Comic Books

[stray]

So, in light of the CoH release, I've found myself somewhat interested in comic books again. I haven't kept up since the early 90's, when I was about 12 or 13 (about the same time I picked up a guitar, started smoking cigarettes, and got laid), so I don't know what the hell to look for these days.

Was a big Surfer fan, sometimes X-Men, and the Punisher. Any suggestions? Seems like a gazillion different X-Men versions out there. Is "Uncanny" still the main one? Or is there a good compilation of the last 10 years or so? I quit reading around the time Gambit came out.

I did pick up "Preacher" though...Man, it fuckin' rocks!

[Velorath]

Preacher is great.  All 9 volumes of it.

Top Ten vols. 1 and 2  by Alan Moore are also very worth picking up.  Very funny, beautiful art, and a great concept of the daily goings-on at a police station in a city populated entirely by superheroes.  Every woman I've ever dated has been forced to read Top Ten and Preacher at some point, even though none of them have been into comics, and almost all of them have loved both.

Astro City, by Kurt Busiek, is another great series and in particular, the Astro City: Confession TPB.  You want inspiration to make some great CoH characters, look no further.  Kurt also did some great work on a Marvel series called Thunderbolts, which involved the Masters of Evil posing as a new superhero team as a scheme to take over the world until several of them got addicted to the fame and respect of being heroes.  Harder to track down as most of it has never been collected in TPB form.

Hellboy is also good stuff.  Better than the movie would have you believe.  Not that I didn't like the movie, but the comic is just a lot better.

Supreme Power, by JMS I already mentioned in another topic.  You can also pick up the first two volumes of Rising Stars but I'd wait for him to release the 3rd and final one.  It's about just over a hundred superhumans who have grown up together (a mysterious flash over the town of Peterson gave every child in utero superpowers), and the events set in motion when one starts killing the others off.

Non-superhero related, pick up  Johnny The Homicidal Maniac, and Squee (which is where my avatar comes from), by Jhonen Vasquez.

As far as X-men goes... never been a big fan, but I'm going to be checking out Astonishing X-Men, which I believe starts this month, as it will be written by none other than Buffy and Angel creator Joss Whedon who will be doing a 12 issue run.  Also you might want to start picking up Grant Morrison's recent run of New X-Men starting with "New X-Men Vol. 1: E is for Extinction".  I've only read a little bit of it (like I said, not an X-Men fan) but it's supposed to be the best X-Men stuff released in the last 10 years.  You can get reviews and catch up on a lot of the X related stuff you missed here http://thexaxis.com/.

[cevik]

Non-superhero related, pick up  Johnny The Homicidal Maniac, and Squee (which is where my avatar comes from), by Jhonen Vasquez.

Everytime you post I think about getting out my JTHM comics and re-reading them.. man I love Jhonen Vasquez..

[Rodent]

Everytime you post I think about getting out my JTHM comics and re-reading them.. man I love Jhonen Vasquez..

He rocks. =)

Hrm no love for Lobo here in the comic thread? Or Judge Dread?

[stray]

Great, thanks man! I'm going to the shop to check some out now. Guess I'll start out with Top Ten, Astro City, and JTHM.

BTW: The Preacher I bought was "Until the End of the World". Is that Vol. 1 of 9? There isn't a number on it.

[Anonymous]

Sandman.  Gaiman > all.

[Velorath]

"Until the End of the World" is vol. 2.  In order they are:

1.  Gone to Texas
2.  Until the End of the World
3.  Proud Americans
4.  Ancient History (which collects the Saint of Killers mini, the Arseface oneshot, and The Good Old Boys one shot)
5.  Dixie Fried
6.  War in the Sun
7.  Salvation
8.  All Hells A-Coming
9.  Alamo

[stray]

"Until the End of the World" is vol. 2.  In order they are:

1.  Gone to Texas
2.  Until the End of the World
3.  Proud Americans
4.  Ancient History (which collects the Saint of Killers mini, the Arseface oneshot, and The Good Old Boys one shot)
5.  Dixie Fried
6.  War in the Sun
7.  Salvation
8.  All Hells A-Coming
9.  Alamo

Ah OK...I happened to pick up Gone to Texas yesterday...Didn't know where Until the End fit in. Also picked up a hardcover of Astro City (Life in the Big City I think), and JTHM: Director's Cut. No Top Ten yet.

[daveNYC]

I'd suggest reading by author.  Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, and Neil Gaiman all have good stuff.

On a book title basis, I'll suggest Scud, Kingdom Come, Bone, and Mage (2).

[Velorath]

Ah OK...I happened to pick up Gone to Texas yesterday...Didn't know where Until the End fit in. Also picked up a hardcover of Astro City (Life in the Big City I think), and JTHM: Director's Cut. No Top Ten yet.

Top Ten might be a little harder to find as it's not nearly as well known as Preacher or Astro City.  Amazon.com has both volumes, as I sure various other online sites do.  As much as I'd like to support local comic shops, there really aren't any around me any more.

Also just remembered a few other tpbs worth picking up:

"The Walking Dead:  Days Gone Bye" by Robert Kirkman just came out last month collecting the first few issues of Image's new zombie comic book.  Good stuff and worth reading if you're into zombie horror.

Any of the reprinted Roy Thomas written Conan stuff.  Essential Conan if you can find it, but it has also recently been reprinted in 4 vols. although I'm not fond of the digital color that was added.

Any of Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo, which is perhaps one of the most brilliantly crafted comics of all time.  Hard to believe I can say that about a samurai rabbit who did a guest shot on the old TMNT cartoon.  With around 18 books or so though, you might be a little reluctant to get into it .  If you do, pick up the first two books.  The first book introduces a few of the major characters but the storytelling really picks up in the second one.  If I'm not mistaken the first book mostly collects the stories from before Usagi got his own comic, which is why that book doesn't seem as cohesive as the rest.

And given Haemish's avatar I can't believe I left out "Fun With Milk & Cheese", by Evan Dorkin.

[Hanzii]

Speaking of Preacher.
I held Garth Ennis' take on Punisher  (Born) in a bookstore the other day. Unfortunately it was a bookstore in  Cannes and it was translated into French, which I don't speak at all.
I've never been a great Punisher fan but like Ennis a lot. Has anybody read it?

And I love old Dredd (sometimes by Ennis) and Lobo (which he also briefly touched).Alan Grant and Simon Bisley are also favourites of mine, so that's another reason for liking both series.

[HaemishM]

I've read #1 of the Ennis' Punisher run, and it looked good. Normal, hard-boiled take on the character.

The Preacher series was fucking awesome. One of these days I need to pick up the TPB's of the stuff I don't have of that.

Sandman was good, but it lost a bit of its shine because it became the posterchild for deconstructionist goth angst Vampire-wannabe twats. It's still incredible writing and artwork.

For X-Men, the Grant Morrison stuff is hands down the best stuff since the old days of Claremont/Byrne/Paul Smith.

Pick up any of the current run of Daredevil Vol. 2. Anything by Frank Miller, especially the Sin City, Martha Washington, or Daredevil things. Another good one that may be in TPB is 300, a historical series set in Ancient Greece.

If you have never read it, Alan Moore's Watchmen and Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns are musts.

I've recently gotten into downloading BitTorrent's of entire comic runs, to the point of having filled up about 10-15 GB's worth of stuff I'd never buy or can't find in TPB.

[Aslan]

Born is okay, it's an interesting take on the true birth of the Punisher in Vietnam.  Ennis' first mini series run on the Punisher, which starts with Welcome Back, Frank, is awesome.  Then there were thirty something books of the regular series, with some really good books and some awfully shitty ones as well.  Wolverine getting a shotgun blast to be balls and run over by Frank in a steamroller was quite amusing.
Recently, they started the Max version of the series, where Ennis can say fuck and cunt, and believe me, he does.  Actually, it seems like every other word is the F-bomb, which isn't necessarily bad, but I find it almost overused.  The current storyline involves the return of Micro, and it's not too bad.  Overall, I enjoy Ennis' take on the Punisher.  
I am also reading Supreme Power, Batman, and a few of the Xbooks.  The Xbooks have been pretty shitty of late, with Morrison's run being about the only bright spot.  But I am hoping the revamp, including Whedon on the Astonishing X-men, will bring things back around.
But the best book out there, for my money, has to be Y-The Last Man.  A strange illness or virus has basically killed every single being on the planet with the Y chromosome with the exception of a man and his male monkey.  It's under DC's Vertigo line and three trade paperbacks are available for about 15 bucks a pop.  Definitely worth a read.

[WayAbvPar]

Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns

Talk about a classic. I would put that in the category of literature. On a related note, rumor has it that Batman Begins is at least loosely based on Miller's Year One, so hope springs eternal. At least Joel Schumacher is nowhere near the project...

[daveNYC]

Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns

Talk about a classic.

That's an understatement.  Although I'd avoid the sequel to Dark Knight Returns.  It wasn't good.

[Riggswolfe]

Batman begins also has Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman. On the other hand it has Michael Caine as Alfred. I've seen a pic of Christian in costume and a few comments:

Doesn't look like rubber
No nipples
Sort of a slate gray and black...

The set he was in also had a very dark look to it. It looked almost like a setpiece out of a noir movie rather than a super hero movie. Of course, we're talking one shot, so don't get too excited. However, as long as Joel Schumacher is nowhere nearby it might be alright.

[schild]

Clive Owen is the closest I can think of. But he doesn't look like Bale, and he's not quite as good as Bill Murray.

I'm speaking specifically of his work in Croupier. If someone responds to this post and mentions his other movies I get a group of dogs to gangrape their great grandmother.

[schild]

The set he was in also had a very dark look to it. It looked almost like a setpiece out of a noir movie rather than a super hero movie.

Batman was always more about the noir than the hero. Gotham City is the noir version of Superman's Metropolis. Batman's women are the femme fatale variants of Superman's Lois Lane. Batman's connections are all private underground connections rather than Clark Kent's more open relationship. Bruce Wayne had a horribly noirish past while Superman had a wonderful childhood.

[stray]

The set he was in also had a very dark look to it. It looked almost like a setpiece out of a noir movie rather than a super hero movie.

Considering who's directing it, I wouldn't be surprised if that's exactly how it turns out. I like Noir, so I have no problems with that, but Bale doesn't really impress me. I liked Burton's choice in not casting a leading man type. Otherwise, you just get "Batman", and then "Bruce Wayne" kinda takes a backseat. Then again, a good script changes everything.

Too bad there isn't an actor around that looks like Christian Bale, but behaves like Bill Murray.

[stray]

Clive Owen is the closest I can think of. But he doesn't look like Bale, and he's not quite as good as Bill Murray.

I'm speaking specifically of his work in Croupier. If someone responds to this post and mentions his other movies I get a group of dogs to gangrape their great grandmother.

Oops..Was doing an edit of my post, and now you're replying above me.

Actually Clive Owen is a pretty good choice. The only other person I can think of who could pull it off is Johnny Depp, but he'd never do it. Lol, the guy could probably play Batman, the Joker, Superman, Lex Luthor, and Lois Lane all in the same movie...and be convincing.

[Alluvian]

I'd pay to see that.  It would be a comedy, but a good one.

[Riggswolfe]

 I like Noir, so I have no problems with that, but Bale doesn't really impress me. I liked Burton's choice in not casting a leading man type.

I think Burton chose Keaton because he'd seen the dark side to him during their previous movie together. As for Christian Bale, I've been a fan of his ever since Equilibrium, a low budget sci-fi movie with a not-so-subtle message that I still found enjoyable enough to buy on DvD. (It's basically a modern take on Farenheit 451, with action.)

[HaemishM]

American Psyhco told me all I needed to know about Bale's ability to play both Bruce Wayne AND Batman. Look at his portrayal in Shaft 2000. He looks good and comfortable in an Armani suit, and he can shift from flighty to hard as a rock in an instant.

[daveNYC]

Batman was always more about the noir than the hero. Gotham City is the noir version of Superman's Metropolis.

I had heard that Gotham was NYC on a miserable winter night, while Metropolis was NYC during a bright summer day.

The Batman/Superman dynamic is another reason why Dark Knight Returns rocks.

[WayAbvPar]

The Batman/Superman dynamic is another reason why Dark Knight Returns rocks.

Superman will forever be the 'big blue schoolboy' to me.

[UnSub]

For comics:

Alan Moore's been mentioned, but I'll thow another vote in for him.

Wildstorm Studios (DC imprint) does some good work. Stormwatch: Team Achilles and Sleeper are both great. Planetary (whenever Warren Ellis deigns to release an issue) is fantastic. Haven't read any of Wildcats 3.0, but it's on my list to check out. The Authority has its moments, but the original run (Warren Ellis again) was great but may have dated.

If you've got the inclination, collecting all 28 volumes of Lone Wolf and Cub is something worth doing imo. A great japanese series re-released recently by Dark Horse Comics, it tracks a disgraced executioner (with three-year-old son) on his path to revenge.

[stray]

Shit, I've spent over 200 bucks on comics in the past 2 weeks.

Just bought Dark Knight Returns and Year One..These came out around the time I lost interest too, but I figure it's necessary readin' now, huh? Also bought Marvels, because I liked Astro City so much...And a Ghost Rider compilation today.

Gotta be honest though: I didn't really like JTHM much...Not because I was offended or anything. It's intelligent, but a little too juvenile and one-dimensional to be funny or entertaining. Tess was a pretty cool character though. I think I'd rather see a more serious version of Johnny...I'd probably laugh then ;)

[Arnold]

I need to dig out my old box of comics.  I never collected them long, but for a year or two in the early 90s, I followed a couple of series.  Those things got damn expensive for a kid with no job!

[stray]

Well, I finally finished reading all of Preacher...Pissed me off.

I loved it at first, but the ending just ruined it for me. I'm not expecting Bertrand Russell or anything, but if he's going to attack Christianity, the least he could do is not be so fuckin' juvenile about it. Up until that point it was an "adult" comic.

[HaemishM]

I haven't finished all of Preacher, so don't spoil it for me.

I did read all of Rising Stars. What is it that is holding this book up? There are supposed to be 3 issues left and Top Cow hasn't published them? Why? Great book, kind of like JMS does the X-Men through the looking glass of Watchmen. Damn good read.

[Grelf]

Transmetropolitan.

Hunter Thompson in the future. GREAT fucking series.

[Velorath]

I haven't finished all of Preacher, so don't spoil it for me.

I did read all of Rising Stars. What is it that is holding this book up? There are supposed to be 3 issues left and Top Cow hasn't published them? Why? Great book, kind of like JMS does the X-Men through the looking glass of Watchmen. Damn good read.

There were a few disputes between JMS and Top Cow that needed ironing out before JMS would finish up the scripts for the last three issues  Last I heard a few weeks ago he only has one more left to turn in now, and even that one may be turned in by now.  I haven't heard too much in the way of specifics as to what was going on between JMS and Top Cow, although I've heard that part of it had to do with the movie deal for Rising Stars.

[Alluvian]

Do you guys generally like JMS authored comics?  I have been considering starting up one of his story arcs coming up in his current amazing spiderman run.  I have been considering it for awhile, but lately he has been on a weird mystical kick that just does not fit with spiderman in the least.  Looks like 509 or 510 (I forget) will be the first of a 6 parter in this new arc.

You guys probably look down on spiderman as a comic, and it is cheesy, I will admit, but it is just one of those guilty pleasures from my childhood.

So, is JMS generally a good comic author?

[HaemishM]

I think so, but I'm a JMS fanboi from B5 days. I haven't read or seen anything by him I didn't like. Rising Stars is good, and even though he kind of went metaphysical/mystical on Spider-Man, I've heard nothing but good things about that run. I'm not a big Spidey fan, myself, but I've considered trying to get the JMS stuff just to read it.

[stray]

You guys probably look down on spiderman as a comic, and it is cheesy, I will admit, but it is just one of those guilty pleasures from my childhood.

I don't. I've been wanting to get more cheesy superhero type comics, but I'm not sure where to start. I've picked up some X-Men, Punisher, Daredevil, and Batman stuff, but those are probably the least cheesy of the bunch. Any suggestions on Spider-Man? Maybe Superman too?