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Underground > Comic Books >

Weekly review

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15:52 / 15.01.05

Would it work to do a weekly post to say if you have gotten something that you recommend so that people who float around comics unsure have a nod in a right direction? Not asking for a complete list of what's out and what to get/not get, but a kind of pick of the week thread that gives people an idea of what's good and out there, for example the whole Identity Crisis was an expensive waste of time - think of how some folk were saved from that. People could post a clear review of their pick, and even a spoiler for those not interested?

Or is it just too much laziness asking other people to read your comics for you?

18:14 / 15.01.05

I'd had a hectic Thursday, but I literally fell asleep halfway through this month's episode of The Punisher, so not that, anyway.

21:07 / 15.01.05

I love this new Punisher arc! Didn't put me to sleep. Are you sure you weren't just really tired when you read it?

21:44 / 15.01.05

Didn't you also love Identity Crisis, Finderwolf?

21:58 / 15.01.05

Hey, it's good!

But seriously; as soon as I saunter down to my local comic shop* I'll be picking up Ultimates 2 #2, JLA: Classified #3 and We3 #3. That's about it. However, I'm sure I'll be tempted by the new Birds of Prey TPB - called Sauna, Sensei and Student. Or something like that - as I've heard nothing but good press about Gail Simone's work, however unappreciate she might actually be.

*which is being made insanely difficult now Liverpool city council have decided to block off the city centre with road works specifically calculated to make me shit glass with rage. I am the Incredible Hulk of shitting glass, I assure you.

22:20 / 15.01.05

The thing is the list of my most recent read/purchased/enjoyed comics and graphic novels increasingly bares no resembelence to the list of what has shipped week by week.

20:47 / 16.01.05

I can second the recommendation of Birds of Prey. The last few arcs I've read have been really solid.

01:29 / 17.01.05

I'll never live that down, will I...?

Let me reiterate that I only paid money for the first 2 issues of IC and just read it in the store thereafter. I only liked the first issue after my first read, then the more I thought about it I wasn't so hot about it...not so crazy about the second issue, and that was it for me and IC.

It was kind of like a movie you see and you're like "wow, that was good" until you think about it for a moment and then realize all the problems, plot holes etc. but you were intially (only momentarily) seduced by its slickness or whatever.

*ahem* Anyway, in a Punisher thread somewhere around here, other Barbelithers seconded my emotion that the new Punisher arc is good. Ennis is back on his game on that book.

I also second the Birds of Prey is good fun stuff emotion. Gail Simone knows what she's doing -- I find myself looking forward to her writing Superman, except it's being drawn by *ugh* John Byrne.

06:56 / 17.01.05

I like the current Punisher, too. It´s the only Marvel title, I buy.

Also on my list:

Ex Machina
Planetary
Y - LMOE
Promethea
WE3
Hellblazer
B.P.R.D.
The Walking Dead (hit and miss, and half the comic is fan letters)

And I´m always open to suggestions.

BTW - after I read some raving reviews about Flex Mentallo, I tried to get it on ebay, but it got above 52$. Is it really THAT good?

08:20 / 17.01.05

What's with all the Identity Crisis hate here, people ?

09:43 / 17.01.05

You are joking, of course.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

10:43 / 17.01.05

I wish people would quit with it.
Y'see, I'm developing an unholy fascination with finding out just how bad it really is. One day I'm gonna gove in to temptation and buy it. Then I'll come to the realisation that I've just blown all my money on a run of a bad comic, and that yes, I was warned. Then I'll feel sad, and stupid, and maybe have a little cry.

Haus of Mystery

11:05 / 17.01.05

Dirty Stoatie.

12:01 / 17.01.05

People, if internet piracy is meant for anything, it's meant for IC. Seriously, it may be the only ethically unimpeachable example of theft.

Read Frank Ironwine, which I liked. It's interesting reading Ellis stuff through the lens of the indie artist. You can't go wrong with a hard-boiled, urban Sherlock Holmes, either.

Digging Birds of Prey, too, much to my surprise.

15:54 / 17.01.05

A little background on Birds of Prey?

17:29 / 17.01.05

BTW - after I read some raving reviews about Flex Mentallo, I tried to get it on ebay, but it got above 52$. Is it really THAT good?

It's my favorite comic book ever, yes, but not worth that much money.

17:42 / 17.01.05

Stoatie, where you live? You can have my IC's as I hate them and always try to pass on comics once I've read them.

If in UK, PM an address to send them to, but you may have to wait a while as I'm working un Post Office hours.

20:19 / 17.01.05

>>BTW - after I read some raving reviews about Flex Mentallo, I tried to get it on ebay, but it got above 52$. Is it really THAT good?

>It's my favorite comic book ever, yes, but not worth that much money.

Well, if it is that good, I might try the next auction. Once, I paid a loooot of money on a real auction for the first 10 Sandman issues (I got the whole run). And I know somebody,w ho has the first 40 issues of Hellblazer, but she won´t sell them!

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

22:05 / 17.01.05

I have the first 40 Hellblazers in my mum's attic (I think I'm missing #1 and '3). I probably should sell them... she needs the space.

So... back to the topic... I'm never sure how publishing dates actually coincide with when yr local comic shop gets stuff... should I be going looking for the final Promethea *this* week, or not?

22:17 / 17.01.05

According to ninth art's shipping list, it is not out this week...

07:01 / 18.01.05

You know about the last Promethea issue. I wonder, what if it ends with Promethea (or better yet Sophie directly talking to the reader, something very meaningful (maybe something her dad told her, when he came back from the dead), and then that last sentence gets blown up, until all we see is that final: .

07:36 / 18.01.05

sorry, hungover, irony detector on the fritz - yr saying the last panel of promethea will just be the last panel of the invisibles?

08:19 / 18.01.05

Quinine, Birds of Prey is a DC comic loosely set in the Batman milieu. It features the team up of Oracle (paraplegic former Batgirl daughter of Commisioner Gordon turned digital hub of the metahuman community) who runs Black Canary (Black fishnet garbed blonde sonic assaulting martial art babe) as a sort of freelance agent generally going about righting wrongs.

The title meandered all over the place not doing an awful lot till Gail Simone took over the writing (after two great guest-written stories by Terry Moore and Gilber Hernandez). Simone's added some grit and soapy intrigue to the writing, introduced some others into the team mix (including the wonderfully violent Huntress) and taken the title to the proverbial "next level". Well done! She writes great storylines too, and obviously, being a woman writer helps with the female perspective of the leads - she drops into first person a lot, which works much better than in most places I've seen. Also, it's often very funny

Haus of Mystery

10:39 / 18.01.05

I like the concept a lot, and have heard good things about Ms Simone, but the cheesecake art put me off. Is it still bad?

13:53 / 18.01.05

Kinda, McGyver. It is very cheesecakey still. Lots of gravity defying ass(ets). But Gail's writing kind of subverts it all. Or at least provides some counter empowerment.

I know what you mean. But this is the pulpy hackwork end of comics. You have to take the rough with the smooth. I particularly like the ongoing jokey back story about how these stunning Amazonian women just totally suck at getting dates.

15:00 / 18.01.05

>sorry, hungover, irony detector on the fritz - yr saying the last panel of promethea will just be the last panel of the invisibles?

Yes

I mean, after all these years, I´m being pessimistic, that this last issue will really disappoint. Maybe we expect too much.

15:06 / 18.01.05

quite like the idea that after reading it i'm expected to tear the fucker up, throw it all over the room and, like, 'discover the new narrative for myself, man'.

big beardy pisstaker's still got it i reckon.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

10:51 / 26.01.05

I reckon the last few pages'll be blank and they'll give us free crayons and some Letraset.

I'm between optimism and pessimism on this one- I'm really looking forward to it, but trying not to in case it's a big let-down. The fact that it's Moore makes the latter course of action difficult.

14:14 / 26.01.05

Well I thought the last issue was the last issue of Promethea, and I though the same about the one before, so... well I'm lost really, aren't I ?

Haus of Mystery

09:47 / 25.02.05

OK, couldn't think where to put this so...

Picked up SOLO by Paul Pope - anyone else cop this? I really dug it (although I'm a hopeles devotee already), especially the differing styles he attempted. THe pop fun of his OMAC story nicely contrasted with the typically Popeesque city ode. Also really liked the Minotaur story - I want more! Slightly bad reproduction on the Batman story, although I convinced myself last night it was to create a more convincing 'pulp' feel. Very Bob Kane - Robin back in booties!

Any of the othe SOLO's worth reading?

10:11 / 25.02.05

yeh the pope thingy was good - i can't stand his 'hi, i'm paul pope' stuff usually, scigoths looking moodily out of car windows while worrying about girlfriends, drugs, school, and the impact of non-existent technology upon received ideas of identity. woo.

give him some proper stuff to do though, some superheroes, and he shines. best picture of the joker i've seen in my whole life, about as perfect a six(?) page batman story as you'll get anywhere.

omac. omac funny.

the minotaur thing was okay as an eddy campbell tribute, though his sense of storytelling, dramatic irony i guess, just isn't as well developed yet. the city thing was legitimately throw-across-the-room-rubbish, but i didn't, i just read to the end of it, enjoyed the vibrancy of the art, and forgot it the instant the good shit come along again.

10:12 / 25.02.05

oh, the flying ghost story was brilliant too, 'should have gone for the sea monkeys' indeed.

12:51 / 25.02.05

Ennis' Russia Punisher storyline is still kicking ass.

Powers has been fun but the last few issues haven't had the extra oomph that I usually associate with Powers...not quite sure why...

Re-read Corben's SOLO issue, it was ok but not quite as good as I expected, story-wise.

21:28 / 25.02.05

http://barbelith.com/topic/19758

16:50 / 17.03.05

what was that last link for, BTW?

Young Avengers (#2 just came out) actually is kinda fun in an old-school way, and decently written by the OC guy. Don't know if it warrants a thread of its own, though...

And the finale of the Punisher arc when he goes to Russia was pretty aces. I was genuinely moved (and not in an Identity Crisis #1 way) when the little girl cried because her protector Frank couldn't come with her and take care of her. Ennis continues to impress me with more good Punisher stories -- and I had written the Punisher off as a one-note character years ago, didn't think ol' Castle had any good stories left in 'im.

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