Comics Extravaganza - Pow Bang Smash!

[namman siggins]

Check out my 9th, did a post on Youth is Wasted

[Tanukitsune]

I'm pretty new to Gail Simone, but she's doing Tomb Raider and Dark Horse is also having a sort of SDCC sale, I really loved the few of Gail Simone's work I've read, so is it safe to assume the Tomb Raider comic is good? I'm definitely getting The Goon one-shot.

[Ozzie]

The Book of Genesis illustrated by Robert Crumb arrived at my doorstep two days ago. Haven't read much of it yet, but it looks gooood. I had it on my Amazon wishlist for a long while and I finally bought it so I didn't have to pay for shipping costs. It's a good excuse to read a bit of the bible I think.

[Apelsin]

I'm pretty new to Gail Simone, but she's doing Tomb Raider and Dark Horse is also having a sort of SDCC sale, I really loved the few of Gail Simone's work I've read, so is it safe to assume the Tomb Raider comic is good? I'm definitely getting The Goon one-shot.

 

Assumptions are always risky, but if you've enjoyed an authors previous work there's always a fair chance that you'll enjoy the rest of their catalogue. Can't say for sure about Tomb Raider as I've not read it myself. Here's a bunch of "reader reviews" for the first issue though: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20927267-tomb-raider-1

 

So, is Saga any good?

[N1njaSquirrel]

So, is Saga any good?

 

Flippin Excellent. My favorite comic of late.

[TheLastBaron]

I would say when it comes to licensed books it's never safe to assume anything.

If you like a creator's previous work then there's always a decent chance you'll dig stuff they do in the future. I certainly get more excited when I see a team I like working on a new book than when I see a new book coming out with characters I like. I'll follow people I like from creator owned books to big two series' and usually I end up liking those too (examples being people like Rick Remender going from Fear Agent to Captain America, or Jason Aaron going from Scalped to a bunch of stuff at Marvel like Thor). On the other hand I really liked Andy Diggle's Vertigo work, especially Hellblazer, but havent liked anything he's done since.

Licensed books I'm always warry of, however. Most of the time there's so much editorial constraint involved in working with the property that even if you like the writer you won't even recognize them in the work. There are some exceptions, I loved Matt Wagner's Zorro stuff, but I'm always extremely cautious.

[tegan]

Boom's been really, really great about the licensed stuff they've been putting out, and surprisingly seemingly not bogged down by corporate mandate type stuff. What I'm getting at is that there is a comic series where Adventure Time's Peppermint Butler and Cinnamon Bun solve film noir crimes and that it is a wonderful universe that allows this sort of thing to exist.

[N1njaSquirrel]

If we're talking about adventure time, that particular mini-series was great. As well as the Fionna and Cake miniseries, but I find that the actual monthly series is pretty rubbish. I find it to generally to be not that well written and kinda unoriginal. There are certain parts which are great, like when Ice King goes dungeon exploring with Finn and Jake, but for the larger part, it feels to me inconsequential to the TV show. The AT universe is pretty great, where anything can happen, but the comics feel like filler. Idk. I just got bored of it

 

I'm starting to feel that way with the Bravest Warriors comic too.

[tegan]

I pretty much read the AT comics for the backup features that they get indie and webcomic creators to do.

 

Also, Kate Leth just started writing Bravest Warriors, so try to keep that one on your plate for a while at least.

[Merus]

So comic book nerds, settle something for me: it seems like people get a lot more excited for DC comic books doing well than Marvel comic books doing well, based on the buzz I saw around Batgirl. DC seems to do a lot more stupid shit than Marvel, but mostly what I hear about Marvel is from the movies. Is that accurate? Are the comics just not that exciting?

[TheLastBaron]

So comic book nerds, settle something for me: it seems like people get a lot more excited for DC comic books doing well than Marvel comic books doing well, based on the buzz I saw around Batgirl. DC seems to do a lot more stupid shit than Marvel, but mostly what I hear about Marvel is from the movies. Is that accurate? Are the comics just not that exciting?

This is not my impression. I mean I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "doing well", though. I actually hear a lot more about books from Marvel than DC. I think for the most part people consider the execution of the whole New 52 to be a complete failure. On the other hand between Daredevil and Hawkeye Marvel have been snatching up a ton of Eisners the past couple years. Then there's also books like Thor which are absolutely top quality (I would consider Jason Aaron's run on Thor to be the best since Jack Kirby, assuming one is a Kirby fan).

Also just in terms of buzz about Marvel there was the triple play of female Thor, black Captain America, and Stark Industries basically becoming Apple which were all covered in the mainstream news. On the flip side I guess Batgirl is getting a new costume (I googled Batgirl to see what you were referring to). So from my point of view DC has been in a pretty big slump the past few years compared to Marvel. Also if doing well is just strictly sales I'm happy if any company is doing well because compared to how much they make from licensing and movies, for both Warner Bros and Disney making comics is almost a vanity project.

That being said, I'm probably not the best person to represent the perspective of mainstream comics fans as I personally don't read too many big two books (I am not currently reading an ongoing series from either company on a monthly basis, though I did recently pick up the collection of the new volume of Batman Black and White). Just based on the stack of comics on my desk next to me I have one book from a big two publisher which is Stuck Rubber Baby (Vertigo). In that same stack I also have a book from adhouse, a book from Image, two from Topshelf, and three from First Second (I'm counting Boxers and Saints as one book).

[Merus]

I guess it might be more that Marvel's doing well and the comics are consistently good and everyone knows it so they don't need to talk about it, but DC is a constant trainwreck except for a few bright spots where things might be not terrible, and that kind of thing leaks out of comic circles easier.

[Xercies]

I've just finished From Hell, I really liked the very Zodiac kind of Epic storyline about the lives of these people and how Jack The Ripper affected the Community, the media, and the world. But...the conspiracy stuff is just to much and way to crazy to really believe, and its not like it s a small element of the book, its a really big element of the book, I mean they spend a whole chapter basically sprouting history on Freemasonry buildings. I just can't take that part seriously which is quite a shame. 

[tegan]

https://www.humblebundle.com/books'>There's a Humble Bundle on Boom Studios comics right now, and the $15+ tier includes the entire run of The Midas Flesh and all current issues of Lumberjanes, among others.

[TheLastBaron]

https://digital.darkhorse.com is currently having a sale on their omnibuses, pricing them at $9.99. I don't know if people here are interested in any of them, but I might get some of the Star Wars books and maybe Grendel even though I'm not a huge Grendel fan (I really like Matt Wagner though).

[Tanukitsune]

Comixology is having a "Leading Ladies of Boom! Comics" sale, with stuff like Lumberjanes, Bee & Puppycat, Jake & Fiona, Marceline and the Scream Queens... Sounds pretty good to me, although I don't know anything about the other comics on sale.

[tegan]

Lumberjanes #5 got delayed for a second time. Boo.

 

 

Also, I can confirm that Marceline and the Scream Queens is pretty great if anyone's interested in getting it through that sale Tenukitsune mentioned. This cover art for #5 is still brilliant.

 

[namman siggins]

Jesus Christ! Uncivilized Books is killing it this year: http://www.uncivilizedbooks.com/fall2014.html

 

Get on this y'all! Also, True Swamp Vol. 2 is coming out later this year!!

[TheLastBaron]

Has anyone here read The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec? I really liked It Was the War of the Trenches and Goddamn This War and am looking into reading some more stuff by Jacques Tardi.

[tegan]

I haven't read it, but the movie is fantastic, so I've been meaning to.

[namman siggins]

Has anyone here read The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec? I really liked It Was the War of the Trenches and Goddamn This War and am looking into reading some more stuff by Jacques Tardi.

Can't recommend The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec enough; hell, Tardi's work in general in I can't recommend enough.

There are two new comics by him coming out this year.

Also check out Gil Jordan.

[tegan]

The fifth issue of Lumberjanes finally came out today after two delays. It's easily the best one so far. There are dinosaurs involved. That's all I'm gonna say.

[Justin Leego]

This morning I misread a headline and for an exciting moment thought that She-Hulk and Hawkeye were going to guest star in a Lumberjanes issue.

[TheLastBaron]

The fourth issue of Southern Bastards that wraps up the first arc FINALLY came out today and wow, this series is by far my favorite thing currently being published. It's the only comic in years that I actually count the weeks until another issue comes out and am in a hurry to pick up. Everything else I either just read in trades or if I do read it monthly I just browse through what the new releases are and when it happens to be something I'm reading I pick it up.

[lizzyinthesky]

Been talking lots of comics with my friend Natalie the last few days. She recommended me a Milestone book by Maddie (formerly Adam) Blaustein, best known perhaps as the voice actress who played Pokemon called Deathwish, which featured a transgender protagonist. Like most Milestone stuff its pretty progressive and features early art of JH Williams III.