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Post by Batflunkie on Mar 27, 2016 5:26:33 GMT -5
I read Sandman Mystery Theatre: The Tarantula, the TPB that reprints #1-4 of the series. It's my first time reading any of Sandman Mystery Theatre. The art is a little different, but I warmed up to it over the four issues. I've got so many unread TPBs and runs, I'm thinking of starting a "Help Your Fellow Poster Decide What to Tackle Off Their Unread Pile" thread. I love Sandman Mystery Theatre soooo damn much!!! It is such a damn good series, really wish the TPBs were still in print because it's kind of a crime that it isn't better collected
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Post by Hoosier X on Mar 27, 2016 9:01:45 GMT -5
I read Sandman Mystery Theatre: The Tarantula, the TPB that reprints #1-4 of the series. It's my first time reading any of Sandman Mystery Theatre. The art is a little different, but I warmed up to it over the four issues. I've got so many unread TPBs and runs, I'm thinking of starting a "Help Your Fellow Poster Decide What to Tackle Off Their Unread Pile" thread. Sandman Mystery Theatre is pretty awesome! I picked up the first issue when it was brand new and I don't think I missed an issue during the entire run.
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,762
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Post by shaxper on Mar 29, 2016 7:49:37 GMT -5
Slowly winning the war of converting my 7 year old to comics. We are both off for Spring Break, and this morning she recalled that we had started Tales of the New Teen Titans #2 (origin of Raven) the previous week and never finished it. She's been curious since watching Teen Titans Go with me, so we finished the book today and then moved on to DC Comics Presents #26 so that she could see the first appearance of the New Teen Titans. She really got into it but was done after two comics. She is now playing on the floor of my office with my DC Super Powers Hall of Justice and Marvel and DC 3.75" figures as I type this. Could just be that the conversion is taking hold
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,085
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Post by Confessor on Mar 29, 2016 8:10:07 GMT -5
I am re-reading Kravens last hunt. The original issues are all over the place price wise nowadays. Makes me glad I spent 10 bucks a decade ago to get them all. It really is one of the must read Spider-Man stories. I bought those issues as they came out. Loved that story then and still love it now. Classic Spidey.
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,762
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Post by shaxper on Mar 29, 2016 8:46:12 GMT -5
Slowly winning the war of converting my 7 year old to comics. We are both off for Spring Break, and this morning she recalled that we had started Tales of the New Teen Titans #2 (origin of Raven) the previous week and never finished it. She's been curious since watching Teen Titans Go with me, so we finished the book today and then moved on to DC Comics Presents #26 so that she could see the first appearance of the New Teen Titans. She really got into it but was done after two comics. She is now playing on the floor of my office with my DC Super Powers Hall of Justice and Marvel and DC 3.75" figures as I type this. Could just be that the conversion is taking hold She just pulled me back to read New Teen Titans #1
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Post by String on Mar 29, 2016 10:28:51 GMT -5
The Bloodstone Hunt TPB by Gruenwald and Dwyer reprinting #357-364. I had a couple of these original issues but never read the complete story which was plenty fun. Strange locales, hidden dangers, Diamondback wasn't nearly as annoying as I though she would be. Batroc and his brigade were hilarious (and dangerous) throughout. They didn't care about Zemo's fancy plans, they just wanted to get paid! Dwyer's Cap is as athletic and graceful as any. Plus, I had no idea this was the first appearance of Crossbones.
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Crimebuster
CCF Podcast Guru
Making comics!
Posts: 3,949
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Post by Crimebuster on Mar 29, 2016 12:05:50 GMT -5
One of Gru's best stories. Maybe his best in some ways, certainly his most enjoyable. Super fun adventure.
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Post by adamwarlock2099 on Mar 31, 2016 9:36:22 GMT -5
I finally read the Steel issues I got. 2, 4-6, 8-10, 17,18, 24, 28-30 They were in a lot I bought so they are pretty random.
My first dislike overall, if those issues represent the series well, the constantly rotating artists. So often so, even though I don't have more than 3 issues in succession, that I couldn't even begin to form an opinion on any one artist's work.
The other isn't necessarily a dislike, as much as an observation. The series, whose competent writer Louis Simonson, tells good stories seems to have an idealistic, maybe is the correct word, in what life is like in the "ghetto" (I hate using that word). I by no means lived in Compton or anything, but growing up in St. Louis and was living in the now infamous Ferguson and walking distance from the west side of St Louis City, I have a view on it a bit differently. Steel feels like the source material for how it is living there came from a marathon watching of Friday, New Jack City, Boyz In The Hood, etc. I will say however, that not everything is stereotypical. It's not like all the villains where white, simply because John was a black hero. Or that black people don't somehow get betrayal and harassment from their own race, just like any other race is capable of.
Overall I thought it did fairly well in presenting John as a hero that just happened to be black, rather that him being a black man that is a hero. That way, no matter skin color, perhaps the reader can put his feet in John's shoes. And that's really what an appealing character can do. Overcome all the trivial things that us as real humans can let stand in our way in our involvement and interactions with other humans.
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Post by MDG on Mar 31, 2016 12:07:45 GMT -5
... The series, whose competent writer Louis Simonson, tells good stories seems to have an idealistic, maybe is the correct word, in what life is like in the "ghetto" (I hate using that word). I by no means lived in Compton or anything, but growing up in St. Louis and was living in the now infamous Ferguson and walking distance from the west side of St Louis City, I have a view on it a bit differently. Steel feels like the source material for how it is living there came from a marathon watching of Friday, New Jack City, Boyz In The Hood, etc.... I remember picking up the first issue and starting to read it without really paying attention to the credits, and on page 3 or so thinking, "Oh, yeah, this was written by a white person." I felt bad when I flipped back and saw it was Louise, whose work (mainly as an editor) I usually like and was never less than charming at comic shows, but here... no.
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Post by dupersuper on Mar 31, 2016 21:59:42 GMT -5
The Simonson run was ok, but the Priest run was awesome.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Mar 31, 2016 22:02:24 GMT -5
Yeah, Steel was a good concept done... competently, but not great, under Simonson... it was AWESOME under Priest. Natasha especially. I hated what later writers did with her.
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Post by adamwarlock2099 on Apr 1, 2016 8:22:01 GMT -5
What I've heard of Priest's run, even before buying these, is usually nothing but good. And I liked his Black Panther from back in the day too. So with liking the concept of Steel, I may check his take on the character at some point.
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Post by Batflunkie on Apr 1, 2016 8:36:37 GMT -5
What I've heard of Priest's run, even before buying these, is usually nothing but good. And I liked his Black Panther from back in the day too. So with liking the concept of Steel, I may check his take on the character at some point. His work on The Ray is pretty good too. The only thing of his that I've never really cared for is Quantum & Woody
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Post by pinkfloydsound17 on Apr 1, 2016 21:10:24 GMT -5
Read ASM #102. I upgraded my beat up 2.0 copy for a solid Fine/Very Fine (damn those square bound spines!). A good tale, love me some Gil Kane art!
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Post by spoon on Apr 1, 2016 22:10:31 GMT -5
I read a couple more Marvel Comics Presents serials.
First, I read the "Black Shadow! White Shadow!" Wolverine story by Marv Wolfman and John Buscema (MCP #38-47). The main draw here is John Buscema's art. I've heard that Buscema preferred other genres (like sword & sorcery) over super-hero work. That makes the Patch-era Wolverine an interesting super-hero for Buscema to work on. But actually, unlike early issues of Wolverine's eponymous ongoing in which Logan tends to wear civvies or a utilitarian black outfit, here he wears his brown costume. The bad part is that some of the characters slightly like orientalist stereotypes. Then again, Buscema's thugs of any race tend to look grimy. It's interesting to see someone other than the usual suspects write an X-Men story in this era, but Wolfman's writing here is just average. It seems writers struggle with pacing out these 8-page MCP installments. With 80 pages total over 10 installments, there should be greater character development and plotting intricacy. Instead, a lot of the chapters feel like they could be interchangeable.
Next, I read a Hercules 3-parter written and drawn by Bob Layton from MCP #39-41. It's apparently the sequel to miniseries. Hercules is a space monarch in the future. I guess it makes sense that he's still around because he's a demigod. Hercules can be a great character when he's well-written (like by Roger Stern). Unfortunately, this sits with the majority of Hercules stories that I don't like. The drama doesn't build and I really don't care about the characters.
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