New Comic Book Day Megathread

[Apestrife]

I've only read a bit Lantern here and there. O Neils and Adams Green arrow/lantern team up most notably.

I look forward to Grant's take on the two 

[Apestrife]

Mister Miracle #12 by Tom King and Mitch Gerards. [spoiler] "...The fourth world... That is my world. The world I see when I close my eyes... And try to escape." [/spoiler] Not sure how to put it on paper without writing a blog, but... Amazing book. Loved it. The best and most interesting one I've read since Azzarello and Chiang's Wonder Woman run. Wouldn't surprise me if it in time (for me) is up there with it, Dark Knight Returns as well as Allstar Superman. Simply put: Biblical.

[Dandontdare]

Never read another Green Lantern comic in my life, so I don't even see the Easter eggs I'm sure must be there, but making the character's mission to sort out the mess of continuity created by DC is pretty droll and meta.

I'd recommend The DC Stories of Alan Moore - the GL story he did with Kevin O'Neill, and the couiple of GL corps shorts, are brief, but DC have basically mined twenty years of subsequent continuity out of the ideas it contains. It also has some pretty good Batman and Superman one-shots, and bit of filler (Vigilante - ho-hum)

[Frank]

Never read another Green Lantern comic in my life

I'd recommend The DC Stories of Alan Moore - the GL story he did with Kevin O'Neill, and the couiple of GL corps shorts, are brief, but DC have basically mined twenty years of subsequent continuity out of the ideas it contains

That certainly seems to be what's going on here - ALL YOUR CONCEPT ARE BELONG TO US - but I'm sure Morrison's Hollywood representation have made sure that's reflected in his fee/royalty package.

I had that book on standby* in my Amazon basket for ages. I'll have a fit one day and just order it.


* You know how you sometimes need something that only costs a few quid to tag onto an order so you qualify for free delivery? I have a backlog of recommended books I use for that, but the Moore trade's managed to get pushed down the list.

[The Adventurer]

If you're looking for more weird DC sci-fi, this week's ELECTRIC WARRIORS 01 was a really good start to a 6 part mini series. In the future, after the Great Disater, but before the Utopia of the Legion of Super-Heroes, Earth is trying to reenter the larger galactic civilization. But the old  animosity between humans and animal uplifts remains strong, so when Earth must send a representative to partisapate in a a galactic gladiatorial battles used to settle armed conflicts and avoid war, Earth sends two representatives instead.

It's written by Steve Orlando and I really dug it.

[O Lucky Stevie!]

Lanterns of different scales and wavelengths are a super interesting idea. I hope it gets fully realized, and not forgotten by the next creative team that takes over.

This was Stevie's favourite bit too. That & Hal powering up his ring & delivering the Green Lantern Oath --penned by no less that Alfred Bester-- at Alamogordo. Great stuff.

[Theblazeuk]

Mr Miracle 12 - Nuff said.

[Theblazeuk]

Oh and Quantum Age - Yes Jeff Lemire! You are exactly as much of a Legion of Superheroes geek as I thought you might be - as you need to be to do this story! The second you went to the End of Time to meet the Time Trapper who is a complicated character, I knew the payoff was coming, just like it did in those pre-Zero Hour comics I dusted off over a decade ago.

Feels like it's coming together in the same way Black Hammer did from the beginning.

Dark Ark is interesting still, very different from normal comics. Like the idea of a 'shadow ark' alongside Noah's holding all the monsters. Wonder if it will make it to land, or die in the flood? Canonically I guess they don't make it.

Unbeatable Squirrel Girl continues to put a smile on my face with every page.

[Proudhuff]

Can I just say Cemetery Beach by Warren Ellis and Jason Howard is wonderful, wonderful comics and wouldn't be out of place in the current (excellent) run of the Prog.

Looking the action sequences, text not to shabby either 

[Bolt-01]

Mage- The hero Denied 13.

This is truly comics at it's best. The sense of dread for the final issue is building relentlessly throughout the books now and I 'have a bad feeling' that Kevin is being played by Mirth. There is only one other plot beat that I think needs to be picked up, and it is a terrifying prospect.

This is a series that really does benefit from the gaps between stories- as Matt (The Other) Wagner is such a superb storyteller.

[Colin YNWA]

This is a series that really does benefit from the gaps between stories- as Matt (The Other) Wagner is such a superb storyteller.

Yeah its really been a superb series and I'm really looking forward to reading in one go as I suspect the slow cranking tension will work even more then.

Matt 'The Other' Wagner is definately in my top 5 comic creators.

[Jim_Campbell]

Just wanted to mention plug the first issue of the new Firefly series from BOOM out this week, since I know there are one or two fans of the series round these parts.

(Also, it's set between the end of the series and Serenity so, y'know, if you were upset by some of things that befell certain characters in the movie...)

[GordyM]

Mr Miracle 12 - Nuff said.

Read that issue this morning. It says it all of the incredibly high quality work that even though I've got a disgracefully large backpile of comics to get through all I want to do is pick up MM #1 and read it again.

[Colin YNWA]

Why do reviews suddenly appear
Every time comics are near?
Just like me, you long to have
Good comics for you

Why do thoughts fall down from my mind
Every time I read mine?
Just like me, you long to have
Good comics for you

On the day that I was bored I went into my local comic shop
And decided to get my haul to review
And they sprinkled comic love into my heart of gold and comic delight in my eyes of blue
That is why all the readers in town
Follow me all around
Just like me, they long to have
Good comics for you

Right that said lets get the rough stuff out the way first . Judge Dredd Toxic 2 is just so muh, when its not missing the spot entirely. Jenkins plays Dredd a little too like Millar and Morrison and the unpinning story isn't interesting or divergent enough to make it a worthwhile new insight into the character. If this wasn't only a four part mini it'd be dropped already.

Speaking of which Leviathan 3 sees this book fall off the list its just not doing it for me.

Jame Bond 1 is okay. Well the second half is pretty good, just I had some real storytelling issues with Marc Laming's art in the opening sequence. That said its early doors and it does pick up. James Bond Origin 3 which was just about to drop off the list does finally pick up with an exciting tense submarine sequence. Its still on warning mind, but its got a stay of execution.

Everything else in the haul is either great or really great and and so you should be picking up. I struggled with Rich Tommaso's art at first but two books in this haul prove I've come to appreciate it. Dick Tracy - Dead or Alive 2 is super hardboiled comic fun. Black Hammer Age of Doom 7 is where his art really shines, mind everything shines about this brilliant series and this mini arc is just seeing the comic get better and better. Alongside The Quantum Age 4 having two Black Hammer comics in a single haul brings home quite what a brilliant homage Jeff Lemire and co are creating, even if the ending in the latter was a bit obvious after the blinder last time. Still the Black Hammer world manages to offer familar tribute to DC heroes while somehow keeping it astonishingly fresh. If you think you are tired of superheroes you can't know until you've tried this.

Two of my favourite writers I've discovered of late both have number 2s (snigger) Lone Ranger 2 by Mark Russell is typically smart, while adding good old fashioned fun into the western mix. It is however Mars Attacks 2 by Kyle Starks with brilliant art by Chris Schweizer that is the star of the show, just captures the movies so well, while having an even more sinister edge and is utterly fantastic. It would have got book of the haul many a time but there's something even better to come.

The Weather Man 6 sees this great little series pull back to the insights I think make it work. It really needs to dial back a little of the flash bang action and let its protaganists situation breathe a little more, though that said the flash bang action is immense fun. Looking forward to this returning next spring. My love of Matt Wagner I've mentioned below and so it will be no surprise to say Mage 13 is just brilliant and Bolt says all you need to know. I have a feeling he's right about Mirth... we'll see. Finally before BotH we have Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur 37. This comic series can often be described as charming, which would be a little dismissive of how smart, fun and imaginative it is BUT this issue is charming. Christmas specials can often be trite and annoying, this one gets it just right. Like a long form Calvin and Hobbes X-Mas strip.

Book of the Haul goes to Immortal Hulk 8 and 9 . It really the absolutely astonishly chilling and horrific 8 that really stands out, rarely if ever has something fantastical been able to retain such a grim terrifying atmosphere its just Al Ewing at his very best. 9 deserves a mention as well however as it manages to (almost) keep up the standard which given how good 8 is is very impressive. This series is moving towards some very, very interesting places and frankly if you are not reading it the only good in your life is the fact you are reducing its sales so we're nearer to Mr Ewing's return to 2000ad... mind with him producing a comic this good at Marvel you are really not seeing the big picture!

[Link Prime]

Judge Dredd Toxic 2 is just so muh

Spot on unfortunately Colin.
How does IDW keep missing the target?

Get Al Ewing or Matt Smith back on board for the next mini, or at least a writer with a grip on the character.

Still waiting on a 22 page IDW Dredd comic by Carroll, Williams, Rennie or even the promising McConville Droid.