Comics, etc.

Hemidal wrote:

That's about all I can say. I had been reading comics since I was 6 and got into collecting around 1984, so these changes were big deals back then.

Wow, I'm sounding like Old Man Winter or something... :)

that's almost exactly when I started collecting as well.

I've decided to make the shift to exclusively being a "reader" and no longer so much a "collector." I've gotten to a point where I own a box full of single issue comics and even though I want to re-read them, I cannot bring myself to take them out of the plastic and touch them.

Let me be clear, these are not rare or expensive comics. I believe that my most valuable comic is the variant cover of the first issue of Batman: Hush. The entire collection might be 100 dollars. But, I still can't sully them. So I'm just going to sell them, hopefully to the very shop I bought them from, and purchase the collections I want to read in trade. Making my entire collection one of trade paperbacks.

It's hard to resist those little 15-20 page books on the rack, with their shiny newness and their promise of a sound investment, but alas, they are no longer enough. I'd rather wait a longer term and read a complete arc on a more durable medium.

I think I'll be a happier reader in the long run.

Chiggie Von Richthofen wrote:

I think I'll be a happier reader in the long run.

That's because you'll be happier in the long run, and probably the short run. Medium runs? I couldn't say.

Figured you guys might want to see this. It's a preview of the new Marvel Secret Invasion story line.

Yes, it has some spoilers.

http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/03...

It might explain how they'll bring Cap back.

I've been wanting to throw another plug in for The Exiles. If you have ever enjoyed an X-book, or read a bunch of old Marvel comics, this one can't miss imho. I've been re-reading it lately.

Basically, it's What If? with a continual plotline and characters. The timelines of several alternate realities have been damaged, and it falls to six mutant heroes to fix them. They kind of quantum leap into worlds where various Marvel characters and events are different than they were in "our" timeline (trying to avoid spoilers here).

This is the most traditional book I'm reading right now, and I'm loving it. I'm also enjoying the "newish" X-Factor a lot. Along with Y, Ex Machina, Invincible, 100 Bullets, The Walking Dead, etc.

So, I've never been a comic book reader, but its always been something I've been interested in. And now I want to actually start reading some. The problem is, I stopped by the local comic book store this last weekend and I was lost in the sea of various series. I walked out with the first two Volumes of "Runaways" (Issues 1 - 12) on the advice of a friend. So far, I've enjoyed it and I plan on going back to pick up another volume or two. However, I want to pick up another series as well and I was hoping some people could suggest to me something to pick up. I'd prefer to pick up an older comic, where I can get several issues in a single volume. Any suggestions of things I need to read?

Arguably the most popular comic going right now is Y: The Last Man. You really can't go wrong with that one, there are about 9 volumes of trade paperbacks out, and the whole thing is about to wrap up.

Fedaykin98 wrote:

Arguably the most popular comic going right now is Y: The Last Man. You really can't go wrong with that one, there are about 9 volumes of trade paperbacks out, and the whole thing is about to wrap up.

Actually, I think the last issue came out 2-3 weeks ago, but the last trade volume probably isn't out yet.

So, everyone was correct, yay!

What are these "issues" you speak of?

Well, I'll argue that "Y" isn't the "best comic ever," but if you're interested in buying the trades you might want to wait a while.

Now that the series is over, DC is going to re-release them in hardcover format... each of the hardcovers will contain TWO of the previously released trades. I know some people go for the whole aesthetic aspect of trades, and like to see a nice line of books on the shelves... and other people couldn't care less. Still, I thought I'd throw it out there.

It's not the best comic ever; that's either Preacher or The Dark Knight Returns.

Secret Invasion with the Skrulls, pretty neat looking. Though I must confess, I haven't been keeping up with comics like I used to.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/...

I can't believe I missed the joyous news these past few days about the heirs of Jerry Siegel finally winning back part of the copyright on Superman. It's just a shame that Jerry didn't live long enough to see this come true.

EDIT: more info.

Fedaykin98 wrote:

I've been wanting to throw another plug in for The Exiles. If you have ever enjoyed an X-book, or read a bunch of old Marvel comics, this one can't miss imho. I've been re-reading it lately.

Basically, it's What If? with a continual plotline and characters. The timelines of several alternate realities have been damaged, and it falls to six mutant heroes to fix them. They kind of quantum leap into worlds where various Marvel characters and events are different than they were in "our" timeline (trying to avoid spoilers here).

This is the most traditional book I'm reading right now, and I'm loving it. I'm also enjoying the "newish" X-Factor a lot. Along with Y, Ex Machina, Invincible, 100 Bullets, The Walking Dead, etc.

A caveat, from my personal experience: Exlies starts brilliantly, starts to tail off around the 5th trade, but stays worthwhile, up until the point that they gave to Chris Claremont to write. Like just about everything he has written in the last decade, it's poorly scripted, poorly plotted, and seems to suffer from ADD. It's a real shame; Exiles was one of my must see books for a long time.

Most of what I would recommend has been covered in depth, so I'll mention Midnight Nation by J. Michael Straczynski, The Losers (5 volumes) by Andy Diggle, and Nightly News by Jonathan Hickman.

Obviously, I would recommend just about anything by Warren Ellis as well!

I remember liking Claremont when he was writing X-Men. Is Dave in the big red room pulling out Chris' logic circuits?

I've been having similar thoughts about Loeb. It's not that he's putting out crap or anything, it just feels like his stuff is a little less fleshed out lately.

Claremont seems to drop and invent storylines on a whim these days. He wants all of his favourite characters on his team - for a multiversal group, Exiles sure has a lot of 616 types on it these days - and while this may not be unusual amongst writers, he will get rid of the popular mainstays to make way for someone that he really has no plot for.

What you end up with is stories appearing from nowhere, disappearing without explanation, a hell of a lot happening off panel that you just have to guess about, and a sense that the mighty have fallen.

I've only recently started reading Loeb's stuff with any particular focus; I enjoyed the classic Batman and Superman things that he did. I was not too impressed by the Ultimate/Supreme crossover he was involved in, but will wait for Ultimates 3 before I make any rash decisions.

Incidentally Chiggie, love the name! I watched all of Space: Above and Beyond on DVD a few weeks ago. Love that show.

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No, I just wanted to say that 100 Bullets is probably one of the best set of Trades I've read since... well, since ever. I've never choked up while reading a comic book before. I've done it twice, now. In-effing-credible.

buzzvang wrote:

No, I just wanted to say that 100 Bullets is probably one of the best set of Trades I've read since... well, since ever. I've never choked up while reading a comic book before. I've done it twice, now. In-effing-credible.

I agree, I can't wait for the next trade to come out. I wonder if the game will be any good when it comes out in October.

Anyone interested in Poison Elves? I've got some trades & back issues I would like to unload (I got a sh*t-ton of stuff I need to clear out, way too many long boxes in my house).

100 Bullets goes in and out for me. I like the individual stories but I'm not wild about the overseeing enabling entity that prods the people into having their adventure. I think I would like it more if it was a story about people getting fed up and being motivated on their own terms rather than having a mysterious hand to push them along.

The new Hellboy (I think 9) trade is good. I grabbed it the other day and apparently it's only a month or so old. I would warn that it doesn't have much of an ending, so now I'm waiting for 10.

Finished Y: The Last Man, whose final trade just released last week.

I told y'all 100 Bullets rocks!

trowan wrote:

I up to the Joss Whedon issues of Runaways, what a great, fun series.

Yeah. One of my favorites. Strikes a good balance between being serious and being fun. I often get burned out on straight up superhero comics. So I'll go on a binge and read stuff like "Persepolis", "Strangers in Paradise" (one of my all time favorites) and stuff like that. Then I'll get burned out on those and it's nice to have a series like "Y" or "Runaways" that fits somewhere in the middle. Not so much over the top like "52", but not as serious as other comics.

I up to the Joss Whedon issues of Runaways, what a great, fun series.

No, I'm not Bizarro, I just can't type gooder.

I just read the first trade of Whedon's Runaways yesterday. I was amazed o find that it was even better than Vaughan's run (I re-read all of it prior to the new book).

Big day for trades today; Angel season 6 vol 1, Countdown vol 2, and Annihilation: Conquest vol 2. Nothing earth shattering, but a few things that I have been waiting for.

With the rising cost of, well, everything, I decided that was just going to finish what I had started for the moment, and not start any new runs. I'm justifying the Angel thing since it continues the TV show!

I've fallen behind some. Did Astonishing X-Men vol 4 ever come out?

Chiggie Von Richthofen wrote:

I've fallen behind some. Did Astonishing X-Men vol 4 ever come out?

I don't think it's out yet. The final issue of Whedon's run only came out a few weeks ago. (And it was a fantastic finish!)
---Todd

ubrakto wrote:
Chiggie Von Richthofen wrote:

I've fallen behind some. Did Astonishing X-Men vol 4 ever come out?

I don't think it's out yet. The final issue of Whedon's run only came out a few weeks ago. (And it was a fantastic finish!)
---Todd

Volume 4 dropped about two or three weeks ago. Beginning of the month, I think.

RSPaulette wrote:
ubrakto wrote:
Chiggie Von Richthofen wrote:

I've fallen behind some. Did Astonishing X-Men vol 4 ever come out?

I don't think it's out yet. The final issue of Whedon's run only came out a few weeks ago. (And it was a fantastic finish!)
---Todd

Volume 4 dropped about two or three weeks ago. Beginning of the month, I think.

Field trip!

Shows what I know.

Looks like I'll be missing Wizard World Texas again this year. I may have to venture out to my local comic shop to pick up some trades. *shudder*

Full price hurts my soul.

Hemidal wrote:

Looks like I'll be missing Wizard World Texas again this year. I may have to venture out to my local comic shop to pick up some trades. *shudder*

Full price hurts my soul. :)

I get all mine online for about 35% - 40% off.