Whats everyone reading?

[shaolin_monkey]

Thanks to Cardiff Central Libraries I've had a whale of a time going through graphic novels, mostly Alan Moore.

Neonomicon - holy shit, that's one messed up read.

Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? - meh.

The Ballad of Halo Jones - read it for the fourth time, always worth a re-read. Still gutted the series was discontinued.

I also have the first four in the Death Note series, which is good fun so far. 

As well as these, I've started to re-read Banks's Use of Weapons, after completing Player of Games last week.

So, some new stuff, plus a nostalgia-fest recently!

[Mikey]

I took a break from REAMDE there and filled it with some Hate trades which were great! I had only read a few isloated Buddy strips before now, so I really enjoyed these especially ...Does Seattle which is a bigger hoot than...Does Jersey.

However all this pales into insignificance as I lifted The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon as it was easier to carry around than REAMDE. What an utterly marvellous and sad book - I totally loved it from the word go and had tears in my eyes for most of it, both of joy and sadness. For those who don't know, it's about a Jewish refugee landing in New York at the start of the second world war and the Golden Age of comics, that he and his cousin become fully involved in. It really captured the joy and purpose of reading comics at times and, naturally, reads as a ponder or two on the Jewish creators of the iconic superhero characters. This was also my first read of Chabon, despite having got the Mrs into him! So there's Wonder Boys and The Yiddish Policeman's Union on the shelf too...sweet!

Adrift in a sea of awesome about it.

M

[zombemybabynow]

have now started to read colin bateman's driving big davey - half way through and haven't stopped laughing  genius

[Skullmo]

I took a break from REAMDE there and filled it with some Hate trades which were great! I had only read a few isloated Buddy strips before now, so I really enjoyed these especially ...Does Seattle which is a bigger hoot than...Does Jersey.
M

The Poliomobile 

[SuperSurfer]

The Bulletproof Coffin issue 1 (the comic). Signed by David Hine and Shaky Kane of course. I've had it for over a year but haven't had time/got round to reading it. Brilliant stuff and I must get the GN.

Just finished Requiem Vampire Hunter – the first GN. I got the hard sell at the Panini stand at Kapow. I didn't go for this when it came out (despite being a big Pat Mills fan) as I thought the art wouldn't be my cup of tea but it really grew on me. Sure, it still isn't exactly my favourite art style but I can appreciate it is excellent. Some totally bonkers intriguing concepts in there. Will definitely get more of this.

Judge Dredd Case Files 1 would you believe it? (You see what I mean when I say I'm busy Unclefester?!!) What strikes me about reading these stories again, all those decades on is how so many aspects of Dredd's world were there from the outset: weather control, face changing machines, muties. Somehow for yonks I wasn't sure which early episodes were drawn by Ezquerra or McMahon but this seems so obvious now. What I'm really surprised at is just how accomplished Ezquerra's art was compared to McMahon's. So much so that I thought there might've been a mistake and the first (full) Ezquerra episode was from an annual. (In fact it probably was scanned from an annual or some other reprint hence the credit card box.) McMahon's art here shows in places a real 70s style which I hadn't noticed before. But his work was dynamic right from the outset – he really nailed it from day one. Looked forward to reading more of this. The short stories make this great for dipping in for quick reads.

[judgefloyd]

Halo Jones is great stuff.
What with all this shuffling through my 2000AD collection, I'm tempted to reread the lot, but just don't have the time.  Instead I'm reading:
- Here come the Camels - the very first Biggles book. Originally written for adults, it's one of the best of the WW1 books.  I'm reading it to my son.
- The Boys  - just finished  vol 8.  The series needs a lull and the Highland interlude is pretty well-written, but I still want to get back to the rest of The Boys' mentalism.  There's a funny incidental character who speaks like a Viz headline, with lots of 'eh, readers?'.

Still trudging through James Lees Milne's memoir. All the upper class double think* is exacerbating my commie tendencies


*I mean the way in which the class system is very very important to him, but he insists that he doesn't like class barriers

[Mardroid]

I recently read the last two Mistborn books.* Very enjoyable.

Currently reading The House of the Vampire, a free ebook on my ereader. I found the author's writing style a bit irritating (his repetition of certain words like 'sensuous' and 'voluptuous', for example). And I find the characters rather pretentious. That being said, it's proving to be a rather interesting story. [spoiler]And the vampire in question isn't your typical vampire. Although in a sense... he is. I think you'll understand what I mean if you('ve) read it.[/spoiler]


*Last two in the original trilogy, that is. There's another one called Alloy of Law now, set a few hundred years later. I hope to get that soon.

[TordelBack]

This was also my first read of Chabon, despite having got the Mrs into him! So there's Wonder Boys and The Yiddish Policeman's Union on the shelf too...sweet!

Oh that's some terrific reading ahead of you!  Chabon is a marvel, Yiddish Policemen's Union being one of my all-time favourite books.

Also, do not miss Gentlemen of the Road, about which I got all evangelical about somewhere upthread.  Absolutely brilliant, Fritz Leiber done very right.

Possibly steer clear of the autobiographical Manhood for Amateurs, which I found coyly self-serving.  But that may be because it made me feel inadequate, even more than usual, I mean. 

[Syne]

Just finished Clive Barker's Books of Blood vol. 1. The last story, "In the Hills, the Cities," is the stand-out. As I was reading it I was thinking how ridiculous the central concept was, but by the end it had come together in a very real and disquieting way. I keep catching myself thinking it'd almost be possible, then have to remind myself that it wouldn't, not really....

[Richmond Clements]

"In the Hills..." is quite astounding, isn't it? There was a comic version many many years ago drawn by John Bolton. Worth tracking down.
Isn't "Dread" in volume 1? It's been a long time since I read them...

[Colin YNWA]

Possibly steer clear of the autobiographical Manhood for Amateurs, which I found coyly self-serving.  But that may be because it made me feel inadequate, even more than usual, I mean.

Arh don't say that , that's next on my book read pile after I finish Supergods by our Grant (bloody good so far and I'm just about to start on his salute to the mighty 70s Kirby).

I'm a big fan of Yiddish Policemen's Union and the aforementioned Kavalier and Clay. The one of his I've not enjoyed is 'Summertime' which I found to be cute, generic, nufantasy. Shame as there's some good ideas in there.

[TordelBack]

Arh don't say that , that's next on my book read pile..

Don't get me wrong, it's a good entertaining read with some great anecdotes, but the self-depreciating tone just rang false for me.  That Chabon comes across as a better husband, father and person than me is hardly his fault, I just didn't care for the vague sense that he knew exactly how well he was coming across despite the 'I'm useless, me' delivery, and was just fishing for compliments.  To put it another way i didn't come away liking the man behind the author as much as resenting his coolness.  But as I say, it's probably my own insecurities that are chafing. 

[Syne]

"In the Hills..." is quite astounding, isn't it? There was a comic version many many years ago drawn by John Bolton. Worth tracking down.
Isn't "Dread" in volume 1? It's been a long time since I read them...

Looks like "Dread" is in the next volume. It's on my to-read-(soon) list.

Vol 1 has:

The "Book of Blood" frame story
The Midnight Meat Train
The Yattering and Jack
Pig Blood Blues
Sex, Death and Starshine
In the Hills, the Cities

"Midnight Meat Train" is pretty good, the others are okay - but yeah, "In the Hills, the Cities" is something else.

I actually started reading it with low expectations. I assumed it was going to be a Hostel-style "aren't-Eastern-Europeans-terrifying" thing. I misjudged Mr Barker!

[Richmond Clements]

Love "The Yattering and Jack" too. There's a Bolton GN of that one also. Written by Steve Niles.
But "Dread"... Oh man...

[Mikey]

Just finished Clive Barker's Books of Blood vol. 1. The last story, "In the Hills, the Cities," is the stand-out. As I was reading it I was thinking how ridiculous the central concept was, but by the end it had come together in a very real and disquieting way. I keep catching myself thinking it'd almost be possible, then have to remind myself that it wouldn't, not really....

Yuh huh. That's a hell of a story that - the tone is just perfect.

But "Dread"... Oh man...

Yuh huh. Seriously good, hair raising yarn.  Anyone seen the film? I haven't and I really don't need to if I'm honest.

Those are both perfect examples of why I love short fiction - I'm of the opinion that there may be no such thing as a perfect novel, but there are examples of perfect short stories. Also, this all reminds me that I got rid of my copies of Books of Blood. Hear that sound? That's me kicking meslef in the arse.

M.