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[Spike Spiegel]

Marvel Comics Previews for December 21, 2011

Holy crap, next week is going to be like the best Christmas gift ever. So much Marvel goodness in one day! @_@

 

[krypt0nian]

If you haven't read Journey Into Mystery this week you have fucked up.

Best boy and his dog(s) story ever. Sandman-esque in addition in it's storytelling.

 

[Rafa=FedKilla]

Marvel Comics Previews for December 21, 2011

Holy crap, next week is going to be like the best Christmas gift ever. So much Marvel goodness in one day! @_@

No doubt brah, I'm purchasing 21 comics next week. Crazy.

 

[Auron_Kale]

Reading for the weekend:

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

American Vampire hits the 50s and Scott Snyder tells us about it. More minis coming in 2012 too!

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=35951

O.M.G.

These covers alone have convinced me to catch up with and read this book monthly. Amazing.

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

If you haven't read Journey Into Mystery this week you have fucked up.

Best boy and his dog(s) story ever. Sandman-esque in addition in it's storytelling.

Is this a Part 1? I couldn't tell. I was going to pick it up but welched.

 

[krypt0nian]

Is this a Part 1? I couldn't tell. I was going to pick it up but welched.

It's a bit of recap and a bit of stand alone.

For Loki, it was a Tuesday.

 

[Spike Spiegel]

Bleeding Cool speculates on the possible future role of Marcus Johnson in the Marvel Universe

Now, a few days ago I made this for another board...

...after drawing the same conclusion about this new character.

They're in my head, GAF!

 

[KimiNewt]

Just read the four first all-new Ultimate Spider-man. Seems fairly promising but we haven't gotten into the superhero part yet.

I'm just slightly afraid that they'll fall into the "Apollo Justice" trap -- make a new protagonist for a fresh start but then overuse references and characters from the old series.
That only makes fans miss the old character more and make the new characters empty or just copying other characters.
Also, I found it odd that they didn't even show his first fight!

Anyway, I stopped reading Ultimate Spider-man at Ultimatum (tried reading the Ultimate Comics version later but stopped after a couple of issues). Should I try reading the Death of Spider-man? Is it worth it?

 

[noah111]

Just read the four first all-new Ultimate Spider-man. Seems fairly promising but we haven't gotten into the superhero part yet.

I'm just slightly afraid that they'll fall into the "Apollo Justice" trap -- make a new protagonist for a fresh start but then overuse references and characters from the old series.
That only makes fans miss the old character more and make the new characters empty or just copying other characters.
Also, I found it odd that they didn't even show his first fight!

Anyway, I stopped reading Ultimate Spider-man at Ultimatum (tried reading the Ultimate Comics version later but stopped after a couple of issues). Should I try reading the Death of Spider-man? Is it worth it?

Yes, definitely. You should read all the issues up to it, too, and the ultimate fallout issues (the ones about SM anyway). It was good imo.

Also makes the second, third, and fourth issues of All-New Ult. SM make sense, otherwise you might be lost.

 

[AAequal]

Been years since I read comics but I decided to get some since I got nice christmas bonus. So far I have bought Absolute Dark Knight and I'm still waiting my Absolute Batman: Hush. First part of Dark Knight was amazing tho the art style was bit odd at first but I got used to it fast. Second part was just bad, didn't even feel like finishing it, maybe later.

And first three books out of nine (complete Don Rosa collection) has finally arrived

First Rosa work from the 70s

 

[KimiNewt]

Yes, definitely. You should read all the issues up to it, too, and the ultimate fallout issues (the ones about SM anyway). It was good imo.

Also makes the second, third, and fourth issues of All-New Ult. SM make sense, otherwise you might be lost.

I don't think I'll read the issues up to it because I really hate Lafuente's art. I'll read the Death of Spider-man and Ultimate Fallout though.

 

[noah111]

I don't think I'll read the issues up to it because I really hate Lafuente's art. I'll read the Death of Spider-man and Ultimate Fallout though.

Well if you know all about ultimatum and read that, just go from 155/156 onward.

 

[VGChampion]

I never get tired of seeing those Don Rosa covers. The entire book isn't in English is it?

 

[AAequal]

I never get tired of seeing those Don Rosa covers. The entire book isn't in English is it?

Nope, only bits here and there are in English.

 

[British Monsoon]

Got back into comics this year with the new 52 and so far I'm keeping up with; Action Comics, Batgirl, Batman, Batman: The Dark Knight, Batwoman, Catwoman, Demon Knights, Detective Comics, Justice League, Nightwing, Penguin: Pain & Prejudice, Stormwatch, Superman & Wonder Woman. Really enjoying Detective Comics, Batwoman, Stormwatch & Demon Knights, as well as the Penguin mini-series.

Also, visited my local comic shop earlier in the week and got a haul of old Lobo & Batman comics;

Can anyone recommend some good older Batman runs that weren't collected in graphic novels for me to hunt down? Or maybe some lesser known Batman trades that are worth a read?

 

[Jedeye Sniv]

Got back into comics this year with the new 52 and so far I'm keeping up with; Action Comics, Batgirl, Batman, Batman: The Dark Knight, Batwoman, Catwoman, Demon Knights, Detective Comics, Justice League, Nightwing, Penguin: Pain & Prejudice, Stormwatch, Superman & Wonder Woman. Really enjoying Detective Comics, Batwoman, Stormwatch & Demon Knights, as well as the Penguin mini-series.

Also, visited my local comic shop earlier in the week and got a haul of old Lobo & Batman comics;

Can anyone recommend some good older Batman runs that weren't collected in graphic novels for me to hunt down? Or maybe some lesser known Batman trades that are worth a read?

Seeing those Batman covers really takes me back! I remember buying all of those as a kid in the back issue bins of my shop, so much fun!

My favourite uncollected Batman run is the Knightquest series. It's the story between Knightfall (where Bane fucks Batman up) and Knightsend (where Bruce comes back), but it's a run of about 30 issues across multiple titles and has never been collected which is a real shame. I found all the issues relatively cheaply online a couple of years back.

There are two halves, the Search and the Crusade. The Search is Bruce travelling the world and looking for Shrondra Kinsolving and the Crusade is about JEan Paul Valley back in Gotham losing his mind. The JPV story is fantastic and is a really quite cohesive long form story about this totally dickish Batman as his hold on reality spirals out. It was in the following issues:

Crusade:
Batman 501-508; Detective 667-675; Robin 1,7; Shadow of the Bat 19-20, 24-28, Catwoman 6-7

Search:
Justice League Task Force 5-6, Shadow of the Bat 21-23, Legends of the Dark Knight 59-61

And then after Knightfall ended there were two other stories that spilled out, Prodigal where Dick Grayson is Batman for a couple of months, and then Troika where Bruce is finally back for good.

In all the whole thing from Knightfall to Troika is on of the best Batman stories ever. It uses the entire Rogues gallery, has so many twists and turns and has some great art. It's sorely overlooked due to not being collected properly.

 

[British Monsoon]

My favourite uncollected Batman run is the Knightquest series. It's the story between Knightfall (where Bane fucks Batman up) and Knightsend (where Bruce comes back), but it's a run of about 30 issues across multiple titles and has never been collected which is a real shame. I found all the issues relatively cheaply online a couple of years back...

...In all the whole thing from Knightfall to Troika is on of the best Batman stories ever. It uses the entire Rogues gallery, has so many twists and turns and has some great art. It's sorely overlooked due to not being collected properly.

Thanks for the recommendation, that sounds pretty much exactly the sort of thing I'm looking for and it's been years since I read the Knightfall graphic novels, so it'd be good to re-read them with all the Knightquest stuff slotted in.

Just read through Dark Knight, Dark City and really enjoyed the sinister feel of the story, the more malicious version of the Riddler and how Batman isn't all vengeful action, rather playing the role of detective and protector first and foremost.

 

[Dan]

We're getting huge collections of Knightfall next year.

BATMAN: KNIGHTFALL VOL. 1 TP NEW EDITION
Written by CHUCK DIXON, DOUG MOENCH and ALAN GRANT
Art by GRAHAM NOLAN, EDUARDO BARRETO, JIM APARO, NORM BREYFOGLE, JIM BALENT, TOM MANDRAKE, KLAUS JANSON, BRET BLEVINS, MIKE MANLEY, RICK BURCHETT and others
Cover by MIKE DEODATO JR.
On sale APRIL 25 • 640 pg, FC, $29.99 US
In the first installment of this classic storyline, the Dark Knight’s greatest enemies have all simultaneously escaped from Arkham Asylum and are preying on Gotham City. With his city under siege, Batman pushes his body to the limit as he takes on The Joker, the Mad Hatter, Poison Ivy, Killer Croc, The Riddler and the Scarecrow. But things get much worse when Bane, the man behind all the madness, confronts an exhausted Batman – and breaks his back.
This massive first KNIGHTFALL volume collects BATMAN: VENGEANCE OF BANE SPECIAL #1, BATMAN #491-500, DETECTIVE COMICS #659-660, SHOWCASE ‘93 #7 and 8 and BATMAN: SHADOW OF THE BAT #17-18, including chapters never previously reprinted.

It's not officially solicited yet, but Amazon already has Batman: Knightfall Vol. 2: Knightquest up for release a mere month later, and that's another 656 pages of material. It sure looks like DC is releasing the whole story in proper format to coincide with The Dark Knight Rises.

 

[VGChampion]

Nope, only bits here and there are in English.

I'm still waiting for the day I can get all my favorite Duck comics in a nice book.

 

[AAequal]

I'm still waiting for the day I can get all my favorite Duck comics in a nice book.

You gotta learn to read any scandinavian language and you are set This collection is nothing compared to the nordic Carl Barks collection, 30 hardback books containing 8000 pages. On the down side the price 1800€ :b

 

[Jedeye Sniv]

We're getting huge collections of Knightfall next year.



It's not officially solicited yet, but Amazon already has Batman: Knightfall Vol. 2: Knightquest up for release a mere month later, and that's another 656 pages of material. It sure looks like DC is releasing the whole story in proper format to coincide with The Dark Knight Rises.

FUCK YES! I've been saying for years that DC needs to do a phonebook printing of this series, so glad they're finally doing it. I might well buy it when it's finished since my issues are a bit tatty with age, would be nice to have it all in one place too. So cool. If it finishes up with Troika and starts with the few prologue issues it will be the greatest thing ever.

 

[Jedeye Sniv]

All they need to do now is publish the entirity of DC One Million in the same phonebook format and the world will be complete. DC One Million being the greatest crossover event in history, obviously. And that is a fact.

 

[Escape Goat]

You gotta learn to read any scandinavian language and you are set This collection is nothing compared to the nordic Carl Barks collection, 30 hardback books containing 8000 pages. On the down side the price 1800€ :b

Do you people who buy these things actually go and read everything or is it something you enjoy simply by possessing it?

 

[MC Safety]

I don't usually get hardcovers, but I bought the Marshall Rogers Batman collection.

The Rogers/Steve Englehart Batman stories are awesome.

 

[Foob]

God DAMN the Lord Baltimore mini was great

so creepy

 

[evilpigking]

How was Secret Warriors? Worth picking up the trades? Also I have the Green Lantern/Corps trades up through Blackest Night. Is it worth going on since I heard pretty mediocre things about Brightest Day plus then it reset fairly soon after that...

 

[VGChampion]

That Carl Barks set looks amazing. Hoping the current USA version finishes as we're just getting started with the run. Haven't picked the first book up yet either. Really wish more people cared about Disney's comics here so we could get more. We don't even have any on-going series at the moment with, from what I know, no news on when they're starting up again.

Do you people who buy these things actually go and read everything or is it something you enjoy simply by possessing it?

I'll read it all through at least once. Then I'll probably just reread my favorite stories throughout the years and maybe go through the whole thing later on after it's been awhile. I have no trouble reading / watching any show, movie, book, comic, etc... over and over again. I still watch daily repeats of Friends, Seinfeld, and King of Queens and I've been watching them since they aired!

 

[AAequal]

Do you people who buy these things actually go and read everything or is it something you enjoy simply by possessing it?

Barks and Rosa are my favorites and their stories never get old so I can read them over and over again. Given that Barks does have some weaker stories that I usually skip but overall I have read some of these stories hundreds of times in my life (my parents has had standing order of the weekly magazine since the 70s). On the plus side kids love 'em too so I'm not the only one enjoying them

 

[fredrancour]

How was Secret Warriors? Worth picking up the trades? Also I have the Green Lantern/Corps trades up through Blackest Night. Is it worth going on since I heard pretty mediocre things about Brightest Day plus then it reset fairly soon after that...

First off, I don't think brightest day was worth fooling with trades for.

second, the books that were selling well (lantern, batman) didn't really reset. Green lantern carried on straight from pre-new 52.

 

[Viewt]

How was Secret Warriors? Worth picking up the trades? Also I have the Green Lantern/Corps trades up through Blackest Night. Is it worth going on since I heard pretty mediocre things about Brightest Day plus then it reset fairly soon after that...

Overall, it was really good, though it doesn't really compare to what Hickman's doing right now in Fantastic Four/S.H.I.E.L.D. If you have a Nick Fury/espionage itch, Secret Warriors will scratch it.

 

[ViewtifulJC]

Morrison's Batman next week? Jesus Christ, about fucking time

http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2011/12/19/exclusive-preview-of-batman-leviathan-strikes/

bold prediction:

Spoiler

Alfred is Leviathan

Also, I see its set in the old DCU, so this might be the final DCU Batman story

 

[Garryk]

The holiday commitments have been slowing down my reading so all I have to say is that Swamp Thing is fucking epic storytelling.

 

[Jedeye Sniv]

Morrison's Batman next week? Jesus Christ, about fucking time

http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2011/12/19/exclusive-preview-of-batman-leviathan-strikes/

bold prediction:

Spoiler

Alfred is Leviathan

Also, I see its set in the old DCU, so this might be the final DCU Batman story

Great! Been missing this book a lot. Chris Burnham is my new favourite Batman artist, he is so well suited to that grimy bloody world.

Also, I don't think that the New 52 had any impact on Batman at all, so it has no bearing on this story. Pre-52 batman is the same as the new.

 

[Satch]

DC COMICS


SUPERMAN & CO.

OCT110236 DC COMICS PRESENTS THE KENTS #2 $7.99
OCT110183 SUPERGIRL #4 $2.99


BATMAN & CO.

OCT110184 BATMAN #4 $2.99
OCT110190 BATMAN INCORPORATED LEVIATHAN STRIKES #1 $6.99
OCT110194 BATMAN ODYSSEY VOL 2 #3 (OF 7) $3.99
OCT110196 CATWOMAN #4 $2.99
OCT110200 NIGHTWING #4 $2.99


WONDER WOMAN

OCT110165 WONDER WOMAN #4 $2.99


GREEN LANTERN & THE CORPS.

OCT110205 GREEN LANTERN CORPS #4 $2.99


TEAMS

OCT110193 BIRDS OF PREY #4 $2.99
OCT110159 JUSTICE LEAGUE #4 $3.99
OCT110162 JUSTICE LEAGUE #4 COMBO PACK $4.99
OCT110233 LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #4 $2.99
OCT110199 RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #4 $2.99
OCT110218 THUNDER AGENTS VOL 2 #2 (OF 6) $2.99


MISC.

OCT110230 BLUE BEETLE #4 $2.99
OCT110169 CAPTAIN ATOM #4 $2.99
OCT110172 DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS #4 $2.99
OCT110276 END OF NATIONS #2 (OF 4) (RES) $2.99
OCT110293 FABLES #112 (MR) (NOTE PRICE) $3.99
OCT110287 HELLBLAZER #286 (MR) $2.99
OCT110290 VERTIGO RESURRECTED SGT ROCK HELL HARD PLACE #2 (MR) $7.99


FOR THE KIDS!

SEP110208 CARTOON NETWORK 2 IN 1 BEN 10 GENERATOR REX TP $12.99
OCT110270 TINY TITANS #47 $2.99
SEP110204 TINY TITANS TP VOL 06 THE TREEHOUSE AND BEYOND $12.99
OCT110272 YOUNG JUSTICE #11 $2.99

 

[notworksafe]

MARVEL
Releasing This Week

COMIC OF THE WEEK:
OCT110683 NEW MUTANTS #35 XREGB $2.99

X-MEN REGENESIS On a mission to track down the runaway mutant known as Blink the team runs smack into chaotic forces summoned by a band of Death Metal rockers. Yes, you read right: It's the New Mutants VS the awesome powers of Metal! Part 2 of 3

OCT110631 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #676 $3.99
AUG110680 ANITA BLAKE CIRCUS DAMNED SCOUNDREL #3 (OF 5) (MR) $3.99
OCT110597 AVENGERS #20 $3.99
OCT110686 DAKEN DARK WOLVERINE #18 $2.99
OCT110644 DAREDEVIL #7 $2.99
OCT110692 DEADPOOL MAX 2 #3 (MR) $3.99
OCT110585 DEFENDERS COMING OF DEFENDERS #1 $5.99
OCT110586 DEFENDERS STRANGE HEROES $4.99
OCT110648 FANTASTIC FOUR #601 $2.99
OCT110584 FEAR ITSELF FEARLESS #5 (OF 12) $2.99
OCT110614 FORMIC WARS SILENT STRIKE #1 (OF 5) $3.99
OCT110673 GENERATION HOPE #14 XREGB $2.99
OCT110654 HULK #46 $2.99
OCT110595 INCREDIBLE HULK #3 $3.99
OCT110596 INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #511 $3.99
OCT110619 JOHN CARTER A PRINCESS OF MARS #4 (OF 5) $2.99
OCT110668 LEGION OF MONSTERS #3 (OF 4) $3.99
OCT110693 PUNISHERMAX #20 (MR) $3.99
OCT110638 SIX GUNS #3 (OF 5) $2.99
OCT110667 THUNDERBOLTS #167 $2.99
OCT110620 ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #5 $3.99
OCT110678 UNCANNY X-FORCE #19 XREGG $3.99
OCT110635 VENOM #11 $2.99
OCT110685 WOLVERINE #20 XREGG $3.99
OCT110672 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #3 XREGG $3.99
OCT110656 WOLVERINE PUNISHER GHOST RIDER OFF INDEX MU #5 (OF 8) $3.99
OCT110688 X-23 #19 $2.99
OCT110682 X-FACTOR #229 XREGG $2.99

 

[Spike Spiegel]

My pickups for this week:

DC Comics-
Batman #4
Batman Inc. Leviathan Strikes! #1
Tiny Titans #47

Marvel Comics-
Daredevil #7
Fantastic Four #601
Generation Hope #14
Thunderbolts #167
Uncanny X-Force #19
Wolverine and the X-Men #3
X-23 #19
X-Factor #229

Other Publishers-
Conan Road of Kings #11
Last Battle One-Shot

Can't forget, I've got to turn in my order form for February too.

 

[Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku!]

OCT110584 FEAR ITSELF FEARLESS #5 (OF 12) $2.99

Good to know that Fear Itself is going to continue in some form for SEVEN MORE ISSUES apparently

 

[Rafa=FedKilla]

23 comics for me this week, oh baby.

 

[Lionel Mandrake]

Batman, Justice League, Ghostbusters, and TMNT? It's a hell of a week.

 

[krypt0nian]

Batman Week is best week.

 

[The Take Out Bandit]

Batman Savage Dragon Week is best week.

FIXED!

Also going to be amazing:

MAKE MINE CREATOR OWNED!

While you idiots were jerking each other off over X-men crap last week you forgot to mention Orchid #3 came out! >:|

Big ups to Sea Manky and Mrs. Manky who went los funnies digitalés and let their friends descend upon their old paper like locusts. I now have so much stuff to read. On top of all the other stuff I have to read. D:

 

[Father_Brain]

Also, I don't think that the New 52 had any impact on Batman at all, so it has no bearing on this story. Pre-52 batman is the same as the new.

That's what we were led to believe before the early New 52 books hit, but not quite. Besides all the costume changes (Dick Grayson as Nightwing, Barbara Gordon as Batgirl), there have been some Batman-related continuity changes; it's not clear whether the Outsiders still exist for Tim Drake to lead, and Selina Kyle not only doesn't know Batman's secret identity, but isn't sure whether he knows hers, meaning that Batman Inc. #1-2 couldn't be in continuity as published.

 

[LiQuid!]

Selina Kyle not only doesn't know Batman's secret identity, but isn't sure whether he knows hers, meaning that Batman Inc. #1-2 couldn't be in continuity as published.

Easy retcon, in Catwoman 1 he literally fucked her brains out and she forgot.

 

[LuCkymoON]

darkhorse finally released an Android app. However it is not capable of in app purchases yet, so you still have to buy everything at their web store.

 

[Jedeye Sniv]

That's what we were led to believe before the early New 52 books hit, but not quite. Besides all the costume changes (Dick Grayson as Nightwing, Barbara Gordon as Batgirl), there have been some Batman-related continuity changes; it's not clear whether the Outsiders still exist for Tim Drake to lead, and Selina Kyle not only doesn't know Batman's secret identity, but isn't sure whether he knows hers, meaning that Batman Inc. #1-2 couldn't be in continuity as published.

Ah yeah, great catch there. That is a very stupid bit of continuity on DCs part then. I do think the Catwoman thing is silly, it worked fine with her knowing who he was. But Catwoman is such an awesome book that it's not a bad trade...

 

[WascallyWabbit]

That's what we were led to believe before the early New 52 books hit, but not quite. Besides all the costume changes (Dick Grayson as Nightwing, Barbara Gordon as Batgirl), there have been some Batman-related continuity changes; it's not clear whether the Outsiders still exist for Tim Drake to lead, and Selina Kyle not only doesn't know Batman's secret identity, but isn't sure whether he knows hers, meaning that Batman Inc. #1-2 couldn't be in continuity as published.

why ru blowing my mind at such an early hour???

 

[Spike Spiegel]

Yeah, it's just a total clusterf*ck all around. >:|


On the bright side, Stephanie Brown gets her Batgirl costume back for one week only! The plan was originally to draw her as Spoiler in the "evil schoolgirl" issue that's part of 'Leviathan Strikes', but according to artist Burnham that idea got scrapped during layouts and she was reverted to Batgirl again. Now hopefully, Morrison's comments about this being Steph's "last hurrah as Batgirl" just means that she's giving it up and not dying or anything stupid like that; I'd be very cross with him and DC if that happened. Like, "drop all the DC books I'm reading" kind of cross... which wouldn't amount to much, but it's the principle of the thing.




EDIT: Bandit I'm already getting Last Battle, but I'll buy that Savage Dragon based on the "Green Giant Bin Laden Zombie" premise alone.

 

[the chris]

That's what we were led to believe before the early New 52 books hit, but not quite. Besides all the costume changes (Dick Grayson as Nightwing, Barbara Gordon as Batgirl), there have been some Batman-related continuity changes; it's not clear whether the Outsiders still exist for Tim Drake to lead, and Selina Kyle not only doesn't know Batman's secret identity, but isn't sure whether he knows hers, meaning that Batman Inc. #1-2 couldn't be in continuity as published.

This is kind the reason why I wished that DC had just gone all the way and reset all the continuity, not that it really changes anything major but it drives continuity nuts crazy.

 

[Chiave]

Justice league and Ultimate Spidy this week... and Wolverine + X-men. Dammit I hate this week. That's $11 right there. I'm gonna have to take a 15 mile drive to get to the store though... lucky there is a cluster of stores in the same area. Weird. Anyway I'm glad that I didn't start Batman. What's the difference between it and Detective Comics?