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Comic Book Reading Club #2 - Spider-Man: Blue (***SPOILERS***)

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  • 26-04-2013 2:42pm
    #1
    Fysh
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 11,024 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    After a successful start to the reading club, I decided that we should stick with some reasonably mainstream titles for the time being to keep momentum going. With that in mind, I've decided to go with TurtyTurd's suggestion of Spider-Man:Blue by Jeph Loeb and Time Sale (which is a bonus for me as I've not read it).

    As with the previous thread, I'm allowing any and all spoilers to be posted in plain text. If you haven't read the story and want to avoid spoilers, READ NO FURTHER.

    detail.jpg

    For those who haven't read it, it can be purchased from the following locations:
    BookDepository (£9.59, free delivery)
    Amazon (£9.59, free delivery)
    Comixology ($11.94)
    Waterstones (£9.99)

    Previous threads:


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    #2
    Jayd0g
    Registered Users Posts: 823 ✭✭✭Jayd0g


    I haven't read this is years, since it was reprinted in the Astonishing Spiderman collectors editions. Will have to go digging through a few crates of back issues! :-)


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    #3
    Thwip!
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,234 ✭✭✭Thwip!


    It's worth noting that it was recently rereleased in the Marvel Graphic Novel Collection so you should still be able to find it in local comic stores :D

    Also.....YAY


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    #4
    Nervous Wreck
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,115 ✭✭✭✭Nervous Wreck


    I just re-read this on Saturday for the first time in years! Amazing book. I forgot how tragic it really is. Flash's story kinda kicks me in the gut every time.


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    #5
    Thwip!
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,234 ✭✭✭Thwip!


    Nervous Wreck wrote: »
    I just re-read this on Saturday for the first time in years! Amazing book. I forgot how tragic it really is. Flash's story kinda kicks me in the gut every time.

    Very much this, there's so much emotion rooted into the entire story it's hard not to love it

    Will post a more detailed review in a few days


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    #6
    Turtyturd
    Registered Users Posts: 28,395 ✭✭✭✭Turtyturd


    For me it's actually the last scene with Peter in the attic and MJ comes up...that always gets me.


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    #7
    Ridley
    Registered Users Posts: 3,172 ✭✭✭Ridley


    Realised midway through the second issue that I was reading the dialogue in the voices of the Animated Series. Unfortunately the gravitas was slightly undone when I started going "Hang on, isn't this around the time Deadpool got sent into the past..? It is!"

    'Did she just start dancing? *sigh* So young to be involved with the crack...' tongue.png

    Knowledge of Sins Past didn't help either.

    Still, in and of itself, a worthwhile read (and with Loeb whether that will happen is a coin-toss). Glad the framing story is during the Mary Jane marriage as I thought it could be left ambiguous. Same with the reveal that she is the good that came from the bad and ultimately became a better person after Gwen's death. Honestly, I'm not sure whether I consider the pile of tapes romantic or creepy but I'll take it in the spirit it was intended. wink.png

    Could have done with the brick to the face subtlety of the emphasis in the Amazing Fantasy line when it would have been better without the quotation marks.


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    #8
    LuvSpudz
    Registered Users Posts: 163 ✭✭LuvSpudz


    Okay I sat up and read for the first time last night when I should have been sleeping!
    Good story, very poignant, it's mad to remember how Mary Jane was portrayed back then compared to now.

    I don't think I've ever seen that story where the Rhino's armor skin was removed from his body, I thought that simply couldn't be done?

    The whole 'good and bad' concept was well played out, and it was nice to see Flashs realisation that the high school jock days were coming to a close, and now he was the fish out of water what with being seen as immature by friends and love interests alike.

    Might have more to say after a cuppa tea to wake me up!


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    #9
    Foggy.nelson
    Closed Accounts Posts: 245 ✭✭Foggy.nelson


    Going to get in on this, gonna buy it after work tomorrow , may even get red son too.. Great idea


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    #10
    Thwip!
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,234 ✭✭✭Thwip!


    Foggy.nelson wrote: »
    Going to get in on this, gonna buy it after work tomorrow , may even get red son too.. Great idea

    Loving the username


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    #11
    Thwip!
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,234 ✭✭✭Thwip!


    Ok more detailed (well by comparison to my initial one) review.

    I'll start off by saying I'm very select when it comes to reading Jeph Loeb. Outside of the colour books and his Batman books I generally don't like his work that much. Often I think it's the addition of Tim Sale that ultimately holds his stories together for me. But Spider-Man Blue is a masterpiece. It hits you on so many emotional levels alone that it's surprising that it isn't recommended more often as a staple of anyone's Spider-Man reading. Loeb, in this, nails characterisations even down to MJ at the end. It's one of the few things I like about Loeb, his handling of relationships. The whole substory with Flash (given what we know now á la Venom) hits immensely and we see how Peter can at times feel responsible for what happens to Flash both in the story and during the war, for if it wasn't for Spider-man, Flash would probably have never felt the need to prove himself a hero. Gwen is written beautifully here and Peter's words for her are heavy with the love he clearly still holds for her.

    Tim Sale is one of my favourite artists. There's rarely a time where I won't buy any of his books. I loved the little homages we see of Spidey stories from around the time of the story's setting and I love how he draws Harry, Pete and Gwen. The covers are fantastic, one of which I'm currently trying to get a large print of for my wall. The only fault I can find with the book is that in places it felt a little rushed story-wise and perhaps some things warranted more attention.


    Loving that our little CBRC is taking off :)


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    #12
    Thwip!
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,234 ✭✭✭Thwip!


    Fysh you want to suggest the next book?


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    #13
    Fysh
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 11,024 Mod ✭✭✭✭Fysh


    Thwip! wrote: »
    Fysh you want to suggest the next book?

    Sorry for being slow to come back to this - never did get time to read this month's book (my "to read" pile is reaching scary heights).

    But anyway, yes, it's about time we pick another book for the club. I'll find something suitable and start a new thread by the weekend :)


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    #14
    TheEscapist
    Registered Users Posts: 239 ✭✭TheEscapist


    Make it a good one Fysh, now that I'm finished my exams I'm looking forward to reading a comic for the first time in 6 weeks and getting involved in the CBRC. Getting withdrawal symptoms.


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