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[Tragicomedy]

My top 10 list:

#1 - Saga.
#2 - Hawkeye.
#3 - Locke and Key (a bit cheating since I read the entire series for the first time).
#4 - Batman.
#5 - Manhattan Projects.
#6 - Uncanny X-Force.
#7 - The Punisher.
#8 - Wolverine & the X-Men.
#9 - The Amazing Spider-Man.
#10 - Fairest.

The drop from the top two to everything else is pretty significant.

 

[Fuu]

I recently read Invincible Iron Man: The Five Nightmares and the 6 issues with the Extremis story are also on my list. Any suggestions as to what are some of the other must-read Iron Man arcs?

Avengers 1:

Spoiler

Not sure what that IGN reviewer was talking about, because the entire book was set up. Not to insinuate that the book is slow though. Hickman hints at a bunch of future events in the first few pages (which were released online as previews), introduces some new antagonists, and sets up the reason why the Avengers would ever need a team of 18-24 people. The first portion of the book conveniently focuses on the movie avengers (for new readers?) but most of the team assembles by the last page without issues of buildup like we are getting in Uncanny Avengers.

This team has a lot of heavy hitters, and I am curious how Hickman will justify the inclusion of people like the Falcon on a team that has Captain Marvel, Thor, Captain Universe, and Hyperion.

Opena's art was great, and Dean White continues to be Marvel's best colorist. I don't think this issue was quite as strong as Fantastic Four 570, but it definitely leaves you curious for what is coming next.

Yeah, it had a nice epic feeling but

Spoiler

it kind of felt more like a #0 prequel than a first issue from all the setup and rushed assembling, but maybe we're getting some buildup in the next issues since jumping around in the story's timeline was something stablished in this issue that I think can work well if it's used more.

I hated the completely nonsensical part where

Spoiler

The phoenix did something to our powers! But Magneto was not a phoenix. I guess when he was hit by a phoenix blast, his powers became shit. But Magik's powers are stronger! Like is that the best they could come up with?

lol yep, it doesn't bother me too much and I still enjoyed the issue but that part was super contrived. I'm liking the pace. Second issue was the strongest so far imo.

 

[BlueScrote]

I cannot believe how good All New X-men is. Also couldn't believe there was another issue already.

Maybe all Bendis needed was a change of pace from the avengers.

My favorite panel for the week.

edit: I'm sorry acid, I figured since it wasn't really a spoiler then it was okay.

Holy shit that's awesome.

 

[Fantomex]

Since I've only been dealing with trade paperbacks I have a question. Is it better to go to a local comic shop and get the new single issues there since they come with a code for a digital version? Is it a no brainer now?

 

[Manmademan]

I hated the completely nonsensical part where

Spoiler

The phoenix did something to our powers! But Magneto was not a phoenix. I guess when he was hit by a phoenix blast, his powers became shit. But Magik's powers are stronger! Like is that the best they could come up with?

It's not nonsensical at all.

Spoiler

It's been previously established (as far back as the original cyclops and phoenix miniseries, possibly further) that the phoenix force leaves residual power effects once it leaves. A rachel grey in her 90s (the PF had left her decades before) was pulling people through time and replicating powers before she exhausted herself and went into a coma.

Thus Having phoenix force residue amplify and alter the powers of the phoenix 5 doesn't seem out of line. Scott just seems more powerful than usual- to the point where he's having a hard time controlling it and his regular visor isn't sufficient to contain him. Magik has additional abilities- but it's hard to say with her since a good chunk of her "powers" came through magical training. Her mutation was originally just creation of teleportation discs.

Who knows what's up with Magneto and Emma- Magneto seems to be weaker, but not entirely depowered, but Emma's diamond form seems unaffected. The diamond form was a secondary mutation to begin with (on top of the TP..though her TP didn't work at all when DF was active) so maybe the PF simply sped up the transition making her diamond form her primary mutation, not just a secondary.

 

[the chris]

ASM 699 was good but what the heck was up with the

Spoiler

imagined sexual assault of MJ? Does Peter really think Otto would use his new body to go around raping all his girlfriends? If that's the case, what was stopping Doc Ock from going around raping women with his old body?

That panel made no sense to me.

Spoiler

Probably just Peter's fears being irrational due to him being in a panicked state. What really annoyed me about the issue is that nothing really happened, it just felt like filler to get to the next issue. They could have at least showed Peter in Doc Ock's body about to confront Otto in Spider-Man's body.

 

[sazabirules]

Since I've only been dealing with trade paperbacks I have a question. Is it better to go to a local comic shop and get the new single issues there since they come with a code for a digital version? Is it a no brainer now?

Not all comics come with a code.

 

[SpiderJerusalem]

I wish they did! Those 2.99's can stay on the rack now!

 

[Manmademan]

Spoiler

Probably just Peter's fears being irrational due to him being in a panicked state. What really annoyed me about the issue is that nothing really happened, it just felt like filler to get to the next issue. They could have at least showed Peter in Doc Ock's body about to confront Otto in Spider-Man's body.

Don't agree with you at all re: "nothing happened." the story is moving pretty quickly.

Spoiler

in 699, we have Ock's body stabilized for another few hours via emergency medical intervention, Peter figuring out how his mind got swapped, sending an octobot to activate one of Ock's old emergency contingency plans, assembling a new sinister six (well..ok, sinister four), to break him out of prison and succeeding, AND discovering Curt Connor's secret re: the lizard.

I'm not sure what else you could have wanted out of this issue. There's almost TOO much in it.

and as for this:

Spoiler

(I think Spike Spiegel guessed it a few weeks ago, but probable #700 spoilers: Ock just barely defeats the villains and "kills" Peter, thus proving himself the... superior Spider-Man.)

except this doesn't explain how or why Superior Spider Man's powers are totally different, as well as the fact that

Spoiler

actually killing "peter parker" for good and letting him die as doctor octopus' body fails isn't something marvel would actually do. Depowered temporarily? sure. switched into another body for a while? sure. Killed? no. at least not in this manner- Ock's death here is looking pretty permanent.

 

[frye]

With Hawkeye, I really enjoyed issues 1-3. Issue 4 was disappointing though. The art didn't come close to what Aja was able to do.

bad opinions itt

pulido fucken owns

 

[Anticitizen One]

Amazing Spider-Man is very predictable. The "new" spider-man is going to turn out to be

Spoiler

Peter Parker using a new alias because his identity probably gets revealed in #700

Also why the hell does Doc Ock look like a mutant space alien. What happened to him? He doesn't even look remotely human.

Frankly the whole thing is dumb because everyone knows damn well Marvel will never permanently kill off Doc Ock or Peter. This is the same company that brought back bucky and could barely keep human torch dead for a year.

 

[Manmademan]

Amazing Spider-Man is very predictable. The "new" spider-man is going to turn out to be

Spoiler

Peter Parker using a new alias because his identity probably gets revealed in #700

except for the whole "superior spider man has different powers than peter does", sure.

Also why the hell does Doc Ock look like a mutant space alien. What happened to him? He doesn't even look remotely human.

probably just emphasizing what kind of shape that body is in. Old, battered, rotten- Ock already died once and was brought back by the hand, but that didn't undo any of the cumulative damage that killed him in the first place. he's literally falling apart.

Frankly the whole thing is dumb because everyone knows damn well Marvel will never permanently kill off Doc Ock or Peter. This is the same company that brought back bucky and could barely keep human torch dead for a year.

This is comics. Permadeath is extremely rare- I don't think anyone expects marvel to permanently shelve the doctor octopus character. That being said, Bucky stayed dead for nearly 40 years. Mar-vell for about 30. Kraven stayed dead for about 25. Jean Grey has been dead for 7. So while not permanent, it's entirely possible for a major character to be sidelined for several years. I don't expect spider man to be anyone other than peter parker for very long though- marvel has movies to make after all.

 

[krypt0nian]

Avengers #1 read to Holst's The Planets Suite.

It can get no better.

 

[The Take Out Bandit]

Avengers #1 read to Holst's The Planets Suite.

It can get no better.

Yo dawg, you read slow as fuck and shit.

Man, comics gaf.

Trying to catch up on the part time work and dealing with the day job is grinding me down, commissions on hiatus until I get this contract shit done. I'm fucking beat today, but I'm not sure if it's trying to keep all these plates spinning or possibly coming down with something.

Dunno. Respiratory system feels a bit more gummy than usual and all the assfucks I'm surrounded with during the day are up and down with their ailments.

I don't need this shit being a month behind on the freelance gig and with an increased workload for the next three weeks.

Plus I'm stressed about getting dicked around on the pay for this contract. I dunno. I figure they can't try dicking me too hard legally, I met the first deadline. I contacted them early about missing the second deadline. I didn't hear back from them for nearly a month.

Ugh. . .

Feels bad man.

Now, I'm gonna feel bed man.

Sleep. =_=;

 

[B-Dubs]

Amazing Spider-Man is very predictable. The "new" spider-man is going to turn out to be

Spoiler

Peter Parker using a new alias because his identity probably gets revealed in #700

Also why the hell does Doc Ock look like a mutant space alien. What happened to him? He doesn't even look remotely human.

Frankly the whole thing is dumb because everyone knows damn well Marvel will never permanently kill off Doc Ock or Peter. This is the same company that brought back bucky and could barely keep human torch dead for a year.

Norman Osborn was dead for a good 20 years. If they give Ock a good enough death and replace him with someone cool then I could see him staying down for 20 years or so. So long as they keep Ock dead for more than 5 years (or two more writers whichever comes first) I'm ok with it. How many more Doc Ock stories can we possibly have left before it all turns to shit anyway?

 

[kswiston]

Frankly the whole thing is dumb because everyone knows damn well Marvel will never permanently kill off Doc Ock or Peter. This is the same company that brought back bucky and could barely keep human torch dead for a year.

They already killed Doc Ock in the 90s anyhow. Most major characters are working on their second or third "deaths" by this point.

Human Torch's death was always going to be a year long though. We knew that Marvel wasn't going to let Fantastic Four miss its 600th issue, and considering the reason they switched to the Future Foundation in the first place, you could piece together that Johnny would be back if they were reclaiming the team name.

That said, The issue where they showed us what happened to Johnny storm during the 12 issue span he missed was awesome, and well worth the death fakeout.

 

[sazabirules]

Hellboy in Hell was good. I didn't feel too lost jumping into it as my first Hellboy comic. I like the paper quality Dark Horse uses.

 

[Acid08]

its kirkman. are you really shocked?

Shocked that the surprise was actually surprising? Not really.

 

[Owzers]

Hmmmm I didn't like Batman #14. There's nothing for me in this book atm. Morrison's Batman was crazy, then his Batman and Robin and Batman Inc are fun. Snyder's Batman is just dead serious right now and only had that one great issue at #5 or so, the really crazy one.

Green Lantern #14: I dropped down to just this book out of the lantern titles and i'm still enjoying it. I wish the events would just get out of the way, there's a lot of content here and the menacing guardians stuff is holding back the rest.

 

[The Take Out Bandit]

Well that confirms it.

Can't sleep when stressed no matter how tired. =_=;

Lay in bed tossing and turning for two hours.

Fuck it.

Scanning images now.

 

[TheKaeptain]

Anyone have an Avengers code for a broke dude? I want to see if it is good enough to buy every month.

 

[Fantomex]

Well that confirms it.

Can't sleep when stressed no matter how tired. =_=;

Lay in bed tossing and turning for two hours.

Fuck it.

Scanning images now.

Hoping everything turns around for you soon Nerd. I'm about to cop this Avengers #1 all the soccer moms are raving about

 

[The Take Out Bandit]

Hoping everything turns around for you soon Nerd. I'm about to cop this Avengers #1 all the soccer moms are raving about

Thanks.

It's one of those things.

Back after I got laid off from my first great job and couldn't find anything else in that field I had to take a job at Target to pay the bills. I recall stocking inventory and looking at coloring books and thinking, "Man, I could do that!"

Fast forward nine years later and I just stumble into it like anything else and yeah I'm doing it, but I'm not respecting it like I should be. This is - Extra income, and getting work out there to help establish a reputation as a pencil jockey.

Of that work for hire pyramid of:

- Be Friendly
- Be Fast
- Be Good

I want to focus on fast and good.

I could have done this easier. There is so much recycling that goes on, but I did 44 unique illustrations - because I'm fucking retarded like that! And I hope some kid sees this and is inspired to not only color inside the lines, but draw cool dinosaurs too. :3

Well done scanning. Fuck the day job! I'm going to turn on The Art of Hip Hop and start inserting backgrounds.

 

[Auron_Kale]

Today's pickup:

I am pleased with everything. :3

Time to read!

EDIT: OH HOLY SHIT FOR BEING PRINTED IN HAWKGUY VOL. 5!!!!

Yeah letter!

 

[Fantomex]

Thanks.

It's one of those things.

Back after I got laid off from my first great job and couldn't find anything else in that field I had to take a job at Target to pay the bills. I recall stocking inventory and looking at coloring books and thinking, "Man, I could do that!"

Fast forward nine years later and I just stumble into it like anything else and yeah I'm doing it, but I'm not respecting it like I should be. This is - Extra income, and getting work out there to help establish a reputation as a pencil jockey.

Of that work for hire pyramid of:

- Be Friendly
- Be Fast
- Be Good

I want to focus on fast and good.

I could have done this easier. There is so much recycling that goes on, but I did 44 unique illustrations - because I'm fucking retarded like that! And I hope some kid sees this and is inspired to not only color inside the lines, but draw cool dinosaurs too. :3

Well done scanning. Fuck the day job! I'm going to turn on The Art of Hip Hop and start inserting backgrounds.

Word! Get that papah and draw on that papah! Drawing and listening to gangsta music all up in dis.

 

[Jedeye Sniv]

Guys. Action Comics #15. Haters didn't believe Morrison could pull it all together, BUT HE DOES. This is the one where everything clicks together, and it's goddamn WONDERFUL.

I've not read it yet but I've always had faith I could see he was building up to something for sure.

 

[Jedeye Sniv]

Of that work for hire pyramid of:

- Be Friendly
- Be Fast
- Be Good

I want to focus on fast and good.

Y'know being friendly is not only free but also doesn't take nearly as much effort as learning to draw. Me, I'm friendly and fast. If you like stick figures and crudely drawn penises I'm your man!

Today's pickup:

COMICS

I am pleased with everything. :3

Time to read!

EDIT: OH HOLY SHIT FOR BEING PRINTED IN HAWKGUY VOL. 5!!!!

And thanks to Marvel's double shipping, you're already behind the releases

I can't believe Deadpool 3 is out already. Fucking Marvel. I'm staying on till the end of the arc and dropping the book like a hot, expensive potato. It's fun but it's not $12 a month fun. I think the same will be of Avengers. I'm interested, but not in three books a month.

 

[Acid08]

Today's pickup:

I am pleased with everything. :3

Time to read!

EDIT: OH HOLY SHIT FOR BEING PRINTED IN HAWKGUY VOL. 5!!!!

Woah nice! Checked out that SFvX machine, it' s in pretty awesome condition. Learned of his plans to get more fighting games in there, sounds so baller.

Deadpool 3 was great, Hawkguy 5 was on another level though. Liked it much more than 4, the art just seemed better overall for some reason. Fraction writing some of the best stuff in the series so far, nice long letter section done by him as well. Revealed some VERY EXCITING INFO:

Spoiler

Aja drawn Spidey next issue, I'VE DREAMED OF THIS DAY FOR A MILLENNIA

.

 

[The Take Out Bandit]

Y'know being friendly is not only free but also doesn't take nearly as much effort as learning to draw. Me, I'm friendly and fast. If you like stick figures and crudely drawn penises I'm your man!

I think life just led me down a road of viewing friendly as character weakness.

Not that I'm unfriendly, but I generally don't let people get close because that creates openings to vulnerable points.

Anyhow, I've earned my peace of mind for the evening. All art scanned in. Several pieces finished. Time to try getting sleep again.

Art of Rap was awesome too. It's on Netflix instant now, no reason to miss it.

 

[Fuu]

Gone through the 5 issues of Hawkeye, you all weren't kidding about it being amazing.

 

[LiQuid!]

Think Action 15 officially broke my brain. Good job, Morrison.

Gone through the 5 issues of Hawkeye, you all weren't kidding about it being amazing.

Bro!

 

[Fuu]

Think Action 15 officially broke my brain. Good job, Morrison.


Bro!

Bro, get that bro!

 

[Kizer]

ASM 699 was good but what the heck was up with the

Spoiler

imagined sexual assault of MJ? Does Peter really think Otto would use his new body to go around raping all his girlfriends? If that's the case, what was stopping Doc Ock from going around raping women with his old body?

That panel made no sense to me.

think about how much easier it would be if he could just get close to them almost instantly. He would already have their trust and that would be a big deal.

 

[LiQuid!]

think about how much easier it would be if he could just get close to them almost instantly. He would already have their trust and that would be a big deal.

The dude has 8 tentacle arms. Who needs trust when you're already built for rape?

 

[strobogo]

I started reading Amazing Spider-Man from issue number 1. I made it about 8 deep before I skipped to 100. They are so weird. Why is Peter, a teenager, drawn to look like a 40 year old man? Why is he always in the lab at school and always wearing a tie? Why is the sky rarely blue and regularly orange or yellow? Those are just funny nit picky things that don't really bother me.

What does kind of bother me is the ridiculous Stan Lee verbosity and how hilarious the angst (which is HEAVY) is in that wacky prose. I found the same issue with 40s-early 70ish Batman. Those 40s Batman comics might as well have been actual novels. SO MUCH TEXT.

I do find so many meme worthy panels, though. Like, every 2-3 panels would be perfect for 60s Spidey cartoon meme. I do find it odd that so many of the men have Hitler staches. It's not just JJJ. It's almost every adult male. So weird. One of my favorite panels I've seen so far was a back of the issue page showing all the things that Spidey can do with his webbing. He can use it as a baseball bat. He can use it as a shield. He can use it to tie someone. He can use it as a puddlely goop. And as skis. I hope he used them as skis in a story.

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

CAR CHASE
CAR CHASE
CARRRR CCCCHHHHAAAASSSSSEEEEEEE

This post has been brought to you by the latest installment of Stumptown

CARCHASE

 

[Owzers]

Justice League #14 - This book overall is really stiff still. Shazam back-up is the highlight as usual though I'm not sure i like where it's headed

Spoiler

Black Adam teaming up with the 7 deadly sins to defeat Billy..eh

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

Justice League #14 - This book overall is really stiff still. Shazam back-up is the highlight as usual though I'm not sure i like where it's headed

Spoiler

Black Adam teaming up with the 7 deadly sins to defeat Billy..eh

Did it have a car chase? Best comics always do.

 

[Owzers]

Did it have a car chase? Best comics always do.

It almost had a cheetah chase, but then decided not to.

 

[LiQuid!]

Did it have a car chase? Best comics always do.

Hawkguy 3 had a car chase and that was a best comic. I think you may be on to something...

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

Hawkguy 3 had a car chase and that was a best comic. I think you may be on to something...

It was funny, Fraction talks about how hard it is for comics to do car chases which is why he tried one in #3 (and rocked it). I put that comic down, opened Stumptown and was faced with the best car chase I ever read in my life.

Synergy!*

*Gary The Squirrel

 

[Pie and Beans]

rundown:

Spidey #699: Boring. It all played out exactly the way everybody expected, and this was just a treading water issue. Think Slott's going to flub the ending again as he's done with other arcs.

Avengers #1: I know GAF is all hype for Hickman, and while I enjoyed the back end of his F4 run, I never really enjoyed the start. Ex Nihilo is just an asspull from nowhere, and the issue feels too cluttered and plodding to really... explain him. And bad Hickman, worfing is Remender's zone. Great art though.

All New Speech Bubbles: More terrible dialogue flow, some really weird 'for the sake of it' problems facing Scott's group (Magneto makes no sense, but he could be the mole future solicits have suggested), I really have no idea where Bendis is going with this. THIS NEW CHARACTERS FOR YOU, MORPH!

Iron-Man: Thought I could get past the faces. I cant and I'm out. Creepy Asian Stark Grimace/Grin has been in every issue as has "lipstick smile bedroom eyes girl" on every females face. How Do We Kill Greg Land, Gentlemen?

Hawk-guy: Fun book is fun

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

Yeah, Iron Man is killin me. The funner the book gets (best issue, story-wise) the lamer the art.

 

[ViewtifulJC]

I dropped Iron Man #2, I'm sorry. Comic books are a visual medium, Kieron.

Sad thing is, this book will almost CERTAINLY outsell Young Avengers month-in and month-out

 

[Parallax]

Shocked that the surprise was actually surprising? Not really.

Spoiler

"kill em all" kirkman actually killing them all? not really

 

[Pie and Beans]

From #1, #2, & #3. Whenever Land isn't doing... THIS FACE... it seems Tom Cruise is the go-to celebrity for tracing Tony's more serious faces.

 

[Fuu]

From #1, #2, & #3. Whenever Land isn't doing... THIS FACE... it seems Tom Cruise is the go-to celebrity for tracing Tony's more serious faces.

 

[Parallax]

From #1, #2, & #3. Whenever Land isn't doing... THIS FACE... it seems Tom Cruise is the go-to celebrity for tracing Tony's more serious faces.

thats lazy.. even for land. i mean what the fuck?

 

[Pie and Beans]

I just don't get it. What does Marvel editorial even do when checking over pages, or do they even bother anymore?

"Ah, I see... you've drawn that same weird asian face in all three premier issues..."
"Is that a problem?"
"NO. NO PROBLEM. HERE'S YOUR CHEQUE. MAKE SURE ITS IN #4 TOO. I LOVE IT. DON'T HURT ME."

Can people stop buying any book Greg Land is on, en masse? Or will that even work? Do we have to hire someone to chop off his hands? WHAT CAN BE DONE?!

 

[BlueScrote]

rundown:

Spidey #699: Boring. It all played out exactly the way everybody expected, and this was just a treading water issue. Think Slott's going to flub the ending again as he's done with other arcs.

Avengers #1: I know GAF is all hype for Hickman, and while I enjoyed the back end of his F4 run, I never really enjoyed the start. Ex Nihilo is just an asspull from nowhere, and the issue feels too cluttered and plodding to really... explain him. And bad Hickman, worfing is Remender's zone. Great art though.

All New Speech Bubbles: More terrible dialogue flow, some really weird 'for the sake of it' problems facing Scott's group (Magneto makes no sense, but he could be the mole future solicits have suggested), I really have no idea where Bendis is going with this. THIS NEW CHARACTERS FOR YOU, MORPH!

Iron-Man: Thought I could get past the faces. I cant and I'm out. Creepy Asian Stark Grimace/Grin has been in every issue as has "lipstick smile bedroom eyes girl" on every females face. How Do We Kill Greg Land, Gentlemen?

Hawk-guy: Fun book is fun

I can't believe you made it this far.