Comic books

[Pete from oz]

I just finished reading the Five Fists of Science by Matt Fraction and Steven Sanders.  It's a great book about Nikola Tesla and Mark Twain teaming up to rid the world of war and doing battle with Thomas Edison and his cult.  Really imaginative and hilarious book. 
Then, I finished listening to the Best Show podcast to hear Matt Fraction calling the show again.  It kind of freaked me out.  Also,I really wish he would have done his Orson Welles impression that he did on the Wordballoon podcast a while back, but it was great to hear from him anyhow.

Do you think this was a strange coincidence or a sign that I should buy the Casanova trade?

It's a sign.  Go get Casanova, it's an awesome mind-bending book.   Fraction throws everything into the pot and Ba draws the hell out of it.  I can't wait for vol 2. to come out.  Also, if you get your hands on the Immortal Iron Fist trades as well; I haven't read Five Fists but it sounds like it's got the same pulpy vibe that Iron Fist does.

So I just got done reading a bunch of stuff as well:
Top Ten Season 1 and Top Ten: The 49ers.  I think this was some of the most amazing superhero comics I've ever read; just brilliant writing from Moore - really human characters, fun, interesting stories and some really great emotional moments, especially in the 49ers.  I know that I shouldn't be surprised because it's Alan Moore, but I don't think I've had this much fun reading a superhero comic in ages (New Frontier maybe?) which is kind of sad.  It's probably a more of a reflection on current superhero comics than anything else though.

Also read Aya which was fairly slight but a lot of fun.  I liked the soap-opera vibe to it all and I'm interested in seeing where the stories go in the next volume.

Next on my list: Scott Pilgrim 5 if there's any copies left at the store tomorrow!




   

[redsplitwig]

I read Iron First TPB vol. 3 earlier this week.  Such a fantastic book.  This is a great genre story that introduces the Iron Fist legacy to new fans and the art from Aja and multiple other artists is incredible.  The three trades make a great run and I just saw that these books are getting the Omnibus treatment.  So if anyone is thinking of getting them, buying them in a big-ass over-sized hardcover is a beautiful way to read a good comic book. 

[franks.]

Those Iron Fist books are awesomely good. I just read the third one the other night. I'm on the fence as to whether or not I should continue with it as Matt Fraction is leaving it/has left it. I've been following it in trades, so I read it at a delay. Anyone like the new guy? 

And Scott Pilgrim 5 is very very good. Bryan Lee O'Malley was at a signing at Rocket Ship here in Brooklyn this past Wednesday. I did not know about it at all, but stopped by the shop on Thursday to find out that not only were they sold out but I'd missed a signing! Anyway, picked it up yesterday and enjoyed it quite a bit. I'll be sad to see this series end. But then, I like endings and comics aren't often good at ending. Like ever.

[Joe Rogaine]

Son O God vs. Bobby Zimmerman

[snogrog]

So I just got done reading a bunch of stuff as well:
Top Ten Season 1 and Top Ten: The 49ers.  I think this was some of the most amazing superhero comics I've ever read; just brilliant writing from Moore - really human characters, fun, interesting stories and some really great emotional moments, especially in the 49ers.  I know that I shouldn't be surprised because it's Alan Moore, but I don't think I've had this much fun reading a superhero comic in ages (New Frontier maybe?) which is kind of sad.  It's probably a more of a reflection on current superhero comics than anything else though.
   

Top 10 is great! I have yet to read volume 2 but I picked volume 1 up a few years ago when I was literally buying a trade a week and needed something completely new. Very cool concept. I am interested to check out some more of Moore's ABC Line (especially Promethea. Love JH Williams III's art!)

Those Iron Fist books are awesomely good. I just read the third one the other night. I'm on the fence as to whether or not I should continue with it as Matt Fraction is leaving it/has left it. I've been following it in trades, so I read it at a delay. Anyone like the new guy? 

And Scott Pilgrim 5 is very very good. Bryan Lee O'Malley was at a signing at Rocket Ship here in Brooklyn this past Wednesday. I did not know about it at all, but stopped by the shop on Thursday to find out that not only were they sold out but I'd missed a signing! Anyway, picked it up yesterday and enjoyed it quite a bit. I'll be sad to see this series end. But then, I like endings and comics aren't often good at ending. Like ever.

I never finished Fraction's run. I had to drop some books and for some reason decided to drop Iron fist during the martial arts tourney run. I had been stockpiling the second arc because I wanted to read it all in one run because I did not like the first arc separated up month to month. Needless to say as soon as I finished the second arc I regretted missing 3 issues following it! But yes, his Iron Fist was flawless.

And I was in Rocket Ship a bunch this weekend while I was visiting my brother! Nice little shop there.

[franks.]

My only complaint about the third Iron Fist trade is that it seems to collect a bunch of specials and random issues. Still, a very good run overall. I came to it late, so I had two whole trades to read at once, which was nice. 

Rocket Ship is my favorite comic shop in New York. I don't get over there as often as I should. I also missed Chris Onstad who was there a few months ago.

[Pete from oz]

So I just got done reading a bunch of stuff as well:
Top Ten Season 1 and Top Ten: The 49ers.  I think this was some of the most amazing superhero comics I've ever read; just brilliant writing from Moore - really human characters, fun, interesting stories and some really great emotional moments, especially in the 49ers.  I know that I shouldn't be surprised because it's Alan Moore, but I don't think I've had this much fun reading a superhero comic in ages (New Frontier maybe?) which is kind of sad.  It's probably a more of a reflection on current superhero comics than anything else though.
   

Top 10 is great! I have yet to read volume 2 but I picked volume 1 up a few years ago when I was literally buying a trade a week and needed something completely new. Very cool concept. I am interested to check out some more of Moore's ABC Line (especially Promethea. Love JH Williams III's art!)

Those Iron Fist books are awesomely good. I just read the third one the other night. I'm on the fence as to whether or not I should continue with it as Matt Fraction is leaving it/has left it. I've been following it in trades, so I read it at a delay. Anyone like the new guy? 

And Scott Pilgrim 5 is very very good. Bryan Lee O'Malley was at a signing at Rocket Ship here in Brooklyn this past Wednesday. I did not know about it at all, but stopped by the shop on Thursday to find out that not only were they sold out but I'd missed a signing! Anyway, picked it up yesterday and enjoyed it quite a bit. I'll be sad to see this series end. But then, I like endings and comics aren't often good at ending. Like ever.

I never finished Fraction's run. I had to drop some books and for some reason decided to drop Iron fist during the martial arts tourney run. I had been stockpiling the second arc because I wanted to read it all in one run because I did not like the first arc separated up month to month. Needless to say as soon as I finished the second arc I regretted missing 3 issues following it! But yes, his Iron Fist was flawless.

And I was in Rocket Ship a bunch this weekend while I was visiting my brother! Nice little shop there.

I'm following Iron Fist in trades but I've heard that Swierczynski hasn't missed a beat since he started on the title.

As far as Moore's other ABC titles, I've got one more volume of Promethea to go.  The art is amazing, Williams does so many different styles and pulls them all off. The actual story is ok, but its more of a a lecture about Moore's beliefs about life and magic (magik?) than anything which is the kind of thing that usually bores me.  Other than that I've read some of the Tom Strong stuff which was ok but nothing memorable and League of Extraordinary Gentlemen which is fantastic, although I  haven't read the Black Dossier.  Overall though I think Top Ten was the best book that came out from ABC. 

And Scott Pilgrim was sold out everywhere I went on Monday!  Hopefully I'll be able to get a copy next week.

[TheMush]

Tom mentioned in the show last night that there's a nod to The Best Show in Fraction's X-Men. Which issue is it, I'd love to check it out.

[Bryan]

Fraction follow-up:

Full panel:

[emma]

Scott Pilgrim 5 is great but it's also pretty sad compared to the other ones, which a lot of my friends kind of hated. They've been filming the movie here so everyone's rushing around trying to finish it before the press starts - 'cause if you can't say you read it before it was popular, there's no point, right?

[erechoveraker]

I've never read any of them, but I'm sure I would probably maybe like them. I like his O'Malley's music enough for what it is, so I figure I'll like his comics too. I better get on it though soon so I can be one of the cool kids too.

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

Oh, Rob Liefeld, what are we going to do with you?  You fucking idiot.

[Pidgeon]

Was Marvel bought by the Democratic party? I thought the majority of their comics were shitty enough, but then they started doing all this Obama-humping.

[erechoveraker]

Oh, Rob Liefeld, what are we going to do with you?  You fucking idiot.

Wow that's so awful it actually trumps how insane and awful this is:

http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2009/05/i-guess-the-punishers-not-a-fan-of-rap-music/

Notice how eerily photo-reffed Eminem's face is, while the rest of the art just looks like regular comic art.

Comics - redefining rock bottom every Wednesday!

[Bryan]

I got my free Green Lantern comic this past Saturday. I thought it was pretty good, but it also reminded me why I don't buy contemporary superhero comics anymore.

I also read MW, by manga giant Osamu Tezuka recently. It was good: lurid, violent, perverse, and substantial (something like 700 pages). I don't really read manga on a regular basis, and there are some conventions that I find a little confusing, but I think this book stacks up well against any of the modern "for mature readers" Vertigo-type books.