[QuickTidal]

amphibian, on 01 December 2016 - 08:09 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 30 November 2016 - 07:14 PM, said:

Jeezus no. LOW is nowhere NEAR the excellence of SAGA.

Artowkr is good, but it's not a shade of Fiona Staples excellence. And Vaughn writes FAR better dialogue than Remender could ever.

Brian K Vaughn is so wildly overrated and I can't forgive his shitheap homage to Rudy Giulani.

Sorry what?

Are you talking about EX-MACHINA? You seem to have your wires crossed. Vaughn wrote that because of his complete dissatisfaction with Giuliani (and other politicians in his country) during that period. It was about someone getting elected into power just because they were there during a big crisis. No matter if they are right for the job or not. If you think that Vaughn is in any way someone who would side with someone like Guiliani, then you don't know much about the man. He's as left as it gets. EX-MACHINA is literally a "treatise on abuse of power", not some homage to the man who got the real 9/11 mayoral job. It was not about glorifying that man at all. It was about digging deep into our own subconscious as a race, and politics, and heroics, and all that defines such things.

In fact, he created this political doodle to show that he would not have been a remembered mayor but for...

So, I'm not sure if you've not read EX_MACHINA in its entirety, or what...but it never ever comes across as you've stated. Nor has Vaughn ever been the type of person to homage a politician. Unless you're not talking about EX-MACHINA...in which case I'm REALLY confused.

Also, by "wildly overrated" I wonder if you mean multiple-award-winning leader in the industry whose current book (SAGA) is literally the top of most year best of lists since it debuted. That kind of overrated? Then sure.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 02 December 2016 - 02:08 PM

[QuickTidal]

So B.P.R.D. - 1946-1948, is an utterly amazing volume by Mignola & Co. It should be worth noting that each of the three yearly-titled volumes within have a different artist, but all bring a certain gravitas to the work that allows it to transcend the page. I love when an artist can do pretty much a page with no dialogue and communicate very subtle emotions.

The story itself is really amazing. The earliest recruits to Broom's BPRD ranks come (of course) from American WWII vets who happen to be in Germany still when he comes in '46 to investigate some strange goings on associated with Hitler's obsession with the paranormal. It's a rag tag band of guys who all have distinct personalities, and drives. Broom himself is a little more cold, and a little more analytical than the one we know from later in life after he'd softened, which was a nice character trait to explore. This volume is MOSTLY about vampires...but Mignola interweaves a bunch of other creatures and mysteries into the tapestry. It's also fun to see little Hellboy running around the odd page causing mischief and trying to get his surrogate dad to play catch with him.

I'm slowly making my way through the entire Mignolaverse (I'm trying to take my time as I adore this whole universe), and this is probably one of my favourite volumes so far!

WELL worth your time. If you don't want to spring on the hardback, you can get the omnibus in softcover too, or the three separate trade volumes (one for each year), or just go digital, Comixology has them all.

[T77]

In my effort to finish series I've already started, Hellboy/B.P.R.D is next up after Sandman. Another way to get them is on Hoopla, which fortunately my library has. Reading Sandman on there right now.

[QuickTidal]

SANDMAN is SUCH a treat!

Yeah, I'm trying to get the Hellboy/B.P.R.D. stuff in as many hardcovers as I can...which means collecting the main series in those $40-50 Library Edition omnibuses. My wallet hurts, but this is a series I want to own in the best format possible (sidebar: I spent about 4 years getting all 5 ABSOLUTE SANDMAN slipcase editions; used Xmas bonuses to get them...I'm bad when I'm collecting...LOL!)

[T77]

FYI, Comixology is having a 60% off sale on DC titles, with a few exceptions, ending 12/29. I picked up Grant Morrison's Doom Patrol, Alan Moore's Swamp Thing and whatever of Geoff John's Green Lantern run that is not on Hoopla. I wish DC had an unlimited service, this set me back about $100, more than a year's sub to MU.

[T77]

Free on Comixology, today only, Immortal Iron Fist Vol. 1: The Last Iron Fist Story.

[PLUGO]

BPRD & BPRD: Hell on Earth are just great! in some ways better than Hellboy itself IMO. I got a little bored with the monster of the month sort of feel of the recent Hellboy & The BPRD series which follows a young Hellboy's first few missions. But much of that 40's stuff The Vampires and whatnot do tie in to the modern day stuff quite nicely, as do the spin-off series - Witchfinder & Baltamore. I'm not as fond of the Lobster Johnson pulp material.

BTW LAKE of FIRE just finished up. Such a delight to read, though I'm way behind on my reading - end of the year deadlines and all.

[amphibian]

I love the Lobster Johnson stuff. It's so WEIRD in the pulp way - without being racist or dismissive a la Indiana Jones. I actually don't like the early 1940s Hellboy missions because I think they've done the Nazi/Russkie stuff too much and that the current storylines or the way-way-way back ones via the silent guy with the bronze sword are much more interesting.

[T77]

As part of my comics holiday binge, I read a lot of Hellboy/B.P.R.D. My thoughts exactly about the early stuff being monster-of-the-month. it was good, but not great, I thought it could be better. I'm in the middle of plague of frogs and it is much improved, less fighting and a deeper plot.

I read volumes 4 and 5 of Sandman. They get better with each volume, and I planned on binging the entire series over the holidays, but after two I had no desire to continue. I guess I need to take this in small doses.

I've been plowing through Bendis' Avengers and really enjoying it. I think about putting it down for something else, only because it's so long and I want to get to other things, but I can't bring myself to do it.

[QuickTidal]

PLUGO, on 03 January 2017 - 07:06 PM, said:

BPRD & BPRD: Hell on Earth are just great! in some ways better than Hellboy itself IMO. I got a little bored with the monster of the month sort of feel of the recent Hellboy & The BPRD series which follows a young Hellboy's first few missions. But much of that 40's stuff The Vampires and whatnot do tie in to the modern day stuff quite nicely, as do the spin-off series - Witchfinder & Baltamore. I'm not as fond of the Lobster Johnson pulp material.

Very much so. I love the HELLBOY stuff, but the B.P.R.D. stuff goes to another level for sure!

As for me, I just finished my hardback copy of HELLBOY: WEIRD TALES...it was good, but not great. It's an anthology of super short stories that was released when the first HB movie came out...and it was one of the first time Mignola let anyone and everyone write and draw the character. As such, some of the stories are middling to bad (some creators just don't seem to get what makes the Mignolaverse so popular), but there are some STELLAR ones in there too...

Mignola's only contribution to the anthology are HOW KOSHCHEI BECAME DEATHLESS and BABA YAGA'S FEAST both of which are pure awesome!

The other great finds in here are:

COMMAND PERFORMANCE by Will Pfeiffer
HOT by Randy Stradly
BIG TOP HELLBOY by John Cassaday (he wrote and drew this, and it's pure undiluted excellence; fave story in the book not by Mignola himself)
The DREAD WITHIN by Jason Pearson (this is a Liz Sherman-only story, and it's REALLY really great!)

Anyways, decent Anthology. If possible, just find the single issues for the above stories digitally, so you're not blowing the bank on a half-good anthology.

[polishgenius]

Man I realllllllllllly need to get to having the money and space to properly collect comics. Among other reasons, so I can properly read Hellboy and co.



My only recent purchase has been Volume 2. of Midnighter, which wasn't as strong as the first, in part because they clearly had to cram a bit to wrap it up before cancellation and partly because the Suicide Squad, which are in this, while a nice idea on paper don't work as antagonists for Midnighter half as well as the ones in volume 1.
Still fun, mind, but volume 1. is glorious and this one's only pretty good.

I do hope the Apollo and Midnighter series is up to scratch. I gather that was planned as a mini from the start so hopefully the pacing issues aren't there.

[Abyss]

T77, on 04 January 2017 - 03:27 PM, said:

....

I read volumes 4 and 5 of Sandman. They get better with each volume, and I planned on binging the entire series over the holidays, but after two I had no desire to continue. I guess I need to take this in small doses....

I had this too. Utterly loved the series, have reread it multiple times, but I need to appreciate and even think about each story set before moving on to the next one.

[QuickTidal]

BPRD and HELLBOY fans, THE RISE OF THE BLACK FLAME is now all out (5 issues), and reasonably priced on Comixology. It's fantastic! Simple, and concise, and a cool origin of one of the BPRD's greatest foes!

Loved it.

[T77]

Here's an update on what I've been reading:

Avengers by Bendis. Still moving through this and enjoying it. I'm not that far from completing it. I'm following the CBH reading order and it includes crossovers and tie-ins, most of which I haven't been reading. I was in the mood for some Hulk and tried Planet Hulk and did not like it.

Thor by Walt Simonson. This is one of those that I started a while ago and wanted to finish. I must say I am struggling with this. This is supposed to be the definitive Thor run. I think it's that I don't like older comics, too wordy and cheesy dialog, they have to tell you every thought in their head. The plot is solid enough, I think I would prefer a modern retelling of this. I will finish at some point, but I put it down for a shorter run, Fraction's Hawkeye, I will start this today. I like to switch between 2 marvel and non-marvel books to break up the monotony.

B.P.R.D.: Really enjoying this now that it's more plot focused and less fighting.

Green Lantern by Geoff Johns. Loving this so far, especially the art.

[PLUGO]

T77, on 13 January 2017 - 04:20 PM, said:

Here's an update on what I've been reading:

Avengers by Bendis. Still moving through this and enjoying it. I'm not that far from completing it. I'm following the CBH reading order and it includes crossovers and tie-ins, most of which I haven't been reading. I was in the mood for some Hulk and tried Planet Hulk and did not like it.

Thor by Walt Simonson. This is one of those that I started a while ago and wanted to finish. I must say I am struggling with this. This is supposed to be the definitive Thor run. I think it's that I don't like older comics, too wordy and cheesy dialog, they have to tell you every thought in their head. The plot is solid enough, I think I would prefer a modern retelling of this. I will finish at some point, but I put it down for a shorter run, Fraction's Hawkeye, I will start this today. I like to switch between 2 marvel and non-marvel books to break up the monotony.

B.P.R.D.: Really enjoying this now that it's more plot focused and less fighting.

Green Lantern by Geoff Johns. Loving this so far, especially the art.

That Simonson run is a classic, though it may be dated. haven't read it in ages and I may be partial because I've had the pleasure of meeting Walt a handful of times.

The current Thor comics by Jason Arron are pretty damn fun, that might appeal to you.

I have RISE of the Black flame on my reading table. been waiting to read it. As for Avengers, I still prefer Johnathan Hickman's run which followed Bendis and broke the Marvel Universe. Also great these days is the BLACK WIDOW comic. as is the current Dr. Strange.

[T77]

Aaron's Thor and Hickman's Avengers are on my TBR pile. As for new stuff, I've heard good things about Vision and Moon Knight. I'm sure I will be an MU yearly subscriber for the foreseeable future.

[amphibian]

The Warren Ellis and subsequent runs on Moon Knight are spectacular - although very grim.

I just finished the third volume of Low by Remender and Tocchini. It remains beautiful, interesting, and I really think it's a better run than Saga.

Also started re reading Ex Machina as I own it all in trades. It comes off as way closer to the Giuliani hagiography than the liberal situated criticism of him that QuickTidal says. I'm just not digging any Vaughn, even his X Men runs were majorly flawed.

[worry]

I have a comic book question. As a kid I had a bunch of superhero coloring books and one of the most popular villains in them was a lady w/ a Cheetah theme -- possibly named Cheetara -- who was right there beside like Lex Luthor and The Joker. Yet I never hear any mention of her at all these days, and even peripherally I hear about comic book stuff fairly often. What gives? She a has-been character? A never-was? Is she dead?!?!

Edit: I realize Cheetara is a Thundercat's name too, but I'm sure of this comic supervillain existing, if maybe by a different name.

This post has been edited by death rattle: 18 January 2017 - 10:14 AM

[Abyss]

death rattle, on 18 January 2017 - 10:13 AM, said:

I have a comic book question. As a kid I had a bunch of superhero coloring books and one of the most popular villains in them was a lady w/ a Cheetah theme -- possibly named Cheetara -- who was right there beside like Lex Luthor and The Joker. Yet I never hear any mention of her at all these days, and even peripherally I hear about comic book stuff fairly often. What gives? She a has-been character? A never-was? Is she dead?!?!

Edit: I realize Cheetara is a Thundercat's name too, but I'm sure of this comic supervillain existing, if maybe by a different name.

https://en.wikipedia...Cheetah_(comics)

[amphibian]

death rattle, on 18 January 2017 - 10:13 AM, said:

I have a comic book question. As a kid I had a bunch of superhero coloring books and one of the most popular villains in them was a lady w/ a Cheetah theme -- possibly named Cheetara -- who was right there beside like Lex Luthor and The Joker. Yet I never hear any mention of her at all these days, and even peripherally I hear about comic book stuff fairly often. What gives? She a has-been character? A never-was? Is she dead?!?!

Edit: I realize Cheetara is a Thundercat's name too, but I'm sure of this comic supervillain existing, if maybe by a different name.

Cheetah is still around in Wonder Woman's comics. The problem with Cheetah is that the character kind of sucks in comparison to Luthor and the Joker as a primary antagonist, as the Cheetah powers and drive mostly revolve around physical battles with Wonder Woman and not much else.

Luthor wants to remake the world to be better - but without Superman, as the alien is mistrusted mightily and may not have the Earth's best interests at heart. The Joker wants everything to be chaotic and to specifically get Batman to admit that what he does is futile. Cheetah wants to defeat Wonder Woman in a one on one battle.

Cheetah is also weird in that all these white ladies (and one white Argentinian man) go to Africa and get transformed into an African cat-human.