What comic are you reading at the moment.

Fysh · 17-07-2004 8:27pm

Just picked up the first issue of Havoc 21 - the comic by Wolfman Productions mentioned in the "Irish Comics" thread. It's pretty cool reading - first story in particular has good artwork and a matching story. I'd say take a look if you see it around...

plastic membrane · 04-08-2004 8:47pm

moggie wrote:

Hauled out the old Preachers there recently
still class, few touch them fer sheer style

Me too, Forgot how much i loved reading them back when i was 16/17. Funny, filthy, action packed and touching. Cant get better than that.

Velcrow · 04-08-2004 8:51pm

Funny, filthy, action - old Heavy Metal issues

Fysh · 05-08-2004 10:57am

forgot to post about this before, but now that DC have picked up the rights to push stuff from the Humanoids label, Metal Hurlant (someis now easily available - Other Realms has #12 stocked (the current issue), and I imagine Forbidden Planet/Sub City should do too. It's a neat combination of short comics (or excerpts from full comics) and general info about the comics world.

Also picked up Redeye #2, a UK magazine about the underground/self-published comic scene. It doesn't really feature enough comic samples to be called a comic, but it's interesting to read.

Picked up a trade called "Tales Of Ordinary Madness" on Dark Horse - quite good, about a psychiatrist who finds himself unable to maintain an emotional and intellectual barrier between himself and the patients he's supposed to be treating.

Aside from that, I've been re-reading the first volume of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Kevin O'Neill's artwork is just excellent.

Xcom2 · 05-08-2004 11:19pm

Fysh wrote:

I'd love to get the comic, but I'm still unsure about paying 40 euro for something I might not read more than once...

It is available from mile high for 28.22EU.That includes the $9.50 shipping charge(you can add a load of comics to the order and still pay the same shipping price).

G

galactus · 06-08-2004 9:52pm

Marvel Visionaries - Walt Simpson (#3)

Thor as a frog...a panic! Simpson is a genius.

voltamadan · 16-08-2004 6:58am

moggie wrote:

sin city really compliments James Elroy and Elmore Leonard
great stuff
but you wouldn't have it everyday

I think Watchmen gleams a little from Ellroy and Leonard, certainly with Rorschachs 'mother' fixation and understated badass respectively.

Venom · 16-08-2004 10:23am

Read Ultimate Spiderman and Xmen over the weekend thanks to bit torrent and have to say I was impressed with what they have done with the characters.

hailtothechimp · 16-08-2004 2:08pm

Reading "New X-men Vol.1". Grant Morrison's early take on the mutant gang. Pretty much missed it on its initial run but have always loved what Morrison did on "Zenith" so looking forward to it muchly.

Fysh · 16-08-2004 3:13pm

Just picked up "Transmetropolitan : Tales of human waste" and "League of extraordinary gentlemen vol 2" in paperback, for 25 euro between them. Made a start on LOEG2 over lunch and it's looking pretty damn good - the artwork is still excellent, and having read some of the books that Moore draws characters from or references, the story just gets better and better.

The transmet book isn't another storyline - it's a collection of promo work done before the comic started, a series of articles ostensibly written by Spider Jerusalem, along with artwork by a bunch of different artists. Given that my interest in Transmet is based more on the world in which the comic happens than on Spider's antics, this seems an interesting choice - probably won't be of much interest to anyone who isn't at least keenly interested in the comic. I'll post more on this once I've read it.

While on the topic of reading....I've recently been looking over a few Hellblazer single issues...particularly the story about the Newcastle incident and John's revenge on Nergal, but also the Fear Machine story arc. Why in the hell the second collection moved straight onto Garth Ennis' stuff rather than consisting of issues #10-#21 is just beyond me. However, there's rumours of a collection of Delano stories before the horrific abortion that will be the movie comes out, so maybe something good might come from the movie version after all...

neXus9 · 16-08-2004 6:27pm

Stopped reading Transmetropolitan book 3, seemed that it was trying to be too political, a bit boring. I'll have another crack at it.

Reading watchmen at the moment, quite good.

Draco · 16-08-2004 8:54pm

Fysh wrote:

The transmet book isn't another storyline - it's a collection of promo work done before the comic started,

Now quiet correct. Two of the three chunks were only released during the series and the final part before.

Fysh · 17-08-2004 10:37am

Having now read it, you're quite right - I based my description on Warren Ellis' comments about the book in his mailing list a couple of months back, which I must have mis-read.

It was better than I thought, actually. It was cool checking out the range of different artists and, while there were a few duds (I grow more and more bored with Steve Dillon's artwork every time I see it), most of them were great - particularly liked the Lazarus churchyard cameo in D'Israeli's contribution.

Also read LOEG vol 2, and it was...fitting. O'Neills artwork is once again outstanding, Moore's characterisation is excellent, and the storyline brings in yet more characters from books and stories I've enjoyed. The only drawback about it is that it's very hard to see how Moore might follow this up, if he even intends to.

Draco · 17-08-2004 9:34pm

I believe there is a vague plan of doing another one with a different league. There have been hints that it could possibly be one set in the 1950s or one of the leagues seen in the pictures in the HQ.

neXus9 · 17-08-2004 10:47pm

Had a flick through Transmetropolitan: Tales of human waste, and it seems brilliant. Loved the different looks of spider. The only thing is it seems to give a bit away regarding different storylines, so I'll take it on after I read the books (although that's gonna take ages :eek:

).

Fysh · 17-08-2004 11:07pm

neXus9 wrote:

Had a flick through Transmetropolitan: Tales of human waste, and it seems brilliant. Loved the different looks of spider. The only thing is it seems to give a bit away regarding different storylines, so I'll take it on after I read the books (although that's gonna take ages :eek: ).

You probably won't spoil anything from beyond about the fourth book, although there are parts of the election that are, well, given away.

As for the League Vol 3 possibilities...Much info over here, although it looks like it's still in a development phase. Looks good so far though. Wonder who'd be in a 1990's league? And who would they fight?

neXus9 · 17-08-2004 11:16pm

I have the election one at the moment, so I'll probably finish that and book 4, then read the collected pieces.

neXus9 · 19-08-2004 3:29am

Just at the bit in watchmen where Rorschach

gets this guy and handcuffs him and gives him a hacksaw. Then he pours petrol onto the floor and tells him there's no point in trying to go through the cuffs. Then he drops a lit match, walks out and watches the place go up in flames. That part is a rip off from the end of mad max

(still, the comic's quite good).

3-D Preacher · 22-08-2004 12:09am

The comic book/graphic novel/whatever-you-want-to-call-it I'm reading at the moment (and admittidly, the only one i have) is The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol2 (the hardback edition- I splurged, okay?). Great artwork, even better plot (yes, I know its set in The War of The Worlds). Ah, the glories of steampunk. I'm planning to buy either Y:The Last Man, Squee or Johnny the Homicidal Maniac next. Any suggestions as to which one I should choose would be very welcome...

Fysh · 22-08-2004 6:42pm

I can't comment on Y : The Last Man yet, since I haven't gotten around to reading it, but I'd go for Johnny the homicidal maniac before squee. Not least because some of the stuff in the squee book was originally in the JHTM single issues. That said, you can get a hardback book of the collected JHTM comics which includes this, making squee a less worthwhile purchase unless you really like the little bugger. Which I have to confess I don't.

Separately to that, I've finally gotten around to buying V for Vendetta (couldn't get it in Other Realms for a while; happened to look in Easons and they had it). It was very good, but at the same time I'm glad it's been a while since I first read Watchmen; it meant I didn't straight away pick up on the similarities between the two. I'm growing more and more convinced that everyone in the world should be required, by law, to read all of Alan Moore's work, or at least a significant part of it. Now I'm waiting for Hellblazer : Setting Sun to come out....

neXus9 · 23-08-2004 12:21am

3-D Preacher wrote:

I'm planning to buy either Y:The Last Man, Squee or Johnny the Homicidal Maniac next. Any suggestions as to which one I should choose would be very welcome...

I prefer Squee to JTHM (I'll have to get that Squee collection). You should check out watchmen, which is from the same writer of the league of extraodinary gentlemen, Alan Moore.

goo · 29-08-2004 1:59am

The Invisibles, anyone else read it?

dubhthach · 29-08-2004 2:41am

I have the who last run of the invisibles (13-1 , it counted downwards) in original comic format it's alright the earlier parts were better though.

Zonko · 29-08-2004 11:06pm

I read 3 today. A really old copy of Sandman, Issue one of Batman: Death of innocents, and another old Batman one, I forget what it was called, but he was fighting someone with a halbert...

projectmayhem · 30-08-2004 8:07pm

i'm reading some hellboy comics (gearing up for the movie)

Venom · 30-08-2004 10:25pm

Just finished up a chill out weekend that involved all the ultimate line from marvel, hellblazer, Superman:Red Son (pretty damm cool) and all the Star Wars comics done so far

Fysh · 31-08-2004 12:06am

Re-read V for Vendetta and the Warren Ellis 3-issue miniseries "Red". Finally managed to pick up the last issue of "Heaven's Devils", so I re-read the first three of those as well.

I notice that the recent Silent Hill series has reached TPB status already - has anyone read it? If so, is it any good? I'm tempted, but the artwork has put me off every time I've looked at it. It looks like it's trying to be 30 days of night, but doesn't quite get away with it...

Zonko · 01-09-2004 9:51pm

Just read issue 3 of Grendel Batman. It had never been opened before

jared almasy · 27-09-2004 9:24pm

im reading a few online but physically im reading the entire series of chobits that i got a lend off my friend, i may buy them myself but im a bit strapped for cash at the moment

Fysh · 04-10-2004 9:48am

Picked up a few trade paperbacks over the weekend in Other Realms and have been pleasantly surprised by them:

Mortal Souls by Steven Grant - I saw this in the Avatar promo book from last year's Free Comic Book day. It's quite hard to describe without spoiling some of the book, but essentially if you like any of Warren Ellis's stuff on Avatar (Strange Kisses/Strange Killings) you'll most likely enjoy this. More info here.

Heaven's War by Micah Harris (on Image Comics) - picked this up on a chance, and really enjoyed it. It's a tale of celestial good versus evil, with Aleister Crowley attempting to influence the angelic battle that leads to Satan's Fall, and a few members of the Inklings (a literary discussion group including CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien) struggling to stop him. It includes about 15 pages of annotations at the end which explain some of the story in further detail. Can't find any direct info about it online though.

Table For One by Bosch Fawstin - Independent comic that I picked up because I liked the cover art. It's very well written and has a compelling central character, sparkling dialogue and good artwork. Definitely worth a look if you like indie stuff. More info here.

neXus9 · 04-10-2004 5:14pm

Fysh wrote:

It's a tale of celestial good versus evil, with Aleister Crowley attempting to influence the angelic battle that leads to Satan's Fall, and a few members of the Inklings (a literary discussion group including CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien) struggling to stop him.

That reminds me of league of extraodinary gentlemen, which is what I'm reading now. The start was boring, but seems to be picking up now.

neXus9 · 10-10-2004 2:03pm

Finished league of extroadinary gentlemen, good book. Don't think though it's a masterpiece like so many people proclaim.

Next up, hellboy: volume 1

jared almasy · 10-10-2004 7:08pm

just finished issue #1 of a new series following up evil dead 3

Fysh · 11-10-2004 1:36am

jared almasy wrote:

just finished issue #1 of a new series following up evil dead 3

Is that "Ashes to ashes" by any chance? Saw it in Other Realms but wasn't impressed by the idea...any good?

Over the weekend I've read "Technopriests book 1 : Initiation" on the new DC/Humanoids imprint, and it was really cool. Fantastic art, although from the few issues of Metal Hurlant I've seen I was expecting that - but also a fabulously engrossing and detailed story. Essentially it's this century-old character telling us his life story, how he was conceived of a holy virgin being raped and manages to get accepted as a trainee game maker in the Technoguild (a religion that worships technology and makes virtual reality games for all members across the many galaxies that the technoempire spans). Along the way we also see the history of his mother and twin brother and sister. Definitely worth a look if you want space-based sci-fi with a difference.

Also found out that Freakshow is currently on hiatus because it's been taken up for UK and US distribution, so they'll be reissuing them with new covers and artwork next month apparently. This incidentally means that my copies of the original print run are suddenly going to rise in value

. Also ascertained that, although MBleh! is sadly defunct, Bob Byrne is apparently working on a full-blown graphic novel at the moment (it's great what you can find out from the guy in Sub City in Galway

- apparently those involved in the above comics frequent the Dublin branch quite often...)

jill_valentine · 11-10-2004 2:41am

Finished From Hell. Desperately bleak, but excellent. It's got whores, top hats and Freemasons, surely a winning combination?

Epitaph · 14-10-2004 11:27am

Was naughty and read through the first two parts ("Books") of V for Vendetta.

Jesus fscking Christ, what a book. Brilliantly detailed artwork - thinking of right before when the cop punched the other one, and right before V jumps on the train...the glimpse one of the characters gets right before the train enters the tunnel: you'd almost think that it was a rag in the wind. Perfect, considering the tiny panels.

Can't wait to finish it

I assume this was originally released in parts, yeah? (:o )

Bought my first comic since oooh 1995 last month: Empire by Mark Waid. Read the first issue last year, but missed the rest. Well recommended, even though the sci-fi bits in the final third are a bit unnecessary, they don't detract from the story too much.

Trying to get my hands on hardback Planetary trades ATM.

jared almasy · 14-10-2004 1:10pm

Fysh wrote:

Is that "Ashes to ashes" by any chance? Saw it in Other Realms but wasn't impressed by the idea...any good?

yeh it is, its pretty good so far. its full of campbells wit and a few cool twists. waiting for part 2

Fysh · 20-11-2004 1:41pm

Thought I'd revive this thread with my current reading material:

Ocean #1 & #2 - The start of a 6 part miniseries written by Warren Ellis and illustrated by Chris Sprouse, set in a future not unlike Transmetropolitan's world. A UN Special Weapons Investigator is sent to Jupiter's moon Europa, where a research satellite has discovered the first liquid ocean in our galaxy, along with signs of life...(Published by Wildstorm)

Iron Man : Extremis #1 - Also written by Waren Ellis (in all honesty, the only reason I picked it up) and illustrated by Adi Granov. This seems to be another starting-over of the Iron Man series, and it looks like Ellis may turn Iron Man into the character I always thought he should be (ie far more reminiscent of the way he was presented at the beginning of Heroes Reborn). (Published by Marvel, obviously)

The Courtyard #1 - Alan Moore's title from a while ago, I only just got around to picking up the first issue because I hadn't twigged that it was a Lovecraftian-type tale. It's a damn fine first half of a story, although you need to have read a fair bit of Lovecraft's work (or at least be familiar with it) to pull together all the strings that are dangling through the story. I'm now wondering where I'm going to get the second issue, if it's even out yet (Avatar's site being somewhat unhelpful on the topic, although I surmise from the fact that a TPB is coming out that the second issue should have been released somewhere).

I'm now looking to get the next Strange Killings trade paperback (Strong Medicine) and the Scars trade paperback. Either Avatar is falling way behind on supplying them to stores or Other Realms are being crappy and slow at getting them in stock - has anyone seen either of these in stores?

Fysh · 23-11-2004 11:22am

...and some more stuff I bought over the weekend:

Mega City 909 issues #1-3 - Futuristic series about a world where humans are implanted with emotion surpressants at birth to prevent war and violence, and the actions of the Phobia team. Phobia are a special tactics squad who are called in whenever Pulses are present - Pulses being demons who can possess people and bring out their latent violent urges. Pretty nifty story so far, and the artwork is strong.

Y The Last man : Unmanned - Finally got around to picking up the first book of this, and it's pretty good. The storyline and characters are interesting, and the art, while not exactly revolutionary, works quite well to tell the story - it's similar to (although better than, imo) Steve Dillon's artwork.

I forgot to post a while ago, but I also picked up a fantagraphics book in a second hand shop in town, called The Island Of Dr. Moral - ostensibly about the titular island, where all sorts of weird things happen, this is more a playful exploration of a subconscious world created as a result of a child's puritan upbringing and resultant sexual repression. But that sounds far too serious - the book flows as a series of interconnected one-page strips. There are jokes, puns and silliness all over the place, but also some interesting ideas in terms of story and visual representation. Worth a look if you enjoy stuff like Jimmy Corrigan etc, although its only weakness is that it is only 48 pages long.

Epitaph · 24-11-2004 4:59pm

Hardback edition of the The Ultimates (1-13) back home waiting for me

/does dance

Fysh · 30-11-2004 6:44pm

Picked up Superman : Red Son over the weekend and am still trying to make my mind up over it. It was a good idea (and, given that I find superman particularly boring amongst the legions of superheroes who all bore me to some degree, that's something) but it felt a bit too much like Millar was trying to do a Dark Knight Returns with Superman. Loved the alternate version of batman, but ultimately superman just wasn't really a deep enough character to make the story very interesting. His one moral dilemna was "am I fervent enough about my beliefs to kill in their name", which is an interesting one, but wasn't really explored in sufficient depth. Maybe it's just me.

Have also picked up the new edition of Freakshow (now distributed by Diamond!) and am digging it - the story is the same but the artwork is new, and much sharper. Definitely the best Irish indie comic I've seen.

And a new copy of the second Y : The Last Man book awaits me at home...

hairball · 04-12-2004 12:17am

leaugue of extraordainarygentlemen(again)..Y the last man..the goon...Hellboy

04-12-2004 7:23pm

Rereading Watchmen again. Excellant book, it avoids the cliched approach favoured by most superhero comics and creates sometyhing refreshing and interesting.

Khalim · 07-12-2004 10:27pm

last week - I picked up:
Avengers Disassembled: Thor TPB (81-85)
Ultimates 2 #1
New Avengers #1

---> I must say that the Thor TPB was the best read I had for a while. The other two are okay, but what I'm really waiting for is the next issue of the Astonishing X-Men and Wanted.

Fysh · 15-12-2004 3:00am

Picked up a few books over the weekend, and I was going to post about them yesterday but after writing a mammoth entry, boards decided to eat it. Anyway, here goes:

Global Frequency : Planet Ablaze - Warren ellis doing sequential short stories. Pretty good, but the writing style is recognizably Ellis - if you liked what he did in Hellblazer : Setting Sun you'll probably enjoy this.

Y The Last Man : Safeword - another damn fine volume in one of the most well-written series that Vertigo is carrying. So far this is kicking the ass off Preacher for me, and I was pretty damn impressed by Preacher at the time of reading. Yorick is forced by a strange bondage lady to confront his inner demons, and circumstances force the group to be far more honest with each other than they'd ever expected.

Fables : March Of The Wooden Soldiers - bloody excellent. This series is sort of like League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, only with fables and fairytales instead of classic literature as the inspiration (and no sean connery-starring abomination of a movie adaptation). Red Riding Hood is back from the dead, and the adversary's troops are moving, although nothing is quite as it seems. At the same time, Prince Charming is running for mayor of fabletown...

How Loathsome : A great collection of short, character-driven stories about life on the other side of gender and sexuality, where the meat and the mindset don't necessarily match. Jagged angular art complements the stories and personalities that each story presents.

Fysh · 18-12-2004 2:42am

Picked up a few monthlies yesterday:

Metal Hurlant - another nifty issue, a couple of interesting articles and some good short stories. Definitely worth checking out if you want to see different comics to the prevailing american style.

Comic book digest #3 - as good as previous outings, this has more of the same. About 10 different 8-page previews of comics, a variety of articles, and the 3rd chapter of a Mike Miller story. For 2.60 you can hardly complain, can you?

Mega City 909 #4 - Getting better with each issue, the Phobia team find themselves in some sort of Limbo-like alternate universe, confronted with skeletal creatures who fear them and an alternatve universe equivalent of themselves. Meanwhile, Jaeminae is trying to figure out what's going on and starts to uncover traces of a conspiracy...

Ocean #3 - Inspector Kane and the Commander of the research station go to visit the Doors Corporation facility to find out what they know. They find an insante station manager intent on claiming the activated weapons system for himself, and discover that they have been cut off from the rest of the galaxy...

[urlhttp://www.dccomics.com/graphic_novels/?gn=1599]Dead Enders : Stealing The Sun[/url] - A post-apocalyptic miniseries centered around Beezer, an angsty no-hoper teenager living in the derelict Sector 5, and his friends, as he discovers that he's being hunted by police because of the visions he has of a pre-apocalyptic world.

Nevyn · 30-12-2004 2:20am

witchblade vs JLA

projectmayhem · 01-01-2005 7:58pm

issue #1 of doc frankenstein, the first comic from "burlyman comics" (started by the wachowski brothers of matrix fame) by steve skroce. fantastic work. bi-monthly

Draco · 02-01-2005 12:52am

Fysh wrote:

Dead Enders : Stealing The Sun - A post-apocalyptic miniseries centered around Beezer, an angsty no-hoper teenager living in the derelict Sector 5, and his friends, as he discovers that he's being hunted by police because of the visions he has of a pre-apocalyptic world.

Didn't think much of it first time around and the series had a very hurried end as it got cancelled early. I must give it another go and see if it is any better read all in one go rather than in the monthly format.

Picked up the first trade of 'The Walking Dead' on Friday. An excellent little zombie comic I've been hearing about for ages and just never got around to getting. Lovely story and art, with the only slight downer is the very start is a rip off of 28 days later. Very much recommended.

Fysh · 04-01-2005 7:06pm

Draco wrote:

Didn't think much of it first time around and the series had a very hurried end as it got cancelled early. I must give it another go and see if it is any better read all in one go rather than in the monthly format.

I did wonder about this - as a collection, it works very well as a one-off self contained story. Quite how they were planning to make an ongoing series out of it is beyond me, particularly since the postscript note in the collection shows that the original series that it was a remake of ended after about 4 issues as well (apparently the original creator lost his nut and became a "The End Is Nigh"-proclaiming nutter or something). Still, I enjoyed it and it was nice to see Vertigo doing something that felt at least vaguely original - lately there's just not that much going on there that interests me, which is a shame.

Although, to their credit, I picked up Barnum! and so far it's very entertaining. A bit odd, in that it feels like a strange hybrid of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Wild Wild West filtered through a book on conspiracies, but very very good. It's also nice to see something whose artwork deviates somewhat from the usual Vertigo stuff.

Also picked up the second issue of Warren Ellis's Iron Man and it's pretty good. Ellis is clearly having a laugh here, using the book to talk about his interest in technology (he even stuck a mobile phone designed by Stark in so that he could put some discussion of what he reckons is coming next in there - something of a hobby horse for him, if you follow his mailing list). Still, it's nice to see someone making the character cerebral and believable (and more importantly, having him interact with characters who are cerebral and believable, as someone in his position would do) compared to most of the cardboard versions we've been fed in the past. Only thing is, having read Transmet and some of the Strange Killings stuff and Lazarus Churchyard (and knowing what Ellis is like about superheroes), I can't help feeling he'll bail out after the current storyline or end up being forced to go along with crappy storylines. And, given that I don't think I've ever read an issue of Iron Man with Tony Stark as compelling as this version is, I don't know which is a worse prospect.

What comic are you reading at the moment.

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