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Post by Deleted on Jul 1, 2020 2:10:41 GMT -5
In July of 2019, I turned 50. Over the course of the year since, I have read a ton of comics, some old, some new, some good, some bad, a lot in between. Over the course of the next month I hope to spotlight my 50 favorite comic reads of my 50th year-some of these will be single issues, some will be short runs, some will be OGN, some will be collected editions, some will be entire series. These do not come close to covering all the comics I read over the past year, just the ones I liked the most for whatever reason-some will be because of the story, some may be for the art, some may be for the craft, some may be for the themes or ideas explored. I will try to articulate some of the reasons why I liked each book. There will be a mix of classic and modern comics in the list-I wasn't sure which section to put it in-classic or modern as there are some of both and community seemed inappropriate for a comic-based thread, so I defaulted to the classic forum. Some of these are first time reads, some will be favorites revisited. Not all of these books will appeal to everyone, and many may not agree with why I liked certain books. The list is composed entirely of comics I read between July 1, 2019 and June 30th, 2020, so many classics, favorites, or buzz-worthy comics will not be present. This is not a comment on their quality or merit, I simply didn't read them in the past year. There are some books I read that I didn't include, but might have if the story had reached a resolution, but I want to see the ending before I make a final assessment of them. There are others that are in process I included simply because the journey they offered has been so good regardless of how they end. If you have read any of these books I list, I'd welcome your thoughts on those books as well. If you have questions about books I read, I'd be glad to try to answer them. If you aren't interested in the thread, so be it. I am going to try to do these in groups of 3-5 books each post until we reach the top 10 or 20, and try to get through all 50 over the course of July. I may fail (and fail spectacularly, we'll see) but I think the attempt is worthwhile. #50Far Sector #1 by N.K. Jemisin and Jamal Campbell; (published by DC Comics under the Young Animal imprint, released in 2019, cover dated Jan 2020)  I discovered this book just as I was beginning my explorations into Afrofuturism-it is in essence a Green Lantern book which explores some of the themes and tropes of Afrofuturism. Jemisin is a rising star in the sci-fi field and is already an award-winning writer. Much of her work falls within the scope of Afrofuturism and has been on my radar for a bit (I have her most recent novel out from the library and is next in my TBR pile). I've only read the first issue (more have been released), and I found it full of promise and fresh ideas, likable characters and an engaging plot, but there was a lot of world-building, and this felt like it would benefit form reading in one-sitting rather than as a monthly, so I am waiting on the trade for the rest (it's a 12 issue maxi-series I believe, so done as possibly 2 trades). Sojourner 'Jo' Mullein is a newly chosen Green Lantern assigned to the City Enduring on the other side of the universe form her home on Earth as her sector. It is a massive metropolis planet of 20 billion souls who have kept the peace for over 5 centuries by stripping their populace of the ability to feel emotions, thus virtually wiping out violent crime. However, a murder has occurred and Sojourner must navigate the labyrinthine society of the City Enduring to solve it all while still earning the ropes of being a Green Lantern. The sci-fi elements in this one are front and center, and well done. Jemisin has an engaging authorial voice. Campbell art is beautiful and he has a way or portraying the strangeness of an alien civilization while giving it just a shadow of familiarity that allows the reader to connect with the setting and people and immerse oneself in the story. This one made the list on the potential shown in the first issue. Whether it pays off in the long run, I don't know, but I liked what I saw here a lot. The uncertainty of the whole is what kept this on the lower fringe of the list. #49Crimebusters #1-2 by Scott Harris-King (self-published comic, released in 2019-2020; crowdfunded through Kickstarter)  I am a big supporter of small press and alternative/indy comics, i.e. the world that exists outside the purview of Diamond (or any other direct market) Distribution. There's lots of interesting stuff out there, some of it far more interesting than good and some more ambitious than the skill set of the creators, but there are also a lot of legitimately good comics out there. This is one of them. And it is one of the most fun comics I have read this year. Crimebusters continues the legacy of the Crimebuster character created by Charles Biro and featured in the Golden Age Boy Comics series, but adds a few new characters to the cast (Trixie, my favorite character being one of them) and proceeds to tell standalone mystery stories in the vein of teen detective stories with just a hint of a supernatural element. I am not singing the praises of this book just because one of our own forum members is the creative force behind it, it's simply a good, enjoyable comic that entertains through and through. It's breath of fresh air in an era where fun comics seem to be the exception, not the rule. Each issue features a full done-in-one mystery, plus a back up feature (the main monkey Squeeks got the nod in issue #1). The art style riffs off of the Archie House style and feels like a comic form of old time Saturday morning animation, and the visual storytelling and narrative flow are very good. It doesn't look like a house style big-2 super-hero comic, and that's a good thing as the art really fits the vibe of the stories here. #48Blake & Mortimer Vol.1: The Yellow M by Edward P. Jacobs (published by Cinebook in English in 2007, translating material originally published in 1956)  This is not the first published Blake & Mortimer story, but is the first volume of the Cinebook series. I discovered this series because several times when I mentioned I liked Tintin and Eurocomics, I was always asked "have you tried Blake & Mortimer?" and my answer was always no. I stumbled upon a volume at a con a couple years back but hadn't given it a go yet (it isn't this volume) but when I discovered Hoopla had a pretty extensive array of Cinebook volumes available I decided to give it a go. The Yellow M refers to a mysterious mark left by a daring criminal on his crime spree stealing from banks, museums, and even the royal palace. Scotland Yard is baffled and enlists the aid of Captain Francis Blake and his esteemed partner, the scientist Dr. Phillip Mortimer to try to find the culprit. The investigation and manhunt takes many wild twists and turns and is a fun and entertaining read. If you are not used to the look and style of Eurocomics, it can be a bit offputting, it can be text heavy in places (and the lettering a bit on the small side to accommodate it) and the visual narrative flow can be a bit different than readers of American super-hero comics are used to, but it is worth the effort of acclimatizing oneself to the style if needed. A romp of a good adventure and I look forward to exploring more of their adventures in the future. #47Hawkman in Showcase #101-103 by Jack C. Harris, Allen Milgrom and Murphy Anderson; covers by Joe Kubert, (published by DC Comics; 1978)  This really is almost a Adam Strange co-feature as Hawkman, Hawkwoman and Adam Strange all play significant roles in the story, and the story tiles emphasize this-#101 is entitled "Mystery in Space" #102 "Strange Adventures" and #103 "Adventures on Other Worlds" nods to features and stories past. Adam Strange is in need of help defending Rann and is pursued by a group of aliens but escapes to Hawkman's ship after signalling the Hols for help. Turns out Rann is besieged by the Thanagarians (who have fallen under the sway of Hyathis and her puppet Kanjar Ro) and a coalition of former enemies of Rann. Hawkman and crew ally with an underground resistance group on Rann and eventually take the fight to Thanagar and confront Hyathis and her allies (Shadow Thief among them). The status quo for Thanagar follows from Hawkman's appearances in World's Finest as a back up feature and the resolution leaves threads that are picked up in the Shadow War of Hawkman series years later. It's a fun little 3 issue story, full of action and surprise reveals. It features a who's who of Adam Strange and Hawkman foes as it progresses trying to showcase (pun intended) all these two have to offer as possible features. The Kubert covers are spectacular, but the Milgrom interiors seem lackluster in comparison. I am not a fan of Milgrom as a penciller, but Murphy Anderson does a lot to make them better, however he cannot make up for Milgrom's less than dynamic and mostly pedestrian layouts and action choreography. Better art would have landed this higher onthe list, but the Milgrom art is serviceable, so doesn't impact the stories readability overly much. It certainly could have been better, and a wild rollicking team up adventure featuring Hawkman and Adam Strange (tow very visually appealing characters) certainly deserved better, but the story still rates pretty high with me and I enjoyed it despite the lackluster art. and finally for this installment... #46Under the Moon: A Catwoman Tale (OGN by Lauren Myracle and Isaac Goodhart (published by DC as part of their YA Ink initiative in 2019)   Lauryn Myracle is an acclaimed and best-selling YA writer and part of a group of such DC recruited to launch their Ink line aimed at the YA demographic. This is a reinterpretation of the classic Catwoman mythos with Selina Kyle as a teen surviving on the streets of Gotham after being forced into homelessness after troubles with her mom's boyfriend. The art by Isaac Goodheart is perfect for this style of book and is very strong in its visual storytelling I applaud efforts like this to find new audiences and new readers for comics, and this was an engaging read for me despite not being part of the target audience. It was simply good comic book storytelling, and told a relatable and recognizable tale of Catwoman. Not the Catwoman hardcore comic fans grew up with and are familiar with, but a credible, interesting and valid take on the iconic mythic Catwoman character. And that's a wrap for this installment. Be back soon with a few more selections. -M |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Jul 1, 2020 16:41:21 GMT -5
Random thoughts on MRP's reading in his dotage.
Far Sector: I should probably try to read this. I have read very few DC super-hero books in a long old time. Far fewer than Marvel. But this seems like I should give it a try.
Crimebusters: I have both of these sitting next to my chair waiting to be read. Yeah...I know.
Blake & Mortimer Vol.1: The Yellow M: This is another series I've thought I should read. So many comics so little time.
Hawkman in Showcase #101-103: Haven't read these in eons. I never really liked Hawkman in this era. These issues I picked up out of a quarter bin eons ago and haven't read in a long old time. Could qualify for my "Gone too soon" thread though. That's a great cover though.
Under the Moon: A Catwoman Tale: I'm pretty clearly not the target demographic for this book. I have considered buying it for my granddaughter though.
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Post by berkley on Jul 2, 2020 0:16:22 GMT -5
I didn't know Jemisin had written any comics. Her SF novel has been on my to-read list since it came out, not sure how interested I might be in Green Lantern series, though, whoever it might be written by.
I'm not a big fan of Archie comics or teenaged characters in general, so that aspect doesn't add any attraction for me. OTOH, I like the idea of a group of friends who become involved in mysteries, and also the spooky house and hovering ghost on the cover, so could see myself giving this a look sometime.
I just started reading Blake and Mortimer last year myself, with Le Mystère de la Grande Pyramide and then this one a few months later. Yeah, they're great. I love the artwork, the setting, the time period, the mysteries, all of it. This reminds me, I'll have to start looking for the next one soon.
Hawkman, I'm a bit sceptical, as I'm not a great fan of DC's superhero characters in general, though I think Hawkman probably has more potential than I see in some of the others. If Murphy Anderson elevated Al Milgrom's artwork to unexpectedly high levels, which doesn't seem outside the realm of possibility to me, I might give it a chance. I'll have to look for some samples online.
Under the Moon: really nice cover. On first skimming through the post I didn't even notice it was a Catwoman story and from the description, I can't help wondering if it really needed to be. Like Slam Bradley, I'm not part of the target audience but it sounds like a cool idea and if the interior artwork looks as good as the cover, I'd be impressed.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2020 0:19:36 GMT -5
Continuing on with the countdown... #45 Excellence #1-3 by Brandon Thomas and Khary Randolph (Image; 2019)  Ok, another book with an Afrofuturist vibe, but this one falls in the fantasy genre, not sci-fi, except it is a fantasy in either a near future or an alternate world, a world where the Aegis, a secret society of black men who are magi controlled by secret masters have an firm influence on the world and its people. Their goal is to better the lives of others and help them achieve their unknown potential and to remain unseen in doing so, but as always there are complications and wrinkles in such an endeavor. Spencer Dales is a young black magician born into one of the leading families of the Aegis, who is expected to follow in his father's footsteps, but he has questions, and sees the flaws in what he feels is an inherently broken system and believes all it takes is a man of will with access to magic to make the kind of changes necessary to fix things. He seeks allies, but his actions may set off a generational war that shakes the foundations of their society. This was a book with a lot of great ideas, a promising start and phenomenal art, but it had a lot of set up to do and was a slow burn as a monthly read. I decided after 3 issues to wait for the trade to be able to read at my own pace, so i stopped picking up the monthly issues. I just picked up the first trade through Hoopla and added it to my TBR pile for this coming month, so I may reevaluate this one soon, but it is on the list because of its potential. Anyone dismissing this as a "black Harry Potter" has missed the point and the mark and made a lot of assumptions and generalizations. There is a more to this in the three issues I read-an examination of family relationships, a commentary on patriarchal society, commentary on power and its ability to corrupt and how even the best of intentions can be subsumed b a "might makes right" mentality and more all woven into the subtext of this story, but the surface still has engrossing characters and an intriguing plot that can be followed and enjoyed even if you ignore the thematic underpinnings of it all. On a side note, looks like this book had some unexpected demand upon release, as a year after its release the first print of the first issue is going for about $15-20. I've got the first trade form Hoopla and added it to my wishlist on Amazon for the next time I place an order through them, after I check to see if my LCS has one in stock. I hope the audience for this book sticks with it and it isn't just a flash in the pan hot book. #44Black Canary: Ignite by Meg Cabot and Cara MgGee (DC; Zoom imprint; 2019)   While the Catwoman OGN already appearing in this list was from the Ink imprint, this one is form the Zoom imprint, which is actually targeted at a slightly younger demographic than the Ink books; still under the YA umbrella, but more targeted at a middle-school-junior high audience than Ink (which is more jr. high-high school). Dinah Drake is a 13 year old girl in this, one who aspires to be a rock singer and her focus is on her band and a battle of the bands, but things get complicated when her efforts are sabotaged and her parents' secret past comes to haunt her-her mom was a super-hero known as Black Canary and her dad a police office who assisted her, and Dinah has inherited her mother's powers, and one of her enemies who has taken on a new identity posing as the principal of Dinah's school to get close enough to enact her vengeance on Dinah's family. It's very much a nod to the GA/SA mother-daughter dynamic of the Black Canary history (and Ted Grant makes a small appearance helping to train Dinah once she discovers her powers). A lot of the focus is on the mother-daughter relationship between Dinah and her mom, and Dinah's journey of discovering her identity and not on super-hero action, but there is enough of that to keep it exciting. Again, I am so not in the target demographic for this book, but I thought it was a wonderful read. The art is dynamic and attractive if highly stylized. Again, while a different take on the character, it hits a lot of the notes that make Black Canary Black Canary, drawing from all eras of her history (from the Golden Age to the DCYOu era) to synthesize this new take aimed at a younger female audience. IT is a delightful little OGN that really does what it set out to do and does it very well. #43The Shadow War of Hawkman (4 issue mini, special and into a short lived ongoing) by Tony Isabella & Richard Howell (DC; 1985-1987)    This story begins in The Shadow War of Hawkman mini-series, a one shot special, and then the first 9 issues of the 1986 Hawkman ongoing before Isabella was replaced by Dan Mishkin as the writer on the book, necessitating a somewhat abrupt end to the story line and a shift in tone for the ongoing. Despite the chaos at the end, this was a fun and engrossing storyline. Isabella takes up some of the loose threads from the Hawkman stories culminating in the Showcase issues I featured above, and weaves a new status quo and thematic underpinning for the Hawkman series-alien invasion, paranoia, and a secret war become the focus of the series rather than straight super-heroics (though there is plenty of that as well). Isabella does a very good job or portraying both Katar and Shayera as the co-leads and as equal partners (even when Katar believes Shayera has been killed for an issue or two) and his portrayal of their relationship is one of the highlights of the series-demonstrating that married super-heroes can work and be entertaining and hook the reader in-an idea more recent comics has seemed to reject altogether. I wouldn't list Richard Howell as one of my favorite artists, but he does a good job here (aided at times by Alfredo Alcala's inks). His art is pretty standard super-hero house style fare, but his layouts are dynamic and his visual storytelling is very strong. nothing groundbreaking or earth-shattering here, just solid, entertaining super-hero sci-fi. #42Robert E. Howard's Almuric adapted by Roy Thomas and Tim Conrad (serialized in Epic Illustrated #2-5 in 1980-1981, collected into a GN by Dark Horse in 1991)  I have both the Epic issues and the GN, and this time I read them as I began to read my way through the Epic Illustrated series (last time I read the GN version, and my first time when I first read the early Epic issues many years ago). Almuric was a posthumously published planetary romance tale by Robert E. Howard. It's pretty standard fare and somewhat formulaic in the planetary romance mold (I think a big reason why REH never found a buyer for it in his lifetime), man of heroic proportions and warrior nature out of step with his times finds himself transported to alien world where he fits in better and becomes a figure of importance more suited to his temperament and skill-set. Slap a fresh coat of paint, vary some details, and voila, you have just about every any (or every_ planetary romance tale, Knowing that, the trick is in the telling/execution not in the set up. I also read the Gulliver of Mars stories from Creatures on the Loose this year and it didn't make the list despite one gorgeous Steranko cover and some very good art from Gil Kane and Gray Morrow because the story execution of the concept was lacking). Howard's take has its flaws, but Howard is such a strong storyteller he finds ways to make this work and Thomas is skilled at adapting Howard, so translates it to the comic page very well. Add in some gorgeous (if stylized) work from Tim Conrad and the result is a planetary romance that works and entertains the reader. #41Kill or Be Killed by Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips (Image; 2016-2018)   2016-2018, deluxe HC 2019) First, I'll cop to the fact that this is probably my least favorite of the Brubaker/Phillips collaborations. That said, it's still Brubaker/Phillips and pretty damn good. I started reading this as it came out, but stopped when I was unexpectedly hospitalized for emergency hernia surgery a few years back. When I finally got back to buying new comics after almost 6 months off, I had missed a fair number of issues and decided to switch to trades, but never got around to getting any of them. When the deluxe HC was solicited collecting the entire series, I decided to just jump on that. Brubaker's protagonists in his collaborations with Phillips are rarely heroes, often not good people, and unlikable for the most part except for the fact they are compelling and and you want to see their story play out despite the fact you aren't rooting for them. That said, it took me a bit to warm to Dylan, the protagonist of this feature and to get hooked by his story. But once I did, Bru and Phillips took me on another roller coaster ride through the run of the series. I saw one critic describe it as Catcher in the Rye meets Deathwish, and well I can see where he was trying to go with that, Dylan is no Holden Caufield. But despite that, the arc of his story eventually grabbed me and the end result was worth that rocky start. I cannot say enough about Sean Phillips as a visual storyteller, his stuff is just absolutely golden. And Brubaker is probably my favorite writer currently working in comics, one who I will at least sample any series he works on (there have been a few misses for me by him, but they are few and far between and even his misses have something interesting going for them). That said, I expected to like this going in, and I did, just not as much as I had other Brubaker/Phillips collaborations. It was more a solid B+ than the A level stuff we usually get form them, but it was still head and shoulders above a lot of stuff I read over the course of the year. And that's a wrap for this installment. -M |
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Crimebuster
CCF Podcast Guru
Making comics!
Posts: 3,959 
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Post by Crimebuster on Jul 2, 2020 11:28:06 GMT -5
Wow, thanks so much! I really appreciate the support. It's a lot of hard work so it's very gratifying and humbling when someone actually likes it!
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Post by codystarbuck on Jul 2, 2020 11:37:15 GMT -5
I love Blake & Mortimer (I will always refer to it as Blake et Mortimer, thanks to first seeing it in Maurice Horn's World Encyclopedia of Comics); it's a nice blend of a detective story, a spy romp and sci-fi adventure. Comics for the brain. 50? Pfahhh....Then you didn't "experience the 60s...man! Then again, I was 2 1/2 in July '69 and I don't really remember much of the 60s except high chairs and a baby sister that would arrive the next month. Like they say, if you can remember the 60s, you weren't there!  |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Jul 2, 2020 11:40:15 GMT -5
Continued thoughts:
Excellence #1-3: This one skipped my notice. I'll have to look for a trade.
Black Canary: Ignite: Like the Catwoman book this is not something I'd be likely to read. But, again, I may think about getting it for my grand-daughter.
The Shadow War of Hawkman: I bought this when it was new, but haven't read it since. Honestly it's weird I bought it because I never liked Hawkman until Hawkworld. Maybe I'll pull them out someday.
Robert E. Howard's Almuric: I know I've read this, but I don't remember it. I've considered pulling out my issues of Epic Illustrated and reading them, but there are so many comics and so little time.
Kill or Be Killed: I read this as it was coming out. I'll buy anything by Brubaker and Phillips. I liked it, but it was probably my least favorite thing they've done together.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2020 13:06:26 GMT -5
I love Blake & Mortimer (I will always refer to it as Blake et Mortimer, thanks to first seeing it in Maurice Horn's World Encyclopedia of Comics); it's a nice blend of a detective story, a spy romp and sci-fi adventure. Comics for the brain. 50? Pfahhh....Then you didn't "experience the 60s...man! Then again, I was 2 1/2 in July '69 and I don't really remember much of the 60s except high chairs and a baby sister that would arrive the next month. Like they say, if you can remember the 60s, you weren't there! I did catch the last half of '69, so I was born in the 60s, a few days before the moon landing, but yeah didn't experience much of it. -M |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2020 23:44:20 GMT -5
Moving on with the countdown... #40Camelot 3000 #1-12 by Mike W, Barr & Brian Bolland (DC; 1982-1985)  This won't be the only sci-fi/fantasy take on Arthurian legend to make the list. It was also nice to read this as back issues and not have to worry about the huge delays that plagued this series (it took over 2 ears for a 12 issue "monthly" maxi to be released) that while a hot topic during its release period no one seems to care about these days now that it is a completed body of work to be read on its on merits and not that of a periodical release. This was my first time reading this series. It was considered groundbreaking as it was coming out, but a lot of that is lost for readers who experienced comics only in the after period and weren't part of the before landscape to appreciate the ground it broke and the shifts in comic storytelling that resulted from it. The story itself stands up for the most part, as long as you go in with a modicum of suspension of disbelief standard for reading a lot of comic book fare. Barr is a solid storyteller and Bolland's art is exquisite. A few bits have not aged well, but for the most part it still stands up. There's a fun sci-fi plot built onthe legend of Arthur's return and lots of interesting character work and arcs to flesh it out. #39Starslayer #1-34 by Mike Grell, John Ostrander and others (Pacific 7 First Comics; 1982-1985)   So, a story about a Celtic barbarian shanghaied into space while he was fighting Roman invaders...sign me up. The initial arc by Grell was phenomenal, and the series profited from some strong back up features as well (everything from Rocketeer to Grimjack), but the transition to John Ostrander and company was not smooth, and some of the back ups turned out to be real duds (Black Flame had some interesting art by Tom Sutton but a nearly incoherent story form Peter B. Gillis). Though created by Grell, Ostrander wrote the bulk of the series, and it was a bit uneven at first. It too a notch up when Tim Truman came on board as artist, but lost its way a little bit again after Truman left and Hilary Barta went from inking to pencilling the book. When this series is good, it's very good, when it's not it's falls to a level of being just pedestrian. Ostrander is a fantastic writer, and the series is never bad, it just tended to lose some focus and have some pacing issues while it meandered a bit in parts, and just seemed to stumble to a finish. I think Ostrander had a lot of ideas for the series, but Truman helped him focus and give the series some energy, but without Truman, the execution of some of Ostrander's ideas was lacking a bit. The Grell issues were fantastic, and the book ranks as high as it does based on the strength of the Grell issues and the Ostrander/Truman issues, but the rest hold it back form being higher on the list. #38Hawkman #1-12 by Robert Venditti & Brian Hitch (DC; 2018-2019)  Vendetti continued on after issue 12, but Hitch left after a year on the book, and that first year comprised one long arc exploring who Hawkman was and trying to make sense of his convoluted history, redoing his origin once again. Was Hawkman Carter Hall, and archaeologist who was active with the JSA in the Golden Age? Yes. Was Hawkman Katar Hol a Thanagarian space cop? Yes. Hawkman was also so much more (as the cover I chose hints at). The series spun out of the Death Metal Event penned by Scott Snyder, which set up Hawkman as sort of the historian and archaeologist of the true history of the DCU (sort of like Planetary to the Wildstorm universe) but this series explores the true history of Hawkman as Carter Hall sets out to fill in some of the gaps in his memory of himself and his many reincarnations. Each mission he undertakes uncovers clue ending him deeper into the mystery, as he learns he has reincarnated not just on earth but throughout space and time having had lives on multiple worlds (including Rann and Krypton) in multiple times (from ancient Egypt to the present and beyond). His quest leads to a lengthy team-up with Ray Palmer (the Atom). Carter learns his first incarnation was as part of a cult known as the Deathbringer, and he was responsible for the deaths of millions (or billions) and he was given a chance at redemption to balance the scales by reincarnating and working to save lives, and will not know peace until he saves as many lives as he destroyed, but his quest has captured the attention of the DEathbringers and brought them to Earth where Hawkman must face them in a final battle to save the earth. Hitch's art is amazing through the entire run. Hitch caught my eye on books like The Authority, but I felt he hit a rut for a long period where his stuff just didn't do it for me, but this felt like vintage Hitch. VEndetti has been hit or miss for me over the years, but I really like his work here. He has a firm grasp on Carter and what makes him tick, I really like the time/space reincarnation shtick and a lot of the identities Vendetti created for it were a lot of fun. This was just a fun epic comic book romp with gorgeous art and an interesting take on the Hawkman legend that seeks to integrate the various takes and failed attempts to streamline or make the character relevant in the past. Post issue #13, the series is still good, but it gets embroiled in the next DC event du jour which causes it to loss a bit of its appeal to me, but those first 12 issues are well worth checking out. #37Border Worlds #1-7 plus Marooned by Don Simpson (Kitchen Sink; 1986-1987; 1990)   Unfortunately this series was left incomplete (though form what I understand there is a HC collection that finished the story by Simpson). The series began as a back up in Megaton Man; I haven't read those and it didn't affect the enjoyment of the story (the unfinished part did, which keeps this form ranking higher). Jenny Woodlore struggles to keep her space taxi business afloat on the space station Chrysalis running fares back and forth form earth to the station, and takes on job that embroils her in a rebellion against the earth government when a pair of scientists end up hijacking her ship and seeking to make public information the government has kept from the people as they flee and discover an underground sub-culture existing in secret on the space station. The series ends with issue 7, and there is a bit of a time jump to Marooned, which was supposed to be the first of a new series starting 3 years after #7 was published, but it wound up being the only issue of that series that saw print. This is adult sci-fi and wouldn't have been out of place in the pages of Heavy Metal (and fits with a lot of the other stuff Kitchen Sink published). It's more hard sci-fi than space opera, and has well-developed characters and some strong work by Simpson. At some point I want to try to track down the HC, but it's out pf print and I haven't found one at a reasonable price yet. #36Doctor Strange by Mark Waid (& Jesus Saiz, Javier Pina & Barry Kitson) (2018 series #1-20)   Doctor Strange in space...hmmmm. Somehow involving Galactus and Dormammu eventually, ok, I'm intrigued. The problem with this run is one common to a lot of modern Doctor Strange-they have to de-power Strange because it seems no one knows what to do with him at full capacity as Sorcerer Supreme. Waid is a good enough writer to make that scenario work and keep it interesting, while building off of what Jason Aaron and Donny Cates had done since Strange got a solo series back a few years earlier. Waid finds a new way for Strange to empower himself (in the creation of magic items) builds the supporting coast, gives some resolution/closure to the supporting cast left hanging by Cates & Aaron, and culminates with a rollicking epic featuring Dormammu & Galactus which was just hella fun to read. It doesn't rise up to the level of Ditko Doctor Strange (very little does) or the Englehart years, but it is a fun take that provides a interesting roller coaster ride as you read it. If you can't get past the sentiment of "that's not MY Doctor Strange" it's probably not for you though. and that's it for this installment, more soon. -M |
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Post by codystarbuck on Jul 4, 2020 10:21:12 GMT -5
I don't know, Camelot 3000 ended up being a disappointing read, when I picked it up in college, after it had finally finished (I picked up the entire series at once). The art is fantastic and there are good characters; but, there was just something about it that didn't really grab me. I liked elements of it, but it never fully came together, for me. The Tristan and Isolde stuff was good, Lancelot was good, Guinevere so-so. Mostly it was Arthur. He just felt a bit hollow, like Barr was afraid to treat him as anything other than a legend, while the others got humanized a bit.
I haven't read it in a long time; but, that was my impression, then.
Loved Grell's Starslayer, but, had a big gap between the first issue or two at First Comics and finding a comic shop, in college, to where the series had progressed beyond what I had read. I had mostly missed out on comics for the better part of a year and would slowly re-enter them over the next year; so, I missed most of Ostrander and never really got the desire to read it. I did read some of Grimjack; but not until much later. I was a bit reluctant to go into ongoing series where I had no past to draw on. For instance, I wouldn't pick up Scout until the end of the original series and then had to start backtracking (which wasn't easy). Same with Airboy, despite it being there in the stand when I was in college. I didn't try it until a couple of years later. Lot of indie stuff, like that. I had picked up early First Comics offerings; but, I didn't pick up others until Lone Wolf and Cub was coming out and they started publishing the American Flagg albums. Eclipse wouldn't really enter my world until I was about a junior, in college, then become a much bigger part of things. The DC Post-Crisis world was occupying the bulk of my time, from 1985/86-1989.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Jul 4, 2020 12:13:37 GMT -5
Let’s see if I can manage this on a phone. Camelot 3000: I read this late because I had little to no access to a comic shop until I went to college in the fall of ‘86. I have only read it once and it was probably twenty years ago, but I was decidedly underwhelmed. I might have loved it as a teen when it came out, but as an adult it did very little for me. Pretty pictures with a barely serviceable story.
Starslayer: I actually read most of the Pacific run as it was coming out because a friend subscribed. I read the rest later on. I’m a big fan of both Grell and Ostrander (and Truman). This is one I keep meaning to revisit and don’t seem to find the time.
Hawkman: I read the first storyline and it was really good. I just wasn't interested in the second arc to keep going.
Border Worlds: I have random issues in a box somewhere that haven’t seen the light of day in decades.
I also haven’t read any Dr. Strange newer than the early to mid ‘80s. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2020 13:33:35 GMT -5
Onwards, for three more on the list... #35Brave & the Bold #29 by J.Michael Straczynski & Jesus Saiz (DC; Jan 2010)  This was one of my selections for the 12 Days of Christmas, and that was the first time I read this particular issue. This is what I said about it then... #34Hawkworld #1-3 by Tim Truman (DC; 1989)  I read a lot of Hawkman books in the last year. This was the best of the bunch. (The ongoing fits in here too for the most part, but it was uneven and ending dovetailed into the 90s series which I didn't like as much, and which didn't make this list, so I didn't inlude it here even though I liked most of it quite well). This was the second radical rethinking of Hawkman in the character's history (the first was B&B 34 by Fox and Kubert that transformed archaeologist Carter Hall into Katar Hol space cop). This is a darker, more sci-fi look at Thanagar and Katar Hol's life there, and is a magnificent piece of comic work. Truman crafts an engaging and visually stunning story that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. It fits in with the period's trend towards grim and gritty, but avoids the extremes of that trend and the hollow cliches that marked the worst of the material produced in that vein and instead offers up a serious story addressing some issues in a mature manner while still telling a gripping sci-fi adventure tale. #33 Teen Titans: Raven OGN by Kami Garcia & Gabriel Picolo (DC; Ink; 2019)   Another of the YA targeted OGN form DC's Ink/Zoom line, this is by far my favorite of the bunch. I think I might like this version of Raven even better than the original take by Wolfman & Perez. This is a story about coming to grips with one's self and exploring one's identity, a common theme in a lot of YA lit, but one that fits Raven and her demonic heritage quite well. Picolo is such an engaging visual storyteller and Garcia nails the character and the story. Most of the Ink/Zoom stuff is great for YA readers, but may not engage adult readers in the same way, but of all the ones I read, this one has the most potential for audience cross-over appeal, and the fat it sold through several printings within months of its release demonstrates it was finding a wider than anticipated audience. That's it for now, more to come... -M |
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Post by berkley on Jul 4, 2020 19:15:53 GMT -5
Robert E. Howard's Almuric: this was good, but also a bit of a disappointment to me at the time, I think mainly because I found Conrad's rendition of the aliens or "natives" aesthetically unattractive. I imagine he probably wanted to avoid the stereotypically pretty princess à la Dejah Thoris but in a planetary romance like this I think those stereotypes are an integral part of the genre, and as such shouldn't be messed around with too much. Otherwise, I'm a big fan of the genre and of Conrad's artwork (whatever happened to him, anyway?) and it looked fantastic.
Starslayer: Love the premise but as usual Grell's style doesn't really grab me. I think it looks better in Warlord, thpugh I haven't seen enough of either to really judge. But I pan to try that series one of these days so maybe I'll give this a chance too.
Camelot 3000: I read the first few issues of this when it came out and thought it was pretty decent but somehow lost track of it and my interest in looking at it again has more or less disappeared over the years. I have a feeling I wouldn't like it as much now as I did then, and even at the time my interest was pretty mild.
Kill or Be Killed: I was a bit underwhelmed by the one Brubaker series I tried a few years ago and that experience has put him way down near the bottom of my to-read list. I do have something else of his in my sack, though - Velvet - which I'll try eventually.
Doctor Strange (2018 series): As you say, I don't feel much interest in reading a new take on this character at this point or indeed any of my old favourites. I remember looking at one of Waid's Doctor Strange comics, not sure if it was from this series or something else, and finding it pretty dismal. Looking at online samples, Saiz's artwork looks really good while Kitson's doesn't do much for me, if I have them straight.
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Post by brutalis on Jul 4, 2020 20:22:43 GMT -5
Wonderful seeing so much Hawkman love. Like I have said before Hawkman is one series I will pick up in any iteration. Just so dang much can be done with the character as shown here in your list MRP.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2020 0:03:50 GMT -5
One more installment before calling it a night... #32Black Magick Vol. 1 & 2 by Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott (collecting issues #1-11; Image Comics; 2015-2018)   I first checked this out with the magazine-sized release of issue #1...  which contained some back matter not in the collected editions. I am not sure if more back matter appeared in the other single issues, as I waited for the trades after the magazine sized debut, but Rucka often includes back matter in single issues to give them extra value to the reader. They are not essential to reading the story, but offer depth and insight into the world building he does for these stories. Black Magick tells the story of Rowan Black, a homicide detective who is also a witch-much in the Gardnerian vein of practitioner than witches found in say the Malleus Maleficarum, on Charmed, or hanging out in Oz, but one with real occult powers. Her heritage as a witch is a closely guarded secret, supposedly known only to her coven-mates, but call comes in for a hostage situation and the perp specifically requested to speak to her, and when she goes in to meet him he reveals that he knows her secret before killing himself through immolation. Everything proceeds from there as she and her coven-mates try to solve the mystery of who he was affiliated with, if he is part of a witch-hunting organization that dates back as far as colonial Salem, and who else knows their secret, all the while trying to do a difficult job as a homicide detective in the aftermath of that hostage situation which tests her relationships both personal and professional and puts many of the folks she cares about around her in danger. Rucka is a dependable writer. Some of his big 2 stuff can be hit or miss with me, but his creator-owned stuff is usually fantastic (you'll see another of his creator-owned series later). Nicola Scott is a phenomenal artist, both in terms of aesthetics and storytelling skills. The only downside to this series is the slow release schedule, as both creators are in high demand and they usually take long breaks between arcs/volumes to do other projects (which is a big reason I trade wait on this one rather than do the singles). #31Chilling Adventures of Sorcery/Red Circle Sorcery #3-11 by Gray Morrow and others; Archie Comics/Red Circle 1973-1975)   The first two issues of this series did horror stories mostly in the house art style of Archie, but with #3 Gray Morrow came on board and the game changed. This is an anthology title, with a mix of stories each issue form a stable of creators headed by Gray Morrow. Some of the stories are great, some only okay, but the overall series in the Morrow era is fantastic. Gorgeous art from morrow as well as a list of contributors that included Vincente Alcazar, Dick Giordano, Howard Chaykin, Alex Toth, Carlos Pino, Pat Boyette, and others. Donald Glut contributed a number of scripts and Phil Seuling had a hand in some of the back matter as well. I am not sure you can ever go wrong with stories by Alex Toth and Gray Morrow, but there's gems to find in every issue and most of the second tier stuff is still very good horror reads. #30Red Sonja by Mark Russell (Red Sonja #1-12, Red Sonja Lord of Fools #0; with art by Mirko Colak, Bob Q, (Dynamite; 2019-2020)   Mark Russell is a writer worth checking out if you haven't read his stuff before. I know he has a few fans among out members. His take on Sonja is more epic fantasy with political elements than pure sword and sorcery, but it is solidly a Red Sonja story nonetheless. Sonja's people in Hykrania are the target of an expansionist emperor who seeks to add them to his conquests and it falls upon Sonja to lead the resistance for her people, a role she does not want but reluctantly takes on. Filled with intrigue, savage battles, interesting characters, some great fantasy art and other elements, this is a series worth checking out even if you are not a big fan of Sonja. It is different than the Marvel take on the character (all the Dynamite Sonja books have been), but this is one of the best Sonja comics I have read. That's it for now, more to come... -M |
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