Whats everyone reading?

[Link Prime]

Also on the boil courtesy of my anonymous fairy godfather in the county libraries system, Mary Talbot and Brian Talbot's extraordinary Dotter of her Father's Eyes.  It might sound like gross sentimentality, but halfway through reading this amazing and unique piece of work they shoved my relationship with my own wee daughter right in my face, and one of those rare but shocking epiphanies rolled down from the crown of my head to the tips of my toes to irrevocably change every cell of my body.  I'm going to write to Mary and Brian and thank them for actually altering how I see and live my life, but first I want to read it again.  Recommended.

I mentioned on this thread that I'd consider 'The Underwater Welder' graphic novel of the year.
'Dotter of her Father's Eyes' is a close second (and I don't even have any kids!).

TB- you may despair that you didnt get a copy signed by Bryan & Mary in FP Dublin earlier this year.
Yes, you just may.

[Richmond Clements]

I was just thinking about "The Underwater Welder" earlier, and started crying. It's an insanely powerful book. Really hits you right in the fatherhood.

[mogzilla]

just got my batman judge dredd crossover hardback from amazon!

[SmallBlueThing]

Alan Moore and Jacen Burrows' Neonomicon- for about the fourth time, on a train journey to Chatham. I think this might just be my favourite Moore thing since From Hell. Just really well written, and while it might centre on the hoary old hairy Moore cliches of writers' works bleeding into reality and not being fiction at all, at least it does it with more style than his recent League misfires. Besides, it never did Steve King much harm- and 76.24% of his written works post- The Stand have followed exactly the same line.

But Neonomicon- yeah, just brilliant!

SBT

[Charlie boy]

Picked up a copy of Kim Newman's Dracula Cha Cha Cha from Forbidden Planet today (reprinted edition with the extra material to sit with the previous two parts in my book collection)- signed and with £2 off the rrp! The wait for Johnny Alucard is ongoing...

[Davek]

Orc Stain Vol 1 - similarities with Brandon Graham's style are clear.  Its OK but the art doesn't  sit quite right with me.  Some good ideas though.

[Mabs]

I read this stunning little comic over at comiXology last night called 'Guerillas'. It was the first issue, i knew nothing about it prior to reading. It was a gripping read about a young grunts view of the Vietnam War. I love war comics and i felt i had discovered a gem. It was brutal, unflinching and then i got to the last panel and my eyes nearly exploded out of its sockets! I tell you what - i never saw that coming! Wow! Now i'm seriously thinking about investing in the trade (theres two volumes available by Image comics). I'd love to hear from fellow forumites who've read it and if it carries on the awesome storyline as the opening issue. Everything about that issue was stunning, not to mention the black and white artwork and the superb lettering.

[Mabs]

I was just thinking about "The Underwater Welder" earlier, and started crying. It's an insanely powerful book. Really hits you right in the fatherhood.

Yes it does.

[Mabs]

Alan Moore and Jacen Burrows' Neonomicon- for about the fourth time, on a train journey to Chatham. I think this might just be my favourite Moore thing since From Hell. Just really well written, and while it might centre on the hoary old hairy Moore cliches of writers' works bleeding into reality and not being fiction at all, at least it does it with more style than his recent League misfires. Besides, it never did Steve King much harm- and 76.24% of his written works post- The Stand have followed exactly the same line.

But Neonomicon- yeah, just brilliant!

SBT

Wow thats quite refreshing to hear mate as most who've read it thought it was poor. Myself? I was on the fence. However after reading it a second time i found it more how should i say it, palpable. Its really unsettling in places especially the prolonged rape scene. But you cannot fault Moore's ambition or sheer balls. I always saw Neonomicon as his way of sticking two fingers up at the comics establishment!

But you're right, FROM HELL is absolutely fucking fantastic! I live in Whitechapel just a stones throw away from where the killings took place. I remember reading it last winter and after finishing one chapter i stood near my window looking out at the cold winter streets below and i had a chill go down my spine,  thinking about how things must have been like a 100 years ago! Seriously it really impacted on me. A lot has changed though, the East End is losing its history and it pisses me off. The famous Royal London Hospital where i was born, and the legendary John Meyrick once stayed is no longer in use. They've built another hospital down the road which looks like The Wizard of Oz's abode. But the famous Hawksmoor church and the Ten Bells pub of the graphic novel is still there in Spitafields. Sorry i've gone on a tangent!

But yeah, From Hell is awesome!

[SmallBlueThing]

Alan Moore and Jacen Burrows' Neonomicon- for about the fourth time, on a train journey to Chatham. I think this might just be my favourite Moore thing since From Hell. Just really well written, and while it might centre on the hoary old hairy Moore cliches of writers' works bleeding into reality and not being fiction at all, at least it does it with more style than his recent League misfires. Besides, it never did Steve King much harm- and 76.24% of his written works post- The Stand have followed exactly the same line.

But Neonomicon- yeah, just brilliant!

SBT

Wow thats quite refreshing to hear mate as most who've read it thought it was poor. Myself? I was on the fence. However after reading it a second time i found it more how should i say it, palpable. Its really unsettling in places especially the prolonged rape scene. But you cannot fault Moore's ambition or sheer balls. I always saw Neonomicon as his way of sticking two fingers up at the comics establishment!

But you're right, FROM HELL is absolutely fucking fantastic! I live in Whitechapel just a stones throw away from where the killings took place. I remember reading it last winter and after finishing one chapter i stood near my window looking out at the cold winter streets below and i had a chill go down my spine,  thinking about how things must have been like a 100 years ago! Seriously it really impacted on me. A lot has changed though, the East End is losing its history and it pisses me off. The famous Royal London Hospital where i was born, and the legendary John Meyrick once stayed is no longer in use. They've built another hospital down the road which looks like The Wizard of Oz's abode. But the famous Hawksmoor church and the Ten Bells pub of the graphic novel is still there in Spitafields. Sorry i've gone on a tangent!

But yeah, From Hell is awesome!

On From Hell; yes, it is amazing. Probably one of my top five most likely books to grab in an apocalypse. I have the individual comics, as opposed to the collected edition, and I remember being utterly obsessed with the Whitechapel Murders during the entirety of their publication schedule. Which if you're aware of their publication schedule you'll know is some time! Every now and again I dip back into Ripperlore, but while there's a lot of very good fiction out there- and arguably no fact- I don't think anything has been as good as From Hell. I even like the movie!

Re Neonomicon- so much of the criticism I've read can be summed up as "lots of rape: bad Alan, as if the reviewers were writing with their girlfriends looking over their shoulder and aware that to praise would mean no sex tonight. For me, the dialogue is superb, the pacing and story engrossing, and the designs and art of the kind I wish more comics were like. It's a magnificent little spunking of Lovecraftian horror, and they'd better make a movie sharpish. It's not often I call for a thing in one medium to be adapted into another- but in this case- well, an adaptation of Neonomicon would blow the cobwebs off the horror genre, I feel. And done correctly could be the next Silence of the Lambs, in the sense of a breakout hit.

SBT

[Mabs]

Alan Moore and Jacen Burrows' Neonomicon- for about the fourth time, on a train journey to Chatham. I think this might just be my favourite Moore thing since From Hell. Just really well written, and while it might centre on the hoary old hairy Moore cliches of writers' works bleeding into reality and not being fiction at all, at least it does it with more style than his recent League misfires. Besides, it never did Steve King much harm- and 76.24% of his written works post- The Stand have followed exactly the same line.

But Neonomicon- yeah, just brilliant!

SBT

Wow thats quite refreshing to hear mate as most who've read it thought it was poor. Myself? I was on the fence. However after reading it a second time i found it more how should i say it, palpable. Its really unsettling in places especially the prolonged rape scene. But you cannot fault Moore's ambition or sheer balls. I always saw Neonomicon as his way of sticking two fingers up at the comics establishment!

But you're right, FROM HELL is absolutely fucking fantastic! I live in Whitechapel just a stones throw away from where the killings took place. I remember reading it last winter and after finishing one chapter i stood near my window looking out at the cold winter streets below and i had a chill go down my spine,  thinking about how things must have been like a 100 years ago! Seriously it really impacted on me. A lot has changed though, the East End is losing its history and it pisses me off. The famous Royal London Hospital where i was born, and the legendary John Meyrick once stayed is no longer in use. They've built another hospital down the road which looks like The Wizard of Oz's abode. But the famous Hawksmoor church and the Ten Bells pub of the graphic novel is still there in Spitafields. Sorry i've gone on a tangent!

But yeah, From Hell is awesome!

On From Hell; yes, it is amazing. Probably one of my top five most likely books to grab in an apocalypse. I have the individual comics, as opposed to the collected edition, and I remember being utterly obsessed with the Whitechapel Murders during the entirety of their publication schedule. Which if you're aware of their publication schedule you'll know is some time! Every now and again I dip back into Ripperlore, but while there's a lot of very good fiction out there- and arguably no fact- I don't think anything has been as good as From Hell. I even like the movie!

Re Neonomicon- so much of the criticism I've read can be summed up as "lots of rape: bad Alan, as if the reviewers were writing with their girlfriends looking over their shoulder and aware that to praise would mean no sex tonight. For me, the dialogue is superb, the pacing and story engrossing, and the designs and art of the kind I wish more comics were like. It's a magnificent little spunking of Lovecraftian horror, and they'd better make a movie sharpish. It's not often I call for a thing in one medium to be adapted into another- but in this case- well, an adaptation of Neonomicon would blow the cobwebs off the horror genre, I feel. And done correctly could be the next Silence of the Lambs, in the sense of a breakout hit.

SBT

I too quite enjoyed the film. Okay it may not be a patch on Moore's original story but its a heck of a lot better than most adaptions or horror films around that time. I loved the production design, you'd imagine thats how Whitechapel would look  circa 1888. I loved how Depp pronounced 'Whiiiteshapel'  Lol! He got the Cockney accent almost spot on. Ian Holmes as Jack was a great choice. His potrayal is really chilling. Pay attention to how his eyes become scarily dilated when he's doing his dastardly deeds. 

As for Neonomicon i think if it were to be adapted as a film it would most certainly be something very interesting to see! A cross between Lynch and Cronenberg - in the right hands it could be a great horror film.

[Charlie boy]

Just finished Blatty's The Exorcist. It was a fantastic read- I enjoyed how much time it spent offering scientific explanations for Regan's behaviour as well as the police investigation. The time it takes for the exorcism itself to be done also makes it appear more powerful. I'll be starting David Seltzer's The Omen soon because as far as the film adaptations go, I've always preferred the latter so it will be fun to see how the source materials weigh up against one another.

[Mabs]

Just finished Blatty's The Exorcist. It was a fantastic read- I enjoyed how much time it spent offering scientific explanations for Regan's behaviour as well as the police investigation. The time it takes for the exorcism itself to be done also makes it appear more powerful. I'll be starting David Seltzer's The Omen soon because as far as the film adaptations go, I've always preferred the latter so it will be fun to see how the source materials weigh up against one another.

We were just discussing The Exorcist over at the Empire forum. It really is one of the greatest horror film ever made. Unfortunately i've yet to read Blatty's novel. Reading your post i feel thats something i need to rectify fast!

[Charlie boy]

We were just discussing The Exorcist over at the Empire forum. It really is one of the greatest horror film ever made. Unfortunately i've yet to read Blatty's novel. Reading your post i feel thats something i need to rectify fast!

Mate, it is a great read. I don't know if you noticed earlier on in the thread but I mentioned buying the 40th Anniversary Edition because it was £1 cheaper than the copy next to it. I expected the book just to have a couple of notes following the end or something but in the author introduction, Blatty states this is how he would rather have seen it on first release and there's an extra scene and an introduction of a new character. Having never read it before, I couldn't help but wonder from time to time how the text I was reading would differ to my older brother's "original" edition. I guess it's up to you what copy you buy knowing this!

[Professor Bear]

Re Neonomicon- so much of the criticism I've read can be summed up as "lots of rape: bad Alan, as if the reviewers were writing with knee-jerk internet fanboys egged on by writers frustrated at Moore's success and unable to process criticism looking over their shoulder and aware that to praise would mean someone might notice rape has been a popular mainstay of superhero comics long before Moore came along and still is, long after he buggered off.

FTFY

Always found it very odd that the one writer of comics who goes out of his way to make rape look horrible and as far from titillating as is humanly possible is the one who ends up getting used as a poster boy for its casual use in comics.

As for League of late, I find it works much, much better if you read it as a broadside at convoluted shared universes where knowledge of minutiae of the details of what happened in some book that came out 20 years ago may be a requirement of understanding what the fuck is going on at any given moment.  I am, of course, straining to think of what Moore might be taking the piss out of there...