New Comic Book Day Megathread

[Colin YNWA]

I've been collecting all of the 'Hill House' book...
The two page back-up strip in every issue is great, but maybe hindered by an unwieldy cast.

I was wonderign about that as it looks really good and love Dan McDaid's art but only getting a couple of books I've not read it. I'm hoping it gets pulled together as a one off or similar at some point as would defo pick it up.

[Apestrife]

Had a really nice pull this week. Due to the pandemic, I get my books a week later where I live. Can't complain, I'm just happy that my LCS is doing fine.

Strange Adventures #2 serves mostly as an introduction to Mister Terrific into the story. The story itself doesn't move much, but it makes for an interesting addition. I've never read Michael Holt before outside Final Crisis and Futures end. I mostly remember he had an interesting design in those, but in this story he's also shaping up as an interesting character to go up against the book's "T. E. Lawrence with a jetpack" Adam Strange. Also a character I ve not seen much of, but this book really got me hooked.

The Green Latern Season 2 #4 I've had a blast reading this, but this issue has me scratching my head. I'm not sure what it's about really. Hal fighting giant yellow and plastic prehistoric men over some sort of toy deal. They mention a thing towards the end, so I imagine I might have to reread the series to figure it out. Still fun. Amazingly weird.

The Question: Death of Vic Sage #3 Victor goes from wild west to being a PI. All of it is still a mystery. Just as good as issue #1-2. The Question is a very interesting character both morally and visually. Just wish the story would pop a bit more. Hoping #4 is more of a stand out. Some wild twist

[Colin YNWA]

Getting my head back into regular comics is proving difficult if this haul is anything to go by. Some of my regulars fare better than others but other all it'll be interesting to see the impact on how I comsume comics develops over the coming months.

Firstly I find myself in utter agreement with Apestife about two comics and so being a lazy old goat...

Strange Adventures #2 serves mostly as an introduction to Mister Terrific into the story. The story itself doesn't move much, but it makes for an interesting addition. I've never read Michael Holt before outside Final Crisis and Futures end. I mostly remember he had an interesting design in those, but in this story he's also shaping up as an interesting character to go up against the book's "T. E. Lawrence with a jetpack" Adam Strange. Also a character I ve not seen much of, but this book really got me hooked.

The Question: Death of Vic Sage #3 Victor goes from wild west to being a PI. All of it is still a mystery. Just as good as issue #1-2. The Question is a very interesting character both morally and visually. Just wish the story would pop a bit more. Hoping #4 is more of a stand out. Some wild twist

Yep and yep

Three comics I'm just going to have to re-read when the series is done. Plunge 4, Protector 4 and Backtrack 4 all have lost me a little, Backtrack not helped by the fact that its being issued out of sequence due to... pandemic...

Immortal Hulk 34 serves as a character piece on The Leader and I just didn't get my head into it.

Hellblazer 7 sees Spurrioso ably abetted by Aaron Campbell continue to explore modern Britain. I think this will be a fascinatating read when the run is done and this is a suitably grim opening to a look at fishing in the UK but also working class perspective on Europe.

Comics that pull you in much better as The man who f&%ked up time 3, with John Layman and Karl Mostert throwing you into a world of time warped confusion really helping that comic.  Jimmy Olsen 11 is likewise helped by being a web of vignettes still and hectic fun.

The Goddamned: Virgin Brides 1 see Jason Aaron and R.M. Guera beautifully realising a brute and ugly world.

It took me a good 10-15 pages to get my head back into After Realm 2 but Michael Avon Oeming is such a consumate storyteller by the end I was fully engaged. This will of course be helped by the fact that this is planned to be a Quarterly comic anyway. Serving big chunks of an on going narrative spaced out anyway ever 3 months or so.

The books of the haul are without doubt Daphne Byrne 5 Laura Marks using Kelley Jones darkly poetic art to maximum effect to create a wonderfully creepy atmosphere. In That Texas Blood 1 Chris Condon and Jacob 'son of Sean' Phillips draw a perfectly crafted introduction to a sleepy American town in... well Texas and start to underscore the darks under currents that run deep in the town we are shown. This one has massive potential to be absolutely superb after this fantastic opener.

[CalHab]

In an effort to support my local shop I've set up a standing order, rather than my usual method of random buys from whatever looks decent on the shelves.

There's only a couple of titles on there at the moment (Hellblazer and Strange Adventures, I'll probably add Immortal Hulk), so I need to find some new ones. How does everyone find what to read? Is Previews still a thing?

[Colin YNWA]

Good man - setting up a standing order is defo the way to go for comic shops at the moment.

Yeah I still get Previews every month. There's less in it as both DC and Marvel do their own thing now but I get those given to me as well. The only thing I feel bad about getting Previews is its such a lump of dead tree! I mean its hundreds of pages long. That said even though I'd never think about ordering 99.9% of the stuff in there I do really enjoy looking through every month and marveling at what a wonderful amount of tat there is out there.

It also means I don't miss stuff I otherwise used to.

[Link Prime]

In an effort to support my local shop I've set up a standing order, rather than my usual method of random buys from whatever looks decent on the shelves.

If your LCS supports the ComicHub App / website, I would definitely recommend trying it.
You can preview / pre-order comics up to three months in advance of release, with several filtering options to hand.

My own LCS, the superb Big Bang Comics in Dublin, has been using it for a year or two now, and I have to admit it is really efficient.
You can even pre-pay for comics held aside, taking the sting out of a big financial hit (every 4-6 weeks in my case).

For more short term perusal of upcoming releases, the Midtown Comics website provides full details of forthcoming comics every Wednesday evening, one week in advance of release.

My only issue at the moment relates to upcoming comic book releases in general.
I will be finishing runs on Joe Hill's "Hill House" imprint, Christopher Priest's Vampirella run and Walt Simonson's current Ragnarok run shortly.
There is nothing else on the horizon I am remotely interested in, especially from the big two.
Been meaning to get back into books a bit more, so The Pile will live on of course.

[Link Prime]

Addendum: Also reading Simon Furman's Transformers '84 at the moment.
The first issue was great.

They kept Swoop's original name - Divebomb. 
80's feels.

[CalHab]

ComicHub looks great, but it's unfortunately not available at my local shop (or anywhere else in Scotland, by the looks of things). I'll mention it next time I'm in, but they appear to currently operate using an elaborate system of post-it notes, a ratty diary and scribbles on paper bags. It seems to work better than you'd expect.

I've added Daredevil, Immortal Hulk and Dr Strange: Surgeon Supreme to the list.

[Colin YNWA]

Let's cut to the chase I'm not enjoying having new monthly comic as much as I thought I would on their return. Maybe its a bit like Nu52 accelerated. I crashed into that full of excitment and anticipation but found it fueled change in my buying habits rather than re-enforcing what I thought I wanted. This lead to a very positive change and maybe the break during lockdown has done likewise. Not that all my comics are bad, far, far from it. Just I seem to savour them less and the weaker ones really irk me now.

So what are those weaker ones? Well

Guardians of the Galaxy 4 - just not buying into this title at all and its cut. Such a shame as Al Ewing is such a strong writer... but maybe... well see below...

Alienated 4 speaking of strong writers not gelling with me this one should have been a power house. I mean it pulled no punches just for whatever reason the punches didn't connect with me. Might need to re-read this one as I suspect it was me bunching off it rather than it being a bad comic.

Strange Adventures 3. Loved the first issue, was left cold by the second and this one only had moments. What am I missing here?

Join the Future 2 and 3 - so was worried about the statement being made here and this book is becoming a little riddled in cliche but for some reason I'm enjoying its simple charms ... which makes me feel a little uncomfortable and I wonder if it is going to stretch in an interesting direction or I just want it to so I'm seeing potential where there isn't any?

Immortal Hulk 35 is not a bad comic. I've just stopped enjoying this series as much as I want to. I think I need to re-read to get the full effect, but 35 issues in (with 15 more to go apparently) when will I find the time. Not sure if its lost direction or I'm just not looking at this right.

It certianly wasn't all bad mind far from it.

Backtrack 3 sees this simple pleasure well back on track after reading 4 out of sync. Its nowt special but its good solid fun and I want to read 4 again now.

Usagi Yojimbo Colour Classic 4 didn't grab me as much as previous issues but that didn't make it anything else that a great comic.

Similarly The Goon 11 wasn't the best in this run by Langridge and Norton but that's still good comics.

All the fours as The man who f%^&*ed up time 4 wins the battle of the 4th issues. Such an old concept breathed such fresh and fun life. Man changes past and feels the consequences. 2000ad has done it so many time in 4 or 5 pages (or less) we're on issue 4 here and Layman and Mostert are still keeping it fun and fresh and not stretched beyond what it needs to be at all.

Then we get some final issue Lois Lane 12 ... well I trust it will read better in re-read as Greg Rucka is good at this kinda thing. We'll leave it there.

Jimmy Olsen 12 does it really well the first time AND I still want to go back and read it again. This one has been a real winner and I can't wait to piece it all together one day soon(ish)

Final issue of the haul though goes to Daphne Byrne 6. CREEPY and HORRIBLE as all fuck. Wow Marks and Jones land it with a fantastic chilling end and that final page splash yuck on so many levels.

If I've not enjoyed this haul as much as I should (for all the great stuff in the latter half) there is one thing I will say a haul with two Mark Russell comics can't be anything other than fun. So we have two books of the haul as Billionaire Island 2 and 3 comfortably reveal Mr Russell to be the best writer working in America comics today. Smart, funny, terrifying and relentlessly entertaining. If you haven't jumped onboard the love craft to Mark R|ussell's fun island of comics you are not as good a person as me and should be ashamed of yourself.

Improve yourself and buy his comics.

I'm off to buy a load of Cinebooks...

[CalHab]

You're right about Mark Russell. His Snagglepuss book is one of the best comics I've read in the past couple of years. The whole Dynamite situation is a shame, as his Red Sonja was daft fun but will now be brought to a premature end.

[Colin YNWA]

Well two books in my latest haul I've so lost I need to read. Protector 5 which marks the end of the series so will immediately go onto my re-read list and Plunge 5 which has one more issue to go before it joins it. I think both of pretty good... but time will tell.

Another drops off the pull list Al Ewing's Guardians of the Galaxy 5 ends my patience with this time which just isn't working for me.

Elsewhere Strange Adventure 4 is doing okay. This hasn't quite gelled with me yet but it looks great and I'll see it through and see how it reads when done I guess.

The Goddamned - Virgn Brides 2 is as gritty and hard as the rest of this series has been to the point where it shouldn't work. But somehow it really does and there's a perverse... well charm behind it all... well charm isn't the right word... evil enchantment???

That Texas Blood 2 introduce a key character I think as we get some one return to town as the death of his brother is investigated. Intriguing. 

Hellblazer 8 ends a truly horrific story of abuse of 'loved ones' and the sea. It really klicked this series with me.

Backtrack 5 this mini arch has been a little weak and the art by Jake Elphick a little unclear in its storytelling but this one has plenty of rope.

Book of the haul however is not in doubt as Walt Simonson's latest arc ends with Ragnarok 6 - this is masterful and while we'll wait for what comes next it will be so worth it.

[CalHab]

I enjoyed GOTG #5. Not the strongest issue, but it still has some good moments. Ewing shows his flair for over-the-top dialogue with the Prince of Power.

Dr Strange: Surgeon Supreme #6 brings Mark Waid and Kev Walker's first story arc to a satisfying conclusion and drops hints for future plots and developments. Until you get to the last page, which is a note from Waid and Walker. Marvel have cancelled this after 6 issues. Why didn't they give it a chance? Very disappointing.

[Link Prime]

Final issue of the haul though goes to Daphne Byrne 6. CREEPY and HORRIBLE as all fuck. Wow Marks and Jones land it with a fantastic chilling end and that final page splash yuck on so many levels.

I read that last night and quite enjoyed it too.
A strong horror series overall, but maybe stretched a bit thin over 6 issues?
Wouldn't be impossible to squeeze it into a 6 page Terror Tale, but any excuse for 120 pages of macabre Kelly Jones artwork must be condoned.
That said, I would be inclined to read more comic work from Laura Marks in the future - Daphne Byrne was a pretty solid medium debut.

[Colin YNWA]

Final issue of the haul though goes to Daphne Byrne 6. CREEPY and HORRIBLE as all fuck. Wow Marks and Jones land it with a fantastic chilling end and that final page splash yuck on so many levels.

I read that last night and quite enjoyed it too.
A strong horror series overall, but maybe stretched a bit thin over 6 issues?
Wouldn't be impossible to squeeze it into a 6 page Terror Tale, but any excuse for 120 pages of macabre Kelly Jones artwork must be condoned.
That said, I would be inclined to read more comic work from Laura Marks in the future - Daphne Byrne was a pretty solid medium debut.

I thought they used the space well. I agree the core tale could have been done much quicker but spread over 6 issues I thought it did a good job of slow tension build. Added to the atmophere... and as you say lush Kelley Jones art to carry it doesn't harm anyone!

[Colin YNWA]

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY .... MONTH... SUMMER... whatever

Well I picked up three wonderful FCBD issues I've talked about the 2000ad issue elsewhere but two otehr winners where had. Usagi Yojimbo was a great piece of marketing, throwing up a story where our long earred hero is throwen into a stumper and imagines a young version of himself. Playing to the two audiences of FCBD the regular comic book aging grump like myself and the young bucks we drag along. I hope there's some spares when I pop back to my LCS so I can get one for the boy as I'm thinking he might like Yojimbo?

Hillbilly - The Lizard of Rusty Creek Cave is just a standard Hillbilly issue FOR FREE. Now its also important to mention that Standard by Eric Powell the creator here is BLOODY AMAZING. This is one of the best comic series of recent years, this is a good issue of that series AND its free... what's not to love? Get one.

On comics regular paid for haul lets put a value statement on them all.

Plunge 6 - don't know as I need to re-read this (its already on my spreadsheet) so I'll tell you in about 3 1/2 years!

Alienated 5 - I enjoyed this issue a lot and it pulled me back into the story again. But need to go back to re-read to get its true value. £1.50 (but stock possibly raising)

The Immortal Hulk 36 - this comic is about as hot as they come at the moment BUT I'm not loving it and if I'm honest I might have lost grip of its aims. Again this series needs a re-read but we're 36 issues into a 50 issue (we believe) run so that'll have to wait. £1.75.

Judge Dredd - False Witness 2  did enjoy this as much as the previous opener but its got me coming back so - £2.00.

The man who f&^ked up time 5 ends the series well. A Future Shock stretched entertainingly to 5 issues not 5 pages, but stretched £2.50

I hate the progress is evil underlying theme of Join the Future 4 but I enjoyed the comic so I need to get over the fact I'm stuck my head up my ass with this one and can't just enjoy a good tale... except I can £3.15

Usagi Yojimbo - Colour Classics 6 new to Usagi I don't care that this is coloured where it doesn't need to be I love this as an introduction to our rabbit warrior. Priceless for the lesson.

That Texas Blood 3 this was a movie idea apparently. The pacing shows that I guess it takes it time. I say let it, its superb. £5

The Question - The Deaths of Vic Sage 4 Ended this series well - with ideas worn openly and easily it worked really well and has made me want to return to the series to find the the links and ideas running through. That doubles its value to £6 ... which might be about cover price for this lovely package.

Hellblazer 9 - am I being sentimental as we now know this series is going at 12 (campaigns not withstanding) but this is the best of the series so far. Its fantastic and while again the themes and ideas are clear and transparent that doesn't devalue them and this is a beaut £5

Billionaire Island 4 + 5. Brillionaire Island more like. Again transparent themes but so fantastically presented and sharply funny it not only made me not care it actually made me feel smarter just by reading it. Christ Mark Russell is probably my favourite comic witer not called Dabnett right now and this is possibly his best yet. And yes I'm going for the obvious ending here these are worth £500,000,000.... but since there's two of them....