Comic books

[Steve of Bloomington]

I read Daniel Clowes' Wilson last week. Enjoyed it a lot.

Yeah. I liked it too. Clowes has got that understated mastery thing going these days.

I enjoyed it though part of me still misses the old funny comics he used to dop in the early issues of EIGHTBALL. He's obviously brilliant at what he does, but he's kind of like Bill Murray and Steve Martin in that I wish he could find the time to fit in some of the silliness he used to do.

Also- The recent INVINCIBLE IRON MAN ANNUAL written by FOT Matt Fraction was great as was the reprint of CASSANOVA #1 that Marvel just put out that I had never read before. And anything written by the late, great Harvey Pekar is well worth reading.

I finally got a chance to read Wilson this week (praise to the institution that is our local library). I did like how he managed to make each page a 'gag' strip that could stand on its own, in the context of the bigger story. Also enjoyed the variation in drawing style from page to page. I never really got a chance to read his old EIGHTBALL stuff, so I should track it down.

I also read Kevin Huizenga's Curses. 'Jeepers Jacobs', with the theology professor pondering whether his new golfing buddy who's a non-believer is in for 'Eternal, Conscious Torment (ECT)' or just anihilation when he dies was especially memorable.

Finally I am reading Vol I of the Cartoon History Of The Universe, obtained at a library book sale for $1.50.

[Cotton]

Is anyone else reading the Superman 'Grounded' storyline?  For me it alternates between "great" and "kinda silly".  But I do love the idea of it, so I'm sticking with it to see where it goes.

I got as far as the first panel, which is just about least-informed representaiton of Philadelphia I've ever seen.

Also, JMS just kinda bugs me.

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

I'm not a JMS fan at all, but to be fair, the next panel reveals that all those guys are standing in front of the King of Jeans.

[cutout]

Really appreciate the recommendation of Asterios Polyp. Really wonderful and sad. (But not sad in the way that almost didn't let me finish Jimmy Corrigan.)

[waltkellysghost]

I'm on the hunt for Asterios Polyp myself. I'm a big fan of Mazzucheli and personally think he draws Frank Miller Stories better than Frank MIller.

Also, I read I Kill Giants on multiple recommendations (this thread being one of them) and really enjoyed it. I handed it to my girlfriend as soon as I finished it.

[cutout]

That reminds me - JonfromMaplewood and I talked about having a big NYC/Jersey meetup where we bring a stack of good comics and trade with other people for a few months, then trade back, trade again, etc. Would anyone want to do it? Would be a fun way to get exposed to new books.

[Christina]

That reminds me - JonfromMaplewood and I talked about having a big NYC/Jersey meetup where we bring a stack of good comics and trade with other people for a few months, then trade back, trade again, etc. Would anyone want to do it? Would be a fun way to get exposed to new books.

I'm in. You guys can have all the DC crap you want.

[Bryan]

I might even make the trip for that: I love DC crap!

[Kublakhan61]

Really appreciate the recommendation of Asterios Polyp. Really wonderful and sad. (But not sad in the way that almost didn't let me finish Jimmy Corrigan.)

I'm always so happy to hear regular comic readers praise Asterios Polyp. There was a 'Roundtable Discussion" of it over at tcj.com where the 'comic critics' ripped it for days. There was some slight praise every few pages but they were relentless. And here I thought it was helping to push comics up and out in the realm of 'legit reading', apparently they disagree.

I just wrapped Woodring's Weathercraft for a 3rd time - I still feel like there is more absorbing to be done.

[Christina]

Anyone read Bodyworld yet? I've got a copy of this b/c the book nerd in me couldn't pass up unusual book design. Haven't started it yet though.

[cutout]

I'm halfway through Blankets. It reads like an indie Dawson's Crick drawn in the style of For Better or For Worse. The writing is getting pretty pretentious and it's my 4th graphic novel in a row where the main character has been an awkward weenie. But it's the highest rated comic on my whole Amazon list. Should I continue to the end?

[Bryan]

I thought Blankets was awful, too. As I recall, I read the whole thing, but it didn't get any better. Maybe I was just too old for it? I think if I had been a 15-year-old, it might have resonated, but even then I may have been too sour for it.

I haven't read Bodyworlds, but I did read Bottomless Belly Button, the guy's first big book. I mentally filed it under "shows promise". I'm looking forward to having a chance to get to Bodyworlds.

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

I thought Bottomless Belly Button and Blankets were written by two different guys.

[Bryan]

Oh yeah - they were. I was just being unclear. Blankets was by someone (Craig? David?) Thompson, and BBB and Bodyworlds are by Dash Shaw.

[Kibblesmith]

Oh heck, I accidentally started a new thread for this question. COPY / PASTE:

Are there any of these that are even a little bit okay places for a grown person interested in the craft and creators?

Like, barring a better example, what is the AST of Comic Books?