I like comics, How 'bout you?

sprunkner · Post by **sprunkner** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 6:03 pm

RASL #2- It's going to take a while to get used to Jeff Smith drawing a comic for adults.

Otherwise, bril. Especially the guy on the cover.

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 7:31 pm

Got my mits on Angel #8 (which could have done with a Betta George coda to stop it feeling like "we ran out of space in two issues for everything we wanted to do, so here's the rest and some padding", which is essentially what it is) and #9 today.

Is it bad that I'm actively considering dropping this? I could probably put up with it being so thoroughly mediocre in execution, if the concurrent Buffy stuff wasn't fab.

Post by **Best First** » Mon Jun 23, 2008 2:30 pm

Brendocon wrote:Got my mits on Angel #8 (which could have done with a Betta George coda to stop it feeling like "we ran out of space in two issues for everything we wanted to do, so here's the rest and some padding", which is essentially what it is) and #9 today.

Is it bad that I'm actively considering dropping this? I could probably put up with it being so thoroughly mediocre in execution, if the concurrent Buffy stuff wasn't fab.

Glad its not just me! The contrast to the Buffy stuff is huge.

The art doesn't service the story at all yet the writer seems to rely on it very heavily to convey WTF is going on. I had a genuinely hard time following a lot of issue 9.

The bit with Wesley's body in the coffin in issue 9 - it looks like his legs are not attached to his body - terrible. I had a bit of hope when they took Uru off the book as i was not a fan but its even worse. The colouring is pretty vom worthy as well.

And on top of that the dialouge varies between being somewhat in charachter to rubbish - a lot of the interactions just don't seem to work. There's also way to many characters talking in foreshadowey tones and a lot of stupid going around - notably when Gunn dusted his sire without finding anything out and then says "Is there anything else i need to know?". What?

Basically if this was gonna be season 6 maybe Fox were onto something after all....

Serenity: Better Days was very average as well.

On to other(and initially Whedon linked) stuff out this week:

Secret Invasion: Who Do You Trust was quite good - especially as i am now an Agent Brand fan. Agents of Atlas were actually made half interesting as well. Mmm, agents.

Great week for Transformers obvioulsy - a week where the TF comics were genuinley amongst the best things to come out which is what the franchise needs. That or a 12 issue nostalgia fest, i forget.

Wolverine: Old Man Logan is a bit average on the story stakes but pretty enough that i am keen to see where it goes. Plus it has Hawkeye.

Most important (IMPORTANT!!!) - Captain Britain and Mi-13 was, as with its first issue, stupendously great in every aspect - will everyone please do me a favour and go and buy this book so it doesn't get axed. Drop, say, Angel if you must.

Skarr: Son of Hulk - good to be back on Sakarr, lovely Garney art, pretty thin plot. Will give it a few issues, possibly at the expense of the parent title which i seem to have forgotten to axe(man).

BPRD: War on Frogs - wrapped up an old continuity note + Roger but not quite as good as that combo should be sadly.

Incredible Hercules - pretty good actually.

X-Factor - stuck with it post Messiach Complex but not sure i am too fussed about these guys. Then again Peter David's wordage is pretty darn good but i'm not sure ho much i care about Maddrox regardless.

anyway...

BUY CAPTAIN BRITAIN

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Mon Jun 23, 2008 4:50 pm

Best First wrote:The art doesn't service the story at all yet the writer seems to rely on it very heavily to convey WTF is going on. I had a genuinely hard time following a lot of issue 9.

The bit with Wesley's body in the coffin in issue 9 - it looks like his legs are not attached to his body - terrible. I had a bit of hope when they took Uru off the book as i was not a fan but its even worse. The colouring is pretty vom worthy as well.

Mhm. Urru's stuff is okay for static images and the like, but doesn't work for sequentials and doesn't capture the characters in anywhere near the way Jeanty does (who's found the perfect midpoint between "looks like the actor" and "works for a comic"). I was full of hope after the second part of First Night - the vignette approach seemed to be working well, different art styles a nice idea... but the Civilians bit took the piss. The problem with opting for "looks like it's been drawn by a child" is that, ultimately, it looks like it's been drawn by a child.

And on top of that the dialouge varies between being somewhat in charachter to rubbish - a lot of the interactions just don't seem to work. There's also way to many characters talking in foreshadowey tones and a lot of stupid going around - notably when Gunn dusted his sire without finding anything out and then says "Is there anything else i need to know?". What?

It's genuinely frustrating. There's good ideas in there... there's a plot in there... Lynch manages to capture the characters' voices spot-on a lot of the time, but when he fails to, he does it spectacularly badly. Coupled with the mediocre art. Genuinely didn't realise that was Wesley's corpse at first look.

I sometimes think I'd prefer a bad idea executed well to a good idea executed badly.

Not too excited about the upcoming Spike spin-off either.

Serenity: Better Days was very average as well.

Yeah. I've said in the past that I'm cool with never seeing any new Firefly, as it means we'll never get a rubbish episode. Better Days just reaffirms my point, afaic. Zoe's a terrorist and Simon may have nailed Inara. Yeah, thanks for that. Could really have done without.

Can't shake the feeling that it being three issues as opposed to four/six/whatever is solely because it lets them do three characters per cover, rather than coming up with something actually tied to the story.

Also suffered from the "let's make the art as close to the actors as possible" thing, which just ends up making it look cack.

sprunkner · Post by **sprunkner** » Mon Jun 23, 2008 9:48 pm

Also just reminds you how much you miss the actors.

Seriously, wtf is stopping those made-for-TV movies they were talking about a while ago?

Post by **Best First** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 8:59 am

good question - think of how much it would kill on DVD. I guess there are probably bigger one off set costs than with the show but overall the spend vs profit seems a bit of a no brainer - which makes me think i am missing something.

the other issues with anything involving Spike and Angel is the before long they start to look too old. Then again David Beanbag actually seems to look a bit younger in Bones.

I guess its lets concerning with Bufy - there is the appetite to do it and the format it is delivered in works. With Angel there is an appetite to do it and... its starting to suck balls. Like you say you can see there is something beneath that probably works but... nope.

Also agree bad idea done well is better than good idea done badly. Far less heartbreaking.

Can't access the IDW site from work at the moment - what is the feedback like there, minions?

Not sure i entirely agree about no more firefly- would be happy with no more firefly comics but anything with the cast themselves would be spiffy as, lets face it, Nathan Fillion is dreamy. I mean Inara. Really. Ok, both.

Anyway - buy Captain Britain. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease. Don't just believe me - overwhelmingly positive reviews.

Any reading Secreated Invasion?

Ew.

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 12:20 pm

Best First wrote:Can't access the IDW site from work at the moment - what is the feedback like there, minions?

Gushingly positive. And quite scary.

All the scary shippers who can get a thousand chapter slashfic out of one glance between characters are tripping over themselves to clean Lynch's arsecrack.

Which is pretty much what I expected.

Predabot · Post by **Predabot** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 3:28 pm

Hmm.

Is anybody reading them Detective Comics Comics..? With that humongous universe and mind-altering crossover by that crazy bald Scotsman?

I'm not, actually... I'm thinking about picking up some DC stuff until Sweden catches up a bit with the big Marvel events, but alas, I don't really feel bothered. It's as if not even the crazy Scotsman can get me involved in another DC reboot.

On a slightly related note. Found this video some months ago. Quite fascinating stuff, as the Scotsman explains his beliefs and faiths in it.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... &plindex=0

Turns out he's got the same beliefs as the Scarlet Witch..

sprunkner · Post by **sprunkner** » Wed Jun 25, 2008 10:41 pm

Holy crap.

This explains so much about Grant Morrison.

I'm trying to stop watching it and get some work done, but I CAN'T.

This is like, Alan Moore weird.

Predabot · Post by **Predabot** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 4:26 pm

Aye. The lad has a unique mind..

Anybody reading Green Lantern since the end of the Sinestro-debacle?
Even tho I liked the story, I got kind of Lanterened-out, but I'm thinking about picking it up again.

Post by **Best First** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 5:51 pm

i dunt care much about DC to be honest.

sprunkner · Post by **sprunkner** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 2:30 pm

Quite a haul this week.

FF-- Dang it, I missed 557! How does that happen? Know they not the holds are verily mine? Can you tell by that that my LCS also forgot to put Matt Fraction's Thor one-shot into the hold? Anyway, good stuff, hopefully won't degenerate into the giant robot fight of the first arc. I like the vintagey feel of Millar's writing here.

T-Bolts-- I love Norman as written by Warren Ellis. Love love love him. And love him better in the T-Bolts than as recurring Spidey villain #1. Same for Bullseye. I don't like that Ellis and Deodato are leaving.

Runaways--Nice wrap-up with the little girl coming back. Should have been released five months ago. And once again a superstar writer is leaving. Shame. I would like to see Joss just stick with a monthly.

New/Mighty/Secret Invasion/Avengers: The background story is cool and frustrating at the same time, given the total overload of action in the main title. Cool because now I know what happened with Spider-Woman--though that is one seriously twisted conspiracy--and not cool because why can't a Marvel maxi-series just stand on its own for once dammit? Also, JRJR looks off his game in Mighty.

Runaways/Young Avengers/Secret Invasion: I was wondering what was going to happen to the two Skrulls in the junior teams. Not that this explains it...

Final Crisis: Uh, I think I'm getting it now. With Wikipedia's help. That's about all I can say.

The best things I read this week were actually the graphic novel "IncogNegro" by Mat Johnson and Warren Pierce and some issues of my old Spider-Man 2099 run. They really ought to bring that title back, and Peter David and Rick Leonardi with it.

Post by **Best First** » Sun Jun 29, 2008 12:23 am

I actually think Peter David could probably do a decent job with pretty much any comic ever.

I'd, yes check this boldness out, actually like to see some balls from people like Whedon or Ellis to actually ditch the showcase sh^t and do something remarkable over 60 issues or so on a title.

I'm pretty naive about DC but i don't think many people are either willing or alternately given the chance to do genuine runs on titles these days - the obvious exception being Ultimate Spidet which is pretty much the balls.

I guess what i am saying is that a bigger challenge is taking a title, tuning yourself into its voice and running with it for as long as you can is a far brassier challenge than doing 12 issues and then ****ing off.

I'm drunk so i except there may in fact be man examples that my mind is currently glossing over to contradict this. But RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGHHH. Yes.

uh-huh

...

...

...

..

.

Hmm. Brubaker on Cap. Bugger.

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Sun Jun 29, 2008 11:13 am

Best First wrote:I'd, yes check this boldness out, actually like to see some balls from people like Whedon or Ellis to actually ditch the showcase sh^t and do something remarkable over 60 issues or so on a title.

Ellis already did so on Transmet.

Although you're a crazy fool who doesn't rate it. You are wrong. I'm only saying it because it's The Truth.

But it would be nice to see him pull another epic off somewhere. Planetary is obviously ace, though only half the length.

Doubt Whedon would want to risk leaving tv/film behind for five years. I doubt the massive delays in AXM and Runaways were entirely down to the art...

Professor Smooth · Post by **Professor Smooth** » Sun Jun 29, 2008 11:47 am

The saddest news out of Wizard World Chicago is that Michael Turner has died of cancer.

Post by **Best First** » Sun Jun 29, 2008 12:23 pm

Brendocon wrote:
Best First wrote:I'd, yes check this boldness out, actually like to see some balls from people like Whedon or Ellis to actually ditch the showcase sh^t and do something remarkable over 60 issues or so on a title.
Ellis already did so on Transmet.

i meant on something more iconic/mainstream - i think its a lot easier to pick up something like the T-bolts and make em dark and interesting for a 12 issue run but maintaining that intrigue over years would be far groovier. Sometimes these shot in the arm runs feel a little industrial.

The again T-bolts was ace and maybe i'm just pissed off he's leaving.

And Astonishing X-Men was the balls.

Shame the same can't be said for JWs stint on Runaways which was a right old mess - not sure there is need for that particular addition to the roster.

That said i though X's recovery in T-bolts undermined the previous arc a bit.

Ultimate Spidey was nice and creepy this week - Immomen is amazing.

Transmet just seemed a bit up its own arse to me, i know i only read the first volume but wasn't compelled to buy the 2nd.

sprunkner · Post by **sprunkner** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 6:54 am

Shame about Michael Turner. Incredibly talented guy.

As I continue my back issue odyssey, I realize any title one liked in the early 90s--like Spidey 2099--starts scraping the bottom of the artistic barrel after a while.

Though once it gets to Wildman and Baskerville's run, it gets a bit better, but for some reason not a patch on Wildman's TF art. Not sure why he went for the quasi-Jim Lee look here when the more animated style works better.

Shanti418 · Post by **Shanti418** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 7:47 am

Walking Dead Volume 8 TPB just blew my mind, yo. The emotions bite into you like a fine zombie.

Other than that, I'm pleased with the way Final Crisis is shaping up.

What does everyone think of all the Millar runs right now? 1985, Kick Ass, Old Man Logan, Fantastic Four?

Personally, I think 1985 is my favorite, due to Edwards outrageously good art and the creep 80s horror vibe to it.

Professor Smooth · Post by **Professor Smooth** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 9:12 am

What in the hell is Final Crisis about? To me, a casual DC fan, it's the worst comic I've ever read. That's a critique of my level of knowledge of the DC Universe, not of the book itself.

Super Sumo San? Megayakuza? Are those real characters?

Post by **Best First** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 10:34 am

Shanti418 wrote:Walking Dead Volume 8 TPB just blew my mind, yo. The emotions bite into you like a fine zombie.

Other than that, I'm pleased with the way Final Crisis is shaping up.

What does everyone think of all the Millar runs right now? 1985, Kick Ass, Old Man Logan, Fantastic Four?

Personally, I think 1985 is my favorite, due to Edwards outrageously good art and the creep 80s horror vibe to it.

I ain't doing Kick Ass as a) I missed the first issue and b) I read a review of the 2nd that was so damning I didn't bother - was thinking I’d get the trade if someone who's opinion I held in decent regard said it was good when its all wrapped up, so if you reckon it is let me know.

Tell you one thing he has bagged himself a handsome harem of artists at present.

I think my current fave is probably FF to be honest - I may be being wildly influenced by BHs art but there's a certain revelry to it all and he's really pulling out the relationship side of it. Plus it’s more or less shipped on time which from this team is nothing more than remarkable.

1985 - yeah, agree about the creepy vibe - think the colouring plays a big part in that. I'm intrigued as to what is going on and think the kids perspective is played well but its not quite grabbed my like FF.

Old Man Logan has only just got going - but I didn't dislike the first issue. I think you have to ignore some slightly shaky aspects to the set up, or, as I am doing, hope they will get some better explanation along the way. McNiven is doing some funky stuff tho. Oh, and I like Wolverine's haircut, so that's a plus. Its also good to see stuff like this in the main book rather than another mini or one shot.

Then again there are so many freaking Wolvie and Thor one shots and mini's at the mo. Wolverine: Dangerous Games or whatever that hunting one was called as possibly the stupidest piece of crap I have ever read. That month.

Is anyone reading the new Hulk title? I keep forgetting to axe it but it is an utter disgrace - I can't find the words to explain how much I dislike how they have jumped form the epic WW/PH to this ill conceived nonsense - I think I want to know who Red Hulk is just so I can confirm my suspicion and go "Arrgh. Stupid". Really, truly epically awful.

Predabot · Post by **Predabot** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 3:27 pm

I think it's epically great, actually.

I'm totally reading, and totally enjoying the RED Hulk. ^^
It's just such a completely straight, right what it says on the tin, fun story.

The most recent issue didn't quite have the ultra-titanic battle that I was expecting tho, with the return of a certain character from WWH.

Next ish. will be the BIZ tho... THOR, BABY!

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 3:32 pm

Predabot wrote:I think it's epically great, actually.

Tells me all I need to know.

sprunkner · Post by **sprunkner** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 4:01 pm

Has anyone been reading Matt Fraction's Thor one-shot series? They're fantastic, with pretty good art.

This week in comics:

Buffy: FRAY! FRAYFRAYFRAYFRAYFRAY. And Dawn as a centaur... hee haw.

Astonishing 25: Geez, Ellis's run is starting at the pace of a go-kart compared to the rocket launch of Whedon's. Pretty art, though.

Messiah Complex Trade: This is what Final Crisis should be like. A story steeped in current mythos, but accessible to someone who doesn't read the books regularly. Then again, I suppose I have a better working knowledge of the X-Men than I do of the DCU. A damn good story as all say, though I'm getting a little sick of Professor X dying. And what happened to Madrox's other clone? Now I have to buy X-Factor... grumblegrumble

My hunt to fill in Spidey2099 issues has led to me now buying up back issues of the David/ChrisCross Captain Marvel series. Anyone read this? Funny stuff with lots of alternate realities as per David.

Post by **Best First** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 11:12 pm

Brendocon wrote:
Predabot wrote:I think it's epically great, actually.
Tells me all I need to know.

Yep, i could not have asked for a more ringing endorsment.

Ozz · Post by **Ozz** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 7:09 am

sprunkner wrote:My hunt to fill in Spidey2099 issues has led to me now buying up back issues of the David/ChrisCross Captain Marvel series. Anyone read this? Funny stuff with lots of alternate realities as per David.

"Funny" is a massive understatement.

sprunkner · Post by **sprunkner** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 7:39 am

Best of all, my LCS has every ish. Broke City, here I come.

Also, I just read the first TPB of Avengers: Initiative and OH MY GOD WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL ME IT WAS THIS GOOD? And it actually has continuity with the other Marvel serieseses. Contintuity. It's seriously like a cool breeze in a desert.

The first TPB of the new New Warriors series, on the other foot, was not as impressive. Can we seriously just let the New Warriors go?

Post by **Best First** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 4:52 pm

Yeah, i have never quite understoof why they were so clung to - as a bunch of charachters they were pretty uninspired and whatever hole they were supposed to fill in the MU has now pretty much been plugged by better concieved teams.

Fairplay what is being done with Penance/Speedball, but that's another example of it being better looking forward than back.

The Initiative.... yeah

sprunkner · Post by **sprunkner** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 5:48 am

This NW has an interesting premise but not much more; that some dude is designing power suits for former mutants as long as they call themselves NW.

Although they brought back the NW within the Initiative as well, in ish, ah... 11 I think? I'm presuming to try and get more people to buy the book. Stupid. Justice was much better as an instructor.

sprunkner · Post by **sprunkner** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 3:28 pm

Yo you double post

When you've been reading comics for a long time, I think you get kind of attached to side characters who can actually grow and change, as opposed to people like Spider-Man who by company decrees are 25 forever. That's one reason why seeing people like Justice evolve as characters is really cool. And why bringing back the effing New Warriors brand over and bloody over again is just lame.

Post by **Best First** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 9:58 pm

Yes!

that's all i got m'drunk.

But Yes!

TransFans.co.uk

I like comics, How 'bout you?

BEHOLD THE DOUBLE POSTER! BURN HIM!