|
Post by spoon on Feb 2, 2020 17:08:56 GMT -5
I finished the end of my re-read of late 80s/early 90s X-Men just before the launch of adjectiveless X-Men. Continuing from my prior post, I read the Days of Future Past TPB, which reprints the linked lead stories from Annuals (FF, New Mutants, X-Factor, and X-Men) but not the back-up stories. Then, I read the X-Tinction Agenda TPB reprinting the 9 part crossover running through Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor, and New Mutants. Then, I continued with Uncanny from #273 through #280, as X-Factor #69-70 comprising its parts of the Muir Island Saga.
These are mostly comics I've read before, except for 1 or 2 of the New Mutants issues of X-Tinction Agenda. Also, I've never read it all in order before. After just a few sporadic issues before, it's pretty much all Jim Lee pencils from #268 to #277. Paul Smith draws #278, but his work is very different from his original X-Men run. I know there are debates on hear with drastically different opinions of Jim Lee, but I think his work here is vibrant and brilliant.
These issues have many reunifications of characters who haven't seen each for a while and other characters meeting for the first time. You need a score card to keep track, and at times it seems there's too much familiarity between characters who shouldn't know each other. Some of that is Claremont, but a lot of it is Fabian Nicieza and Peter David in the Muir Island Saga issues.
I've very little of the Rob Liefeld New Mutants and the X-Tinction Agenda issues are really putrid. But I was flipping through another TPB I got with the plan of a full New Mutants read-through, and Liefeld art is not nearly as bad there. It's like he was really phoning it in during the crossover.
I think X-Tinction Agenda doesn't have as great a reputation as some other X-book crossover, but at this stage Cameron Hodge is a horrifically compelling character. And having never read this bunch of issues in order, I don't think I had realized how much build-up there was of Genosha plot threads in the lead-up. Also, a lot of the threads of the Shadow King story were in the works for a while.
Even though, the Shi'Ar story serves mostly as a way to bring back Professor X, I really love those issues. And #275, which goes back and forth between the Shi'Ar storyline and the Rogue/Savage Land storyline is one of my favorite milestone issues. It's odd to think of #275 as a milestone number, but it was a giant-size issue with a gatefold cover, and actually better than a lot of issues that a multiple of 100. I remember how excited I was buying that issue new off the shelf.
Now, I'm trying to decide which binge reading project to move on to. A couple of those ideas are intimidatingly big. I may read through Spider-Girl because I think I might have all her solo series issues. Or I might do a Doom Patrol binge. I bought the Silver Age Omnibus a few months back, and I bought a lot of the pre-Morrison Bronze Age Doom Patrol appearances.
But for now, I started the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Ultimate Collection. It's a large hardcover from IDW, but it reprints the earliest Mirage issues (TMNT #1-7 plus Raphael #1).
|
|
|
Post by dbutler69 on Feb 6, 2020 12:08:10 GMT -5
I just read The Flash (1987) #1 and 2. I enjoyed them quite a bit. I know things will probably get even better with Messner-Loebs then Waid, but I'm enjoying the Mike Baron Flash, too.
In addition to the occasional random issue of something like Brave & Bold, Thor, Superfriends, etc. I'm currently reading through several series, and this is how I rate them:
Enjoying a lot All-Star Squadron New Teen Titans (1980 series, soon to start Baxter series) The Flash (1987)
Pretty good Justice League International (1993)
Meh, I'm making it through Legion of Super-Heroes (1989) Justice League America (the series from the earl 90's)
|
|
|
Post by beccabear67 on Feb 6, 2020 13:53:58 GMT -5
In no particular order... Warlock #1-4 (Tom Lyle, 1998-99), Nighthawk 1-3 (1998), Alpha Flight-Inhumans Annual 1998, Alpha Flight #18-20 (1998), X-Force #79-92, 97-101, Generation X #1/2 (Wizard), Captain America #32-38, Annual 2000, Avengers Forever #1-7 (currently reading #8).
|
|
|
Post by profh0011 on Feb 8, 2020 11:49:49 GMT -5
I just polished off Nostalgia Press's 5-book reprint collection of Alex Raymond's "FLASH GORDON". Maybe my sensibilities as a writer have developed too much for my own good, but what a contradition in terms these things are. The longer it goes on, the more gorgeous and spectacular the art is. But at the same time, the more annoying the writing becomes.
I read somewhere a couple years back that "FG" was considered to have the BEST art ever seen in newspaper adventure strips-- but simultaneously, of all the newspaper adventure strips, it had the WORST writing. I now find myself having to agree.
It's begin to annoy me more and more lately how some movie serials go on too long. Stories that should reach some kind of natural, logical conclusion, are prolonged unecessarily, because they still have X-number of chapters to fill out. The "FLASH GORDON" newspaper strip caries that to an absolutely insane degree. Basically, there's ONE "big story"-- Flash vs. Ming-- and it goes on for 9 WHOLE YEARS before it finally comes to an end. Anything not involving Ming seems like filler, because you know, eventually, it's gonna come back to him, and him and him. Every time Ming finds himself at the mercy of the heroes, something REALLY contrived and stupid happens, so he escapes, remains in power, and double-crosses and often kills even those who've helped him do this.
And then there's the STUPID soap-opera. Now, I can somehow deal with the original stretch of this-- Dale loves Flash, Flash loves Dale, Ming lusts after Dale, Aura lusts after Flash, Barin loves Aura, and then for laughs, Vultan wants Dale but also hates Ming.
However, by the time you get to the 4th book in this set, "FLASH GORDON FACES FROZEN HORRORS", the entirety of which is set in Frigia, the frozen country to the north, it reaches epic levels of stupidity. There are 4 main characters in this story-- Queen Fria, 2 of her nobles, and Prince Ronal, Barin's cousin-- who were PERFECTLY cast when they appeared in the 3rd movie serial. But only Ronal comes across as really noble and likable in the long run. He loves Dale, but only wants to be near her and help her, with no desire to steal her from Flash. Fria, however, falls for Flash, and goes to insane lengths to try and get him-- which pisses off her nobles, both of whom try to KILL Flash because they don't want a foreigner to become their next king. And this doesn't even get into the ice monster menace that goes on for what seems like MONTHS worth of strips, way, way too long for a single monster that can't even talk.
I was genuinely AGGRAVATED by the time I got to the end of Volume 4. Flash, Dale & Zarkov, who fled to Frigia to spare Barin's kingdom being attacked-- AGAIN-- by Ming-- now are eager to return, and get away from these stupid entanglements, though Flash leaves Ronal behind, hoping Fria might looks favorably on HIM. (She does; the next time we see them, they're married!) But just before they depart, a Ming spy kidnaps Dale, setting off the interminably-long complications in Volume 5.
Ironically, when Ming's downfall finally DOES come, it feels almost like the ending of "THE FUGITIVE". The damned story went on WAY too long, yet the ending arrives so abruptly, it feels like it was a sudden decision, perhaps one shoved on the writer by the newspaper syndicate. Worse, Ming isn't killed, merely imprisoned. Which, you just KNOW, has to to set up an unwanted sequel.
While it took certain elements and characters from the strip, the 3rd serial, "FLASH GORDON CONQUERS THE UNIVERSE", used them in an entirely different storyline. It was a major case where a film was MASSIVELY better than it's horribly-written source material!!! There's a reason why "UNIVERSE" has long been my FAVORITE movie serial of all time. The story is better; the characters are better-written; and it has a VERY-satisfying ENDING.
|
|
|
Post by nerdygirl905 on Feb 8, 2020 11:52:52 GMT -5
Forgot if it counts as Classic, but I’ve been watching Spider-Girl. The original run and now I’m going with the Amazing Spider-Girl series. Issue 8. It’s nice.
|
|
|
Post by EdoBosnar on Feb 8, 2020 12:30:45 GMT -5
Forgot if it counts as Classic, but I’ve been watching Spider-Girl. The original run and now I’m going with the Amazing Spider-Girl series. Issue 8. It’s nice. Basically, anything that's been published ten or more years ago counts as 'classic' here, so yeah, Spider-girl counts. Spider-girl is something I'd really like to get to one day. I have a digest that collects the minis of two characters from the Spider-girl universe, The Buzz and Darkdevil, and really liked those stories.
|
|
|
Post by spoon on Feb 8, 2020 12:53:58 GMT -5
Forgot if it counts as Classic, but I’ve been watching Spider-Girl. The original run and now I’m going with the Amazing Spider-Girl series. Issue 8. It’s nice. Spider-Girl is something I've been considered binge-reading through. I started reading it when Amazing Spider-Girl started. I ended up putting the whole original run, but I've only read portions of it. I want to read through it in order.
|
|
|
Post by beccabear67 on Feb 8, 2020 16:42:20 GMT -5
Finished Avengers Forever which was satisfying, and then Iron Man: Bad Blood (2000), a 4 issue mini-series by David Michelinie and Bob Layton. It picks up threads from their late '70s issues together on Iron Man with Justin Hammer and others, plus James Rhodes, all set in The Evergreen state of Washington (get a scene of a baddie being knocked through the dining room floor of the Space needle). Michelinie is as good as 'back in the day', but Layton's art, pencils and inks, is a bit disappointing to me (mostly you see the new armor but there is one flashback of the classic late '70s-early '80s armor). I liked his solo Iron Man #130 and the Hercules mini series, here he comes off as more generic, like it could be Sal Buscema inked by Al Milgrom, still solid but where'd all the sharp and shiny Laytonisms go? A twenty years later reunion promised a lot but not the hoped for classic. Besides the Space Needle they identify Sea-Tac airport, and you can kind of see Queen Anne hill in one background I think, but where are those real touches that would make this special? Where's the Elephant Car Wash, an Ivar's, or better yet, The Funhouse on the street across from the Center? This is more like someone had a couple of postcards to work from, and look at those buildings crowded near the Needle, not that I ever saw (still... a more accurate than Seattle Center in the Robo-shark movie). Waiting in the wings from this same era: Power Pack mini, X-Men: Liberators mini, and five issues of SpaceKnights!
|
|
|
Post by Icctrombone on Feb 8, 2020 21:43:05 GMT -5
I just read The Flash (1987) #1 and 2. I enjoyed them quite a bit. I know things will probably get even better with Messner-Loebs then Waid, but I'm enjoying the Mike Baron Flash, too. The Baron Flash run is my favorite Flash run of all time.
|
|
Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,083
|
Post by Confessor on Feb 9, 2020 5:20:09 GMT -5
I just polished off Nostalgia Press's 5-book reprint collection of Alex Raymond's " FLASH GORDON". Maybe my sensibilities as a writer have developed too much for my own good, but what a contradition in terms these things are. The longer it goes on, the more gorgeous and spectacular the art is. But at the same time, the more annoying the writing becomes. I read somewhere a couple years back that " FG" was considered to have the BEST art ever seen in newspaper adventure strips-- but simultaneously, of all the newspaper adventure strips, it had the WORST writing. I now find myself having to agree. It's begin to annoy me more and more lately how some movie serials go on too long. Stories that should reach some kind of natural, logical conclusion, are prolonged unecessarily, because they still have X-number of chapters to fill out. The " FLASH GORDON" newspaper strip caries that to an absolutely insane degree. Basically, there's ONE "big story"-- Flash vs. Ming-- and it goes on for 9 WHOLE YEARS before it finally comes to an end. Anything not involving Ming seems like filler, because you know, eventually, it's gonna come back to him, and him and him. Every time Ming finds himself at the mercy of the heroes, something REALLY contrived and stupid happens, so he escapes, remains in power, and double-crosses and often kills even those who've helped him do this. And then there's the STUPID soap-opera. Now, I can somehow deal with the original stretch of this-- Dale loves Flash, Flash loves Dale, Ming lusts after Dale, Aura lusts after Flash, Barin loves Aura, and then for laughs, Vultan wants Dale but also hates Ming. However, by the time you get to the 4th book in this set, " FLASH GORDON FACES FROZEN HORRORS", the entirety of which is set in Frigia, the frozen country to the north, it reaches epic levels of stupidity. There are 4 main characters in this story-- Queen Fria, 2 of her nobles, and Prince Ronal, Barin's cousin-- who were PERFECTLY cast when they appeared in the 3rd movie serial. But only Ronal comes across as really noble and likable in the long run. He loves Dale, but only wants to be near her and help her, with no desire to steal her from Flash. Fria, however, falls for Flash, and goes to insane lengths to try and get him-- which pisses off her nobles, both of whom try to KILL Flash because they don't want a foreigner to become their next king. And this doesn't even get into the ice monster menace that goes on for what seems like MONTHS worth of strips, way, way too long for a single monster that can't even talk. I was genuinely AGGRAVATED by the time I got to the end of Volume 4. Flash, Dale & Zarkov, who fled to Frigia to spare Barin's kingdom being attacked-- AGAIN-- by Ming-- now are eager to return, and get away from these stupid entanglements, though Flash leaves Ronal behind, hoping Fria might looks favorably on HIM. (She does; the next time we see them, they're married!) But just before they depart, a Ming spy kidnaps Dale, setting off the interminably-long complications in Volume 5. Ironically, when Ming's downfall finally DOES come, it feels almost like the ending of " THE FUGITIVE". The damned story went on WAY too long, yet the ending arrives so abruptly, it feels like it was a sudden decision, perhaps one shoved on the writer by the newspaper syndicate. Worse, Ming isn't killed, merely imprisoned. Which, you just KNOW, has to to set up an unwanted sequel. While it took certain elements and characters from the strip, the 3rd serial, " FLASH GORDON CONQUERS THE UNIVERSE", used them in an entirely different storyline. It was a major case where a film was MASSIVELY better than it's horribly-written source material!!! There's a reason why " UNIVERSE" has long been my FAVORITE movie serial of all time. The story is better; the characters are better-written; and it has a VERY-satisfying ENDING. I think I'd have stopped reading long before the end of volume 5, if I hated it as much as you do. Life's too short to waste time reading comics you don't enjoy.
|
|
|
Post by Duragizer on Feb 9, 2020 21:20:34 GMT -5
Forgot if it counts as Classic, but I’ve been watching Spider-Girl. The original run and now I’m going with the Amazing Spider-Girl series. Issue 8. It’s nice. I love Spider-Girl. It's modern superhero comics done right. Too bad Marvel had to **** the character over with their dumb**** Spiderverse garbage.
|
|
|
Post by Batflunkie on Feb 10, 2020 11:06:24 GMT -5
Forgot if it counts as Classic, but I’ve been watching Spider-Girl. The original run and now I’m going with the Amazing Spider-Girl series. Issue 8. It’s nice. I love Spider-Girl. It's modern superhero comics done right. Too bad Marvel had to **** the character over with their dumb**** Spiderverse garbage. Same goes for the new Spider-Ham book. I was never a huge fan of Peter Porker, but he deserved better than to just be sidelined with multiverse shenanigans
I feel like the only reason they brought the character back was because of the Sony Movie, same with Zdarsky's take on Howard
|
|
|
Post by profh0011 on Feb 10, 2020 14:55:33 GMT -5
I think I'd have stopped reading long before the end of volume 5, if I hated it as much as you do. Life's too short to waste time reading comics you don't enjoy. Sometime last year, I re-watched the 3 FG serials (along with the BUCK ROGERS serial, which I also love), and really wanted to compare them against the comics. I've also now watched both the 1979 and 1980 FG feature films (the 1980 film being virtually a parody of the 1979 film), plus the "R"-rated film from the early 70s. Up until the beginning of Volume 3, I was doing a play-by-play commentary, but then I just got to reading so much in such a short space of time, and before I knew it, I was in a hurry to get it done and out of the way.
I definitely remember, of what very little FG comics I've read by Archie Goodwin & Al Williamson, that the writing on those was INFINITELY better.
Anyway, it's really amazing how much BETTER-written just about every character in the serials was to their counterparts in the comics. I mean, just for starters, in the 1936 serial, Zarkov DOES NOT kidnap Flash & Dale at gunpoint (as he did in the comic-strip and the 1980 movie), but the 3 of them together decide to take a desperate chance to try and save Earth. So going in, the attitude was better. And throughout-- especially in the 1st & 3rd serials-- Zarkov is portrayed as MUCH more brilliant.
there's a minor point in the comics where Zarkov's spaceship is destroyed when it first crashes on Mongo. Then, YEARS later, their scientists have to work extra hard to build a new spaceship, so the Earth people can return home. Compare that with the 3rd serial, where Captain Torch sees it and says, "That's ZARKOV's ship! There's NO OTHER like it in the Empire!"
|
|
|
Post by wildfire2099 on Feb 11, 2020 11:30:49 GMT -5
I just had to share this... reading Guns of the Dragon today (Got my Mile High order).. Batlash's first panel.... he's drinking 'Corto Malt' Love it!
Also, a cat ninja? Call out to Usagi perhaps?
|
|
|
Post by beccabear67 on Feb 11, 2020 23:56:07 GMT -5
Mentioned this in another thread. Enjoying the 2000 Captain Marvel series by Peter David & CrissCross. I liked Cross' work from Slingers but did not really like Peter David's run on Supergirl (never read any of his Hulk, maybe I should)... anyway, #0-10 so far and it's enjoyable. There are some flaws but the manic pace zips you past those pretty quickly. Drax visits Jarella's world and is even mistaken for the other big green and muscular one... there are surprise guest spots by the Micronauts and also Comet Man, Moondragon, Silver Surfer, a Wendigo or two, and a comic shop. When this comic is funny it is genuinely funny what with two main characters talking to someone unseen by anyone else and various pop culture references that aren't just name-dropping.
|
|