New Comic Book Day Megathread

[Proudhuff]

Crickey, we have no cross over apart from 2k and the Megazine!!

My current crop are:

Earthdivers: Native Americans from the future go back and try and kill Columbus.
Old Dog: an excellent spy/action timeywimey thing
We only fine them when they're dead: the ALE-wing droid does god and space empires.
Damn them all: two of our alumni do a female Constantine
Eve: Future shock riffing on a load of current sci-fi troupes
Bladerunner 2039: ditto
Gotham City: Jazz/blues/Noir batty origins
Batman Beyond: a cool looking re-imaging of batty and his world.

All of the above I'm enjoying more that the current crop in the prog ( except Dredd obvs!

[Colin YNWA]

Well I'm getting very behind on my write ups (again STILL can't login at home and having done some work on certificates at work I'm convinced that's the issue at one end or the other... ANYWAY). I'll try to catch up while listing to the football and making tea.

Venom 16 and 17 and 18 - getting a bit bogged down in a midfield crossover battle. Struggling to find its flow and style, until 18 breaks frees and smacks one against the post.

I hate this place 6 and 7 - what has happened to Kyle Starks normally so busy, powerful and effective this time has lost his form and just doesn't seem to know what he's doing. Still only a little bit of the game to go so I guess I won't be leaving before issue 10 to beat the traffic.

Speaking of confused Dead Romans 1 has a lot of potential but this new signing just hasn't settled down and its art is confused and I don't know whose meant to be whom and their roles. Still time to settle down.

Han Solo and Chewie 10 - well its over... maybe the re-read highlights will make this better?

Human Target 12 - not the most devastating finish, but the build up play was worth all the plaudits it gets.

Time Before Time 21 - steady solid performance. Sometimes you need something like that.

Love everlasting 6 - Still baffling to watch, still beguiling.

Superman - Space Age 3 - Mark Russell just seems to be allover the pitch but when he links up with Michael Allred he's at his very best. Strong, strong finish.

Daredevil 9 just not quite the performance I want but you can't fault its effort.

X-cellent part 2 - 1 - seems effortless, does the obvious, but does it so well.

Travelling to Mars 4 - Mark Russell pops up again and puts in a decent cross, but no one one the end of it just yet.

My Bad 4 - Slams it home brilliantly. Why, oh why has it been taken off!

Punisher 10 - after a season that's not really gone the way this fan wanted has it started to turn the corner with a fascinating passage of play here.

Avengers 4 - a journeyman performance but gets the job done very professionally.

So lets look how the other new signing have done.

Second Coming Trinity 1 - Well Mark Russell once again gets the best out of this new arrival, still needs to develop but promising first appearance.

Junk Rabbit 1 - no one was really sure what to expect from this surprise signing but you know what that was a great openning and bodes well.

The big news though is of course Planet of the Apes 1 brought in to replace the legendary Boom! series which fans still sing about to this day. So it had a lot to live up to and you know what it might not have had an explosive start, but they way it used the pitch, its movement and way it kept fans guessing quite what it was going to do, but always delivering the goods. Well if it keeps this form up we have a real star in the making.

And so as the theme of this post was stretched so far past breaking point time may be needed in the treatment room and the LFC game was a thrilling 2 goal come back to get a drew and sounds like they should have won too. I'm off to lay down!

[CalHab]

I hate this place 6 and 7 - what has happened to Kyle Starks normally so busy, powerful and effective this time has lost his form and just doesn't seem to know what he's doing. Still only a little bit of the game to go so I guess I won't be leaving before issue 10 to beat the traffic.

I'm enjoying his "Where Monsters Lie" at the moment. Its a very funny riff on cliched horror film characters.

[Colin YNWA]

I hate this place 6 and 7 - what has happened to Kyle Starks normally so busy, powerful and effective this time has lost his form and just doesn't seem to know what he's doing. Still only a little bit of the game to go so I guess I won't be leaving before issue 10 to beat the traffic.

I'm enjoying his "Where Monsters Lie" at the moment. Its a very funny riff on cliched horror film characters.

Oh I've somehow not ordered that. I know I saw it was coming. Thanks for the reminder I'll pick this up...

[Colin YNWA]

I'm a little behind - and no excuses except being out of practice so got this a week ago now and only getting to tidy them now. Soooo...

Interesting haul this, maybe not the best but plenty to reflect. Firstly a couple of seconf issues from debuts last time. Dead Romans 2 is much stronger, improved storytelling. Junk Rabbit 2 continues strong and set up a little who is it mystery. My guess is its poshly dressed detective who gets fired in this issue, using some trickery in the scene they are in together. We'll see.

I hate this place 8 well its almost done...

Wasp 4 is done and coming back, neat ending with the promise of more.

Love Everlasting 7 is building things very nicely.

Daredevil 10 interesting developments, just not the Daredevil comic I want.

What's the furthest place from here? 12 nice to have Tyler Boss back on art, his inking feels a little different, or something. Great series this, taking some scaey turns.

Avengers - War Across Time 5 old skool and entertaining ending.

After that we have a number of first issues. Roachmill 1 is a strip I know a little about from back in the day and so when I stumbled across this so picked it up and it was good fun. Will be trying it again. Animal Castle Vol.2 1 glad this is back and the return of this Animal Farm redux comix is just great as the challenges get more and more complex in stirring the rebellion on the farm. Peacemaker Tries Hard! 1 Kyle Starks doing what he does best, with gross out fun. Ably assisted by Steve Pugh, nasty but nice.

The best of the lot - almost - is a nicely subdued Alien 1 by Declan Shalvey (the reason I picked the comic up) and Andrea Broccardo. It builds the tension nicely. The only thing that holds this back is it leans in hard in the movies, maybe a little too much. In particular business man from Weyland as slimeball, which just screams tired cliche and undermines what is otherwise an excellent start somewhat.

[BadlyDrawnKano]

I've been enjoying reading this thread, as right now I'm only buying trade paperbacks and not anything monthly due to financial reasons, but it's given me really interesting list of comics that I want to check out when they are collected together.

[Colin YNWA]

I've been enjoying reading this thread, as right now I'm only buying trade paperbacks and not anything monthly due to financial reasons, but it's given me really interesting list of comics that I want to check out when they are collected together.

That's good to hear. it can sometimes be a lonely place here but I (and a few others) try to keep it ticking over. I think of it more as a 'journel' of my monthly reading these days!

Would be very interested to hear what's peaked your interest.

[Colin YNWA]

Speaking of which my latest haul is in and its an interesting one to say the least.

Best place to start is actually with a couple of issue 2 both of which had superb (well ish in one case) issue 1s but both which take the series into places I wasn't expecting in their second issues.

Alien 2 lets the side down. The first issue felt like the series was going to be measured and build on tension and suspense, creeping the threat forward al la the first movie. The second issue kinda goes 'To hell with that' and cuts straight into second movie mode and blasts things forward at break neck speed ramping up the threat immediately. I mean not necessarily a bad thing in and of itself, just stripped away most of what I admired about the first issue. Let's see how things progress.

Planet of the Apes 2 is a very curious beast. Its almost two short stories in one comic. The first half builds steadily, but not remarkably on what issue 1 delivered, just without connecting me to characters in the same way. The second half switches tack entirely and tells a 'tale' (unreliable narrator and all that) of an Ape that lead rebellion in France. Nice stuff but two seperate bits of world building left behind the character bits that grounded the first issue. Still opens up interesting spaces to explore so we'll see.

The Expanse 2 is another second issue - well the clues all there isn't it! And craft a weaving web similar to the show at its best. Very enjoyable and much more in keeping with what the first issue promised.

So with that variation in meeting my expectation with second issues Titans 1 - one of the first mainstream hero comics I've picked up from DC for a while, based purely on a very nice creative team of Tom Taylor and Nicola Scott sets a high benchmark for its second issue. Very nice opener setting up character, situation and excitment superbly. Oh and Nicola Scott's work is another level. I mean I've always liked it but its quite lovely in a traditional mainstream US way.

Kong: The Great War 1 is a far more pediestrian opener. Have 'red shirts' ever been more 'red shirts'! There a page that introduces - in a quite hamfisted way - the visually interesting 'characters' from a German U-Boat stuck on Skull Island and leaves 'the rest of the soliders as utterly unremarkable. One of whom gets offed a couple of pages later to underline their value. Still soldiers on a monster island with a giant ape. Ya gotta remain hopeful!

At the other end of a series trajectory Punisher 12 finishes up the series and really is an epilogue (I mean it does say as much) after last weeks 'ending'. Good stuff BUT I do need to re-read this to see if it really does with the Punisher what was needed in these times.

Daredevil 11 I'm getting out of morbid curisity only now as its nearing its end. Its just not my Daredevil, which is fine and that fact is underlined by one of the most pointless silly bits of meladrama I've seen in a long time.... I mean yes DD and meladrama go hand in hand but this was just daft.

Dead Romans 3 is fine. Time before time 23 carries on this series reliable steady enjoyment and What's the furthest place from here? 13 is good but demands I go back and re-read this to get a fresh momentum on the series.

The two highlights are Rocketeer Special which has 2 wonderful stories and one okay one that indulges the artist really a little too much with nothing to really say. Good breakneck fun. Second Coming Trinity 2 is just superb Mark Russell as he tackles atheism by sending God to chat to them in heaven... only Mark Russell could do this!

[BadlyDrawnKano]

That's good to hear. it can sometimes be a lonely place here but I (and a few others) try to keep it ticking over. I think of it more as a 'journel' of my monthly reading these days!

Would be very interested to hear what's peaked your interest.

Superman Space Age - I love Mike Allred (and am currently reading Silver Surfer Vol. 4 Citizen of Earth) so will definitely check this out when it's collected together.

Human Target - When Tom King is on form he's fantastic, but I don't love everything he's written *glares at "Heroes In Crisis*.

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur - I've never read this but have also heard good things about it elsewhere.

The Rocketeer - I love the movie and have never checked out any of the comics, so wish to remedy this.

Antman 1 - I really like Al Ewing's Hulk epic (or at least the first thirty issues, I haven't read the ending yet) so am very intrigued as to what he'll do with Antman.

Avengers: War Across Time 1 - I was a DC kid when I was growing up (well, when I was a teenager in the late eighties) and never really read much Marvel outside of John Byrne's She-Hulk and occasional issues of Spider-Man, but I've recently been getting in to a lot of their series. I love Unbeatable Squirrel Girl and Jason Aaron's Thor series (though I'm only up to the end of Vol.3 at the moment), Michael Brian Bendis's Alias and Jessica Jones, Guardians Of The Galaxy and Matt Fraction's Hawkeye, and have read some of the big crossovers like Avengers Vs X-Men, Infinity, and though they can be very silly I liked them a good deal, so any Avengers stories peak my interest.

Also, anything by Peter Milligan - Bad Company and Shade The Changing Man are two of my all time favourites, I have struggled with some of his post 2000 work (and didn't find Greek Street particularly entertaining) but am pleased you've enjoyed the mini-series he's created and I'll have to track them down.

[Colin YNWA]

That's some good comics right there.

For Moon Girl make sure you get the Brandon Montclare (with Amy Reeder to start with) and Natacha Bustos issues as a starter, the first series. The more recent minis are fine but not in the same league.

The recent Pete Milligan series are mixed, all good, but some better than others, all seemingly strangely ignored. I never quite got why he's not hailed the way GMozz et al are as part of one of the greats of the 2nd British Invasion. Don't get me wrong GMozz is superb, but Milligan at his best is up there. AND I'LL DARE TO SAY IT - Shade is way better that Sandman!

[BadlyDrawnKano]

That's some good comics right there.

For Moon Girl make sure you get the Brandon Montclare (with Amy Reeder to start with) and Natacha Bustos issues as a starter, the first series. The more recent minis are fine but not in the same league.

The recent Pete Milligan series are mixed, all good, but some better than others, all seemingly strangely ignored. I never quite got why he's not hailed the way GMozz et al are as part of one of the greats of the 2nd British Invasion. Don't get me wrong GMozz is superb, but Milligan at his best is up there. AND I'LL DARE TO SAY IT - Shade is way better that Sandman!

Sorry for the late reply, I couldn't post for a few days and I think it's because I wrote about a graphic novel by Kelly Sue DeConnick in the "What Are You Reading" thread which has an offensive word in the title. Anyhow, I've ordered Moon Girl and am very much looking forward to reading it, and shall report back when it arrives!

I'm also with you about Shade Vs Sandman, I love Gaiman's epic (and only re-read it this year) but it's a comic that takes itself very seriously, and not everything works, whereas I find Shade to be absolutely fascinating and far more enjoyable to read.

[Colin YNWA]

Wasp 4 is done and coming back, neat ending with the promise of more.

And it seems coming back as something unexpected. As Wasp turns detective seemingly in the newly announced Avengers Inc..

Curious that given The Wasp is a character with so many strings to their bow they've decided to add a new one? We'll see how it works out, or I will at least I will, as she's in my top 5 Marvel characters and has painly lacked her own series Jan Van Dyne that is) until Al E's recent title. So while she doesn't have the mast head here it appears she's defo the led.

Intriguing...

[BadlyDrawnKano]

That's some good comics right there.

For Moon Girl make sure you get the Brandon Montclare (with Amy Reeder to start with) and Natacha Bustos issues as a starter, the first series. The more recent minis are fine but not in the same league.

Just wanted to thank you for the recommendation, I've read the first trade, BFF, and really enjoyed it, it's bright, fun, smart with great characters and I'll definitely seek out a lot more of it.

[Colin YNWA]

That's some good comics right there.

For Moon Girl make sure you get the Brandon Montclare (with Amy Reeder to start with) and Natacha Bustos issues as a starter, the first series. The more recent minis are fine but not in the same league.

Just wanted to thank you for the recommendation, I've read the first trade, BFF, and really enjoyed it, it's bright, fun, smart with great characters and I'll definitely seek out a lot more of it.

That's good to hear.

[Colin YNWA]

Mixed bag my latest haul. Starts off with a couple of wonky furst issues.

Daredevil and Echo 1 is just a bit muh. Its not bad so much as totally uninspiring. Storm 1 makes me a bit sad. I keep giving Ann Nocenti comics a go as I adore her DD run and many of her early 90s comics but really struggled with her recent work, Catwoman, Green Arrow both got dropped quick smart. For whatever reason decided the try Storm 1 and frankly its a mess and the art by Sid Kotian doesn't help matters. I will probably give the second issue a try but if it doesn't pick up considerably I'll not even make it through this 5 issue mini!

The recent Daredevil series has always been close to being dropped and this issue was no different BUT there's always something to keep me going and this issue its the end. The aforementioned Ann Nocenti DD run took Matt to a literally hell and with Daredevil 12 this series now seems to be paying homage to that which has peaked my interest... so ... for now... but its limping on at best...

Venom 20 sees this series close to the chop as well and I Hate this Place 9 only sees this series cintinued as its so close to the end I'll hang in to give it a complete read at some point.

The middle ground is deep. Junk Rabbit 4 ticks the series on with no real wonder. Roachmill 3 is decent - though having to stil track doen 2 isn't helping! Peacemaker Tries Harder 2 is daft fun. Planet of the Apes 3 sees neither of its two tales move on significantly. Flash 800 sees my return to a Flash comic in an age, after being a massive fan of the Wally Wood yeah. And its a hit a miss celebration of that character. The Si Spurrier short to set up this uncoming new Wally series gives me hope that I'll be back for more.

The rest are all really good comics. Love Ever After 8 is twisted and sinister, Animal Castle 2, 2 coninues its parable wonderfully. Two issue of X-Cellent 3 & 4 work wonders in continuing this series examination of modern media.

Two Mark Russell comics top the pile Second Coming Trinity 3 tells the truth of Jesus' youth BUT Traveling to Mars 6 event more lo-key space battle than we go in The Expanse is superb and 'action', satire and character work all play off each other perfectly.