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COMICS!!! |OT| May 2017 - Every Empire Falls
- Thread starter Messi
- Start date
- Status
Donniewahlberg
Banned
House Of Penance by Peter Tomasi, Ian Bertram & Dave Stewart: What a crazy, creepy, haunting book. For those who dont know, the book concerns itself with the life of Sarah Winchester (of the Winchester gun company), her mourning turned psychosis over the loss of her family to illness, and real life events and urban myths surrounding the construction of her house of mysteries, full of stairways and doors to nowhere, towards the end of the 19th century in San José.
First and foremost, Ian Bertram's art coupled with Dave Stewart's colours are incredible. The layouts, the representation of the twisted house, the tortured spirits Sarah and other inhabitants believe to see, the quiet sad moments - all illustrated in intricate exquisite detail that often reminded me, for lack of a better way to put it, of Frank Quitely or Chris Barnham's lumpy style.
Peter Tomasi crafts a very thoughtful measured script that I imagine could have been frustrating as a monthly book, as there isn't actually a ton of explicit plot happenings, instead really dialing on on introspective character work, very clearly introducing ideas and themes of - obviously - penance, grief, what it is to try and continue living after a great loss or great sin, that crazy is perhaps the only way to be for a time and that great good potentially can come of it...or not. Lots of ideas, things to mull over but Tomasi never pushes them at you or provides a definitive answer, they're just there to make what you will make of them.
Overall, a really great read as an OGN. It's pretty sophisticated emotional work, which I'd expect no less from Tomasi, but conversely it's not nearly as accessible as his cape work, and I could see both the plot and the art putting some off. See it through though, and against all odds there's some hope in the tragedy and horror.
First and foremost, Ian Bertram's art coupled with Dave Stewart's colours are incredible. The layouts, the representation of the twisted house, the tortured spirits Sarah and other inhabitants believe to see, the quiet sad moments - all illustrated in intricate exquisite detail that often reminded me, for lack of a better way to put it, of Frank Quitely or Chris Barnham's lumpy style.
Peter Tomasi crafts a very thoughtful measured script that I imagine could have been frustrating as a monthly book, as there isn't actually a ton of explicit plot happenings, instead really dialing on on introspective character work, very clearly introducing ideas and themes of - obviously - penance, grief, what it is to try and continue living after a great loss or great sin, that crazy is perhaps the only way to be for a time and that great good potentially can come of it...or not. Lots of ideas, things to mull over but Tomasi never pushes them at you or provides a definitive answer, they're just there to make what you will make of them.
Overall, a really great read as an OGN. It's pretty sophisticated emotional work, which I'd expect no less from Tomasi, but conversely it's not nearly as accessible as his cape work, and I could see both the plot and the art putting some off. See it through though, and against all odds there's some hope in the tragedy and horror.
Aizo
Banned
Seeing Donnie's Hellboy collection is crazy. I've read very little Hellboy due to how intimidating it all is. I was interested in the last sale on comixology, but it was all singles and no trades, which would have been a disaster to try to read in order. They're numbered by arc instead of total number, so you'd have to use a guide to sort through it. Ugh.
MHWilliams
Member
Oh, I agree that the Watcher thing is dumb. Honestly, they should've just let that dude retire. He's old he's done. Let him keep the pulse of the intelligence community, but I don't really need to see him.
And the digests still make money.
Donniewahlberg
Banned
In singles, I can see where it would be a bit hrrrrm because of the arcs of mini arcs the book has been delivered in over the years. Speaking to the trades though (and I imagine these days there must be *trades* on cmx?), honestly, you shouldn't be intimidated if it's something you're interested because you can really skip alot without hurting your experience at all. You could literally just read Hellboy vol 1, 2, 3 and so on sequentially up through to ovlume 12 and then the two HB in Hell and that be you. There is so much of it and it can be offputting but they structure all the books in a really friendly way. They take part in the one world, but a) you never have to read a book from elsewhere to understand what's going on and b) say you do what I said and just read Hellboy, it's all written so that it won't spoil what happens elsewhere. There are references and piece sof plot that puzzle together to enhance each other, but it's all treated by the writers as something to enhance the work, not to be expected or relied on. Honestly, a lot of the side books take place in different times, places, era etc even at publication time that makes it mean very little if you read them in sync with other books and so on.
I'd honestly just give the first vol (or wherever you're at) a swing. If you like it, try another. If you make it to vol 6 and you think "well I like this but I don't want to start picking up all the other books..." then just truck on with HB and don't look back OR if you get to vol 6 and you're absolutely gaga and want to read everything and in the exact perfect order, then go for it. I read until vol 6 slowly without looking at anything else, then I think I read just vol 1 of BPRD, then I went on with HB and it was really only because I caught up somewhere around 7 and I wanted to read more I started to go deep and buy it all up.
(If you did want to read it in a specific bit by bit way, this is theee list you want: Click, but again, really not a necessity).
It is testing me.
It feels like every time they seem about to answer something, they instead throw five more questions on top.
It wouldn't surprise me if by the end they were all fighting in mechs, trying to stop Unicron from devouring the Earth, while being helped by cyborg Abraham Lincoln.
BKatastrophe
Member
Elektra straight up is a sequel, though. Or rather, a spinoff following the events of DD.
Freezasaurus
Member
DH still pushing that physical format?
Isn't there like a week to a month delay for dark horse ogns and trades? Or there used to be at the very least.
Donniewahlberg
Banned
That's an odd choice, there's a kindle version on amazon as well. Don't Amazon own cmx haha? DH have it on their own site digitally too, so I guess they want to give themselves a head start.
Hellboy in Hell vol 2 was up on CMX the same day that it was available on Amazon and in bookstores. Maybe OGNs are different, that I don't know. CMX told me it was a publisher decision though.
Thats really damn odd. So backwards.
whatsinaname
Member
Finally, two Rebirth books I really enjoyed!
Green Arrow Rebirth #1, #1 - #5 - I loved the campy tone they are going for. The book doesn't take itself very seriously and that's good. Great art, action and colours! Evil organizations w/ big lair are always fun arcs.
Nightwing Rebirth #1, #1 - #4, #7 - #8 - I thought Raptor was a great addition to the cast. Dick + Damian interactions were fun as they should be. The transition from Agent 37 to Nightwing was well done with elements of that previous run still sticking around. It helped that the book looked great too. The "Better Than Batman" volume name was very apt in the Rebirth context...
After 12 series, my Rebirth ratings, from best to not so much, would be:
Looking forward to the next volume
---------------------------------------------------
Wonder Woman
Nightwing
Green Arrow
Will read next volume if my library gets it
-------------------------------------------------------
Superman
The Flash
Batman
Detective Comics
Won't read next volume even if someone gives me $5
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Action Comics
Aquaman
...
-------------------
Justice League
Hal Jordan & The GLC
Green Lanterns
Green Arrow Rebirth #1, #1 - #5 - I loved the campy tone they are going for. The book doesn't take itself very seriously and that's good. Great art, action and colours! Evil organizations w/ big lair are always fun arcs.
Nightwing Rebirth #1, #1 - #4, #7 - #8 - I thought Raptor was a great addition to the cast. Dick + Damian interactions were fun as they should be. The transition from Agent 37 to Nightwing was well done with elements of that previous run still sticking around. It helped that the book looked great too. The "Better Than Batman" volume name was very apt in the Rebirth context...
After 12 series, my Rebirth ratings, from best to not so much, would be:
Looking forward to the next volume
---------------------------------------------------
Wonder Woman
Nightwing
Green Arrow
Will read next volume if my library gets it
-------------------------------------------------------
Superman
The Flash
Batman
Detective Comics
Won't read next volume even if someone gives me $5
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Action Comics
Aquaman
...
-------------------
Justice League
Hal Jordan & The GLC
Green Lanterns
Tragicomedy
Member
I like both Green Arrow and Nightwing.
Uncanny Avengers #23: I'm not crying you are. What a perfect ending. Give me hardcovers. Please. Just wonderful. Larraz as per usual kills it but I was surprised how much I liked his synapse. Duggan hit all the right character notes for me. I'll miss this Rogue. Will continue to see what Zub does but I'm happy.
Mind MGMT hardcovers were superb, and stuff like the big Pistolwhip and Fear Agent sets are great.
I wish they'd done hardcover for Black Hammer. I'm also really annoyed that the early retail listing for Black Hammer Vol 2 suggests the annual isn't being collected. WTF.
ElBoxyBrown
Banned
Why DC?
Edit: It manages to be a worse adaptation of the movie.
Aizo
Banned
Are all the trades reasonably priced? Feels like a series I would want to own physically. Library editions the way to go?
Wow. As much as I like Black Widow: Forever Red, I just can't with this sequel. It's supposed to be set in the MCU, but She-Hulk, Carol Danvers, Black Widow, and Maria Hill have a poker night, Carol Danvers is in charge of Alpha Flight, and Tony Stark is aware of Phil Coulson being alive and well. I think I can try to convince myself that this is taking place in the future of the MCU, but man what a letdown. The worst part is that this stuff isn't even plot relevant: it's just there to add texture to Natasha's personality and could easily be changed to fit better in the established canon.
Doomsdays Clock announced
Geoff Johns' story about Watchmen/DC
https://twitter.com/geoffjohns/status/863940804091363329
Geoff Johns' story about Watchmen/DC
https://twitter.com/geoffjohns/status/863940804091363329
Hory shit! Shots fired. This how you announce itDoomsdays Clock announced
Geoff Johns' story about Watchmen/DC
https://twitter.com/geoffjohns/status/863940804091363329
ExcitedDoomsdays Clock announced
Geoff Johns' story about Watchmen/DC
https://twitter.com/geoffjohns/status/863940804091363329
Ok guys I bought all three series' first issues and read them today.
X-Men Gold: interesting makeup of team members and Kitty Pride seems to doing a good job leading. No real complaints could go either way though. Art was good.
X-Men Blue: I like the team makeup better in blue but half the dialogue almost made me cringe. Again great art. Mystic Beast seems OP and too sexy for his own good.
Royals: admittedly not familiar with Inhumans at all. But most of the characters seem to have interesting and unique abilities. Story seemed a bit obtuse but again I'm not familiar with anything. What initially piqued my interest was the art and it was great 👍🏼
I think I'll keep reading all of them?
Also I read all- new guardians and it was a fun time so I'll keep reading that too.
Maybe I'm too easily amused and entertained? Haha 😎
X-Men Gold: interesting makeup of team members and Kitty Pride seems to doing a good job leading. No real complaints could go either way though. Art was good.
X-Men Blue: I like the team makeup better in blue but half the dialogue almost made me cringe. Again great art. Mystic Beast seems OP and too sexy for his own good.
Royals: admittedly not familiar with Inhumans at all. But most of the characters seem to have interesting and unique abilities. Story seemed a bit obtuse but again I'm not familiar with anything. What initially piqued my interest was the art and it was great 👍🏼
I think I'll keep reading all of them?
Also I read all- new guardians and it was a fun time so I'll keep reading that too.
Maybe I'm too easily amused and entertained? Haha 😎
MHWilliams
Member
Surprised to see the reception to Doomsday Clock over in that thread.
AbundantChoice
Member
Man, I really like Injection, but holy cow does that series take "decompressed" comics a step too far. There are multiple issues where basically *nothing* at all happens. You can earn that in a long running series, but not in something that's still in it's early teens.
my name is ed
Banned
read Lady Killer. not as good as I had hoped it would be. Reads like an old vertigo series
ElBoxyBrown
Banned
#happymothersday
First post was "sigh" and it went to the trash super fast.
Someone said rebirth sucks. lol.
I don't think the people in that thread really read the recent flash crossover, or anything else for that matter.
DC is handling the watchmen story line amazingly well. Plus Geoff is at helm.
Brianimaniac
Banned
Man, they are talking the fucking talk with this thing. No crossover, no tie-ins. Show me where to input my routing and account numbers, please.
Vic_Viper
Member
Where is that interview/article?
Edit: nvm found it!
http://www.blastr.com/2017-5-13/dc-comics-geoff-johns-doomsday-clock-interview
Brianimaniac
Banned
Saw people saying this stuff is "raping" Moore's legacy.
Then Moore ought to love it, because that dude is way into comics & rape going together.
Then Moore ought to love it, because that dude is way into comics & rape going together.
Or they just don't like it.
It's the same people generalizing the entire medium when given the chance.
Freezasaurus
Member
Not that I don't think it'll be a decent story, but Johns tweet saying everything he's done at DC has led to this seems like he's overselling it.
No crossovers have been announced I think.
nah. Even if you don't like rebirth titles you gotta give props where props are due.
GringoSuave89
Banned
Could of swore one-shots were mentioned.
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