Comic books anyone?

[cubboyroy1826]

Okay i read through a few more comics at lunch today via the Digital option and admit i am hooked. This is the best way to read comics since if i really enjoy something i can buy but do not have to buy issues just to keep up.

[cubboyroy1826]

Okay after getting started on the whole Secret Invasion reading i came across a couple of issues that are not available in digital form. In going back through the thread there were a couple of different places listed to order from but Heavy Ink does not have the issues i need so other than Mile High i was wondering who else everyone is using these days?

[FrogMan]

www.mycomicshop.com is one place I've used in the past. Very good service.

Other than that, I've heard of people using ebay too.

FM

[FrogMan]

https://www.tfaw.com/ is another one

[FrogMan]

here's one I've heard good thing about but from which I've never bought:
Online Comic Store – Buy Comic Books, Graphic Novels – Superman Batman Spider-Man

FM

[cubboyroy1826]

Thanks Frog i will check them out.

[FrogMan]

oh, and if you ever sign up on HeavyInk, be sure to write a blurb on my wall to let me know: www.heavyink.com/frogman

WVUFan and Raiders Army are other two FOFCers who buy their comics at HI.

FM

[cubboyroy1826]

Okay i ordered a couple of TPBs from Amazon and i was wondering what size bages and boards i need to get for these.

I am also wondering what brand of bags and boards i should get?

[kurtism]

I usually just shelve TPBs, but unless they are really large, they will fit in Silver Age-sized bags. No idea on brand, I just get whatever they have at my LCS (and most of my new issues come pre-bagged and boarded thanks to the good folks at impulsecreations.net).

[law90026]

I have never bothered with bags and boards for my TPBs, largely because they have no resale value anyways.

[cubboyroy1826]

Okay other than Civil War and Secret Invasion what other Marvel Crossover series might i want to read?

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by law90026

I have never bothered with bags and boards for my TPBs, largely because they have no resale value anyways.

I agree. I have a ton of TPBs, it's really the only way I've bought anything, other than a few exceptions here and there, for the last 16 years or so. They have no re-sale value and look kind of nice on the bookshelf, if you're into that kind of thing, which I am.

[cubboyroy1826]

Okay for those of you who are regular comics readers what comics out there feature superheroes that are a little darker. I looking for good guys that are right on the border of good and evil. I would like something where the good guys can die.

[Shkspr]

Originally Posted by cubboyroy1826

Okay for those of you who are regular comics readers what comics out there feature superheroes that are a little darker. I looking for good guys that are right on the border of good and evil. I would like something where the good guys can die.

Oh my, you have been away from comics...I mean, Mary Marvel was a leather-clad dominatrix, the Green Goblin is the biggest superhero in Marvel's stable, and the Blob ate the Wasp. How dark do you want to go???

But seriously, for mainstream comics published right now, check out Secret Six at DC and Thunderbolts at Marvel. If you prefer to scrounge for back issues, try to find a copy of DC's Suicide Squad.

For indies, trying to find a comic that ISN'T dark is the challenge. I'm enjoying Irredeemable, which is itself right out of the Miracleman stable. Robert Kirkman's Invincible is a traditional hero book that has done a pretty good job of creating a world where the status quo can change.

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by Shkspr

For indies, trying to find a comic that ISN'T dark is the challenge. I'm enjoying Irredeemable, which is itself right out of the Miracleman stable. Robert Kirkman's Invincible is a traditional hero book that has done a pretty good job of creating a world where the status quo can change.

following the Irredeemable's line of thoughts, I like The Mighty from DC very much. Both deal with a super turned bad. Incorruptible which will start in December is supposed to be the reverse of Irredeemable, i.e. a villain trying to do the right thing. Both are on Boom! Studios and written by Mark Waid.

Also, another indie that recently started it Absolution, from Avatar. It's about a super who's tired of seeing bad guys get off easily an decide to take matters into his own hands by making 'em pay.

FM

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Shkspr

But seriously, for mainstream comics published right now, check out Secret Six at DC and Thunderbolts at Marvel. If you prefer to scrounge for back issues, try to find a copy of DC's Suicide Squad.

I second Suicide Squad. It was my favorite DC series back in the day. Secret Six is pretty good as well. What's the constant between the two? That's right: Deadshot. He's my favorite character in the entire DC universe. When written well, he's really a fascinating character.

I haven't read too many super hero books in a while, especially ones that are still going. Garth Ennis' "The Boys" is quite dark. If you're no faimiliar with Ennis, I'd recommend buying the first few issues to see if he's your style. He's really, really over the top. And he really seems to hate super heroes.

I thought the mini-series "The Umbrella Academy" by Gerard Way was fantastic. Very different and very stylized, but great. I am pretty sure he's working on a sequel.

Another edgy comic series that had a short, but fantastic run, is Alan Moore's "Top Ten." It's sort of a Hill Street Blues set in a city where all the inhabitants are super heroes, robots, aliens, etc. Great stuff.

[cubboyroy1826]

Loved the Suicide Squad back in the day and that is along the lines of what i am looking for. I will pickup some of the suggested titles this week and report back. I am reading Marvel Civil War and remember what i did not like about mainstream comics, heroes do not die.

[WVUFAN]

I second Irredeemable. Of course, I've been a big fan of Mark Waid's stuff, especially Empire.

[law90026]

The 2nd Umbrella Academy TPB is out. I like this series, it's different in a quirky way.

[cubboyroy1826]

Okay i started looking for some of the comics suggested. The Thunderbolts appear to go pretty far back. Those who have read Thunderbolts, where do you think i should start reading? I will check out some of the others tomorrow.

[kurtism]

Start Thunderbolts from the beginning, and it is solid pretty much until they do an odd re-boot (same name for the book, but it switches to some sort of super-powered cage fighting nonsense). The re-boot of the property is decent too, but I actually prefer the original run.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by law90026

The 2nd Umbrella Academy TPB is out. I like this series, it's different in a quirky way.

Good to hear! I wish I had known this last week, as I recently placed a Amazon order where I picked up the latest "Fables" and "Secret Six" TPBs as well as "The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks" TPB.

Umbrella Academy is very different and quirky, but really quite excellent.

Another quirky and different book I recently really enjoyed was Warren Ellis' "Fell". It is very weird and really something unique, but great. The main character, Detective Richard Fell, is awesome and the world is very eerie. Sadly, Warren Ellis has had trouble getting new issues out (like Planetary, which is also great).

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

Another quirky and different book I recently really enjoyed was Warren Ellis' "Fell". It is very weird and really something unique, but great. The main character, Detective Richard Fell, is awesome and the world is very eerie. Sadly, Warren Ellis has had trouble getting new issues out (like Planetary, which is also great).

Fell is an awesome, awesome book. Highly recommended. Ellis and Templesmith use a special 9 panels per page layout that works quite well, and Templesmith's art is very well suited for that kind of dark story telling.

Think I read somewhere that Ellis had some sort of computer data loss in which is lost his Fell notes and possible future scripts and that was why the series had not had another book after the initial 8 that are in the trade.

FM

[cubboyroy1826]

OKay just finished the first TPB of the The Boys and i will say this might be a little too far out there for me. It was not bad but definitely over the top and i agree Garth is not a fan of Supes.

[Honolulu_Blue]

So, there have been a number of recent posts on aintitcool.com listing "Best Comics of the '00s".

You can find them here:

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/43555

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/43525

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/43540

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/43548

While I have heard of and own most of them, especially the bigger, more popular titles like "League", "Y", "Fables", "Ex-Machina", "The Boys", and "Walking Dead" some I hadn't really come across. I ended up ordering a few such as: "Midnight Nation", "Lucifer", "Empire, "Alias", and "Sleeper."

Looking forward ot them.

[cschex]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

So, there have been a number of recent posts on aintitcool.com listing "Best Comics of the '00s".

You can find them here:

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/43555

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/43525

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/43540

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/43548

While I have heard of and own most of them, especially the bigger, more popular titles like "League", "Y", "Fables", "Ex-Machina", "The Boys", and "Walking Dead" some I hadn't really come across. I ended up ordering a few such as: "Midnight Nation", "Lucifer", "Empire, "Alias", and "Sleeper."

Looking forward ot them.

All five of the ones you ordered are certainly worth it. Sleeper, Lucifer and Alias are some of my personal favorite series ever. Re-reading Alias makes me mad because it reminds me how good Bendis used to be.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by cschex

All five of the ones you ordered are certainly worth it. Sleeper, Lucifer and Alias are some of my personal favorite series ever. Re-reading Alias makes me mad because it reminds me how good Bendis used to be.

Awesome. I got the entire rune of "The Losers" for Christmas and am currently making my way through those. After that, I need to finish the final TPB for "100 Bullets" and the various Buffy TPBs I have.

Every time I feel like I have come to the end of great comics, several more pop up that I hadn't heard of. I like it.

[Ramzavail]

I'm going to pick up the Mass Effect #1 Comic today, I haven't been into comics for a while, since like the Preacher in the late 90s. But I'm huge into Mass Effect so I thought I'd pick this up. The local guy ordered it for me and will do so for the rest of the series.

Anybody else pumped for this? or reading it now?

[cubboyroy1826]

Let me know what you think of Mass Effect. My son is a huge fan of the game and i like comics so it might be a good read for both of us if it is decent.

[Ramzavail]

Well, I loved the books. I read them both in about 2 weeks, I couldn't put them down.

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

Top Ten by Alan Moore. While this is techincally a superhero book, it's wildly different than your typical fare. It's sort of a "Hill Street Blues" set in a massive city full of superheros, aliens, robots, gods, etc. The book focuses on the cops in this city where, after WW II, all countries "banished" their superheroes et al. too. Sadly it was a short run with only 12 (I think) issues printed. All issues are contained in two TPBs. It's really some of the best stuff I've read in a while.

I remembered Top Ten being recommended a long time ago and when Heavy Ink did an Alan Moore sale, I picked up the first trade. Just finished reading it yesterday and I gotta say that was really, really entertaining. Very cool, yet somewhat different superhero type of story.

FM

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by FrogMan

I remembered Top Ten being recommended a long time ago and when Heavy Ink did an Alan Moore sale, I picked up the first trade. Just finished reading it yesterday and I gotta say that was really, really entertaining. Very cool, yet somewhat different superhero type of story.

FM

I'm glad you enjoyed it! I loved the series. It does get a little weird modern-day Alan Moorey from time to time (he's really been on a weird sex fetish the last decade or so, I'm no prude, but he lays it on a little thick sometimes), but, overall, it's really solid. I like a lot of the main characters. You can spend a few minutes on each page, since Ha (the artist) packs so much into almost every panel. There are all sorts of hidden characters in some scenes.

I'd definitely recommend the second trade. The only downside is that's pretty much all there is other than the prequel they released.

I recently bought and read the entire Lucifer series. It's a Sandman spin off, focusing on Lucifer after he gave up Hell and moved to earth. It's not written by Gaiman, but it's excellent. Very Gaimanesque in many ways. There are 11 (maybe 12) trades out there. The series is complete. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoyed Sandman. Some really great stuff.

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

I recently bought and read the entire Lucifer series. It's a Sandman spin off, focusing on Lucifer after he gave up Hell and moved to earth. It's not written by Gaiman, but it's excellent. Very Gaimanesque in many ways. There are 11 (maybe 12) trades out there. The series is complete. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoyed Sandman. Some really great stuff.

Heavy Ink ran a sale on Sandman a while ago and I almost went on a spree and bought many of them but I decided to pass, at least for the time being. I had read the first two books of Lucifer two years ago (dang time flies) and was holding off on reading more. Don't know why, it just didn't really jive with me. I did buy volume 3 a couple weeks ago when HI ran a sale on it and many members over there commented that the story did pick up a bit with volume 3.

HI have been running sales on trades almost weekly and there was a pretty big one for Canada Day in which I picked up the first two volumes (phonebooks actually) of Cerebus. Really looking forward to getting them.

Been on a pretty constant feed of manga, mostly anything from Naoki Urasawa and reading the Vizbig editions of Vagabond.

Also read and really enjoyed Midnight Nation. Would qualify it as a moving experience of a read.

Finally read Dark Knight Returns and didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would.

Would also recommend Asterios Polyp as a very interesting read.

Currently reading a graphic novel called Area 10. It's a black and white book with art by one Chris Samnee that I really, really like.

FM

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by FrogMan

Also read and really enjoyed Midnight Nation. Would qualify it as a moving experience of a read.

I picked up Midnight Nation a while back. Actually, Aintitcoolnews had a few "Best Comics of the Decade" pieces back in January or so of this year. I used those as a guide to pick up a number of series that sort of fell through the cracks for me. Lucifer was one, Midnight Nation was another. There were a few others, Alias, for example, that I picked up, but haven't gotten around to reading yet.

I really liked the concept of Midnight Nation, but ultimately it didn't quite do it for me. I am not exactly sure why. I think the art played a bit of role. Overall, the art was pretty good, but every woman in it was depicted as being ridiculously hot, somewhat similar, outside of hair color, and dressed in incredibly tight, skimpy clothes. I know, I know... this is a comic book, that's how women are often depcited. I guess I just don't read that many mainstream books anymore, but it threw me off pretty consistently.

It was a good concept and I enjoyed the read.

Another book I read, a year or so ago, was Soon I Will Be Invincible, by Austin Grossman. It's not a comic, but rather a novel about super heroes. I'm sure most of you have read it, but, if not, I'd check it out. Very well-written, funny, good action. All of that stuff. I got it from Half.com for 99 cents.

I finally picked up the 4th and final trade for Planetary. I might need to read them all again. It's a great series.

I also have a Secret Six trade. It's one of the few Marvel/DC titles I follow. I have to keep up with my man, Deadshot. He's been my favorite DC character for 20 years so, since I first came across him in Suicide Squad.

[FrogMan]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

I really liked the concept of Midnight Nation, but ultimately it didn't quite do it for me. I am not exactly sure why. I think the art played a bit of role. Overall, the art was pretty good, but every woman in it was depicted as being ridiculously hot, somewhat similar, outside of hair color, and dressed in incredibly tight, skimpy clothes. I know, I know... this is a comic book, that's how women are often depcited. I guess I just don't read that many mainstream books anymore, but it threw me off pretty consistently.

It was a good concept and I enjoyed the read.

yeah, I'd qualify the art of Midnight Nation as very much in the line of Top Cow work.

Speaking of which, I also read the trade of The Magdalena and a special priced Witchblade trade (think it was the first Ron Marz trade priced at $4.99 or something like that) and both enjoyed them. Yeah, I know, how cheesy can I get. Sue me, I liked them.

I got both Witchblade compendium volumes and The Darkness compendium on my wishlist for some day. Yeah, beer and pretzel reading...

FM

[kurtism]

Resurrecting this thread as I recalled that there were a few Heavy Ink shoppers here. Wanted to post this article about the owner's response to the Arizona shootings: Heavy Ink Comics Retailer Applauds the Shooting of Gabrielle Giffords - ComicsAlliance | Comics culture, news, humor, commentary, and reviews

[Thomkal]

nice, well if I was still buying comics these days, I certainly wouldn't be buying from that company ever again.

[Caine]

Looks like DC will be rebooting their entire line at #1's in September. Will any of you be picking these new books up?

[oykib]

Grant Morrison on Action Comics number 1 is a must for anyone that liked All-Star Superman. I'll probably pick up the whole line just to see. They'll be a dollar off the next month if you get the digital download.

Here's a listing of all 52

This is a discussion video podcast of the line:

[Honolulu_Blue]

With respect to this DC re-boot deal.

Does anyone know what's going to happen to the books that aren't getting re-booted?

For example, the only DC comic I still read (through trade paperbacks) is "Secret Six" - because I like Deadshot. It looks like Deadshot is going to be part of the newly re-booted "Suicide Squad". So, what happens with Secret Six? Is the series over? Do they go on with a different roster? How do they explain the shifts in continuity?

Hrmm...

[Honolulu_Blue]

The internet answered my question:

Gail Simone has announced the series will end after issue #36 due to the DC Relaunch in September 2011.

[Honolulu_Blue]

By the way, Deadshot's re-boot look is ridiculous.

I love the Suicide Squad - the initial run was one of my favorite series ever - and the interactions between him and Harley Quinn could be a lot of fun, so I will give it one trade to see if I can overcome the horrendous outfit change.

[WVUFAN]

The DC Reboot has started -- Justice League #1 came out yesterday.

Anyone pick it up? What do you think?

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by WVUFAN

The DC Reboot has started -- Justice League #1 came out yesterday.

Anyone pick it up? What do you think?

I haven't picked it up, but really I'm just irritated over these constant reboots. It made CNN today so for publiciity sake I guess its a good thing, but for history and continuity's sake, I'm just not a fan of them.

[samifan24]

Originally Posted by WVUFAN

The DC Reboot has started -- Justice League #1 came out yesterday.

Anyone pick it up? What do you think?

I picked it up. The first comic book I think I've purchased since I bought Death of Superman as a kid. I'm mostly interested in seeing what unfolds since I've been away from comics for so long and didn't know the stories over the last few years.

At the very least this reboot caught my attention and brought me back in to check out some of the more popular books again. I imagine it might do the same to other former fans.

[samifan24]

Did anyone pick up any of this week's new DC releases?

I picked up Detective Comics, Action Comics and Green Arrow. I liked Action Comics the best and was really shocked at how Detective Comics ended. I never really read DC or comics since I was a kid so I'm enjoying getting in on the new stories. I wondered how long time comics fans feel about the new 52?

[kurtism]

I'm getting a fair number of books, but I get everything via monthly shipments from my online shop. Should have last week's and this week's by Monday, and will try to leave my thoughts.

[Blade]

I didn't really read comics as a kid, but for some reason I started to read them in the past year. I was always a Marvel fan first, but found that I started to get hooked on DC. The relaunch actually got me into my local comic shop to buy comics, something I don't think I have ever done.

I picked up Action Comics, Detective Comics, and Batgirl. I have always been a fan of Batman, and have been reading primarily Bat-based comics in the past year, so I did enjoy Detective Comics, and I am excited to see how the last page plays out. I liked Action Comics too, as it really set the stage for the new universe with a younger and cockier Superman. Batgirl left a really bad taste in my mouth in the end, though, and I feel bad for that because I like the character of Barbara Gordon (though I preferred her as Oracle), and I generally like Gail Simone's writing. But I am on the fence as to whether I will get issue 2 of Batgirl.

[samifan24]

Well this week was the first time I experienced a sellout on titles I wanted to pick up. My local shop was already sold out of Batman and Wonder Woman an hour and a half after they opened this morning.

What sites do you guys order from online? I see a lot of older recommendations in this thread but am wondering what site is currently the best.

[kurtism]

Unrelated to the DC thing, Boom! Studios is giving away free digital copies of Mark Waid and Mick Oosterveer's Unknown books as a tribute to Oosterveer's recent passing at the too-young age of 50. Check out the details at the links below. I read both series when they came out, and they are every bit as good as any of Waid's best work. Well worth your time.

BOOM! Studios offers late artist’s work for free | Robot 6 @ Comic Book Resources – Covering Comic Book News and Entertainment