The comic books thread. What's your fave? Marvel? DC? Top Cow?

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Okay, so who participated in Free Comic Book Day yesterday?  What freebies did you snag and which ones did you like?  

Shigeru Mizuki's Showa: A History of Japan (Drawn & Quarterly)- This was pretty solid; I liked the juxtaposition between the cartoony and realistic drawings.  Its' stylistically different from typical manga, so I liked that.  

Wayward Sons/ Tesla (Red Giant)- I did not get into Tesla, but I Wayward Sons seems like a fun supernatural with appealing art.

Darchon/ Shadow Children (Red Giant)- I thoroughly disliked Darchon.  The pacing was choppy, nothing made sense, and I didn't get into the characters.  The cover was cool, though.  On the other hand, I wasn't expecting much from Shadow Children but I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I liked the art style, the imaginative world, and I want to further know the characters.  Especially the male lead.  Normally, I find the female characters more interesting than the males, but in Shadow Children, the boy was the more intriguing character.  

Duel Identity/ Pandora's Blogs (Red Giant)- Duel Identity had a cool premise what with a superheroine (Andromeda) playing double agent as the super assassin Artemis. It definitely has a classic superhero vibe and seems like it could be a lot of fun.  Pandora's Blogs, though, had a promising cover but the pacing was choppy and sometimes sloppy, and I had to suspend my disbelief more consciously than usual.  I also felt like it was trying too hard to be "hip" and just ended up being kinda lame.  Plus points for an ethnic protagonist, though.  

Grimm Fairy Tales Age of Darkness with previews of Dark Queen and Robyn Hood one-shots (Zenescope)- Anthony Spay, cover artist, was at the comic shop I procured this one at so I had him autograph it.  It was an enjoyable read, and I especially liked the varied use of fonts for peoples' dialogue.  The one page Dark Queen preview did nothing for me, but I dug the 2-page Robyn Hood preview.  

Zombie Tramp/ Ehmm Theory/ Dry Spell preview (Action Lab: Danger Zone)- I picked this one up on a whim because, well, Zombie Tramp.  Seriously, how could I not?  I probably had the most fun reading Zombie Tramp, out of all my freebies.  Sure, it's mindlessly fun, fanservicey schlock, but it's well-done fanservicey schlock with a wide variety of cool art styles employed throughout its duration.  Sadly, I didn't like Ehmm Theory.  The blank backgrounds did nothing for me and the comic as a whole made no sense.  The 3-page Dry Spell preview was cool, though, and I want to read more.  

So basically, the Free Comic Book Day winners for me are Zombie Tramp, Dry Spell, and Shadow Children.  

[(Tunnels)]

Anyone read Seconds by Bryan Lee O'Malley yet? It's fucking great.

[Rucks]

Can't believe no one has mentioned Neil Gaimon's classic The Sandman or Brian Vaughn's (The same guy who wrote Saga) masterpiece Y the Last Man

[Mickeymac92]

I loved Y's premise, but I couldn't get into the comic itself. I really need to read my issues of Saga that I got from a Humble book bundle, though.

And for some reason I always thought Sandman was about the Spiderman character...didn't realize it was DC/Vertigo. I'm definitely much more interested in it now.

Also, I got Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 1. Still got to read it, but I'm definitely looking forward to it.

[kofvscapcom]

For recent stuff, I really like Wolverine and the X-men, the current Hawkeye run, Sec Criminals and Fatale which just ended. Saga is also a really big one but has been updating really slowly.

[Rucks]

Necroing this to mention that A) I just read Locke and Key and it's absolutely top shelf
and B) I finally ponied up the 350 clams to buy the semi-complete (minus the art books) set of The Absolute Sandman.  Cannot wait to revisit it.

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I've been really getting into the comic Hexed by Michael Nelson (writer) and Emma Rios (art) from BOOM! Studios.  The art is incredible and I'm digging the story and characters.  It's nothing hyper-intellectual or anything, but it did have unfamiliar words and phrases that had me reaching for a dictionary.  I LOVE that!  I now want to read Fall of Cthulhu to get the real backstory behind Luci(fer), Val Brisendine, The Harlot, everyone. 

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Been reading a lot of comics lately and I might have to put Michael Alan Nelson among my favorite writers.  Not only is he skilled at writing wind-fast action scenes, but he's just as strong, if not stronger, when writing the quieter moments.  Plus, the majority of characters in Hexed are strong women and they are written incredibly well. 

I read the Comixology version of Fall of Cthulhu omnibus and I loved it.  The Hexed series is why I wanted to read it in the first place, because that's when Luci(fer) makes her debut.  I just wish the book version was still in print, because although I love my e-reader for novels, I like book-books for comics and graphic novels.  That and preowned copies cost an arm and a leg. 

I finished all the Hexed collections last night and the Hexed novel earlier this week.  I guess you could call me a Luci(fer) completist.  I love the writing, the art (especially in the latter part of the series) and the characters.  My only caveat is that the end portions felt a little rushed and awkwardly forced some characters to come into themselves prematurely, but I'm betting that's more due to budget or time constraints than anything else.  Still, I loved that everything ties together so well- Fall of Cthulhu, Hexed, the Hexed novel, and Hexed: The Harlot and the Thief. 

For those curious, the publisher here is Boom! Studios. 

Next comic I'm planning to read is Princess Ugg by Ted Naifeh, published by Oni Press.  I read some samples online and something about it resonated with me.  It's more of an all-ages comic, but promises to get heavy at times.  It's basically about a barbarian princess who needs to go to finishing school to learn tact and diplomacy so her people have a place at the table for political negotiations and don't get forgotten/ignored/left behind as primitive savages from a bygone era.

My mom is getting more into comics as well.  She is the one who got me into Star Wars and fantasy novels, so...  She loves gritty and twisted HBO shows, so I may have her read American Virgin.  That is one of my favorite series and I think everyone should read it.

EDIT: I love Princess Ugg.  Okay, Volume 1 is a bit predictable but Ugg is such an endearing character that you want to follow her trials and tribulations more.  Volume 2 is where we really saw Ugg shine and the plot became far more intriguing, what with all the political machinations at play.  The only caveat I have is that Volume 1 presents Princess Ugg as all-ages friendly, but Volume 2 has a beautiful scene of violent carnage and a segment where it's implied that [spoiler]one princess and the captain of the guard are boinking each other for ulterior gains[/spoiler], making it more YA than kiddie. 

[Rook]

I read a lot in the late 80s-early 90s but really only casually read a few things now.

Favorite comic Eastman and Laird's TMNT. Before they were a licenced product and became a big time toy and cartoon, it was a very PG-13 comic. Plus the turtles all wore red headbands. They only collaborated for about 30 issues but the stories were great and some of the art was just amazing. It looked like the most beautiful magna ever created.

I loved the look of NYC in these issues.




one of my all time fav panels

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Old school TMNT was killer.  I thought the first TMNT movie, the 1990 one, best captured the irreverent Eastman and Laird flair.  Of course, that movie caught flak for being "too violent for a kids' movie" and for some of the dialogue like this little gem https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7K7hL_p0kXQ (tame by today's standards, eh?)

I feel like Yu-Gi-Oh! was a similar phenomenon.  I remember reading some early Yu-Gi-Oh! manga in Shonen Jump and being surprised at how gritty and violent it was given the contrast of the cartoon that kids were watching.  In the manga, games that Yami Yugi would challenge "villains of the day" to had nothing to do with cards; they had creative variety and high stakes.  Like when he challenged a bully to an air hockey match on an okonomiyaki griddle where the puck gradually melts around a fuse that the last person to hit it would cause a massive explosion.  Yami Yugi was a murderous psychopath.  But then somehow, the card game was introduced, it became the focus (rather than games in general) and I'm guessing the marketing department took that ball and ran with it to make it into a more kid-friendly licensed product. 

Currently, I'm reading Gambit: The Complete Collection vol. 1.  Gambit is my favorite X-men character, I own a Gambit costume I've wore on Halloween 2015 and Free Comic Book Day 2016 (though this past Halloween I dressed up as Lando Calrissian and will reprise Lando for FCBD this year).  I'm enjoying Gambit quite a bit. 

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I finished Gambit and loved it.  He's long since replaced Storm as my favorite Xman and favorite superhero.

I read some sample pages of Night's Dominion, Ted Naifeh's superhero in medieval fantasy world comic, and really liked what I read.  I might splurge on Vol. 1 when it comes out.  I already love Naifeh's work in Princess Ugg and he's fast becoming a favorite comic book artist.  He has a contemporary superhero series called "Heroines" coming out in May, so I might pick up the first issue. 

My next comic read is this Aspen series called Idolized.  I really like the concept.  In a contemporary world where a lot of people have superpowers, what better way to show them off than a reality TV competition show called Super Hero Idol, where the top prize is a spot on the premier super hero team?  There is no print volume (the only way to get it in print is to scour for individual issues), but there is a Kindle/ComiXology volume so that's better than nothing.  Still, I prefer actually books when I'm reading comics. 

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So, I finished reading Idolized this week and thoroughly enjoyed it.  Visually, the comic is gorgeous.  Colorist David Curiel does amazing work.  In terms of content, I'm surprised not more has been done with the "superhero reality show" concept that Idolized does incredibly well.  I love how it not only explores Leslie's story but also taps into how reality show producers and editors manipulate characters, situations, and footage to create a show that fits their schemas.  As I was reading, I kept thinking that various aspects could have been more in-depth (e.g. the other contestants' stories), but once I read [spoiler]the epilogue at the end of issue 5, I exclaimed, "That is brilliant!"  Any misgivings I may have had totally made sense.  [/spoiler]

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Free Comic Book Day was AMAZING!!!  I got so much stuff I'm still going through it all.  The freebie I really wanted was Malika: Warrior Queen from Youneek Studios and though I've only skimmed through it, it looked fantastic. 

Best deal I got, though, was all four volumes of Azumanga Daioh for only 12 bucks!  Yay for FCBD sales! 

Anyway, I'll be back later to talk about the freebies I read.

EDIT:

Animal Jam- I got this one for my 7 year old nephew.  It has brightly colorful artwork, but story progression feels choppy.  He'll like it, though, since it's all about animals and he loves animals.

Buffy the Teen Years- I found the Buffy short very enjoyable to read and I know my 13 year-old niece would dig it.  I wasn't too keen on the Plants vs Zombies short, though.  I don't know if the kiddos play the game, but if so they'll get something out of it.

Boom! 2017 Summer Blast- Nothing in this one particularly stood out to me

Miraculous- It's based on the TV show and I'm sure my niece watches it.  I Googled it to see what it was about, and that opening song is so freaking catchy.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiq2qS1Alzw

Spongebob- It's Spongebob and it has that old subversive Spongebob humor that both appeals to kids and adults. 

Betty & Veronica- I did not really enjoy the art and the storytelling wasn't as sharp as I normally expect from Archie. 

Bongo- 2015's Simpsons ones made me laugh.  2016's amused me.  This year's were not as witty, although I liked the one that put Flanders' sons on a wild adventure.  It at least tried to give a couple of throwaway characters a little something something.  I just wish it had taken that further.  Still, I feel like Bongo Simpsons is stagnating. 

*Catalyst Prime "The Event"- This offering from Lion Forge was excellent, especially the gut punch at the end.  The art is amazing too.  Definitely one of the best freebies this year. 

Dr. Who- It's Dr. Who.  Not my favorite Dr. Who comic offering, but still fun. 

Dragonball Super- Dragonball and Boruto were what you'd expect from Dragonball and Boruto.  I like Naruto, but this Boruto was all nonsensical action.  At least Dragonball had some dialogue and more detailed art. 
 

Guardians of the Galaxy- GotG was a fun romp, but The Defenders was a very pleasant surprise.  It was dark, gritty, and drew me in.  I don't know much about Daredevil and his buddies, but now I want to know more. 

I Hate Image- This was just a bunch of lame gratuitous splatter and inside jokes. 

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess- This was a nicely drawn Legend of Zelda manga.  However, I preferred the excerpt from the Ocarina of Time manga also included in the book.  Twilight Princess felt like any other fantasy manga out there, but Ocarina of Time felt like Legend of Zelda; more creative and wide-eyed adventurous. 

*Malika Warrior Queen- my favorite of all the free offerings this year.  I read about Youneek Studios recently and when I saw that one of their offerings was available for FCBD, I had to have it.  Rarely does anything live up to our internal hype, but this totally did.  I'll definitely be buying stuff by Youneek. 

Riverdale- This comic is based on the "grimdark" live-action Archie series, and I did not enjoy it at all.  It did not feel like Archie at all, some characters were completely changed (for the worse) and was just another ho-hum teen drama. 

Star Trek: The Next Generation, Mirror Broken- This was interesting.  The watercolor style art really made the whole "bizarro world" Star Trek concept stand out, and though it seemed conceptually silly it grew on me.  There were a few other teasers as well.  Star Trek: Boldly go had appealing art.  The Star Trek/Green Lantern crossover was just plain stupid.  And I couldn't get into Star Trek: Waypoint.

Street Fighter V: Wrestling Special- I like Street Fighter and pro wrestling is fun, so why not?  The art wasn't really my thing and the storyline was as stupidly fanservicey as any WWE storyline, but it was mindless fun.  And a part of me will admit to being curious about the advertised Street Fighter vs. Darkstalkers comic if for nothing other than the fanservice, since I love those games and characters.  Hopefully its art is better. 

Wonder Woman- It was alright. 

tl;dr- Malika: Warrior Queen and Catalyst Prime: The Event were the best freebies I got for FCBD and recommend reading those. 

[Jimmy]

I've been reading a few of the DC Universe Rebirth series (namely Superman, Batman, and the Flash, plus crossovers when they happen). I'm actually pretty pleased with it so far. I lost interest in the New 52 within a few of months, but the writing and story arcs for Rebirth are excellent so far. It also helps that [spoiler]The Watchmen are being incorporated into the main DCU in an as yet unknown fashion. It has been hinted that the DCU is possibly the universe Dr. Manhattan created after leaving the The Watchmen universe.[/spoiler] I know a lot of people are up in arms about it, but it gives the DCU a sense of mystery and intrigue that it has lacked for a long time now. I'm actually curious to see how it all plays out. Even if the revelations turn out to disappoint, I don't regret my time with the comics themselves. The Superman series has been mostly great so far. The only times it hasn't is simply because the editorial team is trying to tie up some loose ends in regard to the big picture story of Rebirth. Batman has been mostly good, and Batman Rebirth #16 is one of the best single issue comic books I've ever read. The Flash has been really good as well. Not as good as the other two until just recently, but still very good. I've also heard some good things about Wonder Woman, so I may check out that series once I'm caught up on the rest (I'm a few issues behind). I'd definitely say they're worth checking out for anyone interested.

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I don't actively follow as much DC or Marvel as I used to (though I'm reading Charles Soule's Uncanny Inhumans because it has Indian inhumans with interesting subplots), but I like what DC has done with Aquaman in recent years.  Aquaman used to be a big joke (and I think slews fo DC writers were to blame for wasting his potential), but New 52 Aquaman is pretty cool and it's about time.  Aquaman's a boss!

Next on my reading docket is my newly finished collection of the 6-issue New Gods Bloodline Saga.

I also splurged on a bunch of stuff from Youneek Studios: EXO vol. 1 and 2, Malika Warrior Queen, and WindMaker.  I loved the FCBD preview of Malika (by hook or by crook, you all have to read it) and what I've seen of the others makes me want to read them.  Youneek has plans for a bunch of other "YouNiverse" stuff and I'm pretty sure I'll be following them for a while.  I love the unique persepective the YouNiverse offers: it's Africa-centric (given that the creative team are all African), thus embracing a fresh set of cultural sensibilities that have been around for centuries but that I don't know enough about.  They have more stuff in the works for the next few years so I'll definitely be keeping an ear to the ground for it.  I also love their whole approach to doing things.  I haven't been this excited about a new comic book studio in years. 

http://youneekstudios.com/