Whats everyone reading?

[Jimmy Baker's Assistant]

The Shadow Out of Time by Lovecraft & Culbard.

Superb, obviously.

[Hawkmumbler]

Batwoman: Hydrology

"Not bad" is selling it a bit short. Easily the highlight of the N52's first 2 year's for me. This J.H.Williams can draw a bit well. A bit to well.

[sheldipez]

Batwoman: Hydrology

"Not bad" is selling it a bit short. Easily the highlight of the N52's first 2 year's for me. This J.H.Williams can draw a bit well. A bit to well.

I love the way nearly every single page is a double page spread. Highly original stuff going on for mainstream DC comics.

[Dark Jimbo]

Not long finished Alan Moore's entire Swamp Thing run.

I'm glad I finally made time for this, and on balance it's a worthy read, but it's got to be the most flawed of all the Moore works I've yet read. The small-scale or self-contained stories are the best, when the series is dealing with its own mythology and supporting cast; the best issues of all are by far and away either the ones that deal with Swampy trying to work out the extent of his powers and coming to terms with what he is, or those that deal with Abby and Swampy's burgeoning relationship - a woman married to a walking vegetable is a pretty silly scenario on the face of it, but it makes for some utterly compelling stories and as a reader you really want it to end well for these guys. The famous 'psycedelic love sequence' in issue 34 was the first bit when you think 'Yep, now I'm reading an Alan Moore comic.'

Where the cycle falls down time and again is the need for it to be part of the DC universe, which weakens it at every turn; obviously I know who the likes of Superman and Batman are, and the Gotham arc works very well indeed because it's given plenty of time to breathe and develop. On the other hand I couldn't care less about the likes of Phantom Stranger or Green Lantern or Deadman or Adam Strange - 90% of whom I'd never even heard of previously - and the Crisis crossover is borderline unintelligible, despite Moore's best efforts to spin a relatively self-contained tale within the crossover. I was also surprised to find that the big climax of the much-lauded American Gothic arc was much less than the sum of its parts - the Brujera don't really make an impression as villians, and by that point Moore just seems a little bored of the storyline he started so many issues earlier. Probably no coincedence that the quality improves again immediately afterwards when we go back to stories of Swampy and Alex's relationship woes.

The art is... variable. There are some great swamp panoramas and Swampy himself always looks great, but the human characters can look very wonky at times. There's a scene set on the London Underground where it's obvious the artist has no idea what it looks like, and so he's just drawn an American subway instead; a Luftwaffe pilot who was apparently flying a wood-and-canvas biplane in 1944(!); various other small but annoying inconsistencies like that. The colouring is really bad, and I think actually makes things look worse than they otherwise might at times - the high contrast of black-and-white would really suit the delicate linework where the colours just stomp across it. It can also feel a bit dated in the way that other Moore comics written at the time - Vendetta, Watchmen, etc - simply don't. It's the only 80s-written Moore comic that feels like a product of the 80s - like Constantine being drawn early on to look like Sting (Sting? Really?)

Probably the one Moore comic I'd have reservations about recommending - although the best bits are as good as anything Moore has written.

[HdE]

Reading a bit of X force and some Straczynski Spiderman over here.

The former is very pretty, and quite gnarly, but three issues in, I feel like it has yet to get going properly.

The spidey stuff is in one of a MASSIVE bundle of Spidey books that one of my day job customers donated to me a while back. Long story. Family trouble. Not pleasant, by the sounds of things.

Anyhoo - I hear a lot of smack talked about JMS' Spiderman run circa 2001 onwards, but I'm really enjoying these stories. They're fun, with just the right amount of drama dialled in. 'You Want Pants With That' may just be the best superhero story I've read this year!

[Mabs]

Dark Entries

http://nexuswookie.wordpress.com/2013/06/16/dark-entries-graphic-novel-review/

[Basilisk]

Just now: ended Dredd's CCF2. Very nice, and entertaining. Two epics, one consequence of the 2nd epic, and two "filler" stories.

Goes better and better with time.

Let's see how CCF3 is. At least in plain sight, is the tinniest of the eight i have.

And the other day i've finished "The Right Stuff" from Tom Wolve. The nice book the movie with the same name is based on. Also cool stuff.

I was thinking of getting a hugue, nice chunk of Space stuff books, but i'm gonna get 2000ad stuff instead.

After CCF2, i'm gonna "eat" trough Atomic Robo 4. I have it from some days and too much time waiting before buying it.

[Hawkmumbler]

Batwoman: Hydrology

"Not bad" is selling it a bit short. Easily the highlight of the N52's first 2 year's for me. This J.H.Williams can draw a bit well. A bit to well.

I love the way nearly every single page is a double page spread. Highly original stuff going on for mainstream DC comics.

It's also a good remedy to Red Hood and the Outlaws for how women SHOULD be depicted in comics. Not a stileto or leather-nipple in sight. No over toning either.

[SuperSurfer]

I often go into comic shops and leave empty handed as nothing takes my interest. Then I usually say to myself: why am I looking for comics to buy when I have such a backlog of unread stuff.

So as part of my comics catch up effort, this week, I read Charley's War II and almost finished III, both of which I've had for a couple of years. (I forgot that so many episodes were reprinted in the Meg a few years ago and surprised that the reprints went beyound volume III.)

Never cease to be amazed at how good Charley's War is. Am also enjoying reading Pat Mills' comments in particular his instructions to ignore certain captions that were added by editorial. Some really chilling scenes [spoiler]such as the Germans executing British soldiers who were leaving a bunker at thirty second intervals and the fact that the soldiers were walking out, resigned to their fate[/spoiler].

This ranks alongside the best EC war comics.

When Titan originally collected Charley's War I was surprised as I had never heard of it and I wasn't tuned in to that kind of art. But now, with an older eye, I would say Joe Colquhoun is up there with the comic greats such as Kirby, Eisner, McMahon etc. Truly astounding art.

[sheldipez]

The spidey stuff is in one of a MASSIVE bundle of Spidey books that one of my day job customers donated to me a while back. Long story. Family trouble. Not pleasant, by the sounds of things.

I liked JMS run of Spidey; he obviously tried to keep it fresh. Where do you work to get massive bundles of comics donated? Can I work there?

[Skullmo]

"Judge Anderson: The PSI Files Volume 01" hit the doormat today. Just read episode 1 of "Four Dark Judges". Man, it's going to be good!

I am reading this at the moment too. And really enjoying it. Although having said that Triad was a bit much of a nothing (ohhh something evil is looming, oh . . .no it isn't) and Judge Corey seemed to come back form the dead for this story.

[Simon Beigh]

"Judge Anderson: The PSI Files Volume 01" hit the doormat today. Just read episode 1 of "Four Dark Judges". Man, it's going to be good!

I am reading this at the moment too. And really enjoying it. Although having said that Triad was a bit much of a nothing (ohhh something evil is looming, oh . . .no it isn't) and Judge Corey seemed to come back form the dead for this story.

Not got to that one yet. Finished "Four Dark Judges" and that didn't disappoint. I skipped on to "The Screaming Skull" (because I just bought a page from that) and it was short, but with a nice twist I didn't see coming. "Engram" is supposed to be a top piece of Roach artwork, so I may go on to that next...

But, yeah, like Skullmo says, enjoying it and would recommend to others. Particularly if you have waded through the first 10 or so Dredd Case Files and want something a bit different to try, but still in the same universe.

[Basilisk]

I'm just ended, and enjoyed quite a lot Atomic Robo vol.4. So much fun, humour, action and adventure... the Dr. Dinosaur character is the best of the trade. I love him.

Or the Manga and japanese cinema references... good one.

I can't reccomend this series quite enough.

[Skullmo]

"Judge Anderson: The PSI Files Volume 01" hit the doormat today. Just read episode 1 of "Four Dark Judges". Man, it's going to be good!

I am reading this at the moment too. And really enjoying it. Although having said that Triad was a bit much of a nothing (ohhh something evil is looming, oh . . .no it isn't) and Judge Corey seemed to come back form the dead for this story.

Not got to that one yet. Finished "Four Dark Judges" and that didn't disappoint. I skipped on to "The Screaming Skull" (because I just bought a page from that) and it was short, but with a nice twist I didn't see coming. "Engram" is supposed to be a top piece of Roach artwork, so I may go on to that next...

But, yeah, like Skullmo says, enjoying it and would recommend to others. Particularly if you have waded through the first 10 or so Dredd Case Files and want something a bit different to try, but still in the same universe.

Yes it is a definite recommend. I have bought the following 2 books as well (even though I know some of the stories are a bit uffy).

I have just bought the complete run of Grant Morrison Doom Patrol. I read the Filth, Flex Mentallo and Invisibles last year and really enjoyed them all. I have high hopes for this series.

[I, Cosh]

Not got to that one yet. Finished "Four Dark Judges" and that didn't disappoint. I skipped on to "The Screaming Skull" (because I just bought a page from that) and it was short, but with a nice twist I didn't see coming. "Engram" is supposed to be a top piece of Roach artwork, so I may go on to that next...

Each to his own, but I find this a very odd way to approach that collection. It's not exactly continuity heavy, but there are some loose strands running through the stories which gradually evolve as it progresses. On the other hand, Shamballa isn't even in it so do what you like!