|
|
Post by fanboystranger on Aug 7, 2014 17:04:56 GMT -5
Is there even a good run of Avengers stories after 300? 300-402 have been dying in one of my long boxes for years and I've never been inclined to read them. I think I stopped at 310 when I was a kid. The Byrne/Blastaar issue. Depends on what you mean by "good." There are some mediocre stories that aren't too painful to read. Then there are some epically terrible issues (basically #376-up). Some people, including myself, have a soft spot for the Gatherers storyline, but part of that is because it's about the only ray of hope in the whole #300-up run. Compared to the classic Avengers stories of yore, it can't hold a candle. But it's at least got some ambition, as well as good art by Steve Epting and Tom Palmer. Palmer's dominant inking style basically turns Epting into John Buscema Jr. The Gatherers isn't for everyone, though. It centers around Black Knight with a mullet, a bomber jacket and a soap opera love triangle with Sersi and Crystal. I'll second the recommendation of the Gatherers storyline, which unfolds over a couple of years. On the surface, it seems like a bunch of '90s cliches-- oh, those bomber jackets and mullets-- but there's some interesting stuff going on. Compared to what came before it and what came after, it's classic Avengers. |
|
|
|
Post by The Captain on Aug 7, 2014 18:39:10 GMT -5
I interrupted my read of Captain America from the beginning to reread Fables from the beginning. I've been traveling a lot the past three weeks, and as I'm collecting Fables in TPB only, they're more portable (and I really don't want to be carting Silver Age Cap issues around in a backpack on the road).
I'm up through issue #41 (the end of the Homelands TPB) and it is just as good as I remember it from the first time. It is such a brilliant series through the first 75 issues.
|
|
Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,222 
|
Post by Confessor on Aug 8, 2014 4:56:50 GMT -5
I interrupted my read of Captain America from the beginning to reread Fables from the beginning. I've been traveling a lot the past three weeks, and as I'm collecting Fables in TPB only, they're more portable (and I really don't want to be carting Silver Age Cap issues around in a backpack on the road). I'm up through issue #41 (the end of the Homelands TPB) and it is just as good as I remember it from the first time. It is such a brilliant series through the first 75 issues. I love Fables as well and I also buy it in TBP format. I'm way behind in the grand scheme of things though, I'm up to the Arabian Nights (and Days) book, which is volume 8, I think. I believe the series is currently up to volume 17 or something. I also have the first Jack of Fables TBP and that's very entertaining too. |
|
|
|
Post by The Captain on Aug 8, 2014 8:10:00 GMT -5
I love Fables as well and I also buy it in TBP format. I'm way behind in the grand scheme of things though, I'm up to the Arabian Nights (and Days) book, which is volume 8, I think. I believe the series is currently up to volume 17 or something. I also have the first Jack of Fables TBP and that's very entertaining too. They're actually up to volume 20 (it is being released in September). The quality of the series drops a notch after issue #75, but with that said, it's still better than the vast majority of comics that have been produced in the past decade, particularly out of the Big 2. I think Willingham had a really great idea (Fabletown versus The Adversary), but once he wrapped that up, he kept things going because the series was popular (and, hey, paycheck!), rather than go the Garth Ennis route with Preacher, where he told his story in 66 issues and ended the book. |
|
|
|
Post by paulie on Aug 8, 2014 9:09:52 GMT -5
I love Fables as well and I also buy it in TBP format. I'm way behind in the grand scheme of things though, I'm up to the Arabian Nights (and Days) book, which is volume 8, I think. I believe the series is currently up to volume 17 or something. I also have the first Jack of Fables TBP and that's very entertaining too. They're actually up to volume 20 (it is being released in September). The quality of the series drops a notch after issue #75, but with that said, it's still better than the vast majority of comics that have been produced in the past decade, particularly out of the Big 2. I think Willingham had a really great idea (Fabletown versus The Adversary), but once he wrapped that up, he kept things going because the series was popular (and, hey, paycheck!), rather than go the Garth Ennis route with Preacher, where he told his story in 66 issues and ended the book. Consensus around here seems the quality of Fables drops off around #75. That's about the same time James Jean stopped doing the covers as well. I actually enjoyed it up to 100 and then it really seems to lose steam. But... But... I let about 10 issues pile up, 130-140, and I felt while reading them in one sitting that things had actually picked up quite a bit. I have high hopes for the last 10 issues. And maybe one last James Jean cover! |
|
|
|
Post by paulie on Aug 8, 2014 9:14:09 GMT -5
I interrupted my read of Captain America from the beginning to reread Fables from the beginning. I've been traveling a lot the past three weeks, and as I'm collecting Fables in TPB only, they're more portable (and I really don't want to be carting Silver Age Cap issues around in a backpack on the road). I'm up through issue #41 (the end of the Homelands TPB) and it is just as good as I remember it from the first time. It is such a brilliant series through the first 75 issues. I love Fables as well and I also buy it in TBP format. I'm way behind in the grand scheme of things though, I'm up to the Arabian Nights (and Days) book, which is volume 8, I think. I believe the series is currently up to volume 17 or something. I also have the first Jack of Fables TBP and that's very entertaining too. I concur with Richard Bishop. Once you get past 75 and the series drops to say a B-minus level it is still leagues better than anything most comics on the stands these days. And it does pick up again. And who knows... maybe you'll find no drop in quality at all. |
|
|
|
Post by wildfire2099 on Aug 8, 2014 9:47:05 GMT -5
I LOVE Fables, as I'm sure y'all know (I mention it enough).. the first 75 issues are defintely compete for the best story ever, IMO. After that, the Haven stuff is still quite good, but the whole Mr. Dark Storyline is pretty weak. And even Willingham seemed to completely ignore 'the great fables crossover'. I think the whole Jack series was a bad idea, really. The first storyline or two are decent (and a great concept), but it goes too far into fandom humor and forth wall breaking,IMO.
Incidiently, the last storyline in 'The Unwritten', titled appropriately 'The Unwritten Fables', actually has almost nothing to do with that series, and is rather a Fables Elseworlds story, where the main character from Unwritten happens to play a part. It's worth checking out if you're a Fables fan, especially considering the way the story is going right now.
The current story (that will end the series) is shaping up nicely.. really they could have went to it straight away.
|
|
|
|
Post by paulie on Aug 8, 2014 9:53:36 GMT -5
I LOVE Fables, as I'm sure y'all know (I mention it enough).. the first 75 issues are defintely compete for the best story ever, IMO. After that, the Haven stuff is still quite good, but the whole Mr. Dark Storyline is pretty weak. And even Willingham seemed to completely ignore 'the great fables crossover'. I think the whole Jack series was a bad idea, really. The first storyline or two are decent (and a great concept), but it goes too far into fandom humor and forth wall breaking,IMO. Incidiently, the last storyline in 'The Unwritten', titled appropriately 'The Unwritten Fables', actually has almost nothing to do with that series, and is rather a Fables Elseworlds story, where the main character from Unwritten happens to play a part. It's worth checking out if you're a Fables fan, especially considering the way the story is going right now. The current story (that will end the series) is shaping up nicely.. really they could have went to it straight away. I liked Mr. Dark.
Unwritten Fables is on the docket for this weekend.
|
|
|
|
Post by The Captain on Aug 8, 2014 10:04:34 GMT -5
I LOVE Fables, as I'm sure y'all know (I mention it enough).. the first 75 issues are defintely compete for the best story ever, IMO. After that, the Haven stuff is still quite good, but the whole Mr. Dark Storyline is pretty weak. And even Willingham seemed to completely ignore 'the great fables crossover'. I think the whole Jack series was a bad idea, really. The first storyline or two are decent (and a great concept), but it goes too far into fandom humor and forth wall breaking,IMO. Incidiently, the last storyline in 'The Unwritten', titled appropriately 'The Unwritten Fables', actually has almost nothing to do with that series, and is rather a Fables Elseworlds story, where the main character from Unwritten happens to play a part. It's worth checking out if you're a Fables fan, especially considering the way the story is going right now. The current story (that will end the series) is shaping up nicely.. really they could have went to it straight away. I liked Mr. Dark.
Unwritten Fables is on the docket for this weekend.
Haven was quite good, and a nice way to develop Flycatcher from being a second-banana and comic relief character into something so much greater. I'm not a huge fan of Bufkin, so the storyline that focused on him was not my cup of tea, and while I thought Mr. Dark was really good in theory, the execution was just poorly done. The Cubs in Toyland TPB was tough to read, although I felt it was really well-done. Snow White was a little weak, so I'm looking forward to the next TPB ( Camelot), which I'll order from Amazon in September with the inevitable gift card I'll get from my sister for my birthday (not complaining, mind you, but that is what she gets me every year for my birthday, knowing I will order TPBs). Never read any of the Jack series, nor any of Fairest; read parts of the Cinderella mini where she fights Dorothy, and it seems pretty cool. Heard really bad things about The Great Fables Crossover, so I've avoided buying that. |
|
|
|
Post by paulie on Aug 8, 2014 11:05:22 GMT -5
I liked Mr. Dark.
Unwritten Fables is on the docket for this weekend.
Haven was quite good, and a nice way to develop Flycatcher from being a second-banana and comic relief character into something so much greater. I'm not a huge fan of Bufkin, so the storyline that focused on him was not my cup of tea, and while I thought Mr. Dark was really good in theory, the execution was just poorly done. The Cubs in Toyland TPB was tough to read, although I felt it was really well-done. Snow White was a little weak, so I'm looking forward to the next TPB ( Camelot), which I'll order from Amazon in September with the inevitable gift card I'll get from my sister for my birthday (not complaining, mind you, but that is what she gets me every year for my birthday, knowing I will order TPBs). Never read any of the Jack series, nor any of Fairest; read parts of the Cinderella mini where she fights Dorothy, and it seems pretty cool. Heard really bad things about The Great Fables Crossover, so I've avoided buying that. Bufkin and Babes in Toyland took the air right out of the series. |
|
|
|
Post by hondobrode on Aug 8, 2014 11:21:04 GMT -5
I've only read the first issues in singles when it came out and I liked them but have never gotten caught up since then. I bought the trades for my oldest daughter in high school and she and her now fiancee love them.
Comixology had a big sale about a year ago and it was when I was pretty thin on cash. Hopefully it'll come around again. It's a series I'd really like.
Shocked at how Jack of Trades was so well put together, and haven't tried Fairest yet.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2014 11:32:12 GMT -5
The Gatherers isn't for everyone, though. It centers around Black Knight with a mullet, a bomber jacket and a soap opera love triangle with Sersi and Crystal. Yeesh. When I said I wanted to read more Black Knight I had no idea he was headed for such tales. |
|
|
|
Post by fanboystranger on Aug 8, 2014 12:35:32 GMT -5
And even Willingham seemed to completely ignore 'the great fables crossover'. As everyone should. It's flat out terrible.
I liked the first two years of Jack, but I knew that kind of self-referential storytelling has a limited lifespan. I'm actually shocked it made it to issue 50. I read a few issues featuring Jack's son, but I couldn't get back into the book after the Great Fables Crossover disaster.
|
|
|
|
Post by fanboystranger on Aug 8, 2014 12:37:36 GMT -5
The Gatherers isn't for everyone, though. It centers around Black Knight with a mullet, a bomber jacket and a soap opera love triangle with Sersi and Crystal. Yeesh. When I said I wanted to read more Black Knight I had no idea he was headed for such tales. I would recommend the Captain Britain: Siege of Camelot HC. It has all of Steve Parkhouse's Black Knight stories from Hulk Weekly, and they're great. (Captain Britain is part of the story, so that's why they're billed to him.) It also reprints the Roy Thomas story that introduced Dane back in the late '60s. |
|
|
|
Post by Spike-X on Aug 8, 2014 21:32:32 GMT -5
I've been reading the Lee/Ditko Doctor Strange stories from Strange Tales. Steve Ditko draws the most expressive, anatomically impossible hand gestures! And people who complain about modern comic stories being padded should get a load of this run. "Okay, this issue he'll fight Dormammu, for su...what? Next issue? Sheesh!"
|
|
