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Post by Batflunkie on May 14, 2024 8:34:09 GMT -5
Yeah, the 2012 run is a bit of a cluster fudge of mini-series' that almost made it impossible to read if not for the IDW collection
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Post by wildfire2099 on May 14, 2024 21:31:23 GMT -5
Its definitely great that they collect everything in reading order... it would be really tough otherwise.
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Post by spoon on May 17, 2024 21:35:19 GMT -5
I read the Batman Knightfall Part One: Broken Bat TPB reprinting Batman #491-497 and Detective Comics #659-663. This is my first time reading any of the Knightfall saga.
Although there were individual issues that were interesting, I found the continuing storyline as a whole underwhelming. Part of that may be because apparently I joined a storyline already as progress, as I've learned there is a Knightfall Prelude TPB. Immediately after the Arkham Asylum jailbreak (or hospital break), Batman is already mopey about how worn down he is. He doesn't even get knocked around too bad for a while. To me, the better storytelling would be arc where Batman's condition get progressively worse instead of consistently bad through most of the story. But maybe all that happened in the Prelude. The Arkham breakout was way too easy to be the lynchpin of the story. I needed some Mission: Impossible complexity to make it feel earned. In general, it didn't feel like the plot came together a meaningful whole. Also, Bane seemed so cheesy compared to K.G. Beast of my vague memories of the villain from the Blind Justice story from Detective #598-600. Robin also has a hideous hairstyle. I'm an Aparo fan, but he seemed off his game here. Or maybe it was the inking.
What did I like? I thought some of the individual issues, particularly earlier in the TPB, had some nice action. There's a certain charm to a Batman storyline that just through a big chunk of his rogues gallery through a series of stories, rather than just one villain over several issues or just a bunch of gangsters. I'm more familiar with Batman's classic rogues gallery, so it was cool to read some stories with villains introduced in the late 80s and early 90s. Some of them I've read a few issues with before (the Ventroliquist). There's also Cornelius Stirk, who I'm not sure I've read his previous appearance. But I've never read a story with Amygdala or Zsasz before, so it was cool getting to know them.
I also read Marvel Tales #201-202. Those issues reprint the Marvel Team-Up two-parter that introduced Captain Britain to American comics. It's basically pleasant but unspectacular. Like, this Byrne is nice. It's nice to read Captain Britain's origin. Hey, it's Arcade's first appearance, but the Murderworld sequences are fairly similar to what I've already from he first fought the X-Men. Nice, but nothing too thrilling. The back-up is a Spider-Ham story that unfortunately isn't resolved in these two parts. Weirdly enough for funny animal series that I was into as a young reader, the story looks like it's going to be a critique of nativism. However, it then takes an absurd step that cuts against any serious commentary.
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Post by spoon on May 18, 2024 22:20:24 GMT -5
I read Dragonlance #2-4 by Dan Mishkin, Ron Randall, and Randy Elliott. My twin brother bought some issues of this series back when it came out, but I'd never read this particular issues before.
I like these issues and would consider buying. Randall's art is very suited to this series. Mishkin written other sword and sorcery series like Amethyst, right? It's interesting trying to get to know the mythology of the series and the characters, and the least interesting character gets written out. The main character in these issues is Riva Silvercrown. She possesses the Dragonlance, which apparently she acquired at a monastery in #1, but I haven't read that issue. She considers herself to be a warrior, and she's pretty good at it despite her sexist father thinking otherwise.
Oftentimes, when I'm read old comics I'll skip over the letter page. In this case, I read most of it, because it has some cool info like role-playing game stats/attributes for characters in the stories. Dragonlance #4 also has a map at the end of the issue.
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Post by Batflunkie on May 19, 2024 9:53:24 GMT -5
I read Dragonlance #2-4 by Dan Mishkin, Ron Randall, and Randy Elliott. My twin brother bought some issues of this series back when it came out, but I'd never read this particular issues before. I like these issues and would consider buying. Randall's art is very suited to this series. Mishkin written other sword and sorcery series like Amethyst, right? It's interesting trying to get to know the mythology of the series and the characters, and the least interesting character gets written out. The main character in these issues is Riva Silvercrown. She possesses the Dragonlance, which apparently she acquired at a monastery in #1, but I haven't read that issue. She considers herself to be a warrior, and she's pretty good at it despite her sexist father thinking otherwise. Oftentimes, when I'm read old comics I'll skip over the letter page. In this case, I read most of it, because it has some cool info like role-playing game stats/attributes for characters in the stories. Dragonlance #4 also has a map at the end of the issue. I've got the first novel in the Dragonlance series that I really need to give my full attention to at some point, it looked like a fairly interesting read
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Post by spoon on May 19, 2024 19:56:00 GMT -5
I read Dragonlance #2-4 by Dan Mishkin, Ron Randall, and Randy Elliott. My twin brother bought some issues of this series back when it came out, but I'd never read this particular issues before. I like these issues and would consider buying. Randall's art is very suited to this series. Mishkin written other sword and sorcery series like Amethyst, right? It's interesting trying to get to know the mythology of the series and the characters, and the least interesting character gets written out. The main character in these issues is Riva Silvercrown. She possesses the Dragonlance, which apparently she acquired at a monastery in #1, but I haven't read that issue. She considers herself to be a warrior, and she's pretty good at it despite her sexist father thinking otherwise. Oftentimes, when I'm read old comics I'll skip over the letter page. In this case, I read most of it, because it has some cool info like role-playing game stats/attributes for characters in the stories. Dragonlance #4 also has a map at the end of the issue. I've got the first novel in the Dragonlance series that I really need to give my full attention to at some point, it looked like a fairly interesting read I'd be interested to hear what it's like. I haven't read the novels or any of the RPG materials.
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Post by Batflunkie on May 20, 2024 8:03:47 GMT -5
I've got the first novel in the Dragonlance series that I really need to give my full attention to at some point, it looked like a fairly interesting read I'd be interested to hear what it's like. I haven't read the novels or any of the RPG materials. I remember hearing that it was pitched as "star wars meets high fantasy". The series is big, encompassing numerous books. The Battletech series is the same way
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Post by tonebone on May 20, 2024 14:53:51 GMT -5
I just purchased and read the Emperor Joker Deluxe Hardcover collection. I must say I was somewhat disappointed. The story was sort of repetitive, and could have been told in 64 pages. The art was nice, with lots of MAD-like visual gags.
The story had 1000% too much Bizarro (one of my least favorite Supes Villains). I will say Jeff Leob committed to the bit, with Bizarro's dialogue ALWAYS being the opposite of what he means, but the gag wears VERY thin, VERY fast. Overall, I was let down.
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Post by driver1980 on May 24, 2024 14:59:31 GMT -5
I read The Incredible Hulk #117 earlier. I absolutely love this panel:
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,069
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Post by Confessor on May 25, 2024 1:36:38 GMT -5
I read Dragonlance #2-4 by Dan Mishkin, Ron Randall, and Randy Elliott. My twin brother bought some issues of this series back when it came out, but I'd never read this particular issues before. I like these issues and would consider buying. Randall's art is very suited to this series. Mishkin written other sword and sorcery series like Amethyst, right? It's interesting trying to get to know the mythology of the series and the characters, and the least interesting character gets written out. The main character in these issues is Riva Silvercrown. She possesses the Dragonlance, which apparently she acquired at a monastery in #1, but I haven't read that issue. She considers herself to be a warrior, and she's pretty good at it despite her sexist father thinking otherwise. Oftentimes, when I'm read old comics I'll skip over the letter page. In this case, I read most of it, because it has some cool info like role-playing game stats/attributes for characters in the stories. Dragonlance #4 also has a map at the end of the issue. I've got the first novel in the Dragonlance series that I really need to give my full attention to at some point, it looked like a fairly interesting read Back when I was a teenager, my two best friends were both really into the Dragonlance books. I've never read them, but they clearly must have had something to have appealed to my friends as much as they did.
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Post by spoon on May 25, 2024 19:31:51 GMT -5
I read Avengers Epic Collection: Acts of Vengeance (vol. 19), reprinting Avengers #304-318, Avengers Annual #18, and Avengers West Coast #53-55. Basically, it's a regular Epic Collection. But since it includes the 3 issues of Avengers that were part of Acts of Vengeance, they also threw in 3 loosely interacted issues from West Coast and used the event title as the subtitle. My issue has a publishing where after going up to page 260, it then goes in revers from page 280 to 261, and then goes back to normal starting with page 281. But, hey, at least all the pages are there.
This issue contains an apparent transitional issue guest-written by Danny Fingeroth (#304), then Byrne's entire run as writer paired with Paul Ryan and Tom Palmer on art, and finally Fabian Nicieza finishing off the arc Byrne left during by scripting over Byrne's plot for #317 and writing all of #318. The annual is an installment of the Atlantis Attacks storyline, which did not involve the creative team from the monthly (except Byrne penciled the cover).
I have floppies through #300, but there's a small gap in my knowledge because I've never read #301-303. It seems the big events there were Quasar joining and the Avengers relocating to Hydrobase.
For the most part these are perfectly serviceable comics, with some interesting moments, like how the Lava Men arc (#305-307) is resolved and how Nebula's plot manifests in a freaky way that the Avengers are way too composed about. I write "serviceable" rather than compelling or brilliant, because it feels very much like the conscious efforts of a writer to move the pieces where he wants rather than an immersive suspension-of-disbelief experience of observing a world and its characters. For example, Byrne the two Avengers books to have variable ad hoc casts. He'd generally use certain corps members, but then anyone who has ever been a member could be called upon for a mission. East and West Coast were just bases rather than separate rosters. So he just has Captain America propose this and the former members accept, hand-waving aside all the obstacles to such a move in the past. Byrne doesn't seem to like Hydrobase, as he sinks after the Avengers have barely moved in.
Membership-wise, Byrne tries to put Quasar out of the loop. But he's more concerned with that destination, then with making that development interesting. In the rotating cast, Black Panther and She-Hulk do quick temporary stints. Byrne swaps Eternals by writing out Gilgamesh, while bringing in Sersi first informally and then as an actual member. I wish Byrne made her power set more clear when she joins up. Spider-Man finally becomes an ally and then an Avengers, before it's suggested he's not a good fit.
Speaking of Spidey, some aspects of the fish out of water story feel forced. For instance, Cap is portrayed as more at home with crazy theoretical science than Spider-Man. To me, Byrne also makes Cap very pushy, like a general who doesn't care for danger to his roster, but with a seeming oblivious by Byrne in how that comes across.
Byrne's art on the West Coast issues is very good. The Ryan (breakdowns) / Palmer (finishes) art team on the mothership is very good, although at times I'd like a lighter touch. The U-Foes show up in the Fingeroth issue and then again in Acts of Vengeance, which is nice because I enjoy them from their Hulk appearances.
I'd previously read the West Coast portions of Acts of Vengeance, as well as various issues of the crossovers from different titles. I was under the impression that Avengers was the core of the crossovers, so I thought it would make the heart of the story very clear to read all the Avengers parts. In fact, it really didn't. I'm wondering whether the backstory of the how the corps villains came together is told in some other parts of the story (maybe Avengers Spotlight?) or are the little scenes of exposition here the most readers got.
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Post by dbutler69 on May 26, 2024 7:48:41 GMT -5
I read The Incredible Hulk #117 earlier. I absolutely love this panel: I'd like to get a tee shirt made of that!
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Post by kirby101 on May 26, 2024 8:04:33 GMT -5
I read The Incredible Hulk #117 earlier. I absolutely love this panel: I loved when Trimpe inked himself.
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Post by Marv-El on May 27, 2024 11:55:42 GMT -5
I've got the first novel in the Dragonlance series that I really need to give my full attention to at some point, it looked like a fairly interesting read I'd be interested to hear what it's like. I haven't read the novels or any of the RPG materials. I'd highly recommend the series. I've been reading the series since it's inception back in the mid 80s. Don't let the fact that the series is based off a table-top RPG dissuade you, Dragonlance is a solid fantasy epic read. It's got heart, humor, love, loss, character, drama, and action. It's a typical fantasy setting with humans, barbarians, dwarves, elves, goblins, orcs, dragons, minotaurs, etc. An element of the RPG seeps in with the magic-users & wizards. They follow a caste and order system in that black-robe wizards follow the dark side, red-robed wizards are neutral, and white-robed wizards are good. If you can accept that, the magic & order system works rather well. One new race is introduced, the kender. Diminutive folk, they are totally immune to fear. As such, they are good-natured with a strong sense of wonder and exploration making them true adventurers. They also have the habit of 'acquiring' things that don't necessarily belong to them. As the series progressed, many books and different trilogies were released that helped further expand the Dragonlance world of Krynn. In fact, later books picked up on the legacies of the original Heroes such as their children making Dragonlance into a truly generational fantasy epic. However, the best place to start is with the series' original authors, Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman. They wrote most, if not all, of the foundational works of the series and so it's best to start with their two original trilogies: The Chronicles Trilogy tells the main story of a group of friends (the Heroes of the Lance) as they become embroiled in a war when Takhisis, Queen of Darkness, has led the evil dragons back into Krynn to conquer the world. At this point, the races of Krynn are fractured due to a cataclysm brought on by the departing gods in the last age. Man has since forgotten about the fabled dragonlance, a weapon capable of defeating dragons wielded in the last dragon war of millennia past. But now the gods have returned so where are the good dragons whose help is desperately needed? Can the friends help unite the races of Krynn in these dark times? Can the lost secret of the dragonlances be discovered in time? Or will darkness forever cover the land? The Legends Trilogy focuses on two members of the Heroes of the Lance, the twin brothers Raistlin & Caramon Majere. Raistlin is a black-robed wizard who has garnered enough power and strength to enact his daring plan to usurp the power of Takhisis, the Queen of Darkness, and become unto a god himself! Crysania, a cleric of good, sees in redeeming/saving Raistlin a personal mission given to her by the gods themselves. Caramon, once his brother's keeper, has since the War fallen on hard times, both physically, mentally, and spiritually. Following Raistlin into Krynn's past on his insane quest, can the pair, with some help from some friends, redeem themselves, their faith, and most importantly, a man's soul before it's too late? All at once, a rousing fantasy epic as well as a love story. It's also worth noting that today, after much legal wrangling of which I lack knowledge about, Weis & Hickman are currently releasing a brand-new Dragonlance trilogy, Dragonlance Destinies. Vol 2 of which was released this past fall.
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Post by wildfire2099 on May 27, 2024 15:15:26 GMT -5
I've always preferred Forgotten realms (based on 3rd edition D&D) to Dragonlance (2nd edition) but that might be just what I am familiar with.
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