New Comic Book Day Megathread

[TordelBack]

I bought an american comic today! Me!  It's been a while...

That comic was Sandman Overture #1 Expanded Waffle Edition.  I'm a fan of Sandman and had a very enjoyable re-read over the summer in preparation for this, really only being disappointed by Endless Nights and maybe some of the Death spin-off stuff.

So.  Hmmmmm.

Art is as truly ace as you would expect, and I'm really glad I got the funky B&W edition with transparent speech bubbles and notes (it means I can get the trade with a clear conscience at a later stage - cunning, eh?). 

The story... well, the story is also exactly as you would expect.  It could be an issue you missed from any part of the original run, most likely somewhere between Season of Mists and Brief Lives. And this is a bit of a problem. 

SPOILERS FOLLOW

For a first issue, there's just far too much that is familiar and fill-in-the-gaps in nature: the Corinthian being defiant in the waking world; Lucien and Merv having parallel conversations until they are interrupted by Events; Death and Destiny having enigmatic chats; dreaming flunkies as PoV characters; Dream preparing for a battle he may not return from etc.  I'd like something less comfortable and more new: the only really new bit, the [spoiler]Parliament of Trees/Green Lantern Corps/12 Doctors [/spoiler]reveal is beautifully drawn, but well, not very surprising either. A lot of what made Sandman so good was its powerful originality - where it faded a bit for me was where it fell back on a series of short snippets of already established characters for the later stories.  And this feels like that.

So far.

This is just the first part, and we may have put all the familiar stuff behind us as we investigate who [spoiler]is killing Watchmen Sandmen[/spoiler]. I hope so.  I love all the trimmings in this special edition, and I reckon I'll try to keep to this format throughout.

[PreacherCain]

Really liking Hinterkind. It reminds of a longform 2000AD story. Lovely art, great characters and the story cracks along at a nice pace.

Also enjoying Rat Queens from Image. Pretty Deadly has some nice art but don't think the story is grabbing me all that much.

[Mabs]

Nice to see you on here PreacherCain - It's been a while! 

[Hawkmumbler]

Weekly Shonen Jump got 'rebooted' this week. So now it's onto 2.1 and i'm still not sure if I like Seraph of the End or not. Bleach and Toriko where the shit this week though. Possibly the two best comics I read all week period.

[IronGraham]

yeah Shonen Jump do that every year also Sereph is aweful just nothing good about it. Neisekoi was hilarious more of this please

[Hawkmumbler]

Nisekoi has actually been quite enjoyable the last couple of weeks. If they dropped the harem aspect, pumped up the love triangle (Chitoge, Raku and Onodera) and kept the comedy as consistent as it has been recently then I wouldn't half mind it.

Seraph of the End has great art work but a stupidly inconsistent pace and unlikeable characters.

[IronGraham]

I don't like Sereph art find it kinda generic and in the first chapter i thought it was just cause he couldn't draw kids

[PreacherCain]

Nice to see you on here PreacherCain - It's been a while! 

Oh I'm always lurking in the shadows, just not much time to post these days 

[The Adventurer]

I think I forgot to do this last week... oops.

My digital pulls for 12/11/13

2000AD PROG 2014 - Super hyped about the big December bumper Prog. 100 pages of Thrillpower. You really can't go wrong. With the new year I'll be discontinuing my 2000AD app subscription and start buying the prog via 2000AD Digital Shop. If only so I get the CBR version over PDF.
ASTRO CITY 7 - This is the start of a big arc featuring Winged Victory. Astro City has been pretty great, one of the best of 2013.
INVINCIBLE 107 - It feels like the gap between new issues of this seems longer and longer. I swear this reached issue 100 BEFORE Walking Dead did. wtf!
MEGA MAN 32 - Current arc has been pretty good. Fighting robots have never been so entertaining.
SHAOLIN COWBOY 3 - I really didn't care for issue 2, artistically impressive. But sooooooo repetitive.
STAR WARS 12 - Last issue was a great bit of space combat, that unfortunately ended a little too quickly.
THE WALKING DEAD 118 - War arc is shaping up pretty well. I'm on board.
WWE 1 - I... don't think I'm actually going get this. I've recently become a fan of Pro Wrestling (don't... don't ask...) and I just happened to spot this in Previews and added it to my pulls. Its written by Mick Folley (Mankind) though, and he's a pretty cool cat.
WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP 2 - Oh man, got a good line-up this issue after a few thinner ones. Toriko, One-Piece, Blue Exorcist, World Trigger, and of course ONE-PUNCH MAN.

[Link Prime]

Batman (Snyder & Capullo keep me coming back for more)

Don't take my word for it; issue 13 (1st part of 'Death of the Family') is free on Comixology today only.
A good read.

[Hawkmumbler]

One Punch-Man resumes where it left of two months ago. Hopefully as we head to the new year the fantastic quality will be maintained.

World Trigger seem's to be heading in the right direction again and a very promising direction it is to with the Neighbourhood open to exploration and four nations to reveal themselves. Might just be the kick the series needed.

Toriko was a little tawky, and i'm uncertain who a few of the characters are. Seem's an order of the early collections is required.

Bleach had some amazing panels this week. I can't get enough of Kubo's art at the moment. Just amazing. Naruto continues to exist...

Nisokoi was a step back words from last week but wasn't awful either.

Blue Exorcist is great. Lovely art and a solid story. I think i'll have to start at the beginning with this one as well.

One Piece juste exploded this week and was possibly the highlight of the week for me. Just sheer madness!

[Link Prime]

An early post for next Wednesday's delivery, but after reading Midtown's listings I cant help it;

Apart from some other IDW goodies due our way next week (like the final issue of the superb Mars Attacks Judge Dredd and the latest Transformers Regeneration One) there's also the small matter of the very last issue of Locke & Key (Locke & Key: Omega number 2).

This series will be sorely missed- I'd rank it up with the very best 2000AD, Vertigo, Image, Marvel or DC stories I've ever read.

Luckily Prog 2014 is out this week, as it would have been superseded for the first time ever if I was picking it up next week.

[Judge Brian]

An early post for next Wednesday's delivery, but after reading Midtown's listings I cant help it;

Apart from some other IDW goodies due our way next week (like the final issue of the superb Mars Attacks Judge Dredd and the latest Transformers Regeneration One) there's also the small matter of the very last issue of Locke & Key (Locke & Key: Omega number 2).

This series will be sorely missed- I'd rank it up with the very best 2000AD, Vertigo, Image, Marvel or DC stories I've ever read.

Luckily Prog 2014 is out this week, as it would have been superseded for the first time ever if I was picking it up next week.

Locke & Key is the best finite comic series I've ever read. I can't recommend it enough.

[Link Prime]

Locke & Key is the best finite comic series I've ever read. I can't recommend it enough.

Welcome to the Council of Five Judge Brian.

[Hawkmumbler]

Recent TPB pick up's....

Lone Wolf and Cub Omnibus 1
Saga vol. 1
D.Gray-Man vol. 4-6
Shade: The Changing Man - American Scream
Doctor Who: The Chains of Olympus and Hunters of the Burning Stone