The Comic Book Thread (spoilers)

[Gabriel]

I haven't read the new run of Guardians yet, because I loved Volume 2 so much, and was bummed to find out that Warlock isn't part of the new run.

[Horus]

I'm currently reading the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic and I have to say it's quite surprising surprising that the Shredder plays little to no role in there story outside of issue number one considering his roll in modern turtles mythology.

[cthemason]

So Multiversity was purified, super hero comics weirdo wizard Grant Morrison firing on all cylinders- if you are into that kind of thing.. I am.

I cannot wait for issue two, which will have some purty Chris Sprouse art. The wait for Cameron Stewart on a Marvel family tale and Frank Quietly on the Charlton Comics-based issue will also be adverse for this Morrison fan.

[=BK=]

I had the current Harley Quinn comcs on my Laptop the other day when my internet got cut so I decided to read them. I love this book. It's knocking Suicide Squad down my list of favorites just because I like Harley better in it. I really like that she's a Psychiatrist again in her day job and they use that in other parts. The latest issue is my favorite though. It had my favorite cover, it had her being funny and it used the fact she's a Psychiatrist to resolve an issue.

Some people were put off by her taking part in a Burlesque show but I didn't mind it, it seems like something she would do sometimes when she's not a wanted criminal. Plus it's not like she spent all issue running around in her Burlesque costume, she puts on a sweater afterwards.

Favorite page from #9 below.

Also, not particularly in this issue but sprinkled through the whole thing I get the feeling the artist is sometimes using Emilie Autumn as a reference when drawing Harley.

[Your Mom]

I miss the old Harley. Whatever this is now is not very good

[=BK=]

She's not all that different beyond her look. And I actually like her look in this book. I'm a sucker for characters not wearing the same thing over and over. The only thing she consistently wears issue to issue is her Doctor coat and her Roller Derby stuff. She just has a bunch of Harley themed clothes.

Edited August 26, 2014 by Kirkland

[apsham]

Burlesque and roller derby? New Harley is a trendwhore.

[=BK=]

The Burlesque thing was seemingly a one time thing for her. One of her friends in the book owns a club that puts on Burlesque shows among other things and he let her in for free to see the last one and she kinda ruined it so she fills in on the next one for someone to make up for ruining that first one. She just got kicked off the roller derby team for beating some big chick with her mallet after the big chick knocked her out. In the end of the last one she goes to this Underground roller derby place that's presumably more violent since someone on the team invited her after the mallet incident.

[ZJ Penn]

That sounds like the most boring comic of all time.

I've been carrying on my Marvel read through, about to hit the 70's. It's still clear to see how much more they care about Spiderman than every other magazine, but the new artists on Daredevil, Doctor Strange etc means the quality gap is nowhere near what it was in 66/67.

[DMN in the House]

I'm sorry, but that Harley comic sounds like a boring Tumblr blog. She isn't a character that should have a 'normal' life.

[Colly]

That sounds like the most boring comic of all time.

I've been carrying on my Marvel read through, about to hit the 70's. It's still clear to see how much more they care about Spiderman than every other magazine, but the new artists on Daredevil, Doctor Strange etc means the quality gap is nowhere near what it was in 66/67.

How wide are you going? I did my X-Men one then went back to Spider-Man, but I'm thinking of going full hardcore, within reason. Tempted to stick to the core titles (FF, Avengers and their separate books), but I could be tempted by Doc Strange and whatever else...

[Skummy]

Steve Ditko's initial run on Dr Strange are genuinely some of my favourite comics ever.

[=BK=]

I'm sorry, but that Harley comic sounds like a boring Tumblr blog. She isn't a character that should have a 'normal' life.

Why not? She got her criminal record cleared because of the Suicide Squad and she's away from The Joker because she's not stupid. The only reason she was a criminal in the first place is Joker and since she's not with him it makes sense for her to try to live a "Normal" life. Normal is in quotes because normal people don't turn their living space into giant animal sanctuaries, have grey skin,have assassins coming at them constantly or have a Superpowered plant lady best friend.

[ZJ Penn]

That sounds like the most boring comic of all time.

I've been carrying on my Marvel read through, about to hit the 70's. It's still clear to see how much more they care about Spiderman than every other magazine, but the new artists on Daredevil, Doctor Strange etc means the quality gap is nowhere near what it was in 66/67.

How wide are you going? I did my X-Men one then went back to Spider-Man, but I'm thinking of going full hardcore, within reason. Tempted to stick to the core titles (FF, Avengers and their separate books), but I could be tempted by Doc Strange and whatever else...

I'm just slowly working through the Travis Starnes reading order for 616. It covers all the main characters (Spiderman, X-Men, Avengers, Captain Marvel etc) and throws in the more important issues of stuff like Guardians of the Galaxy debuting in Marvel Super Heroes.

I am noticing gaps appearing more often though, mainly in smaller titles like Daredevil, Sub Mariner and Nick Fury.

[Sousa]

normal people don't have grey skin

Racist.

[Gazz]

Whales, Zombies and Aliens have feelings too Kirkland!

[Colly]

I'm reading Tales of Suspense from the first Iron Man onwards which is fairly typical mid 60s Lee fare. Best thing though is by far the backing comics which are just standalone sci-fi stories with horrible twist endings. He's obviously aiming for Planet of the Apes/Outer Limits cautionary tales type stuff, but some of them are just terrible. In fairness he is doing two a month alongside a million other publications, and they are quite funny.

"I stayed in the haunted house and didn't see a ghost, give me $100".

"Ah, but look, the house is gone, the house was the ghost!".

[Gazz]

ZOINKS~!

[Skummy]

That sort of stuff was very much the norm in comics in the '50s and '60s, before superhero comics became the only game in town, and there was that weird crossover period where Marvel were still doing them. They were never Stan Lee's strong point, but I fucking love them all the same.

[caucasianheat]

I'm reading Tales of Suspense from the first Iron Man onwards which is fairly typical mid 60s Lee fare. Best thing though is by far the backing comics which are just standalone sci-fi stories with horrible twist endings. He's obviously aiming for Planet of the Apes/Outer Limits cautionary tales type stuff, but some of them are just terrible. In fairness he is doing two a month alongside a million other publications, and they are quite funny.

"I stayed in the haunted house and didn't see a ghost, give me $100".

"Ah, but look, the house is gone, the house was the ghost!".

I love this shit and have a reasonably large stack of DC's original 'House of Mystery'/'House of Secrets' run and a lot of Marvel's 'Tales to Astonish' in a giant hardcover, as well. Dark Horse puts out a quarterly 'Creepy' now which I think is the only major anthology of it's type still going.