[polishgenius]

To be fair he was never gonna get sued by DC given he was writing it for them. But also very obvious expies of famous superheroes and villains are a part and parcel of superhero comics anyway - they do it to each other all the time, and there's several very high-profile creator-owned series with the likes of Image that are far more centered on those 'homage' characters than Planetary is.



Also as well as Ellis handled it I do think the shortening of Planetary is pretty clear- in particular there's one concept he introduces pretty late that becomes key and I think he intended to develop it waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more slowly before he hung the plot on it.

[Abyss]

TV related but belongs here too... the X-MEN '97 cartoon trailer just dropped.

https://youtu.be/pv3...Gs9xba7unPm86K9



Mind. BLOWN.

Jean pregnant.

Bishop grunting to the music.

The Wolverine Gambit thing!!!!

CYKE SAID THE WORDS HE FRIKKIN SAID THEM.



...i was thoroughly meh about this.
now? Hook me rtf up.

[JPK]

Abyss, on 15 February 2024 - 04:21 PM, said:

TV related but belongs here too... the X-MEN '97 cartoon trailer just dropped.

https://youtu.be/pv3...Gs9xba7unPm86K9



Mind. BLOWN.

Jean pregnant.

Bishop grunting to the music.

The Wolverine Gambit thing!!!!

CYKE SAID THE WORDS HE FRIKKIN SAID THEM.



...i was thoroughly meh about this.
now? Hook me rtf up.

Watching that makes me feel like I'm 10 again.

[Abyss]

JPK, on 15 February 2024 - 04:30 PM, said:

Abyss, on 15 February 2024 - 04:21 PM, said:

TV related but belongs here too... the X-MEN '97 cartoon trailer just dropped.

https://youtu.be/pv3...Gs9xba7unPm86K9



Mind. BLOWN.

Jean pregnant.

Bishop grunting to the music.

The Wolverine Gambit thing!!!!

CYKE SAID THE WORDS HE FRIKKIN SAID THEM.



...i was thoroughly meh about this.
now? Hook me rtf up.

Watching that makes me feel like I'm 10 again.

The ongoing debates online about what to call the (thoroughly ridiculous yet epic glorious) Wolverine n Gambit thing... my favorite so far 'a pair o' threes'.

[Abyss]

Abyss, on 12 February 2024 - 03:26 PM, said:

Abyss, on 05 February 2024 - 07:42 PM, said:

Abyss, on 05 February 2024 - 03:30 PM, said:

polishgenius, on 04 February 2024 - 08:50 PM, said:

Also picked up another couple of volumes of Radiant Black. Sadly the little comic shop in Berlin didn't have continuations of the Nightwing and Immortal Hulk runs I started at Christmas.

Humble Bundle has a Massiveverse offer up.

polishgenius, on 05 February 2024 - 05:55 PM, said:

Cheers, I'll probably take advantage but also why couldn't I see that three days ago ffs.

I think it only landed two days ago. The universe decided you need hard copies.

Relatedly just finished bingeing RADIANT BLACK vols 1-4. Good comics. Not wildly original - 'young goodlooking people find alien tech, get powers' isn't exactly groundbreaking - but fun, good pace, nice art, engaging story and characters, very well done action scenes. I enjoyed, am continuing to read the rest of the Massiverse set.

On to the MASSIVERSE crossover one shot. Fun enough. not brilliant, but Radiant Black meets Inferno Girl and Rogue Sun, they clash, they team up, they beat the badguys. The plot is blunt as hell but the action beats are so much fun i didn't care. I do like that the whole line seems to be leaning in on variations of the 'normal people find alien artifacts, become superheroes' angle rather than trying to make each origin so distinct that they inadvertently copy other titles. The alien artifact isn't wildly original itself, but making it a line-wide theme makes it all part of a bigger story, rather than trying to connect a bunch of smaller stories that echo typical/classic Marvel n DC stuff.

On the INFERNO GIRL RED vols 1-3. Striking shift to a way way more younger reader tone. Possibly too much, but ok, fine, i'm not the target for this. Still read it thru - if somewhat skimming at times - and enjoyed enough. There was a single panel clue in MASSIVERSE about where this title might be going that i find rather engaging.

[Abyss]

Abyss, on 26 February 2024 - 03:08 PM, said:

...
Humble Bundle has a Massiveverse offer up.
...
Relatedly just finished bingeing RADIANT BLACK vols 1-4....

On to the MASSIVERSE crossover one shot.....

On the INFERNO GIRL RED ...

...and then on to ROGUE SUN.
It was ok. I finished it because i'm enjoying the wider comic line, if i were paying for monthly floppies i likely would have bailed because the 'angst ridden teen gets powers, isn't very good at them' thing is just standard, nothing new here. I'll move on to another MASSIVERSE title from the bundle at some point.



On the extreme other end i just marathoned the first five TPBs of Gillen, McElvie and co's THE WICKED AND THE DIVINE and holy godsfucks how am i just getting to this comics gloriousness now it is BRILLIANT.

[Abyss]

Abyss, on 11 April 2024 - 03:23 PM, said:

...

On the extreme other end i just marathoned the first five TPBs of Gillen, McElvie and co's THE WICKED AND THE DIVINE and holy godsfucks how am i just getting to this comics gloriousness now it is BRILLIANT.

and Just Finished the last four. Gillen doesn't just stick the landing, he sticks the landing, the wave to the crowd, the victory lap, the victory drinks, the victory pizza, and probably the victory sex but that's just a guess i don't know the guy the point is, as a complete run comic, beginning to end, THE WICKED AND THE DIVINE is an amazing work in every respect, story, art, colours, letters, fragrances, all of it.


Also read the first 25 floppies of WORLD'S FINEST, Mark Waid's retro story about Bats and Supes' early buddy days. I'm not certain basing the entire thing around a particular alt-reality character, to contradiction of other earlier stories about that same character, was the bestest choice here, but it was very much a fun comic story and i enjoyed the read.

[Abyss]

Storyline implosion is never enjoyable in comics, particularly Marvel. There's this almost painful moment when it becomes clear almost everyone involved is phoning it in the just get the work done, and the few who aren't are having to work around the mess anyways so it's lose/lose/lose for everyone.

Thus, the current 'Fall of X' storyline. There were a couple of fun moments at the start... Kate Pryde going full ninja, Cyclops being awesome even w his back broken and his eyes sewn shut, Nightcrawler pretending to be Spider-man... but it's all just fallen apart into bad event coordination, weak storylines, senseless jumps (wow Cyclops sure did heal that broken back quickly and hey his eyes look great), poor planning (if the Avengers were always happy to beat up the badguys why did Iron Man have to wait until after sex w Emma Frost few more times), and Jean Grey being dead yet again which is just stupid by now. This is why i prefer to only return to the xbooks like twice a year.

More enjoyable is Victoria Schwab's SHADES OF MAGIC: THE STEEL PRINCE series, which is a sequel to her Shades of Magic triogy and really captures the feel of the books nicely, with solid art (even if the art team maybeeee enjoys drawing flowing scarves just a wee bit too much). Halfway thru the first tpb, this is a fun fantasy story. The MC appears to be a typical spoiled prince type but shoved off the become a man at a remote military post, quickly shows he's more than that, then also quickly shows he is way out of his depth. I like his sidekick soldier squad and i adore the pirate queen character the author seems to be setting up as the main antagonist.

[JPK]

Abyss, on 25 April 2024 - 02:17 PM, said:

Storyline implosion is never enjoyable in comics, particularly Marvel. There's this almost painful moment when it becomes clear almost everyone involved is phoning it in the just get the work done, and the few who aren't are having to work around the mess anyways so it's lose/lose/lose for everyone.

Thus, the current 'Fall of X' storyline. There were a couple of fun moments at the start... Kate Pryde going full ninja, Cyclops being awesome even w his back broken and his eyes sewn shut, Nightcrawler pretending to be Spider-man... but it's all just fallen apart into bad event coordination, weak storylines, senseless jumps (wow Cyclops sure did heal that broken back quickly and hey his eyes look great), poor planning (if the Avengers were always happy to beat up the badguys why did Iron Man have to wait until after sex w Emma Frost few more times), and Jean Grey being dead yet again which is just stupid by now. This is why i prefer to only return to the xbooks like twice a year.

See, I just can't get into the Fall of X storyline at all because I just think the entire thing is dumb. They have a fantastic setup that they could build interesting storylines around for years in The Krakoa Era, but instead they're choosing to just go back to the same old status quo. It just feels like an absolute waste of Hickman's setup.

[Abyss]

JPK, on 25 April 2024 - 02:46 PM, said:

Abyss, on 25 April 2024 - 02:17 PM, said:

Storyline implosion ... This is why i prefer to only return to the xbooks like twice a year.

See, I just can't get into the Fall of X storyline at all because I just think the entire thing is dumb. They have a fantastic setup that they could build interesting storylines around for years in The Krakoa Era, but instead they're choosing to just go back to the same old status quo. It just feels like an absolute waste of Hickman's setup.

I can live w them ending Krakoa. I agree it could have lasted longer but fine, we got five years and even Hickman always planned for it to end.
But they're going about it so so badly. Most of it reads as the filler it probably is.


The next phase is also weird... kudos to them for resisting the obvious 'return to the mansion', but instead we're getting Cyclops leading a team out of Alaska, which is just Morrison redux, Rogue n Gambit leading a team out of New Orleans, which is Carey or Byrne or godhelpus Claremont 2.0, take your pick, and Emma and Kate teaching a class of new mutants, which is like three middling runs i can't attribute off the top of my head. They're trying to seel this as 'new' and none of it is remotely new. The creative teams are good to potentially great, FFS they gave Gail Simone her own title, i'm in... but it's barely a veneer of 'new'. It all feels very much like an interim effort before the disparate teams all get back together and ... wait for it.... return to the mansion.

[Tiste Simeon]

Not really a comic tbh just a short story told in a manga format, but has anyone read The Enigma of Amigara Fault by Junji Ito?

It's a horror story and ever since I first read it, it's stuck with me. Quite disturbing tbh.

Anyway it's very short and someone has put the whole thing on Imgur:

Drr... Drr... Drr... https://imgur.com/gallery/5rcNS

[Abyss]

Humble Bundle is evil, wants my money. The complete IDW TMNT run, start to THE LAST RONIN, for under $25.

This after the complete BPRD set which option/includes the previously offered HELLBOY set for $40ish.

Damn, i'm weak.

[Abyss]

Abyss, on 27 May 2024 - 07:39 PM, said:

Humble Bundle is evil, wants my money. The complete IDW TMNT run, start to THE LAST RONIN, for under $25.

This after the complete BPRD set which option/includes the previously offered HELLBOY set for $40ish.

Damn, i'm weak.

Naturally i bought that TMNT bundle, am at bk 5 and enjoying the hell out of it. I'm very impressed with how they wove an entirely new story around the same characters without going so far away from the originals as to make it 'too different'. Doesn't hurt that (original creator) Eastman was actively writing and drawing.

I should note that over at Humble Bundle there is a new IDW 25th Anniversary bundle
that is INSANELY loaded. For $24.50usd you get all of LOCKE n KEY, 30 DAYS OF NIGHT, THE OCTOBER FACTION, JOE HILL'S THE CAPE and a bunch more standalones. I already own L&K and 30 DAYS and i'm still tempted.

[Abyss]

AMULET, nine graphic novel series written and drawn by Kazu Kibuishi. It's a kids series but absolutely beautifully draw - seriously there are some full and two page spreads that are to-die-for glorious to look at. Story of a sister and brother who fall into a magical world where it turns out they are destined to yadda yadda chosen ones evil shadow creatures magic elves anthromorphic furry people destiny magic stones WAIT WTF IS THAT A ROBOT??? ARE THOSE MECHS???? FLYING SPIDERGIANTS!?!?!?!?!?!? Despite its fairly trope-heavy storyline, the author brings in a pile of fun elements, keeps the pace fast, isn't afraid to smash the plot into a different direction. It's a fun, fast read, worth it for the art and the entertainment.

Now back to the Turtles....

[Abyss]

Abyss, on 25 July 2024 - 07:40 PM, said:

AMULET, nine graphic novel series written and drawn by Kazu Kibuishi. It's a kids series but absolutely beautifully draw - seriously there are some full and two page spreads that are to-die-for glorious to look at. Story of a sister and brother who fall into a magical world where it turns out they are destined to yadda yadda chosen ones evil shadow creatures magic elves anthromorphic furry people destiny magic stones WAIT WTF IS THAT A ROBOT??? ARE THOSE MECHS???? FLYING SPIDERGIANTS!?!?!?!?!?!? Despite its fairly trope-heavy storyline, the author brings in a pile of fun elements, keeps the pace fast, isn't afraid to smash the plot into a different direction. It's a fun, fast read, worth it for the art and the entertainment.

Interestingly, bks 8-9 were not quite as impressive as 1-7. Seeking context i discovered the author almost died in a car accident and had a really hard time finishing the series at all. With that in mind it's impressive that he managed as good an end as he did. There are some jarring shifts i style and story, but it works well enough, considering.

On thru IDM TMNT bks 6-11... great fun. I am SO impressed with what Eastman and co did with the Turtles story. Great wider cast, compelling story shifts, genuine character arcs for each of the Turtles that keep the core leader/badass/nerd/partyguy elements but then expand on what it means to be those characters in the wider story. Leo's leadership tendency is turned against him, then doubted, then refined. Raph is still the toughest guy in the room, first in the fight but it's because he is desperate to keep anyone else from getting hurt, Don is brilliant but constantly frustrated bcs no one else is at his level so he seeks out other geniuses, Mike is the wildest but it quietly becomes clear he's also the youngest in maturity, most uncertain, and probably the best fighter bcs ffs num-chuks. Anyrate, great fun.

Pause now - tho happy to have five more TMNT tpbs standing by - to catch up with the Xbooks now that Fall of X is complete on the MU app. May also finally read the Morrison Batman run i've been procrastinating.

[T77]

Abyss, on 04 September 2024 - 02:39 PM, said:

Abyss, on 25 July 2024 - 07:40 PM, said:

AMULET, nine graphic novel series written and drawn by Kazu Kibuishi. It's a kids series but absolutely beautifully draw - seriously there are some full and two page spreads that are to-die-for glorious to look at. Story of a sister and brother who fall into a magical world where it turns out they are destined to yadda yadda chosen ones evil shadow creatures magic elves anthromorphic furry people destiny magic stones WAIT WTF IS THAT A ROBOT??? ARE THOSE MECHS???? FLYING SPIDERGIANTS!?!?!?!?!?!? Despite its fairly trope-heavy storyline, the author brings in a pile of fun elements, keeps the pace fast, isn't afraid to smash the plot into a different direction. It's a fun, fast read, worth it for the art and the entertainment.

Interestingly, bks 8-9 were not quite as impressive as 1-7. Seeking context i discovered the author almost died in a car accident and had a really hard time finishing the series at all. With that in mind it's impressive that he managed as good an end as he did. There are some jarring shifts i style and story, but it works well enough, considering.

On thru IDM TMNT bks 6-11... great fun. I am SO impressed with what Eastman and co did with the Turtles story. Great wider cast, compelling story shifts, genuine character arcs for each of the Turtles that keep the core leader/badass/nerd/partyguy elements but then expand on what it means to be those characters in the wider story. Leo's leadership tendency is turned against him, then doubted, then refined. Raph is still the toughest guy in the room, first in the fight but it's because he is desperate to keep anyone else from getting hurt, Don is brilliant but constantly frustrated bcs no one else is at his level so he seeks out other geniuses, Mike is the wildest but it quietly becomes clear he's also the youngest in maturity, most uncertain, and probably the best fighter bcs ffs num-chuks. Anyrate, great fun.

Pause now - tho happy to have five more TMNT tpbs standing by - to catch up with the Xbooks now that Fall of X is complete on the MU app. May also finally read the Morrison Batman run i've been procrastinating.

The Turtles and Fables I need to get back to, but never do.

Many consider Morrison's Batman run to the the best. I read it, enjoyed it, but having not read much Batman, a lot went over my head. He makes references to previous runs, as he usually does.

[polishgenius]

I don't read enough consistent comic runs to say if Morrison's Batman run is the best - heck, I've only read parts of it myself- but it does contain, in Batman RIP, a pretty good candidate for the best Joker scene in history.

[Abyss]

T77, on 05 September 2024 - 01:50 PM, said:

...
The Turtles and Fables I need to get back to, but never do....

The Turtles, honestly if IDW hadn't done the Humble Bundle just after THE LAST RONIN came out to huge acclaim, i would never have gotten to any of it. I'm very glad i did, it's been a fun palate cleanser/reboot/restart for what i love about comics.

FABLES... i love the first 50 issues of that book, and the last ten or so. There's a chunk in the middle that i found very frustrating because it was simply nver as good as what had come before even tho the art, writing, cast, were all there. So it ended on a satisfying note, and I have all the follow up and LS sitting in a folder but I'm gunshy about reading them because part of me wants to do a reread first and part of me is certain those add-ons will ruin it (see also THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, WATCHMEN, DC METAL and various stages of Marvel's Xbooks and Avengers titles... damn that LEGION OF SUPER HEROES marathon scarred me).

I have started the FALL OF X storyline on the MU app because i want to read the end of the Krakoa story. It's the usual mixed bag but my read vs skim game is well practiced by now and Kate Pryde going full murder ninja or Bishop and Cable on a massive shoot/splode/blast commando mission are just too much fun to skip. Also, Emma Frost and Tony Stark turned out to be the comics couple i never knew i needed.

Also also, i see there's a new MONSTRESS trade (vol 8). Going to need to acquire that shortly and likely do a reread of at least 4-7... with joy bcs that book is both brilliant and a pleasure to look at. Majorie Liu has yet to do anything less than blow my mind with that run so far.

[T77]

Abyss, on 09 September 2024 - 01:55 PM, said:

T77, on 05 September 2024 - 01:50 PM, said:

...
The Turtles and Fables I need to get back to, but never do....

The Turtles, honestly if IDW hadn't done the Humble Bundle just after THE LAST RONIN came out to huge acclaim, i would never have gotten to any of it. I'm very glad i did, it's been a fun palate cleanser/reboot/restart for what i love about comics.

FABLES... i love the first 50 issues of that book, and the last ten or so. There's a chunk in the middle that i found very frustrating because it was simply nver as good as what had come before even tho the art, writing, cast, were all there. So it ended on a satisfying note, and I have all the follow up and LS sitting in a folder but I'm gunshy about reading them because part of me wants to do a reread first and part of me is certain those add-ons will ruin it (see also THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, WATCHMEN, DC METAL and various stages of Marvel's Xbooks and Avengers titles... damn that LEGION OF SUPER HEROES marathon scarred me).

I have started the FALL OF X storyline on the MU app because i want to read the end of the Krakoa story. It's the usual mixed bag but my read vs skim game is well practiced by now and Kate Pryde going full murder ninja or Bishop and Cable on a massive shoot/splode/blast commando mission are just too much fun to skip. Also, Emma Frost and Tony Stark turned out to be the comics couple i never knew i needed.

Also also, i see there's a new MONSTRESS trade (vol 8). Going to need to acquire that shortly and likely do a reread of at least 4-7... with joy bcs that book is both brilliant and a pleasure to look at. Majorie Liu has yet to do anything less than blow my mind with that run so far.

The only reason I read the Turtes was someone on the 11 O'Clock Comics podcast raves about it and I am usually not disappointed by his recos.

I've read up to 69 in Fables and I still like it.

This post has been edited by T77: 10 September 2024 - 02:57 PM

[Hammerhead88]

I'm currently reading Hellboy for the first time. On to volume 5 (library edition) which is absolutely fantastic.

I have an absolutely massive comic read pile which I'm going to try and get through a bit before I buy any more....

Ok before I buy many more...