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Post by Paste Pot Paul on Oct 22, 2016 18:34:18 GMT -5
Reading through Hawkman v4 from the early 2000s, liking the feel of it all so far.
This is the DC I like, enough history to be interesting, without the stupidity of the Nu52. Ive been thinking about this over the last couple days, and think DC would have been better just embracing their history, letting their characters age, have the next generations take over and still have access to all of the tapestry they have woven. Instead they Crisised, and while it was still possible to save it all they couldnt leave well enough alone. This series along with the JSA of the same time are good examples of how good the DCU could be. Pity they couldnt embrace the best parts when they moved on.
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bor
Full Member
Posts: 238
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Post by bor on Oct 23, 2016 3:33:39 GMT -5
Regarding Killing joke:
Yeah I agree its overrated in my book. Not bad but not the masterwork that some Bat-fans makes it out to be. The reason I have it is because I own a "DC stories by Alan moore" TP where its in. As part of that its okay but there are stories in that I enjoy more like "Whatever happened to the man of tomorrow" and his GL corpse stories.
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,069
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Post by Confessor on Oct 23, 2016 7:03:31 GMT -5
Regarding the Killing Joke, I think it's a masterpiece and one of Alan Moore's crowning achievements. The dialogue and narration is utterly superb, while the art is just fantastic (and I much prefer the original, garish "acid house" colouring than the more muted recolouring job that got released a few years back). Regarding the ending, I've written before in this very thread about my thoughts on that, so I'm just gonna copy and paste what I wrote a year or so back... The way I read that ending for the first time in 1988, as a naive 16 year old, is exactly the same way it reads to to me now as a cynical 40-something. Batman took the Joker into police custody and he was returned to Arkham Asylum. Simple. Let me reproduce the final page before I get started with why I think that... I really don't buy into the whole "Batman killed the Joker at the ending" theory at all. The artwork on the last page certainly doesn't support that conclusion, in my view. What happens is that the two characters share a moment of madness at the end -- although I've always had a sense that Batman empathises a little with his foe here, realising that, actually, the Joker is a victim too, a victim of tragic circumstance and his own insanity (not all that dissimilar to the Batman himself). Batman places his arm on the Joker's shoulder (NOT around his neck, look at the artwork), the pair laugh hysterically at the Joker's joke, but also at the bizarrely macabre states of their respective lives and their interactions together, as the wail of an approaching police car increases. The final three panels first show the pair stood together, but the laughing has stopped, as the enemies silently look at each other, with the realisation that their interaction in that moment has changed nothing. Then, a little time elapses before the next panel (as evidenced by some of the patch of earth on the ground having become submerged in the rain water), and they are both gone from the spot where they stood just before, with the joker having been put into the patrol vehicle and the Batman having vanished into the night, presumably. In the last panel, the reflection of the headlight is gone (which is itself an allusion to the torch beam meantioned in the joke that the Joker just told Batman). But notice that the patch of earth visible in the preceding two panels is gone, covered up by the incessant rain, showing us that a lot of time -- hours probably -- has passed between the final panel and the one preceding it. The impression to me has always been that nothing is really resolved between the two of them and the Batman and the Joker will continue to dance their mad, tragic, lethal dance for many, many years to come.
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Post by dbutler69 on Oct 24, 2016 14:12:30 GMT -5
I'm using my Marvel Unlimited subscription to read Englehart's 1974 Doctor Strange series. I read #1 yesterday and thought it was excellent, both writing and art. I'll also use MU to start the Iron Fist series from 1975, starting today.
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Post by dbutler69 on Oct 25, 2016 8:25:58 GMT -5
I read the first two issues of Iron Fist (1975) yesterday. They were great, but I see that I need to go back and read some Marvel Premiere issues, as Iron Fist #1 basically picks up from where they left off. I also see that those issues, luckily, are also available on Marvel Unlimited, which I could swear was not the case the last time I checked.
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,069
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Post by Confessor on Oct 25, 2016 10:36:10 GMT -5
I've been re-reading some mid-'50s Dan Dare this week -- specifically "The Man From Nowhere" storyline. It's been far too long since I last dipped into the world of Colonel Daniel Dare and the Interplanetary Space Fleet, and "The Man From Nowhere" is a truly gripping adventure, with some great character moments, plenty of thrills, and that oh-so-gorgeous Frank Hampson artwork...
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2016 14:38:42 GMT -5
I read the first two issues of Iron Fist (1975) yesterday. They were great, but I see that I need to go back and read some Marvel Premiere issues, as Iron Fist #1 basically picks up from where they left off. I also see that those issues, luckily, are also available on Marvel Unlimited, which I could swear was not the case the last time I checked. They add content in response to their characters in other media. They have been adding a ton of content for the Netflix characters and Doc Strange recently and the 90s GotG series too. (I don't think hey added Alias though, but I think they avoid all the MAX stuff on there because there is no way to keep explicit material of the Max books out of the hands of younger subscribers). -M
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Oct 25, 2016 19:57:47 GMT -5
The Original Writer is not a fan of The Killing Joke. I tend to agree with him.
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Post by Spike-X on Oct 26, 2016 0:05:13 GMT -5
I don't think for a second that 'Batman kills the Joker' is how The Original Writer intended for the ending to be interpreted. I just personally prefer to read it that way.
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Post by String on Oct 27, 2016 14:11:06 GMT -5
I'm using my Marvel Unlimited subscription to read Englehart's 1974 Doctor Strange series. I read #1 yesterday and thought it was excellent, both writing and art. I'll also use MU to start the Iron Fist series from 1975, starting today. Yes, finally getting an opportunity to read this series. Englehart's story and ideas befit this type of character greatly and Brunner's art is amazing. Comixology has finally started to add The Question by O'Neil and Cowan. A character that I've grown to love over his DCAU appearances and Rucka's handling of the transition from Sage to Montoya, I've always heard great reviews of this series and wow, does it live up to the hype. So far, read only #1-2, but the characterization, the grit and darkness, the action and morality, a very strong start.
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Post by dbutler69 on Oct 28, 2016 8:35:03 GMT -5
I'm using my Marvel Unlimited subscription to read Englehart's 1974 Doctor Strange series. I read #1 yesterday and thought it was excellent, both writing and art. I'll also use MU to start the Iron Fist series from 1975, starting today. Yes, finally getting an opportunity to read this series. Englehart's story and ideas befit this type of character greatly and Brunner's art is amazing. Comixology has finally started to add The Question by O'Neil and Cowan. A character that I've grown to love over his DCAU appearances and Rucka's handling of the transition from Sage to Montoya, I've always heard great reviews of this series and wow, does it live up to the hype. So far, read only #1-2, but the characterization, the grit and darkness, the action and morality, a very strong start. I agree with you about Engleharrt and Brunner. I love the Question in the Justice League animated series, but know nothing other character outside of that. I may have to check out some of his comic appearances one of these days.
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Post by hondobrode on Oct 28, 2016 9:10:26 GMT -5
One of the best series of the 90's from Comicvine Series featuring the Question, which began in the late-eighties and continued for 36 issues until it was canceled. It was revived for a single issue, #37, as part of the Blackest Night event. This series continued into Question Quarterly (1990) and The Question Returns (1997). The Question was one of the characters acquired by DC Comics from Charlton Comics in the 1980's. Denny O'Neil was offered two books, either Captain Atom or a new Question series. Preferring the more street level stories, O'Neil chose the Question and was given free reign to push boundaries and experiment on the book. Where Steve Ditko's original had been an objectivist character, O'Neil's differing values and desire to make the character his own had him take on a more Zen-like belief system after his old persona was symbolically killed off in the first issue. The stories that followed took The Question through Hub City, a decaying crime filled city where he fought against corruption and took on the worst in human nature due to his unrelenting curiosity. The series tackled everything from race, politics, poverty, feminism religion and much more. Also popular was O'Neil's recommended reading list featured in the letters column that featured a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction. I love Ditko's work despite not agreeing with his philosophy at all and loving O'Neil's version of the character. This was a super creative team of O'Neil, Denys Cowan, Rick Magyar, Bill Sienkiewicz and Mike Gold.
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Post by urrutiap on Oct 28, 2016 19:49:38 GMT -5
Later tonight when im not too busy binging on Supernatural Season 11 on Netflix or watching bonus features on the Anchor Bay anniversary DVD of Phantasm II, Ill try to start reading the Epic Collection Volume 1 of the original X men and the Marvel Essentials Classic X Men Volumes and 3 to finally read the original X Men stories and enjoy the old bad guy characters etc.
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Post by hondobrode on Oct 28, 2016 23:40:41 GMT -5
Reading some back issue classics Haven't picked up any X-Men comic at all since Morrison left, but this team of Whedon & Cassaday was worth a try. I was pleasantly surprised. First of all, the bar was set pretty low cause I figured it was going to be mostly flash and low substance. Glad to say I was wrong. Good characterization that make sense, of course great art, and a solid storyline. I'd buy the crap out of Marvel if they solid like this, even mutants.
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Post by Spike-X on Oct 29, 2016 5:17:53 GMT -5
Yeah, this was a great series.
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