The Comic Book Thread (spoilers)

[tristy]

My copy of the Watchmen arrived today from Amazon. I'm excited to finally sit down and read it later on tonight

[apsham]

I read volume one of twelve this morning, really excited to really sit down and get into the rest of it tonight. Maybe not all at once though... even though I've already read my favorite line from the end of the trailer.

[I Don't Mind]

I read The Killing Joke and Arkham Asylum: A Serious House On Serious Earth today out of love for The Dark Knight movie, and having never been a Batman fan before, I was sincerely impressed.

The Killing Joke had an amazing overall plot but I wasn't really sold on how The Joker was portrayed. I loved what he did to Gordon but just something about his dialog, his random "everyone feel sorry for me" attitudes and backstory really made me say 'lame'. I was expecting a bit more of Ledger's Joker presence, which in the beginning of the comic I thought I was going to get, but I couldn't believe Joker's backstory lead him to becoming who he became. With my overall view on the comic, I wouldn't suggest it Jairus unless you found it for cheap.

Arkham Asylum... scared the shit out of me. Alice In Wonderland quotes, semi-homosexual Joker, poltergeists and just everyone being overall way fucking more terrifying and fucked in the head really kept me reading. I've read on wiki, though the Joker's actions alone were a dead give away, that everyone would have a bit of a different character take, but I'd suggest this one.

[JairusCain]

I read The Killing Joke and Arkham Asylum: A Serious House On Serious Earth today out of love for The Dark Knight movie, and having never been a Batman fan before, I was sincerely impressed.

The Killing Joke had an amazing overall plot but I wasn't really sold on how The Joker was portrayed. I loved what he did to Gordon but just something about his dialog, his random "everyone feel sorry for me" attitudes and backstory really made me say 'lame'. I was expecting a bit more of Ledger's Joker presence, which in the beginning of the comic I thought I was going to get, but I couldn't believe Joker's backstory lead him to becoming who he became. With my overall view on the comic, I wouldn't suggest it Jairus unless you found it for cheap.

Arkham Asylum... scared the shit out of me. Alice In Wonderland quotes, semi-homosexual Joker, poltergeists and just everyone being overall way fucking more terrifying and fucked in the head really kept me reading. I've read on wiki, though the Joker's actions alone were a dead give away, that everyone would have a bit of a different character take, but I'd suggest this one.

Yeah I actually ordered The Killing Joke (March 2008 rerelease edition)

yesterday for $10, or 12, I can't remember. I also ordered the 15th Anniversary Edition of Arkham Asylum

for about $13. I'm excited as hell to actually start reading those tomorrow when I get them in the mail.

As for the whole uploading/downloading thing, just for clarification, I never intended to upload anything. I asked about viewable online/downloadable version of the books, with the intentions of previewing them before actually purchasing them. But, no harm no foul, I ordered them online anyway. Sorry about all that though, and thank you for not warning me.

Edited August 5, 2008 by JairusCain

[RoyWill Rumble]

Thanks Teej for the earlier mentions. I'll look into Runaways. I've never taken it seriously, but I might need to read it myself.

As far as The Killing Joke's Joker goes, I don't mind the backstory, but it's because I'm a stand-up comedian. It is a bit lame if you really want to read into it, but I don't much. Plus, Alan Moore even said it wasn't his proudest moment as far as a writer. I may be wrong but I think he said it's his least favourite book. I still thoroughly enjoy it.

Arkham Asylum more people need to read. I love it.

As far as Batman stuff, read the Gotham Central stuff. It's not Batman, but Batman makes appearances and it's brilliant. Hush, although convuluted at times is pretty good too. His return is incredibly violent, too. I dunno what it's like for actual quality of story, though. I personally HATE The Dark Knight, but it's because I cannot stand the art style. It turns me off way too much. The story's solid, but I hate the art too much to fully appreciate it.

And it blows my mind that more people haven't read Watchmen, or are just discovering it now. I've read it a buttload of times. Probably five or six. I'm halfway through it again.

[Boogey131]

Thanks Teej for the earlier mentions. I'll look into Runaways. I've never taken it seriously, but I might need to read it myself.

Speaking of Runaways, does anybody have any idea where I'd be able to find the V1 Hardcover? I don't buy comics often so the only two places I knew of to look (Play and Amazon) were out of stock. I'm in the UK so, has to ship to the UK.

[tristy]

I love how the Watchmen book incorporates stuff like an essay on Dr. Manhattan and the Nite Owl's autobiography. That's ridiculously awesome.

[Benji]

Thanks Teej for the earlier mentions. I'll look into Runaways. I've never taken it seriously, but I might need to read it myself.

Speaking of Runaways, does anybody have any idea where I'd be able to find the V1 Hardcover? I don't buy comics often so the only two places I knew of to look (Play and Amazon) were out of stock. I'm in the UK so, has to ship to the UK.

I actually have a copy I'm considering selling, I don't read it as much as I used to and it's still in great condition, PM me if you're interested,

[Bigal]

Is Captain America alive yet? >_>

[TGC]

The character, yes. Steve Rogers, no.

[Benji]

The character, yes. Steve Rogers, no.

And if I have my way it'll be that way forever, every book since his death (and many before) has been stellar.

[TGC]

The character, yes. Steve Rogers, no.

And if I have my way it'll be that way forever, every book since his death (and many before) has been stellar.

The run has been fantastic, and the book has been great with the new Cap, but there is no doubt Bru is bringing Steve back. It's not a matter of if, but of when, as it should be. Thatw ay Cap gets his book back and new Cap gets himself a new book in his old identity. (Being purposely vague for those that might not know who the new Cap is.)

[Benji]

The character, yes. Steve Rogers, no.

And if I have my way it'll be that way forever, every book since his death (and many before) has been stellar.

The run has been fantastic, and the book has been great with the new Cap, but there is no doubt Bru is bringing Steve back. It's not a matter of if, but of when, as it should be. Thatw ay Cap gets his book back and new Cap gets himself a new book in his old identity. (Being purposely vague for those that might not know who the new Cap is.)

To be honest I'm not sure he is planning on it, I'm not sure if that's just amazing writing on Bru's part or what. Personally I do HOPE he comes back, because with all the fake outs...

Spoiler: Click here to view

... like The Grand Director, Captain Skrullmerica, Avengers/Invaders Cap and probably more...

... it's made me want to see the real deal back in true red, white and blue fashion.

[TGC]

My thing is you don't forever kill a company flagship character like Cap. You can do it for a year or hell even four or five, but not for good. And Bru has always said he will resolve everything before he walks away from the book. Now that could mean anything, but I know how I take it to mean.

[Benji]

My thing is you don't forever kill a company flagship character like Cap. You can do it for a year or hell even four or five, but not for good. And Bru has always said he will resolve everything before he walks away from the book. Now that could mean anything, but I know how I take it to mean.

Yeah I'd say you're probably right then, though we've got a long wait ahead, word was he'd already plotted up to about Issue #60 at last count or so.

[TGC]

See I always thought Issue 50 would be where Steve would come back. He died in 25, so the next "big issue" would be 50. However I don't know.

[Benji]

Well I'm sure he'd also like to deal with the aftermath of Steve's return if it does happen, so it's still likely.

[GhostMachine]

I almost dropped the book when I heard they were going to kill off Steve Rogers (Captain America is my favorite Marvel hero), but I am glad I didn't. Bru has been doing an incredible job with the writing. I also like the fact that the new Cap packs weapons other than the shield, but only since he doesn't use lethal force unless there's no alternative. (I loved it when he was fighting Crossbones and surprised him by stabbing him in the leg, for instance - that actually made me laugh, but only because I know what a pos Crossbones is) However, I hope he does use lethal force when

Spoiler: Click here to view

He eventually takes on the Red Skull; they've got to get him out of Lukin somehow, Lukin is a disposable character, and a bullet through the head with Arnim Zola putting the Red Skull in another cloned body (NOT a duplicate of Steve again) afterward is a good way to do it.

One thing I do not like is the new costume; I hate that the lower half is all black (would've been better if he had least had red boots and maybe a red stripe, or thin red, white and blue stripes, down the side of each leg), and the chest design makes him look more like Captain Puerto Rico (go look up a pic of the PR flag).

Don't read the following spoiler if you don't know the current Captain America's identity and want to find out for yourself:

Spoiler: Click here to view

I know a lot of people aren't happy that they brought Bucky back and that they made some retcons. I am not one of them. They only partially retconned Bucky - him being older during WWII and being there to do the dirty work Cap couldn't (being an assassin) is a retcon, but Bucky using guns is not; in the original comics, Bucky was shown on several covers not only packing heat but actually shooting the guns on a few of those covers, and he and Cap both used guns from time to time in the comics. All the stuff since the 1960's that has been in shown in flashbacks had to fit the old Comics Code, which is why Bucky only fought hand to hand, and since the CC is no longer relevant....

I don't like HOW they brought him back (the cybernetic arm works, but I dislike the Winter Soldier stuff), and frankly Steve should be pissed at the Black Widow when he returns because its been mentioned in the comics that Natasha knew Bucky when he was active as Winter Soldier and she was a Soviet agent. If she even had a clue who Winter Soldier really was and never told Steve, she's got a world class bitchslap coming when he returns and finds out.

I'm reading Avengers/Invaders, and I can't wait to see if Bucky America (that's what I jokingly refer to him as Cap as) shows up, because it'll be interesting if he as Cap runs into Steve or himself.

And if you're not reading Avengers/Invaders, smack yourself and then go put the TPB on your list when it comes out once the series is done. Seriously.

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

I'm like two years late on this, but big props to Marvel for leaking Cap's original death when they did. The news cycle was so slow that it was somehow the top story on the local newscasts up here.

Also, the real reason I came into this thread dwas to pimp Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed.

[Jimmy]

I'm going to buy Watchmen because of all the fantastic reviews, but I was also wondering, I saw advertising for the whole of Alan Moore's WILD C.A.T.S. I was wondering if anyone had read it, and if so what did they think of it? Is it worth buying?