Comic Book Fans....

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: Comic Book Fans....

Thanks for the overview Kevin, I had no idea about Pete and Lana being married. I figured all the kryptonite-cookie cutter-supervillians weren't in the comics at all and weren't really the high points of season one for me at all, so thats no big deal. In the other seasons (2-4), do the stories start to revolve more around the core cast (Lex, Lana, Clark, etc) rather than creating more villians? At the end of the first season, starting with the Rogue episode, it felt like the writers were doing more with the stories and characters in the episodes that didn't feature a "normal to freak" character than the episodes that did. Anyway, a good first season. It reminds me of Batman: The Animated Series in terms of story and character development, but not as good and the special features are kind of lacking, but thats not a big problem.


I really need to pick up the Superman seasons TPB.

[aukevin]

Re: Comic Book Fans....

Thanks for the overview Kevin, I had no idea about Pete and Lana being married. I figured all the kryptonite-cookie cutter-supervillians weren't in the comics at all and weren't really the high points of season one for me at all, so thats no big deal. In the other seasons (2-4), do the stories start to revolve more around the core cast (Lex, Lana, Clark, etc) rather than creating more villians? At the end of the first season, starting with the Rogue episode, it felt like the writers were doing more with the stories and characters in the episodes that didn't feature a "normal to freak" character than the episodes that did. Anyway, a good first season. It reminds me of Batman: The Animated Series in terms of story and character development, but not as good and the special features are kind of lacking, but thats not a big problem.


I really need to pick up the Superman seasons TPB.

Season 2 really starts with Clark learning more about his history and that lead into all the other seasons where he's not sure what his destiny is. One overall theme over the whole series is the distrust between the two friends of Clark and Lex. They both want to be friends but you just see how that isn't going to be possible. There is also an ongoing power struggle between Lex and Lionel. The Clark/Lana connection keeps getting played and honestly, it gets tired after a while. Pete becomes a more cool and integral character in season 2 and Chloe IMO remains a high point throughout the whole series. Some people don't really like that Lois is in the show, but I thought she really re-energized the show. Erica Durance plays a awesome Lois, much like the animated series Lois. The show continues with the K-freaks, but it isn't always about them and I guess they really have tapered off over the last couple years because season-long villians have really appeared. It's nice when they have reoccuring K-freaks (both good guys and bad ones) rather than introducing new ones too. It's a fun show for sure.

The For All Seasons TPB is really good and the first part of it is a real good Smallville story. This books doesn't have Lex as a Smallville character, just Lana and I'm pretty sure Pete. Clark doesn't come across Lex until he becomes Superman in Metropolis as I recall. The Birthright story does place Lex in Smallville as a young man and that is the current origin continuity that the Superman books are running off of now. As for Lana and Pete, they have a kid named Clark (isn't that awkward for Pete) and Pete was Lex's VP while he was President. Currently I believe Pete and Lana are still separated as her feeling for Clark have resurfaced although Clark is married to Lois. But they really haven't been mentioned in comics for about 9 months or so. The last storyline that featured Lana and Pete in the comics were the Ruin ones which I believe are in TPB now or will be soon. That's a real good storyline by Greg Rucka by the way. Lana also was the first person Clark ever revealed his secret to in the comics just FYI if you didn't know. So there is still a big connection between their comic characters because of that.

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: Comic Book Fans....

So far I agree with you on your assessments of Chloe and the Clark/Lana relationship. I'll have to check out those TPBs you mentioned. I've been meaning to pick up some Superman TPBs, especially since I have none, so I'll start with one of those.

[aukevin]

Re: Comic Book Fans....

yeah, those TPBs are good. I'd recommend you reading For All Seasons first, mainly because it is the best IMO. Then Birthright. The old 1986 Man of Steel TPB, I think it is called Man of Steel vol 1 now, is a nice classic origin story for Superman, but Birthright has pretty much replaced that now. Ruin is a good recent story and I also enjoyed the Return to Krypton story and the Godfall one was pretty cool too. Both recent (within 5 years).

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: Comic Book Fans....

How is the Death/Return of Superman story arc?

[aukevin]

Re: Comic Book Fans....

Well the only thing of that I have reread since it first came out was the Doomsday battle and I think it is real good. I don't really remember the Funeral for a Friend stuff, but I do remember the four Supermen stories being fun. I really liked Conner, the Superboy, and Steel. I imagine those would be good ones to read again. If you have never read the Doomsday battle issues, I'd say read those, they are good.

[Streets]

Re: Comic Book Fans....

At the start of this thread I said I was thinking about getting into comics, and now, I'm hooked. I ordered the first 3 TPB hardcovers of Ultimate Spiderman and the Ultimates TPB. Both were phenonenal. The Ultimates 2 is arguably even better than the 1st.

Two days ago I raided my local comic store. I bought a random daredevil TPB called "golden age". It was very creative in that all of the flashbacks were drawn in the old-style of DD comics with matt rocking the yellow suit. The story is about how Daredevil thwarted the original kingpin (before wilson fisk). DD put him away for 20 years in prison and he is now out and seeking revenge.

I got a 6 part DD mini-series called "redemption", which is more about Matt Murdock as a lawyer than it is about daredevil per se. Still, very good. I'm a little over half-way through it.

I also got a 6 part mini-series that is an Ultimates and Ultimate Spiderman Crossover. Havent read it yet.

Finally I got a random back issue of daredevil. Best single comic I have read yet. Part 1 of "devil in cellblock D".

DD has always been my absolute fav comicbook hero, and I hear the reviews for the relaunch are great. Especially the current Matt in prison arc. I think I am going to eventually buy all 6 of the hardcover TPB's. It's alot of money, but I was a huge DD mark as a kid, and picking up all these random issues the other day just reminded me how great he is. If I do break down and buy them I probably won't regret it.

Edit: Just ordered the 1st 3 hardcover TPB's of the DD. Didnt take me long. It was actually a good deal from mile high. 17.75 per book, and shipping was free because my order was over 40 bucks. Overall I spent 55 dollars, which isnt bad, but now I have to somehow look at myself and justify speding that much money on comic books when I dropped over 30 bucks a few days ago.

[SPTO]

Re: Comic Book Fans....

I haven't been able to order any TPBs this summer mainly because my money is depleted. Thankfully my birthday is coming up in a little over a month and I should have some money for em.

Can anyone reccomend a good FLASH TPB? There was one a few years ago that got some good pub called FLASH: The Return of Barry Allen. How good is that one?

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: Comic Book Fans....

Kevin, how did you like Superman: Red Son?

[aukevin]

Re: Comic Book Fans....

Kevin, how did you like Superman: Red Son?

I've never read it, only heard really good things about it. Definitely want to read it someday, I might look at the store today when I go for it.

[Skerik]

Re: Comic Book Fans....

I've started chewing through the Ultimate Spider-Man TPBs and I'm loving the story so far. I'm about halfway through the first one and the writing just jumps off the page. Everyone knows the origin story, but there are enough minor twists to keep the story fresh and the dialogue between a teenage Peter Parker and his friends doesn't feel forced or stupid at all. Really enjoying this one so far.

[aukevin]

Re: Comic Book Fans....

I've started chewing through the Ultimate Spider-Man TPBs and I'm loving the story so far. I'm about halfway through the first one and the writing just jumps off the page. Everyone knows the origin story, but there are enough minor twists to keep the story fresh and the dialogue between a teenage Peter Parker and his friends doesn't feel forced or stupid at all. Really enjoying this one so far.

Those are cool books. My brother collects those and I always read them when I am visiting him. Those Ultimate Marvel lines seem like real good reads.

Can anyone reccomend a good FLASH TPB? There was one a few years ago that got some good pub called FLASH: The Return of Barry Allen. How good is that one?

I've never really read Flash stuff, so I can't help you out, sorry. I know they have those archived volume TPBs for the Flash if you want some old stories. I've just never had much to do with him outside his role in JLA. I did add the new Flash series to my pull list because I liked the first issue.

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: Comic Book Fans....

Any Green Arrow recommendations? Heh.


I finally picked up and read issues 3 & 4 of All-Star Batman & Robin. They need to pick up the pace on the release of these things or else I'm going to break down and wait for the trades. Anyway, I loved the cells with Superman running across the Atlantic. Also, how early/late in Batman's history is this happening?

[aukevin]

Re: Comic Book Fans....

Also, how early/late in Batman's history is this happening?

I read this in an article on Newsarama right before the title started:

In his Dark Knight work, Miller has given readers a glimpse into the twilight years of Batman’s career. In Batman: Year One, he’s shared the beginning of the Batman saga. So where does All-Star Batman fall in his Batman time-table? “Year Three. Bats is feeling his oats—very young, maybe acting a little crazy, but he knows exactly what he's doing. He's just a bit sloppier about doing it than he's going to eventually get.”

Any Green Arrow recommendations? Heh.

The Green Arrow: Quiver storyline was cool. You can get it in TPB. It was a 10-issue series that marked the return of Green Arrow from the dead. It was written by Kevin Smith and dealt with how Queen returned and why. It was the story that brought Green Arrow back to the comics about 6 years ago or so.

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: Comic Book Fans....

Cool. I was wondering why Kevin Smith was talking on the History of Batman on the special features of Batman. And I figured the All-Star Batman story arc was a little bit early from different lines, but I wasn't sure.

Speaking of which, did he hire Alfred or what?