Whats everyone reading?

[Mabs]

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!

Hmm, the 40th anniversary one does sound tempting! I might go for that - i mean the author himself states this is his preferred version. I'll look into it.

[Mardroid]

I finished The Bodysnatchers just the other day.

It really is a good read.

This may seem blasphemous, but I think I largely prefer the 70s film remake though.  [spoiler]It's just so much more unsettling with the eerie pointing and shrieking when one of the 'pod people'  alerts the others to a regular human, and the downbeat ending. (I forget if the original Bodysnatchers film had that ending. And I haven't seen the last remake with Nicole Kidman, and am not in any rush to do so.)[/spoiler] Or maybe I should say I prefer it in certain ways., reading being such a different experience, getting into the minds of the character in a way that films rarely do.

I just started Lindquist's novel The Harbour. So far, it's not bad, if a bit wordy for my taste in places. I enjoyed the other two novels, so hope for good things here. Too early to tell yet, but it bodes well so far.

[shaolin_monkey]

I finished The Bodysnatchers just the other day.

It really is a good read.

This may seem blasphemous, but I think I largely prefer the 70s film remake though.  [spoiler]It's just so much more unsettling with the eerie pointing and shrieking when one of the 'pod people'  alerts the others to a regular human, and the downbeat ending. (I forget if the original Bodysnatchers film had that ending. And I haven't seen the last remake with Nicole Kidman, and am not in any rush to do so.)[/spoiler] Or maybe I should say I prefer it in certain ways., reading being such a different experience, getting into the minds of the character in a way that films rarely do.

In the black and white version [spoiler] she falls asleep and gets snatched. He carries on running and makes it out of town. He reaches a police station where he tells his tale. The police don't believe him until a report comes in of a truck overturned on the motorway, spilling giant pea pods all over the road. The film ends. [/spoiler]

[Ancient Otter]

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!).

Dotter of her Father Eyes is on the shortlist of Costa Biography Award for 2012, Days of the Bagnold Summer is up for the Costa Novel Award for 2012, leading the Man Booker Prize chairman to ask for graphic novel submissions for the prize.

Essex County Trilogy made the ten book shortlist of Essential Canadian Book of the Decade, didn't win because of the judges vote (not words in it they felt....) but the results from the peoples vote showed it would have won the popular vote. So don't be surprised if The Underwater Welder starts picking up mainstream notice.

[Mardroid]

In the black and white version [spoiler] she falls asleep and gets snatched. He carries on running and makes it out of town. He reaches a police station where he tells his tale. The police don't believe him until a report comes in of a truck overturned on the motorway, spilling giant pea pods all over the road. The film ends. [/spoiler]

Hmm.[spoiler] I think I prefer the 70s ending but that beats the book ending, for me.[/spoiler]

[mygrimmbrother]

Just finished a mammoth slog through American Vampire - needed something to fill the void after I caught up with about 10 years' worth of BPRD comics in the space of about a year. It can't hold a candle to BPRD but it's solid and enjoyable nonetheless. The best arcs so far have been the WWII stories - Ghost War and Survival of the Fittest. Sean Murphy, for me, just pips Albuquerque as the best artist on the series so far. Also loved the character of Travis Kidd, a 50's greaser, rebel-with-a-cause vamp hunter who likes to 'bite them back' with a set of wooden teeth!

Also, because I haven't read an actual novel for far too long, I've just started Kim Newman's latest Anno Dracula - the 'Cha Cha Cha' one, which locates the action to Rome in the late 50s, and adds a certain famous British spy to the already mindboggling cast. Awesome so far.

[SmallBlueThing]

Did you read the 'Lord of Nightmares' American tampon spin-off mini-series? I thoroughly enjoyed that, despite only having read the first AV trade- but i was shocked at artist Dustin Nguyen's (sp?) inability to draw animals- wolves i think being his particular unspeciality. From memory it's #4 that holds the best laughs on this front. But all-in-all it's a fantastic little mini that deserves to be read quite widely. A damn site more entertaining than the Night Force seven-parter that ran at the same time, anyway.

SBT

[SmallBlueThing]

Tampon, not tampon.

SBT

[SmallBlueThing]

Oh just fuck you Sony Ericsson!

SBT

[Link Prime]

Tampon, not tampon.

SBT

A Freudian smorgasbord...

[mygrimmbrother]

Tampon, not tampon.

SBT

A Freudian smorgasbord...

[Colin YNWA]

I've just finished reading Pete Milligan's entire run of Human Target from the mini series to the end of the ongoing (thanks in large to 'The Cosh' of these parts, a BIG thanks as you will see.) and I have to say its stunning. Absolutely stunning a quite brilliant piece of work. You have to be a little careful about saying what I'm about to, after reading something you've really enjoyed and thus not quite having the correct context with which to make the judgement (I really must get an X-Force / X-Statix re-read on my list) BUT this is very possibly my favourite ever piece of work by the man, certainly long form. Its absolutely brilliant.

It covers a lot of the the themes of identity that Milligan uses so often in his work. Given the nature of the character though (Christopher Chance, The Human Target, substitutes himself for people in trouble and danger, taking over their lives for a while, for those that don't know) this theme is tackled head on and far more obviously and directly than he often does. This might not sound like a great strength, but it really is. Its has an honestly and clarity that his more 'complex' work sometimes lacks. Its very clear and strong but the storytelling is sharp, simple and utterly entertaining. Where some of his work can feel cluttered with ideas and themes, this is cut back and precise.

Which is just exactly how I'd describe the art throughout. The whole thing looks absolutely fantastic with art almost exclusively by Javier Pulido and Cliff Chiang after Edvin Biuković's work on the first mini. There's moments when its all quite breath-taking.

The entire run from the 1999 mini-series to the end of the Vertigo ongoing, feels absolutely complete and as if the whole thing was perfectly executed from start to finish to be exactly as it turned out.

Not sure how available this series in in trade, but if you like Pete Milligan and haven't read this, pick it up if you can, its superb.

[mygrimmbrother]

Did you read the 'Lord of Nightmares' American tampon spin-off mini-series? I thoroughly enjoyed that, despite only having read the first AV trade- but i was shocked at artist Dustin Nguyen's (sp?) inability to draw animals- wolves i think being his particular unspeciality. From memory it's #4 that holds the best laughs on this front. But all-in-all it's a fantastic little mini that deserves to be read quite widely. A damn site more entertaining than the Night Force seven-parter that ran at the same time, anyway.

SBT

Sorry SBT - just realised I didn't actually answer your question. Yes, I have read the Lord of Nightmares mini-series, liked it a lot (not as much as Survival of the Fittest though). I actually quite liked the art, and think it's a bit harsh to say he really can't draw animals. They're perhaps not his strong point, but I could forgive it because I love the messy watercolour/inky washes and the expressive faces. So yeah, all in all another worthy addition to the series. Quite like how AmVamp flits about to different eras, it works well. Wonder how up to date they'll bring the series before it all wraps up?

[SmallBlueThing]

Ive not even heard of survival of the fittest- will go home and check that out. I remember being unimpressed with AV on first reading thr first trade, but it's grown on me as ive become more accustomed to scott snyder, via swamp thing etc. It's certainly a series i will slowly collect in trade format i think. I have to have something now northlanders and scalped are no more.

SBT

[Ancient Otter]

Not sure how available this series in in trade, but if you like Pete Milligan and haven't read this, pick it up if you can, its superb.

Chance Meetings collects the Vertigo miniseries and the OGN Final Cut. Second Chances collects issues #1-10 of the ongoing series. #11-21 were never collected.