Whats everyone reading?

[sheldipez]

I'm slowly reading through Showcase Presents: The Elongated Man Vol 1, which I picked up for the impossible to resist sum of £3. I think it's best to read one or two of these Silver Age comics a day rather than in great chunks. Due to the age and the audience they were aimed at (i.e. children) some of the plot devices are eye rolling silly yet the art is really good and it's strangely nostalgiac to read after the events in Identity Crisis 

[Dandontdare]

Yeah, I've just read Savage Sword of Conan vol 9 and it is rather odd to read one unconnected adventure after another in one go, each one featuring a rotation of stock characters. I've never really read any of the novels or comics as I always thought it pretty one-dimensional (and it is) but I enjoyed this. Some lush artwork (though occasionally confusing narrative-wise).

I now have an urge to shout "Cease your prattling, woman!" to all my workmates today. Best not though.

[von Boom]

Savage Sword was always better than the usual comic Conan. It was a bit more adult and less of a caricature.

[Ancient Otter]

Thanks mate. I've been meaning to buy it for a while; if you do grab a copy yourself make sure you get the U.K version by Self Made Hero, and NOT the American Humanoid version as its censored and re-coloured. I know, that tatamounts to sacrilege in my view.

Which version of the Humanoids edition are the censored & recoloured ones? They have a few different editions.

[Mabs]

Thanks mate. I've been meaning to buy it for a while; if you do grab a copy yourself make sure you get the U.K version by Self Made Hero, and NOT the American Humanoid version as its censored and re-coloured. I know, that tatamounts to sacrilege in my view.

Which version of the Humanoids edition are the censored & recoloured ones? They have a few different editions.

I'm sorry mate, i should've been more clearer! Basically what i've found out is that the U.K version is also Humanoid, BUT released via Self Made Hero, the way you can tell is the cover; its different than previous publications (specifically the U.S one), so if i were you i'd get this...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1906838399/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1360090574&sr=8-1&pi=SL75

You can also try The Book Depository, but be warned they take their sweet time posting it!

http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Incal-Alejandro-Jodorowsky/9781906838393

Its the most recent version with the original colouring retained and uncensored also. But it still has Brian M. Bendis' foreword from the previous versions (we learn he didn't eat so as to save money to buy Moebius' stuff!), the presentation is one of the best i've seen for a hardcover aswell.

My advice to you is to snap it up quick before it goes - and ends up on ebay for ridiculous prices! 

Hope that helps.

[Mardroid]

Judge Dredd: City Fathers.

I wasn't sure to start with but it's rather good -particularly being a mystery story rather than a straight actioner, which is good for a novel.

Not that I'm suggesting Dredd comic stories are only ever just action based...

[Ancient Otter]

I'm sorry mate, i should've been more clearer! Basically what i've found out is that the U.K version is also Humanoid, BUT released via Self Made Hero, the way you can tell is the cover; its different than previous publications (specifically the U.S one), so if i were you i'd get this...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1906838399/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1360090574&sr=8-1&pi=SL75

You can also try The Book Depository, but be warned they take their sweet time posting it!

http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Incal-Alejandro-Jodorowsky/9781906838393

Its the most recent version with the original colouring retained and uncensored also. But it still has Brian M. Bendis' foreword from the previous versions (we learn he didn't eat so as to save money to buy Moebius' stuff!), the presentation is one of the best i've seen for a hardcover aswell.

My advice to you is to snap it up quick before it goes - and ends up on ebay for ridiculous prices! 

Hope that helps.

I got the DC versions from a few years ago, which has a less than impressive colour job. I'm not too mad about this particular Jodoworsky & Moebius tale, so I may hold.

[Mabs]

No problem. I understand it might not be to everyone's taste though, afterall this is Jodorowsky we're talking about! But personally i'm quite enjoying it. Basically this is his interpretation of 'Dune' (a film he was desperate to make)..and a lot of other things. Moebius' artwork though is outstanding.

[Professor Bear]

Takashi Murakami's Stargazing Dog.  Pleasantly surprised to find this was printed in the left-to-right format as if it was aimed at someone other than manga elitists, but then the overly-literal translation, saccharine on-the-nose English dialogue ("we are all stargazing dogs") and poor proofing goes and lets the side down for what is an accessible and moving story: "Daddy" is a working class everyman whose life is ruined by the combination of a bad economy and estrangement from his family that eventually sees him homeless and living in his car with his dog Happie - who narrates the story - when he decides to drive South until his money runs out.  To put it mildly, it doesn't end well.
The story is less about the journey taken by Daddy and Happie and more about the way developed human societies frown upon the honest expression of emotion, and in the second story in the book - Sunflowers - this continues in the form of some thematic closure to what went before even if actual resolution for some character and story arcs never happens, not because of negligent writing but because that is not the story being told.
It ends far too soon and is highly recommended.

[Hawkmumbler]

Takashi Murakami's Stargazing Dog.  Pleasantly surprised to find this was printed in the left-to-right format as if it was aimed at someone other than manga elitists, but then the overly-literal translation, saccharine on-the-nose English dialogue ("we are all stargazing dogs") and poor proofing goes and lets the side down for what is an accessible and moving story: "Daddy" is a working class everyman whose life is ruined by the combination of a bad economy and estrangement from his family that eventually sees him homeless and living in his car with his dog Happie - who narrates the story - when he decides to drive South until his money runs out.  To put it mildly, it doesn't end well.
The story is less about the journey taken by Daddy and Happie and more about the way developed human societies frown upon the honest expression of emotion, and in the second story in the book - Sunflowers - this continues in the form of some thematic closure to what went before even if actual resolution for some character and story arcs never happens, not because of negligent writing but because that is not the story being told.
It ends far too soon and is highly recommended.

Boo on left to right but yay on Stargazing Dog.

[Professor Bear]

Manga was a breakout cultural phenomenon until companies started doing unflipped pages.  Just saying.

[Hawkmumbler]

Manga was a breakout cultural phenomenon until companies started doing unflipped pages.  Just saying.

Still the wrong way to read it mind. Imagine reading 2000AD from right to left. Horrible.

[Colin YNWA]

Half way through reading Gotham Central and bloody hell that is some good comics!

[Professor Bear]

Imagine reading 2000AD from right to left. Horrible.

That is what you're doing with translated manga - you're reading the text and artwork in opposing directions, and that is neither how you read comics or manga, nor is it how the author intended the work to be experienced.
Only cheap English translations of manga printed in the west read in such a manner.

[Hawkmumbler]

Reading manga is always right-to-left. Only way to do it, flipping the art work just looks wrong.