I just read The Flash #24. I had taken a break from DC right before Rebirth and jumped back on to The Flash starting with "The Button" crossover.
I haven't been overly impressed with Joshua Williamson's writing so far but I have enjoyed Carmine Di Giandomenico's art since I was first exposed to it in All-New X-Factor and it's just as strong here.
What did I like and dislike about this issue? Let's get the "dislikes" out of the way first. Barry's whining and the tired trope of a superhero "protecting" a loved one from their secret identity or fearing the truth would lead to rejection.
Now, on to what I liked. Good 'ol "What Kind Of Name Is" Eobard Thawne beating the snot out of "fake Kid Flash". When he said "Hell...you're not even the real Wally West", I almost expected him to turn and wink at the reader as if he were the Psycho Pirate from Morrison's Animal Man.
DC, if you ever have a Multiversal Super Hero Roast, please invite Reverse-Flash to host.
I started reading Strikeforce Morituri. I'm only three issues in but so far it's been pretty interesting. The comic seems kinda unique and the art is well done.
I started reading Strikeforce Morituri. I'm only three issues in but so far it's been pretty interesting. The comic seems kinda unique and the art is well done.
Oh, man. One of my all-time favorite series! I love, Love, LOVE those first 20 issues of Strikeforce: Morituri. It's such a great concept that's wholly contained within its title, with fantastic artwork from Brent Anderson. This is a series I have re-read a bunch of times, and it never ceases to entertain me. I envy you the journey and hope that the subsequent issues merit my enthusiasm for them.
I am reading All-Star Squadron (1981). I have never read the series but as a kid would by a few issues off the spinner racks because I thought the covers were so awesome! I read an issue of the All-Star Squadron (1981) then read a synopsis and inside info for each issue from Twomorrows "All Star Companion vol 2". It is a fun reading experience as they give actual facts of WW2 to explain why or why not a certain event happened in the comic. I'm only up to issue five of the series but I have noticed that there is a LOT crammed into each issue and tends to take longer than a modern day comic to read. You got your money's worth! I'm also reading modern day comics also. Kill or Be Killed is at the very top of my reading list. The Alterna Comics Press comics being published on newsprint have all been good reads, and they are priced cheap. You can afford to try them out. They are a $1.50 each!!! Alterna Comics will be publishing the Trespasser 4 issue limited series about a man and his daughter who are surviving in a "crumbled world" when a strange visitor shows up. I help fund the kickstarter project and received the completed TPB this week and it was a great read. It will be printed on newsprint and priced cheap.
I am reading All-Star Squadron (1981). I have never read the series but as a kid would by a few issues off the spinner racks because I thought the covers were so awesome! I read an issue of the All-Star Squadron (1981) then read a synopsis and inside info for each issue from Twomorrows "All Star Companion vol 2". It is a fun reading experience as they give actual facts of WW2 to explain why or why not a certain event happened in the comic. I'm only up to issue five of the series but I have noticed that there is a LOT crammed into each issue and tends to take longer than a modern day comic to read. You got your money's worth! I'm also reading modern day comics also. Kill or Be Killed is at the very top of my reading list. The Alterna Comics Press comics being published on newsprint have all been good reads, and they are priced cheap. You can afford to try them out. They are a $1.50 each!!! Alterna Comics will be publishing the Trespasser 4 issue limited series about a man and his daughter who are surviving in a "crumbled world" when a strange visitor shows up. I help fund the kickstarter project and received the completed TPB this week and it was a great read. It will be printed on newsprint and priced cheap.
Have you read Adam Wreck? I was just looking at Alterna Comics' website and noticed it's written by Michael S. Bracco. I really dug his graphic novel Birth, which I picked up dirt cheap at a Wild Pig sale, and I have been curious to read more by him.
I cracked open my copy of Spider-Man by Todd McFarlane Omnibus and read issues 1-7. I forgot how much fun his art was back then. Spider-Man (1990) was Todd drawing cool Spidey fights where there may or may not be a story involved. He draws a great Spidey and an awesome Danny Ketch Ghost Rider (top 3? arguably top 2?).
The main drawback is that there is no story, but we don't need no stinkin' story with that art. At least that is what 10 year old matt thought in 1990; Matt 27 years later still somewhat believes that. But I do want storytelling, which is where the art falls apart. You really have to pay attention, and it gets jumbled (especially the any art that features the witch in Torment).
Even with the flaws it's fun, energetic, and iconic. I give it a very solid borrow if you are an old fogey or if you are under 40 a very solid buy. Get a copy of the omnibus used on Amazon.
Have you read Adam Wreck? I was just looking at Alterna Comics' website and noticed it's written by Michael S. Bracco. I really dug his graphic novel Birth, which I picked up dirt cheap at a Wild Pig sale, and I have been curious to read more by him.
I have read Adam Wreck. It was fun and a lighthearted space comedy involving a teenager and his parents. I enjoyed it, I would recommend it if you liked his other stuff.
Just got back from a trip overseas, took a few comics to binge while on the plane.
First up was Gaiman's SANDMAN, vol. 1 - because back in the day I only read stray issues here and there, never the whole tome in order, and that's a summer project of mine. This first arc was really interesting. Not only to see what I did/didn't remember, but also to see how it holds up today (pretty darn well). I'm surprised at how accessible it is. For some reason, I remembered it being more Alan Moore-ish; a slower and concentrated read. But nope. It moves about at a fast pace and is quite inviting, both in word and (lovely) art. Volume 2 is in my near future. Nice to see you again, Neil Gaiman :smile:
I then downshifted into Giffen's BLUE BEETLE: REBIRTH, vol. 1. I'd never read much of this new Jaime Reyes version of the character, I knew him more from his appearances in DC animated projects, and I've liked the character concept quite a bit. Unfortunately, in my opinion, he flounders under Giffen - whom I've loved in the past, but here, it becomes clear very quickly that this author just can't write teenagers at all. On top of that is an arc with too many characters, and way too much plot. Scott Kolins' artwork is great, though. It's the book's only saving grace. Here is what I'd need, if I ever did read the next arc: 1) a simpler story which focuses on Jaime and Ted Kord; 2) dialogue which doesn't sound so glib and hokey; 3) a Ted Kord who isn't desperately trying to be quirky and relevant with every word balloon - play it, don't say it.
I then picked up Jim Henson's posthumous TALE OF SAND (co-written by Jerry Juhl, art by Ramon Perez) which... now don't kill me... I also found underwhelming. I know - I'm the only one! :open_mouth: The whole world went nuts for this work, it won a bunch of Eisners, it is almost worshipped. But it's almost like it was flawed for me in the exact opposite way BLUE BEETLE was; this book didn't give me *enough* plot. I confess, I put it down about 75% of the way through. I can see why Perez was praised for it - he's truly gifted at the visual-storyteller thing. I just wanted more story for him to tell. I think I can see why the original screenplay for this never went anywhere in Hollywood. It's an interesting concept, yes - but from my point of view, it needed another draft or two. Now I'm depressed for not loving this. Is there anyone else out there who did not love this?
I then picked up Jim Henson's posthumous TALE OF SAND (co-written by Jerry Juhl, art by Ramon Perez) which... now don't kill me... I also found underwhelming. I know - I'm the only one! :open_mouth: The whole world went nuts for this work, it won a bunch of Eisners, it is almost worshipped. But it's almost like it was flawed for me in the exact opposite way BLUE BEETLE was; this book didn't give me *enough* plot. I confess, I put it down about 75% of the way through. I can see why Perez was praised for it - he's truly gifted at the visual-storyteller thing. I just wanted more story for him to tell. I think I can see why the original screenplay for this never went anywhere in Hollywood. It's an interesting concept, yes - but from my point of view, it needed another draft or two. Now I'm depressed for not loving this. Is there anyone else out there who did not love this?
I went back and forth about ordering it when it was first solicited, but ended up not ordering it. Later I flipped through it at a shop and decided to put it back on the shelf.
I went back and forth about ordering it when it was solicited, but ended up not ordering it. Later I flipped through it at my shop and decided to put it back on the shelf.
Finished up the fantastic Power Man & Iron Fist book this week. Anyone who longed for the comics they read as kids in the ’80s should have been reading this book. It was a lot of fun, and I'm sorry to see it go. Seems like I’ve been saying that about a lot of Marvel books lately.
Despite a very slow first couple of issues, Lemire and Smallwood’s Moon Knight ended up being one of the very best Marvel series I’ve read in a long, long time. It was both thoughtful and entertaining, and actually evolved the character (until the next reboot). And now the series is over, like so many other Marvel books I’ve been thoroughly enjoying. Oh well.
I picked up Valerian: The Complete Adventures vol. 1 this week and figured I’d go ahead and knock it out while I’m on vacation since the movie will be out soon. I’d never heard much about it until Besson mentioned it as an influence on The Fifth Element, but I've read a little about it recently.
Going into the book, I knew it started out kind of rough, and boy, it sure did. The first two stories weren’t bad, they just weren’t up to the hype I’ve read about the series in recent years. They focused more on the humor than on the science-fiction. They even take place on Earth rather than outer space, though in different time periods. The first story goes back in time to the 1000s, and involves sorcery, so it feels more like fantasy than sci-fi (not necessarily a bad thing, just not what I was expecting). And the cartoony drawing (verging on bigfoot drawing), which at times shows great potential, is definitely a bit amateurish in places—which one would expect from a young artist on his first big project.
The drawing improves quite a bit in the second story, though still shows some rough edges here and there—but there are several really nice drawings as well. This story jumps back to our past as well, though at the time it was published it would have been 15 years in the future. It has much more of a science fiction angle to it, but a rather heavy-handed sociopolitical message. Again, the creators were very young at the time, so I don't hold it against them, and the story was overall a fun read.
The third story “Empire of a Thousand Planets” (where the upcoming movie gets its title) is much more in line with what the hype for the series would lead one to expect. The storytelling is much better, the art is much better (and more realistic, but not too realistic), and the story is straight-up sci-fi. This is the story which Lucas seems to have borrowed heavily from, and I can certainly see similarities. I still wouldn’t consider Valerian to have reached masterpiece level at this point by any means, but I know and trust it continues to improve with later volumes.
I've got the next two volumes on order, and I'm looking forward to reading what comes next.
Just finished Roughneck by Jeff Lemire. I’m still digesting it, but it's a great book. Maybe not his best, but certainly up there.
The story: Going just by the teaser text, you might think, “This sounds a lot like Essex County.” In some ways it is, but for the most part it’s very different. Yes, it’s another story set in small town Canada, which is where Lemire’s writing seems to thrive best. And, yes, hockey plays a part in the story, though it’s not nearly as integral as it is in Essex County. In fact, the use of hockey in this story is more a matter of “that’s just what you do in Canada” than anything else. The fact that one of the two main characters, Derek Ouelette, is an ex-NHL goon does serve a purpose in the story, but it has nothing to do with nostalgia or glory days, but rather to show that wherever you go, you take your baggage with you.
The artwork: Simply put, Lemire has never been better. His linework is at its most subtle and expressive. And his watercolors are simply gorgeous. Some of the effects he gets are amazing to behold. And the coloring plays a large part in the storytelling. Most of the story is told in a range of blues that not only fit the icy backdrops of northern Canada in winter, but also reflect how the psyches of Derek and his sister, Beth, are frozen in the past. Lemire also employs a rich, bright palette during flashbacks and certain details and sequences—the times in which Derek and Beth are progressing, moving, changing. It’s a familiar conceptual approach, but Lemire uses it expertly. Plus, it’s just beautiful to look at. There are also pages with pentimenti, giving the artwork an even rougher, rawer look that fits well with the themes of the story. I don't know if they were intentional or not, but I have to believe they were.
As I said, I'm still digesting the book, but if you like Lemire’s work at all, you won’t go wrong with Roughneck.
I always forget to mention Weekly Shonen Jump in this thread despite it being the comic I like the most. So here's a run down of what I'm enjoying in the best bang for your buck weekly anthology.
One Piece - obviously, it's the best comic around. The current arc is like if GoT's Red Wedding took place in Homer's imaginary version of Germany (mmm... land of chocolate). Also Shocker from Kamen Rider and Al Capone are there.
One Punch Man - The other best comic around. You just have to wait longer for it to show up. Ostensibly we're in a tournament arc, but that seems to have fallen to the wayside. Now we're in an atmosphere of pure chaos as men are turned into monsters and a variety of people are setting themselves up for Saitama to deliver the titular punch to.
Dr Stone - My favourite of the newer strips. Humanity is turned to stone, and millennia later, 4 teenagers awaken and become the new cave people. Has a good core philosophical conflict, a strong mystery and is just getting to the world building part.
My Hero Academia - If you ever wanted to see the high school element of X-Men comics played perfectly, MHA is for you. And it's got a dose of Top Ten/Wild Cards exploration of what is a world like where superpowers abound.
Black Clover - missed this week due to illness, but if it seems derivative at the start, bear with it, Yuki Tabata's artwork raises it above its inspirations. Set in a pseudo-medieval Europe, it follows a young wizard who can't use magic, but turns out to be talented with Anti-Magic.
The Promised Neverland - I didn't take to this at first, the claustrophobia of much of the series so far turned me off, along with an adult character who initially was too much of a caricature.
But they turned that around, and now the world has opened up, and mysteries are slowly coming into focus, it is a lot more appealing. It's about children trying to escape an orphanage where they are being raised as food for strange demonic beings. Real fun times!
Hunter X Hunter - It's back, it's still wordy, it's still a puzzle of weird powers, but it looks a lot better than the last time it returned. The question is, as ever, how long before it goes on hiatus again.
Everything else I pretty much skip past. But all this, 3-5 times a month for £1.91? Can't be beat.
I am currently reading through the NEXUS omnibi... just finished vol. 1. This comic is still as fresh as it was when I bought it off the stands back in the 80's. Really wonderful.
Also, finally got around to reading Batman 66 meets the Green Hornet. Pretty cool.
Just finished up the first twelve issues of Walt Simonson’s Ragnarök. It’s pretty much what one would expect from Walt: great storytelling and fantastic artwork. I've been saving the issues to read in one big chunk, and I'm glad I did given the longish wait between issues.
Unlike with Marvel’s Thor, Ragnarök takes all the Norse mythology stories as having already happened—it’s the backstory if you will. Walter is telling what comes next, so a lot of the world building is already done for him, and he is extrapolating on that. But you don’t need to know all the ins and outs of Norse mythology to enjoy the story. Walter explains what you need to know as things develop. Usually it comes up very organically, and doesn’t get in the way of the story. There’s one exception, though, in issue #11 which feels a bit unnatural and forced. But all in all, I'm really enjoying the book.
Recently Oni came out with a "Square One," $10 version of the first volume of The Sixth Gun. I devoured that today and boy was it good. How this isn't a movie or TV show is beyoned me. I'm just a little peeved that I'm now going to be spending even more money hunting down the rest of the TPBs. Mission accomplished Oni.
Terry Moore's MOTOR GIRL keeps getting more and more interesting. Just read the last couple issues, which are equal parts heart-breaking/funny/intriguing. This title is my first exposure to Mr. Moore and it definitely won't be my last.
Jason Aaron's STAR WARS, for me, has officially jumped the shark :joy: :confused: I stayed on even after that dreadfully boring "Yoda's Secret War" arc only to be rewarded with that stupid "Screaming Citadel" crossover... but in this latest issue he now expects me to believe that - ***Spoiler*** - Luke and Leia spent 3 weeks between "A New Hope" and "The Empire Strikes Back" crash-landed on a deserted island playing Robinson Crusoe?? I guess my problem is a general problem I have with all SW comics, that if we're supposed to believe our heroes had all these astounding adventures between films, why did they not mention anything or anyone from them in the films? (I know why - the question was rhetorical lol)
Black Bolt #3 had classic Death's Head in it, therefore by default it is my favourite comic this week. But that aside, Black Bolt is the best of the Inhumans comics. Possibly since Marvel's push on them started.
A big part of it is it not really having anything to do with the Inhumans as a concept. Instead it's a story of strange space prision, where Black Bolt has to team with unlikely allies to escape. Some familiar, some new, some real deep pulls from Marvel continuity.
Christian Ward's amazing art and layouts help too.
Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye #9 - I picked up this issue because I wanted to try something different and... that's definitely what I got. I never thought I'd read an issue in which Cave Carson teams up with Wild Dog and someone's brain is used as a projectile weapon. I'm confused and I like it!
Cyborg #14 - Another impulse buy. The last page cameo of next issue's possible antagonists make me curious to read more.
Green Lanterns #26 - This issue provides an origin for Volthoom before the action of issue #25 resumes. This was helpful for me since I hadn't been reading Green Lantern titles for some time, issue #25 being my first in years.
Also, I just reread the first Superman/Flash race from Superman #199, which made me snicker at this month's Snickers ads.
I guess my problem is a general problem I have with all SW comics, that if we're supposed to believe our heroes had all these astounding adventures between films, why did they not mention anything or anyone from them in the films?
My same feelings back when I had a subscription during the original Marvel Star Wars publishing run. This time around started off great, but I fell off about issue 16. I began getting that same feeling. It's a catch 22 in that I'd like to be reading the ongoing adventures beyond the movies, but apparently the audience for post saga comic books isn't quite as large.
Black Bolt #3 had classic Death's Head in it, therefore by default it is my favourite comic this week. But that aside, Black Bolt is the best of the Inhumans comics.
One of my favorite characters. It's too bad ABC appears to be prepared to ruin Black Bolt for the general public with their upcoming series. I hope I'm wrong.
I always forget to mention Weekly Shonen Jump in this thread despite it being the comic I like the most. So here's a run down of what I'm enjoying in the best bang for your buck weekly anthology.
One Piece - obviously, it's the best comic around. The current arc is like if GoT's Red Wedding took place in Homer's imaginary version of Germany (mmm... land of chocolate). Also Shocker from Kamen Rider and Al Capone are there.
One Punch Man - The other best comic around. You just have to wait longer for it to show up. Ostensibly we're in a tournament arc, but that seems to have fallen to the wayside. Now we're in an atmosphere of pure chaos as men are turned into monsters and a variety of people are setting themselves up for Saitama to deliver the titular punch to.
Dr Stone - My favourite of the newer strips. Humanity is turned to stone, and millennia later, 4 teenagers awaken and become the new cave people. Has a good core philosophical conflict, a strong mystery and is just getting to the world building part.
My Hero Academia - If you ever wanted to see the high school element of X-Men comics played perfectly, MHA is for you. And it's got a dose of Top Ten/Wild Cards exploration of what is a world like where superpowers abound.
Black Clover - missed this week due to illness, but if it seems derivative at the start, bear with it, Yuki Tabata's artwork raises it above its inspirations. Set in a pseudo-medieval Europe, it follows a young wizard who can't use magic, but turns out to be talented with Anti-Magic.
The Promised Neverland - I didn't take to this at first, the claustrophobia of much of the series so far turned me off, along with an adult character who initially was too much of a caricature.
But they turned that around, and now the world has opened up, and mysteries are slowly coming into focus, it is a lot more appealing. It's about children trying to escape an orphanage where they are being raised as food for strange demonic beings. Real fun times!
Hunter X Hunter - It's back, it's still wordy, it's still a puzzle of weird powers, but it looks a lot better than the last time it returned. The question is, as ever, how long before it goes on hiatus again.
Everything else I pretty much skip past. But all this, 3-5 times a month for £1.91? Can't be beat.
Assuming this is digital? Is it something you can just jump into? I've been reading Fairy Tail, my first manga and enjoying it. This sounds like it could be something to widen my scope... as well as it being a great price.
I always forget to mention Weekly Shonen Jump in this thread despite it being the comic I like the most. So here's a run down of what I'm enjoying in the best bang for your buck weekly anthology.
One Piece - obviously, it's the best comic around. The current arc is like if GoT's Red Wedding took place in Homer's imaginary version of Germany (mmm... land of chocolate). Also Shocker from Kamen Rider and Al Capone are there.
One Punch Man - The other best comic around. You just have to wait longer for it to show up. Ostensibly we're in a tournament arc, but that seems to have fallen to the wayside. Now we're in an atmosphere of pure chaos as men are turned into monsters and a variety of people are setting themselves up for Saitama to deliver the titular punch to.
Dr Stone - My favourite of the newer strips. Humanity is turned to stone, and millennia later, 4 teenagers awaken and become the new cave people. Has a good core philosophical conflict, a strong mystery and is just getting to the world building part.
My Hero Academia - If you ever wanted to see the high school element of X-Men comics played perfectly, MHA is for you. And it's got a dose of Top Ten/Wild Cards exploration of what is a world like where superpowers abound.
Black Clover - missed this week due to illness, but if it seems derivative at the start, bear with it, Yuki Tabata's artwork raises it above its inspirations. Set in a pseudo-medieval Europe, it follows a young wizard who can't use magic, but turns out to be talented with Anti-Magic.
The Promised Neverland - I didn't take to this at first, the claustrophobia of much of the series so far turned me off, along with an adult character who initially was too much of a caricature.
But they turned that around, and now the world has opened up, and mysteries are slowly coming into focus, it is a lot more appealing. It's about children trying to escape an orphanage where they are being raised as food for strange demonic beings. Real fun times!
Hunter X Hunter - It's back, it's still wordy, it's still a puzzle of weird powers, but it looks a lot better than the last time it returned. The question is, as ever, how long before it goes on hiatus again.
Everything else I pretty much skip past. But all this, 3-5 times a month for £1.91? Can't be beat.
Assuming this is digital? Is it something you can just jump into? I've been reading Fairy Tail, my first manga and enjoying it. This sounds like it could be something to widen my scope... as well as it being a great price.
Personally I think you can jump straight in to most of these, they provide a pre-chapter summary every week for each strip (longer when HxH returns from its hiatuses).
You can buy digital volumes through the app, so if something really grabs you it's easy to go back to the beginning. And they are available on Comixology too if you don't want another app.
Really, it's so cheap it's worth trying it for a month to see how you get on.
I always forget to mention Weekly Shonen Jump in this thread despite it being the comic I like the most. So here's a run down of what I'm enjoying in the best bang for your buck weekly anthology.
One Piece - obviously, it's the best comic around. The current arc is like if GoT's Red Wedding took place in Homer's imaginary version of Germany (mmm... land of chocolate). Also Shocker from Kamen Rider and Al Capone are there.
One Punch Man - The other best comic around. You just have to wait longer for it to show up. Ostensibly we're in a tournament arc, but that seems to have fallen to the wayside. Now we're in an atmosphere of pure chaos as men are turned into monsters and a variety of people are setting themselves up for Saitama to deliver the titular punch to.
Dr Stone - My favourite of the newer strips. Humanity is turned to stone, and millennia later, 4 teenagers awaken and become the new cave people. Has a good core philosophical conflict, a strong mystery and is just getting to the world building part.
My Hero Academia - If you ever wanted to see the high school element of X-Men comics played perfectly, MHA is for you. And it's got a dose of Top Ten/Wild Cards exploration of what is a world like where superpowers abound.
Black Clover - missed this week due to illness, but if it seems derivative at the start, bear with it, Yuki Tabata's artwork raises it above its inspirations. Set in a pseudo-medieval Europe, it follows a young wizard who can't use magic, but turns out to be talented with Anti-Magic.
The Promised Neverland - I didn't take to this at first, the claustrophobia of much of the series so far turned me off, along with an adult character who initially was too much of a caricature.
But they turned that around, and now the world has opened up, and mysteries are slowly coming into focus, it is a lot more appealing. It's about children trying to escape an orphanage where they are being raised as food for strange demonic beings. Real fun times!
Hunter X Hunter - It's back, it's still wordy, it's still a puzzle of weird powers, but it looks a lot better than the last time it returned. The question is, as ever, how long before it goes on hiatus again.
Everything else I pretty much skip past. But all this, 3-5 times a month for £1.91? Can't be beat.
Assuming this is digital? Is it something you can just jump into? I've been reading Fairy Tail, my first manga and enjoying it. This sounds like it could be something to widen my scope... as well as it being a great price.
Personally I think you can jump straight in to most of these, they provide a pre-chapter summary every week for each strip (longer when HxH returns from its hiatuses).
You can buy digital volumes through the app, so if something really grabs you it's easy to go back to the beginning. And they are available on Comixology too if you don't want another app.
Really, it's so cheap it's worth trying it for a month to see how you get on.
I'd been interested in checking out Black Mask Studios' CALEXIT #1 (w: Pizzolo; a: Nahuelpan) since it was announced months ago. Yes it sounded a bit gimmicky, as if it were merely capitalizing on our loud, recent mess of an election, but I still thought it'd be worth checking out. When it didn't make its planned June release, I grew skeptical. Maybe it was greenlit prematurely? Maybe it was just a publicity ploy for the indy publisher? But the book finally dropped this week - and wow. CALEXIT is the real deal! An imaginative alternate reality (or potential reality) inspired by current politics, with fascinating characters, lots of action, cool artwork, and thoughtful backmatter articles underscoring how this comic book is no gimmick. Its creators have given lots of thought to the nuts and bolts of what's going on in our country. And in their setting of a secessionist California, they've mined it for great entertainment and social commentary.
It is a slow burn, and probably would read better collected if I could make myself wait for it, but I have really been digging The Wildstorm by Ellis and Davis-Hunt. I feel like it has a lot of the attitude and grounded SF that I loved about his Stormwatch and Authority, though so far mostly played out at an espionage scale rather than widescreen.
Comments
I haven't been overly impressed with Joshua Williamson's writing so far but I have enjoyed Carmine Di Giandomenico's art since I was first exposed to it in All-New X-Factor and it's just as strong here.
What did I like and dislike about this issue? Let's get the "dislikes" out of the way first. Barry's whining and the tired trope of a superhero "protecting" a loved one from their secret identity or fearing the truth would lead to rejection.
Now, on to what I liked. Good 'ol "What Kind Of Name Is" Eobard Thawne beating the snot out of "fake Kid Flash". When he said "Hell...you're not even the real Wally West", I almost expected him to turn and wink at the reader as if he were the Psycho Pirate from Morrison's Animal Man.
DC, if you ever have a Multiversal Super Hero Roast, please invite Reverse-Flash to host.
-chris
I read an issue of the All-Star Squadron (1981) then read a synopsis and inside info for each issue from Twomorrows "All Star Companion vol 2". It is a fun reading experience as they give actual facts of WW2 to explain why or why not a certain event happened in the comic.
I'm only up to issue five of the series but I have noticed that there is a LOT crammed into each issue and tends to take longer than a modern day comic to read. You got your money's worth!
I'm also reading modern day comics also. Kill or Be Killed is at the very top of my reading list. The Alterna Comics Press comics being published on newsprint have all been good reads, and they are priced cheap. You can afford to try them out. They are a $1.50 each!!! Alterna Comics will be publishing the Trespasser 4 issue limited series about a man and his daughter who are surviving in a "crumbled world" when a strange visitor shows up. I help fund the kickstarter project and received the completed TPB this week and it was a great read. It will be printed on newsprint and priced cheap.
I forgot how much fun his art was back then. Spider-Man (1990) was Todd drawing cool Spidey fights where there may or may not be a story involved. He draws a great Spidey and an awesome Danny Ketch Ghost Rider (top 3? arguably top 2?).
The main drawback is that there is no story, but we don't need no stinkin' story with that art. At least that is what 10 year old matt thought in 1990; Matt 27 years later still somewhat believes that. But I do want storytelling, which is where the art falls apart. You really have to pay attention, and it gets jumbled (especially the any art that features the witch in Torment).
Even with the flaws it's fun, energetic, and iconic. I give it a very solid borrow if you are an old fogey or if you are under 40 a very solid buy. Get a copy of the omnibus used on Amazon.
I have read Adam Wreck. It was fun and a lighthearted space comedy involving a teenager and his parents. I enjoyed it, I would recommend it if you liked his other stuff.
First up was Gaiman's SANDMAN, vol. 1 - because back in the day I only read stray issues here and there, never the whole tome in order, and that's a summer project of mine. This first arc was really interesting. Not only to see what I did/didn't remember, but also to see how it holds up today (pretty darn well). I'm surprised at how accessible it is. For some reason, I remembered it being more Alan Moore-ish; a slower and concentrated read. But nope. It moves about at a fast pace and is quite inviting, both in word and (lovely) art. Volume 2 is in my near future. Nice to see you again, Neil Gaiman :smile:
I then downshifted into Giffen's BLUE BEETLE: REBIRTH, vol. 1. I'd never read much of this new Jaime Reyes version of the character, I knew him more from his appearances in DC animated projects, and I've liked the character concept quite a bit. Unfortunately, in my opinion, he flounders under Giffen - whom I've loved in the past, but here, it becomes clear very quickly that this author just can't write teenagers at all. On top of that is an arc with too many characters, and way too much plot. Scott Kolins' artwork is great, though. It's the book's only saving grace. Here is what I'd need, if I ever did read the next arc: 1) a simpler story which focuses on Jaime and Ted Kord; 2) dialogue which doesn't sound so glib and hokey; 3) a Ted Kord who isn't desperately trying to be quirky and relevant with every word balloon - play it, don't say it.
I then picked up Jim Henson's posthumous TALE OF SAND (co-written by Jerry Juhl, art by Ramon Perez) which... now don't kill me... I also found underwhelming. I know - I'm the only one! :open_mouth: The whole world went nuts for this work, it won a bunch of Eisners, it is almost worshipped. But it's almost like it was flawed for me in the exact opposite way BLUE BEETLE was; this book didn't give me *enough* plot. I confess, I put it down about 75% of the way through. I can see why Perez was praised for it - he's truly gifted at the visual-storyteller thing. I just wanted more story for him to tell. I think I can see why the original screenplay for this never went anywhere in Hollywood. It's an interesting concept, yes - but from my point of view, it needed another draft or two. Now I'm depressed for not loving this. Is there anyone else out there who did not love this?
Going into the book, I knew it started out kind of rough, and boy, it sure did. The first two stories weren’t bad, they just weren’t up to the hype I’ve read about the series in recent years. They focused more on the humor than on the science-fiction. They even take place on Earth rather than outer space, though in different time periods. The first story goes back in time to the 1000s, and involves sorcery, so it feels more like fantasy than sci-fi (not necessarily a bad thing, just not what I was expecting). And the cartoony drawing (verging on bigfoot drawing), which at times shows great potential, is definitely a bit amateurish in places—which one would expect from a young artist on his first big project.
The drawing improves quite a bit in the second story, though still shows some rough edges here and there—but there are several really nice drawings as well. This story jumps back to our past as well, though at the time it was published it would have been 15 years in the future. It has much more of a science fiction angle to it, but a rather heavy-handed sociopolitical message. Again, the creators were very young at the time, so I don't hold it against them, and the story was overall a fun read.
The third story “Empire of a Thousand Planets” (where the upcoming movie gets its title) is much more in line with what the hype for the series would lead one to expect. The storytelling is much better, the art is much better (and more realistic, but not too realistic), and the story is straight-up sci-fi. This is the story which Lucas seems to have borrowed heavily from, and I can certainly see similarities. I still wouldn’t consider Valerian to have reached masterpiece level at this point by any means, but I know and trust it continues to improve with later volumes.
I've got the next two volumes on order, and I'm looking forward to reading what comes next.
The story: Going just by the teaser text, you might think, “This sounds a lot like Essex County.” In some ways it is, but for the most part it’s very different. Yes, it’s another story set in small town Canada, which is where Lemire’s writing seems to thrive best. And, yes, hockey plays a part in the story, though it’s not nearly as integral as it is in Essex County. In fact, the use of hockey in this story is more a matter of “that’s just what you do in Canada” than anything else. The fact that one of the two main characters, Derek Ouelette, is an ex-NHL goon does serve a purpose in the story, but it has nothing to do with nostalgia or glory days, but rather to show that wherever you go, you take your baggage with you.
The artwork: Simply put, Lemire has never been better. His linework is at its most subtle and expressive. And his watercolors are simply gorgeous. Some of the effects he gets are amazing to behold. And the coloring plays a large part in the storytelling. Most of the story is told in a range of blues that not only fit the icy backdrops of northern Canada in winter, but also reflect how the psyches of Derek and his sister, Beth, are frozen in the past. Lemire also employs a rich, bright palette during flashbacks and certain details and sequences—the times in which Derek and Beth are progressing, moving, changing. It’s a familiar conceptual approach, but Lemire uses it expertly. Plus, it’s just beautiful to look at. There are also pages with pentimenti, giving the artwork an even rougher, rawer look that fits well with the themes of the story. I don't know if they were intentional or not, but I have to believe they were.
As I said, I'm still digesting the book, but if you like Lemire’s work at all, you won’t go wrong with Roughneck.
One Piece - obviously, it's the best comic around. The current arc is like if GoT's Red Wedding took place in Homer's imaginary version of Germany (mmm... land of chocolate). Also Shocker from Kamen Rider and Al Capone are there.
One Punch Man - The other best comic around. You just have to wait longer for it to show up. Ostensibly we're in a tournament arc, but that seems to have fallen to the wayside. Now we're in an atmosphere of pure chaos as men are turned into monsters and a variety of people are setting themselves up for Saitama to deliver the titular punch to.
Dr Stone - My favourite of the newer strips. Humanity is turned to stone, and millennia later, 4 teenagers awaken and become the new cave people. Has a good core philosophical conflict, a strong mystery and is just getting to the world building part.
My Hero Academia - If you ever wanted to see the high school element of X-Men comics played perfectly, MHA is for you. And it's got a dose of Top Ten/Wild Cards exploration of what is a world like where superpowers abound.
Black Clover - missed this week due to illness, but if it seems derivative at the start, bear with it, Yuki Tabata's artwork raises it above its inspirations. Set in a pseudo-medieval Europe, it follows a young wizard who can't use magic, but turns out to be talented with Anti-Magic.
The Promised Neverland - I didn't take to this at first, the claustrophobia of much of the series so far turned me off, along with an adult character who initially was too much of a caricature.
But they turned that around, and now the world has opened up, and mysteries are slowly coming into focus, it is a lot more appealing. It's about children trying to escape an orphanage where they are being raised as food for strange demonic beings. Real fun times!
Hunter X Hunter - It's back, it's still wordy, it's still a puzzle of weird powers, but it looks a lot better than the last time it returned. The question is, as ever, how long before it goes on hiatus again.
Everything else I pretty much skip past. But all this, 3-5 times a month for £1.91? Can't be beat.
Also, finally got around to reading Batman 66 meets the Green Hornet. Pretty cool.
Unlike with Marvel’s Thor, Ragnarök takes all the Norse mythology stories as having already happened—it’s the backstory if you will. Walter is telling what comes next, so a lot of the world building is already done for him, and he is extrapolating on that. But you don’t need to know all the ins and outs of Norse mythology to enjoy the story. Walter explains what you need to know as things develop. Usually it comes up very organically, and doesn’t get in the way of the story. There’s one exception, though, in issue #11 which feels a bit unnatural and forced. But all in all, I'm really enjoying the book.
Best of all though—Ratatoskr!
Jason Aaron's STAR WARS, for me, has officially jumped the shark :joy: :confused: I stayed on even after that dreadfully boring "Yoda's Secret War" arc only to be rewarded with that stupid "Screaming Citadel" crossover... but in this latest issue he now expects me to believe that - ***Spoiler*** - Luke and Leia spent 3 weeks between "A New Hope" and "The Empire Strikes Back" crash-landed on a deserted island playing Robinson Crusoe?? I guess my problem is a general problem I have with all SW comics, that if we're supposed to believe our heroes had all these astounding adventures between films, why did they not mention anything or anyone from them in the films? (I know why - the question was rhetorical lol)
A big part of it is it not really having anything to do with the Inhumans as a concept. Instead it's a story of strange space prision, where Black Bolt has to team with unlikely allies to escape. Some familiar, some new, some real deep pulls from Marvel continuity.
Christian Ward's amazing art and layouts help too.
Cyborg #14 - Another impulse buy. The last page cameo of next issue's possible antagonists make me curious to read more.
Green Lanterns #26 - This issue provides an origin for Volthoom before the action of issue #25 resumes. This was helpful for me since I hadn't been reading Green Lantern titles for some time, issue #25 being my first in years.
Also, I just reread the first Superman/Flash race from Superman #199, which made me snicker at this month's Snickers ads.
One of my favorite characters. It's too bad ABC appears to be prepared to ruin Black Bolt for the general public with their upcoming series. I hope I'm wrong.
Is it something you can just jump into? I've been reading Fairy Tail, my first manga and enjoying it. This sounds like it could be something to widen my scope... as well as it being a great price.
Personally I think you can jump straight in to most of these, they provide a pre-chapter summary every week for each strip (longer when HxH returns from its hiatuses).
You can buy digital volumes through the app, so if something really grabs you it's easy to go back to the beginning. And they are available on Comixology too if you don't want another app.
Really, it's so cheap it's worth trying it for a month to see how you get on.