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Whats everyone reading?

Started by Paul faplad Finch, 30 March, 2009, 10:04:36 PM

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titchard

Just finished Dome, some brilliantly trashy sci-fi pulp novel I picked up for this massive second hand book store near me for £1.  The cover alone had me with it's tagline of "Read it while it's still fiction!".

It was pretty trashy but the chap (who's name escapes me) must have had some knowledge of how nuclear power worked as it seemed pretty sound in that respect.  Definitely a churn'em'out pulp novel from the 1970s though,  as it was riddled with spelling errors.

Gotta love a good pulpy novel from time to time!

Apestrife

#6451
Before Watchmen: Comedian/Rorschach & Watchmen
The Comedian puts a spin on his joke "--don't ask me where I was when JFK got shot". The story feels like James Ellroy's American Tabloid and Cold Six Thousand centered around a "reverse" Forresten Gump. I quite enjoy the story. It's really brutal. Only wish it did more to tie things together visually. Bit like Blake's fall in the main book. Coming into the picture when need be. The Before Watchmen Comedian has quite a couple of really cool scenes visually which would'v worked. Which could'v served as a nice little nod towards the scene where Blake realises Gordon Liddy ([spoiler]to me this is the spin on the joke, also how Veidt's idea Blake met Nixon in Dallas[/spoiler]) could'v been mistaken for him. Comedian's relationship with the both Kennedys could'v also been a bit more passionate I think. While there are bits, and the last chapter delivers, I feel the story is missing out on by beating the reader on the head with shock rather than a bit of heart first.

Then there's Rorschach. To me basically a harmless litte nugget of a story with Rorschach sweating out the last drops of Kovacs (who serves a manifestation of "victim" in him.).  I feel it's borrowing more from Mean Streets rather than Taxi Driver. It does some fun stuff with identity, but could'v given it more focus. The disfiguered Rawhead getting carried away about Rorschach face/mask was a nice touch, but I feel hints of overlap between Rorschach and the unknown serial killer The bard could'v used more focus. Instead the story wastes time crossing the creek to get water setting Rorschach and Rawhead up on a crash course. While I enjoyed how that ended, it didn't two convoluted plans of "Jumping the "hero" while he's looking for the villian" in succession. But I like how it ends. A bit more grounded than the usual affair, and then it jumps forward and into a couple of pages with much more of a Watchmen flair to them. 9 panels, writing on paper instead of on a type writer and Rorschach tonally more close (as in closer to the edge) to the one in Watchmen. I think when he says"Difficult circumstance, when own reflection not how you see yourself. But how you see others." about New Yorkers without a hint of self reflection stitches things together nicely (I especially like that quote of his), but I feel it could'v used stronger thread.

In a nutshell, I don't mind these two and some of the other Before Watchmen existing. But I fully understand those who don't like them at all.

And what about Watchmen? Been a while since I last read it. A bit more wordy than I remember, and some of the characters didn't grab me as they once did. But still a classic. Great book which I hope everyone gives a go. Especially those doubting the meaning of reading.
I really like it how well it manages to setting up the doom and gloom of the US and Soviet on a crash course, and it's effects on people. You don't need to be an 80s child or do research to get it. Much why I think it holds up so well. I almost wrote "still holds up well", but if it did when I first read it (around 2000 I think) it should also (go without writing) now. It's a big book, which makes the question "what do you think of it" even bigger, and perhaps the answer as well. And I think Rorschach is my answer. He is my favorite character in the book. He sure is in a dark place, but his small moments of humanity, when for example leaving off his land lord lady in order to spare her children, or taking of his mask when confronting Dr Manhattan (you know exactly what I mean) really shines thanks to it. Bit like how Sally Jupiter puts it about thinking back about the past, the darker it gets the brighter it shines. Which I still carry with me after reading the book. Further emphasized by Dr Manhattan's realisation about humans being miracles, and seeing to many of them can make you forget. Ugly but lovely stuff. And I like that alot of the characters have a similar arc through out the book, ending on an opposite note than where started. As does the story, even if one of it's victims being the truth, going from doom to bloom.
Just a shame lots of the stories inspired by it didn't found that bit much inspiring. Getting blinded by the darkness of it all instead. The only book I can think of is Planetary which let Utopia come. Wish more of them did. But luckily none of that casts shadow on the book. It's too high up for me.

Apestrife

#6452
Quote from: Apestrife on 09 February, 2019, 11:09:58 AM
Ugly but lovely stuff. And I like that alot of the characters have a similar arc through out the book, ending on an opposite note than where started. As does the story, even if one of it's victims being the truth, going from doom to bloom.

I'd like to mention that I think it's interesting how easy it is to forget that bad often came before good. I don't think evil necessarily must come before good or something. I don't think everything needs Kintsugi.

Quote from: Apestrife on 09 February, 2019, 11:09:58 AMJust a shame lots of the stories inspired by it didn't found that bit much inspiring. Getting blinded by the darkness of it all instead. The only book I can think of is Planetary which let Utopia come. Wish more of them did. But luckily none of that casts shadow on the book. It's too high up for me.

I could'v probably ended that on something similar to the thing Sally says in the book, about burning brighter.

That said, now I'm on to reading all of League of extraordinary gentlemen up to the latest issue of Tempest. Tada!

von Boom

Just begun Alan Moore's massive tome Jerusalem. I always enjoy Moore's special brand of madness.

Apestrife

Quote from: von Boom on 09 February, 2019, 12:12:10 PM
Just begun Alan Moore's massive tome Jerusalem. I always enjoy Moore's special brand of madness.

That's literally a big one on the reading list :)

The Adventurer

#6455
Current graphic novel reading list..

Sandman Mystery Theater Book 02
Spector (1992) Book 02
Invaders Complete Collection 01
Avengers Epic Collection: Operation Galactic Storm
Books of Magic (ongoing series) Book 1
Mage Hero Denied Vol.01
Swords of the Swashbucklers Complete Collection

Oh. And I'm planning to renew my Marvel Unlimited subscription so I can read every appearance of the original Squadron Supreme.

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Colin YNWA

Enjoy Mage Hero Denied - its bloomin' superb.

Hawkmumbler

Quote from: Colin YNWA on 10 February, 2019, 07:14:09 AM
Enjoy Mage Hero Denied - its bloomin' superb.
Seconded. It's another Matt Wagner masterpiece...

...Jovus I need to start posting in the Comics Megathread again now my pull list and time to read comics has increased.

Apestrife

#6458
League of extraordinary gentlemen

Order:
League of extraordinary gentlemen vol. 1
League of extraordinary gentlemen vol. 2
League of extraordinary gentlemen: Black dossier
League of extraordinary gentlemen vol. 3: 1910
Nemo: Heart of ice
Nemo: Roses of Berlin
League of extraordinary gentlemen vol. 3: 1969
Nemo: River of ghosts
League of extraordinary gentlemen vol. 3: 2009
League of extraordinary gentlemen vol. 4 Tempest #1-4

In short. I really like alot of the stories, but some not so much. Vol 1-2 and bits of Black dossier have stories grounded in the meetings between characters, which -for me- got lost with so much of it becoming background. Which perhaps was due to avoid getting sued, or delibrity in order to demonstrate Vol. 3 Century's theme of stories seemingly loosing their place in society. The latter much due to "politics" (in lack of better word.) invading narratives, for example [spoiler]Harry Potter[/spoiler] becoming the antichrist due to the narrative carried by some yank christians (which is how I read it. Not that he has any particular against the character). I also think Vol. 4 Tempest adds to this with the focus on [spoiler]Bond[/spoiler] (how the property tries to be influenced by vs how it could influence reality), and so on to use of [spoiler]nuclear weapons against the blazing worlds[/spoiler].

This time around, I read it in somewhat order (missed out on putting black dossier between Roses and 1969). I think it helped Century come together for me. More than before. The Nemo stories have more connection to what came before and Century towards an upcoming event hidden behind a veil of confusion. I think helped my reading alot. How grasp the story and find a meaning it. I wouldn't mind a LOEG book with Century and Nemo collected in the reading order I used. Perhaps also Tempest, since it's such a direct continuation of those stories.

And darn it if I wouldn't like there to be some appendix or such, or more in the later stories themselves, in order to assist me to put it all together. I get it if they had to tread lightly around some of it (insisting that the antichrist [spoiler]isn't Harold Potter from Lost Girls[/spoiler] would probably not have helped) I still wish they worked themselves around it. I don't know.

Another thing which doesn't work for me is how the book takes the opportunity to apperantly criticizing stories for their treatment of female characters, when LOEG doesn't fare much better. In the stories women are constantly loosing their clothes, getting their tits and arse flashed, getting unwanted attention and comments, tricked into copulation. I don't have a problem with it (since it's a comic book I could choose to not to read), but it doesn't do it for me. Perhaps it's meant to be sensual, or comedy (I'm not ashamed to admit I like old "sexy" comedies like The Telephone book or the Zodiac films), but it's not my favorite part of the book. I'd much rather that some of the early sex stuff between Mira and Alan could'v stood out more in the overall story.

I think it starts out brilliantly, but doesn't stay that way for me. I wish they made the events of Roses of Berlin into the focus for volume 3. Mina's endless antichrist hunt could'v been an interesting side story to mirror Jenny's story about legacy and growing old. But it's still made for an interesting read, and I'm very interested to see how they choose to end it. Only two issues left. Hopefully finished in May :)

Fungus

On LOEG, really enjoyed Heart of Ice the other day. Especially the back matter; even with Moore that can become a chore (didn't read it all in Providence, for example...). Here, it was very arch and fun to read. Onto the other Nemo's soon.

And just started Tour Of Duty: Backlash (MC). Bold MacNeil art, great on politics, and odd to be reading about Dredd/Hershey/Logan (& Francisco), in the light of recent progs. Hershey deposed?! I don't know if that'll turn around in this volume (or vol. 2), but it's great stuff.

Apestrife

Quote from: Apestrife on 19 February, 2019, 10:53:13 AM
In the stories women are constantly...

raped and sexually assaulted should probably also be noted. It becomes a bit like with gore, too much of it and it doesn't stand out much. It's still horrid and has a place in the stories, but I wish it was handled a bit differently. I think [spoiler]Jenny's[/spoiler] trauma adds to her story, but many other characters could'v gotten a bit of that as well. Especially since alot of the violence characters inflicts gets that sort of attention.

Doesn't need to a character calling out how bad something is, just a bit of conflict. For example when Mina tells another character about Orlando. A person who lived for very long and killed alot of people and thus isn't that bothered by hurting/killing opponents.

Quote from: Fungus on 19 February, 2019, 11:43:50 AM
On LOEG, really enjoyed Heart of Ice the other day. Especially the back matter; even with Moore that can become a chore (didn't read it all in Providence, for example...). Here, it was very arch and fun to read. Onto the other Nemo's soon.

When you mention it. The articles on probably are my favorite ones out of the bunch. She has a very strong character which makes it easier to relate to all the references spread across the text. A bit like in Star Wars: A new hope or The Dark Knight Returns.

Hope you like the rest of the two as well. Her trilogy is probably my overall favorite story in LOEG. Good balance between referencing things as well as maintaining an overall story. Lovecraft isn't needed reading to understand Heart of ice, but it adds to it. --in a way I would'v liked Century would'v.

The Adventurer

Not sure why I didn't post this before, but in 2019, I'm tracking every comic book I read. Just to see my actual reading habits. So I share with you now, all the shit I read in January/February.

JANUARY 2019 (total 191)








FEBRUARY 2019 (Total 86)




I really slacked off in February. Mostly because I was playing too much Apex Legends I think.

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Colin YNWA

Good list. What did you think to The Weather Man out of interest?

The Adventurer

Quote from: Colin YNWA on 01 March, 2019, 09:42:50 PM
Good list. What did you think to The Weather Man out of interest?

One of the best new series of last year. The first issue floored me and it's kept a good pace since.

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Colin YNWA

Quote from: The Adventurer on 01 March, 2019, 10:25:39 PM
Quote from: Colin YNWA on 01 March, 2019, 09:42:50 PM
Good list. What did you think to The Weather Man out of interest?

One of the best new series of last year. The first issue floored me and it's kept a good pace since.

Good summary and you need to catch up with Tharg!