I've been picking up older stuff, and I just finished Volume 1 of Grant Morrison's Doom Patrol Run---oh my goodness this book is incredible, and as I start on volume 2 it is still picking up steam and getting better with each issue. I could not be happier with this title!
Batman The Last Arkham tpb (collected from Batman Shadow of the Bat 1-4) is the introduction of Jeremiah Arkham & Mr. Zsasz into the Batverse. Batman goes undercover inside Arkham Asylum to find out if Mr. Zsasz is behind a rash of recent murders in Gotham. The question is how is he is doing it? With assistance from Nightwing, Batman is able to find the connection between the murders and where the pieces lay. The art on the issues is well above standard fare for today's Batman comics as a group. Breyfogle is indeed a master of his craft. Alan Grant gets high marks for not dragging out a story too long while spacing out events & startling conclusions that grabs the reader's attention. While the trade is out of print it should be easy enough to get the first few issues for under ten bucks total online. Overall, I give this collection a 4 stars out of 5 rating.
I had heard good things from people about Marvel's new Captain Marvel series and picked up the first trade. Wow, what a complete mess. Not my thing, I guess.
Zipped through Dynamite's first two Lone Ranger trades and they where great. Loved the DCnU's first Batgirl trade. I'm currently in the middle of the Batman collected Night of the Owls HC. It scares me that with this many good books, I'm due for a dud soon.
Batman: Earth one. Initially passed on it but decided it sounded promising. Thought it was a pretty enjoyable take on Batman and a decent read. Some good ideas and moments but couldve been better as a whole. Will check out the proposed follow ups if I hear good word and or find it at a discount as I did with this one.
Not the best but the only thing I've read recently is the complete age of apocalypse epic volume 1. First time I've read the story line, and first impressions are it's a bit of a mess in terms of the way it's collected in this volume. I've got the other volumes to read, so we'll see if my views change
Fallen Angel Volume 1. I had heard this was pretty good and JK Woodward had talked it up when I saw him at conventions and on twitter and so I finally got the first volume and I really quite enjoyed it. I thought it would go into Lee's origin a bit more but I liked the flashbacks and the characters. Am I correct in this idea sort of came from the ideas Peter David had on his Supergirl run?
Just got my DCBS box from March today and I got Batman (vol. 2): The City of Owls HC. Excited to read through this again and then I saw that half of it is reprinted in Batman: Night of the Owls that I just finished. Dang, DC. I would expect something like this from Marvel, but you? For shame. [-(
I'm not even yet finished with it, but, even more than halfway through, I love the All-New X-Men hardcover (collecting issues 1 - 5) by Brian Bendis and Stuart Immonen. I suspected I might after having seen a preview, and I'm relieved to find that I was right. The original X-Men meet their present-day selves and get a huge dose of future shock. Two thumbs up from me.
been out the loop for quite a while now and have been revisiting all the old favorites...new volume of Chew is awesome. Tried Vol. 1 of Saga, its one to watch, beautifully done.
It was pretty good, but a little repetitive... everyone fights a Talon. I had checked it out of the library, so it didn't cost me anything. I'm glad I didn't buy it.
Tonight I read the trade of the new Hawkeye series....my new favorite series. Loved everything about it...art,story, humor....
Also read Batman: City of Owls. It started strong but I thought the ending of the Owl story was disappointing and the "reveal" was typical comic book shenanigans. The last story in the trade about the girl/brother was just filler.
Next up is the hardcover of the first 10 issues of the Mark Waid Daredevil series..
I finished reading the complete Our Worlds at War all in 1 volume tpb. This 500 page saga has huge threats Imperiex & a second one that immediately follows it that is equally changing for the JLA, JSA, Steel, Young Justice, Supergirl & others dealing w/ this threat in order to save the universe. It has few weak points but draws heavily on famous speeches in US History to give this threat added weight as if it was real in our own universe as text in addition to the events going on the words and art on the page at certain key points of the story. The aftermath of OWAW is like a punch in the gut to the DC Universe w/ Wonder Woman loosing her mom, Lois & Clark lost people they love and are thought to be missing or dead (later on in future stories this is proven to not be the case but you wouldn't know it at the time Pre-Flashpoint DC). OWAW is a good event, I give it a rating of 7 on the story & a 8 on the art so 7.5 out of 10 overall.
I will have my Garcia-Lopez Superman HC & Yotsuba&! Vol. 1 GN later on today or tomorrow to read. I will put Beanworld on my will read list. The only thing certain is Walking Dead HCs will be on hiatus for me for a long while maybe until 2014. Life is so damn depressing now w/out zombies I just have no interest in reading about that certain story for obvious reasons. I'm certain that Kirkman will survive okay though.
Finally, thanks again for the suggestions everyone it is greatly appreciated.
I finished reading the complete Our Worlds at War all in 1 volume tpb. This 500 page saga has huge threats Imperiex & a second one that immediately follows it that is equally changing for the JLA, JSA, Steel, Young Justice, Supergirl & others dealing w/ this threat in order to save the universe. It has few weak points but draws heavily on famous speeches in US History to give this threat added weight as if it was real in our own universe as text in addition to the events going on the words and art on the page at certain key points of the story. The aftermath of OWAW is like a punch in the gut to the DC Universe w/ Wonder Woman loosing her mom, Lois & Clark lost people they love and are thought to be missing or dead (later on in future stories this is proven to not be the case but you wouldn't know it at the time Pre-Flashpoint DC). OWAW is a good event, I give it a rating of 7 on the story & a 8 on the art so 7.5 out of 10 overall.
Frankly, I thought OWAW was one of the absolute worst of the DC crossovers when it came out, and I wouldn't give it more than maybe a 3 at most. While a few of the individual stories within the series were pretty good, the whole of the story was ponderous and felt more like an event-for-the-sake-of-an-event with several series feeling like they were being shoehorned in. It was the final straw for me as far as Superman was concerned, which was less than stellar over the months previous anyway, and I stopped reading all of the Super-titles from that point on until Infinite Crisis.
Chuck & Matthew the comic critics. One gives it a thumbs up & the other gives it a strong thumbs down. Seriously I do like seeing other comic fans opinion on stuff I read either positive, negative or meh. Well after Superman/Batman Public Enemies vol. 1 tpb (I will read vol.2 Superman/Batman Supergirl vol. 2 soon), I will be reviewing Garcia-Lopez Superman HC & Yotsuba&! Vol. 1 GN. next.
First I read Superman/Batman Public Enemies vol. 1 tpb showcases the adventures of the main two heroes while being hunted down by orders from President Luthor. With a huge piece Kryptonite heading towards earth Luthor thinks this is the perfect time for a showdown w/ The Man of Steel. JSA, Shazam, Hawkman & others are used as Luthor's pawns for a while but turn the tables on him shortly & in a fight to the finish Luthor goes way off the deep end & leaves earth via a boom tube w/ VP Pete Ross as acting President w/ Luthor's disappearance. The kryptonite threat is deal with properly. The art is dang near perfect even the writing showcases the two different ways of how Bruce & Clark deal w/ challenges while giving more insight to them as unique individuals. I give this collection a 8 out of 10 rating overall.
I read Yotsuba&! Vol. 1 GN showcases a little kid in wonder of the world around her. It features her father, a friend named Jumbo & next door neighbors of a mom & three daughters. The book splits it time showcasing different topics like television, heavy rain, shopping, global warming, etc. This manga was a laugh a minute & very uplifting as promised. I enjoyed the adventures of the little girl, Yotsuba&! the story transported me back to a earlier time during my own childhood driving my own parents nuts w/ the thousands of questions I asked & the joys of new experiences. Yeah you have to read from the back of the book from right to left but it is a very easy transition to make. I must admit I wish I ordered more of the series. The art is simple yet very effective & it is in B&W but as w/ Usagi Yojimbo it doesn't take away anything in that format. I give Yotsuba&! high marks as the shot in the arm in uplifting my spirits while mastering the writing/art skill to a very effective level that is worth of all the praise it gets, I give it a 9 out of 10 rating & will get the next volume in a few weeks.
Next up is J. L. Garcia Lopez Superman HC so until then catch you later. Matthew
I finished Nexus Omnibus Vol 1 yesterday. I really thought this was fun. I love a good sci fi story and this one had it all. I am happy I already own volume 2!
@ctowner1, I just read (well, re-read because I read it in monthlies too) Mind MGMT too, and I continue to be amazed at how good it is. Also, what a nice HC for 20 bucks!!!
Just read Blue Beetle Vol. 1: Metamorphosis (The New 52) that I had checked out of the library. I thought it was pretty good. I had not read any Blue Beetle prior to this... mostly what I knew of this version was from the Young Justice TV show.
I just picked up the The Avengers Versus Thanos, a last-minute purchase at the comic shop while I was in line to get my free comic books yesterday. Boy, was that tome properly placed (right next to the cashier)! And it was hefty enough to outweigh my freebies at a whopping $35. Usually I shop around and get my trades at discount. But... I do like to occasionally support my LCS... and the volume had enough material to justify the price.
The book compiles the original Thanos epics from the 70's Captain Marvel and Warlock books, along with tie-in chapters from Iron Man, Avengers, Marvel Two-In-One and Daredevil, as well as the conclusion from the Avengers Annual and Marvel Two-In-One Annual crossover. I'd have been happier if they had also included the Marvel Team-Up two-parter featuring Spidey, Captain Marvel and Mr Fantastic that took place during this time frame, but that particular tale did not involve Thanos so it was understandably omitted.
This was the cosmic epic that first put artist Jim Starlin on the map, as it were, and it ranges from his early days at Marvel when he was still a struggling artist with a lot of great visuals, to just a few years later when his writing and art reached maturity. It's a great tale (with a little assistance from the cream of Marvel's writers at the time, Steve Englehart, Steve Gerber and Mike Friedrich and some additional art from John Buscema, Don Heck and Bob Brown) and is an absolute must for any serious Marvel collector's bookshelf.
If I had any serious nitpick here (my previous complaint being a really, really minor one), it would be the exclusion of a second Iron Man story with introduced Moondragon and the first couple of chapters of the Warlock storyline which did not yet include Thanos -- but, as is, this is already a very hefty-sized volume and those additions might have made the book unwieldy, and tipped the price into an unacceptable range. So I rate this volume a must for the serious Marvel collector, the ardent cosmic epic collector, and the most avid Jim Starlin fans.
Read the first premier hardcover of Mark Waid's Daredevil run which contained issues 1-10.1 plus a spiderman issue. I loved it. It was just a fun read with great art.
Also finished The Manhattan Projects TP vol 1. While flipping through it, I did not think I would like it. But upon reading it, it was very good and I look forward to digger deeper into this story.
Lastly, I finished the first trade of Saga. This is just me, but I don't get the appeal of it. The concept, story, and art were all poor to me.
Been meaning to pick up the trade of Superman: The Man of Steel for years and finally got around to it last week. It's as 80s (women in Metropolis love them some shoulder pads) and overwritten as can be (LOTS of expository thought balloons from Superman), but it's still a lot of fun, and I don't know if Byrne's artwork has ever looked better. I enjoy Superman stories from just about every age (particularly the Silver and Bronze ages), and I even hope to enjoy something with the current Superman someday! :D , but this is still very much my Superman.
I read Fables Vol 2 Animal Farm last night. I really enjoyed this arc. I thought it was a little better than the first. Looking forward to reading more.
I read Fables Vol 2 Animal Farm last night. I really enjoyed this arc. I thought it was a little better than the first. Looking forward to reading more.
Volume 1 was good as an introduction, but Volume 2 is where the series really kicks off.
Comments
Matthew
It was pretty good, but a little repetitive... everyone fights a Talon. I had checked it out of the library, so it didn't cost me anything. I'm glad I didn't buy it.
Avengers vs X Men - I thought the story was good. The art was all over the place, ranging from ok to great.
Also read Batman: City of Owls. It started strong but I thought the ending of the Owl story was disappointing and the "reveal" was typical comic book shenanigans.
The last story in the trade about the girl/brother was just filler.
Next up is the hardcover of the first 10 issues of the Mark Waid Daredevil series..
I will have my Garcia-Lopez Superman HC & Yotsuba&! Vol. 1 GN later on today or tomorrow to read. I will put Beanworld on my will read list. The only thing certain is Walking Dead HCs will be on hiatus for me for a long while maybe until 2014. Life is so damn depressing now w/out zombies I just have no interest in reading about that certain story for obvious reasons. I'm certain that Kirkman will survive okay though.
Finally, thanks again for the suggestions everyone it is greatly appreciated.
Matthew
Well after Superman/Batman Public Enemies vol. 1 tpb (I will read vol.2 Superman/Batman Supergirl vol. 2 soon), I will be reviewing Garcia-Lopez Superman HC & Yotsuba&! Vol. 1 GN. next.
Catch you guys later.
Matthew
I read Yotsuba&! Vol. 1 GN showcases a little kid in wonder of the world around her. It features her father, a friend named Jumbo & next door neighbors of a mom & three daughters. The book splits it time showcasing different topics like television, heavy rain, shopping, global warming, etc. This manga was a laugh a minute & very uplifting as promised. I enjoyed the adventures of the little girl, Yotsuba&! the story transported me back to a earlier time during my own childhood driving my own parents nuts w/ the thousands of questions I asked & the joys of new experiences. Yeah you have to read from the back of the book from right to left but it is a very easy transition to make. I must admit I wish I ordered more of the series. The art is simple yet very effective & it is in B&W but as w/ Usagi Yojimbo it doesn't take away anything in that format. I give Yotsuba&! high marks as the shot in the arm in uplifting my spirits while mastering the writing/art skill to a very effective level that is worth of all the praise it gets, I give it a 9 out of 10 rating & will get the next volume in a few weeks.
Next up is J. L. Garcia Lopez Superman HC so until then catch you later.
Matthew
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The book compiles the original Thanos epics from the 70's Captain Marvel and Warlock books, along with tie-in chapters from Iron Man, Avengers, Marvel Two-In-One and Daredevil, as well as the conclusion from the Avengers Annual and Marvel Two-In-One Annual crossover. I'd have been happier if they had also included the Marvel Team-Up two-parter featuring Spidey, Captain Marvel and Mr Fantastic that took place during this time frame, but that particular tale did not involve Thanos so it was understandably omitted.
This was the cosmic epic that first put artist Jim Starlin on the map, as it were, and it ranges from his early days at Marvel when he was still a struggling artist with a lot of great visuals, to just a few years later when his writing and art reached maturity. It's a great tale (with a little assistance from the cream of Marvel's writers at the time, Steve Englehart, Steve Gerber and Mike Friedrich and some additional art from John Buscema, Don Heck and Bob Brown) and is an absolute must for any serious Marvel collector's bookshelf.
If I had any serious nitpick here (my previous complaint being a really, really minor one), it would be the exclusion of a second Iron Man story with introduced Moondragon and the first couple of chapters of the Warlock storyline which did not yet include Thanos -- but, as is, this is already a very hefty-sized volume and those additions might have made the book unwieldy, and tipped the price into an unacceptable range. So I rate this volume a must for the serious Marvel collector, the ardent cosmic epic collector, and the most avid Jim Starlin fans.
Also finished The Manhattan Projects TP vol 1. While flipping through it, I did not think I would like it. But upon reading it, it was very good and I look forward to digger deeper into this story.
Lastly, I finished the first trade of Saga. This is just me, but I don't get the appeal of it. The concept, story, and art were all poor to me.