The Comic Book Thread

After all the hype and waiting, I was thinking Ultimates v3 will be worth it.

I was right. It sucks.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Hey comic book nerds!

I noticed this thread has been dead for almost a year now, and being a big community, I'm pretty sure I'm not the only comics fan in here. So I'm going to attempt to revive this thread and continue this awesome thread back to how it was before.

So anyways, lets talk about Secret Invasion. Since it's a very hot topic within the comic book community, I would like to hear your opinions about this event. Don't worry DC fans, we'll eventually get to Final Crisis :P.

Personally, I like how everything's unfolding in SI. Bendis is doing a so far a good job in connecting all the dots, with events spanning back from Secret War up to Civil War. What I'm really waiting for is what will Nick Fury do now that he has his own "team" and he's back in action, and what will actually happen to the Marvel U after the war.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I haven't been keeping up with Marvel much lately, but Bendis I happen to be a pretty big fan of. Especially Powers.

Psh, comics. What a nerd.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Speaking of nerds. Me and some friends are doing a comics review podcast of comics released every week. We're on our 6th episode, and you can find them here: Tres Komikeros

And you guys should check out the Watchmen motion comic. Chapter 1 is out on the internets. It's good for those who are too lazy to read the comic.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Its only recently that I've been getting into comics. I always wanted to get them ever since I was a child. I guess at the time I had other interests on my mind that I never really had any time with comics even though I use to watch any cartoon that was based on any Marvel or DC character.

Over the last year I've been really getting into Iron Man comics. I guess out of all the marvel characters this character was the one that got me interested in purchasing comic books. I mostly buy hardcover/softcover books. I don't usually buy any of the individual comics seperately. I'm not really into any of the current storylines. I just collect any books based on Iron Man even though I am interested to getting around to reading the Civil War series.

My wife on the other hand is an avid comic book collector. She collects a lot of Batman hardcover/softcover books as well as Wolverine. Her favourite Marvel character is storm and she was very excited when she got her first storm book based on a relationship with the black panther.

As you can tell I'm not a big comic book geek compared to most people but I am slowly getting into it. We've recently purchased a comic we heard from a youtube comic book critic called Black Summer and my wife is really enjoying it even though I haven't had a chance to read it yet.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

WEWT! A comics fan comes out of the closet!

I heard Black Summer is awesome (it's written by Warren Ellis, so I guess it's awesome). I haven't read it yet, but I've been hearing a lot of good things about it. If it's from Avatar, I'm guessing it contains a lot of violence.

Iron Man's a pretty solid book, especially volume 4. My favorite arcs are the Extremis (Iron Man v4 #1-6) and the Haunted (Iron Man v4 #21-28), aside from that Iron Man - Enter the Mandarin is pretty sweet too. I don't know of any older Iron Man series, but maybe some of the nerds here can help.

I'd be happy to give you recommendations if you like (depends on what kind of stuff you read).

FELIPE NO

I'm waiting for the conclusion for Secret Invasion. Bendis can do mini-series, but he's writing for the trade on this one, I feel. I say we talk Final Crisis instead, because holy shit. I've currently read or have been following Grant Morrison's Doom Patrol, The Immortal Iron Fist, the big 2's current big events, All Star Superman, and Batman R.I.P. There are a few others I've read, but nothing I've been too focused on compared to the above. Genius won Pilot Season, so I'm fairly excited about that.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Genius won Pilot Season? I must have missed that. Best news I've heard in a long time. Cant wait to start picking that one up.

Honestly, I havent been one for the super hero comics, so I never got into Secret Invasion or Civil War or any of those arcs. Like Angel though, Iron Man has been my hero-of-choice. I'm collecting The Invincible Iron Man, which seems to have ended at Issue 6, unless they're serious about Iron Man and Spiderman working together in the next issue. Strikes me as an odd combination.

The most recent comic I picked up that really struck me is Avatar's No Hero: How much do you want to be a super human?. Its extremely graphic, but I'm hooked after one issue.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

There were actually 2 winners for Pilot Season, Genius and Twilight Guardian.

If you're not reading Brubaker's Captain America at the moment, you're missing out. A second plug goes to Iron Fist in that regard. If you passed on Civil War, you didn't really miss much of anything, though Secret Invasion is decent payoff given the lead up with Mighty Avengers and New Avengers. Dan Slott is fixing to pick up Mighty Avengers after Bendis, but the idea of Reckoning War makes my stomach turn and Slott isn't one of my favorite writers in any case.

Things at Marvel are solid as ever, though Final Crisis is definitely one of my favorite books at the moment. I don't read much independent these days, but that's mostly due to the ol' comic store being pretty far from my location. I'm mostly doing a lot of catch up in any case.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I'm not a big DC fan, but I'm enjoying a few books from them, namely Final Crisis, Batman (hell yeah Morrison!), Detective Comics (Dini + Nguyen), Secret Six, Action Comics, and Jonah Hex. There maybe some other stuff that I read, but these titles are my mainstay DC books.

Props to Temari for mentioning No Hero. Ellis has some crazy ideas for books, and I hope he'll continue Desolation Jones

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Meh. I don't really understand what's happening at Final Crisis, much less DC's love for anything with Crisis on it. I'm following Secret Invasion, but am not too pumped. We know the baddies are going to be defeated in the end.

There are three titles I'm anticipating nowadays - Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps, and Incredible Hercules. The first two kicked into high gear with the Sinestro War, and the lead-up to Blackest Night in 2010 gave the series a streamlined focus. Some people may disdain the idea of the Rainbow Lantern Corps, but I kinda like it, torturous grade-school science notwithstanding

Incredible Hulk Hercules got so much better after they removed Hulk from it. Though, I can't say I'm liking the way they're ridiculing Amadeus Cho nowadays as Herc's boytoy...

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Haven't been following the Green Lantern books, but I heard good stuff about it. Specially now they're doing a secret origin thing on the main book. I dunno about the Corps, what's going on with them anyway?

The way they're doing Herc right now is great. Herc's a lot of fun to read, and it's opposite to the whole war theme that's going on at the Marvel U. Plus, the art's good to the eyes, compared to Punisher War Journal.. ugh. The writing's good (Fraction/Remender), but I can't stand the current art style of Howard Chaykin.

The world needs more Hellboy.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Basically, the Green Lantern Corps have won a victory against Sinestro's Yellow Lantern Corps, but there's an even bigger war on the horizon. Red, orange, blue, indigo, and violet lantern corps are going to emerge, have a battle royale, and fight against the black lanterns (dead people), powered by the Anti-Monitor's Corps.

Everything on GL and GLC now is leading up to this, including the 7-part retelling of Hal's origin story. So far, they have introduced the Red Lanterns (based on anger), the Violet Lanterns aka Star Sapphires (based on love), and the Blue Lanterns (based on hope, and powered by Ganthet.) We may see some dead DCU characters join the Black Lanterns, possibly including:

Spoiler:

Connor Kent

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Anyone else reading Ghost Rider? I'm a big fan of Jason Aaron's writing, it's just that this book feels like every issue is a preview of some "big thing" waiting to happen. It's been like this for the past, what, 6 issues? You read through it and it's like "NEXT ISSUE SOMETHING BIG IS GONNA HAPPEN", so you read the next issue and it's still "NEXT ISSUE SOMETHING BIG IS GONNA HAPPEN". I dunno, maybe I'm getting tired of it, but I hope if it ever gets to the "big showdown" it's not going to be disappointing.

How ya doing, buddy?

My friends have this weekly comics review podcast thing, and now we're on our 10th episode. Check it out if you have time:

Episode 10 Tres Komikeros

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

I've finished this week's issues, thought I'd throw my thoughts out. Bring a little more life to this thread. Four issues this week, plus finally finishing a compilation...

Stephen King's The Dark Tower: Treachery, Issue #3 - I found it unusual that it took them to the third volume of the series to break away from the books. They've introduced a character who never existed in the book series (unless I COMPLETELY missed it)... Cort's niece Aileen, with the potential to become the first female Gunslinger. There's also more on Roland's mom, and her part in his adventures. Its been really interesting to see what others have been going through while the books focus on Roland.

Stephen King's The Stand, Issue #3 - Dear god am I hooked on this one. I was a tad skeptical that I would like it, but I really cant get enough. The art is gorgeous, and although I havent read the book and cant compare it in that way, the characters and story have been shown so fully in only three issues that I'm scraping for more. My one real complaint is that it seems like half the book is taken up by interviews in the back... so I think there's more and it just hands me 'To be continued'.

Broken Trinity, Issue #3 - Whaaaaat is going on in the Witchblade universe? Old Chinese guys handing out cryptic prophecies and suddenly we're not focusing on the Darkness and Angelus being balanced by the Witchblade, but some random minion who happens to be the carrier of the 'Glacier Stone' going off in search of... something? I really enjoyed the first two issues of Broken Trinity, but now I'm not sure where this is supposed to be going.

Simon Dark, Issue #14 - Despite all the random beheadings, nothing struck me as terribly exciting about this issue. The first story arc has ended... this issue hinted at the beginning of the next.

The Walking Dead, Compilation 8 (issues #43-48) - I know I'm way behind anyone collecting the individual issues... and after what happened in this one, I think I may not be able to wait on the next compilation. Holy. Shit.

Spoiler:

So many people just bit the dust in this volume. Tyresse was only a little unexpected, but Lori and the newly born Judy? Didnt see that coming at ALL. Axel, Hershel, Billy, Patricia, Alice... never got too attached to them, figured they'd be dead soon. It was SO fucking satisfying when the Governor was taken out by his own people.

It really is a no-holds-barred, brutal story that I cant get enough of.

Most amazing jew boots

Temari, I have to ask. Why do you read so many godawful titles?

Most amazing jew boots

Forget titles, start with why you read Fathom ?

no homo

Because of boobies.

Also, if you ever get to find Green Lanter Corps: Recharge, go read it. It's awesome, and it kinda made me want to read all my Green Lantern Corps backlog issues.

Plus, Soranik Natu <3.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Denicalis

Temari, I have to ask. Why do you read so many godawful titles?

Originally Posted by Zip

Forget titles, start with why you read Fathom ?

I myself personally confine myself to the "Big 2" publishers, plus a few guilty pleasures with Fables, The Authority, Grimm's Fairy Tales, and Star Wars Comics.

However, I think invoking the maxim "To each his own" might be appropriate in this case.

====

Originally Posted by Vemp

Also, if you ever get to find Green Lanter Corps: Recharge, go read it. It's awesome, and it kinda made me want to read all my Green Lantern Corps backlog issues.

Plus, Soranik Natu <3.

Green Lantern series has been great, better than any other DC series right now. Though I must say I'm not a fan of the recent artwork in the Green Lantern Corps title. Pretty good how the series is moving along - the Sinestro War cross-over gave it a pretty good head of steam.

I was speaking idiomatically.

What Zerg said. I read them because i enjoy them. I know at least a few other people here read and enjoy The Walking Dead... I was warned against the gore and a few select scenes that have apparently turned readers away because they're so gruesome.

Also... boobies.

I've been looking for another super hero title to pick up that isnt too far along in issues, or will be out shortly. Green Lantern sounds good... Vemp, I'll be listening to your podcast about Terra soon. I eyed it on the shelf, but resisted because I had already picked up the first issue of Sandman (which I also enjoyed. It was extremely different.). Any other recommendations?

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Finished reading the Justice series by Krueger and Ross. I thought it handled the DC Heroes and Villains perfectly. The art is marvelous too. If you're a fan of Kingdom Come, then you might find this to be worth your time.

How ya doing, buddy?

Green Lantern is pretty stupid at the moment. Pick up Batman or Ultimate Spider-Man or Blue Beetle or something not stupid if you need a superhero book.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

I recommend Detective Comics, because Paul Dini and Dustin Nguyen are doing an awesome run. Action Comics too, if you like Superman stories. If you can get All Star Superman, go get it, it's nothing short of amazing. Like what rotor said, get Ultimate Spider-Man, it's constantly good. And the Amazing Spider-Man series is good too, even if a lot of people didn't like the Brand New Day thing, I think stories after that are pretty good (and it's out 3 times a month!). I'm also enjoying Fantastic Four by Millar and Hitch, Daredevil & Captain America for superhero books with a little serious tone, and if you like crime/noir, try Criminal by Brubaker and Philips because it's the best crime/noir book out there.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Yeah, the Amazing Spider-Man series is pretty good - a large improvement from what they had before, certainly. Most people will disparage the Deus ex Machina used to undo the marriage, but "Brand New Day" has certainly been a breath of fresh air. By all means you can jump in after the Mephisto story, so get Amazing-Spider Man #546 and onwards.

Outside of the big two, I dig Fables a lot. It's certainly not short by any stretch of the imagination (over 75 issues and counting), but the status quo has recently changed, and now would be a good time as any to jump in. (Still, I recommend you pick up the back issues for background).

Superhero-wise, I like the X-Men Legacy title, since it changed titles from Adjectiveless X-Men (the revamped series proper started from issue 208, and though you will benefit from reading "Messiah Complex", it is not required.

Ditto the Incredible Hercules. Don't let the high issue count fool you, the title's basically started at "Incredible Hercules #113" been out for a little less than a year, since the last issue is #123. Again, some context from "World War Hulk" and "Secret Invasion" will benefit, but it is not necessary.

There's nowhere I can't reach.