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Post by The Captain on Mar 4, 2018 18:09:15 GMT -5
Did a little binge-reading yesterday afternoon at my daughter's swim meet, as there is a lot of down time in between her events. Read the following all in one sitting, all TPBs I borrowed from the local library:
Amazing Spider-Man (2015) #13-24, from Dan Slott as part of the over-arching "Worldwide" storyline. It's been a long time since I last bought Spidey on a regular basis (the last writer I had on my pull list was Straczynski, if that gives some indication), but I have read enough of Slott's work through library borrowing to know it's pretty solid. The idea of Peter Parker being the head of a multi-national corporation is a little far-fetched, but at least it is put to good use here with the constant put-downs of him being a "Tony Stark Lite". I'd read the previous 12 issues in the series at the library in floppie form (they get both, although you can't take the floppies out of the building), so this was just to continue the run. Fairly enjoyable.
Black Panther (2016) #13 - 18 from Ta-Nehisi Coates. Having read the previous three TPBs, all of which were part of a much-bigger story arc, this set of issues starts a new storyline for T'Challa. The gods of Wakanda have abandoned their posts, leaving the space open for even older gods, the ones who had been pushed aside, to begin to make inroads into the country. In order to combat this and help his people, the Panther and his friends enlist the help of Storm to push back the incursion of some scary monsters that hadn't been seen in Wakanda in centuries, while having events manipulated in the background by some old and new enemies, including Ezekiel Stane, Dr. Faustus, and everyone's favorite master of sound, Klaw. This storyline was not quite as good as the first one in the series, but if it is a hint of what Coates is going to bring as far as a storyteller to Captain America once the "Fresh Start" era begins, I'm going to be very excited.
Ms. Marvel (2015) #7 - 12, the Civil War II tie-in issues. Even though I'm not really the target audience for this book, as I really can't relate to a super-powered teenage Muslim girl from New Jersey and her life, I have read all of the issues of both Kamala Khan as Ms. Marvel series and absolutely love it. True, some of the teen-speak is lost on me and there are certain elements I'm not completely wild about, but this is a top-notch book and one that I hope my older daughter will pick up and read in the near future, as she loves writers like Raina Telgemeier and I think G. Willow Wilson is very close to that level of storycrafter.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 4, 2018 21:27:51 GMT -5
Read the second volume of the Nameless City Trilogy: Stone Heart, by Faith Erin Hicks...  This also made the best of lists for 2017, and it lead to me reading the first volume a month or so ago and just got a chance to read the second.. Loved it, until it ended on a cliffhanger of sorts that I now have to wait until September to get the third volume to read. I blew through it quickly because I couldn't put it down and wanted to find out what would happen. So many twists and turns in the plot, and the pages just flow, it is so well designed and laid out. I love Hicks simple and effective storytelling and the art is just beautifully rendered in its simplicity yet so chock full of tiny details that give the world so much verisimilitude. -M |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Mar 4, 2018 22:13:16 GMT -5
I agree totally MRP! I actually yelled outloud at the cliffhanger... I was especially shocked because Amazon actually listed it as 'book 2 of 2 of a series', so I thought I was safe getting it right away.
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Post by Dizzy D on Mar 5, 2018 7:37:02 GMT -5
So a quick and short review of things in the Image Humble Bundle (skipping things I already before or didn't even bother to download (hello, Spawn Origins):
- Bitch Planet Triple Feature: set in the same universe as the series, it's a collection of short stories. If you're into Bitch Planet the series, it's interesting but not required. Quality of the stories themselves ranges a lot. There were some good ones, there were some bad ones. Not a place to start if you're not reading the regular series.
- Citizen Jack: Snowblower salesman and failed mayor Jack is convinced by the devil (or a devil at least) to run as president of the USA. I'm reminded of Marvel's Vote Loki series, another satire that was undercut by the circus that the actual elections were. It's not bad, but it was dated the moment it came out.
- Crosswind: Gail Simone does Freaky Friday where a mob assassin and a housewife switch bodies. Concept is promising, but I hate the art.
- Cursewords: I liked this one a lot. Wizord, an extradimensional sorcerer, comes to Earth to sacrifice it in name of his dimension's overlord, but is seduced by the way people on Earth live in freedom. It has a few plottwists in it and the twist at the end of the first volume made sure that I will check up volume 2.
- Elsewhere: This one did nothing for me. Amelia Earhart arrives in a fantasy land after disappearing from Earth. Human from Earth arrives in fantasy world is something I've seen done before so many times. The slight twist of using historical figures doesn't make it more interesting to me.
- Extremity: Set in a wartorn sci-fi future, the series is about a woman who was once an artist, but lost her hand in the war. In the afterword the creator talks about how, as an artist, losing his drawing hand is one of his worst nightmares. It's a good concept, but I was not drawn into the first issue.
- Gasolina: A series about the drugswars in Mexico, main characters being a former assassin who fell in love with a doctor. A concept seen before, except usually the assassin is male and the doctor female, this time it's the other way around. There is some horror element to it, that is not developed much in the first issue, but I enjoyed the first issue a lot and will probably get the trades.
- God Country: Emmett Quinn is dying from advanced Alzheimer's, but is cured of its effects when he is sought out by a magic sword (but only as long as he holds it). The gods that created the sword come to Earth to get it back, but Emmett is not willing to give up his last chance to be with his family. It's a short series, the first volume is the complete story. It's very good story and I love the art and designs. It kinda fits together with Aaron's run on Thor that deals with similar themes. Highly recommended.
- I Kill Giants: A bit older than most of the other works in this bundle and probably more reknown (Eisner nominee, winner of multipe other awards), probably included in this bundle because its movie adaption will be released this year. The story of a young girl that hunts and kills giants in her free time, but are they real or just a way for her to escape the realities of her life? Also highly recommended, quite a bit more indy in style and scope than God Country.
Rest will follow once I get around to them.
Not in the bundle, but recently read: Ice Cream Man, a horror comic published by Image. The first issue is a bit too busy for my taste for a horror comic, I want a bit more build up before all these things are happening and there are too many things happening at once.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 6, 2018 17:28:51 GMT -5
Shattered Warrior OGN by Sharon Shinn & Molly Knox Ostertag  a human planet is under occupation by alien forces called the Derichets, and Colleen Cavenaugh is the lone survivor of an aristocratic family struggling to survive, and toils in a factory to survive, but finds family, love and purpose as she is drawn into the resistance forces. The character work here is amazing. the characters are fully realized and each has an arc that takes them through the story. the worldbuilding is minimal, enough to give the story grounding and verisimilitude, but not going into the indulgent depths some sci-fi and fantasy epics do. There's enough to make everything work and what's there is well done, but I was left wanting to learn more about the world and the greater universe around it (which is a good thing). This story has a definite ending but leaves things open for more (much like say the original Star Wars movie did, the Death Star was destroyed and the rebellion saved, so the story was over, but there was a larger story of the rebellion left to be explored-this story is much like that). Ostertag's art is very good, stylized cartoon style with excellent storytelling and design. Some sample pages...    it is categorized as young adult, but for those considering whether to let their kids read it-it does have some blood and violence and one panel of partial nudity. I really liked this, and hope there is a second volume to this story if not more. -M |
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Post by wildfire2099 on Mar 6, 2018 20:11:47 GMT -5
That sounds good (the art definitely looks good too)... I'm kinda surprised, though, the other stuff by the other seems to be churned out romance (unless the books are better than the covers advertise). I know, I know, but we all DO judge books by the cover, at least a little bit )
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Post by urrutiap on Mar 8, 2018 10:19:19 GMT -5
Stuff I read this morning
Idw teenage mutant ninja turtles # 39 and 40
Venom = 155 and 156. I'm way behind on this series
Babyteeth # 6 and 7
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Post by Dizzy D on Mar 9, 2018 5:00:51 GMT -5
Image Humble Bundle part 2 of ..some
Motorcrush: Batgirl's creative team does a series about illegal motorraces in the near future, centered around the illegal substance crush. First issue packs quite a bit of story in a first story. Art is good and lively. Not a series I would go out of my way to get, but it's a good read.
Mythic: I got this one in singles for a bit, but it just wasn't doing enough for me to continue (there were a lot of series out at that time and it just didn't make the cut). Basically Men in Black but for magic instead of aliens. Mythic is a group of historical heroes and supernatural beings that deal with supernatural problems. The big draw is John McCrea's art and designs. It's also a done-in-one and has some interesting twists. Recommended.
No 1 With A Bullet: Nash Huang is assistent on a major TV talkshow, whose life is shook up in one day. Just the one issue in this bundle, but we get a good idea of Nash's personality and regular life during this single issue plus the two events that mess up that life. Good pacing, not a big fan of the artstyle.
Outcast volume 2: Outcast volume 1 was the first thing of Robert Kirkman that I actually liked. Volume 2 continues that, but the pacing is hurting it a lot. Still like the concept, but I think another writer would do it better. But as I said, not a Kirkman fan.
Pop Gun War vol 1 and 2: I read this. I don't get what it is about. It's very surreal, but it is a continuing story that seems to be very stream of consciousness. The art is great, but it's definitely not for me.
Port of Earth: Earth has become a port for alien spaceships that need its water, in return humanity get some of the various aliens technology. As a intergalactic port-planet, humanity has trouble dealing with the often agressive aliens so a special port police is assigned to protect both humanity and the visiting aliens, but the deals favour the aliens far more than humanity. It's an interesting concept, especially for a sci-fi fan as me and like all good sci-fi, it's actually about our current world. Recommended.
Redlands: Starts in media res with a police station under siege by "monsters" known as the Ladies. The police has locked up the population of the town in their cells so they are not the heroes either. I did not like this, because nothing in this first issue is really selling you on a concept for the series. What's going to happen in issue 2? I guess now the Ladies have taken over the town of Redlands, it will be about the new community that is set there, but it's a lot of cryptic comments by the three Ladies.
More to follow once I get around to reading it.
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Post by james on Mar 9, 2018 9:16:17 GMT -5
I'm finding it harder and harder to stay with new comics. But right now I am reading Hall Jordan Green Lantern, Action Comics, Kill or Be Killed, Descender, Stray Bullets Saga, Dr Star, Black Hammer, American Gods and Royal City in TPB.. I used to read Batman, Aquaman, Kill the Minotaur, Superman. No Marvel Comics. But I may try the whole Fresh Start. At least the first issues.
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bran
Full Member
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Post by bran on Mar 13, 2018 9:38:47 GMT -5
Control by Andy Diggle, Andrea Mutti and co. Good crime/political triller all around. Just realized some fiction is entirely based on popular culture and some ain't. Well, this one ain't. On itself doesn't automatically mean much (like is it good or bad), but it's refreshing.  |
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Post by Dizzy D on Mar 17, 2018 17:12:55 GMT -5
Image Humble Bundle, final part.
Redneck: A small family of vampires live in a town in the south of the US, having decided to no longer feed on humans, but only on their own cattle. Their peace is disturbed when old rivalries with the town's preacher flame up again. Pretty good title, not my favourite of this bundle, but I might pick up more of this series.
Rock Candy Mountain: Two hobo's search for the legendary Rock Candy Mountain. Cartoonish art, but the story was not doing a lot for me.
Royal City: Written and drawn by Lemire. A family in Royal City has fallen apart after the death of the youngest son of the family. Each of the members still see the spirit of their dead child/brother but at different stages of his life. Not a fan of Lemire's artwork, but the writing is excellent, just not sure where they will be going in part 2, it feels like a title that could be told in 1 trade.
Scales and Scroundles: First issue and pretty promising at that. Light and fun fantasy story about a female thief who is also a dragon looking to start her hoard. Despite the legendary greed of a dragon, she is still sympathetic (as she parts with her last coin to give to a begging child). Enjoyed this a lot.
Shirtless Bear Fighter: This on the other hand, might be the worst comic I ever read. Don't know why I hated it so much, but bad comedy is worse to me than bad drama or superhero fiction and the whole comic feels like the creative team had 1 joke (and not a good joke at that). Artwork is not bad, but it does nothing to save this trainwreck of a title.
Snotgirl: I was not as big a fan of Scott Pilgrim as many other comic book lovers, but I finally got around to reading this title thanks to the humble bundle. Despite the offputting title, I found this title far better than I expected. Lottie is fashion blogger, living by her well-manufactured image (and desperatedly hiding her allergies from the outside world that would make her look less than perfect). Like Scott Pilgrim, the main character is an unreliable narrator so we never know what is real and what is her imagination/misinterpretation of events.
The Fuse: A sci-fi buddy cop story. The sci-fi elements could actually be removed from the story and little would change. The murder mystery is pretty straightforward with expected twists, but the characters and setting is well defined. Bonus points for the series though to have the main character being an elderly female detective. It's a decent title , just not enough to put it above the many other Image titles that are as good or better.
The Gravedigger's Union: This one was right up my alley though, probably my favourite of this batch (as in the comics that I talked about in this post. Not sure where it ranks in the complete Humble Bundle). The Union of gravediggers deal with monsters and keep them buried, the main characters are blue collar workers and this is just another job to them. The prologue would fit in a Mike Mignola comic. This is just the first issue, but I'll be picking up this trade.
The Realm: A post-apocalyptic story with some fantasy elements. Comparisons to Hinterkind come to my mind. Another first issue only. Writing and artwork are certainly not bad, but I think I'm getting tired of post-apocalyptic stories.
Void Trip: Another first issue only, two small criminals/drifters travel the stars, stealing fuel and doing drugs, not knowing they are pursued by a deadly hunter. I like the artwork and both of the main characters, but the first issue was not selling me on the story/concept.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2018 20:41:00 GMT -5
 Try this if you're into crime fiction. Max Allan Collins should be no stranger to comic fans, bloody well drawn as well. Titan have done well with this new Hard Case imprint. Finished reading the mini-series today. It was pretty enjoyable, but not as much as the books have been. I did enjoy the setting as I lived about 30 minutes away from Iowa City for the first 31 years of my life. |
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Post by berkley on Mar 18, 2018 21:02:28 GMT -5
- God Country: Emmett Quinn is dying from advanced Alzheimer's, but is cured of its effects when he is sought out by a magic sword (but only as long as he holds it). The gods that created the sword come to Earth to get it back, but Emmett is not willing to give up his last chance to be with his family. It's a short series, the first volume is the complete story. It's very good story and I love the art and designs. It kinda fits together with Aaron's run on Thor that deals with similar themes. Highly recommended. What were those themes, would you say (in Aaron's Thor, that is)? |
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Post by urrutiap on Mar 19, 2018 2:28:56 GMT -5
I read part 1 of X Men Blue Time Caper story arc. Didn't like it.
I skipped all of it and reading issue 23
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Post by Dizzy D on Mar 20, 2018 2:21:55 GMT -5
- God Country: Emmett Quinn is dying from advanced Alzheimer's, but is cured of its effects when he is sought out by a magic sword (but only as long as he holds it). The gods that created the sword come to Earth to get it back, but Emmett is not willing to give up his last chance to be with his family. It's a short series, the first volume is the complete story. It's very good story and I love the art and designs. It kinda fits together with Aaron's run on Thor that deals with similar themes. Highly recommended. What were those themes, would you say (in Aaron's Thor, that is)? I think themes might have been the wrong word. Both God Country and Aaron's Thor feature a mortal who is suffering from a fatal and debilitating disease. Both are chosen by a divine weapon that gives them power and temporarily negates the effects of the disease on their mortal body, but the weapon can not cure them and brings with it its own dangers. Both deal with gods who take umbrage with the divine weapon chosing a mortal over a god. |
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