Comic Books!

[Dasquian Belargic]

Since super heroes are kind of the flavour of the month, both in Hollywood and here on our little corner of the 'net with our X-Men themed RP, I thought: "Hey! Why don't we have a thread for discussing/reviewing comic books?"

So, does anyone here subscribe to a particular series? Who's your favorite hero or villain? Who would win in a fight: Superman or Batman? Inquiring minds want to know ;)

I guess I'll kick things off by saying that I mostly own trade paperbacks at the moment. It's just the (very small) beginning of a growing collection, but I'd be happy to provide reviews and plot summaries if anyone else is interested :)
Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth (DC Comics)
Fables: Legends in Exile (Vertigo)
Marvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness (Marvel Comics)
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volumes I and II (Wildstorm)
Watchmen (DC Comics)

[Banner Laverick]

I've been big into Spider-man lately. In high school, I used to collect X-men comics, and I used to buy Generation X religiously. Then I got into manga, which I still read occassionally but can't really afford.

My teeny collection:
- Spider-man Loves Mary Jane 1-4
- Spider-man/Power Pack
- Ultimate Spidey 120 and 121; I buy these at the "Mega Bookstore" before work, but the series is further along according to what I've seen online
- Spider-man Back In Black - love this book! Got it for under $20 on Amazon, when it's listed as $40 Cnd at the bookstore!

I also read Marvel Digital Comics. (http://www.marvel.com/digitalcomics/free/)

[Flux]

My collection is 3 long boxes and growing. Mostly it's Spider-Man titles, but I've got some other stuff, too. Lately Annihilation and it's follow-ups have been my favorite thing (I love the new Quasar!) plus there's a smattering of Avengers, Hulk, and Thunderbolts, too. I got the main part of World War Hulk and Civil War, and a set of Uncanny X-Men comics that details some bizarre relationship between Husk and Angel. THEN I've got a huge section that's just all my old Sonic comics from middle school/high school, and another giant section that's all trade paperbacks and miscellaneous 1-shots and mini-series that I need to make dividers for.

I also have a number of statues of Comic characters (mostly superheroines, shut up, don't judge me) that I collectively refer to as "My Shame", which I'll take pictures of later if anyone's interested.

[Dasquian Belargic]

What's the deal with World War Hulk and the Civil War?

I've been reading about the Marvel Secret Invasion lately. Sounds like that will be a really interesting run... though I don't think I can afford to buy all the necessary comics tied into it to really appreciate and understand what's going on.

[Flux]

What's the deal with World War Hulk and the Civil War?

I've been reading about the Marvel Secret Invasion lately. Sounds like that will be a really interesting run... though I don't think I can afford to buy all the necessary comics tied into it to really appreciate and understand what's going on.

Civil War was a good idea executed badly. Basically, it addresses the lawless nature of heroes and how they should be held accountable for their actions. The New Warriors mess up capturing some villains and an elementary school gets blown up. Congress passes the Super Hero Registration Act (SHRA) which says all the heroes need to quit or sign up with the government. We get Pro-Registration and Anti-Registration, headed by Iron Man and Captain America, and the whole thing is a big fight over which side is right. It looks good on paper, looks good in some places, but it ends so abysmally it makes you hate it. XD

World War Hulk was a billion times better, simply because the whole point is "Everyone vs Hulk" and that's what you get when you read it. Hulk was banished to space, and he comes back for revenge. He beats the hell out of a ton of heroes, and in the end is captured and everything settles out pretty nice.

Secret Invasion...I dunno. I can't afford any of it, not even the main books, so I'll hafta find out about it via internet or read it when the trade comes out. Honestly, if you can at least pick up the main "Secret Invasion" titles, you can get the highlights and fill in the blanks with whatever you can read for free in a bookstore or find out online. It's what I did with WWH, and it turned out ok.

[Dasquian Belargic]

WWH sounds sweet. Is that available in any kind of collection?

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

I was never really much into the mainstream titles as far as superheroes and stuff. I still absolutely love Witchblade but stopped buying them because it seemed as if it was the same story over and over again. I do have a weakness for bad indy comics, like Guns of the Sharpei and Intergalactic Lizards from the Texas Plains, though ^_^;

Some of my more favorite comics are:

Battlechasers
Strangers in Paradise
Squee
Johnny the Homicidal Maniac
Hellboy
Tank Girl

I also really enjoyed Pride of Baghdad, and I have a weakness for the Predator comics.

Oh yes, and anything done by Mobius is an instant winner in my book.


edit - texas plains, not outer space >_<

[Dasquian Belargic]

Ohh, I forgot about JTHM. I've got that too. Weird/funny stuff.

[Flux]

All the World War Hulk stuff should be out in trades by now. :) If not, give it a while longer.

Of s'Il's list I've read Battlechasers and Hellboy, both of which are awesome.

[Droo]

If you don't know who my favourite superhero is then you've probably had me on your ignore list since the turn of the millenium. However, I don't read comic books, they're far too expensive to collect and I find it's a real pain getting hold of every edition in a series in England. Then there's my problem with following a single story over long periods of time and this is why I can never follow American television shows. Twenty-four instalments in a story over almost half a year is just too slow and dissatisfying for me and I'll end up watching a few episodes then wait for the DVD release to watch them all back-to-back. Anyway, that's TV but the similar issue arises with comic book collections.

[Dasquian Belargic]

I know what you mean, Droo. I suppose that's why I have stuck to trade paperbacks so far - since they're collections of issues.

[Banner Laverick]

Felix, I have a teeny plastic Spidey on my monitor, and a tiny stuffed Spidey on my desk. Collecting figures (even busty ones) is not shameful at all. :p

omfg...IT'S (http://www.amazon.ca/Zombies-vs-Robots-Amazons/dp/1600101631/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211081947&sr=8-1) out! *head explodes*

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Holy crap! That looks so awesome :lol

Another one I forgot, is Gunnerkrig Court. Technically it's a webcomic, but the author has his first collected volume coming out in print very soon, and I've already pre-ordered it from Amazon.

I love this comic, and can't wait for it :D

[Banner Laverick]

Ashley Wood is the artist, he's worked/is working on Tank Girl apparently o_O

I would get Zombies Vs Robots (since the story sounds AMAZING and I love the art style) too. If I had unlimited funds for blowing on fun stuff >_>;

[Mercure]

I've been loving the All-Star Batman series by Frank Miller. It's really the first foray I've made on my own, although I used to snag random issues of various comics from my big brothers when I was a kid.

I only have the first two issues, but the trade paperback is coming (has come?) out and I'm waiting to pick that up to read on.

[jjwr]

I've been reading comics since '90 or so and have a decent sized collection of about 3000ish books.

Been reading Flash for ages, started back back in the early 90's with issue 48 and been reading up through the current issues in the 240's...easily my longest continuous run of readership.

The other books I currently get

Punisher
X-Men
Uncanny X-Men
Ultimate SPider-Man
Ultimate X-Men
G.I.Joe
All Star Batman & Superman
Gunslinger

Hmmm...I know there are others but honestly can't recall....

My other big collecting goal is to get the complete set of Uncanny X-Men, counting annuals I have over 500 individual issues and am closing in on the full set needing only about 24 issues for the set. I have #1 through #15 missing only #6 and all the other key books. Can't wait to finish it off!

[Freight Train]

Holy crap that's amazing. :eek The closest I've come to having the complete set of anything is a few titles that got cancelled that I have all of, and the two Spider-Titles that got converted into Amazing Spider-man recently.

[Jedieb]

I use to collect Batman comics. I started in the early 90's with the Knightfall story line. I collected all the Batman titles but eventually called it quits. Now I pick up the occasional graphic novel. I've also got some Superman graphic novels and a few Spidey issues, but not many. Awhile back I got one of those CD's that contain the entire runs of characters. I picked up the first 40 years of Spidey. I haven't read any of it in ages but IIRC I'm somewhere in the 70s.

And of course I've got a ton of SW comics. I don't collect single issues of those anymore though, nothing but trade paperbacks.


All the World War Hulk stuff should be out in trades by now. If not, give it a while longer.

Of s'Il's list I've read Battlechasers and Hellboy, both of which are awesome.
That's a set I'm tempted to pick up. It sounds great, but I won't spend a dime on Civil War. And the Secret Invasion story sounds like a pretty stupid premise to me. I'll pass on that as well.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

I have the graphic novel/comic? Marvel's 1602, which was written by Neil Gaiman and it is AWESOME, I love it.

My hubby has about a zillion comics. Eventually I'm going to catalogue them for him. Eventually. ^_^;

[Dasquian Belargic]

Just one more addition recently:

Fables Vol. 2: Animal Farm

I love this series and all the little literary reference :love

[Jedieb]

I just got the Hulk graphic novel World War Hulk. It was pretty damn impressive!

[Dalamar DeSang]

I Have almost all of the xmen the whole world war hulk. I got about 450 xmen. Hellboy. batman superman. Justice League A lot of Alex Ross. The Fantastic Four run by John byrne. Lots of Spiderman by John Romita Jr. Tons and tons of books. Ive been collecting for 30 yrs. I have a shed just for my books.. I stopped major collecting about 4 yrs ago. It was just getting to expensive for something I was doing for fun. Obviously I kept just my favorites like hulk,thor and spiderman. I own the dark Knight, Watchmen You name it I have a copy of it... From Idies to Image to Marvel and DC.. I have it ALLLL muahhhhh Its all mine Oh sorry lost it there. Any way tons of books... I love to read and you know I love to draw..

[Dasquian Belargic]

New TPB additions:

* 100 Bullets: First Shot, Last Call
* Batman: Hush
* Batman: The Dark Knight Returns

:eee

[Jedieb]

Hush is excellent! And there's not much to say about DKR that hasn't been said already. I re-read it every couple of years, it's amazing.

[Dasquian Belargic]

I got Marvel's House of M today. Very interesting stuff - Scarlet Witch reshapes reality so that humans are in the minority, Magneto is King of Earth, and all superheroes have 'perfect' lives (Spider-Man has a kid with Gwen Stacy and Uncle Ben is still alive; Tony Stark owns basically every business on the planet). Wolverine is the only one who notices that everything is different, so he sets about trying to jog everyone elses memories... fun story, and also kind of sad in a way.

Also, I love the cover art:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/26/HouseofM.JPG/400px-HouseofM.JPG

[Aurelias Kazaar]

For those looking for something truly 'different', I've really, really enjoyed the Kurt Busiek/Tim Truman (writing) Cary Nord drawn 'Conan' series by Dark Horse. As someone who has read most of Howard's original tales, it's amazing to see them translated onto the comic page and wrapped around other stories.

Worth the buy for sure.

[Dasquian Belargic]

I haven't bought any comics for a while, but I just saw Tales of the Jedi: The Collection (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Tales_of_the_Jedi:_The_Collection_PLUS_The_Freedon _Nadd_Uprising) going for cheap and snapped it up :) This will be my first experience with Star Wars comics, so I'm excited to see what it's like.

[Aurelias Kazaar]

Try Star Wars: Legacy or Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Very good stuff.

Also the Green Lantern books are awesome.

[Mandy with an I]

New comics in my collection:

- assorted copies of Marvel Adventures, yay. The Hulk has a monkey named Monkey and that is pretty damn awesome. >_>;

- Batman - Killing Joke

- Batman - Death In The Family (ok, this one if just amazingly FUNNY, but maybe I'm sick. The Joker as UN Ambassador to Iran FTW!)

- Watchmen

Jenny, if you can find the SW Tales Graphic Novels, they're pretty decent. I own a couple, and anything Tag and Bink is amazing. :)

[Karl Valten]

Free comic book day this Saturday, check and see your local store is participating. :)

[Zeke]

Mine is, but last year they never got their stuff for Free Comic Book Day, so they're not sure if they'll have anything for us this year either. :|

[Aurelias Kazaar]

They better. Blackest Night #0 is coming out.

[Peter McCoy]

I'm not a huge comic fan. However the one series/series that I simply adore is the Aliens/Predator graphic novels from Dark Horse. At the moment I'm the proud owner of:


Aliens: Volume 1 (http://www.darkhorse.com/Books/47-393/Aliens-Omnibus-Volume-1)
Aliens: Volume 2 (http://www.darkhorse.com/Books/14-816/Aliens-Omnibus-Volume-2)
Aliens: Volume 3 (http://www.darkhorse.com/Books/15-027/Aliens-Omnibus-Volume-3)


With multiple writers and illustrators, the stories and artwork are well-varied. Volume 1 contains three linked stories penned by none other than Mark Verheiden (Battlestar Galactica) that are loosely based on the events of the first two Aliens films and are kinda sequels taking place about 10 years after the movie Aliens. This volume is easily my favourite due to the three issues being linked chronologically. I remember reading the 2nd story, Nightmare Asylum, in bed one night. It was the opening pages, which picks up right were the previous one, Outbreak, left off. The colours used in the opening pages really gave a sense of safety for the characters and myself, all snuggled up in my bed. And then the horror hit when the characters and myself realised the reality of their situation.

I highly recommend the Dark Horse Aliens collection to anybody who's a fan of the films. The blurb on the back of Volume 1 says:

'Dark Horse Comics took the world by storm with it's release of Aliens, a comics series that for the first time captured the power of film source material and expanded it's universe in a way that fans applauded worldwide.'

...and I have to agree completely.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Some new TPB purchases:

* The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century 1910
* Welcome to Hoxford
* Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall
* Y: The Last Man - Vol. 1 "Unmanned"

Just read through Hoxford today. My first (knowing) experience with Ben Templesmith. I really like his style.

I really enjoyed the previous LXG books, but something about 1910 just didn't grab me. It was much shorter than the others I guess, and I felt like the literary references were maybe a little too obscure. I liked seeing Orlando as a character, but I had a hard time identifying lots of the other nods to literature.. made the experience a little confusing at times.

[Aurelias Kazaar]

Y's good. Fables is still one of my all time favorite reads.

Have you tried Jack of Fables yet? Very tongue-in-cheek with seriousness as well.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Not yet no, but I will add it to my 'to read' list :)

[Aurelias Kazaar]

Cool. I started reading again (God help me) Daredevil and Captain America. The stuff done by Ed Brubaker is fantastic.

Also if you want more tongue-in-cheek, I'd try Deadpool. Really funny.

[Dasquian Belargic]

I just ordered two more TPBs:

* Northlanders Vol. 1: Sven the Returned
* DMZ Vol. 1: On the Ground

I have read some Deadpool before and found him pretty funny. The more comics I read though, the more I find myself drawn to non-superhero stuff.

[Charlotte Tur'enne]

Just read through Hoxford today. My first (knowing) experience with Ben Templesmith. I really like his style.

I adore Ben's stuff... Wormwood had me giggling incessantly and I even went and bought the art book because...uhh...it's awesome. That I'd definetly recommend since it's just dark silly humor bliss.

Haven't gotten to Hoxford yet...think I'll pick it up at ComicCon here at the end of July...waiting on Groom Lake to get a compilation bookish thing together since I don't really buy individual stuff anymore (the bigger books just look nicer on my shelf, dammit. lmao). I am SO going to snag up a version of Dracula with illustrations by him in it. Oh yes I am... also need to pick up Vol 1 of Fell. mmm....

[Aurelias Kazaar]

The more comics I read though, the more I find myself drawn to non-superhero stuff.

Look up Criminal then. You'd like that.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Added the first volume of that to my to-read list too... it's getting a little long :uhoh

http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1653632?shelf=to-read

[Dasquian Belargic]

Pay-day, wooo...

* Y The Last Man, Vol. 3: One Small Step
* Fables, Vol. 4: March of the Wooden Soldiers
* The Goon, Vol. 2: My Murderous Childhood
* Dampyr, Vol. 2 & 3: Night Tribe, Sand Specter
* John Constantine, Hellblazer: Original Sins

[Verse Dawnstrider]

I picked some comics up at the con. Two of the series were kinda cool. Totem and Alpha One were pretty cool. Turns out the compnay went under though. Kinda sad.

[Dasquian Belargic]

A couple of additions:

* Supernatural: Origins
* Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Long Way Home

...and with that I need to stop buying TPBs until I have caught up reading those I already own :uhoh

[Peter McCoy]

Not too long ago I bought Arkham Asylum, A Serious House on Serious Earth 15th Anniversary Edition. It includes the complete graphic novel, original script with annotations by Grant Morrison, thumbnail layouts, editors afterword and original covers.

£8 from HMV :)

[Dasquian Belargic]

Bargain! I love that book

[Tear]

Not too long ago I bought Arkham Asylum, A Serious House on Serious Earth 15th Anniversary Edition. It includes the complete graphic novel, original script with annotations by Grant Morrison, thumbnail layouts, editors afterword and original covers.

£8 from HMV :)

Yeah I had no idea HMV sold comics until I walked in there yesterday and saw they had a little section devoted to them. I was even more shocked to learn most comics goin for like 18-20 bucks were being sold for just 16$. Made me a lil irked at my local comic shop for selling Sinestro Corps Wars Vol 2 for full price when HMV had it for 16$!

I picked up Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns for 16$. Impulse buy but worth it:lol

[Dasquian Belargic]

Ok so I gave in and bought one thing.

30 Days of Night hard slipcase collector's set. There has been a copy signed by Steve Niles sitting in the store for weeks now, and when I heard that Ben Templesmith was going to be doing a signing there in a couple of weeks time I just had to pick it up :3

[Darth Gravis]

Purchased Star Wars Legacy issues 0, 0 1/2, 16, 19, 22 (the only ones I was missing to complete the set thus far) online.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Reading Lobster Johnson: The Iron Prometheus at the minute.

[Dante Richter]

I collect alot of Resident Evil, Robin, The Fables comics and others as well.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Latest additions:

* Wolverine: Noir
* X-Men: Noir
* 100 Bullets: Split Second Chance
* Superman: Red Son

Has anyone read 'Old Man Wolverine'?

[Aurelias Kazaar]

I really liked Old Man Logan.

I'm currently reading X-Force, X-23, Daken, Wolverine, GL, GLC, GL: Emerald Warriors and Detective Comics.

Also buying the Hellboy books too. Those looking for good horror should go to those immediately.

[Aurelias Kazaar]

We've done the what comic books are you reading now but I'll ask it this time.

What comics are you reading?

I've been reading the Green Lantern books, Detective Comics, X-Force, the Wolverine books monthly. I catch up with Hellboy and BPRD when i can (but those books are fantabulous).

In trades it's Scalped and Judge Dredd.

[Dasquian Belargic]

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier

[Flux]

When I can make it out to the comic shop, I've got Spider-Man waiting on me. I've also got subscriptions to the Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Universe comics "for my little brother" and a plethora of mini-series and one-shots.

[Peter McCoy]

I didn't know there were still Sonic comics on the go. I used to collect Sonic the Comic - still got Issue #1 in mint condition. But it's not yet at the status where it's a highly desirable comic to have so it doesn't go for much on Ebay.

[Zereth Lancer]

Anything Deadpool. I've been buying them up as soon as each one is released. The "classic deadpool" (3 volume so far) comics are kind of meh, but the modern ones are good.

[Flux]

I didn't know there were still Sonic comics on the go. I used to collect Sonic the Comic - still got Issue #1 in mint condition. But it's not yet at the status where it's a highly desirable comic to have so it doesn't go for much on Ebay.

Our's has been going for...well, since I was in middle school. So...fifteen years? Maybe? I used to buy them intermittently whenever I could find them at the local grocery stores, but my comic shop was willing to put it in my subscription box. I feel like I'm too old for them, but I've been reading for so long, it feels like a shame to stop. Plus, I still enjoy the Sonic video games, so I figure if I can get away with playing them, I can get away with reading the comic.

[Tear]

X-force, Amazing spider-man, Thunderbolts, Dark Wolverine, All the Avengers titles. The mighty Thor, and Future foundation are the newest ones I've checked out.

Oh and the new Moon knight #1 is a good read.

[Dasquian Belargic]

It's free comic book day!

[Aurelias Kazaar]

FCBD was good for people looking to get into comics. Wanted to take Darkwing Duck home but decided to leave it for the kids. Although it's a really good book :)

[Tom Harriman]

I couldn't find a local comic book store, and thus could not take advantage of the free comics. :cry

[Dasquian Belargic]

There's been some pretty big news lately surrounding DCs intention re-launch its 52 titles in September, with each issue starting at No. 1. In addition to that the digital versions of their comics will be available the same day as the print comics themselves hit store shelves. Apprently the cost will be $2.99 and $3.99 for oversized books (the same as print versions) with prices dropping to $1.99 and $2.99 after the first four weeks.

Thoughts, anyone? I have been thinking of buying an iPad lately and given how slick the apps for Marvel and DC are, I could see it, alongside my Kindle, completely putting an end to buying any actual print books.