Whats everyone reading?

[Charlie boy]

I second that, it is one of my favourite Daredevil story, if not the favourite. The thing is you do not see Matt Murdock in full gear until the last pages, but it is still an awesome origin tale. And JRJR's artwork is fantastic. I have the hardback edition, which seems to be out of print or is very expensive, but there's TPB versions out there;

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0785134794/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1375473675&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX110_SY190

And you don't even see him [spoiler]as DareDevil in the actual costume(s) until the very last page![/spoiler]. Great RJR artwork throughout, particularly his illustrations when it's taking such a fast/up-close and violent turn nearing the end in my opinion.
Don't know what it would be like if you went and read this before Miller's original run though. From what I remember of the Miller run- and I'd have to go digging through the old comic collection to be 100% sure of this- it took quite a while to reach the whole 'gritty' section it's remembered for and was your somewhat light and easy superhero comic to begin with. Man Without Fear is pretty brutal from start to finish and pretty unforgettable.

[Professor Bear]

Sometimes I hate being a thicko pleb, as it stops me enjoying the genre-defying genius that is the final few issues of Batman Incorporated.  See, my lack of education prevents me from seeing past my initial judgment that this is a rather middle of the road Batman comic with no formed ideas or themes that then tries to hang a lampshade on this by having a character state on the page "HAHA BATMAN I FOOLED YOU BY HAVING NO FORMED IDEAS OR THEMES AND I DONT EVEN HAVE TO RESOLVE PLOTS NOT EVEN THE ONES I START IN THIS ISSUE BECAUSE OUROBOS BECAUSE EVERYTHING GOES IN CIRCLES HAHA" which is not actually clever because if that were the case then every time a Marvel comic got cancelled and the last panel was just "Never the end!" we'd be talking about that being genius rather than what a bloody mess of a finish it was.
It's not been completely terrible because few things are completely terrible, and there's definately some welcome wit and the occasional good panel that looks suspiciously like it was engineered to be viewed in isolation, but all this impresses upon me is that it would have been better if Mark Millar had written it, as he is very good at setting up big splash panels and soundbites and then building actual stories around them, but if nothing else it's neat to view it alongside Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Zero Year Batman story, as that comes off as a much more convincing Grant Morrison Batman comic than this does, with the added bonus of giving you the impression you will know what's going on eventually.
Still, I'm sure it will have its fans.  Me, I am a little disappointed by the cap on a 7 year run that doesn't really go anywhere (and then tells you it's because it wants you going in circles and to not have closure).

[Mabs]

http://nexuswookie.wordpress.com/2013/08/03/recent-comic-purchases-creepy-presents-richard-corben/

[Skullmo]

http://nexuswookie.wordpress.com/2013/08/03/recent-comic-purchases-creepy-presents-richard-corben/

Yeah it's a lovely book. I got the hardback last year, it replaced my heavy metal collection

[Mabs]

http://nexuswookie.wordpress.com/2013/08/03/recent-comic-purchases-creepy-presents-richard-corben/

Yeah it's a lovely book. I got the hardback last year, it replaced my heavy metal collection

I'm just going through it now, trying my utmost best not to rush it. You see Corben is for me, one of the all time greats. I just love his style to bits, just looking at some of his earlier works in this book, it recalled Boo Cook's style! There is definitely some similarity the way Cook renders his amazing artwork, and I'm wondering if he saw Corben as an influence on his work? Anyway back to the book, "The Terror Tomb" had me howling with laughter just a while ago! 

I wish we could get a brand new publication of his Neverwhere and Arabian Nights stories - that is my biggest wish.  It's really hard to get hold of those, not to mention bloody expensive.

[Theblazeuk]

The Ennis and Millar runs are fascinating polar opposites –you couldn't have picked two young lads with more divergent views on 'Judge Dredd'. Putting their work back-to-back just emphasises it further. Ennis is the fan, doing his best, powered by a great and genuine love for the source material, but hemmed in by that very love. Millar, however, is a lover of US comics who knows (or knew) very little about Dredd or 2000AD, and what he does know, he freely admits to finding a bit scary. So his take on 'Judge Dredd' is what he thinks the series is – a story about a cruel, frightening and horrible man who commits acts of ridiculous unfairness but is respected for his toughness. If you can look at Millar's run from a sort of detached historical perspective (something which was impossible during said run) it becomes fascinating – 'Judge Dredd' from the outsider's point of view.  It's hard to shake the feeling that this view of what 'Judge Dredd' might be like wasn't unique to the young Millar – I bet there've been plenty of comic fans who've assumed the series to be solely an over-the-top, parodic, explosions-and-hard-men thing, maybe good for a few chuckles but of no nuance or depth.

Well said!

Also I just wanted to note when I compared Millar and Ennis before, I wasn't strictly talking in terms of their work on Judge Dredd but in their wider output. Similarities between both but it seems like all of Millar's characters have a tendency towards the cynical arsehole, whereas Ennis leans more towards flawed idealism.


Moving away from the Big meg, I read Ocean at the End of the Lane over the weekend. Someone described it as "less of a childrens book and more of a book about childhood" (or something, I've not got an eidetic memory) and it's pretty spot on. I'm sure many of us will see similarities in our experiences as a young un - glad Neil Gaiman is back writing things for me to read.

[Greg M.]

Similarities between both but it seems like all of Millar's characters have a tendency towards the cynical arsehole, whereas Ennis leans more towards flawed idealism.

Probably very true. I do think Millar writes 'cynical arsehole' because that's what he thinks the 'cool kids' want to read, or because he feels that 'shock' sells. He's so commercially-minded, it would be difficult to imagine him writing a more 'personal' project: he seems a lovely guy, but he's comics-writer-as-entrepreneur. Others have suggested he's the closest thing we've got to a modern Stan Lee, in terms of his ability to self-promote in a sort of amiable, hyperbole-fuelled, hucksterish fashion.

[LorcanQ]

Similarities between both but it seems like all of Millar's characters have a tendency towards the cynical arsehole, whereas Ennis leans more towards flawed idealism.

Probably very true. I do think Millar writes 'cynical arsehole' because that's what he thinks the 'cool kids' want to read, or because he feels that 'shock' sells. He's so commercially-minded, it would be difficult to imagine him writing a more 'personal' project: he seems a lovely guy, but he's comics-writer-as-entrepreneur. Others have suggested he's the closest thing we've got to a modern Stan Lee, in terms of his ability to self-promote in a sort of amiable, hyperbole-fuelled, hucksterish fashion.

Yeah, id completely agree. If you take a look through some of his works, all have the exact same format as regards to beginning/central character at least. Think about it : Kick-ass, Wanted, Superior, Chosen, Marvel 1985, The Secret Service (havent read it, but i think it fits it aswell). A sidelined teenager/young adult, at typical comic reading age feels apathetic towards life and then something happens that brings him into a violent, exciting world that he loves. All of these stick to this premise religiously! And you can see why, for the general comic reading age - late teens/early 20s these characters are immediately easily relatable and thus will sell better. Hell, ill admit, despite me knowing millars writing is generally low effort common denominator stuff, i love reading it, its just fast and fun.

Ennis on the other hand is fantastic at fully fleshing out characters and challenging what to expect in each of his stories.

Also, kind of unrelated, but i think it should be mentioned: Millars most famous character is hit-girl, who's origin story, IMO, is a SCANDALOUS rip-off of Tulip's in Preacher. Almost word for word. I dont know how he got away with it really..

[Theblazeuk]

Hmm I never noticed (not a huge fan of Kick-Ass... oddly I actually prefer the movie so much more as the main character seems a lot less of a prick), it is just a change to the motivation for the training when you think about it.

[Mabs]

Alan Moore's Swamp Thing run is pretty marvellous is it not? I can't believe I put off reading it for so long.

[Link Prime]

Alan Moore's Swamp Thing run is pretty marvellous is it not? I can't believe I put off reading it for so long.

It's amazing Mabs.
There have been some fair comments previously regarding the artwork / coloring, but to me it adds some period charm.
Up there as one of the greatest runs of all time.

[Mabs]

Alan Moore's Swamp Thing run is pretty marvellous is it not? I can't believe I put off reading it for so long.

It's amazing Mabs.
There have been some fair comments previously regarding the artwork / coloring, but to me it adds some period charm.
Up there as one of the greatest runs of all time.

I couldn't agree more Link, the artwork is outstanding, and the colour does add a little charm to it. Once I started reading it I just couldn't put it down, it was a really immersing and enjoyable read. Moore's writing is second to none just the way he writes the characters and their thoughts, and those dream/ hallucination segments are something else entirely. I'm going to seek out Vol. 2, 3, 4 until I read Moore's whole run! Talking of the Swamp Thing, I also had this delivered today;

http://nexuswookie.wordpress.com/2013/08/06/recent-comic-purchases-concrete-vol-1-depths/

It's a little similar premise wise as it also deals with a gentle misunderstood 'monster' in my view. Anyway, I can't wait to get stuck in!

[Jim_Campbell]

Up there as one of the greatest runs of all time.

Possibly Moore's warmest work, emotionally. Genuinely likeable characters, some fantastic, elegant plotting and gorgeous artwork. Yes, the prose is a little (!) purple, but Moore's ear for a memorable phrase more than makes up for it.

(Sadly, Tatjana Wood's colours were sublime on newsprint but, since she purposely allowed for the muddying effects of the paper and took advantage of the relative lack of hard outlines in the art, when reproduced on nicer paper stock, the result is not great.)

Cheers

Jim

[radiator]

Swamp Thing is very hit and miss for me, and it's something I'd only recommend to people with some caveats. There's parts of it that are wonderful, there's parts that are hard work. I had the first book for years but never went any further with it because I found it a bit tough going to start with - and only ended up catching up with it these last few years with the hardbacks.

Due to it being part of a serial narrative, it isn't great for new readers. Moore does a pretty good job of recapping, filling in and starting anew, but it's never going to be as immediately accessible as his other work. The art, while functional, is arguably quite flat and ugly to a modern readers sensibilities. Personally I don't hate it, but neither do I particularly like it. Regarding the colours, as someone who didn't grow up reading American style four(?) colour comics, they almost always look garish and unappealing to me. Some of the storytelling is a bit 'out there', even for seasoned comic book readers, and the chapters featuring obscure DC characters like Demon are interminable and often tedious.

[Link Prime]

when reproduced on nicer paper stock, the result is not great.

Cheers

Jim

Or via Comixology digital format (I bought the whole lot during one of their $0.99 sales a year or two ago).
I have older copies of the first two graphic novel collections, and they do look a bit better colour wise.

For me, practically nothing could detract from this series though, and I absolutely agree that its Moore's 'warmest' work.
The episodes set [spoiler]in space after Swamp Thing's death[/spoiler] are possibly the most fascinating comics I've ever read.