Just finished the first Lazarus hardcover. Great world building by Rucka and beautiful artwork by Lark. I can't wait to get the next volume and read it.
Just finished the first Lazarus hardcover. Great world building by Rucka and beautiful artwork by Lark. I can't wait to get the next volume and read it.
I've been reading in floppies. Got to peruse the first hardcover at C2E2 this year. The fact that there's even more backmatter than in the floppies makes me want to pick them up as well. Lazarus is consistently my top of the pile book.
I finished the second Pretty Deadly trade. Went in expecting more "Spaghetti Western" horror comic and l discovered a WWI ... something. Not sure what happened, but it was real pretty. Need to read it again.
I am currently reading the all-in-one-volume Batman Odyssey, by Neal Adams.
Tell my children I love them.
Ok.. I finished it. Or it finished me. Not sure.
It was like being force-fed cocaine, laced with PCP and Acid, and a whole bottle of Benedryl.
It made ZERO sense, from cover to cover. You could rip out all of the pages, put them back in any order, and it would make more sense. It has an uncomfortable number of shirtless Batman images. It had dinosaurs, assassins, trolls, the entire Rogues Gallery, holograms, human-evolved-velociraptors, wizards, Gray Aliens, a neanderthal Bat-Man, hydrogen cars, and the expanding earth theory.
I think I need something between a brief lie-down and extensive electroshock therapy.
I am currently reading the all-in-one-volume Batman Odyssey, by Neal Adams.
Tell my children I love them.
Ok.. I finished it. Or it finished me. Not sure.
It was like being force-fed cocaine, laced with PCP and Acid, and a whole bottle of Benedryl.
It made ZERO sense, from cover to cover. You could rip out all of the pages, put them back in any order, and it would make more sense. It has an uncomfortable number of shirtless Batman images. It had dinosaurs, assassins, trolls, the entire Rogues Gallery, holograms, human-evolved-velociraptors, wizards, Gray Aliens, a neanderthal Bat-Man, hydrogen cars, and the expanding earth theory.
I think I need something between a brief lie-down and extensive electroshock therapy.
You're a better man then me. As much as I worship at the alter of Adams, I couldn't bring myself to finish Odyssey.
I am currently reading the all-in-one-volume Batman Odyssey, by Neal Adams.
Tell my children I love them.
Ok.. I finished it. Or it finished me. Not sure.
It was like being force-fed cocaine, laced with PCP and Acid, and a whole bottle of Benedryl.
It made ZERO sense, from cover to cover. You could rip out all of the pages, put them back in any order, and it would make more sense. It has an uncomfortable number of shirtless Batman images. It had dinosaurs, assassins, trolls, the entire Rogues Gallery, holograms, human-evolved-velociraptors, wizards, Gray Aliens, a neanderthal Bat-Man, hydrogen cars, and the expanding earth theory.
I think I need something between a brief lie-down and extensive electroshock therapy.
You're a better man then me. As much as I worship at the alter of Adams, I couldn't bring myself to finish Odyssey.
Admittedly this is a very low bar to get over, but Marvel Legacy might be the best of those "Here are all the plot hooks for upcoming comics we want you to buy" comics they've done.
What it isn't however is the comic the cover is trying to sell you...
If there was truth in advertising it would have had Thor, Ghost Rider, Starbrand, Iron Fist, Doctor Strange, Jean Grey and Black Panther front and centre rather than Cap and Iron Man.
However, as I am already on board for whatever Jason Aaron has planned, I do not care and enjoyed this book.
Admittedly this is a very low bar to get over, but Marvel Legacy might be the best of those "Here are all the plot hooks for upcoming comics we want you to buy" comics they've done.
What it isn't however is the comic the cover is trying to sell you...
If there was truth in advertising it would have had Thor, Ghost Rider, Starbrand, Iron Fist, Doctor Strange, Jean Grey and Black Panther front and centre rather than Cap and Iron Man.
However, as I am already on board for whatever Jason Aaron has planned, I do not care and enjoyed this book.
Read IDW’s translation of Jerome K. Jerome Bloche, vol. 1: The Shadow Killer last night. Originally from 1982, and it was artist Dodier’s first major work, but all in all it held up very well. It’s a light-hearted detective story, with a lead character fresh out of correspondence detective school having to track down his professor’s (among others) killer. As a detective, Jerome is probably a bit closer to Remington Steele than to Hercule Poirot, but he’s a likeable character and makes for a fun lead, just don’t go in looking for a brain teaser type of detective story.
The art carries the book. Even though it's early in Dodier’s career, his work is already pretty strong in this volume. It’s mostly realistic, but with edges of cartooniness that fit the tone of the story very well, and which breathe life into the storytelling.
I give the first book a solid B+, and I hope it does well enough for IDW to continue, because I’m looking forward to reading the later volumes where Dodier has fully mastered his craft.
I'm currently reading the Len Wein and Paris Cullins run of Blue Beetle... really fun. Comics from that era really packed a lot into an issue. Not just a lot of standing around and talking. I love the multiple plot threads constantly being introduced and concluded.
[Clearly, the secret word for this post is "star"..]
So I got around to reading the TPB of Miller's and Parlov's STARLIGHT, which, in my opinion, is a perfect example of an okay comic woven from an awesome concept which finally redeems itself with great heart warmth. It simply got a bit too draggy/decompressed-in-the-middle for this aging crag's taste. But when they no doubt make this into a feature film starring a non-hair-dyed Tom Selleck, I will no doubt brag to everyone that the comic was even better! :joy:
Have also been reading IDW's new STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION "MIRROR BROKEN" miniseries, which I am enjoying much more than I thought I would. And not just because every male character is drawn with ridiculously buff sleeveless arms, or that they give Troi's evil counterpart a wicked-ass nickname... but I think it's just plain fun to see a cast of characters known for their reserve suddenly allowed to let their monstrous egos run rampant. (Especially Picard; I bet Patrick Stewart would pay Hollywood to let him play this Picard!) It's funny that I still need to scratch my Trek itch this way, esp now - what with "Star Trek: Discovery" AND "The Orville" suddenly being dished out to us. But I do. And this comic by JK Woodward and Los Bros Tipton is doing it for me.
I'm just glad to be posting again. For some reason I was locked out of these message boards for the past few days, and I was terrified I'd never get back in!
[Clearly, the secret word for this post is "star"..]
So I got around to reading the TPB of Miller's and Parlov's STARLIGHT, which, in my opinion, is a perfect example of an okay comic woven from an awesome concept which finally redeems itself with great heart warmth. It simply got a bit too draggy/decompressed-in-the-middle for this aging crag's taste. But when they no doubt make this into a feature film starring a non-hair-dyed Tom Selleck, I will no doubt brag to everyone that the comic was even better! :joy:
Here's Millar hanging out with Sam Jones (far right), the star of 1980's 'Flash Gordon'.
Do we see a potential starring role in 'Starlight' for Mr. Jones?
Do we see a potential starring role in 'Starlight' for Mr. Jones?
YES PLEASE!!! That casting would be perfecto, 100% inspired!
I saw Mr. Sam J. Jones at this year's WonderCon, sitting alone at his signing booth with no one around. I have worshipped 1980's "Flash Gordon" since it came out, so even though I usually don't approach actors in the wild, I nutted up, made my way over, and shook his hand / thanked him for his work / called him an American treasure / etc. He was supercool and still huge and muscular - he could easily tackle a STARLIGHT film!
[POST SCRIPT: A couple months later, I read a story about how he'd attended another con where he got into a scuffle with Lou Ferrigno. Some passer-by intervened and stopped their fight before it could escalate, but I'd easily have rooted for Sam over Lou, whom I hear is quite a jerk. Flash! - Ahhhhh!!!!!!]
I finished Justice League: Darkseid War-Power of the Gods trade. These issues tied in with Darkseid War in Justice League from couple of years ago. Most of the stories were okay though not very memorable. The one standout was the Green Lantern issue by Tom King and Doc Shaner. Now I'm reading Captain Marvel The Complete Collection by Jim Starlin. I bought this trade and the Adam Warlock trade by Jim Starlin because I recently listened to episode 1636. It was the spotlight episode on Silver Surfer, Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock. It was great episode and I ordered the books the same day.
Half the book involved Mephisto breaking the 4th wall in order to monologue about how much of an a-hole Victor Von Doom is. Had me *literally* laughing out loud.
I read the second Lazarus hardcover. I enjoyed it even more than the first volume and I’m looking forward to read more of it. I also read issue #1 and 2 of the Captain Phasma series from Marvel. The first issue was mostly setup but in the second issue the story was stronger. While I’m interested to read the rest of the series, now I really want to read the Captain Phasma prequel novel.
I read the second Lazarus hardcover. I enjoyed it even more than the first volume and I’m looking forward to read more of it. I also read issue #1 and 2 of the Captain Phasma series from Marvel. The first issue was mostly setup but in the second issue the story was stronger. While I’m interested to read the rest of the series, now I really want to read the Captain Phasma prequel novel.
I "read" (listened to the audiobook) the Phasma novel and really enjoyed it. It was pulpy, sort of set in a genre I was not expecting (trying not to be spoilery), and I thought it did a great job of giving you a sense of the character that underscores the big decision she makes in Force Awakens and, I would guess, what we will see her do in Last Jedi.
If you are interested enough in the character to do the comic series, I think it would be worth reading or hearing (especially on a library borrow).
Read MISTER MIRACLE #3, which continues to impress and enthrall me, even though it's one bleak and paranoid motherfracker of a comic book. Part of me would love for DC (once this title concludes) to hand over all of the Fourth World to King/Gerads, to let them expand on Kirby's tools and ideas even more - but part of me worries I'd need a steady dose of lithium to get through that :joy:
Fu Jitsu #1 is a pretty good read. I don't think the execution quite lived up to the concept—love the sub-atomic kung fu—but it’s good enough that I'll give it another two or three issues. Nitz’s writing is fast-paced, which I like, but sometimes it comes across feeling a little fractured and herky-jerky. Occasionally it feels like it’s trying a little too hard to be wacky, but overall it’s entertaining enough.
St. Claire’s art (he pencils and inks) is kind of like Sam Kieth if he was inked by Scott Williams—or rather someone with the sensibilities of Sam Kieth, but not quite as good, if he was inked by someone emulating Scott Williams. It’s not bad—nothing wrong with the storytelling—but it’s not quite gelling for me. It’s almost there though. I think it’s mostly the inking I'm having problems with. St. Claire does some very fine linework, and there are places where it just doesn’t reproduce well. Some of his heavier blacks, on the other hand, don't seem like they’re very thought out. There’s a fair amount of energy in his approach, which is a good thing, but sometimes it comes at the expense of the overall quality of the drawing.
All in all, I give the book a solid B. And, like I said, the premise is cool, and the potential for both the writing and artwork to improve is certainly there, so I'm going to give it a few more issues to see where it goes.
Reading the preview solicitation for The Family Trade #1, I wasn’t all that interested in the book. But flipping through it at the store, the artwork was enough to make me give it a try, and I'm glad I did. It’s actually a fun story, despite being about a family of thieves, spies, and assassins (albeit for the good of their society). But the highlight for me is the artwork of Morgan Beem. She has a style that lies somewhere between Noelle Stevenson and David Rubín—dynamic and expressive, while being very stylized—and her watercolors are fantastic. This one is going onto my list. Good stuff.
I was really interested to try out The Ruff and Reddy #1, DC’s latest Hanna-Barbera Beyond update. A couple of washed up TV stars from the ’50s trying to make a comeback sounded like a perfect story for Howard Chaykin to write... but I was a bit disappointed. There were some awkward attempts at “mature” humor that felt, to me at least, forced and unnecessary. I do like the basic concept though, and the art by Mac Rey (pencils, inks, and colors) was rather nice, so I'm going to give it another issue and see if it gets better. As it stands now, I can only give it a B-, and that’s not quite good enough to stick on my list.
I was really interested to try out The Ruff and Reddy #1, DC’s latest Hanna-Barbera Beyond update. A couple of washed up TV stars from the ’50s trying to make a comeback sounded like a perfect story for Howard Chaykin to write... but I was a bit disappointed. There were some awkward attempts at “mature” humor that felt, to me at least, forced and unnecessary. I do like the basic concept though, and the art by Mac Rey (pencils, inks, and colors) was rather nice, so I'm going to give it another issue and see if it gets better. As it stands now, I can only give it a B-, and that’s not quite good enough to stick on my list.
I was hoping for more. I've enjoyed most of the HB line.
Did you read the green lantern/space ghost book? The back up was ruff and Reddy. I'm reading the DC/Hannah Barbera crossovers right now and i kind of feel like they are just advertisements for the series spinning out of the back ups. Read the WB ones instead.
I was really interested to try out The Ruff and Reddy #1, DC’s latest Hanna-Barbera Beyond update. A couple of washed up TV stars from the ’50s trying to make a comeback sounded like a perfect story for Howard Chaykin to write... but I was a bit disappointed. There were some awkward attempts at “mature” humor that felt, to me at least, forced and unnecessary. I do like the basic concept though, and the art by Mac Rey (pencils, inks, and colors) was rather nice, so I'm going to give it another issue and see if it gets better. As it stands now, I can only give it a B-, and that’s not quite good enough to stick on my list.
I was hoping for more. I've enjoyed most of the HB line.
Did you read the green lantern/space ghost book? The back up was ruff and Reddy. I'm reading the DC/Hannah Barbera crossovers right now and i kind of feel like they are just advertisements for the series spinning out of the back ups. Read the WB ones instead.
No, I skipped all the DC/HB books. Skipped the DC/Looney Tunes as well. The only HB book I've stuck with is Future Quest. Why, oh why, they haven’t done Blue Falcon and Dynomutt yet is beyond me.
Taking a cue from @nweathington, whose posts on the thread dedicated to Tom King's & Mitch Gerads' new Mister Miracle title got me thinking more and more about Jack Kirby's original Mister Miracle title, I have recently started to explore this early 1970s body of work for myself! Am now four issues in. Not only were comics so different back then, but this is clearly high-octane Kirby; he writes/draws/edits it all, it is his pure vision for the story - and I'm already loving it. Such a strange, patient, focused rollout... it's refreshing, really. And fun to see these Fourth World characters like Scott Free, Granny Goodness and Doctor Bedlam in their first appearances. Am looking forward to letting The King lead me deeper into his wild world, and maybe it'll help me love Tom King's version of it even more.
Taking a cue from @nweathington, whose posts on the thread dedicated to Tom King's & Mitch Gerads' new Mister Miracle title got me thinking more and more about Jack Kirby's original Mister Miracle title, I have recently started to explore this early 1970s body of work for myself! Am now four issues in. Not only were comics so different back then, but this is clearly high-octane Kirby; he writes/draws/edits it all, it is his pure vision for the story - and I'm already loving it. Such a strange, patient, focused rollout... it's refreshing, really. And fun to see these Fourth World characters like Scott Free, Granny Goodness and Doctor Bedlam in their first appearances. Am looking forward to letting The King lead me deeper into his wild world, and maybe it'll help me love Tom King's version of it even more.
Looking at all the Fourth World books, they are all focused on the same war, but tell that story from very different perspectives. New Gods is the war as grand epic, the Norse myths of the Eddas for a modern world; Forever People is the war from the perspective of the next generation, and the counter-culture (or Kirby’s take on it anyway); and Mister Miracle is the war through the filter of a more (but not quite) traditional superhero framework, with its villain-of-the-month approach. While New Gods reached greater heights in some of its stories, Mister Miracle is still my favorite of the bunch. It's just a lot of fun. Enjoy!
Comments
Tell my children I love them.
Need to read it again.
It was like being force-fed cocaine, laced with PCP and Acid, and a whole bottle of Benedryl.
It made ZERO sense, from cover to cover. You could rip out all of the pages, put them back in any order, and it would make more sense. It has an uncomfortable number of shirtless Batman images. It had dinosaurs, assassins, trolls, the entire Rogues Gallery, holograms, human-evolved-velociraptors, wizards, Gray Aliens, a neanderthal Bat-Man, hydrogen cars, and the expanding earth theory.
I think I need something between a brief lie-down and extensive electroshock therapy.
What it isn't however is the comic the cover is trying to sell you...
If there was truth in advertising it would have had Thor, Ghost Rider, Starbrand, Iron Fist, Doctor Strange, Jean Grey and Black Panther front and centre rather than Cap and Iron Man.
However, as I am already on board for whatever Jason Aaron has planned, I do not care and enjoyed this book.
The art carries the book. Even though it's early in Dodier’s career, his work is already pretty strong in this volume. It’s mostly realistic, but with edges of cartooniness that fit the tone of the story very well, and which breathe life into the storytelling.
I give the first book a solid B+, and I hope it does well enough for IDW to continue, because I’m looking forward to reading the later volumes where Dodier has fully mastered his craft.
So I got around to reading the TPB of Miller's and Parlov's STARLIGHT, which, in my opinion, is a perfect example of an okay comic woven from an awesome concept which finally redeems itself with great heart warmth. It simply got a bit too draggy/decompressed-in-the-middle for this aging crag's taste. But when they no doubt make this into a feature film starring a non-hair-dyed Tom Selleck, I will no doubt brag to everyone that the comic was even better! :joy:
Have also been reading IDW's new STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION "MIRROR BROKEN" miniseries, which I am enjoying much more than I thought I would. And not just because every male character is drawn with ridiculously buff sleeveless arms, or that they give Troi's evil counterpart a wicked-ass nickname... but I think it's just plain fun to see a cast of characters known for their reserve suddenly allowed to let their monstrous egos run rampant. (Especially Picard; I bet Patrick Stewart would pay Hollywood to let him play this Picard!) It's funny that I still need to scratch my Trek itch this way, esp now - what with "Star Trek: Discovery" AND "The Orville" suddenly being dished out to us. But I do. And this comic by JK Woodward and Los Bros Tipton is doing it for me.
I'm just glad to be posting again. For some reason I was locked out of these message boards for the past few days, and I was terrified I'd never get back in!
Do we see a potential starring role in 'Starlight' for Mr. Jones?
I saw Mr. Sam J. Jones at this year's WonderCon, sitting alone at his signing booth with no one around. I have worshipped 1980's "Flash Gordon" since it came out, so even though I usually don't approach actors in the wild, I nutted up, made my way over, and shook his hand / thanked him for his work / called him an American treasure / etc. He was supercool and still huge and muscular - he could easily tackle a STARLIGHT film!
[POST SCRIPT: A couple months later, I read a story about how he'd attended another con where he got into a scuffle with Lou Ferrigno. Some passer-by intervened and stopped their fight before it could escalate, but I'd easily have rooted for Sam over Lou, whom I hear is quite a jerk. Flash! - Ahhhhh!!!!!!]
Now I'm reading Captain Marvel The Complete Collection by Jim Starlin. I bought this trade and the Adam Warlock trade by Jim Starlin because I recently listened to episode 1636. It was the spotlight episode on Silver Surfer, Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock. It was great episode and I ordered the books the same day.
Half the book involved Mephisto breaking the 4th wall in order to monologue about how much of an a-hole Victor Von Doom is. Had me *literally* laughing out loud.
I also read issue #1 and 2 of the Captain Phasma series from Marvel. The first issue was mostly setup but in the second issue the story was stronger. While I’m interested to read the rest of the series, now I really want to read the Captain Phasma prequel novel.
If you are interested enough in the character to do the comic series, I think it would be worth reading or hearing (especially on a library borrow).
St. Claire’s art (he pencils and inks) is kind of like Sam Kieth if he was inked by Scott Williams—or rather someone with the sensibilities of Sam Kieth, but not quite as good, if he was inked by someone emulating Scott Williams. It’s not bad—nothing wrong with the storytelling—but it’s not quite gelling for me. It’s almost there though. I think it’s mostly the inking I'm having problems with. St. Claire does some very fine linework, and there are places where it just doesn’t reproduce well. Some of his heavier blacks, on the other hand, don't seem like they’re very thought out. There’s a fair amount of energy in his approach, which is a good thing, but sometimes it comes at the expense of the overall quality of the drawing.
All in all, I give the book a solid B. And, like I said, the premise is cool, and the potential for both the writing and artwork to improve is certainly there, so I'm going to give it a few more issues to see where it goes.
Did you read the green lantern/space ghost book? The back up was ruff and Reddy.
I'm reading the DC/Hannah Barbera crossovers right now and i kind of feel like they are just advertisements for the series spinning out of the back ups. Read the WB ones instead.