Comic books

[Miss]

what comic book should I start out with?  I haven't read any in a long time and I'm looking for something that's entertaining, not totally tubular, and not too deep.

answer that.

Strangers In Paradise

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

In the area of easily available trade paperbacks, I'd vote for Y: The Last Man (start from the beginning), Love & Rockets, most of the (non-Kevin Smith) Daredevil stuff collected in trade is pretty good, though the Bendis/Maleev stuff should be read in order, most of the Grant Morrison JLA, Animal Man, Doom Patrol, Hate, Eightball, Black Hole.

[Andy]

what about Thor?

[kimota]

what comic book should I start out with?  I haven't read any in a long time and I'm looking for something that's entertaining, not totally tubular, and not too deep.

answer that.

Superhero wise, I think New Avengers has been great from the start.  I second the non-Kevin Smith Daredevil issues, Green Lantern has been decent, Kick Ass and Black Summer have been interesting...All Star Superman.

Non-superhero stuff I have been enjoying: DMZ, Gravel, Doktor Sleepless, Crecy,  Dan Dare, Garth Ennis' Punisher, Fell, and some others I can't recall right now.

oh, I guess I am a little queer for Warren Ellis stuff.

[Satchmo Mask]

I have been reading X-Force/X-Statix recently and I enjoy it a lot. I read a few issues of Runaways, not so much...

Also, kind of embarrasingly, Death Note. I know, but I like it.

Soon, I am going to start - Immortal Iron Fist, All-Star Superman, The Umbrella Academy, Fables, Watchmen, Swamp Thing (Alan Moore's run), V for Vendetta and Brought to Light.

Black Hole was really great, Skim by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki was great, Ice Haven and Like a Velvet Glove Cast in Iron were great! (I already read both years ago, but I was like 15 at the time, so it doesn't count).

Okay. (I'm also preparing a pitch for Oni Press, how bout it).

[Spoony]

Which part?  There are quite a few to choose from but my guess is that it was the testicle thing.  That kind of skeeved me.

Ack, yes. The testicle thing.

I did like asking my friend if he wants to get 'big nuts' with me this weekend. It made his squirm, the bastard.

[Bryan]

Black Hole was really great, Skim by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki was great, Ice Haven and Like a Velvet Glove Cast in Iron were great! (I already read both years ago, but I was like 15 at the time, so it doesn't count).

I second Black Hole, or anything by Dan Clowes as a first comic book for a grown-up. I wouldn't recommend any superhero stuff whatsoever - unless you got into it as a kid and have that nostalgia factor, it's pretty dumb. (Though, obviously, I do love a lot of it).

This is a golden age for good, sophisticated comics.

And also a good time, from what I hear, for genre junk that's labelled "For Mature Readers" but is actually mostly appropriate for 15 year olds. Anytime I try to read that Vertigo-type stuff I'm left really cold. I feel like I'm watching bad tv. Or maybe so-so tv.

[Andy]

are there any trrent stes where I could check out these potential comics to see which I want to spent my cash on?

[bruce]

are there any trrent stes where I could check out these potential comics to see which I want to spent my cash on?

Demonoid

Also Immortal Iron Fist just rules, but I grew up reading the original and then the team up with Luke Cage

[kimota]

Ack, yes. The testicle thing.

I did like asking my friend if he wants to get 'big nuts' with me this weekend. It made his squirm, the bastard.

Oddly, if the opportunity presented itself, I'd probably do it just for the experience.  As long as I can get past putting an IV in my scotum, I think I could do it. 

[mokin]

Ack, yes. The testicle thing.

I did like asking my friend if he wants to get 'big nuts' with me this weekend. It made his squirm, the bastard.

Anybody want to transcribe or describe the scene so we know what you're talking about?

Oddly, if the opportunity presented itself, I'd probably do it just for the experience.  As long as I can get past putting an IV in my scotum, I think I could do it. 

[kimota]

Ack, yes. The testicle thing.

I did like asking my friend if he wants to get 'big nuts' with me this weekend. It made his squirm, the bastard.

Anybody want to transcribe or describe the scene so we know what you're talking about?

Oddly, if the opportunity presented itself, I'd probably do it just for the experience.  As long as I can get past putting an IV in my scotum, I think I could do it. 

In short, a chat with a bodybuilder leads to a session in which the protangonist's testicles are shot full of a saline solution that swells them to the size of basketballs.

[Satchmo Mask]

Demonoid

Yes. I rotate between that and Thepiratebay for specific titles.

And you would probably need this -

http://www.geocities.com/davidayton/CDisplay

And it goes without saying, if I enjoy a title enough, I generally go out of my way to purchase it (although most likely used on Amazon, so maybe that doesn't really make a difference). Like Watchmen and League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, I could torrent, but I think because Alan Moore tends to exhaust all of what's possible with the medium, a digital extraction won't suffice. Whereas a lot of long running titles tend to be more no-nonsense as far as the sequentials go.


Also, libraries nowadays tend to stock at least a few graphic novels. I found Shutterbug Follies, A Contract with God and Blankets there. Oh, Blankets is another good first-try or whatever.


I'm going to buy the Madman Gargantua book soon. Anyone have it?

[Sarah]

In short, a chat with a bodybuilder leads to a session in which the protangonist's testicles are shot full of a saline solution that swells them to the size of basketballs.

Is this to compensate for the shrinkage associated with steroid use?

[kimota]

Chapter 13 except, Crooked Little VEin by Warren Ellis.

"This is where we shoot salt water into your testicles," said Gary.
He'd converted a big room in the back of the house into a huge walk-in shower room, with sound speakers recessed high into the walls.
"You're going to have to take your clothes off," Gary observed.  "Not that I'm looking forward to seeing you naked, believe me.  You're in shitty shape for a private detective."
"How many private detectives do you know?"
"Well...there's Magnum."
"Get away from me."
"Drop 'em."
"So this is the deal.  I let you do this thing to me, and I get the receipt."
"Right.  And quit with the 'do this thing to me' like I'm gonna mutilate you or something.  This'll be fun."
"This is what you do for fun?"
"I get some buddies around, we shoot some saline, we have fun.  It's a party thing.  Play some music, have some drinks, you know.  I mean, it's not like we meet in the alleyways and mutter, 'wanna do some saline?'  It's on the Web, right?  Like your girlfriend said."
"She's not my girlfriend."
"You sure?"
"I would have noticed."
He cocked his head to one side.  "Huh.  Maybe not.  She's way cooler than you are.  Straight people are so fucking weird."
Aryan Guy came in, stark naked and carrying steaming jugs of water.  "Let's give this guy some balls," he laughed.
Trix followed him in, holding a small medical bag.  She winked at me.  "I want to see this."
"I'm your fucking thesis now?"
"You need to relax," she said, handing Gary the bag.  "This is going to be a new experience for you.  Just enjoy it for what it is."
"It's being trapped in a shower with a gay cop who wants to mutilate my nuts, Trix."
"Oh, will you unclench?  Now get 'em of."
"Gary, does she have to be here?"
"Trix wants to be here, man."
"I don't want her to see me naked."
"Dude none of us wants to see you naked."

end of excerpt.