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Post by Hoosier X on Dec 25, 2020 1:16:19 GMT -5
There’s some good stuff and there’s some bad stuff in those essentials, but when it’s good it’s frequently pretty awesome! Right now, I've read through Thor #177. The next issue is draw by Sal Buscema, but then the issue is the last Jack Kirby issue, so I'm approaching the end of an era. They're mostly action-oriented rather than character development or things like that. But the action is really well done, and I like Kirby's choice in some fight sequences to go down to 4 panels per page. Ironically, some of the better character bits to members of the supporting cast, villians, or one-off character. I like the Galactus origin story, although it plays out like Lee & Kirby were indecisively changing course. Probably two of the series that I have the most unread issues in my collection (including via TPBs) are Thor and Green Lantern. I may start digging into the Showcase Presents Green Lantern volumes, but I think they may be less amenable to binge-reading. I'm a fan of Bronze Age Green Lantern, but the Silver Age Green Lantern I've read in the past has been a slower read. I’m fine with Silver Age Green Lantern in color. In black and white, not so much. I feel that way about a lot of DC Silver Age series. I read 1/3 of the first Jimmy Olsen Showcase volume (it was called Superman Family) and took it back to the library and never got around to reading the rest. |
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Post by spoon on Dec 25, 2020 11:09:20 GMT -5
Right now, I've read through Thor #177. The next issue is draw by Sal Buscema, but then the issue is the last Jack Kirby issue, so I'm approaching the end of an era. They're mostly action-oriented rather than character development or things like that. But the action is really well done, and I like Kirby's choice in some fight sequences to go down to 4 panels per page. Ironically, some of the better character bits to members of the supporting cast, villians, or one-off character. I like the Galactus origin story, although it plays out like Lee & Kirby were indecisively changing course. Probably two of the series that I have the most unread issues in my collection (including via TPBs) are Thor and Green Lantern. I may start digging into the Showcase Presents Green Lantern volumes, but I think they may be less amenable to binge-reading. I'm a fan of Bronze Age Green Lantern, but the Silver Age Green Lantern I've read in the past has been a slower read. I’m fine with Silver Age Green Lantern in color. In black and white, not so much. I feel that way about a lot of DC Silver Age series. I read 1/3 of the first Jimmy Olsen Showcase volume (it was called Superman Family) and took it back to the library and never got around to reading the rest. I read a Green Lantern Archives before I got the Showcase Presents TPBs. The part I thought was cheesy was when the Shark had an invisible yellow force field. Its either invisible or yellow. It can't be both. But I remember being impressed by how Tom Kalmaku was portrayed, aside from the nickname. |
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Post by Calidore on Dec 25, 2020 12:50:34 GMT -5
The part I thought was cheesy was when the Shark had an invisible yellow force field. Its either invisible or yellow. It can't be both. That's kind of awesome. I would say that they must have been separate things--first the yellow force field, then the cloaking effect to hide it.
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Post by Hoosier X on Dec 25, 2020 13:06:59 GMT -5
I’m fine with Silver Age Green Lantern in color. In black and white, not so much. I feel that way about a lot of DC Silver Age series. I read 1/3 of the first Jimmy Olsen Showcase volume (it was called Superman Family) and took it back to the library and never got around to reading the rest. I read a Green Lantern Archives before I got the Showcase Presents TPBs. The part I thought was cheesy was when the Shark had an invisible yellow force field. Its either invisible or yellow. It can't be both. But I remember being impressed by how Tom Kalmaku was portrayed, aside from the nickname. Bite your tongue! The Shark is awesome! |
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Post by spoon on Dec 25, 2020 15:36:06 GMT -5
I read a Green Lantern Archives before I got the Showcase Presents TPBs. The part I thought was cheesy was when the Shark had an invisible yellow force field. Its either invisible or yellow. It can't be both. But I remember being impressed by how Tom Kalmaku was portrayed, aside from the nickname. Bite your tongue! The Shark is awesome! I'm cool with the dude being so super-evolved he somehow ends up with a shark head. The force field is my only beef. |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Dec 29, 2020 15:49:39 GMT -5
Thanks to @mrp and his final entry in the Classic Comics Christmas I decided to revisit a couple of early works by Ed Brubaker.
I read The Fall by Brubaker and Jason Lutes and An Accidental Death by Brubaker and Eric Shanower. Both originally appeared in Dark Horse Presents, where Brubaker cut his teeth on crime comics. An Accidental Death was particularly successful, garnering the pair an Eisner nomination for Best Writer/Artist team. I've read both before, but it's been a whole lot of years.
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Post by spoon on Dec 29, 2020 22:10:29 GMT -5
I finished Essential Thor vol. 4. Blasphemy watch: I liked the Lee/Adams, Lee/Buscema, and later Conway/Buscema portion of this TPB a bit more than the Lee/Kirby portion. The stakes felt higher. There was more of an emphasis on multi-part arcs in a way that felt organic (although at certain points, I might have enjoyed a brisker pace). The Balder/Karnilla dynamic is more interesting to me that Thor and Sif. The World Beyond arc was interesting. I caught on to the twist a little before it was revealed. The Odin-Ring arc relied on a pretty stupid plot gimmick, but having said that, it was well-executed and I liked the resolution.
One of the dated elements in this volume is Thor hiding the truth about a son who died a villain from his mother. It's the paternalistic notion that she can't handle the truth that I don't think would be done if it was a father instead of a mother. Then, after Kirby leaves, Lee recycles that plot point. But in the second story Thor/Don Blake lies to a daughter about the circumstances of her father's death.
Even though the volume ends on a cliffhanger, I think I'm going to stick to my plan to read some Green Lantern first, and maybe come back to next Essential Thor later.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 30, 2020 8:42:57 GMT -5
 Arnold Drake and Matt Baker's classic. It a sordid tale of crime, corruption, and romance. It has all the trappings of a noir thriller, but has a happy ending, so isn't noir. Hal Weber is a down-on-his-luck investigative reporter who is recruited by a former lover, Rust (Rhymes with Lust) Masson to be the editor-in-chief of an opposition newspaper she secretly owns and intends to use him to build the political machine she inherited from her dead husband, Weber's struggles with his conscience, his desire for Rust, alcohol, and his requited feelings for Audrey Masson, Rust's step-daughter, throw a monkey-wrench into her plans. It all plays out in this early OGN, with lots of twists, turns, chills and a trail of bodies. Well worth checking it out and has shot to somewhere near the top of my list of best reads of the year. -M |
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Post by MDG on Dec 30, 2020 9:49:11 GMT -5
Arnold Drake and Matt Baker's classic. It a sordid tale of crime, corruption, and romance. It has all the trappings of a noir thriller, but has a happy ending, so isn't noir. Hal Weber is a down-on-his-luck investigative reporter who is recruited by a former lover, Rust (Rhymes with Lust) Masson to be the editor-in-chief of an opposition newspaper she secretly owns and intends to use him to build the political machine she inherited from her dead husband, Weber's struggles with his conscience, his desire for Rust, alcohol, and his requited feelings for Audrey Masson, Rust's step-daughter, throw a monkey-wrench into her plans. It all plays out in this early OGN, with lots of twists, turns, chills and a trail of bodies. Well worth checking it out and has shot to somewhere near the top of my list of best reads of the year. -M I'll probably pick up the Kindle version. Been planning to read it as an early example of an early GN. (If only someone would reprint Biro's Tops.) ...It has all the trappings of a noir thriller, but has a happy ending, so isn't noir.... Well, a lot of Hollywood noir has (studio/code-mandated) happy endings. I used to be disappointed by that, but it's more about the the journey. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 30, 2020 11:44:41 GMT -5
Arnold Drake and Matt Baker's classic. It a sordid tale of crime, corruption, and romance. It has all the trappings of a noir thriller, but has a happy ending, so isn't noir. Hal Weber is a down-on-his-luck investigative reporter who is recruited by a former lover, Rust (Rhymes with Lust) Masson to be the editor-in-chief of an opposition newspaper she secretly owns and intends to use him to build the political machine she inherited from her dead husband, Weber's struggles with his conscience, his desire for Rust, alcohol, and his requited feelings for Audrey Masson, Rust's step-daughter, throw a monkey-wrench into her plans. It all plays out in this early OGN, with lots of twists, turns, chills and a trail of bodies. Well worth checking it out and has shot to somewhere near the top of my list of best reads of the year. -M I'll probably pick up the Kindle version. Been planning to read it as an early example of an early GN. (If only someone would reprint Biro's Tops.) ...It has all the trappings of a noir thriller, but has a happy ending, so isn't noir.... Well, a lot of Hollywood noir has (studio/code-mandated) happy endings. I used to be disappointed by that, but it's more about the the journey. I haven't seen as much noir as I'd like (yet), but I still have scars from the ending of The Woman In the Window. At the point where I thought it had ended, I was immediately impressed by the brave choice I thought they made, especially for the time period, and then they had to go and destroy the whole experience. It sucks when they invalidate the journey. |
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Post by commond on Dec 31, 2020 1:17:38 GMT -5
I started reading Astro City during the holidays. It's a wonderful valentine to superhero comics. Each issue feels superbly crafted. I also started James Robinson's Starman. It took a dozen issues or so to get me hooked, but now I'm in that happy place where I'm looking forward to each issue.
I've also been enjoying Ennis' run on Hellblazer. I liked bits and pieces of Delano's run, but the endless prose was killing me, and that storyline where Constantine was living in the hippy commune was a bad trip. Not only that, but I had a hard time getting my head around the commentary on Thatcher's England. It felt like I was reading something from 2000 AD or another British mag, not a DC book. Delano's run peaked with the serial killer arc, in my opinion. Finally, there's a plot to sink my teeth into, and the demons are back! Ennis may rely too heavily on shock value, but I love how he ratchets up how much of an a***hole Constantine can be. At first, he seems like this charming rogue, who outwits the Devil himself, but the cracks begin to show, and you see the self-destructive behavior and the way it affects the people around him. He legitimately cares for other people, but his life is such a nightmare that he constantly feels the urge to hurt them and push them away.
I managed to finish Transmetropolitan recently, as well. Warren Ellis can be smug at times, and the humour didn't always wash with me, but overall it was an excellent series. And scarily prescient of the Trump administration.
I also wrapped up Jim Starlin's Captain Marvel & Warlock runs. They're good, but I wouldn't really rate them alongside my favorite stuff from the 70s. I can understand the appeal if you like cosmic superhero stories. I liked Starlin's work on Strange Tales best. What really impressed me was the Death of Captain Marvel graphic novel. That was a beautiful piece of work and deeply moving. Definitely up there with Dark Phoenix Saga, Miller's Daredevil, and the other great works of the era.
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Post by Icctrombone on Dec 31, 2020 4:20:27 GMT -5
I started reading Astro City during the holidays. It's a wonderful valentine to superhero comics. Each issue feels superbly crafted. I also started James Robinson's Starman. It took a dozen issues or so to get me hooked, but now I'm in that happy place where I'm looking forward to each issue. I've also been enjoying Ennis' run on Hellblazer. I liked bits and pieces of Delano's run, but the endless prose was killing me, and that storyline where Constantine was living in the hippy commune was a bad trip. Not only that, but I had a hard time getting my head around the commentary on Thatcher's England. It felt like I was reading something from 2000 AD or another British mag, not a DC book. Delano's run peaked with the serial killer arc, in my opinion. Finally, there's a plot to sink my teeth into, and the demons are back! Ennis may rely too heavily on shock value, but I love how he ratchets up how much of an a***hole Constantine can be. At first, he seems like this charming rogue, who outwits the Devil himself, but the cracks begin to show, and you see the self-destructive behavior and the way it affects the people around him. He legitimately cares for other people, but his life is such a nightmare that he constantly feels the urge to hurt them and push them away. I managed to finish Transmetropolitan recently, as well. Warren Ellis can be smug at times, and the humour didn't always wash with me, but overall it was an excellent series. And scarily prescient of the Trump administration. I also wrapped up Jim Starlin's Captain Marvel & Warlock runs. They're good, but I wouldn't really rate them alongside my favorite stuff from the 70s. I can understand the appeal if you like cosmic superhero stories. I liked Starlin's work on Strange Tales best. What really impressed me was the Death of Captain Marvel graphic novel. That was a beautiful piece of work and deeply moving. Definitely up there with Dark Phoenix Saga, Miller's Daredevil, and the other great works of the era. Those are all nice picks. I have the entire run of Starman but have yet to do a complete read through. Welcome to the forum. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 31, 2020 11:38:46 GMT -5
I finally got my copy of the Conan by Busiek omnibus that Marvel recently released. I'd previously read the first year or so of this run back when it was coming out, and remember really enjoying it at the time. I started it this morning (the omni prints the childhood stories first) and I'm pleasantly surpised to be able to say it's even better than I remembered.
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,816
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Post by shaxper on Jan 1, 2021 1:35:54 GMT -5
I also wrapped up Jim Starlin's Captain Marvel & Warlock runs. They're good, but I wouldn't really rate them alongside my favorite stuff from the 70s. I can understand the appeal if you like cosmic superhero stories. I liked Starlin's work on Strange Tales best. What really impressed me was the Death of Captain Marvel graphic novel. That was a beautiful piece of work and deeply moving. Definitely up there with Dark Phoenix Saga, Miller's Daredevil, and the other great works of the era. Have you read Starlin's Metamorphosis Odyssey? It's my favorite work of his. I wrote a thread reviewing/analyzing the series that you may want to consult as you go. |
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Post by commond on Jan 1, 2021 4:17:24 GMT -5
I also wrapped up Jim Starlin's Captain Marvel & Warlock runs. They're good, but I wouldn't really rate them alongside my favorite stuff from the 70s. I can understand the appeal if you like cosmic superhero stories. I liked Starlin's work on Strange Tales best. What really impressed me was the Death of Captain Marvel graphic novel. That was a beautiful piece of work and deeply moving. Definitely up there with Dark Phoenix Saga, Miller's Daredevil, and the other great works of the era. Have you read Starlin's Metamorphosis Odyssey? It's my favorite work of his. I wrote a thread reviewing/analyzing the series that you may want to consult as you go. I may have read an issue of it as a kid, or been aware of it, I can't remember. I will check it out. Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone. |
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