is an anti-climactic ending, Deadpool is still going strong. Not interested in much of anything else anymore. Comics are too pricey and nothing is really piquing my interest.


----------



## disconnectedsmile (Apr 21, 2010)

comics are indeed expensive.
i often find myself wishing major publishers would revert to newsprint, and hopefully lower the prices.
but if they reverted to newsprint, i suspect the prices would lower that much, if at all.


----------



## marlowegarp (Apr 21, 2010)

Scalped is currently my big "gotta have it" comic and that, oddly enough uses some kinda different paper. I always read it last as it's usually a downer, though.

The only DC I'm reading now is Batman and Robin and I'll be officially switching to trades starting with The Return of Bruce Wayne.


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## disconnectedsmile (May 6, 2010)

okay, so who's read Brightest Day #1?


----------



## Admiral_Snackbar (May 9, 2010)

disconnectedsmile said:


> okay, so who's read Brightest Day #1?



I've read it and so far, I am disappoint. Aside from perhaps Martian Manhunter, I don't see any of the new 'team' to be that interesting. Maybe I'm just picky about my DC favorites, but I don't really care how they are putting more focus back on Aquaman when I always saw him as a marginal character.

It's building slowly as the Blackest Night saga did, and the issue had the requisite amount of crossover teasers (Green Arrow, Flash, Birds of Prey, etc.) to indicate it will cover enough different books to turn a profit.

It remains to be seen how things will progress. I for one am looking forward to more exploration of the Red and Orange lanterns, since I read a teaser that indicated Lex Luthor will have more involvement since after having a taste of the power as an Orange Lantern, he wants that power back.


----------



## Edens_heel (May 13, 2010)

Recently finished Daniel Clowe's new book, Wilson - fantastic, start to finish.

Other than that, I'm feeling the need to get into a new close-ended series. I've loved both Y: The Last Man and 100 Bullets. Can anyone recommend something similar? Keep in mind, I'm really not a fan of never-ending series - I want a conclusion to what I dive into.


----------



## marlowegarp (May 13, 2010)

Scalped is a good one. It is at 35 or so now and is expected to go to about 70. Transmetropolitan and Ex Machina are good ones too if you like Y.


----------



## Preston (May 14, 2010)

So they killed off the new Atom, Ryan Choi. Some people are really pissed. I couldn't care less.


----------



## Weirdo890 (May 14, 2010)

I haven't been reading any current comic books. There's always so much continuity built in that it's hard to know where to start.

Anyway, I have been collecting hardbacks of classic comic strips and such. Today, I bought volume one of Al Capp's _Li'l Abner_ and I hope to enjoy it very much. Yesterday, I bought volume one of Enrique Sánchez Abulí and Jordi Bernet's series _Torpedo_. I hope to enjoy that as well. 

The book I am really looking forward to is _The Complete Milt Gross Comic Books and Life Story_. I love his funny drawing style and his zany sense of humor. What can I say, I love classic comics.


----------



## Edens_heel (May 16, 2010)

marlowegarp said:


> Scalped is a good one. It is at 35 or so now and is expected to go to about 70. Transmetropolitan and Ex Machina are good ones too if you like Y.



Many thanks - I've also been hearing (mostly) good things about Planetary, now that it's finally been finished. Definitely need to pick up some new books...


----------



## marlowegarp (May 16, 2010)

That's right! I forgot Planetary finished. It took a ridiculous amount of time, but I heard it was worth it.


----------



## disconnectedsmile (Jun 23, 2010)

i don't like Superman. i find him to be a very flat, undynamic character.
it's hard for me to be interested in the exploits of an unbeatable hero.

and yet, after reading a couple interviews with JMS, i am really intrigued by his upcoming run on the main _Superman_ series.
JMS Takes SUPERMAN On a Walk Across America in "GROUNDED"

anyone else have any thoughts on the man of steel's new adventures?


----------



## Admiral_Snackbar (Jun 23, 2010)

disconnectedsmile said:


> i don't like Superman. i find him to be a very flat, undynamic character.
> it's hard for me to be interested in the exploits of an unbeatable hero.
> 
> and yet, after reading a couple interviews with JMS, i am really intrigued by his upcoming run on the main _Superman_ series.
> ...



Didn't we already do this in Smallville with the Red/Blue blur? A grounded Superman is mainly a boring Superman. Yawn.


----------



## disconnectedsmile (Jun 30, 2010)

NO.


----------



## NYCGabriel (Jun 30, 2010)

disconnectedsmile said:


> NO.



ugh.. where's the bullet belt?


----------



## disconnectedsmile (Feb 17, 2011)

oh Marvel, will you ever learn?



> The bold statement was made at the recent ComicsPro retailer summit in Texas. David Gabriel, Senior Vice President of Sales at Marvel said, As a result of the Fantastic Four sales and media coverage, Marvel is going to kill a main character every quarter. He then made sure to say, This is not a joke.



Marvel Killing Characters For Money? (via Newsarama.com)


----------



## marlowegarp (Feb 18, 2011)

disconnectedsmile said:


> oh Marvel, will you ever learn?
> 
> 
> 
> Marvel Killing Characters For Money? (via Newsarama.com)



Of course this came from some stupid suit with no decorum.


----------



## disconnectedsmile (Feb 22, 2011)

may Dwayne McDuffie rest in peace.
Milestone Creator Dwayne McDuffie has Died. (via CBR)


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## marlowegarp (Feb 22, 2011)

Hmm. I'm gonna guess something unnatural here. Guy was fine last week.


----------



## hrd (Mar 13, 2011)

_absolute sandman_ vol 5 goes on sale this november - and i guess i know what i'm getting myself for christmas =)


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## tonynyc (Mar 13, 2011)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> Didn't we already do this in Smallville with the Red/Blue blur? A grounded Superman is mainly a boring Superman. Yawn.



Will it be a yawner...perhaps the writers can come up with a winning formula or miss the mark... Superman often comes across as a Big Blue Boy Scout 

As for various film versions of Superman  it depends what you were exposed to.

The George Reeves version originally aired in 1952 on TV (shown in reruns as late as 2004). The 1st season was played with no nonsense and many of the villains on that show often appeared as gangsters in B-Rated movies and or other crime tv shows.

This is a condensed version of the Superman TV show  one thing to note is that in the flight sequence they used wires 

Can't go back to this interpetation either.. been there done that 


Adventures of Superman- The Mind Machine  George Reeves - 1952 

And on the subject of goldern age heros...

Batman has done well - as long as you don't bring in any sidekicks...

Captain America is another matter...These days one will wonder whats in that magic elixir  it certainly isnt Wheaties 

Marvel Cartoons Origin of Capt. America (1960s)

*A*lso...I recently saw this DVD which goes into the History of DC comics  this is the trailer below

Secret Origins- History of DC Comics


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## tonynyc (Mar 13, 2011)

disconnectedsmile said:


> may Dwayne McDuffie rest in peace.
> Milestone Creator Dwayne McDuffie has Died. (via CBR)



Very sad ... the documentary that I mentioned in my previous post also discusses the history of Milestone


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## disconnectedsmile (Mar 18, 2011)

*DC WHY*





First photo of Adrianne Palicki as Wonder Woman


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Mar 18, 2011)

disconnectedsmile said:


> *DC WHY*
> 
> First photo of Adrianne Palicki as Wonder Woman



Red boots you fuckin' TV fucks! RED BOOTS!

It's just not gonna work. It's going to make Power Rangers look like an ILM production. You need someone who is exotic, otherworldly, Helen-of-Troy mythical in beauty. This is a beach blonde who dyed her hair black and bought a cosplay outfit off eBay. 

For a while I thought Morena Baccarin from Firefly and V would be a shoo-in for the part, simply because she had the looks and toughness to pull it off. 

Can we just put it to bed and agree that TV Wonder Woman lived and died with Lynda Carter? Pretty please?


----------



## tonynyc (Mar 18, 2011)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> Red boots you fuckin' TV fucks! RED BOOTS!
> 
> It's just not gonna work. It's going to make Power Rangers look like an ILM production. You need someone who is exotic, otherworldly, Helen-of-Troy mythical in beauty. This is a beach blonde who dyed her hair black and bought a cosplay outfit off eBay.
> 
> ...



Yep... Lynda Carter pretty much owned the role... can't see anyone else doing it now


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## disconnectedsmile (Mar 18, 2011)

tonynyc said:


> Yep... Lynda Carter pretty much owned the role... can't see anyone else doing it now



i'm also not sold on the characterization of Wonder Woman *at all*.

_ * Identifies with ET the Extra Terrestrial when his movie comes on TV.
* Really loves planes. Like really.
* Pines for Steve like Carrie for Big.
* Wants to belong and be “among” people, not just “with” them.
* Sings along to the radio in multiple scenes &#8211; but nothing with a hairbrush in front of the mirror just yet.
* Doesn’t like being “marketed, commercialized, merchandised”, though she is &#8211; there’s a joke about Wonder Woman tie-in dolls having their costumes redesigned that seems to reference the recent makeover for the comics.
* When she’s Diana Prince she’s a mousey Miley Stewart, when she’s Diana Themiscyra she’s the Hanna Montana of businesswomen, and when she’s Wonder Woman she’s Wonder Woman &#8211; which is precisely twice in the whole episode.
* Is a capitalist.
* Puts on her PJs for an ice-cream filled sleepover with best friend Myndi._

(SOURCE: Wonder Woman TV Pilot Script Dissected via bleedingcool.com)

sounds like Ariel from The Little Mermaid to me.


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## disconnectedsmile (Jun 1, 2011)

Action Comics Vol 2., #1 anyone?
DC Comics ready for a risky yet relevant publishing change - via USA Today


----------



## Admiral_Snackbar (Jun 2, 2011)

disconnectedsmile said:


> Action Comics Vol 2., #1 anyone?
> DC Comics ready for a risky yet relevant publishing change - via USA Today



Because yet another reboot is going to so help their bottom line. :doh:


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## Rojodi (Jun 2, 2011)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> Because yet another reboot is going to so help their bottom line. :doh:



If this reboot is successful, will it cause Marvel to follow? I hope so, maybe then we'd get a graphic novel of the 1973 series, "Avengers vs Defenders." God, I had the entire series, bought is as each comic came out, read them again and again. Saved them until I was 18, when my mother's bf sold them, along with the rest of my collection, to pay for his drug and alcohol addictions.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Jun 2, 2011)

Rojodi said:


> If this reboot is successful, will it cause Marvel to follow? I hope so, maybe then we'd get a graphic novel of the 1973 series, "Avengers vs Defenders." God, I had the entire series, bought is as each comic came out, read them again and again. Saved them until I was 18, when my mother's bf sold them, along with the rest of my collection, to pay for his drug and alcohol addictions.



I think they should have one epic finale, The Punisher and Batman vs. DC and Marvel Universe. Frank and Bruce take out every single stinking one of them, then fight to mutual destruction. And you wouldn't have some stupid Superboy Prime thing going on, because Bats would have taken him out ahead of time with a laser pointer and a jar of lemon zest (don't ask me how, he's the goddamn Batman, not me).


----------



## bobbleheaddoll (Jun 2, 2011)

see...and i thought dims was a safe place to get away from comics...lol. i am married to a comics collector (and former dealer), self publisher and overall comics junkie. he is mainly into legion of superheroes...but has cases upon cases of comics. yes, they are all lovingly bagged and boarded...lol. they have their own special comic boxes and everything...fun..except when we have to move them to get to stuff...

right now he is powering up for heroescon...held right here in beautiful Charlotte, NC. It is the largest comic convention in NC. I am pretty sure outside of dragoncon..it is the biggest in the southeast. He is so psyched!

the good part is he is very easy to shop for...although the silver/golden age stuff can be crazy pricey...he gets comics for most major holidays.

at least he gave up collecting those little statues...

much love to all the comic geeks!


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## disconnectedsmile (Jun 2, 2011)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> I think they should have one epic finale, The Punisher and Batman vs. DC and Marvel Universe. Frank and Bruce take out every single stinking one of them, then fight to mutual destruction. And you wouldn't have some stupid Superboy Prime thing going on, because Bats would have taken him out ahead of time with a laser pointer and a jar of lemon zest (don't ask me how, he's the goddamn Batman, not me).


the only flaw in this idea is that it doesn't actually exist


----------



## Admiral_Snackbar (Jun 2, 2011)

disconnectedsmile said:


> the only flaw in this idea is that it doesn't actually exist



It's real to me, dammit!


----------



## HeavyDuty24 (Jun 4, 2011)

my 2005 edition of the She-Hulk comic came in the mail yesterday,so good! :happy:


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## disconnectedsmile (Jun 6, 2011)

so...
Barbara Gordon won't be Oracle anymore come September. 
Babs will once again be "leaping, fighting, and swinging over Gotham" as Batgirl.





Gail Simone on Barbara Gordons return to Batgirl

I... BUT... WHY... WHAT


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## marlowegarp (Jun 12, 2011)

Rojodi said:


> If this reboot is successful, will it cause Marvel to follow? I hope so, maybe then we'd get a graphic novel of the 1973 series, "Avengers vs Defenders." God, I had the entire series, bought is as each comic came out, read them again and again. Saved them until I was 18, when my mother's bf sold them, along with the rest of my collection, to pay for his drug and alcohol addictions.



Actually, Avengers Vs. Defenders has been collected.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0785127593/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20


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## tonynyc (Jun 13, 2011)

bobbleheaddoll said:


> see...and i thought dims was a safe place to get away from comics...lol. i am married to a comics collector (and former dealer), self publisher and overall comics junkie. he is mainly into legion of superheroes...but has cases upon cases of comics. yes, they are all lovingly bagged and boarded...lol. they have their own special comic boxes and everything...fun..except when we have to move them to get to stuff...
> 
> right now he is powering up for heroescon...held right here in beautiful Charlotte, NC. It is the largest comic convention in NC. I am pretty sure outside of dragoncon..it is the biggest in the southeast. He is so psyched!
> 
> ...



*B*obblehead: which celebrities plan to appear at the Comic Convention- 
and your Hubby being a comic collector and fan of the Legion of SuperHeroes probably enjoyed reading Action Comic #267...
You can only go for the Silver Age stuff these days- though some of the later Brinze Age issues are worth getting-but, it all depends on the Comic and story line... 







Imagine owning the comic that started the Silver Age (Showcase # 4 - 1956) starring the Flash. This sold for $179,250.00









Recent Bid for Showcase #4


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## rickydaniels (Jun 16, 2011)

Hey folks, Im really glad I found this thread. I LOVE comics! Really stoked to join you here!


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## rickydaniels (Jun 16, 2011)

I agree RED BOOTS! and SHORTY SHORTS!!! Lynda Carter could kick her ass!



disconnectedsmile said:


> *DC WHY*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## rickydaniels (Jun 16, 2011)

I really LOVED this one. It's a french comic called Skydoll. Marvel released a translated one for the states. The art in this one is AMAZING!!! A really cool and unique style. Not you typical super hero style of art. It's more like a a 2D cartoon. http://marvel.com/comic_books/issue/31291/sky_doll_space_ship_2010_1

Another is "The Goon" by Eric Powell pretty awesome! http://www.thegoon.com/index.php

and the last a comic one called Maintenance on Oni Press- http://www.onipress.com/title/maintenance-v1-it-s-a-dirty-job
Really awesome art. Very cartoony, but really great!


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## rickydaniels (Jun 16, 2011)

I read Watchmen back in Jr. High- A LONG TIME AGO! and it was one of the most unique comics that I had ever read still to this day. I recently re-read it before the movie came out. It was still as cool as remembered it! It's definitley in my top ten along with Frank Millers-Dark Knight 



Maxx Awesome said:


> READ! _WATCHMEN_! NOW! It is quite possibly the best thing ever written (take that _Hamlet_!). Honestly, the movie will not nearly do it justice. Not saying it will suck, but it can't possibly compare to what was originally written/drawn. _Watchmen_ is the type of book that really lends itself to multiple readings. My own paperback copy is nearly falling apart because of how often I've read it & I'm _still_ discovering new things in it, lol!
> 
> And if you enjoy _Watchmen_ I would also recommend Frank Miller's _The Dark Knight Returns_ (but steer clear of _The Dark Knight Strikes Again_), Mark Gruenwald's _Squadron Supreme_ (& it's modern counterpart), Miller's run on _Daredevil_ is also excellent (I highly recommend the _Born Again_ storyline, in particular).
> 
> I pick up nearly everything _Daredevil_ related. For some reason he's the only hero I can stand these days. Bendis' run on DD was great, certainly better than his _New Avengers_ stuff, IMO. In writing that, Bendis made me hate Spider-Man. I know he's supposed to be a guy that quips alot to throw villains off-guard & all that, but in this he was just SOOOOO annoying I often felt like tearing up the damn books!


----------



## disconnectedsmile (Jun 16, 2011)

rickydaniels said:


> I agree RED BOOTS! and SHORTY SHORTS!!! Lynda Carter could kick her ass!



i hate when people think that Lynda Carter was the best Wonder Woman. she just happens to be the ONLY Wonder Woman. (Adrianne Palicki doesn't count, since the NBC pilot wasn't green-lit.)
that's like saying Seth Rogen is the best Green Hornet.


----------



## disconnectedsmile (Jun 16, 2011)

tonynyc said:


> Imagine owning the comic that started the Silver Age (Showcase # 4 - 1956) starring the Flash. This sold for $179,250.00
> 
> Recent Bid for Showcase #4


where'd i put my damn winning lottery ticket


----------



## rickydaniels (Jun 16, 2011)

I agree I was just being funny


disconnectedsmile said:


> i hate when people think that Lynda Carter was the best Wonder Woman. she just happens to be the ONLY Wonder Woman. (Adrianne Palicki doesn't count, since the NBC pilot wasn't green-lit.)
> that's like saying Seth Rogen is the best Green Hornet.


----------



## rickydaniels (Jun 16, 2011)

Has anyone seen it yet? I really liked it, but dont know a whole lot about that side of the X-Men. It was directed by Matthew Vaughn who did Kick-Ass; which I loved. I'd like to hear your thoughts. Also, I recently saw Thor and surprisingly found it really good.


----------



## disconnectedsmile (Jun 16, 2011)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> Because yet another reboot is going to so help their bottom line. :doh:



(sorry for the late reply on this)
i think it's going to be an effective plan, but likely only for the short-term.
after letting the reboot idea sink in for a while, i think it's not the worst idea ever. it's just a questionably executed one.

speaking from a purely sales stance, i really suspect those that are saying "never again will i buy DC comics!" aren't currently buying too many (if any) DC comics anyway. 
i think the majority (not all) DC fans are going to at least give a few titles in the reboot a fair chance. 
and refreshing the company line to #1 is going to attract new readers, whether we want to admit it or not. how many times have you heard someone ask "i want to start reading ____, but i don't know where to start?" well, wouldn't September be the perfect time? i, personally, know at least 3 people who are gonna start reading a few titles come September. and that's 3 new opportunities for DC to hook new readers. and with digital distribution, it'll be even easier to get new readers hooked.
(print readers shouldn't worry about this much - those who want print comics will continue to buy them.)

will all the new readers stick around? probably not. a lot of them will probably pick up 2-3 issues of 2-3 different comics. but a few of them will probably start getting into a few more than the initial 2-3 they started with. 

whether this reboot business is truly a good idea or truly a bad idea remains to be seen, but you gotta admit, it's a ballsy move that has gotten people talking and set a spark in the industry.
that's gotta count for something.

(side note: WHAT THE HELL DID THEY DO TO HARLEY QUINN THOUGH MY GOD)


----------



## Mack27 (Jun 16, 2011)

rickydaniels said:


> Has anyone seen it yet? I really liked it, but dont know a whole lot about that side of the X-Men. It was directed by Matthew Vaughn who did Kick-Ass; which I loved. I'd like to hear your thoughts. Also, I recently saw Thor and surprisingly found it really good.



It was pretty good. I enjoyed first class. As far as reboots go I recall back in the 80's Mark Gruenwald saying that "Marvel doesn't do reboots, we get it right the first time." Of course it makes one wince at the later retcons like "One more day." I had to laugh at the attempted John Byrne Hulk retcon. Rick Jones made fun of it over in "Captain Marvel." It was so laughable that everyone ignored it and Marvel just retconned that retcon away.


----------



## rickydaniels (Jun 20, 2011)

Anyone catch that last night? Despite the aweful commercial breaks every 10 minutes, it was pretty good. I was kind of hoping for a little more though. It drops you right into the middle of this universe. We (the audience) still have no idea why these aliens have attacked earth. The effects were decent for television and so far I like most of the actors. This first episode kept my interest and I plan on watching the next one in hopes that it will get more exciting. All I know is that I'm sick for cool tv shows that like Heroes and Lost that start out great and go nowhere. What did you guys think?


----------



## marlowegarp (Jun 20, 2011)

Mack27 said:


> It was pretty good. I enjoyed first class. As far as reboots go I recall back in the 80's Mark Gruenwald saying that "Marvel doesn't do reboots, we get it right the first time." Of course it makes one wince at the later retcons like "One more day." I had to laugh at the attempted John Byrne Hulk retcon. Rick Jones made fun of it over in "Captain Marvel." It was so laughable that everyone ignored it and Marvel just retconned that retcon away.



Most of John Byrne's retcons have fortunately been retconned away. Spider-Man: Chapter One was so bad I actually set fire to the book and threw it into a barrel. I remember when he retconned away a scene between Arcade and Dr. Doom by having Doom turn out to be a doombot, reasoning that Doom would simply never brook insolence. Ouch.


----------



## None (Jun 20, 2011)

http://collider.com/christina-hendricks-wonder-woman-nicolas-winding-refn/97525/

I'm just going to set this down here for a moment.


----------



## rickydaniels (Jun 20, 2011)

None said:


> http://collider.com/christina-hendricks-wonder-woman-nicolas-winding-refn/97525/
> 
> I'm just going to set this down here for a moment.



WOW. Glad the WW series never got green lit. Looked terrible. Probably would've had follow the new Knight Rider/ Bionic Woman line up. So a Logan's Run Reboot? hmmm Do we really need to re-live our childhood favorites? Didn't they learn from Clash of the Titans? What's next? Forbidden Planet Re-Boot? Ain't cool news was discussing a possible Time Bandits Re-Boot. There really is no need is there? Let's get creative again! Let's come up with new characters and ideas! Enough said. There's my rant of the day.


----------



## Admiral_Snackbar (Jun 21, 2011)

None said:


> http://collider.com/christina-hendricks-wonder-woman-nicolas-winding-refn/97525/
> 
> I'm just going to set this down here for a moment.



[George Takei] Oh my [/George Takei]


----------



## russianrobot (Jun 21, 2011)

Anyone reading the FEAR ITSELF event right now?

DC's Flashpoint: Deadman and the Flying Grayson's is really stellar (issue 1 at least (out of 3)


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## rickydaniels (Jul 18, 2011)

I'm curious, would anyone from this crowd read a bbw erotic comic? I draw BBW's as a hobby and lately I've been thinking of doing a BBW comic. Does this sound like something this crowd would like to see?


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## Rojodi (Jul 18, 2011)

rickydaniels said:


> I'm curious, would anyone from this crowd read a bbw erotic comic? I draw BBW's as a hobby and lately I've been thinking of doing a BBW comic. Does this sound like something this crowd would like to see?



We are the crowd that would love to see them. Have you ever thought of writing/pencilling a BBW-centric graphic novel? From my buddies in a literary/book club and those at the Barnes and Noble we sometimes meet, graphic novels are selling like chicken nuggets at a preschool party!


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## disconnectedsmile (Jul 18, 2011)

Rojodi said:


> We are the crowd that would love to see them. Have you ever thought of writing/pencilling a BBW-centric graphic novel? From my buddies in a literary/book club and those at the Barnes and Noble we sometimes meet, graphic novels are selling like chicken nuggets at a preschool party!



BOO BIG CHAIN STORES.
i support my local comic shop, thank you very much.
it's not like local stores are hard to find.


----------



## Rojodi (Jul 18, 2011)

disconnectedsmile said:


> BOO BIG CHAIN STORES.
> i support my local comic shop, thank you very much.
> it's not like local stores are hard to find.



We're talking the BIG graphic novel, OVER 50 pages in length, like "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen", "Fables", and the like. The independent stores in my area do NOT sell them: They believe they're not what their clientel would want.


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## Jess87 (Jul 18, 2011)

russianrobot said:


> Anyone reading the FEAR ITSELF event right now?



I've just started. I've only gotten to a couple of the tie-ins. I have a soft spot for Namor, so I started there. I appreciate Cullen Bunn trying to do something different with the character, but I prefer my Namor arrogant. It was alright overall, but I wasn't crazy about how Namor was handled. Deadpool's was about what one would expect. It would have been awesome if they handled it differently. Deadpool is totally perfect for the premise of this event, but it looks like they'll just keep him as comic relief. Not to say I don't love him breaking the fourth wall and I always appreciate a little humor, but the jokes were just whatever.

That come off way more negative than I intended. I'm looking forward to reading more of both, they might get better. For the main focus I'm pretty excited. I loved Matt Fraction's The Five Fists of Science and am interested to see what he does.


----------



## disconnectedsmile (Jul 18, 2011)

Rojodi said:


> We're talking the BIG graphic novel, OVER 50 pages in length, like "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen", "Fables", and the like. The independent stores in my area do NOT sell them: They believe they're not what their clientel would want.



you can always order it.


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## Rojodi (Jul 18, 2011)

disconnectedsmile said:


> you can always order it.



I read them at B&N or purchase them there..and in two instances, received them for free at the store. 

I'm old enough to remember when comic book stores were large, sold comics, but also pulp fiction novels and candy. And the owners/workers wouldn't mind if you read some comics, as long as you were either a regular customer or had books in your hand for purchase.


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## Noir (Jul 18, 2011)

Two co workers and myself go to out local comic store every two weeks and pick up our subscriprions. At the moment I am following Marvel's fear itself and I have been a long time spider man fan.


----------



## disconnectedsmile (Jul 18, 2011)

Rojodi said:


> I'm old enough to remember when comic book stores were large, sold comics, but also pulp fiction novels and candy. And the owners/workers wouldn't mind if you read some comics, as long as you were either a regular customer or had books in your hand for purchase.



sounds like my local shop now


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## rickydaniels (Jul 18, 2011)

To answer the question; Yes I have thought of doing a graphic novel, but that is ALOT of work. I know doing a comic especially a BBW related comic would be a "passion piece" and done more for the love of the art and not the money. I hate to say it but most bbw art is only marketable towards this type of scene. I don't think I can include Fine Art on that list. Right now I'm testing the waters by selling prints of my bbw art on cafepress. To be honest, it's not selling very well even after many FA's and fellow fans of mine have requested for me to sell prints. I think starting small would be ideal, and see how it goes from there. I'd love to hear more of what you all think. The links to my bbw art blog and my online shop are on my signature. Please feel free to check them out. I am the type of guy that really use an honest critique.


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## rickydaniels (Jul 19, 2011)

Yeah I agree with disconnectedsmile. I support my local comic and my local book store here. I just heard that Borders will be liquidating very soon. They were looking to sell the company in order to save it. No other companies were interested in purchasing. Hurray for our side!


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## None (Jul 19, 2011)

I've been reading Fear Itself and while I love Matt Fraction, I'm severely underwhelmed by it all. Plus, what happened in issue 3 is a travesty. The art is excellent and I hope it all comes together into something spectacular, but so far it hasn't. I've not been a big fan of Marvel's recent events and events in general leave me a bit bored after the initial excitement of a supposed status quo change. That said, Fraction's work on Thor and Invincible Iron Man forgive whatever failings Fear Itself has as both are superb work that manage to fit the epic scope of Fear Itself into a regular story arc of either title (Thor especially).


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## disconnectedsmile (Aug 8, 2011)

russianrobot said:


> i know there are other comic threads but if you haven't seen the cover for Detective Comics #880 by Jock here it is.
> 
> the run that Scott Snyder & Jock have been doing since issue 871 has been nothing short of extraordinary. The Skeleton Key storyline is the creepiest, scariest serial killer story that has appeared in film,books whatever in a long time.
> 
> ...


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## rickydaniels (Aug 11, 2011)

For those of you that don't know me. i do BBW pin-up art as a hobby. I recently had to move my blog. The new address is http://rickydanielsbbwpinupart.blogspot.com/

Would love some of the FA comic fans and artists around here to check it out! Thank you Dimmers for all your support!


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## disconnectedsmile (Sep 1, 2011)

can i get a show of hands?
DCnU - who's in, who's out?


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## Twilley (Sep 1, 2011)

disconnectedsmile said:


> can i get a show of hands?
> DCnU - who's in, who's out?



Giving it a shot at least. Who knows, something interesting might come out of it?


----------



## Jess87 (Sep 1, 2011)

disconnectedsmile said:


> can i get a show of hands?
> DCnU - who's in, who's out?



Honestly, I'm mostly expecting it to be awful. However, I'm dying to see what they do with everyone. I'll probably end up reading more superhero comics due to the relaunch than I would have otherwise. I don't love the idea of it, but how can I not want to see what happens? I'm looking at it kind of like I would candy corn. I know (or suspect) that it's going be just awful, but it's not going to stop the consumption. Besides, I can't live without Green Lantern, I just can't.


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## s!gma (Sep 1, 2011)

DC ReBOOT!

Just my thoughts on the soon to be revamped DC titles.

Going to start reading Action and Detective comics but t-shirt and sneakers superman doesn't exactly look cool. 

I'll read Aquaman to see If its any good and to see if there is more to be told with Black Manta and Aqualad.

And DC Universe presents Deadman!!! I'm following Boston Brand around after the light events. Grabbing Swamp thing purely out of obligation, that series better be amazing for me to read it.

There are Still too many Batman series! Batman Beyond was a flop but i dare not miss the New Nightwing, and Teen titans.


I liked the Justice league lineup before but they're back to the classics and Geoff Johns is writing so it should be solid. And DC is trying to reach their black audience with Static shock, Black-African-Technology Man, and Mr. Teriffic, then you've got Cyborg in the League, which I don't mind Cyborg is cool. But I'm not JUST gonna read a comic because the character is black, ask the Panther, then ask daredevil.
JL International Has Guy Gardiner... and Booster Gold so its a toss up for me.
there's a Dark JLA too more Deadman and Zatanna I think, so...!!!

I don't know whats going to become of the Legion, Adventure is over, the last issue of LOSH basically undid everything that happened in the short run of the series, it can basically go anywhere from here, so hopes are high. and Legion Lost should be really good times, following the legionnaires trapped in our time. 

aaaaand of course Green Lantern, Mainline has a perfect jump off point, they can start up this series with a great foundation and make it more epic and less mundane than twas after Parallax. 
Corps Thunders on, love that book, now Gardiner and Stewart no worries here. 
Emerald Warriors has ended I really liked the series following Guy Gardiner exclusively I had hoped that we would continue to see the Honor gaurd as a special ops team with a changing roster as necessary
New Gaurdians I'm sure is there to fill that void, it seems like some colorful crap, and Rayner is Leading? still Ill read more of that than Red Lanterns, yea I wanna know what he is going to do with Krona's body but its probably gross, bloody and hot so I'll pass. 

and Yea I'm reading Wonder Woman now too, Stryznsky [has more letters in his name] did a respectable job with that interim series.

I feel like there is some latent coolness in Hawk and Dove but I think the coolest thing about the pair is Dove's Light powers,  

Grifter??? like Wildcats Grifter?? hmmmm!!!


SERIES I am on the fence about.

Justice League International
The Flash
Swamp thing
The Fury of Firestorm
Green Arrow
Blue Beetle
Captain Atom
Savage Hawkman
Mister Terrific
Supergirl 
Superboy
Batwoman
Batgirl
Red Lanterns
Stormwatch
Grifter


Since every series is getting a reboot i guess its safe to say nobody knows what the new stuff will be like, but I will likely not be grabbing any of these so if theres anything good to know let me know. Or just stuff you're looking forward to


----------



## s!gma (Sep 1, 2011)

I also read MARVEL 

With Fear itself, I was dissapointed at first but its picking up. I don't mind what happened in issue 3, I've always thought the man with the gun was out of place. He should have been on the Secret Avengers. 
Hopefully Tony comes back with a new Armor or at least some permanent new items... like a new shield.

Also Reading Spider-man, I hate the ultimates universe but Death of spider-man wasnt as stupid as I thought it would be. Spider Island is alright so far, great to see that they're playing with the actual bedbugs scare in NY. If nothing else Hopefully Cloak and Dagger get a series or a spot on a team after this. But you gotta hate the continuity as The Avengers Show up on this side too.

Which I guess leads to X-men, ill skip to Schism. I don't think it is going to stop sucking so I am bowing out at issue 3. the kids running the brotherhood are Fukked and hopefully they will survive this event, but i think it is all to try and justify cancelling Uncanny so Wolverine canbe central to the New X-men comic. If I could raspberry into a loudspeaker or PA system i would. X-force has lost its direction too!

Daredevil is back and less crazy, Looks like he is on the New Avengers which looks like a great fit. 


I also read IDW for all the classics.... and Angel.


Transformers is going through an event Now "CHAOS" it looks like a big battle for cybertron, including Megatron AND Galvartron, so it should be good times. dispite a few hiccups in the mix IDW has brought a lot of great Transformers stories and characters to light. and later this fall they are continuing the MARVEL G1 SERIES with Simon Furman from issue 88.

Not Up on G.I.Joe yet but they continued the MARVEL real American Hero series.

and the New Ninja Turtles Came out this week, all back in the red bandannas and written [I think] by Eastman of the OG 80s Eastman and Laird series.

Good times to be a nerd.


----------



## Admiral_Snackbar (Sep 2, 2011)

After the move and having all my comics piled into boxes, I need to get back on the wagon. I've been out of touch for a few months--someone just told me Batman is setting up franchises and Spider-Man got kilt and stuff. Any other major comics news?


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## disconnectedsmile (Sep 3, 2011)

Admiral_Snackbar said:


> After the move and having all my comics piled into boxes, I need to get back on the wagon. I've been out of touch for a few months--someone just told me Batman is setting up franchises and Spider-Man got kilt and stuff. Any other major comics news?



you might be in luck. DC Comics is relaunching everything, refreshing a lot of their heroes, and this month, all their comics (including Detective and Action) are being released with #1 issues.


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## rickydaniels (Sep 4, 2011)

Well another Superman movie. We have the Nolan's writing (Dark Knight, Batman Begins) it which I think good, then we have Zack Snyder (Sucker-Punch, 300, Watchmen) directing, which could kill or make this movie. The cast is pretty decent in my book, some very interesting decisions. Laurence Fishburne as Perry White, hmmm; well I do like him. Micheal Shannon as General Zod I think is the oddest choice. He's a character actor, always plays kind of a loveable dope or a total creepazoid. I remember him the most with his small part in Pearl Harbor. Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent, umm ut-oh; yeah. Let's not forget Henry Cavill as the Man of Steel himself. I admit he could pull it off. Russell Crowe as Jor-El could be really cool too.

Let talk about the iconic suite. Pictures posted here Superman Costume I'm not liking it so far. The "S" crest is the best part. I think that part looks good, classic and iconic. The rest of the suit is aweful and it reminds me of the crappy Joel Schumacher Batman costumes. He might well have given him nipples. There is also no belt or red undies. I just doesn't say Superman to me. I'm sure regardless I am going to go and see this movie. It strikes enough interest for me whether or not the suit sucks. Your thoughts?


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## Jess87 (Sep 5, 2011)

The suit drives me nuts. I don't even mind the lack of outer underwear. My issue is mostly with the belt area. It's like they set everything in motion for a belt, they even have something that resembles a faux-belt buckle and then they just decided, nah, forget the belt. It just looks so incomplete. It also looks very reptilian with the fabric or the pattern on the fabric. I don't dig it.


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## s!gma (Sep 5, 2011)

DC is getting rid of the outer underwear in the new superman comics too, Like the new Wonder Woman look I dont think it will last.

The New costume is cool enough, dont like the S though it looks a little Kingdom Come-ish.

i think problem is if its a simple spandex, rubber or latex the producers think it looks too cheap and thus unbelievable.


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## rickydaniels (Sep 8, 2011)

Jess87 said:


> The suit drives me nuts. I don't even mind the lack of outer underwear. My issue is mostly with the belt area. It's like they set everything in motion for a belt, they even have something that resembles a faux-belt buckle and then they just decided, nah, forget the belt. It just looks so incomplete. It also looks very reptilian with the fabric or the pattern on the fabric. I don't dig it.



I agree with you there. I can deal with no outer undies if the suite was done right. It makes his cod-piece look huge. I hate the faux-belt thing too. It's like cheap accents to show off the body. Superman's suit is iconic. It was just designed that way. I don't think there's anyway of getting around it.


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## rickydaniels (Sep 8, 2011)

s!gma said:


> DC is getting rid of the outer underwear in the new superman comics too, Like the new Wonder Woman look I dont think it will last.
> 
> The New costume is cool enough, dont like the S though it looks a little Kingdom Come-ish.
> 
> i think problem is if its a simple spandex, rubber or latex the producers think it looks too cheap and thus unbelievable.



yeah, suit redesigns have never lasted in comics. I remember all the superman redesigns in the 90's. They were terrible.


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## disconnectedsmile (Sep 9, 2011)

> Mike Meyer, a 48-year-old resident of Granite City, Illinois, was robbed last month of more than 1,800 Superman comic books and collectibles worth approximately $4,000 to $5,000. Meyer, who receives Social Security for mental disability and supplements his income with part time work at McDonald's, was the victim of an unscrupulous former co-worker who created a ruse to distract the handicapped man while he absconded with the comics, action figures and other collectibles. Granite City police are presently investigating the robbery.



whether or not you are a comic book fan, you have to admit that this is a very unfortunate situation.
no one deserves to have items of such emotional value stolen from them, least of all a gentle soul like Mr. Meyer.

fortunately, you can help!



> Read on to learn about some of the ways you can help Mike Meyer. Also behind the cut is a local news segment in which Meyer discusses the incredibly painful situation.
> 
> So many comic book fans are eager to help Meyer that the efforts are a little chaotic, but some parties have attempted to make an accounting of what was stolen and what is being donated. Newsarama spoke with a friend of Meyer who said the following material is missing:
> 
> ...



Mailing information can be found on ComicsAlliance.com: http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/09/09/mike-meyer-superman-theft-help-donations


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## s!gma (Sep 10, 2011)

rickydaniels said:


> yeah, suit redesigns have never lasted in comics. I remember all the superman redesigns in the 90's. They were terrible.



Like the lightning Blue and Red?


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## s!gma (Sep 10, 2011)

I grabbed JLA last week and they are really Rebooting everything, I thought the continuity would remain with a shuffling of heroes, but Batman Meets Hal Jordan for the first time and they almost ambush Superman.

I haven't had time to jump into this weeks pile but apparently Action and Detective Comics are really good and even harder to find.


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## rickydaniels (Sep 11, 2011)

s!gma said:


> Like the lightning Blue and Red?



yeah. like those yuck


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## russianrobot (Sep 14, 2011)

So some things I learned over the last few weeks

1.	I hate Supermans new costume

2.	Sinestro is the new Green Lantern?!?

3.	Batwoman is still the Hottest redhead 

View attachment superman.jpg


View attachment greenlantern.jpg


View attachment batwoman.jpg


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## disconnectedsmile (Sep 14, 2011)

russianrobot said:


> So some things I learned over the last few weeks
> 
> 1.	I hate Supermans new costume
> 
> ...



1. it's his new old costume, according to the new continuity. he started his life as a crime fighter (6 years ago) wearing a shirt and jeans. 
his actual new costume is this: 






2. yep. GL continuity remains the same, Post-Flashpoint.

3. Kate Kane > Barbara Gordon


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## s!gma (Sep 16, 2011)

Really wish they would have just expanded upon Superman Earth One storyline, Action Comics could have picked up the Earth one stories and been less t-shirt and jeans but still a young learning supes, and mainline could grind along with a slight costume change and no huge hiccup in continuity.


GL still has had a sort of restart, because Hal Jordan isnt a Lantern and Sinestro is, also he [sinestro] is close or at least under the close watch of the gaurdians.

If you forget about Guy, Kyle and John, and JL issue #1. This is where everyone was when Hal was first given a ring. and a pretty pretty preeetty good starting point.


Anyone read any Manga??

Claymore 
Fukkin GANTZ !!?!?!?!!
One Piece
Naruto
Bleach 
Fairy tale
Beserk
HSDK

?


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## russianrobot (Sep 16, 2011)

disconnectedsmile said:


> 1. it's his new old costume, according to the new continuity. he started his life as a crime fighter (6 years ago) wearing a shirt and jeans.
> his actual new costume is this:
> 
> 
> ...



I loved Flashpoint! The ending in issue 5 with Bruce getting the note that was beautiful.

I was referring to Kate, but Barbara does a great job as Oracle 

Okay the Superman and the end of the Month is his costume, got it Thanks!


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## rickydaniels (Oct 10, 2011)

Is anyone reading Walking Dead? I'm halfway through Book 2. So far it's totally awesome! It's better than the show; although I do like the show very much. So much more screwed up things happen in this Zombie Apocolypse. I'd love to hear what some of you think.


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## Hozay J Garseeya (Oct 10, 2011)

rickydaniels said:


> Is anyone reading Walking Dead? I'm halfway through Book 2. So far it's totally awesome! It's better than the show; although I do like the show very much. So much more screwed up things happen in this Zombie Apocolypse. I'd love to hear what some of you think.



I just started reading it as well, and I'm also halfway through book 2. I'm enjoying it much more than the show. I understand the continuity can't be exactly the same, but I still prefer the book to the show.


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## Lina (Oct 10, 2011)

It was taking me forever but I am now all caught up with The Walking Dead. I waited to watch the show until I finished and now I can't wait for Vol #15 and season 2!!


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## rickydaniels (Oct 10, 2011)

yeah I'm lovin it! It's so exciting, crazy and effed-up all at the same time. I can totally see why they needed to change up the storyline a little for the show. There's now way AMC would let them do some of the things that happen in the book. I still love the show and can't wait for the premiere next week.


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## Allie Cat (Oct 10, 2011)

Whoa, how did I miss this thread? o_o

I used to be hardcore into Marvel's stuff, primarily the comics that tied in with the Civil War storyline. Then it all started to go back to same-old, same-old, and I started dropping subscriptions. Now all I read are Gold Digger and the Wheel of Time and Song of Ice and Fire tie-in comics, plus whatever graphic novels catch my fancy. I must say, it's a lot cheaper. xD

I'm also a huge ElfQuest fan, but since they're not putting out new stuff any more it doesn't really count :\


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## CleverBomb (Oct 11, 2011)

Alicia Rose said:


> Whoa, how did I miss this thread? o_o
> 
> I used to be hardcore into Marvel's stuff, primarily the comics that tied in with the Civil War storyline. Then it all started to go back to same-old, same-old, and I started dropping subscriptions. Now all I read are Gold Digger and the Wheel of Time and Song of Ice and Fire tie-in comics, plus whatever graphic novels catch my fancy. I must say, it's a lot cheaper. xD
> 
> I'm also a huge ElfQuest fan, but since they're not putting out new stuff any more it doesn't really count :\


Whoa, how did *I* miss this?

Girl Genius (Phil and Kaja Foglio)

Although it's a long enough thread that I've likely posted this before and don't remember... 

-Rusty


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## Allie Cat (Oct 11, 2011)

CleverBomb said:


> Whoa, how did *I* miss this?
> 
> Girl Genius (Phil and Kaja Foglio)
> 
> ...



Well, if we're adding webcomics...

Girl Genius
Gunnerkrigg Court
Misfile
Megatokyo (off and on)
Questionable Content
Dr. McNinja
Order of the Stick

:3


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## linkinghabit (Oct 11, 2011)

They need to bring the COMICS back in comic books. Comics have been overdosing on "realism" the past 2 decades.


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## rickydaniels (Oct 11, 2011)

linkinghabit said:


> They need to bring the COMICS back in comic books. Comics have been overdosing on "realism" the past 2 decades.



I dunno, I kinda realism in comics has been around since the beginning. It's interesting to see the decisions that the characters make and how it effects their lives within the storyline. For example the Watchmen. Superheroes during a cold war scenario have to make some very difficult choices in order to dissolve a war. That book is totally good.


----------



## Hozay J Garseeya (Oct 12, 2011)

linkinghabit said:


> They need to bring the COMICS back in comic books. Comics have been overdosing on "realism" the past 2 decades.



I think it works both ways. Just depends on what you feel like reading. Like the poster mentioned above, you have things like Watchmen where there is a political influence. when I'm done reading that and I want something a little lighter in Mood, I might read Secret Six, or Battle Pope! there's a huge variety out there.


----------



## s!gma (Dec 11, 2011)

Anyone Find any gems in the NEW 52?

Swamp Thing really surprised me and turned out to be Great times.

Green Lantern is Boss Ass, and Corps is doing its thing, But New Guardians is starting to smell a little off, and I'm Still not reading that damn hell ass Red Lanterns [despite them being the antagonists int he new cartoon]

I'm already Tired of Superman but am Still reading ACTION just because of the Hype and lack of availability. ...so I can gloat.

Batman Seems to be killing it across the board but has Wolverine syndrome as he is on two major teams and still stars in 4 series of his own.

Legion is lacking IMO but there's a DC/IDW crossover: Star Trek/Legion of Superheroes, that is kinda cool and picking up steam. LOST is eeeh. and Origins seems like they put the story they're supposed to be telling on the back burner so they can introduce some big monster or something.


Marvel is running Regenesis for the X-men and the team is split. Word is Phoenix is returning soonish so we should see the Iconic X-men again soon, if Emma would get lost and angel would get his head out of Apocalypses posterior.

Hulk Restarted and it dont make no damn sense that he and Bruce Banna are actually two people now. But Betty is a Hulk too and she Kept her sword after FEAR ITSELF so I am not asking too many questions.

Spider-man has a new "Avenging" title which seems to be fried poop. 

And Cable is returning from the dead to hunt the Avengers for who knows what reason. He should be in San-Fran dealing with Mutant things, so I cant say I am excited or even interested in that.

Or any of the plots Marvel showed in their 2012 Preview. Scarlet spider could be good but damn they're gonna have to try hard.

I'm just waiting for the HC of Young Avengers children's crusade, hopefully bringing Wanda back into the game, but if it just ends up being a waste of fukkin time like Avengers/Invaders was I might be done with Marvel.

Having said That Johnny is back as of Fantastic Four 600, and Future Foundation was good because of extra Reeds and Doom was always there. As far as I know both series are continuing so that should be pretty sexy.

And believe there will be a resurgence of Avengers plots with the Movie in march. But the Avengers have been running On Brian Michael Bendis' engines for nigh onto 5 years now and he seems to be out of gas, or he is saving the best for ...later.

Because of the Abounding stupidity in Marvel, what with Red Hulks and all I'm trying to branch out, I found myself picking up the latest Spawn, and Kickass [which is ridiculous] and looking at Dynamites' The Last Phantom. 

Does anyone have any reccomendations for a less mainstream read?
I've Heard good things about "Chew"


----------



## Hozay J Garseeya (Dec 11, 2011)

s!gma said:


> Anyone Find any gems in the NEW 52?
> 
> Swamp Thing really surprised me and turned out to be Great times.
> 
> ...



I notice you didn't mention I Vampire, I'm really digging this one for some reason, one of my favorite new 52. 


also, on a side note, I got to "break bread" with John Layman, Eisner winner and writer of "chew" a few nights ago. One of the coolest most down to earth people ever. Super nice guy, I was star struck for sure.


----------



## Weirdo890 (Dec 11, 2011)

I've recently finished reading the Scott McCloud trilogy on comics (_Understanding Comics_, _Reinventing Comics_, and _Making Comics_). I must say, they have definitely expanded my view on comics and how to look at them and analyze their way of storytelling.

Reading these books has led me to look at how different narrative media tell a story. 

I've been passing these books onto my friend, who is a writer. She's been enjoying them as well. We talk about making a comic book together, her writing and me drawing.


----------



## Mayla (Dec 11, 2011)

I read Scott McCloud's "Understanding Comics" and he's a genius. Really, if anyone is interested in writing comics or understanding them on a whole new level, you *need* his books.

In other news - 

Storm (Ororo Munroe) will be an Avenger! Beginning in January's 2012 issue. I wonder what that means for T'Challa...? Man, I wish they weren't together.


----------



## Weirdo890 (Dec 11, 2011)

Mayla said:


> I read Scott McCloud's "Understanding Comics" and he's a genius. Really, if anyone is interested in writing comics or understanding them on a whole new level, you *need* his books.



His books are a must read for *anybody* interested in comics. Along with Will Eisner's trilogy of books (_Comics and Sequential Art_, _Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative_, and _Expressive Anatomy for Comics and Narrative_). I have all of those books on my shelf. :happy:


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## Still a Skye fan (Dec 11, 2011)

Weirdo890 said:


> His books are a must read for *anybody* interested in comics. Along with Will Eisner's trilogy of books (_Comics and Sequential Art_, _Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative_, and _Expressive Anatomy for Comics and Narrative_). I have all of those books on my shelf. :happy:



Great books indeed! I also have McCloud and Eisner's works on my shelves.

Dennis


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## rickydaniels (Feb 5, 2012)

Whats everyone reading these days? Heres my list

Walking Dead Book 3
Trouble Makers- Gilbert Hernandez
The Quitter- Harvey Pekar and Dean Haspiel
Absurd Adventurers of Archibald Aardvark

I haven't poked into the typical Marvel and DC stuff in a bit. Anything good?


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## Allie Cat (Feb 5, 2012)

The stuff I'm reading regularly is Game of Thrones, The Wheel of Time, and Gold Digger... Seems like every time I post here that list is smaller.


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## Hozay J Garseeya (Feb 5, 2012)

CHEW!!! Everyone needs to be reading chew
Fatale - Ed Brubaker is at it again.
Criminal - Ed Brubaker as well. This book got me to read Fatale. 
Seriously though, everyone should read chew. It a breath of fresh air, as it's such a unique story with some good laughs.


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## Weirdo890 (Feb 5, 2012)

I've been reading some classic comics myself.



Walt Disney's Donald Duck: Lost in the Andes by Carl Barks (The Complete Carl Barks Library)

These are wonderful stories, written and drawn by one of the masters (even if a lot of modern-day comics fans don't talk about him). These are stories from the beginning of his creative peak period (1949). The stories here well-told. The longer stories have a good sense of adventure, and there is a lot of hilarious moments throughout all of them. The ten-page story about the TV Quiz show is a gut-buster.

Besides the obvious artistry and craftsmanship in the drawing, one of the traits I admire about Carl Barks' work is his strength with character. His Donald Duck is a multi-faceted character, bumbling and incompetent one minute, industrious and intelligent the next. Barks realized that human beings are never the same from moment-to-moment, except within very broad boundaries. That's a lesson that all fiction writers can learn.


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## rickydaniels (Feb 5, 2012)

Weirdo890 said:


> I've been reading some classic comics myself.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Nice! Carl Barks stuff is great! Those old Donald Duck comics are really under-rated! I've lately gotten back into him and Will Eisner


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## Weirdo890 (Feb 5, 2012)

rickydaniels said:


> Nice! Carl Barks stuff is great! Those old Donald Duck comics are really under-rated! I've lately gotten back into him and Will Eisner



I love Will Eisner's work? Which period of his work do you like the most, the time of _The Spirit_ or his more personal comic book novels, like _A Contract with God_.


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## rickydaniels (Feb 6, 2012)

Weirdo890 said:


> I love Will Eisner's work? Which period of his work do you like the most, the time of _The Spirit_ or his more personal comic book novels, like _A Contract with God_.



As much as I love hero stuff like the Spirit, lately I am liking his more personal stuff.


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## Weirdo890 (Feb 7, 2012)

rickydaniels said:


> As much as I love hero stuff like the Spirit, lately I am liking his more personal stuff.



I like both. I love his caricatured, cartoony drawing style. It makes his characters so expressive and alive. That's what me think that his novels would make animated films. They actually tried to make an animated _Spirit_ film back in the 80s, to be directed by Brad Bird!

See for yourself Here!


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## rickydaniels (Feb 8, 2012)

Weirdo890 said:


> I like both. I love his caricatured, cartoony drawing style. It makes his characters so expressive and alive. That's what me think that his novels would make animated films. They actually tried to make an animated _Spirit_ film back in the 80s, to be directed by Brad Bird!
> 
> See for yourself Here!



WOW! Thanks for sharing that article! I never knew that! I love Brad Birds work!


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## willowmoon (Feb 9, 2012)

Another mystery to me recently: how is it that Rob Liefeld manages to find work? 

Everyone (and I do mean everyone) he draws has that grimacing look of all teeth bared, noses smaller than LaToya Jackson's ... I just don't get it.


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## Hozay J Garseeya (Feb 9, 2012)

willowmoon said:


> Another mystery to me recently: how is it that Rob Liefeld manages to find work?
> 
> Everyone (and I do mean everyone) he draws has that grimacing look of all teeth bared, noses smaller than LaToya Jackson's ... I just don't get it.



hahahah *thinks of the new hakwman & dove that is now cancelled*

He's also famous for drawing shitty feet, or non existent feet. For a while in his career he drew fee off in the background or out of focus, behind something, kicked back behind the body. 

I also once saw a three fingered spider man he drew, but I can't for the life of me remember what comic it was. 

Meeting him was also greatly underwhelming.


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## Weirdo890 (Feb 9, 2012)

willowmoon said:


> Another mystery to me recently: how is it that Rob Liefeld manages to find work?
> 
> Everyone (and I do mean everyone) he draws has that grimacing look of all teeth bared, noses smaller than LaToya Jackson's ... I just don't get it.



Basically because Jim Lee took pity on him.


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## willowmoon (Feb 9, 2012)

Hozay J Garseeya said:


> He's also famous for drawing shitty feet, or non existent feet. For a while in his career he drew feet off in the background or out of focus, behind something, kicked back behind the body.



Exactly! And the womens' feet would always look like they were in heels, even when they weren't. Hell, even he'd draw the guys' feet like that on occasion. 



Weirdo890 said:


> Basically because Jim Lee took pity on him.



I think you might be onto something there. 

What made me think of him was going thru some old comics and I ran across his work on the "Heroes Reborn" Captain America ... which in turn made me think about his "Agent America/Fighting American" blatant ripoff not long afterwards. How did he NOT think he would get sued by Marvel? :doh:


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## Dromond (Feb 9, 2012)

I'm reading webcomics these days. I gave up on comic books.


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## Weirdo890 (Feb 10, 2012)

Dromond said:


> I'm reading webcomics these days. I gave up on comic books.



That might be the better way to go. It's all free. I personally am going for reprints of older comics and TPBs.


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## rickydaniels (Feb 12, 2012)

Did anyone catch Comic Book Men? It's Pawn Stars meets Kevin Smith and his fanboy entouage that run Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash. They did get some pretty awesome stuff that came into the store. The show overall... Meh. Just curious to what you all thought.


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## Weirdo890 (Feb 13, 2012)

I've been reading quite a few European comics lately, trying to get myself away from the monopoly that DC and Marvel have on comics. I'm going to offer a few series that people may enjoy.


_Universal War One_ by Denis Bajram

_The Incal Classic Collection_ by Alexandro Jodorowsky and Moebius

_The Dylan Dog Case Files_ by Tizlano Sclavi

_Vampire Boy_ by Carlos Trillo and Eduardo Risso

What are your guys' suggestions?


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## rickydaniels (Feb 13, 2012)

Weirdo890 said:


> I've been reading quite a few European comics lately, trying to get myself away from the monopoly that DC and Marvel have on comics. I'm going to offer a few series that people may enjoy.
> 
> 
> _Universal War One_ by Denis Bajram
> ...



Ive only read the 1st issue of Universal War One, and I LOVE IT!! I really wanna by the hard back. Have you ever checked out Skydoll??


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## Allie Cat (Feb 14, 2012)

rickydaniels said:


> Ive only read the 1st issue of Universal War One, and I LOVE IT!! I really wanna by the hard back. Have you ever checked out Skydoll??



Good luck finding it. It's pretty darn rare, I seem to recall seeing an average price of like $70 at some point a couple years ago.

I've read Universal War One, all six issues, and Skydoll as well. Both were quite awesome.


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## rickydaniels (Feb 16, 2012)

Alicia Rose said:


> Good luck finding it. It's pretty darn rare, I seem to recall seeing an average price of like $70 at some point a couple years ago.
> 
> I've read Universal War One, all six issues, and Skydoll as well. Both were quite awesome.



Right on Alicia & Weirdo! I love good obscure comics like that. Lately that seems to be more that what I'm into. If you know of anymore like that please share. I'm always looking from a good read. 

My 3 that I'm reading at the moment are-
Trouble Makers- Gilbert Hernandez
The Quitter- Harvey Pekar/ Dean Haspiel
The Alchoholic- Jonathan Ames/ Dean Haspiel

Dean Haspiel's art is really awesome! Very 2D animation style, not very hero comic like.


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## Allie Cat (Feb 16, 2012)

rickydaniels said:


> Right on Alicia & Weirdo! I love good obscure comics like that. Lately that seems to be more that what I'm into. If you know of anymore like that please share. I'm always looking from a good read.
> 
> My 3 that I'm reading at the moment are-
> Trouble Makers- Gilbert Hernandez
> ...



Some others I've enjoyed are Girl Genius, Gunnerkrigg Court (both webcomics but also in print), Powers (about average people in a world with superheroes), Freakangels (hard to really describe this one, kind of similar to Rising Stars but more British and more post-apocalyptic)... um, a lot of the stuff I read is tied into books that I enjoy such as Wheel of Time, A Song of Ice and Fire, and the Drizzt series.


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## SuperBatAquaGreenFlash (Feb 16, 2012)

I've been following Batman, Detective Comics, Green Lantern, Green Lantern : New Guardians, and Red Lanterns. Red Lanterns is pretty awful at the moment, but I'm holding onto it, anyway, as Atrocitus is a badass, and I'm hoping an interesting story comes out of him.


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## Deven (Feb 17, 2012)

I'm scared:

Watchmen Prequels

Neither Alan Moore nor Dave Gibbons are attached to the project. The Dr. Manhattan one strikes me as weird. The body language is suggesting that he controls Laurie, when what we saw in Watchmen was the complete opposite. He was passive.

I will probably get the Comedian series, though. He's my favorite.


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## Twilley (Feb 17, 2012)

DevenDoom said:


> I'm scared:
> 
> Watchmen Prequels
> 
> ...



yeah, just pretending these aren't happening, myself. I mean, didn't we say all we really needed to in the original Watchmen? Must we milk the backstory? 

If this leads to Rorschach showing up in the regular DCU, I will divorce myself from DC entirely, and I am a major Bat-fanboy.


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## Dromond (Feb 17, 2012)

Len Wein and Joe Straczynski are good writers. I can't vouch for the others.

I won't be buying them.


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## Weirdo890 (Feb 17, 2012)

DevenDoom said:


> I'm scared:
> 
> Watchmen Prequels
> 
> ...



I'm of the opinion that all we needed to know about the characters was in the original series. I see it this as DC being desperate to attract readers. They will leave no stone unturned in order to get new readers. I have to agree with Darwyn Cooke that there should be new characters for new times.


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## Deven (Feb 18, 2012)

Watchmen is my all time favorite Graphic Novel, aside from Barr's The Crow. I hate the artwork on this prequel.

Ugh.


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## Jess87 (Feb 18, 2012)

They managed to get great writers to helm it. So, I guess there's that. Brian Azzarello is absolutely fantastic and I'm almost inclined to check out Comedian. It's just too weird. Watchmen was a complete story and not really about the characters so pulling them out and giving them a back story makes no sense. 



Twilley said:


> If this leads to Rorschach showing up in the regular DCU, I will divorce myself from DC entirely, and I am a major Bat-fanboy.



I'm torn. An Aquaman/Rorschach team up would be so horrific I wouldn't be able to not read all of it.


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## Hozay J Garseeya (Feb 19, 2012)

somewhat comic related. I got to meet Phil Ortiz, character creator and artist on the show for the first two seasons and active artist on the Simpsons Comic book. Super cool guy, awesome, friendly, great to talk to. Anyways, he simpsonized me. It was such an honor to have him do that for me. He CREATED CHARACTERS FROM THE SHOW!! A legend indeed.

View attachment 422726_10150575332893736_614728735_9085526_1706592206_n.jpg


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## willowmoon (Feb 19, 2012)

Hozay J Garseeya said:


> somewhat comic related. I got to meet Phil Ortiz, character creator and artist on the show for the first two seasons and active artist on the Simpsons Comic book. Super cool guy, awesome, friendly, great to talk to. Anyways, he simpsonized me. It was such an honor to have him do that for me. He CREATED CHARACTERS FROM THE SHOW!! A legend indeed.
> 
> View attachment 100939



"Excellent...." (in Mr. Burns' voice)


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## Weirdo890 (Feb 19, 2012)

A few weeks ago, I asked in one of the threads if anybody knew of any good world history books. Well, I just happen to find a really good one, and in comics form no less.

Cartoon History of the Universe Vol. 1 by Larry Gonick is a thorough, yet humorous lookm at the history of our world and the universe, from the Big Bang tot he age of Alexander the Great. I enjoy the cartoony style the history is presented in. The little jokes help you to remember the basic facts of the times. I hope to find Volumes 2 and #, as well as _The Cartoon History of the Modern World_ Vols. 1 - 2. This is a good way to introduce kids and adults alike to world history.


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## rickydaniels (Feb 19, 2012)

Hozay J Garseeya said:


> somewhat comic related. I got to meet Phil Ortiz, character creator and artist on the show for the first two seasons and active artist on the Simpsons Comic book. Super cool guy, awesome, friendly, great to talk to. Anyways, he simpsonized me. It was such an honor to have him do that for me. He CREATED CHARACTERS FROM THE SHOW!! A legend indeed.
> 
> View attachment 100939



AWESOME MAN! Thanks for sharing that! I LOVE THE SIMPSONS!!


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## Allie Cat (Feb 20, 2012)

Weirdo890 said:


> A few weeks ago, I asked in one of the threads if anybody knew of any good world history books. Well, I just happen to find a really good one, and in comics form no less.
> 
> Cartoon History of the Universe Vol. 1 by Larry Gonick is a thorough, yet humorous lookm at the history of our world and the universe, from the Big Bang tot he age of Alexander the Great. I enjoy the cartoony style the history is presented in. The little jokes help you to remember the basic facts of the times. I hope to find Volumes 2 and #, as well as _The Cartoon History of the Modern World_ Vols. 1 - 2. This is a good way to introduce kids and adults alike to world history.



I was given volumes 1 and 2 when I was like 10; I read those books over and over and over... Got volume 3 as soon as it came out. I love those books.


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## Weirdo890 (Feb 20, 2012)

Anybody here into collecting classic comic strips? I have the first five collection of the complete _Popeye_ series from Fantagraphics. I'm hoping to get the first volume of the complete _Pogo_ series by Walt Kelly.


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## Hozay J Garseeya (Feb 20, 2012)

This has been a great weekend for me Comic Related. After going to my shop and getting to meet Phil Ortiz the Simpson's artist, I went back today and someone had stopped by the store and donated a box of comics that they had lying around. The Shop manager sold me the original 10 issues of V for Vendetta. How fucking cool is that?!?!? I was super stoked, all ten issues just there for the taking. It was a little weird seeing the 1988-1989 dates on the covers knowing I was about to buy them. It was great.


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## rickydaniels (Feb 20, 2012)

Weirdo890 said:


> Anybody here into collecting classic comic strips? I have the first five collection of the complete _Popeye_ series from Fantagraphics. I'm hoping to get the first volume of the complete _Pogo_ series by Walt Kelly.



Ive gotta few Walt Kelly Pogo books. Great Stuff!


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## Dromond (Feb 21, 2012)

rickydaniels said:


> Ive gotta few Walt Kelly Pogo books. Great Stuff!



"We have met the enemy, and he is us."


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## Deven (Feb 25, 2012)

Guess who is getting her Absolute Watchmen?

I've also picked up the rest of the Anita Blake comics, since I'm 2 books behind. I only have the first book. I've read all the books, and they are essentially doing the books word for word, page by page. It's interesting to see my favorite book series in comic form. Some of the characters don't come across like I pictured them. Since they don't need to use the descriptive words anymore, it condenses into comics nicely.

Though, I really wish the Dabel Brothers would've been able to finish the entire series. I hate the artwork changes. Their version of Anita is exactly how I had her pictured.


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## Admiral_Snackbar (Mar 14, 2012)

So after DevenDoom sends me this link, I started thinking about the whole unfinished Watchmen business with Alan Moore. I personally don't have this overwhelming love for The Watchmen that many fans do; it's a wonderful book, a decent movie, and while I think Alan Moore is an amazing modern literary giant in the realm of graphic fiction, he's not Christ on a rocket. He does have a monstrous ego, he is wickedly intelligent, but he's one of many people who created something the fans never seem to tire of.

Now I don't wanna get off on a rant here, but in the interests of this diatribe, I present the example of how much I love Calvin and Hobbes. Fucking love it. It's an amazing strip on so many levels, and that in itself is evidence of its timeless appeal. For nearly 15 years I've wanted to see a resurgence of the strip, but to no avail. I understand the reasons, as much as I deeply respect Bill Watterson's desire to eschew merchandising and end the strip on a good note. If you've read his collections, especially the 10 year anniversary one, you recall where he basically chews syndicated comic pages a new asshole. In the same instance, you realize why he persists with letting C&H rest, to stand as it is for all time, and to hopefully show generations to come that art isn't just something you see on a studio wall.

You could say that Moore drew inspiration for his original Watchmen creations from older, out-of-print works and that he breathed life into them when he wrote his book, as I think all artists do. A part of their soul goes into it. He fought a very long, financially painful and morally detestable battle for his artistic rights (I believe in one situation, he likened a cross examination of being accused of molestation), all for want of keeping his art HIS.

You could also say he sold the rights for Watchmen, and once he did that it went into that weird limbo where all copyrighted works go when they're assimilated by conglomerates. To make a crude analogy, it's like a crackhead mom giving her baby up for adoption, then years later, when off the junk and her head finally clears, she realizes she wants that baby back. But sometimes you can't get that.

I think he has to just accept that the Man won, and move the fuck on. He has many other books, most of which are cherished by his fans, and he should simply rely on these works for his legacy and a symbol of his artistic purity. For him to go on and on now, basically disowning his Loyal Readers, simply because they want more of what he refuses to give, makes him sound like a whiny, poncy git. You can't keep trying to give a "fuck you" to the bastards who won...it gets old after a while. Accept you made a mistake (and he's not the first artist to be naively goaded into signing away a financially lucrative property), guard your remaining art with safes and chains and rise above it.

In this case, I say to Alan: WWSLD (What Would Stan Lee Do?). His current settlement with Marvel Studios aside (and given the fact he did deserve to see a profit from the movies based on his creation), Stan saw Spidey take on innumerable forms throughout the years. Ditto Bob Kane. Ditto Schuster/Siegel. As long as the owning company still gives them the nod, they should be happy, because Christ knows given the lack of attention in the public, to have their creations live on like that is something pretty special. The fans still haven't lost their desire to see the further adventures of the nerdy kid who got arachnid powers and uses them to fight evil, or the strange visitor from another planet who came to Earth with powers and abilities beyond those of mortal men. Alan Moore breathed life into something, and as any parent knows, your children don't always go places you want them to .


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## Jooplef (Mar 14, 2012)

I love Alan Moore, but I would have more sympathy for him if a) the Watchmen were original characters (most are knockoffs) and if b) he didn't regularly use and abuse the literary creations of such authors as Lewis Carroll and Arthur Conan Doyle.

If he can depict Alice having orgies with Dorothy Gale in Lost Girls then JMS can depict Rorshach petting puppies if he wants to. Fair is fair! 

Click here for the animated prequels...


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## Deven (Mar 14, 2012)

Jooplef said:


> I love Alan Moore, but I would have more sympathy for him if a) the Watchmen were original characters (most are knockoffs) and if b) he didn't regularly use and abuse the literary creations of such authors as Lewis Carroll and Arthur Conan Doyle.
> 
> If he can depict Alice having orgies with Dorothy Gale in Lost Girls then JMS can depict Rorshach petting puppies if he wants to. Fair is fair!
> 
> Click here for the animated prequels...



I love that parody...


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## marlowegarp (Mar 14, 2012)

I think Alan Moore has been on the fringe for long enough that eventually (like Hunter Thompson) the persona has begun to supercede the actual man. I won't be buying the new Watchmen books, but for a creator to believe that he can (or has the right to) dictate buying terms to his readership shows that he has forgotten ever being a reader himself. The supposition that nothing better than Watchmen has come out since 1985 is laughable to begin with and is made doubly so coming from someone who no longer reads comics.


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## Deven (Mar 14, 2012)

marlowegarp said:


> I think Alan Moore has been on the fringe for long enough that eventually (like Hunter Thompson) the persona has begun to supercede the actual man. I won't be buying the new Watchmen books, but for a creator to believe that he can (or has the right to) dictate buying terms to his readership shows that he has forgotten ever being a reader himself. The supposition that nothing better than Watchmen has come out since 1985 is laughable to begin with and is made doubly so coming from someone who no longer reads comics.



I don't think with Moore it's a persona. I think Moore is flat out loony toons. Thompson's ending was tragic (and my forum sig is actually Thompson.) I think Moore's end won't be as such.

And as for Watchmen: They intended to do this with Moore before he severed ties with DC. They even approached Moore this time, offering him the rights back to Watchmen, which is what he left DC over. He told them too late. This is a child screaming about spilled milk.


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## BTB (Mar 25, 2012)

And now for something completely different:
I bought my Copy of the recently appeared "The Someday Funnies". This is an anthology which was conceived in the seventies and Contributions were collected but it took about a third of a century to be printed.
It is great. Pieces by the Masters Jack Kirby, Will Eisner,Rene Goscinny and More. And Contributions by Non-Comic-Personas like Tom Wolfe, Pete Townshend and Frank Zappa. And even Ned Sonntag. I was pleasantly surprised to find him in there.
If you like non Superhero Comics get it and marvel.


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## rickydaniels (May 10, 2012)

I don't know about the rest of you, but I LOVED IT!!!!!


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## Deven (May 10, 2012)

rickydaniels said:


> I don't know about the rest of you, but I LOVED IT!!!!!



We need spoiler tags!


So, I will post it in white:

There is one storyline with Thanos that I can really remember in the Avengers comics: The Infinity Gauntlet (which was seen briefly in Thor, in Odin's Vault.) He wipes out half the population of the Universe with it. The Avengers in that storyline were Spider-Man, Wolverine, The Hulk, Ms. Marvel, and Dr. Doom. They also have apparently introduced Thanos as the first villain in the new Avengers Assemble comics. 

Do we have anyone who reads Spawn out there? Hubby just finished the latest, and holy crap! (I'm still catching up...)


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## Weirdo890 (May 20, 2012)

Do you guys go to the comic book shop? What kind of experiences have you had there? Have you ever met the "Comic-Book Guy" types?


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## Admiral_Snackbar (May 20, 2012)

Weirdo890 said:


> Do you guys go to the comic book shop? What kind of experiences have you had there? Have you ever met the "Comic-Book Guy" types?



One dork...many faces.


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## Deven (May 21, 2012)

Weirdo890 said:


> Do you guys go to the comic book shop? What kind of experiences have you had there? Have you ever met the "Comic-Book Guy" types?



I first walked into a comic shop when I was 16... and the guys playing D&D in the small town shop acted like I was freaking Princess Leia. It became a normal hang out (it was also next to a small bookstore that I frequented, the owners and I becoming such good friends that I didn't buy books. I'd bring them a sackful of my old used ones and could take a reasonable amount in exchange [they were a new/used bookstore.])

I even went on a few dates with a guy that hung out there, but he was unfortunately a Yankee while I was a Rebel (no, seriously... he was a Civil War re-en actor.) We didn't really stop seeing each other for that reason, but it was a "no chemistry" deal.

We'd be gaming (be it tabletop or console) all afternoon, and food came, and no one would ever tell me my total. Like, I'd give the owner a 10 (he always ordered for the gang) and refused to ever take my money. Told me I was good for a customer draw just by having girl parts...

I still talk to and love them to pieces. We play D&D when we can together now.

I was spoiled.


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## Tad (May 21, 2012)

Weirdo890 said:


> Do you guys go to the comic book shop? What kind of experiences have you had there? Have you ever met the "Comic-Book Guy" types?



I bought comics for about a dozen years or so (12 - 24), before giving up for financial reasons (they do add up over a year....) and stories getting too repetitive for my taste. I still have fond feelings towards a lot of the characters, just....when a series goes on indefinitely, it is hard to keep it fresh.

Anyway, in my years of buying, I never really met 'that guy,' but then again I didn't really hang around any of the stores I bought comics from. I was in, grab what I wanted, maybe spend a few minutes browsing to see if anything else caught my eye, then headed out again. I guess if you are looking to hang around with people who share your enjoyment of the comics, you'd have reason to hang around. But just popping in and out quickly does help protect you from the more annoying types


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## marlowegarp (May 21, 2012)

Spending time in the actual shops is key. I always found it interesting when I first started collecting (around age 8) and when I had a choice about where to get my books from, I'd usually seek out ones with a quirkier owner. One shop I went into for years was owned by a conservative Republican who would have Rush Limbaugh on the radio while he played Call of Cthulu with a group.

Comics have gotten a lot more mainstream so a shop nowadays is more often staffed by normal people and has the layout of a Starbucks. 

As long as they're not pushy I like being able to just walk into a store and instantly get into a friendly debate about the merits of a certain book or writer.


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## Tad (May 21, 2012)

marlowegarp said:


> As long as they're not pushy I like being able to just walk into a store and instantly get into a friendly debate about the merits of a certain book or writer.



I'll never understand extroverts :huh: 

In my younger days if a stranger had tried to talk to me about something like that I would have found a suddent need to go see if my bus was coming, then probably would have avoided that shop for a while. (These days I'd say something non-commital and try to use body language to show I wasn't interested in talking about it). Probably why I never got into the convention scene either....but I guess I can see how those sorts of connections could help keep you involved in the genre.


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## Weirdo890 (May 21, 2012)

I have never run into one of those "Comic Book Guy" types. The guy who runs the comic book store I go to in Seattle is a really nice guy. He and I got into a conversation about Moebius (R.I.P.) and the work of Alexandro Jodorowsky. This is great, since I have heard some horror stories about comic-book shop owners.


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## Weirdo890 (May 27, 2012)

Who are your guys' favorite comic book artists/cartoonists?


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## FA Punk (May 27, 2012)

marlowegarp said:


> *''Comics have gotten a lot more mainstream so a shop nowadays is more often staffed by normal people and has the layout of a Starbucks.''*



I hate that myself, I mean a comicbook shop should look and feel like a comicbook shop! If I ever get my dream of owning my own comicbook store off the ground it won't look like a damn Starbucks, it will sell video games though!


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## FA Punk (May 27, 2012)

Weirdo890 said:


> Who are your guys' favorite comic book artists/cartoonists?



My number one has been and always will be Jack Kirby! Call me old school if'ya want but where the hell would comicbooks be without Jack Kirby?


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## Tkscz (May 27, 2012)

FA Punk said:


> My number one has been and always will be Jack Kirby! Call me old school if'ya want but where the hell would comicbooks be without Jack Kirby?



DC pissed me off when they started killing off his work for shock value to lead up to Final Crisis.


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## Deven (May 27, 2012)

Weirdo890 said:


> Who are your guys' favorite comic book artists/cartoonists?



I love David Lloyd (V for Vendetta,) and The Dabel Brothers  (who do adaptations of famous works, such as Orson Scott Card and Laurell K. Hamilton.)


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## willowmoon (May 28, 2012)

Weirdo890 said:


> Who are your guys' favorite comic book artists/cartoonists?



One of my favorites from the 90's was Brett Booth ... his work on the Backlash/Spider-Man two issue series comes to mind ... also liked Stephen Platt's work on Moon Knight ... he was a guy that came out of nowhere to wrap up work on a regular series that was slated for cancellation. It was kinda heavy on the pencils but I liked it anyway. I remember when I first saw the cover for #55 and the first thing I thought was "McFarlane is doing Moon Knight now?!?!?" Wasn't a fan of Platt's "Prophet" stuff though.


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## Allie Cat (May 28, 2012)

Weirdo890 said:


> Who are your guys' favorite comic book artists/cartoonists?



Phil and Kaja Foglio, creators of Girl Genius
Tom Siddell, creator of Gunnerkrigg Court 
Fred Perry creator of Gold Digger and many other things
Joe Wight, creator of Twilight X and many other things

Those four are probably my all-time faves.


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## Weirdo890 (May 28, 2012)

I have too many to name, but one of my favorites is Steve Ditko. His boundless imagination and terrific storytelling are an inspiration. I don't agree with his politics, but I respect him for his tenacity and independence.


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## Deven (May 30, 2012)




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## Hozay J Garseeya (Jul 14, 2012)

I was positive there was a whole page of posts on here about the New Watchmen series out. Anyone pick it up the first issue?


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## ClashCityRocker (Jul 14, 2012)

Hozay J Garseeya said:


> I was positive there was a whole page of posts on here about the New Watchmen series out. Anyone pick it up the first issue?



not yet, but soon. i'm a bit skeptical, as i LOVE the original watchmen, but we'll see. i might be surprised.

as for favorite artists, i'd say alex ross, hands down. another of my favorite graphic novels ever is kingdom come, which was drawn by ross. the overall aesthetic is almost reminescent of norman rockwell-style art, w/obvious graphic novel garnishing. check him out if you havent..he's worked on some classics.


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## thatpumpkin (Jul 14, 2012)

Weirdo890 said:


> Do you guys go to the comic book shop? What kind of experiences have you had there? Have you ever met the "Comic-Book Guy" types?



Oh my yes, went into the local comic shop to get rid of my yu-gi-oh cards one day. The man behind the counter looked like he'd been pulled right out of the simpsons. He leafed through the entire deck and declared 'he' didnt want any of them because they weren't rare or current enough. Despite the fact that the store has a bin just full of old commons for sale. The fact that he was overweight didnt bother me at all, it was his surley attitude and lack of hygiene. I still have the cards too.


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## Deven (Jul 14, 2012)

Hozay J Garseeya said:


> I was positive there was a whole page of posts on here about the New Watchmen series out. Anyone pick it up the first issue?



My husband and I have them in his subscription box at the comic shop he gets his at, but we wait for them to build up before we get them.


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## Nenona (Jul 15, 2012)

DevenDoom said:


> I first walked into a comic shop when I was 16... and the guys playing D&D in the small town shop acted like I was freaking Princess Leia. It became a normal hang out (it was also next to a small bookstore that I frequented, the owners and I becoming such good friends that I didn't buy books. I'd bring them a sackful of my old used ones and could take a reasonable amount in exchange [they were a new/used bookstore.])
> 
> I even went on a few dates with a guy that hung out there, but he was unfortunately a Yankee while I was a Rebel (no, seriously... he was a Civil War re-en actor.) We didn't really stop seeing each other for that reason, but it was a "no chemistry" deal.
> 
> ...



I'm jealous, because I got the exact opposite reception whenever I went, and I always had to go with guy friends otherwise I'd get an immediate barrage of trivia questions and if I couldn't answer all of them, they'd call me "not a real fan" and then shoot me glares anytime I tried to look at any of the comics.
Yeah, I'd already read Sandman, Fray, the 8th season of Buffy, all the Fables Trades, Batman: The Long Halloween, Madame Xanadu(which got cancelled after 27 issues), and I had read into the classic superhero stories, and I'd even drawn up a list of comics I might be interested in getting--I really like the ones that are either futuristic or steampunk--the non-meat-and-potatoes of comics, so to speak, because there's so much more you can do with the medium of drawing. It's why Freakangels is probably one of my favorite comic series, I've reread it three times now.

But nope, not enough. Definitely not enough. I wasn't allowed to be there, because I hadn't read every comic ever and I didn't know Dr. Doom's real name and I hadn't watched all the superhero movies that were out, even though they had horrible reviews.
Yes, I get angry when people get judgy.
I've introduced people to anime and tons of other mediums and I've always told them "you're not required to like or know everything, you just have to like what you like, and don't apologize for it."


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## Still a Skye fan (Jul 15, 2012)

Hozay J Garseeya said:


> I was positive there was a whole page of posts on here about the New Watchmen series out. Anyone pick it up the first issue?



I'm lazy and plan to wait for the trade collections to come out.


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## thatpumpkin (Jul 15, 2012)

Did anyone read Spiderman Ends of the earth?


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## Weirdo890 (Jan 8, 2013)

What have you been reading/collecting lately?


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## Hozay J Garseeya (Jan 9, 2013)

Weirdo890 said:


> What have you been reading/collecting lately?



Took your advice and I head down to Golden Age, it's a great store. Lots to look at, and lots to pick up, but definitely a money sink


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## Weirdo890 (Jan 9, 2013)

Hozay J Garseeya said:


> Took your advice and I head down to Golden Age, it's a great store. Lots to look at, and lots to pick up, but definitely a money sink



Half-Price Books is becoming my money sink. I've found so many good comics there. I've found American reprints of material from Britain's _2000 AD_, great _Indiana Jones_ comics, and so many others. The 25-cent bin is your friend.


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## Hozay J Garseeya (Jan 9, 2013)

Weirdo890 said:


> Half-Price Books is becoming my money sink. I've found so many good comics there. I've found American reprints of material from Britain's _2000 AD_, great _Indiana Jones_ comics, and so many others. The 25-cent bin is your friend.



I used to frequent half-priced books in AZ, but I haven't tried them here for any comics. I'll definitely have to check them out.


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## Weirdo890 (Jan 9, 2013)

Hozay J Garseeya said:


> I used to frequent half-priced books in AZ, but I haven't tried them here for any comics. I'll definitely have to check them out.



Definitely give them a try. You can find great comics at phenomenal prices.


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## Hozay J Garseeya (Mar 9, 2013)

anybody reading anything good lately? 

I'm currently working my way through the Alan Moore run of Swamp thing, along with Vampireboy thanks for our boards very own Wierdo, and catching up on Chew!


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## Mckee (Mar 9, 2013)

Next week I should receive some of the "Before Watchmen" comic books series...it's a prequel to the 1986 Alan Moore's Watchmen. Hope will meet the expectations.


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## Hozay J Garseeya (Mar 9, 2013)

Mckee said:


> Next week I should receive some of the "Before Watchmen" comic books series...it's a prequel to the 1986 Alan Moore's Watchmen. Hope will meet the expectations.



You know, I have every single issue and I haven't read a single one :-(


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## Weirdo890 (Mar 9, 2013)

I've been reading John Byrne's underrated (and sadly short-lived) _Danger Unlimited_ series. I have three of the four issues that were released and they are amazing. I wish I could find the last issue.


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## marlowegarp (Mar 11, 2013)

I'm really enjoying Storm Dogs as well as Hickman's "Manhattan Projects".


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## Hozay J Garseeya (Mar 11, 2013)

marlowegarp said:


> I'm really enjoying Storm Dogs as well as Hickman's "Manhattan Projects".



Storm dogs? Manhattan projects?! Please go on.


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## marlowegarp (Mar 11, 2013)

Storm Dogs is by David Hine and Doug Braithwaite. Only three issues are out, but I'd say it's like if Dune were a police procedural. Great art in particular.

Manhattan Projects is a really entertaining alternate history. Wernher Von Braun, "Albrecht Einstein", Oppenheimer and other brilliant scientists make wild discoveries and fight the Illuminati. Laika the Russian space dog is a character.


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## Weirdo890 (Mar 17, 2013)

I haven't been able to get to the comic book shop lately, and there is one titile that I would like to get. That's _The High Ways_, written and drawn by John Byrne. It looks like a cool science-fiction book, with lots of suspense and surprises. This takes place in John Byrne's _Next Men_ universe (another book I like). I hope to get them soon.


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## Cobra Verde (Mar 18, 2013)

Do comic book nerds really need to unite on the _internet _of all places? That's like saying "drinkers UNITE!" at a frat party or "white people UNITE!" at CPAC.


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## marlowegarp (Apr 8, 2013)

Odds are someone on here knows this:

After 20 years of actively collecting, I'm trying to wind down my comic collection. I still plan to get new stuff, but mostly just trying to finish runs I've already started. 

To this effect, has anyone read the Silver Surfer run that JM Dematteis did in the late 90s-early 2000s? And if you have, can you tell me which issues it covers and (for bonus points) which are necessary for the run? I know it goes roughly from 124 to 145 of volume 3, but I'm not sure beyond that and I have a smattering of those issues. Thanks, all.


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## drew_edwards (Apr 13, 2013)

I am coming off a few years of reading the Hickman FF titles. Now I am following Captain America and Uncanny Avengers, both have been good fun so far. 

I am also a fairly avid Hack/Slash fan.


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