The Comic Book Thread (spoilers)

[I Don't Mind]

Listening to a lot of podcasts talking about Batman over the last year I thought I'm curious what everyone else's thoughts are.

When you think Batman, without anyone giving context of what story, run, or media, in your mind:

1) Short ears or long ears on the cowl

2) How old is Bruce Wayne?

My answers: Long ears, but not really long. I think all the ears fall into either long ears or short ears and depending on the artist they can be either super short or super long, but I fall into long ears.

Also, maybe my perception of Bruce from T.A.S. as a child but I always imagine him older than when I hear others talk about him. Late thirties, nearing forty.

 

Edited November 15, 2015 by I Diem

[Your Mom]

I would think a little older. I mean he had to get all that training or whatever right?

[=BK=]

Look at the ears on the blue costume. About like that even though I never think of Batman in blue.

As for age...38? I dunno, close to 40 but not quite there.

[HailtotheYo]

This length (and yes blue/gray costume) ... not quite "long" but not that really short crap (although I'm partial to the 60's look which was short eared).  Mid 30's to early 40's.

[I Don't Mind]

https://www.reddit.com/r/comicbooks/comments/3t5gkx/batman_with_extralong_ears_always_freaks_me_right/

Reddit's latched on to the Batman ear discussion. I like user Flying_Penguin's theory, as I never really thought about it:

Quote

My theory is that the length of Batman's ears correlates to how "human" he is supposed to appear in any given story. When the writing leans more towards Batman as this archetypal Gothic-Horror-Mythical-Protector-type figure, the ears get elongated in the art to emphasize this.

It seems to match up in my head where Dark Knight Batman has the stubs and he's very much a broken old man, T.A.S./the ones you guys said is middle-length so he can come across as an intimidating symbol in some episodes/issues but still have plenty of weaknesses shown, and when they're really long he's just this supernatural figure criminals cower in fear when talking about

[=BK=]

Speaking of Batman...

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/technology-science/technology/amazing-3d-printed-batsuit-stuff-cosplay-5969925

[TMM]

Ok so Comixology has a sale on the Alias (Jessica Jones) comic series. Has anyone read them? They are MAX and I wanted to get some opinions on it before I do something stupid and buy all 28 issues despite having zero money.

[TKz]

It's a really fantastic run, I'd actually say the Purple Man stuff is the weakest and feels totally out of place in the book, but he's only in it for like 3 issues. I got the Omnibus for $100 earlier this year and have zero regrets. If the show has spurred some interest, I'd definitely recommend it - it gives an awesome insight into what more of Jessica's life is like. If the show is her big storyline, the comic is her day to day.

[TMM]

7 hours ago, TKzo Amore said:

It's a really fantastic run, I'd actually say the Purple Man stuff is the weakest and feels totally out of place in the book, but he's only in it for like 3 issues. I got the Omnibus for $100 earlier this year and have zero regrets. If the show has spurred some interest, I'd definitely recommend it - it gives an awesome insight into what more of Jessica's life is like. If the show is her big storyline, the comic is her day to day.

Damnit, I was hoping you'd say it was crap

[Monkey D. Lars]

So, again trying to get into comics. Reading through the whole history will take way too long. So again I thought it might be better focusing on titles. Like right now I'm almost done with Daredevil: Yellow for the club here. Any suggestions? I'm leaning towards: Spiderman, Deadpool, Ice-Man, Daredevil or Doctor Strange.

[JasonM]

The only name on your list I have read is Deadpool, and that's a good suggestion if you want something completely different in terms of tone and style. It's completely off-beat and it's often also side-splittingly funny, that does mean that it sometimes manages to dilute storylines because it can often degenerate into slapstick, but the writers do a good job in keeping the farce low most of the times. DP is always a good suggestion if you just want something completely different than the rest.

Others that you didn't list but I can recommend from personal experience are these two...

Hawkeye Vol. 4 by Matt Fraction, it's 22 issues long and it departs from the doomsday super-villain scenarios and instead has a somwhat everyman story with the Marvel's version of the everyman, Hawkeye. He's grumpy, he adopts a dog, he argues and has fun with his partner (also named Hawkeye), and he goes up against a bunch of tracksuit wearing 'bro' saying mobsters to help ordinary people. It doesn't have worlds exploding, or people lifting cars and all that, but the writing is top class and the artwork is too. Easily one of the best comic series in the past few years. Another very nice part of this volume is that it doesn't contain any Marvel events or the like, it's completely self contained and that means you can read it from start to finish without any detours.

Invincible Iron Man (also by Fraction), 60 issues long and it's a bit older (came out between IM1 and 2, not that that matters). Personally it's the best written Tony Stark they've done, and even though some of the stories has some deus-ex machina kind of plot device that saves the day, generally it does a great job not just in writing Tony Stark, but also writing a bunch of the side-characters and bringing them to life.

Other than those suggestions I have none, I'm not super knowledged in comics as some people are, i've only truly started reading them 'semi-religiously' since ANAD started a few months ago, before that I was just on-off and trying to find things that interested me without following all the events and such.

[Damian WayLNKe]

I went through Kevin Smith Daredevil to the end of the issues Bendis did.  Just started on Brubaker's issues and I've read all of Waid's run that is on Marvel Unlimited.  I would recommend any of these and Brubaker is a continuation of the storyline by Bendis so I wouldn't start there.  

If you're looking for something more cheerful, Slott's Spider-Man is great too.

[Steeb]

12 hours ago, Jasonmufc said:

Hawkeye Vol. 4 by Matt Fraction, it's 22 issues long and it departs from the doomsday super-villain scenarios and instead has a somwhat everyman story with the Marvel's version of the everyman, Hawkeye. He's grumpy, he adopts a dog, he argues and has fun with his partner (also named Hawkeye), and he goes up against a bunch of tracksuit wearing 'bro' saying mobsters to help ordinary people. It doesn't have worlds exploding, or people lifting cars and all that, but the writing is top class and the artwork is too. Easily one of the best comic series in the past few years. Another very nice part of this volume is that it doesn't contain any Marvel events or the like, it's completely self contained and that means you can read it from start to finish without any detours.

100% agree with this. One of the best, most gripping series I've read in years, and super easy to get into.

[HailtotheYo]

2012 Winter Soldier run is 19 issues and is freaking fantastic ...  Brubaker does 1-14 and LaTour finishes it off ... old school comic goodness.  HIGHLY recommend.

2012 Defenders run is 12 issues and is freaking fantastic ... Fraction and Dodson ... quite a bit of foreshadowing and elements for everything that happened the last 2yrs leading up to Secret Wars and ANADMN

 

Both of those are great reads and are just good fun.  Both have 'older' elements and characters as well.

 

I'd also toss in All New Invaders is 15 issues is just fun all around and has some great throwback cameos as well. 

[TKz]

If you want to get into comics, I think you're so much better off finding a well received run of comics rather than focusing on a character.

Like, Brubaker's Captain America run, Johnathan Hickman's Fantastic Four/FF and Avengers/New Avengers run. Bendis through to Brubaker Daredevil run. New 52 Batman by Scott Snyder. Hawkeye's Fraction run too, I imagine it's a pretty great read when you're not waiting 6 months between issues. >_>

If you're looking for Spider-Man, I'd totally recommend reading either Ultimate Spider-Man (which is now complete) or Superior Spider-Man. Neither are the traditional Peter Parker from the main comic continuity, but they're arguably two of the greatest runs of Spider-Man.

[Benji]

What Ticklez said. Stories > Individual characters, and if you focus on characters then you have to slog the bad, and will miss out on some amazing stories for characters you might never have bothered with. Take Iron Fist for me - I was never a huge fan prior to the Brubaker/Fraction run on "Immortal Iron Fist", and I'd say that's easily one of my favourite runs ever.

[Monkey D. Lars]

Thanks guys!

 

Yeah, I'm not looking for everything from a entire character but like series, like Ultimate Spider-Man or Daredevil: Yellow etc. etc. 

 

But thanks for all the tips! 

[Benji]

Oh, and if you're looking into non-hero comics, try "Y: The Last Man", absolutely adore that series.

[HailtotheYo]

OH GOD I FORGOT ASTRO CITY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also, the NEW VALIANT STUFF IS FANTASTIC !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Black Circle Comics (relaunched Archie hero line) is kicking all sorts of ass.

non hero stuff?

Oh man please pick up the Afterlife with Archie ... it might be the best book out right now.  Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is lovely as well.  

[=BK=]

Am I the only one that really likes the black Daredevil costume that was around fora bit in the 90's?

I often see it get lumped in with some of ridiculous costumes that were around in the 90's and I don't think it belongs. I just think it looks really cool.