New Comic Book Day Megathread

[Colin YNWA]

Generally this was a fine old haul. The only disappointment was Multiversity - Society of Superheroes which felt utterly slight and of little point. As an exploration of a new world it was nothing new. As a continuation of the overarching story it was superfluous. Shame as I thought this series as a lock, but still to offer anything much. Lets see how we go.

Elsewhere though all is well. The Maxx 11 moves things in a new way and I'm excited to see what happens next to this always fascinating title. Cyclops 5 was a fun conclusion to Greg Rucka's all too short run, lets see where the new team take things as this has the potential to be a great comic. Sex 16 is a solid part of this fantastic series and Dark Horse Presents 2 was a wonderfully eclectic collection of great comics unfortunately wrapped up with an utterly pointless Alien story that really didn't offer anything. Brass Sun 5 proved that the recent run would read much better in a collected format and was really rather excellent.

Two comics however really stood out. The Massive 27 was superb and this concluding arch still has so much to offer as we get answers questions are still posed - brilliant stuff. C.O.W.L. 5 has a twist that while its been telegraphed is still delivered quite superbly and this series reveals it real premise after this first arch that has built a fascinating world. Lovin' this series.

[The Adventurer]

Been off my game the last couple of weeks. Didn't even properly hype up 2000 AD's big issue 1900 in all the usual places. Oh well.

MY DIGITAL PULLS FOR 10/01/14

2000 AD 1901 - Last issue brought with it three of the finest comic series you can hope for from 2000 AD. JUDGE DREDD, with John Wagner on words and Carlos Esquerda on visuals. STICKLEBACK, by Ian Edginton and D'Isreali. and KINGDOM by Dan Abnett and Richard Elson. There probably hasn't been a jumping on issue line-up that good since issue 1650 (DREDD, KINGDOM, and SHAKARA). This issue brings us two more weekly strips in ICHABOD AZRAEL, by Rob Williams. And GREYSUIT by Pat Mills and John Higgins. Not looking very forward to Greysuit, but the rest is just dynamite comics of the highest order.

MEGA MAN 41 - I may have mentioned this at some point in the past, but Archie has decided to bump their prices up from $3 to $4 over the last couple of months. This has not been a very pleasant experience when you're trying to read 3 different titles at the same time. And you can't really drop one, because there's probably going to be another Mega Man/Sonic crossover next summer. Mega Man continues to be a fantastic action book of the highest order.

SONIC UNIVERSE 68 - Easily the weakest of the three video game related Archie titles. Still better then 90% of action comics out there. I just really don't give a shit about Shadow the Hedgehog.

TECH JACKET 4 - This book manages to pull some bizarre twists, Keatinge is pretty good at this. I wonder if current events in Invincible are going to be impacting Zack at any point.

USAGI YOJIMBO SENSO 3 - The Martians are really starting to make their presence known in Feudal Japan. What I find kind of interesting is how this is presenting itself as the canon future of Usagai Yojimbo. With lots of seeded character stuff from the main series paying off, or at least being taken to their logical conclusions.

WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP 44 - A lots been going on in Jump over the last several weeks. Several new series have made their debuts under the 'Jump Start' program, where English Jump will publish the first 3 chapters of EVERY news series that premiers in Japanese Jump. This gives us a taste of what Japan is getting that we may not. Also it gives us a chance to weigh in and tell English Jump what series they should focus on licensing for a regular features. The four series we've seen so far have been a real mixed bag. JUDOS is this really goofy super-natural sports comics about, you guess it... Judo. It was kind of dumb. I don't suspect we'll see it again. The next was HI-FI CLUSTER, a sci-fi strip where people can download technical skills into their brains via high tech patches. Kinda like how you could download skills in The Matrix. It was kind of a fun action series with bit of a sub-par execution. It seemed like the most likely to continue after 3 weeks, but apparently is not. The third series was SPORTING SALTS, which is a comedy series about High School Sports Medicine. Its only redeeming quality is that its better then Nisekoi: False Love. Which isn't hard. It probably won't continue after next week. The latest Jump Start series is eIDLIVE, which I haven't read yet and don't know anything about. But it sure LOOKS interesting.

[Hawkmumbler]

01/10/14

Usagi Yojimbo Senso #3: Ahhh. What a great little yarn this is. Having only read the first volume of UY before now, some of the refrences are lost on me but it is convincing me to get around to the other volumes soon.

Weekly Shonen Jump #44: final Jump Starter Story this week with Amano's eIDLIVE. I very much enjoyed her Hitman Reborn series so Hopefully this one turns out to be a sticker. It's fortnightly, so that add's another factor to the roter and it's also in full colour.

[Colin YNWA]

Not sure this really belongs here but heck its were I'll put it BUT according to Bleeding Cool (and who am I to doubt them!) Batman will be a $4.99 comic regularly (well for 3 issues at least). Now you will get 30 story pages for that apparently but wowsers.

Glad I got out when I did!

[The Adventurer]

DC seems pretty comfortable with putting out $5 books, usually in conjunction with some event or special.. Like Multiversity. It's actually one of the reasons I have hard time trying DC books these days. If I'm playing $5, I better get at least 40 pages of story (which Multiversity does give us at least).

But 30? Nonsense.

[PreacherCain]

Not sure this really belongs here but heck its were I'll put it BUT according to Bleeding Cool (and who am I to doubt them!) Batman will be a $4.99 comic regularly (well for 3 issues at least). Now you will get 30 story pages for that apparently but wowsers.

Glad I got out when I did!

Wasn't the jump to $3.99 justified by saying there would be 30 pages or more in each issue!? Which ended up being backup stories. Which disappeared after a few months...

[The Adventurer]

I just discovered Archie has gone DRM-Free on ComiXology without any fanfare. I now forgive their $1 price bumping.

[Link Prime]

Not sure this really belongs here but heck its were I'll put it BUT according to Bleeding Cool (and who am I to doubt them!) Batman will be a $4.99 comic regularly (well for 3 issues at least). Now you will get 30 story pages for that apparently but wowsers.

Glad I got out when I did!

Wasn't the jump to $3.99 justified by saying there would be 30 pages or more in each issue!? Which ended up being backup stories. Which disappeared after a few months...

Spot on Preacher. It does smack of blatant profiteering- DC banking on the fact that Batman is their number 1 selling title, and that the kids will find that extra dollar somewhere.

Interesting that their superstar creative duo aren't on board with the price hike; http://www.bleedingcool.com/2014/10/02/wytches-1-is-still-only-2-99-folks-comics-entertainmnet-dc-image-scott-snyder-greg-capullo-jock/

I'm one of the few forum suckas sticking around for 'Endgame', but if it fails to impress (like the last two arcs  kinda did) then that's it for me and the Dark Knight for the foreseeable future.

[Hawkmumbler]

08/10/14

Big Trouble in Little China #4: Things just don't get better for Jack, do they?

Grendal vs. Thr Shadow #2: Loved the last issue, has a very Diabolik feel to it. Maybe that was an inspiration for Grendals character.

War Stories #1: Ah! Garth Ennis presents another run on his homage to Battle Picture Weekly. I very much suspect our Colin will have some words to say on this.

Doctor Who 11th Doctor #3: Some gorgeous art in this one from stalwart Simon Fraser, the scripts not to shabby either.

Weekly Shonen Jump #45: Muuuaaassssiiivveee issue! Blue Exorcist and One-Punch Man in a single issue along side One Piece and Toriko makes me very happy. Also, inexplicably, the first chapter of Death Note (amazing series by the way).

[Hawkmumbler]

Double post, but WTH was up with this weeks World Trigger. Their has to be a mistake because those where deffinetly not the finished pages.

[Colin YNWA]

War Stories #1: Ah! Garth Ennis presents another run on his homage to Battle Picture Weekly. I very much suspect our Colin will have some words to say on this.

Buggery Bollocks - He would if he hadn't been a complete chuff and forgotten to put it on his Standing Order... bumhole... to the internet...

[SmallBlueThing]

Recent haul:

Wonder Woman #34
At bloody last,  DC finally get aroused to releasing the penultimate issue of Azarello's run- only two months late.  Worth the wait though. Next issue it all concludes,  clearing  the decks for a return  to superheroics and shiny, muscled, template  heavy corporate bollocks.  Sadly,  apparently Swamp Thing will be  a regular  guest star,  so I'm contractually  obliged to buy it. 

Wild's End #1
Oddly like Rupert,  if Rupert were written  for grownups.  Best comic I've read this week.

Edge of Spider-verse #4
A cute,  Thrilling Suspenstories-pastiche that again introduces a brand new Spidey knock-off,  and sets up Marvel's  latest crossover masturbatathon. I've enjoyed all of these so far and have a box of tissues  handy, ready to lube up and crack one off with everyone  else.  Even got a nice little 'checklist in reading order from my LCS today.  Bring it on! 

Conan The Avenger #6
A mediocre  adaptation  of The Snout In The Dark concludes,  with little to recommend  it.  This had better pick up soon,  but with Fred Van Lente writing,  it don't look good.

Groo Vs Conan #3
Loving this series- I've not read Groo before,  and I'm finding it very clever  and hilarious. 

Spider-Man 2099 #4
Still unsold on this.  It's slick,  well-produced and full of fights and witty banter,  but I can't bring myself to care much. 

Swamp Thing #35
Why do I bother?  Some old toss about the rise of a new parliament,  this time it's  machines.  Boring,  with boring art. 

Also,  a bunch of Conan and Red Sonja trades. 

Upcoming: Dark Ages #3, Empire  of the Dead Act Two #2, Red Sonja Black Tower #2, Afterlife  With Archie #7... all of which are much anticipated hereabouts. 

SBT

[The Adventurer]

Spider-Man 2099 #4
Still unsold on this.  It's slick,  well-produced and full of fights and witty banter,  but I can't bring myself to care much. 

I'm going to take a wild guess that it's because it takes place in the boring ass 20th Century. Why?!

[PreacherCain]

Getting through the pile...

Gotham Academy #1: Meh. It's fine and nice to see DC starting to diversify their line but Marvel is already doing this kind of stuff better with the likes of Ms. Marvel and She-Hulk. Might pick up the second issue and see how it goes. Nice art.

Hinterkind #12: Liking the art a lot on this but the storyline is getting a bit lost (I'm sure it reads better in trade form).

Low #3: Very good. Remender is firing on all cylinders, expansive world-building but keeping a tight focus on characters and each issue is somewhat self-contained. Lovely last few pages too.

Men of Wrath #1: Decent stuff. Not too far off what Aaron's Image book Southern Bastards is doing though. Surprised to see Marvel's ICON imprint is still going after losing the Millarverse to be honest.

Outcast #3: Sterling artwork from Azaceta. Definitely a slow-burner but liking this a lot more than TWD these days.

The Names #2: Decent stuff from Milligan and Fernandez. Intriguing enough that I'll keep going for another issue or two and see where things head.

Letter 44 #10: This issue felt a little slight but I'm enjoying this series t a lot more than I thought I would. Charles Soule is producing some great stuff these last few months, across different comic companies.

The Fade Out #2: Feels like a Criminal prequel comic (this is a good thing). Liking it so far.

The Walking Dead #132: This is actually getting good again. Adlard's art is great this issue too.

POP #2: I really like the artwork and design of this comic but the story leaves a lot to be desired.

Moon Knight #8: Surprisingly this seres has maintained the 'coolness' of those Ellis/Shalvey issues. Good work.

Pariah #8: Really enjoyed this Dark Horse comic. Intelligent human drama and sci-fi. Hopefully there'll be more.#

Silver Surfer #6: This was a really fun issue. The first arc showed more potential than it fulfilled but this latest issue was everything you could want from a Slott/Allred pairing. Great stuff.

Roche Limit #1: Enticing concept, lovely art but the story is a little on the vanilla side. Will definitely give it another couple of issues and see where things go from here.

[The Adventurer]

My Digital Pulls for 10/08/14

2000 AD 1902 - Current line-up is pretty hot. Though GREYSUIT seems to have hit the reset button because... I guess to give us more Greysuit? ICHABOD AZRAEL looks to be going into some kind of nutso final act. I approve.

ASTRO CITY 16 - The previous 2 part arc wasn't my favorite, or the best the series has ever been. This new issue seems to be the kind that Astro City does best though.

COPPERHEAD 2 - 2000 AD fans will probably appreciate this title a lot (in fact, reading it I could help but notice some base similarities to LAWLESS in the Megazine). It looks like its going to be a solid sci-fi/western thing. I don't like the main character. In a good 'not like' way. She's kind of an ass.

MANHATTAN PROJECTS 24 - I feel like this series might have lost the plot at some point. Two years on... I might think about taking a break after this issue.

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 265 - Oh good. Sonic the Werehog. One of the WORST Sonic the Hedgehog concepts to ever come out of the video games (right behind Silver the Hedgehog!). Lets see if Flynn can spin shit into gold.

TRANSFORMERS vs GI JOE 3 - This series reads like a kid mashing all his GI Joe and Transformers toys together into a massive sugar induced play session. Its absolutely MAGICAL.

WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP 45 - I liked eIDLIVE from last issue. So I'm eager to see it continue in this one (and here's hoping it sticks around). Death Note (and Bakuman, and All You Need is Kill) is on sale digitally right now, so we get the first episode reprinted again. That's one of the nicer things about being a weekly digital comic, its much easier to cross-promote to your audience quickly. I personally loath Death Note though. Or at least I loath the first 6 or 7 episodes of the anime I tried years ago.

Roche Limit #1: Enticing concept, lovely art but the story is a little on the vanilla side. Will definitely give it another couple of issues and see where things go from here.

I tired the first issue. And I have to concur, its a bit... bland. I thought it was because I was coming of THE FUSE, which is another 'crime mystery thriller on a space station' comic. I probably won't follow up on Roche Limit right away.