Professor Posted August 1, 2012 Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 Ghost World - I don't get it. New X-Men by Grant Morrison (#114-133, A01) - I don't mind the story, but I cannot say I am engrossed by it either. Also, the art is consistently bad, which with multiple artists is kinda surprising. Interesting enough to finish off the run tho. Comics: 2 Graphic Novels: 1 Trades: 134 (744) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted August 1, 2012 Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 The Newsboy Legion vol. 1: Really fell behind on my Kirby Omnibuses. This one, done with Joe Simon after Timely pissed them off enough to leave, had them teaming up Guardian (Captain America) with a brand new boy gang, which was essentially a genre the two created. Some of these are really fun. One, a nightmare scenario in which the Nazis take NY had to be terrifying for kids of the day (1942). Good shit, if you can get past the Golden Age aspects of it. Irredeemable Ant-Man: I don't think I've ever read the whole run of this before., I covered a couple issues for the Show or written IIWY maybe. The funny thing is, reading Civil War era Marvel is about as removed as 70s Marvel is continuity-wise at this point. Strange. Funny book, but it's the intelligent storytelling that really sets it apart from others. Comics: 577 Graphic Novels: 18 Trades: 31 Omnibus: 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted August 3, 2012 Report Share Posted August 3, 2012 Annihilation: Recently read all 29 issues of the Annihilation crossover. Overall, pretty good. The minis (with the exception of the horribly bad Super-Skrull) were all really good. Ronan in particular was great. I felt like things didn't quite work in the actual 6 issue main title. It left things very unsatisfactory to me. I'll still read Conquest in a while though. Comics: 606 Graphic Novels: 18 Trades: 31 Omnibus: 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted August 3, 2012 Report Share Posted August 3, 2012 Fantastic Four Visionaries By Walter Simonson vol. 2-If you don't remember me going apeshit over volume one, I'll recap. It had a massive sci fi horror epic adaptation of At The Mountains of Madness co-starring Thor and Iron Man and quite possibly the only successful comic book slapstick comedy of errors as tie-ins to Acts of Vengeance (containing one of my all-time favorite issues). This one starts off with a single issue about Human Torch dealing with a teenager's suicide emulating him. It's a great story with terrible art, but it was neither written nor drawn by Simonson. Even the cover appeared to be someone trying to ape Simonson's style. It's a great issue story-wise but one questions why they had a fill-in in a tpb dedicated to Simonson when it didn't tie-in to any of his stories. Simonson's run on FF was short but beautiful. His story here is a time travel story versus dinosaurs but is more of a personal story between Ben Grimm and Ms. Marvel (Sharon Ventura, the She-Thing). Great stuff. The New Teen Titans Omnibus volume 1-Almost 700 pages of Teen Titans goodness by Marv Wolfman and George Perez. I'm not sure what to say about this other than it is one of the greatest comics ever produced. Amazingly well-done portrayals of teenagers ina time when they were either whiny or mini-adults in other books. I remembered my crush on Donna Troy and how ridiculously horny Beast Boy is. Great book, especially the stuff dealing with the Doom Patrol. Can't wait to dig in to volume two! Comics: 606 Graphic Novels: 18 Trades: 32 Omnibus: 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koete Posted August 3, 2012 Report Share Posted August 3, 2012 I love that that issue is a Secret Wars II tie-in of all things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted August 4, 2012 Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 I love that that issue is a Secret Wars II tie-in of all things. Not officially though, right? There is some depression fallout from the Nebula thing for sure. There isn't a banner on the cover or anything. Legends of the Dark Knight: Jim Aparo vol. 1-Wow! Now this is how you do a "Visionaries" style volume. While the Marvel books contain fill-in issues where Simonson or whoever didn't even have a part in them, this book doesn't even print the covers that Aparo didn't do! This volume covers his run on Brave and the Bold so there's probably two more volumes to come. That suits me fine because Aparo is MY Batman artist. Some great shit here too. In particular, my all-time favorite B&tB issue: Batman dies trying to rescue a little girl. Well, his synapses are firing bt he's brain dead. Until The Atom hops into his head and tries to jolt him back to life. Batman then becomes a walking corpse whose only primary functions work. Know what Batman's primary function is? Kicking crime's ass! That's right, his brain isn't even working by proessing thought, only instinctive synapses are fired, and one of those instincts is to finish his mission and save the girl. Fucking amazing. I've never been a fan of Bob Haney's Teen Titans work, but his writing in these issues is amazing. Crazy, but amazing. The team-ups with modern Sgt. Rock are awe-inspiring as well. Great book! Comics: 606 Graphic Novels: 18 Trades: 32 Omnibus: 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted August 6, 2012 Report Share Posted August 6, 2012 Spirit World: Upcoming episode of DM X-Men Endangered Species: This ran as a series of backups in the X-books a few years back as a sort of prelude to Messiah Complex. It's a Beast-centric story which is interesting because, while he's at the forefront of a lot of stuff, he gets a lot of short shrift storywise. This wa sa really good character piece on him. The chagning artists and writers did not affect it negatively. I really enjoy Scot Eaton and I have to say that mark Bagley might draw the best cat-Beast yet! Not too shabby. Comics: 606 Graphic Novels: 18 Trades: 34 Omnibus: 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted August 6, 2012 Report Share Posted August 6, 2012 Legends of the Dark Knight: Jim Aparo vol. 1-Wow! Now this is how you do a "Visionaries" style volume. While the Marvel books contain fill-in issues where Simonson or whoever didn't even have a part in them, this book doesn't even print the covers that Aparo didn't do! This volume covers his run on Brave and the Bold so there's probably two more volumes to come. That suits me fine because Aparo is MY Batman artist. Some great shit here too. In particular, my all-time favorite B&tB issue: Batman dies trying to rescue a little girl. Well, his synapses are firing bt he's brain dead. Until The Atom hops into his head and tries to jolt him back to life. Batman then becomes a walking corpse whose only primary functions work. Know what Batman's primary function is? Kicking crime's ass! That's right, his brain isn't even working by proessing thought, only instinctive synapses are fired, and one of those instincts is to finish his mission and save the girl. Fucking amazing. I've never been a fan of Bob Haney's Teen Titans work, but his writing in these issues is amazing. Crazy, but amazing. The team-ups with modern Sgt. Rock are awe-inspiring as well. Great book! I have to have this. Aparo was put on this Earth to draw Batman and no one has ever come close to matching him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
You Know Who Posted August 7, 2012 Report Share Posted August 7, 2012 Well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc20willsave Posted August 7, 2012 Report Share Posted August 7, 2012 There's badass and then there's BADASS! That image is more... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted August 8, 2012 Report Share Posted August 8, 2012 I can draw a pretty convincing silhouette of Batman. It's pretty easy. Aparo has fluidity of movement and characterization in the face that Miller couldn't match on his best day. Great image, doesn't compare though. Captain America by Jack Kirby Omnibus: I always forget how CRAZY Kirby's 70s Cap was. When he returned after his work at DC, he was about as creative as any human on earth could possibly be. Late 70s Kirby was on fucking fire. But I think sometimes that he was perhaps too on fucking fire for Captain America. But it was the Bicentennial and they wanted to make a splash. Kirby back on Cap was HUGE! Madbomb, then Mexican jailer Swine and then Arnim Zola. Boom, boom, boom. Though my favorite story is him versus Magneto and his Mutant Squad (who would go on to call themselves Resistants in late 80s Cap) in the final Cap work Jack did. Brilliant. Comics: 606 Graphic Novels: 18 Trades: 34 Omnibus: 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Robinson Posted August 8, 2012 Report Share Posted August 8, 2012 That would be Mazzucchelli though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted August 8, 2012 Report Share Posted August 8, 2012 My bad. I know that, I just find it very difficult to remove Miller from the art on Year One in my mind. My point stands. Also, he's drawn just shy of 100 pages of Batman, Aparo has probably two thousand under his belt and not a mis-step. No contest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted August 8, 2012 Report Share Posted August 8, 2012 Fantastic Four Visionaries by George Perez volumes 1 and 2: Had to move back in time after the Simonson books to look at the Perez volumes. He's a great fit for a book that has a lot of villains fighting a lot of heroes. Unfortunately, these are really uneven volumes. I"m probably getting rid of them in favor of the B&W essentials that are sure to be out soon, so the stories hang together better. Reed sure got compromised a lot. Shit. Comics: 606 Graphic Novels: 18 Trades: 36 Omnibus: 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted August 9, 2012 Report Share Posted August 9, 2012 Omega The Unknown #1-10: I love Steve Gerber. I really do. There are leements of this series that are brilliant. And there are elements that are just plain...not brilliant. I LOVE the idea that an autistic kid goes to live with his hot blonde nurse and her free-sex having brunette roommate. I love the bizarre connection between him and Omega. What Omega does is boring superheroics for the most part. Then there's the two issues inexplicably written by other people with a shoe-horned appearance by Foolkiller ("Hey, if Foolkiller appears then people will just forget that Steve didn't write these ones, right?"). Worst of all, after a pretty two issues of Gerber stories, it ends on a cliffhanger and says "Omega the Unknown's story continues in Defenders!" when they clearly promised to answer the mystery in that issue. Good lord! Uneven. But still better than most of what's coming out today. Comics: 616 Graphic Novels: 18 Trades: 36 Omnibus: 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted August 10, 2012 Report Share Posted August 10, 2012 It occurred to me that I've probably read more comics this summer so far than about 95% of the people in the world have read them in their entire life. I love the summer: Bloodshot #1: It was okay. I don't like the two art styles. They don't work for me. It's not a Brubaker Captain America thing. It's so divergent that it doesn't make for an easy read. Valiant is basically 0/3 with me so far. I wish it wasn't so. Harbinger #2: Ok, I accidentally ordered this one. But, I liked it better than the first issue. I felt the first issue was a comic that anybody could and would write as a first issue of Harbinger. I thought this one was a lot better. I'll weigh my decision on whether I pick up the trade when it's solicited. So, I guess the Valiant relaunch is an 0.5/3 for me. National Comics Eternity #1: I thought this was one of the better movies they've made post-DCnU. The single oneshot to test the waters on weird characters. I'll check them out on a one-by-one basis. I wasn't sure what to expect of this. I think it wouldn't have worked if Lemire wasn't writing it, that's for sure. The story was somewhat conventional as far as supernatural investigation and even has a strong Pushing Daisies-ish premise. The art is super solid between Hamner and Donovan. I would buy this monthly book in trades for sure. Green Lantern #11: Fuck yeah! Black Hand is a motherfucker. Love it. Night Force #5: I feel like Wolfman is kind of going as creepy as he's always wanted to with this book. It doesn't completely hang together as a Night Force book for me yet, but I adore it. Mandrake was a geat choice of artist. Dial H #2, 3: Fucking. Brilliant. This is the best thing in the DCnU by far. They have the most amazing ideas for character designs that might just be one picture when other comics never have a character as cool as that. I mean, come on Shamanticore?! Goddamn! So damn good. Santolouco is a brilliant artist and Mieville is one of the rare guys to movie from another format/medium of writing and be good at comics. For that he deserves our undying respect. I want more. Incorruptible vol. 7: THAT! is how you end a fucking series. Wow. Just fucking wow. Thank you Mark Waid. Best art on the book so far, too. Too bad it only happened in the last four issues! Hellraiser vol 3 Heaven's Reply: Again, wow. This is sooooo much better than the 90s Hellraiser comic. I never would have thought that an ongoing single storyline HR book would ever work and this book proves me wrong. There is a hint in this volume that made my balls tingle. Not only is this taking HR 1 and 2 continuity into one, but the inclusion of another character has me feeling that this may just be the bridging between revious Barker works and the upcoming Scarlet Gospels! Fuck. Yes. Exiles-Ultimate Collection book 3: This book still has art that looks like ass for the most part, but the storylines are very solid and willing to take risks when most other Marvel books can't. The Rube Goldberg issue was quite fun too. I'm surious. Where do I go from here, or do I bother? For those who've read further Exiles books. Comics: 623 Graphic Novels: 18 Trades: 38 Omnibus: 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted August 12, 2012 Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 Daredevil by Mark Waid-I'm reticent to say, since this is only the first 6 issues of the run, that it is the best DD I"ve ever read, but it's pretty easy to say that it's my favorite. This is genius. Brilliant writing, some of the best visual storytelling I have ever see in comics period, and Matt Murdock - in face and mannerisms - actually looks like a blind guy! I fucking love this book. I can't wait until I get to read the Allred issue. Stoked. I am. Waid can do no fucking wrong at this point. Now I hear he's doing Hulk too? Looks like Marvel might make a reader of me again. Comics: 623 Graphic Novels: 18 Trades: 39 Omnibus: 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stavros Posted August 12, 2012 Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 Yeah, I think Chris and I felt pretty much the same about this DD book when we reviewed it. It's one of the best things going right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted August 12, 2012 Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 Avengers Assemble vol. 4- This has to be the best collection of Busiek's run. Amazing stuff here. The Maximum Security event was pretty badass and Alan Davis' run on the book is fucking awe-inspiring. Doesn't make me miss Perez in the slightest. Great shit. One more to go until it's done. Comics: 623 Graphic Novels: 18 Trades: 39 Omnibus: 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor Posted August 14, 2012 Report Share Posted August 14, 2012 New X-Men by Grant Morrison (#134-156) - Overall, I would say I enjoyed Morrison's run on the X-Men. The art was questionable at times, but the writing was rather solid. Except for the final arc. I was not a fan of the future storyline. I'll be honest, I was glossing over all most of "Beast" 's dialogue because I knew it really did not matter. And the two part reset with Chuck Austen was rather bland. Given that it was really filler before the big X-Line reset, I can kinda give it a pass... for the writing. The art was ass. Comics: 25 Graphic Novels: 1 Trades: 134 (744) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc20willsave Posted August 15, 2012 Report Share Posted August 15, 2012 As everyone knows, I hate Chuck Austen. That two issue arc sucks for so many reasons, not the least of which is how obvious it is that he spent the better part of Morrison's run trying to pretend it wasn't happening and, anytime he used one of the character's from Morrison's team, mischaracterizing them like hell. As for the last arc of New X-Men, it's generally viewed as the low point of that run. It has some concepts that I'm sad over them dropping (Cassandra Nova being Ernst being one of them) but it's still not the worst way to end your run on a title. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Molly Posted August 15, 2012 Report Share Posted August 15, 2012 In particular, my all-time favorite B&tB issue: Batman dies trying to rescue a little girl. Well, his synapses are firing bt he's brain dead. Until The Atom hops into his head and tries to jolt him back to life. Batman then becomes a walking corpse whose only primary functions work. Know what Batman's primary function is? Kicking crime's ass! That's right, his brain isn't even working by proessing thought, only instinctive synapses are fired, and one of those instincts is to finish his mission and save the girl. Fucking amazing. I I picked up "The Strange Deaths of Batman" trade from the library and I was thrilled to see this story in there. Just a pile of fun. Also had some fun Carmine Infantado and Gardener Fox stuff, and an "Almost Got 'Im" style story called "Where were you the Night Batman was Killed?", which was also great fun. A cute little collection, I might purchase it at some point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted August 17, 2012 Report Share Posted August 17, 2012 Annihilation Conquest: The whole 23 issue epic. For the most part, this is better than Annihilation. I read the first issue of the main mini ages ago with Mike for 1st Issue Special and I remember being impressed at the villain reveal. It's even more impressive if you read the 17 issues leading up to that reveal. Wraith is a waste of time. It's a character that was created 15 years too late.I would have enjoyed Starlord a lot more if it wasn't so damned wordy. Ugh. Tom Raney was a fucking revelation on the main miniseries. Good stuff overall. Surprised at how much I enjoyed the new Quasar. Messiah Complex: All 13 issues. This is ahell of a lot better than it deserved to be. Not a fan of the New X-Men issues just based on the art, but everything else hit the nail on the head. Good shit. Funny to imagine this is where the whole babychest thing started. Too bad, because it got off on a really great foot. Creepy Presents Richard Corben: Next DM, maybe. Comics: 659 Graphic Novels: 18 Trades: 39 Omnibus: 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Posted August 17, 2012 Report Share Posted August 17, 2012 Fantastic Four: The World's Greatest Comics Magazine: It's mindblowing to me that in 2001, at the same time as writing, drawing, inking Savage Dragon, and drawing Defenders, Larsen still had the time to put together this mammoth 12 issue miniseries. He did rough pencils, covers, writing, some art and sometime scripting on all 12 issues as well as guys like Bruce Timm to homage the Lee/Kirby FF. IN fact, perhaps in a great statement on decompression, the entire 12 issues takes place between two issues of the original run. EVERYONE in the 60s Marvel U appears in this book form the X-Men to the Avengers to Captain Marvel to Black Panther to the Asgardians. Great great fun. Comics: 659 Graphic Novels: 18 Trades: 40 Omnibus: 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missy Posted August 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2012 I remember buying that monthly. I ate it up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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