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New Comic Book Day Megathread

Started by The Adventurer, 08 March, 2012, 09:36:36 AM

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Colin YNWA

Haul of two halves really. First half isn't as good as the higher numbers show sometimes when you are into a series the quality can ebb and flo.

I've mentioned Criminal 6 below and will say no more here. Two decent if not stella James Bonds James Bond 9 and James Bond Origins 11 I think both these series will hang together well on re-read.

Assassin Nation 5 will likewise hopefully shine on re-read. Kyle Starks is the writer of some of my favourite comics of the last couple of year so the fact that I'm not sure here is hopefully a phase.

Best of this half is Immortal Hulk 21 one of this series absolute highs, loved this examination of Fortean. The art form Ryan Bodenheim is sublime I have to say.

Half time break set up the second half with a one shot Giant Size X-Statix 1 and I was when I saw this one was coming. The result is pretty good and feels very much like a set up for the final page annoucement for X-Cellent 1 a new series by Milligan and Allred coming in 2020. Now this was excellent news indeed!

The second half is all about firsts and they are ALL doozes. I've talked about Ragnarok 1 elsewhere and its a delight to have Walt Simonson's brilliant series back and it certainly starts with a bang as we get development and a summary of Ragnarok itself. Brilliant.

As is Black Hammer Justice League 1 which masterfully weaves to very different, but similar worlds together with great ingenuity. Think this one will be a blast.

All these second half firsts burst onto the pitch with a zeal and energy that might be hard to maintain as time goes on, but is a wonder to behold, but no more so than the TWO, yes TWO best of the hauls. Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen 1 by Fraction and Lieber is just impossibly good fun. Its a glorious counterpoint to the FAR more grounded Lois Lane, but I'm very happy that both exist but this one is such smart fun.

Second Coming 1
is cruelly funny and just brilliant (now many times have I said that?). If man is cast in God's own image that must mean God is... well a bit of a grumpy old man and its from here we get the tone of the piece. God's grumpy, Sunstar a superman analogue, is a bit upperty and insensitive and poor old JC just isn't quite ready for the job at hand for all his good intentions. This comic is simply hilarious and fuss and nonsense that surrounds it aside just buy it cos its very, very good.

Frank

Quote from: Colin YNWA on 22 July, 2019, 09:27:09 PM
Second Coming 1 is cruelly funny and just brilliant (now many times have I said that?). If man is cast in God's own image that must mean God is... well a bit of a grumpy old man and its from here we get the tone of the piece. God's grumpy, Sunstar a superman analogue, is a bit upperty and insensitive and poor old JC just isn't quite ready for the job at hand for all his good intentions. This comic is simply hilarious and fuss and nonsense that surrounds it aside just buy it cos its very, very good.

The Mark Russell book that was cancelled by Vertigo (deceased)? I vowed to get that on principle but I'm crap at keeping up with release schedules.

Thank you for this genuinely valuable news service  (link)



Colin YNWA

Second Coming certainly had a very interesting gestation. DC let it go after a brouhaha kicked up from the christian right because you know God, Jesus and superheroes = automatically bad. Damn actually waiting to read it. So it got slammed which put DC in a post Bat dong quaundry before its realise.

Everyone felt the best way out was to take it elsewhere. as it was creator owned and so the talented Mark Russell (And Richard Pace also talented, but Mark Russell really is something else) took it to Ahoy who have lapped it up.

While each to their own, don't buy it as a reaction to a nonsense fuss it coursed without it being was read, for reasons other than knowledge of its content, just buy it cos it a damned good comic and make up your mind from there.

Colin YNWA

Interesting haul. There's been a few number 1s lately so that means this considerable haul has a lot of number 2s (oh calm down) and the second issue can be a tricky beast.

Weather Man Vol. 2 2 is pretty good. The nature of this book has shifted from the intriguing question asked in the first volume into a more horror inspired action piece... which probably just means I'm not getting what this is doing. Still its a fun read and when I get to a re-read I suspect will pull together fine.

Lois Lane 2 is so earnst in its message, its such an interesting contrast to its partner Jimmy Olsen - deliberately - good but not 100% sure I'm actually enjoying it!

Black Hammer Justise League 2 is beautiful, smart and immense fun. So Flash = Black Hammer then.... interesting...

Second Coming 2 continues as you where, and see Black Hammer Justice League above. This one will all hang on how it develops, but its doing what its doing really well.

Lazarus Risen 2 - the second of these new format books for this series. They are lovely products BUT. Well Greg Rucka (see Lois Lane) is really earnst. This comic I do really enjoy but the new format is a little worrying. The comparisons between this and Dante are there large - I mean Forever has even cut her hair during Tsar... I mean Family War.

The new format gives the story plenty of room to breathe, Possibly too much however. The telling feels indulgent and I'm not sure adds too much. In this issue there is a wonderfully executed 25 page fight sequence at the start - which starts resolving the cliffhanger from 3 months ago with a very tried and annoying "oh you know I looked broken and beaten well I wasn't and I'm fine and can fight perfectly" which was frankly a real groan. Now this is all very exciting and really does give Rucka and Lark the space to tell their tale in a different way. This is a 25 page fight sequence with about 2 or 3 pages of character work thrown in.

Reading Dante Tsar War at the same time makes you realise quite how this is the 6 page sequence between Dante and Jena which was done in about 6 pages and I would say done with more power and impact in Dante. Now of course we need and should embrace comics told in different ways, with different pacing. This does expose my nagging belief that while this is still a good comic rather than using its space and room to good effect its becoming a little too flabby and indulgent.

We'll see.

So Immortal Hulk 22 doubles down on its 2ness and is fine, not as strong as some issues of late.

As well as number 2s we get a couple of number 1s Coffin Bound 1 has been getting a LOT of attention lately and is already on a 3rd print I believe. By Brad Simpson (?) and Dani of these pastures its ... okay... its possibly the most Vertigo comic ever in a post Vertigo word and needs to calm down a little and stop trying quite so hard to be otherworldly. As alas it leaves me with very little sense of its world and characters. We'll see how this develops. History of the Marvel Universe 1 does just what it should packs in loads of facts and stuff in a dense retelling by Mark Waid and Javier Rodriguez pulling an absolute shift drawing ALLTHISSTUFF. I used to love this type of thing, lets see if I still do?

We also get three ending. Dick Tracy Forever 4 finishes this time trotting adventure with its typical panashe and style. James Bond Origin 12 finishes this series (I assume nothing tells you any more, even the last comic itself!) with a bit of a squib of the damp kind.

The biggie is Paper Girls 30 which fills its double sized pages with romance of the past the way this series has. I think this is amazingly effective... but I won't know until re-read alas.

Finally we get some regular comics. Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur 45 has another decent one-shot as this series - I think (back to nothing saying its ending anymore) - fills space a little to squeeze out one more trade. The Goon 5 is a fill-in while we wait for The Goon 4 (no really) its pretty good fun.

Some hauls I struggle to pick a book of the haul as so much is just brilliant. This haul nothing quite gets to that standard so I'm skipping naming the best.

Apestrife

Faithless #5 by Brian Azzarello and Maria Llovet continues being a really cool and sexy little horror story. Doesn't move the plot forward as much as the earlier issues have but it seems like it sets up the ending (the series ending with #6) with the return of a certain character.

Superman year one #2 First issue was a bit slow but this one does more with the added page count. Clark becomes a navy seal and then falls in love with a mermaid (whom he frees from her father Posedion). Sadly it's nowhere as mad as I'd hoped it would be. I can't help wish Miller would'v brought Grant Morrison aboard on this book, similarly as he did with Azzarello on DK3. I think that would'v been great. But it's okay enough I guess, and I'd like to see how things end.

Link Prime

Picked up Transformers '84 issue 0 this week.
Simon Furman (and artist Guido Guidi) seamlessly recreate that classic era beloved by nerds of a certain vintage.
I'm surprised at how much I still dig this stuff, seems to go beyond simple nostalgia, at least for me.
Disappointing that it's just a one-off, if IDW editorial had any sense there'd be an ongoing series by Furman set in this continuity.

One minor complaint - would have liked to see some inks by the extraordinary Stephen Baskerville.

Hawkmumbler

I'll be damned if '84 is't leading up to the return of [spoiler]Lord Straxus of Darkmount[/spoiler]. Furman you clever boy you!

The Adventurer

It's kinda weird Transformers 84/Regeneration One both have 0 issues now.

THIS SPACE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

Proudhuff

Quote from: Frank on 21 July, 2019, 01:23:37 PM
Quote from: Proudhuff on 11 October, 2018, 12:50:08 PM
A visit to FP yesterday left me empty handed... so splashed out on a GN:



Which won the Best Original Novel Eisner Award

Because of an often misplaced trust in the wisdom of crowds and respect for authority, I'm the kind of consumer who feels the need to experience music, films and books if they're either very popular or win awards. I know Phillips, of course, but I haven't read any of his other work with Brubaker.

Technically, this is very well put together. Phillips' spare, elegant line is complemented by similarly economic soft pastels that leave lots of white space open to reflect the pure light and airiness of dayrooms in expensive private retreats and windblown Northern beaches.

Brubaker handles the central trick of the narrative* well enough, even if the James Gunn gambit of a middle-aged creator gifting their character anachronistic taste in music with which the creator has a facility and emotional connection doesn't work quite as well when the character's a teenage girl**

It's very talky, though. Not so much for the reader, but it makes me wonder what Phillips is getting out of work like this - apart from a stellar career and glittering prizes, obviously. There's one scene where the endless talking heads give way to a Van Gogh sunset and it's like an explosion in terms of the rhythm your eye settles into when scanning the pages.

If Phillips is sacrificing his ego for the sake of the story and atmosphere he and Brubaker have created, that's admirable, but he must look back at Danzig's Inferno and think it'd be nice to stretch his legs once in a while. I love US indie confessional comics where writer-artists tell personal stories where nothing Earth-shattering happens, but this felt more like someone discussing themes they've thought a lot about.





* The old Future Shock conceit of characters apparently [spoiler]sharing their thoughts with you on one topic while actually describing another[/spoiler]

** She even has a cassette mix-tape from her mom and a Walkman. You'd be embarrassed to lift a narrative device so completely, wouldn't you?


As a relative newbie to the  Brubaker and Phillips Show, the Fade Out being my first real sampling of their wares, I'm looking forward to exploring their back catalogue and possibly listening to /meeting them at The Lakes Comic Art Con... 
DDT did a job on me

Colin YNWA

Only a small un but its fun.

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen 2 isn't quite as good as 1 but its still a hoot.

James Bond 10 is a magnificent episode in this saga as MI6 tries to repair the damage done to James and co, while determining if they can still be of use... the answer is a little unclear. Art is a little wonky but great story.

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur 46 starts this series last story (I think) a two parter co-starring Mister Fantastic. As with all Marvel team-ups this starts with a scrap and but this one is just joyous as egos and intellectual children clash.

History of the Marvel Universe 2 continues to be exactly what it should be and it seems I do still enjoy this type of thing.

The Weather Man vol. 2 3 sees this book going back to the themes it does best and is a man guilty of the sins of his body (and its chemistry?) great part and nice to have this back in top form.

It could have been book of the haul but when a haul has a comics as fantastic as The Goon 4 (after issue 5 numbers schumbers) what else can it be but this. Glorious comic.

Greg M.

Quote from: Colin YNWA on 01 September, 2019, 09:07:58 PM
Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen 2 isn't quite as good as 1 but its still a hoot.

I either read the first one and thought it was really good, or I read a review of the first one, and thought it sounded really good, and now I can't remember which. Oh well, thanks for the reminder this exists!

Colin YNWA

A haul so small you'd almost miss it. Which would be a shame as its very good.

Lois Lane 3 has a nice little character piece about what its to be Lois Lane ace reporter and Lois Lane Superman's beloved. It also has a wonderfully icky ending!

Immortal Hulk 23 has more gross out horror and smartness

The Goon 6 while not a Eric Powell art issue is still fantastic. The art by Brett Parson's is very strong and the build up of threat weived into the humour is just great.

Book of the mini haul is though none of these fine things. Its Power Pack - Grow Up. I love Louise Simonsons and June Brigman's run on Power Pack and this picks up the tone and fine character work of that classic. Okay ots cute bit its bloomin' brilliant cute.

Colin YNWA

Wow has it really been a month since I last went to my nerd shop. Well it would seem so and hence where last time was small might have been barely noticed slipping in, even if it brought joy. This time is long and full and I'll be bangin' on for rages I'm afraid, before we get to the climax of all this.

Interestingly I'm picking up a number of Marvel comics in the coming months. I doubt many will last long (might though - see the end of this post for what I know) either on my list or as a series, but its going to be fun to dip back into the mainest of mainstream. First off then Agents of Wakanda 1, doubt this one will get past 6 issues, but picked it up as it has two of my all time favs, Wasp and Ka-Zar... just goes to show it takes more than characters I love these days ...

Lois Lane 4 is kinda interesting, its so steady and I'm not yet quite sure what this series is trying to do. Immortal Hulk 24 starts to really pull things together... which leaves me feeling I need to re-read to get more out of this.

History of the Marvel Universe 3 is functional, James Bond 007 11 perfectly well sets up its ending and Coffin Bound 2 has me warming to this intriguing (well its really trying to be anyway) series more.

Jimmy Olsen 3 is a wonderfully curious beast with snippets building a whole, not 100% successful but good its trying. As is Copra 1 first go at this title and boy does it drop you straight in (as it admits) - can't read the catch up material as I have previous issues on my too read list. Good but carries too much weight for a first issue, still pulled me in really well.

Black Hammer Justise League 3 is really good... but as we'll see there's better Black Hammer out there... but we're really building to some magnificent stuff now. The Weather Man 4 is great and building this current story really really well. As does Second Coming 3 Mark Russell is a genius and you should read this. Still its not in the book of the haul shortlist ... why, well...

...well cos Grendel - Devil's Odyssey 1 starts that and its quite, quite brilliant - but can't get Book of the Haul as I've talked about it elsewhere already.

Ragnarok - Breaking of Helheim 2 has another master of the craft at the top of his game, but that's not getting it either.... why...

...well cos I'm a sentimental old goat and if I'm going to splash my nerdgoo over anything this haul its going to be two comics that end this month after giving me the most glorious of time over a long time. Firstly and fittingly not book of the Haul is Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur 47... lets just say that again Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur 47, 4 fuckin' 7, that's Moon Girl and Devil chuffin' Dinosaur 47. Marvel comics don't do that anymore, even popular ones, let along a new character backed up by a relatively obsure piece of Jack Kirby genius. Its a massive tribute to someone or something that this book has got to 47. Its fitting that its not book of the haul as to be honest its been inconsistant and fun though this is this final issue isn't the best. Its fun, its irrevertant in its way, but its not as brilliant as this series has been at its best.

So that of course leaves a comic that's finishing which has been consistantly brilliant. Black Hammer - Age of Doom 12 ends the core story of this quite superb story after 24 issues. There's also been some brilliant spin of stuff and more to come apparently. But this core series a loving tribute to superheroes, story and hopes finishes in a perfectly fitting, gloriously low key way. Its just brilliant. Brilliant.

Black Hammer is dead, long live The World of Black Hammer.

GordyM

John Carpenter's Joker: Year of the Villain is... interesting.

SPOILER ALERT!

SPOILER ALERT!

SPOILER ALERT!

Adding an S&M kink to the Joker/Batman relationship just doesn't work for me. The idea that the Joker does what he does because it gets him off comes across as puerile rather than taking it to a dark new place.
Check out my new comic Supermom: Expecting Trouble and see how a pregnant superhero tries to deal with the fact that the baby's father is her archnemesis. Free preview pack including 12 pages of art: http://www.mediafire.com/file/57986rnlgk0itfz/Supermom_Preview_Pack.pdf/file

Hawkmumbler

Besides being yet another grossly archaic depiction of S&M, that sounds like something Uncle Pat would write in Marshal Law rather than something at DC would actually think alright to publish.