Re: The Comic Thread

[Zoltar]

Agreed absolutely. That's one of the things I like about DC at the moment - their pricing structure and the fact that many of the books have a back-up feature. More bang for your buck can't be bad.

Their prices are better, I certainly agree. Though the back-up features will be ending soon.

Great to hear that Alan Davis is back to working full time. I heard he'd had a serious injury/hand problem that had basically reduced him to producing the occasional cover. He's one of the modern great 'traditional' superhero artists.

Avengers Prime is coming out every other month, so he's being given extra time to produce great work. He's doing covers for the FF too.

[Sid Seadevil]

Their prices are better, I certainly agree. Though the back-up features will be ending soon.

Well that sucks. I've very much been enjoying many of those back-ups.

Avengers Prime is coming out every other month, so he's being given extra time to produce great work. He's doing covers for the FF too.

Brilliant. Truth to tell I haven't been overly enamoured with much of Marvel's recent output - but I might well make an exception for "Prime" due to Alan's involvement.

[Zoltar]

Well that sucks. I've very much been enjoying many of those back-ups.

If memory serves, DC does plan on coming up with something to conclude at least some of them. Like Jimmy's from Action, for example.

Brilliant. Truth to tell I haven't been overly enamoured with much of Marvel's recent output - but I might well make an exception for "Prime" due to Alan's involvement.

There's some good Marvel stuff out there, but there's a lot I skip on too. Like just about all of the Wolverine stuff, though Uncanny X-Force shows some promise. I also liked the 4 issue Captain America: Patriot mini-series and the new SHIELD book has been interesting too.

[Sid Seadevil]

If memory serves, DC does plan on coming up with something to conclude at least some of them. Like Jimmy's from Action, for example.

Well that's something in their favour at least. I hate storylines just unresolved.

There's some good Marvel stuff out there, but there's a lot I skip on too. Like just about all of the Wolverine stuff, though Uncanny X-Force shows some promise. I also liked the 4 issue Captain America: Patriot mini-series and the new SHIELD book has been interesting too.

Now the SHIELD book is one of the few things I have been following. Is it me, or do you also something 'Morrisonian' in its writing. Oh, and the art is lovely too. Particularly the covers.

[Zoltar]

Now the SHIELD book is one of the few things I have been following. Is it me, or do you also something 'Morrisonian' in its writing. Oh, and the art is lovely too. Particularly the covers.

There's definitely a Morrison vibe, especially with the series making connections within existing continuity and expanding on them.

[Sid Seadevil]

There's definitely a Morrison vibe, especially with the series making connections within existing continuity and expanding on them.

Thought so. I'm enjoying the hell out of it. But I wouldn't be in the least surprised if some fans aren't complaining it's too 'slow', or 'overly complex' or just plain 'dull'.

But then again, they'd probably be the "I'll buy anything with an 'X' or 'Wolverine' in the title" mob.

[Zoltar]

Thought so. I'm enjoying the hell out of it. But I wouldn't be in the least surprised if some fans aren't complaining it's too 'slow', or 'overly complex' or just plain 'dull'.

But then again, they'd probably be the "I'll buy anything with an 'X' or 'Wolverine' in the title" mob.

I don't know how it's doing in sales, but it gets mentioned a lot for quality and I'm sure Marvel doesn't mind that. Of course, so did Agents of Atlas and that got the axe. I hope it sticks around.

[Sid Seadevil]

I don't know how it's doing in sales, but it gets mentioned a lot for quality and I'm sure Marvel doesn't mind that. Of course, so did Agents of Atlas and that got the axe. I hope it sticks around.

I hope so too. But to tell the truth, I was labouring under the impression that it was a maxi-series rather than an ongoing. I don't recall if or where I heard that...perhaps I just imagined it.

[Zoltar]

I hope so too. But to tell the truth, I was labouring under the impression that it was a maxi-series rather than an ongoing. I don't recall if or where I heard that...perhaps I just imagined it.

In some ways, it's a bit of both. From the solicit for issue #6, we get the following "The most talked about book of 2010 closes its first volume with a bang. But don't worry, the same team will be back soon with volume 2!". Probably gives Dustin Weaver more time to work on those great pencils.

[Sid Seadevil]

In some ways, it's a bit of both. From the solicit for issue #6, we get the following "The most talked about book of 2010 closes its first volume with a bang. But don't worry, the same team will be back soon with volume 2!". Probably gives Dustin Weaver more time to work on those great pencils.

Ah, that would explain it then. Plus, it also makes sense from a business perspective. Much easier to collect into trades.

[Zoltar]

Ah, that would explain it then. Plus, it also makes sense from a business perspective. Much easier to collect into trades.

Yes indeed. And I suspect this book will read very well as a trade.

[Sid Seadevil]

Yes indeed. And I suspect this book will read very well as a trade.

Yes it will without a doubt. It's both dense and subtle enough for lots of the small pleasures to slip by unnoticed during its regular publishing schedule.

[Lee Carey]

Other comics worth reading at the moment:

Morrison's Batman mega opus which has now reached Batman Inc-- probably the longest I've been interested in Batman as a character for donkey's years, and at their best good surreal fun. Shame the artists aren't always able to match his quality of writing, though (Yes, I'm thinking of Philip Tan here).

The Unwritten-- high quality meta fiction about meta fiction. Started out slightly shaky because of it's obvious reliance on the Harry Potter concept, but has quickly forged an individual and very interesting identity for itself of a real man investigating fiction who may be a work of fiction himself.

Fables-- one hundred issues in and still one of the best comics being published.

Joe The Barbarian-- Morrison investigating the connections between reality and fiction again, but this time in a far more emotive way than usual. Essentially Morrisons Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe, but from the viewpoint of a diabetic, made all the better by Sean Murphy's atmospheric art.

SHIELD-- I agree with the opinions above, even though I'm not a great fan of the rest of Hickman's writing: he has Morrison sized concepts but fails to ground them in the everyday humanity which makes Morrison's work so effective, but here Hickman's secret history of the Marvel universe works very well. And the art is stunning.

Chew-- food has never been so gruesome, nor so enjoyable.

Morning Glories-- The Prisoner meets Grange Hill. 'Nuff said.

Hellboy-- even though Mignola no longer draws it, they have a great replacement in Duncan Fegrado.

Finally, I've Moon and Ba's Daytripper on my tpb to purchase list: I read the first couple of issues and realised that the quality was such that I wanted to own it in a format that it deserves. A brilliantly drawn investigation into the quantum possibilities that life presents, each issue/chapter exploring the events of one man's life with the added surprise that he dies at each chapters end!?!

Any thoughts?

[Zoltar]

Of those, I've read/am reading Batman Inc, Hellboy (and BPRD from time to time as well) and Joe the Barbarian. I have a friend who's reading The Unwritten, which is on my list of things to check out. I shall note the other titles, especially Fables which is one I've been meaning to try for some time.

[Sid Seadevil]

Batman and SHEILD I'm reading religiously. All of the others you mention Lee, I've been tempted by and will get around to picking up eventually without a doubt.

I'm also looking forward to the new Batwoman ongoing. I enjoyed the "0" issue and besides, I'm a sucker for William's art.

[Zoltar]

I'm also looking forward to the new Batwoman ongoing. I enjoyed the "0" issue and besides, I'm a sucker for William's art.

I enjoyed that issue as well.

[Sid Seadevil]

I enjoyed that issue as well.

I've been picking up Birds of Prey too. Pity the revolving artists have been variable - but I'm mostly reading it for the up-coming "Death of Oracle" storyline...not the GGA...honest.

[Zoltar]

I've been picking up Birds of Prey too. Pity the revolving artists have been variable - but I'm mostly reading it for the up-coming "Death of Oracle" storyline...not the GGA...honest.

Heh. I'm totally out of the loop with Birds of Prey, though I have seen images relating to the "Death of Oracle" and I'll probably read those to see what transpires.

[Sid Seadevil]

Heh. I'm totally out of the loop with Birds of Prey, though I have seen images relating to the "Death of Oracle" and I'll probably read those to see what transpires.

Well the DoO storyline ties-in to Bataman Inc. So it's probably worth you taking a look.

[Lee Carey]

Batman and SHEILD I'm reading religiously. All of the others you mention Lee, I've been tempted by and will get around to picking up eventually without a doubt.

I'm also looking forward to the new Batwoman ongoing. I enjoyed the "0" issue and besides, I'm a sucker for William's art.

Realised after posting that I'd forgotten to mention Batwoman, although I still have concerns about the writing due to the departure of Greg Rucka-- Batwoman 0 went some way to reassure me, although there was a slight quality drop in my opinion.

I also forgot to metion Paul Cornell's two comics, Action and Knight & Squire-- the former has made me believe a Superman comic can work without Superman, and wins points for telling a story about Lex Luthor that gives him a Lois Lane lookalike sexbot and telling us that Gorilla Grodd has a favourite spoon for eating brains with.

Knight & Squire is just incredibly, incredibly British and is a very marmite comic-- you'll either love it or hate it. Filled with as many double entendres as physically possible, the best issue so far is number 3, out last week, where a cloned Richard the Third tries to take over the UK via Twitter.

And that's pretty well what I'm reading comics wise at the moment.

[Sid Seadevil]

I'm also looking forward to the new Batwoman ongoing. I enjoyed the "0" issue and besides, I'm a sucker for William's art.

Realised after posting that I'd forgotten to mention Batwoman, although I still have concerns about the writing due to the departure of Greg Rucka-- Batwoman 0 went some way to reassure me, although there was a slight quality drop in my opinion.[/quote]I agree. But having said that I was pleasantly surprised that the dip in the quality of the writing minus Rucka, wasn't near as bad as I'd feared. So I'm hoping that it can at least maintain the level of quality displayed in "0" - or even improve on it. I'm definitely taking the 'cup half full' approach on this one.

I also forgot to metion Paul Cornell's two comics, Action and Knight & Squire-- the former has made me believe a Superman comic can work without Superman, and wins points for telling a story about Lex Luthor that gives him a Lois Lane lookalike sexbot and telling us that Gorilla Grodd has a favourite spoon for eating brains with.

Knight & Squire is just incredibly, incredibly British and is a very marmite comic-- you'll either love it or hate it. Filled with as many double entendres as physically possible, the best issue so far is number 3, out last week, where a cloned Richard the Third tries to take over the UK via Twitter.

And that's pretty well what I'm reading comics wise at the moment.

And I forgot to mention them also. Cornell has not only made 'Action' the best of the Superman related titles (hell, it's better than the parent title at the moment), but he's also firmly convinced me that the Lex character written by him is realistically viable. And Knight and Squire is simply a joy. But I've hear it's sales haven't been too healthy. Which rather disappoints. Perhaps it's just a wee tad too quirky, British and stylised for the majority of US fans. Eitherway, I'll certainly miss it when it finishes its run.

Cornell's fill-in story over in Batman and Robin is shaping up excellently too. It's a pity he isn't taking over from Morrison on it on a full time basis.

[Sid Seadevil]

I've just finished reading the first issue of DC's newest Batman book, The Dark Knight. It's written and drawn by David Finch. Although Finch is new to the writing side of the business, he does a fairly good job of the "Grim and Gritty" here in the first part of a six issue arc.

Oh the art side however, well - I'll just let the following taster tell its own story. Definitely worth picking the issue up.

[Elliott H. Seadevil]

I'm going to get that book

[Sid Seadevil]

I'm going to get that book

Get it from World's Apart or Forbidden Planet next time you're in town, hatchling. It's a fun read.

[Zoltar]

A little spoiler about the new issue of Action Comics...

Spoiler:

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