Comic Book Chatter

This is the place where you can conflab about all the other stuff besides videogames
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duskvstweak
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Re: Comic Book Chatter

Post by duskvstweak »

Seph wrote: June 5th, 2021, 1:19 pm I agree, I was glad I read each part on release as it gave me a chance to read through again and piece things together. The pacing was so rapid at times and the story shifts so dramatically that I kept wondering if my editions were missing some pages.
Seriously. Even reading it as one trade, after the first part, I felt like I had missed something with the jump.
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Alex79
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Re: Comic Book Chatter

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Seems like DC is reviving Fables for some 20th anniversary projects, including a Batman crossover.

From IGN: It's been almost 20 years since DC Comics first launched Fables, and the publisher is celebrating that milestone with several new Fables projects written by creator Bill Willingham. One of them even involves a Batman crossover.

Willingham is making his return to DC later this year to pen Batman vs. Bigby! A Wolf in Gotham. This six-issue mystery noir will be published under the DC Black Label imprint. The creative team also includes artist Brian Level, inker Jay Leisten and colorist Lee Loughridge.


https://www.ign.com/articles/fables-dc- ... -crossover

Sounds like it could be pretty cool!
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Re: Comic Book Chatter

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I've been in a bit of a comic rut. I haven't followed the X-Men into the Dawn of X stuff yet, mainly due to hesitancy but also because I've lost the ability to read monthly comics outside of a trade format! Whenever I'm adrift with the X-Men, most of comic reading takes a hit.

I've been trying to keep up with James Tynion IV's Batman and, to a lesser extent, Peter Tomasi's Detective Comics. But, Tomasi's is ROUGH reading. I might kind of hate it.

I did go through a bunch of Jason Aaron's Thor run. The God of Thunder stuff was great but sort of petered out. But then the Goddess of Thunder series was great and had some of the best art I've ever seen in a consistent series like that. I didn't love the ending as much as everyone on Goodreads seems to, but I think it's a ridiculously strong run. I look forward to see that version of the character pop up in the other series I need to catch up on.
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Alex79
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Re: Comic Book Chatter

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Yeah I've been in and out of stuff lately too, struggling to commit to anything. I'm slowly making my way through the gorgeous hardback of Monsters by Barry Windsor Smith, which is truly excellent so far. I've also started Lost Girls by Alan Moore, which is, erm, well, it's basically porn. :o
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Re: Comic Book Chatter

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Yeah, "commit" is the right word. I've got plenty to read and choose from, but nothing I'm locked in for. I'll probably start the Totally Awesome Hulk series, along with Ms. Marvel. Plus, I could start reading Spider-Man Worldwide anytime. Basically, aside from the X-Men, my Marvel reading is pretty much backed up to right before Secret Wars.
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Re: Comic Book Chatter

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I just started Barry Windsor Smith's Monsters as well. The hardcover is massive!

I've been checking out James Tynion IV's stuff, caught up with both Something is Killing the Children and The Department of Truth. I much preferred DoT over SiKtC. Honestly, I can't understand the massive raving of SiKtC. It's good, but it certainly didn't blow me out of the water the way it has for a lot of people.

But Department of Truth reminded me of Vertigo at its best, which is why I started reminiscing over the Vertigo line, and then I found out about the Berger Books comic line over at Dark Horse. I wasn't aware Karen Berger had moved over there and started a whole new thing, which shows me how out of touch I've gotten. I've found most of the books in the line at my library so I'll be given them a look.

I also found out my library's Hoopla has A LOT of non-Marvel and DC comics. Image, Dark Horse and Boom are almost completely represented. So, I'll be there for a bit.
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Re: Comic Book Chatter

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duskvstweak wrote: August 25th, 2021, 8:41 pm I just started Barry Windsor Smith's Monsters as well. The hardcover is massive!
It's a beauty though, isn't it!

Let me know what you think. I loved it.
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Re: Comic Book Chatter

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So last week I finally became a Comic Book fan after years of being slightly curious.

I did a heck of alot of research, mainly due to the overwhelming number of books out there. I finally settled on a few.

So I started wuth the Superman: Red and Blue 6 issues (love the artwork and mini stories!). Also a few others such Barbaric, but I am waiting for the first few issues to arrive before starting on it. John Constant: Hellblazer (again waiting to have all the issues before starting). Son of Kal-El, Marvel's Conan take and The Spider-Man Life Stories Vol.1 (also very good!).

I also fell into another new series DC Black Label 'A Nice House on the Lake' which has totally blown me away! Fantastic art and the story is gripping. I seriously think this might be my bew fav thing ever.

Unfortunately nobody informed me how addictive this all is so I went ahead and ordered a butt tonne more Comic Books. The first issue of the new King Spawn series (Was a secondhand fan of the original comics as a kid), Die and The Good Asian.

I have even got the proper bags and backing boards as well as a nice storage box. I have fallen in love with this hobby and honestly kinda kicking myself for not doing it sooner. I intend to delve into a few more series in the future, but I think I have enough to get into for the time being.
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Re: Comic Book Chatter

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Excellent! Welcome to the gang!
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Re: Comic Book Chatter

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Cornelius_Smiff wrote: September 4th, 2021, 10:43 pm So last week I finally became a Comic Book fan after years of being slightly curious.

I did a heck of alot of research, mainly due to the overwhelming number of books out there. I finally settled on a few.

So I started wuth the Superman: Red and Blue 6 issues (love the artwork and mini stories!). Also a few others such Barbaric, but I am waiting for the first few issues to arrive before starting on it. John Constant: Hellblazer (again waiting to have all the issues before starting). Son of Kal-El, Marvel's Conan take and The Spider-Man Life Stories Vol.1 (also very good!).

I also fell into another new series DC Black Label 'A Nice House on the Lake' which has totally blown me away! Fantastic art and the story is gripping. I seriously think this might be my bew fav thing ever.

Unfortunately nobody informed me how addictive this all is so I went ahead and ordered a butt tonne more Comic Books. The first issue of the new King Spawn series (Was a secondhand fan of the original comics as a kid), Die and The Good Asian.

I have even got the proper bags and backing boards as well as a nice storage box. I have fallen in love with this hobby and honestly kinda kicking myself for not doing it sooner. I intend to delve into a few more series in the future, but I think I have enough to get into for the time being.
Welcome!

I hope you're talking about waiting to have all the issues of the more recent Hellblazer series! The original one by Vertigo was 300 issues long!

Black Label has been pretty solid. I was impressed with Harleen and thought Wonder Woman: Dead Earth belonged right up there with Dark Knight Returns. And the White Knight stuff has been very good.

Spider-Man: Life Story was a surprise for me, glad you liked it too!
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Re: Comic Book Chatter

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Alex79 wrote: August 26th, 2021, 9:01 am
duskvstweak wrote: August 25th, 2021, 8:41 pm I just started Barry Windsor Smith's Monsters as well. The hardcover is massive!
It's a beauty though, isn't it!

Let me know what you think. I loved it.
I finished Monsters last week. It was very good. I'm not surprised at all about how long it took him to finish. There's so much in there! The section in the Nazi Castle must have taken him forever. It's a dark book and its length definitely keeps the reader in the dark for a while! Glad it's getting all the accolades right now.
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Re: Comic Book Chatter

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duskvstweak wrote: September 7th, 2021, 6:39 pm Welcome!

I hope you're talking about waiting to have all the issues of the more recent Hellblazer series! The original one by Vertigo was 300 issues long!

Black Label has been pretty solid. I was impressed with Harleen and thought Wonder Woman: Dead Earth belonged right up there with Dark Knight Returns. And the White Knight stuff has been very good.

Spider-Man: Life Story was a surprise for me, glad you liked it too!
Ha ha ha. I might have a wee bit of the obsessive streak in me but im not a sadist! I am of course referring to the recent series. Just need 4 more issues to get the complete 12.

Life Story was the first one I read incidentally and I was hooked.

I must say again 'The Nice House on the Lake' is just brilliant! The buggers are planning a 6 month hiatus with the series on issue 6 (12 are initially planned) and apparently a massive cliffhanger.
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Re: Comic Book Chatter

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Cornelius_Smiff wrote: September 8th, 2021, 5:35 pm
duskvstweak wrote: September 7th, 2021, 6:39 pm Welcome!

I hope you're talking about waiting to have all the issues of the more recent Hellblazer series! The original one by Vertigo was 300 issues long!

Black Label has been pretty solid. I was impressed with Harleen and thought Wonder Woman: Dead Earth belonged right up there with Dark Knight Returns. And the White Knight stuff has been very good.

Spider-Man: Life Story was a surprise for me, glad you liked it too!
Ha ha ha. I might have a wee bit of the obsessive streak in me but im not a sadist! I am of course referring to the recent series. Just need 4 more issues to get the complete 12.

Life Story was the first one I read incidentally and I was hooked.

I must say again 'The Nice House on the Lake' is just brilliant! The buggers are planning a 6 month hiatus with the series on issue 6 (12 are initially planned) and apparently a massive cliffhanger.
Life Story was one I read just as we entered lockdown and I wanted something standalone to get sucked into. It hit the spot exactly!

I've actually been reading the original Hellblazer run this past year or so. I'm on #189 or abouts, which puts me in the Mike Carey run.
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Re: Comic Book Chatter

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Is Life Story the Fantastic Four book? (EDIT: Sorry no you already said, Spider Man. Hmm I had a look and it seemed to be about FF... Are they doing 'Life Story' for different heroes?)

I'd not heard of The Nice House On The Lake till you mentioned it, but it looks interesting. Think I'll give it a look.

Have you read Something Is Killing The Children by the same author? I've just started (I mean literally the first few pages) the first volume and it seems good from the start. Appears to have reviewed fairly well, too.

I'd gone a bit cold on Tynion IV after his Batman run didn't seem overly well received, but he does seem like a decent writer on other books.
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Re: Comic Book Chatter

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Alex79 wrote: September 8th, 2021, 10:26 pm Is Life Story the Fantastic Four book? (EDIT: Sorry no you already said, Spider Man. Hmm I had a look and it seemed to be about FF... Are they doing 'Life Story' for different heroes?)

I'd not heard of The Nice House On The Lake till you mentioned it, but it looks interesting. Think I'll give it a look.

Have you read Something Is Killing The Children by the same author? I've just started (I mean literally the first few pages) the first volume and it seems good from the start. Appears to have reviewed fairly well, too.

I'd gone a bit cold on Tynion IV after his Batman run didn't seem overly well received, but he does seem like a decent writer on other books.
Spider-Man: Life Story was first. They're now doing one for the Fantastic Four. Basically, what if Spider-Man was a teenager getting powers in the 60s and then lived through the decades in real-time. So, by 2000, he's in his 50's,

I think we're seeing very different reviews about Tynion's Batman! It's not totally my cup of tea but apparently, it's been selling like mad. DC wanted to renew his contract for the book but he and a few other Big Two writers are leaving for Substack.
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Re: Comic Book Chatter

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Hmm not sure where I've got it not being so well received from then, maybe it was just your posts :lol:

Incidentally, just read the first two issues of Nice House Of The Lake, and oh yes, it's brilliant so far! I thought I had the direction it was going in by halfway through the first issue, but that went right out the window. First series in a long time I've read whilst it was still being released, so not used to having to wait for new issues!
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Re: Comic Book Chatter

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Just finished the 4th, and latest, issue of The Nice House Of The Lake. Glad it was recommended, this really is top notch. It's going to kill me having to wait each month for the next issue, and especially with the planned hiatus after issue 6!
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Re: Comic Book Chatter

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Alex79 wrote: September 10th, 2021, 12:00 am Just finished the 4th, and latest, issue of The Nice House Of The Lake. Glad it was recommended, this really is top notch. It's going to kill me having to wait each month for the next issue, and especially with the planned hiatus after issue 6!
I got the first issue based on a word of mouth thumbs up and I am so glad I did. Fabulous stuff. I am beyond irate about having to wait for issue 7 because rumour has it they will leave it on a monster cliffhanger.

Another one I got on a whim was 'Barbaric' which wears its blaitent Conan derivative DNA on it's sleeve and delights in doing so. Chaotic, gory, self deprecating, great artwork and most of all the characters. Owen and Axe (his talking blood addicted cursed axe... Who gets drunk from blood!) are the best odd couple in years. Only 3 issues so far and more to come in 2022.

Geuinely made me belly laugh a few times. Two thumbs way up!
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Re: Comic Book Chatter

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Transformers '84: Secrets and Lies- did a reread of this. In 2019, in celebration of the franchise's 35th anniversary, IDW Publishing did a one-shot tying into the first issue of the original Marvel series. Veteran Transformers scribe Simon Furman was brought in, and IDW TF stalwart Guido Guidi illustrated, with retro style colors by Jean-Paul Bove that made it look like it was published way back in 1984. It did well enough that a follow up series from the creative team was released in 2020.

Up front: You might have to have intimate knowledge of the early years of the Marvel run of Transformers to fully appreciate this, even though the back pages have copious, helpful notes. The series is narrated by the Autobot spy Punch, who could turn into the Decepticon Counterpunch, although whom he's speaking to is never revealed.

So as it is in the original series, Optimus Prime and the Autobots board the Autobot Ark to search for a power source, and the Decepticons attack them on the way, leading to the eventual crash on earth. But Furman's series posits, what if Optimus Prime had other reasons for sending the Autobots on seemingly fruitless mission? That's the main emotional core of the first one-shot, and the rest of the series is many, many, MANY continuity patches, and explanations for how Shockwave and the Dinobots seemingly wound up on earth not long after the Ark crashes. More to the point, it also explains why nobody on Cybertron went to look for them.

As stated before, the series threatens to become a lot of fanwank, but thankfully Furman is able to create an emotional through line, focusing specifically on Optimus Prime and Grimlock, two characters he was always great at writing. It ends on a surprisingly bleak note, even though we know the fates of the characters. There's a sense of inevitability and dread that permeates the proceedings.

--Dan
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Re: Comic Book Chatter

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Phantom Phreak wrote: October 1st, 2021, 9:03 pm I am the fan of the Sin City universe by Frank Miller. In my humble opinion the comics is one of the best ever.
Only ever read the first book, and I remember at the time just not really taking to it. However, I actually re-read it recently, maybe 15 years later, and I enjoyed it a good deal more, to the point I ended up adding the others to my 'big list' to read at some point.
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