Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

Gary Frank signs an exclusive with DC and will be pencilling Action Comics (with Geoff Johns/Richard Donner doing the writing/plotting) in the near future.

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

I hate to say it but Gary Frank, while certainly a sound artist, has really never done anything for me. There's something about this work that I just find really dull.

There's an official site for the Superman/Doomsday animated movie: www.warnervideo.com/supermandoomsdaydvd/

Can hardly wait for the New Frontier and New Teen Titans movies.

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

Those movies could be really great. The Marvel ones have been pretty awful, "Invincible Iron Man" being the exception.

The first HellBoy animated was pretty darn good to.

I loved Gary franks work on Squadran Supreme, unless I'm getting my artisits confused again. That was my favorite book when it was published under "Marvel MAx". the move out of that line sort of took the edge off it. I think it's dead now, I still have to get the last couple issues of the Hyperion Vs. nighthawk mini.

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

I enjoyed 52 from the beginning, but Countdown is off to a very slow start.

Also, someone wanted to know when the final Ultimates 2 issue was out. That was today.

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

Well, I found a good spot to quit on the following titles:

Supergirl and the Legion of Super Heroes (now that Kitson is gone, and the long Dominator arc is basically finished.)
Birds of Prey (once Gail Simone's run is done)
Strangers in Paradise (after the last issue comes out in June)
Justice (done with the last issue, #12, that is due out in June or July)
Y The Last Man (in the home stretch of the last arc, so once it's done, I'm done)

Was going to quit:
Action - but Gary Frank is going to be doing the art, so I'm onboard.
Superman - I'm ambivalent about Busiek's run so far.

These are iffy:
Hulk - after G Frank's run is done, but I might stick around if the story for WWH is good.
Supergirl - probably give it a couple more issues, but if it gets really bad, I'm Audi 5000.
Runaways - also giving it a few more issues for Whedon to win me over on his take of this cast of characters.
Mighty Avengers - lovely Frank Cho art, but Bendis's writing is just not up to snuff in the 3 issues I've read so far.
Countdown - gets another 5 issues before I decide to pull the plug on it.
Gen13 - not quite feeling it this go-round. Just not as hip or fun, plus the artwork isn't as good as I'd hope for.

Still bullish on these titles for now:

Astonishing X-Men - can't make myself quit Cassaday books.
Captain America - Epting's artwork is making me look into his past run on this titles, plus Brubacker is fast becoming a writer I like.
She-Hulk - fun title, still.
Young Avengers - hopefully with Jim Cheung still doing the artwork.

Batman - onboard as long as Morrison is writing it.
Detective - onboard as long as Dini is writing it.

Wonder Woman - still need to catch up on the Picoult run, looking forward to Simone's run.
Brave and the Bold - just good to see Perez doing a monthly again.
Justice League of America - Like Benes' art, Metzler is overwriting it a bit.
JSA - consistently an enjoyable read.
All-Star Superman - Morrison/Quitely - 'nuff said.

Jack of Fables - Jack's antics and attitude still entertain me.

The Authority - wish it came out on a regular basis, but loved the 2nd issue.
Stormwatch: PHD - fun comic, dialogue is a strong point.
Grifter/Midnighter - grimly dark and twisted at times.
WildCATS - one and done? A casualty of over-extension by Morrison and Lee.

Stray Bullets - not sure if it's still being published by Lapham, buy it out of habit.
Optic Nerve - also buy it whenever it shows up.
Buffy - hasn't quite made the transistion from TV to comic format, but I'm willing to give it a year to find its footing.

I'll probably re-post this list in the June thread, with some additions/corrections after catching up on some of the titles in question.

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

I'm trying to drop what I can. It's ridiculous how much money comics can take. I'm not continuing with (and most of these, I dropped right at the end of Civil War):

Newuniversal
Omega Flight
Black Panther (though, I may drop in for the zombies for at least one issue)
Fantastic Four
Punisher War Journal
Iron Fist
Thunderbolts
Heroes for Hire

I'm not particularly looking forward to any of the new Marvel titles, but I may grudgingly check out issue one of New Warriors. I'm staying away from the Champions, though. I just don't like Matt Fraction. The only new title I'm looking forward to is Booster Gold. Well, I'm also interested in seeing Donald Blake back as Thor.

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

Out of curiosity, how many books do you guys buy on average in a month or week? It seems like you're dropping as many as I read all together.

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

I don't know that I have an average week, but maybe six or seven a week plus a couple collections/graphic novels/mangas. I'd cut down, but that would involve willpower.

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

It seems like feast or famine for me during the month, either 2 weeks are large in terms of which titles I buy and 2 weeks are small to nil, so, for me, there's no consistent weekly average due to how the books are scheduled for release, but I guess it looks like I pick up 5-6 titles on average over the course of a month. I am trying to cut back, though.

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

Ah, I guess I'm in line with Patrick's buying habits (especially when you have weeks that are feast or famine- I usually have one week where there's six books that I buy and the other three, I buy one or two per week).

I usually pick up any Star Wars book, Amazing Spider-Man (which I'll probably bail on when JMS leaves), Squadron Supreme, Buffy S8, The Punisher, The Boys (which starts again tomorrow) and there's the occasional mini-series or a book that catches my eye.

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

I used to buy at PAtricks level, speaking of which, I love Stray Bullets and just as in the dark as to wether it's done or not. Another I relaly liked was Suadron Surpreme, but it hasn't been in previews the past couple months, is it still being published?

As far as what I get a month, I pick mine up once a month, and lately it's mostly been manga collections and trades. Most of the monthly comics I like end up getting collected into TPs at a lesser price, and since I never sel my books, I might as well just wait. I felt to far out of the loop on "52" and "Civil War" to collect them, so I'll probably just download them at some point to see what the big deal was.

Current Monthly titles:
Madman - Image, I was going to wait for a trade, but couldn't resist.
Squad Supreme - if it's actually being published
Golgo 13 - Manga by viz, might be done at 10 books
Gunsmith Cats - Dark horse, both the re-done initial series, and the new one
Crying Freeman - Dark Horse, not caring much for it frankly, too porny.
Ec Archives - as they come out
Essential MArvels and Showcase DC reprints - depends on the character/title, but I do love them.

That's about it, theres artist/creator specific stuff to, like anything by Eddie Campbell, Frank Miller, Peter BAgge, Ivan Brunetti, etc, but they publish rather spotty these days.

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

To the best my knowledge, Squadron Supreme is still being published but it's currently in a holding pattern (I assume due to JMS's schedule). It wasn't too bad when they were doing the Hyperion Vs. Nighthawk mini-series but now nothing's happening with the title at all.

I love those books! I already the entire black and white EC library but the quality of the Archives sold me on buying them again. Shock SupenStories Volume Two is coming this week.

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

I switched to trades-only last year, but lately it's been particularly slow because I've been getting most of Marvel's Omnibus line and those books, while a good deal in the long run, are expensive enough that just one pretty much blows my comics budget for a month or two Currently trying to scrounge up enough money to get that FF Omnibus 2 pre-ordered...

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

I totally forgot about Squadron Supreme. Out of sight, out of mind, I guess.

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

The sale might be ending soon, but I just ordered Fantagraphics' first Popeye volume for $5.99. That's about 80 percent off.

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

Thats a great price for that Popeye book!! I picked it up when it was released, very classy! And GIANT! make sure you have a tall bookshelf


Yeah, I love them to! I bought most of the colour annuals when they were publishing them as a monthly title, but missed all the Weird Science and Weird Fantasy, as well as some others. I was always looknig for them in the shops, but ditched that when I heard these were coming. I'll buy all of these.

Seriously, they aren't dated at all. the stories are still whip smart in a twilight zone way, and the art is really amazing.

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

I bought seven books today, though two of them were from past months. So, call it five. Some weeks I buy less, some I buy more. When I buy a lot, the clerk says, "Man, good week, huh?" To me, a good week is when I only have to buy a couple!

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

Tales From The Crypt was just solicited in Previews as a NEW title coming in June or July . I guess there may be some new set of creators going for it.
I figure, why not IF they can keep some of the earlier EC vibe going. I even have the EERIE Pubs magazine of that title from the mid 60's.

I ordered a few for the store just to see what's up. Anyone remember Russ Cochran's try at reviving the EC style back in the '90's? Maggots, and a few other titles came out in magazine form. I have them all and still have not found time to read them.
Oh yes, owning a shop ( OK, six stores at their height ) Affords the ability to collect a lot of unsold stuff, but yet not have the time to read them............
My comic habit each week comes to around five grand! But I'd better sell them fast 'cause I need the money for the next week's books.... So it goes

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

From the sounds of it, the new Tales From the Crypt is expected to be such in name only. It has more in common with Goosebumps than the original EC.

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

yeah I skipped ordering that new TOTC as well. Let's us know how it compares.

I'd love to be able to get CREEPY and EERIE reprints. Anyone know why such things don;t exist? They were published by warren right? I know Steve Bissette reprinted some of his work from those mags in his short lived "Spider Baby Graphix" book, but he seems to have given up on comics.

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

Jim Warren simply won't license the work out for reprinting is all. I don't know what kind of deal he's holding out for but he hasn't lacked suitors. I know IDW EIC Chris Ryall claimed he contacted Warren to let IDW reprint his old magazines and was refused, at which point Ryall decided to create his own Creepy/Eerie spin-off, called Doomed.

Doomed is actually pretty good, btw. The only problem with it so far is that all of the stories are adaptations of the work of only four authors: David Schow, F. Paul Wilson, Richard Matheson, and Robert Bloch. I'd like to see them open the field a bit more.

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

I see a new Dark Tower book comes out tomorrow. This series has been pretty disappointing. I thought it was going to be new tales of young Roland, but we're now five issues in with only two more to go, and it's a pretty straight adaptation of Wizard and Glass. There have been a couple of new incidental scenes, but they don't amount to all that much. I'm pretty sure Marvel plans additional Dark Tower limiteds, and they're going to need them if they want to get to some new material.

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

hmm, sounds like I'm not missing anything by missing the Dark Tower. Too bad, if they did off shoot stories from the "Wizard & the Glass* era Roland period, they could have some great stuff.

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

I read on the wiki page about the series that the plan is to have a total of 31 issues in several limited series. If that's accurate, I'm sure we will get brand new stories later. I don't know why they led off with W&G, though. I guess they want it to be accessible to even those who have never read the novels, and W&G makes a pretty good jumping-on point for young Roland's adventures (the first issue actually covered the Gunslinger flashbacks with Cort, so it's been W&G from issue two on).

If the wiki entry is correct, Marvel should clarify their plans. I thought this was possibly the only limited series, so I expected new stuff from the start.

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

I don't know that anyone here reads New Avengers, but the blurb on Marvel's site about today's issue says:


If anyone does read it, I'm gonna need a little help. Only read this if you've read the issue or don't care:


Warning Spoiler! Click to show

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

Without having read any of this stuff and therefore being fairly clueless aside from the really broad strokes of the story, it sounds like the beginning of Marvel going back to status quo.


Warning Spoiler! Click to show

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

I was reading some stuff about this over at Newsarama, and they mentioned that possibility. There was also this:


Warning Spoiler! Click to show

Anyway, thanks. I didn't think of the broader implications and focused on what it could mean for the NA, but it does sound like a story with some potential. Though, as someone also pointed out, this has all been done before.

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

Here's an interesting link:

K-Metal From Krypton

The Superman Through the Ages website has apparently been undertaking a restoration of a famous "lost" Superman story by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the K-Metal From Krypton issue. This is the issue that would have originally introduced kryptonite and would have included Clark Kent revealing his secret identity to Lois Lane, but it was never published because the editors felt it would upset the formula too much. The restoration looks really good so far (they're up to page 15 out of 26).

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

Did he not know he was from Krypton back then? It seems odd that he was so bored with the professor's talk.

"Part of your planet is in close proximity to the earth."

"Yeah, yeah, old man. WHAT. EVER."

Re: Comics: The Weekly Rundown (was Heroes Con 2006)

I'm going with "interesting hoax" on that. But they do really nail the, ahem, "Golden Age" style of writing.