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COMICS! |OT| February 2014. Flowers? Candy? Please. Get that guy/gal an omnibus!

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Filthy Slug

Crowd screaming like hounds at the heat of the chase/ All the colors of the rainbow flood my face
Unwritten is a good start :O

You're a good man, Sillymonkey. I gave a friend Unwritten Apocalypse #1 because it was so sublime that I wanted to share the love, and she fucking loved it having never read an issue of the series before and having no context for the current story.
 
On the A grade/B grade comic thing, this is just how I look at it: There are so many A grade comics if you look in the right places, and are into a diverse set of genres, publishers etc., I would never need to buy a *B grade book* as we're calling them, or books that are fine disposable fun in my mind.

I understand the place those books have in the market eg. some will consider them A grade due to their own personal preferences, or people will recognise them as B grade but want that escapism, but for me, there are too many good books in the first place. Between Image, Dark Horse, Vertigo, Oni, the big two and so on, and given that I like many genres and writing styles, I literally never need to buy a fine or even good book. I can just buy 30 books that obliterate my mind and know I'll come back to them for years and that I've hit what I'm willing to spend on comics.

If I had more money, or less other needs such as other hobbies like games, or going and doing thing in real life with my girlfriend and kid, I probably would keep going and buy books that are *B grade* too. As it is, there are so many top quality books out, I have no need or place on my book shelf for disposable fiction that I might read and never come back to. This is a pure preference though, and not something I assert that everyone should be doing. If you want to buy a book regardless of it's reviews because it has that green lanter you like it in, or the artist draws some really nice T n A, or anything reason really, that's fine by me. I'll always advocate what I think is a real literary experience first though, because that's what I go in for, books that will change how I think about fiction, or life, or whatever. Books that change me.

This can't be the guys who just bought some Marvel Bendis, can it? Dude, no way you're ever going back and reading that stuff. Those are exactly the kinds of fun and disposable books you're talking about not buying.

As someone who buys a few just-for-silly-fun books, I do, for the most part, still rest heavy priority on having a "real literary experience" with my reading. Absolutely. The book I keep coming back to in my mind through this discussion is Six Gun Gorilla. If I didn't have this tick in which I have to check out (almost) every book that might possibly be brilliant than I wouldn't have found that book. And reading it was a real literary, brain-breaky, me-shifty experience.

The only thing I value on par with such experiences is a book with well done female characters. Because I am old. I've read and watched a million things. The high majority of those things had me peering through the eyes of a male character. I've reached my quota and I am full. I want female characters. Not "strong" ones. Complicated, 3-dimentional, flawed and amazing female characters. Also characters that aren't white. Characters that aren't teens or 20s. Etc.

So for me: 1. female/variety characters 2. literary smartery 3. Stuff I might like that connects me to the zeitgeist.

I never ever would have read Red Lanterns if not for this thread. But I'm glad I did because it was a good reminder that it is ok for something to just be fun. And it was a way for me to connect with my comics peeps which isn't an easy in for this indie geek.
 
Yeah, I'm definitely in Comics for the fun aspect. I only want to read a few thought provoking, intellectual books. I want my comics to be the equivilant to summer popcorn flicks.
 
Sounds like someone hasn't read Alias.

I thinks it's BENDIS second best work(behind ultimate Spider-Man). It stars Jessica jones as a down on her luck detective who does odd jobs in the marvel U.

Plus it's got some awesome Michael Gaydos art
 

Mdk7

Member
I addressed it briefly in an earlier post. Only one type shows up in the first issue, a group of raptors, and only for a few pages. They look like raptors with feathered plumage, and that's about it. Not particularly detailed designs or even very colorful, which was disappointing to me for a book about dinosaurs.

Ah, now eventually you do plan to have dinosaurs on your, on your dinosaur comic, right? Hello?
:D
 
Sounds like someone hasn't read Alias.

I thinks it's BENDIS second best work(behind ultimate Spider-Man). It stars Jessica jones as a down on her luck detective who does odd jobs in the marvel U.

Plus it's got some awesome Michael Gaydos art

Haha yea. I see this is becoming a bit of a point proving thing, probably an extension of the discussion earlier. But yea, Bendis has put together some amazing stuff. If the x-men stuff isn't up to snuff I'll get rid of it, I've done it with plenty of other books, but obviously, I don't understand my own thoughts because of a definition given to a book by someone else (despite me freely admitting people will define books differently, down to tastes and wants in my own post about A/B books).

Alias and Daredevil, along with Scarlet and Powers, continue to be great interesting, engaging pieces of work. I have issues with his pacing/decompression but when he's on point, he's a great writer. If I didn't think that, obviously, I wouldn't have taken a chance on those x-books, and I did describe it as taking a chance on them.
 

Wiseblade

Member
Iron man, Thor, Captain America. and Hulk. But I would be down for stuff like ant-man because I want to learn more about him.
I'd say the current Thor book would be a great place to start. The first volume is called God Butcher IIRC. A solid introduction to the character, but doesn't really delve into Marvel as a whole. For the Big Green Wonder, Planet Hulk is a must read.
 

Messi

Member
Let's talk about Fiona Staples wonderful art. Even if BKVs writing got worse I think staples art would keep me buying saga. Her work is absolutely amazing.

--

Btw while I'm here, should I buy Ravine?
 
You're a good man, Sillymonkey. I gave a friend Unwritten Apocalypse #1 because it was so sublime that I wanted to share the love, and she fucking loved it having never read an issue of the series before and having no context for the current story.

I did the same for a friend. He doesn't even like comics but he wants to buy the whole series and start from the beginning.
 

Filthy Slug

Crowd screaming like hounds at the heat of the chase/ All the colors of the rainbow flood my face
I did the same for a friend. He doesn't even like comics but he wants to buy the whole series and start from the beginning.

Peter Gross really busted his ass in that issue and the art is just as spectacular as the writing. I hope more people get into the series through these fantastic issues or through the post-series discussion.
 
Let's talk about Fiona Staples wonderful art. Even if BKVs writing got worse I think staples art would keep me buying saga. Her work is absolutely amazing.

--

Btw while I'm here, should I buy Ravine?


Yes Ravine is fucking awesomeness . Dragons , swords , magic !!'

Buy it!!!
 
Peter Gross really busted his ass in that issue and the art is just as spectacular as the writing. I hope more people get into the series through these fantastic issues or through the post-series discussion.
Them hardcovers are toing to be glorious. No reason for Bertigo to wait five years after its finished to start releasing them. Mike Carey is an Uncrowned Comics Superstar.
 

Filthy Slug

Crowd screaming like hounds at the heat of the chase/ All the colors of the rainbow flood my face
Them hardcovers are toing to be glorious. No reason for Bertigo to wait five years after its finished to start releasing them. Mike Carey is an Uncrowned Comics Superstar.

I'm double dipping hard for those. This series deserves some impressive hardcovers once it's done.
 

arkon

Member
Peter Gross really busted his ass in that issue and the art is just as spectacular as the writing. I hope more people get into the series through these fantastic issues or through the post-series discussion.

I'm waiting for some deluxe hardcover goodness. It's a certain purchase. Just a question of when.
 
D

Deleted member 13876

Unconfirmed Member
Has there been any confirmation where Hickman's New/Avengers stuff is leading to? Has it been confirmed to be next summer's event?

No clue. Next event is the Who Killed The Watcher: Skeletons in the Closets Extraordinaire Special.
 
Them hardcovers are toing to be glorious. No reason for Bertigo to wait five years after its finished to start releasing them. Mike Carey is an Uncrowned Comics Superstar.

I'm waiting for some deluxe hardcover goodness. It's a certain purchase. Just a question of when.

I'm double dipping hard for those. This series deserves some impressive hardcovers once it's done.

I love all this. Have you guys read the OGN yet? I have it sitting here, thought I might just let the series build up on my shelf though til the beginning of Apocalypse though before I read right through and catch up. Right now I thiiink I'm up to The Wound, in terms of actual read. Gross really is amazing, I actually love all of his tommy Taylor world stuff, the style he adopts for it, really great, I'd love to see him do a pure fantasy book in that vein.

Has there been any confirmation where Hickman's New/Avengers stuff is leading to? Has it been confirmed to be next summer's event?

Apparently he's now in the early issues of Act 2 (of 3 presumably). As Nils mentioned, Aaron has the ball next with a Fury summer book about the death of the watcher. If I had to guess, I'd think that act 2 will build to a full on new avengers/avengers collision, but not a line wide event, a soft event between each other I guess. Then a final act 3 building to the end of his run, which I would think would result in a big status quo altering thing to the marvel line.

Maybe seasons would be a better descriptor than acts though, it feels like marvel are really committed to the idea of seasons now, and opening up major jumping on points/soft reboots every 12-18 issues on everything now to open the doors for new readers.
 

GAMEPROFF

Banned
After whining so often about european Omnibus prizes, I had incredible luck and got a copy of the Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus Vol. 1 for 35€. Very excited to read all this old stuff. I just love Spidey but never read much of the first comics. All I read was Amazing Fantasy 15, ASM 1 and the issues which introduced Doc Ock.

Also got the Infinity Softcover. Do I have to read other Avengers books to enjoy the event or does it stand on its own?
 

deim0s

Member
Can anyone enlighten me on what happened to Starjammers after War of Kings? Havok took the reigns and the Hepzibah is on earth... And something something, lead to the Cancerverse. What next? Did Corsair get resurrected somehow?

I just noticed since The Uncanny Avengers(?) have Havok at the helm with Cap against the twins, wondering what happened to the rest of Marvel Cosmic teams.
 
Also got the Infinity Softcover. Do I have to read other Avengers books to enjoy the event or does it stand on its own?

I think you would be of major benefit by reading through Avengers and New Avengers first man. Hickman goes for very vast, multi-layered plot approaches. Not only will the story make a lot more sense, I reckon it's the main upside to his work, sticking in there for the long haul paying dividends later. Just reading the payoff, the book may not read very strongly. It's hard to say that definitively though, having read the build up first myself. I'm just starting Infinity and verrry excited haha.

I feel like I'm the only one who didn't really like Ms. Marvel.

Go back a page or so, your definitely not alone.
 
I think you would be of major benefit by reading through Avengers and New Avengers first man. Hickman goes for very vast, multi-layered plot approaches. Not only will the story make a lot more sense, I reckon it's the main upside to his work, sticking in there for the long haul paying dividends later. Just reading the payoff, the book may not read very strongly. It's hard to say that definitively though, having read the build up first myself. I'm just starting Infinity and verrry excited haha.



Go back a page or so, your definitely not alone.

I'm jealous. Wish I could read it again for the first time. Didn't think I could enjoy a big Marvel crossover event that much ever again after the total shitshow every one of theirs has been since Civil War
 

GAMEPROFF

Banned
I think you would be of major benefit by reading through Avengers and New Avengers first man. Hickman goes for very vast, multi-layered plot approaches. Not only will the story make a lot more sense, I reckon it's the main upside to his work, sticking in there for the long haul paying dividends later. Just reading the payoff, the book may not read very strongly. It's hard to say that definitively though, having read the build up first myself. I'm just starting Infinity and verrry excited haha.

He only writes New Avengers and Avengers, right?

Thats an ok amount of books, maybe I will buy them next month and start reading Infinity afterwards. I wanted to start a Avengers book anway, so this will be a good reason^^
 

Owzers

Member
Batman #24: Maybe it was the size of the issue or that bruce wayne speech, but i thought this issue was really boring outside of a few well-drawn pages at the end fight.

B-grade.
 
I sont know id was the inks, colors or adjusting to drawing more pages but Kris Anka's art wasn't anywhere close to interesting in Xmen 10. His covers used to be so schway.
 
He only writes New Avengers and Avengers, right?

Thats an ok amount of books, maybe I will buy them next month and start reading Infinity afterwards. I wanted to start a Avengers book anyway, so this will be a good reason^^

That's right man, Avengers and New Avengers. You might see Avengers World during your searches; this is a book he helps co-plot but he doesn't script, nor do you need to worry about it until after Infinity anyway. The two are basically sister titles, telling two sides of one whole, seeding things that will be resolving in Infinity (and beyond of course), from the start. Avengers is (was?) a double shipper while New Avengers is just a single, so you'll find one volume of New Avengers prior to Infinity, whereas you'll find about 3 of Avengers. don't worry about that, that makes sense due to the shipping/slightly different launch date of the series from one another. Feel free to ask if you have any other questions. There's quite a few Infinity/Hickman fans here, and I've personally just bought that stuff and caught up so it's all fresh in my mind.

Keeping with the Infinity train, I just read up through the prologue issues and #1 of the main series. Oh man I love how the Inhumans are portrayed here,I really can't wait to see how everything goes down. With the Builders, Thanos, I'm assuming the incursions, it's actually kind of hard to see how this could play out in the Avengers favour, I really have no inkling how this will go.

I also really hope Soule can make something of Inhuman. Obviously it's been compromised in light of editorial decisions over the writer's primary vision once before, but the Inhuman's seem pretty interesting here, I'd love a good high quality intelligent book about them and their society (honestly a Hickman written book seems like the thing here, if he wasn't so busy)
 
Did we read the same thing? Her race and religion are the only topics of conversation. The issue starts with her drooling over bacon, or crying out loud.

So, you're saying there are things she wants to do but isn't allowed to. Just like every teenager ever. Her race and religion are brought up in context of the story. Jesus fuck, if you people have a problem with the story that a Muslim writer is telling about a Muslim character, then nothing is going to be PC enough for you.

Also, I need this Red Sonja #7 Variant in my life. It's amazing.

Amy Reeder cover. Is it really a variant, though? Red Sonja books always have a few alternate covers. I don't even think there's a "standard" cover. You just pick the one you like best.
 
All this Infinity talk...

Just ordered:

-Avengers - Vol. 1: Avengers World HC
-Avengers - Vol 2: The Last White Event HC
-New Avengers - Vol 1: Everything Dies HC
-Infinity HC

Sounds like I've got some good reads ahead of me, looking forward to it.
 
Also he only weekly bat book you should be buying is Batman 66. Shit is dope

I lvoed the first arc, but then I don't think it maintained that quality in the following issues. And the $1 price hike is when I jumped off. I can't justify spending more than 99 cents on these digital bite-sized comics (I'm looking at you Marvel!).

I feel like I'm the only one who didn't really like Ms. Marvel.

I can see why some people didn't like Ms. Marvel because of the fan-fiction, teen angst, and snarky tone. Some people are just turned off by that (not me).

But I feel that people who are complaining about the issue showcasing her heritage and issues she has with it are missing the point. That is the interesting window-dressing to the plot. You could replace the bacon-smelling and family dinner scene with an equivalent scene from a Chinese or Mexican household. The bullies could have been making fun of her because she was too ft, or too skinny, or too prudish. If you don't like slice of teenage life antics, then complain about that, but this book is telling us this story and filtering it through her experiences as a Muslim-American, which hasn't been done before. How is that not interesting? How is that pandering? I would love to have a Chinese-American equivalent of this story.

And I don't think she wanted to be blonde and white to be pretty. I think she wanted to be Captain Marvel (who just happens to be blonde and white) because Carol Danvers kickes ass. She even likes the non-PC swimming suit and heels costume! The fact that she became blonde and white at the end obviously has implications towards how media has shaped her (and our) perceptions of beauty, but I think people who claim it's because she just wants to be white and fit in are being disingenuous. She wants to kick ass and be Carol Danvers and fit in, and apparently it's easier to be blonde and white to do that. I don't think seeing that play out is cliche, because I don't remember a comic dealing with this issue.
 
Agreed. I'm probably super biased since I grew up in a Muslim Pakistani household, but Ms. Marvel hit all the right notes, and not just from a personal standpoint. A lot of the complaints sound like the kind of thing you'd hear about a lot of #1s and not the series in particular. #2 will probably flesh out the powers stuff and explain in detail why she ended up the way she did.
 

Quake1028

Member
I am wanting to get back into comics. Had to cut them last summer because my wife was pregnant and we wanted to save as much as we could for the baby. Now that the baby is here, finances have opened up a bit again. I am trying to keep my list to 20 titles at an absolute maximum. Here are 21 titles I subbed to before, but I haven't kept up with anything new or if any of these have nosedived in quality. Can anyone suggest some alternatives? I should also mention that I get someone's digital copies of X-Men and Avengers Assemble, so I have those covered.

Marvel: All New X-Men, Avengers, Captain America, Daredevil, FF, Hawkeye, Indestructible Hulk, New Avengers, Superior Spider-Man, Thor: God of Thunder, Uncanny Avengers, Uncanny X-Men

DC: Aquaman, Batman, Flash

Image: East of West, Five Ghosts: The Haunting of Fabian Gray, The Manhattan Projects, Nowhere Men, Peter Panzerfaust, Saga
 
Agreed. I'm probably super biased since I grew up in a Muslim Pakistani household, but Ms. Marvel hit all the right notes, and not just from a personal standpoint. A lot of the complaints sound like the kind of thing you'd hear about a lot of #1s and not the series in particular. #2 will probably flesh out the powers stuff and explain in detail why she ended up the way she did.

This is awesome!
 

Messi

Member
I am wanting to get back into comics. Had to cut them last summer because my wife was pregnant and we wanted to save as much as we could for the baby. Now that the baby is here, finances have opened up a bit again. I am trying to keep my list to 20 titles at an absolute minimum. Here are 21 titles I subbed to before, but I haven't kept up with anything new or if any of these have nosedived in quality. Can anyone suggest some alternatives?

Marvel: All New X-Men, Avengers, Captain America, Daredevil, FF, Hawkeye, Indestructible Hulk, New Avengers, Superior Spider-Man, Thor: God of Thunder, Uncanny Avengers, Uncanny X-Men

DC: Aquaman, Batman, Flash

Image: East of West, Five Ghosts: The Haunting of Fabian Gray, The Manhattan Projects, Nowhere Men, Peter Panzerfaust, Saga

Harley Quinn, and no I am not joking.

Deadly Class from image too.
 
I am trying to keep my list to 20 titles at an absolute minimum. Here are 21 titles I subbed to before, but I haven't kept up with anything new or if any of these have nosedived in quality. Can anyone suggest some alternatives?

Do you mean 20 titles at a minimum or maximum? Anyway, here are some books I'd recommend:

DC Comics / Vertigo: Batman, Harley Quinn, Red Lanterns, The Wake

Marvel: All-New X-Men, Black Widow, Guardians of the Galaxy, Hawkeye, Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk, Uncanny X-Men, X-Force, X-Men

Image: Black Science, Deadly Class, East of West, Lazarus, Saga, Sex Criminals (not what it sounds like XD), Velvet.

There are 20 books you should check out. I did my best to give you a general list of good books that aren't specific to just things I like. Otherwise I'd have included some off-the-wall stuff like Alex + Ada and Elephantmen.
 

arkon

Member
lol

I was looking for some opinions on the Infinity HC quality in the Marvel omnibus thread at cbr. They're all going crazy over the thin paper in it. Is it really that bad?

donie pls
 
lol

I was looking for some opinions on the Infinity HC quality in the Marvel omnibus thread at cbr. They're all going crazy over the thin paper in it. Is it really that bad?

donie pls

I just got mine in the mail today. Comparing it with a few previous Marvel HC's I own, in order from thickest to thinnest paper, it's Planet Hulk > Secret Warriors Omnibus > Infinity.

The paper is certainly thinner, noticeably so. But it doesn't seem to be that big of a deal to me. Maybe I don't shit myself over every little thing like other people on the internet seem to. Unless you're going to yank the pages, you should be fine.
 

Quake1028

Member
Do you mean 20 titles at a minimum or maximum? Anyway, here are some books I'd recommend:

DC Comics / Vertigo: Batman, Harley Quinn, Red Lanterns, The Wake

Marvel: All-New X-Men, Black Widow, Guardians of the Galaxy, Hawkeye, Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk, Uncanny X-Men, X-Force, X-Men

Image: Black Science, Deadly Class, East of West, Lazarus, Saga, Sex Criminals (not what it sounds like XD), Velvet.

There are 20 books you should check out. I did my best to give you a general list of good books that aren't specific to just things I like. Otherwise I'd have included some off-the-wall stuff like Alex + Ada and Elephantmen.

Thanks for the list, and yeah, I meant 20 at a maximum.
 

Owzers

Member
I just got mine in the mail today. Comparing it with a few previous Marvel HC's I own, in order from thickest to thinnest paper, it's Planet Hulk > Secret Warriors Omnibus > Infinity.

The paper is certainly thinner, noticeably so. But it doesn't seem to be that big of a deal to me. Maybe I don't shit myself over every little thing like other people on the internet seem to. Unless you're going to yank the pages, you should be fine.

Is the binding one of those sewn/glued hybrids?
 

ReiGun

Member
I can see why some people didn't like Ms. Marvel because of the fan-fiction, teen angst, and snarky tone. Some people are just turned off by that (not me).

But I feel that people who are complaining about the issue showcasing her heritage and issues she has with it are missing the point. That is the interesting window-dressing to the plot. You could replace the bacon-smelling and family dinner scene with an equivalent scene from a Chinese or Mexican household. The bullies could have been making fun of her because she was too ft, or too skinny, or too prudish. If you don't like slice of teenage life antics, then complain about that, but this book is telling us this story and filtering it through her experiences as a Muslim-American, which hasn't been done before. How is that not interesting? How is that pandering? I would love to have a Chinese-American equivalent of this story.

And I don't think she wanted to be blonde and white to be pretty. I think she wanted to be Captain Marvel (who just happens to be blonde and white) because Carol Danvers kickes ass. She even likes the non-PC swimming suit and heels costume! The fact that she became blonde and white at the end obviously has implications towards how media has shaped her (and our) perceptions of beauty, but I think people who claim it's because she just wants to be white and fit in are being disingenuous. She wants to kick ass and be Carol Danvers and fit in, and apparently it's easier to be blonde and white to do that. I don't think seeing that play out is cliche, because I don't remember a comic dealing with this issue.
Taking a different angle than the norm doesn't automatically mean the execution will feel fresh and entertaining. The problem I had was not that Kamala has identity issues or her heritage. It was the fact that outside of those things, she and her little slice of the world felt like your standard teenage slice of life story. The "white envy" stuff stood out so much because, as Wiseblade pointed out up thread, it was one of the two things that actually made her feel somewhat unique, and it's not that compelling on its own. Not when the character in question feels so bland.

Perhaps future issues will flesh her out, but I certainly left this first one less enthused for the rest of the series.
 

GAMEPROFF

Banned
That's right man, Avengers and New Avengers. You might see Avengers World during your searches; this is a book he helps co-plot but he doesn't script, nor do you need to worry about it until after Infinity anyway. The two are basically sister titles, telling two sides of one whole, seeding things that will be resolving in Infinity (and beyond of course), from the start. Avengers is (was?) a double shipper while New Avengers is just a single, so you'll find one volume of New Avengers prior to Infinity, whereas you'll find about 3 of Avengers. don't worry about that, that makes sense due to the shipping/slightly different launch date of the series from one another. Feel free to ask if you have any other questions. There's quite a few Infinity/Hickman fans here, and I've personally just bought that stuff and caught up so it's all fresh in my mind.

So I have to read Avengers Volume 1 to 3 and New Avengers 1 to get everything important? Even while Infinity Tie Ins starts with New Avengers 9?
 
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