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Post by thwhtguardian on Apr 20, 2021 17:35:14 GMT -5
Back issues on this are nuts(I've actually flipped a few  ), but the story has been pretty solid. I'd say just go with the trades. I actually went back and started looking through the comments in off the racks over the past few years. Sounds like it languishes a bit once I'm a bit farther in. I'm going to continue to read it in a way which shall not be named and, if I continue to enjoy it, I'll buy up the run in pieces as my budget allows, probably doing a few 2nd, 3rd, and 4th printings. I try not to buy trades unless it enhances the reading experience or is something I truly cannot obtain as a floppy, and as you noted in another thread, Marvel trades have a really bad rep these days. It definitely has its share of peaks and valleys and is very uneven in the middle but over all, barring a terrible ending, I'd definitely say its one of my favorite runs on the Hulk of all time. |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Apr 21, 2021 7:13:13 GMT -5
I actually went back and started looking through the comments in off the racks over the past few years. Sounds like it languishes a bit once I'm a bit farther in. I'm going to continue to read it in a way which shall not be named and, if I continue to enjoy it, I'll buy up the run in pieces as my budget allows, probably doing a few 2nd, 3rd, and 4th printings. I try not to buy trades unless it enhances the reading experience or is something I truly cannot obtain as a floppy, and as you noted in another thread, Marvel trades have a really bad rep these days. It definitely has its share of peaks and valleys and is very uneven in the middle but over all, barring a terrible ending, I'd definitely say its one of my favorite runs on the Hulk of all time. That's some serious praise! My big goal for this year was to assemble and read the Peter David run. I feel like this one is spoiling so much of that one for me, but I just can't stop. I have mild ADHD and usually can't get through an issue without counting how many pages are left, but I lose all sense of time reading this one. It's amazing. I've been reading in every free moment I've gotten (which isn't much) and have covered fourteen issues in the last two days. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Apr 21, 2021 7:32:34 GMT -5
It definitely has its share of peaks and valleys and is very uneven in the middle but over all, barring a terrible ending, I'd definitely say its one of my favorite runs on the Hulk of all time. That's some serious praise! My big goal for this year was to assemble and read the Peter David run. I feel like this one is spoiling so much of that one for me, but I just can't stop. I have mild ADHD and usually can't get through an issue without counting how many pages are left, but I lose all sense of time reading this one. It's amazing. I've been reading in every free moment I've gotten (which isn't much) and have covered fourteen issues in the last two days. I think part of why I love the run so much has to do with how well it develops the ideas and psychology that David originally introduced to the Hulk's story and takes them in places I never would have imagined. With the character being nearly fifty years old you kind of have to figure that nearly every story you could conceivably tell with the Hulk has already been told to some extent so finding newish stories to tell is going to come down recycling, rearranging or polishing older plot elements and Ewing does a really fantastic job of doing just that. |
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,871
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Post by shaxper on Apr 21, 2021 12:08:31 GMT -5
That's some serious praise! My big goal for this year was to assemble and read the Peter David run. I feel like this one is spoiling so much of that one for me, but I just can't stop. I have mild ADHD and usually can't get through an issue without counting how many pages are left, but I lose all sense of time reading this one. It's amazing. I've been reading in every free moment I've gotten (which isn't much) and have covered fourteen issues in the last two days. I think part of why I love the run so much has to do with how well it develops the ideas and psychology that David originally introduced to the Hulk's story and takes them in places I never would have imagined. With the character being nearly fifty years old you kind of have to figure that nearly every story you could conceivably tell with the Hulk has already been told to some extent so finding newish stories to tell is going to come down recycling, rearranging or polishing older plot elements and Ewing does a really fantastic job of doing just that. Thus far, I love the pacing, I love the art, and I love the characterizations, but I'm starting to notice two recurring things that I definitely do not like: 1. Ewing's need to end every single issue on a dramatic cliffhanger intended to make the fanboys salivate. It's tacky. 2. Ewing often doesn't know what he's talking about. He feels a little Grant Morrisson-lite, quoting from famous works and attempting to tie tidbits of what is happening into that stuff, but his ignorance shows in too many places. I first noticed it when he was discussing the Kabballah and attempted to tie Satan into it. The Kaballah is the product of Jewish mysticism, and Satan plays the most insignificant of roles in Jewish scripture. He's not the big bad guy until the New Testament. Sure, Ewing goes on to talk about the Book of Job a whole lot (really, the one place where Satan gets a big role in the Old Testament), but it becomes pretty clear that's the only Old Testament scripture he knows. More generally, there really aren't satisfactory explanations for much of what happens, and chalking it up to Gamma Radiation Magic is too easy/lazy. Not only can't the Hulk die, but apparently his Gamma magic can do anything, even bring other people he cares about back from the dead and make his father an agent of the Devil, somehow. Green door, yo. That's all the explanation you need. I back-tracked to issue #1 because issue #41 left me with so many questions. Eighteen issues later, I've seen all these things I was confused about happen, and I still have no real answers. Why does the Hulk transform like that now? Why does he get scrawny whenever he is seriously injured? Where did Bruce Banner go, and why is Joe Fix-it in charge. Ewing repeatedly has characters blatantly tell us there are no rules (so we should just sit back and shut off our brains), and I find that frustrating in a series that quotes Camus and Jung, amongst others. But when these two things aren't pissing me off, Ewing's characterization, Bennett's art, and the pacing they accomplish together is amazing. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Apr 21, 2021 18:03:26 GMT -5
I think part of why I love the run so much has to do with how well it develops the ideas and psychology that David originally introduced to the Hulk's story and takes them in places I never would have imagined. With the character being nearly fifty years old you kind of have to figure that nearly every story you could conceivably tell with the Hulk has already been told to some extent so finding newish stories to tell is going to come down recycling, rearranging or polishing older plot elements and Ewing does a really fantastic job of doing just that. Thus far, I love the pacing, I love the art, and I love the characterizations, but I'm starting to notice two recurring things that I definitely do not like: 1. Ewing's need to end every single issue on a dramatic cliffhanger intended to make the fanboys salivate. It's tacky. 2. Ewing often doesn't know what he's talking about. He feels a little Grant Morrisson-lite, quoting from famous works and attempting to tie tidbits of what is happening into that stuff, but his ignorance shows in too many places. I first noticed it when he was discussing the Kabballah and attempted to tie Satan into it. The Kaballah is the product of Jewish mysticism, and Satan plays the most insignificant of roles in Jewish scripture. He's not the big bad guy until the New Testament. Sure, Ewing goes on to talk about the Book of Job a whole lot (really, the one place where Satan gets a big role in the Old Testament), but it becomes pretty clear that's the only Old Testament scripture he knows. More generally, there really aren't satisfactory explanations for much of what happens, and chalking it up to Gamma Radiation Magic is too easy/lazy. Not only can't the Hulk die, but apparently his Gamma magic can do anything, even bring other people he cares about back from the dead and make his father an agent of the Devil, somehow. Green door, yo. That's all the explanation you need. I back-tracked to issue #1 because issue #41 left me with so many questions. Eighteen issues later, I've seen all these things I was confused about happen, and I still have no real answers. Why does the Hulk transform like that now? Why does he get scrawny whenever he is seriously injured? Where did Bruce Banner go, and why is Joe Fix-it in charge. Ewing repeatedly has characters blatantly tell us there are no rules (so we should just sit back and shut off our brains), and I find that frustrating in a series that quotes Camus and Jung, amongst others. But when these two things aren't pissing me off, Ewing's characterization, Bennett's art, and the pacing they accomplish together is amazing. Morrison-Lite is definitely a good way of putting it, he likes toying with seemingly big ideas but doesn't often incorporate them properly or finish what he started saying. It's one of my few fears for the book, we're pretty close to the end but so much about the purpose of the green door and how or why it works the way it does has yet to be explored so the ending could be a mess. As for scrawny Hulk that's how just Bennett has chosen to portray the Hulk when he's low on Gamma whether after a creature has leeched it from him or he's used up a lot healing himself after a near death or death experience. The Joe Fix-It persona comes out when he's attacked at gamma base by a solar weapon, as the Hulk can only come out at night it puts Banner in danger so Joe Fix-It comes out as Banner to get around that and get them out of danger. Joe's now in charge in the recent issues because the Leader/One Below/ Satan kidnapped Banner from his own mindscape so now all that's left is Joe and the original savage Hulk persona who's not at his best because he feels lost with out Banner. It sound a little complicated but it's all played out pretty straight forward when you get to it latter on. |
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Post by majestic on Apr 22, 2021 19:10:22 GMT -5
INVINCIBLE Written by Robert Kirkman. Art by Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley.
A series I passed on years ago when it came out. After watching the Amazon TV series I have gone back and started buying the trades. I just finished the first 2 trades collecting #1-8.
I like how the TV stays close to the source material. So far this has been a fun ride. The comic is less graphic than the TV show. I will be excited to get beyond the TV show storylines and see where this title goes. I like the idea that there is a finite ending. I plan on buying 2 trades a month so it will take me a year to read all 25 trades.
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Post by Duragizer on Apr 27, 2021 1:35:42 GMT -5
Supergirl: Being Super #1-4     First two issues were fairly decent; the cracks started showing in the third; the fourth issue was a complete misfire. In the end, just an unimaginative and unnecessary reimagining bolstered by good art. 5/10
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Post by brutalis on May 1, 2021 17:18:22 GMT -5
With all the talk over Immortal Hulk my curiosity is strong. So I made a deal for trading off some Pop figures gifted to me that I could really care less about from a friend. Met up this morning. Exchanging 4 figures going for about $60 total and in return exchanging the 3 Panini Immortal Hulk omnibus which totals about $90 from what I can see price wise on the internet.
A fair trade to me, my other buddy gets himself
some collectable Pop's, which he is addicted to that I don't want and I get some NEW modern comic reading to enjoy that he has already read through. Win Win for us both.
Already devoured the 1st 7 issues. I already knew going in from reviews about the more dark/horrific storyline and the few panels/pages seen that Bennett was knocking the art out of the ballpark. So I expected to enjoy this current version and it was confirmed by how quickly I lost myself for a few hours reading these first issues.
Incredible just doesn't say enough. This is truly becoming a classic without having to wait 10 years to officially calling it that. Cannot wait to continue reading but I made myself stop to let it all soak in and swirl around in my brain awhile. Literally I went back and just looked on the issues without reading and let the visual spectacle and wash over me. This ain't no regular Hulk experience that's for sure!
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Post by The Cheat on May 2, 2021 13:24:41 GMT -5
I've found Immortal Hulk a mixed bag, but generally more good than bad. I absolutely hate the whole "Hulk is actually a force of nature and Banner is just the latest host" thing though.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 6, 2021 12:22:20 GMT -5
Finished a re-read of Brubaker and Phillips' Fatale, which doesn't quite qualify as classic yet. I hadn't read this since the initial trades came out and I have to say that I liked it a lot better this time around. The combo of noir and Lovecraftian horror didn't really ring my bell initially but I definitely dug it this time around and the book moved above Kill or Be Killed in my ranking of Brubaker/Phillips works (keeping in mind it's been well over a decade since I've read Sleeper or Incognito).
Also read Sara by Garth Ennis and Steve Epting. This was one of the initial books by TKO Studios and they came out with a bang. I'm a huge fan of both creators and combining them on a war comic about female Russian snipers during World War II is big Hell Yeah for me.
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2021 12:36:08 GMT -5
Finished a re-read of Brubaker and Phillips' Fatale, which doesn't quite qualify as classic yet. I hadn't read this since the initial trades came out and I have to say that I liked it a lot better this time around. The combo of noir and Lovecraftian horror didn't really ring my bell initially but I definitely dug it this time around and the book moved above Kill or Be Killed in my ranking of Brubaker/Phillips works (keeping in mind it's been well over a decade since I've read Sleeper or Incognito). Also read Sara by Garth Ennis and Steve Epting. This was one of the initial books by TKO Studios and they came out with a bang. I'm a huge fan of both creators and combining them on a war comic about female Russian snipers during World War II is big Hell Yeah for me. Sara has been on my radar since I saw it available on hoopla a couple months back, but I haven't gotten to it yet. -M |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 10, 2021 16:28:48 GMT -5
I finished a re-read of Mark Russell and Steve Pugh's Flintstones. I hadn't read it since the issues came out, so closing in on five years. While I still think that Snagglepuss is just a tad more powerful, this is such an amazing comic. One of the things that struck me a bit more this time around is how strong some of the peripheral characters are (or maybe I just forgot). Having a little elephant vacuum cleaner and a armadillo bowling ball give you all the feels is just an amazing feat.  |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 14, 2021 12:51:45 GMT -5
Finished reading the complete run of Baltimore. Overall I liked it quite a bit, even considering it's not exactly my kind of thing. I'm generally kind of lukewarm on horror and the books are very plot driven. There's minimal character growth over the various storylines. But overall a good read.
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2021 23:04:09 GMT -5
Finally got a chance to sit down and read Brubaker/Phillips latest offering in the Reckless series-Friend of the Devil...  I really dug the first volume, and I liked this one even more. Told as a flashback, the main sequence is set in southern California in 1985, and is a gripping, detective tale exploring the horrors of Hollywood's seedy underbelly and the Satanic Panic of the 80s. Superbly executed and an engrossing read. Cracked open the book and was totally absorbed until I turned the final page. -M |
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2021 23:25:18 GMT -5
I really enjoyed that one too.
It was originally going to start at three volumes, but will now run at least five.
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), but the story has been pretty solid. I'd say just go with the trades.
