The Comic Book Thread

[FunKay the Inevitable]

Earlier today I set up the manga thread, I think it's only fair game that I set up the comic book thread too. There are of course a wide range of comics from romance to sci fi and back again. Super heroes are the most common comics and are being adapted into films these days. So I'll star this thread off by asking a very simple question, what is your favourite comic book arc of all time?

Mine would have to be Amazing Spider-Man #193-200, The Burglar Returns.

Spoiler

Amazing Spider-Man issues 193-200 featured one of the most epic, heart wrenching and dramatic plots in all of comics, as the Burglar who show Peter Parker's Uncle Ben made a shocking return to the title. The Burglar was on the hunt for something big, but he needed May Parker to tell him where it was, and knowing that she would call the police if she ever saw him, the Burglar took the owner of her care home hostage, forcing him into teaming with him. Little did the Burglar know what he was getting into. The story is beautifully crafted by Marv Wolfman, whose run on ASM is my all time favourite as he added twists and turns along with great battles and some first appearances too.

That was my pick, what's yours?

 

[JGlass]

Picking one favorite is way too difficult, but if I had to pick just one, it would be Siege #2 (I think it's 2). This is the second book in the siege of Asgard lead by Norman Osborne, and it's the one where all of earth's mightiest heroes arrive and start going to war against The Dark Avengers and other Norman Osbourne cronies. It's got some awesome action sequences, amazing artwork, and this breathtaking full page layout of all the heroes arriving at the same time looking to kick some ass. Fake Captain America yells AVENGERS, ASSMEBLE! And Patriot (or perhaps Prodigy, I'm not sure) goes, "It's SO cool to be a part of that!" It just really sets the mood for the battle. The good guys have arrived, and they would like nothing more than to kick Osbourne's ass.

 

[The Doctor]

My favorite comic/graphic novel arc was definitely Secret War, a Marvel production. It is in no ways related to Secret Wars but is connected to Secret Invasion. You can read about it on Wikipedia here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_War_(comics)

I barely remember anything about the comic except that the art is absolutely gorgeous and unique, like no style I have ever seen before. This is the work of Gabriele Dell'Otto and he quickly became my favorite comic artist. Unfortunately he hasn't done any other full length comic books except for one I haven't had a chance to find. A shame, because the art made the book. It was so powerful, and punctuated the admittedly fairly sad story perfectly.

Man, now I really want to read it again. Maybe I will this weekend.

 

[justinsayne]

I'm currently reading Batman: The Widening Gyre, by Kevin Smith, it's ok, not the greatest Batman book I've ever read by far though, it deals more with Bruce trying decide if he should let some new people into his life, on a fellow masked crime fighter who calls himself Baphomet, the other his love interest Silver St. Cloud, there's not really just one common enemy through out the story, at least not so far, and it seems to deal more with his relationship with Silver more than the other guy, if you're a huge Batman or Kevin Smith fan this might be worth picking up, otherwise you could easily pass on it and not really be out of the Batman loop at all

I also found a comic shop in my town that I never knew existed before, walking inside and seeing nothing but comics, sports and wrestling shit every where was what I imagine walking through the pearly gates must be like, they I have a feeling I'm going to be spending a shit load of money in that place, I walked out of there today spending $45 on Civil War, and X-Force: Old Ghost, they had Uncanny X-force #2-5, and I thought about it, but decided I'd just wait until they release a graphic novel, or come out or they release a double issue for #1 & 2 (I didn't even know Marvel did that, but according to the guy working there they do) the guy there said he expects a graphic novel for Unacanny X-Force to come out soon, I guess there's a pretty high demand for it, hopefully that comes out VERY soon, until then I should be busy finishing up Batman, then moving onto Civil War & X-Force, and Green Lantern: No Fear

 

[The Mark of Zur-En-Arrh]

Favourite of all time? Damn man that's hard. I'd want to say at least 3.

Batman RIP A lot of people shit on Grant Morrison's writing, and i myself have read some of his work and thought 'wtf is this?' (Final Crisis was a real head fuck for example), but i must have read Batman RIP about 20 times now, i just enjoy it that much. The whole mystery of Simon Hurt's true identity, Bruce going schizo and becoming the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh, Bat Mite leading him to Arkham, and all the truly, truly sick shit the Joker says, thinks and does in this story arc just make it an excellent read, and then the retrospective of Bat's life in the final chapter and then again in 'Last Rites' made it an all round perfect story in my eyes.

Secondly, i'd have to pick The Walking Dead Vol 10 'What We Become'. I guess the whole series is just one arc, but they split them up into the various places/threats Rick and co. come across throughout the course of their journey of survival in zombie ridden America.

Basically, in 'What We Become', Rick finds himself losing his touch on reality more and more and reflects on the evil things he's had to do in order to keep his family and friends safe, and the number of people he feels he's gotten killed.

This is also the first volume to heavily feature Abraham, the ex-soldier whose driven by rage and a desperate need to help.... shit i've forgotten his name.... a scientist get to Washington, simply because Abraham doesn't know what to do with himself otherwise.

Mid way through the story, Rick and Abraham go back to Rick's old police station to get more guns, since Rick locked up the weapons cache back at the start of 'Days Gone Bye'. After stopping to sleep along the way, Abraham, Rick and Carl (rick's 8 yr old son for those who don't know) are ambushed by 3 rednecks. Abraham's held at gun point, Rick's beaten (he only has one hand after having it chopped off by the Governor in vol 6) and they try to rape Carl.

Rick bites the throat of the one he's dealing with, in the commotion Abraham blows the brains out of the guy threatening him, and then Rick guts the guy trying to rape Carl.

Next morning, Abraham breaks down and starts telling Rick about all the grisly things he's done since day 1, and comments on how people seemed to turn into animals at the flick of a switch once society fell apart. Rick tells all of his sins and explains to Abraham that the 'flicked switch' isn't so bad, because that's what's given them the strength to protect the ones they love.

They also meet Morgan again, the guy Rick meets in his neighbours abandoned house in vol 1. (You may remember him and his pre-zombified son Duane in the TV show) and they also encounter a 'herd' for the first time, while all the while the others back at camp start to lose faith in Rick and even take some disturbing turns of their own.

Another very emotional scene is at the beginning where Maggie hangs herself. Seeing Glenn believe he's lost his one true love after about 5 volumes of pure happiness (outside some torture by the Governor), and Abraham threatening to blow her brains out because she'll turn, and then she recovers and he nearly shoots her anyway, was a real page turner.

Abraham I'm beginning to notice a disturbing trend with you people. You pull a gun on anyone who disagrees with you. Wish i'd noticed sooner.

And finally, even though it's all kinda tied into 'Blackest Night' i'd have to say my other favourite arc was 'Green Lantern: Agent Orange'. I loved Larfleeze from the moment i was introduced to the character fully, and the sinister motives of the Guardians continued throughout this arc as they set the Blue Lanterns up to be attacked by Larfleeze, further escalating the War of Light, the very thing they're trying to prevent.

Hal Jordan desperately trying to get the Blue ring off was a joy to read as well.

 

[JGlass]

Okay, in honor of the Comic Book Thread giving us a post count now, I say we take advantage of it by talking about some of our wildest, nerdiest comic book fantasies. I'll start it off by asking a question I ponder all the time.

Right now, who are your top 5 favorite super heroes/comic book characters?

Mine change all the time, but here are my top 5 for right now.

Nick Fury: Fury may seem to be a little Machiavellian, but he always is working for the people, even if it means going against his own government. He's probably one of the most brilliant characters in the Marvel Universe, not in terms of sciencey garbage like Richards or Stark, but in terms of politics and keeping world peace.

The Thing: Odd as it may sound, I have come to sort of identify with Ben Grimm. When I was a sophomore in high school I got diagnosed with Crohn's disease and I had to take steroids to avoid constant pain, and they did all sorts of shit to my face and body. While I didn't have to deal with turning into a giant rocky monster, my face did blow up and I broke out in acne, so I knew what it felt like to have to deal with an unwanted change in appearance. So did Ben Grimm. Grimm is also probably the most down to earth, level-headed, kind member of the Fantastic 4. How can't you love this gentle giant?

Gambit- It seems like people either love or hate Gambit. I fall into the love category. I think his powers are just fucking awesome, who wouldn't want to be able to make anything explode at will? He can also turn women on by using his powers on their brain, though I suppose that could be dangerous if he accidentally blows her head up. He also has an awesome costume and even more awesome bow staff skills.

Thor- The mightiest hero of all of Asgard AND Midgard is one of my all time favorites. How can't you dig a Viking god who wants to do nothing more than kick bad guy ass? He smashes people with a hammer, he can shoot lightening, he's as strong as just about any other hero, and he can take one fuck of a beating before smiting his foe.

Cyclops- Cyclops gets no love from the movie fans, but old One Eye is one hell of a leader. He's tough, relentless, and he's not afraid to break a few eggs to make an omelet. Despite his tough exterior he cares about each and every mutant and he believes in Professor X's dream more than anyone. As for his powers, you can't tell me that there was never a time you wished you could shoot lasers out of your eyes.

 

[Bernkastel]

I haven't read Marvel or DC comics since I was a child, but I remember Superman as being one of my favorites. The issue with Lois Lane's pregnant sister was one of the key factors that helped my interests as a kid.

I recently starting reading issues of Angel: After the Fall and Buffy Season 8 after splurging and buying all the seasons at a local store that sells old movies, tv shows, games, and books of all kinds at ridiculously low prices at just 10 bucks a season. As a long time fan of the metaseries, the offer was just too sweet for me to pass up.

 

[justinsayne]

So a new Iron Man series has been started with the first issue being released this week, Iron Man 2.0, here is a picture and a brief preview of what it's going to be about

New mission! New armor! New Iron Man! Lt. Col. James Rhodes is War Machine...the single most advanced one-man weapon of conventional combat. But wars aren't fought the way they used to be - and when Rhodey has to face a mysterious enemy he can't shoot, can't bomb, can't even see, he's going to be forced to evolve...or die.

So from the sounds of this is basically just going to be a War Machine book that they slap the Iron Man title on, in hopes that more people will give a fuck if they see the Iron Man title as opposed to War Machine. I have no problem with that seeing as how War Machine is basically Iron Man version 2 anyway but whatever, a few questions

A.) is anyone planning on picking this up?, from what I gather it's a 3 part story arc to start off the series ,so it sounds like they're just going for a short quick story to start of the series

B.)Do you think they should have mentioned anywhere in the title of series that it's a book centered around War Machine, and not Iron Man?, as I said before War Machine has always really been just a 2.0 version of Iron Man, and the cover is a giant picture of War Machine, however I can see how the use of the Iron Man title could be misleading

C.)If you do buy it, do you think you'll continue reading after the 3 part arc that's set to start it off?

I'm not really sure if this is something I really want to buy, it's something that I wouldn't mind reading though, I've always liked Tony Stark better than Rhodes, he's just always been a more interesting character to me, I remember reading a War Machines series a long time ago and it not doing anything for me at all, War Machines just seems like the type of character who works better in a supporting role than as the main focus. That said I think I may just pick up the first issue, and give them a chance to hook me with the little story arc. Nick Spencer is writing, & Barry Kitson & Kano are doing the art, could anybody tell me if they're any good?

 

[The Doctor]

For some reason, I've always had a soft spot for War Machine, so I just may pick this up, especially if it's a new series and just starting with a quick one-shot. That way I can pick it up without having to worry about missing huge chunks of the story. If I come across it and have enough money when I do, I'll probably check it out.

I do agree with you that War Machine is more of a supporting character, but I don't see the harm in trying something new. I won't knock it until I read it.

 

[justinsayne]

For some reason, I've always had a soft spot for War Machine, so I just may pick this up, especially if it's a new series and just starting with a quick one-shot. That way I can pick it up without having to worry about missing huge chunks of the story. If I come across it and have enough money when I do, I'll probably check it out.

The first issue is $3.99, but that's because it's a 40 page issue, every issue after that is suppose to be $2.99 I beleive, I really like the idea of starting the series out with a 3 issue arc though, it's short enough that people can buy it and just try it out and yet it gets them to buy multiple issues of the series, it's seems like a good way to get a series started, now they just need to hook people with that first story arc

I do agree with you that War Machine is more of a supporting character, but I don't see the harm in trying something new. I won't knock it until I read it.

There is no harm in it what so ever, worst case scenario the fans don't like it, and they just end the series. I also heard a rumor that Marvel wanted to do more shorter story arcs if for no other reason that they feel that it makes it easier for casual fans to just be able to jump in at any point and not have to worry about missing out on big piece of the story that happened like 30 issues ago or something, that to me seems like a good idea, it also looks to be the approach they are using here

 

[The Mark of Zur-En-Arrh]

Okay, in honor of the Comic Book Thread giving us a post count now, I say we take advantage of it by talking about some of our wildest, nerdiest comic book fantasies.

About bloody time if you ask me.

Right now, who are your top 5 favorite super heroes/comic book characters?

In no particular order:

The Joker The Clown Prince of Crime has always been my favourite comic book character, mainly because he embodies everything relating to chaos and disorder. His morbid life view of 'life being the ultimate joke and death the ultimate punchline' is one that i've shared since before i fell in love with the character. Now obviously i don't go around killing people to make them see things that way, but it did teach me not to take life so seriously, because you'll only drive yourself to the grave anyway, and who's the joke on then?

Plus i really want to see if you can actually make smilex........

Rick Grimes (The Walking Dead) Although just about every WD character goes through pure hell at some point, Rick Grimes has been through pure hell since issue one of the TWD. He gets shot and falls into a coma in the first page, wakes up to a zombie ridden America, risks life and limb to find his family, and when he does, he's forced to lead a rag bag group of survivors who all die painfully one after another, including Rick's best friend Shane, his wife Lori and new born baby Judith, and with the exception of about 4 people, every other person he's met along the way.

He's lost a hand, been shot again and has had to do truly unspeakable things to people (sometimes unnecessarily) in order to survive, and as he feels his soul slowly turning more and more black, he has to watch his 8 year old son suffer the exact same thing.

How can you not feel sorry for the guy and pray that if TWD ever ends, that Rick Grimes will be at peace with himself when he finally goes, and doesn't have to watch his son running away from him as he's slowly eaten by Roamers?

Guy Gardner - Green Lantern

Despite the fact that Green Lantern Corps focused more towards Kyle Rayner and his personal issues lately than it did Guy Gardner, Guy Gardner is the character that made me keep going back to GLC during the Sinestro Corps War and the Blackest Night build up.

Guy Gardner to me, is just as kick ass as Hal Jordan, but with a far better attitude and sense of humour. Plus he's a total nerd at heart. For example, in Blackest Night he actually uses an idea from Star Trek to help fight the Black Lanterns, and even quotes the exact episode number and season to boot, resulting in John Stewart saying 'Guy, sometimes you really scare me.'

Plus the whole chip on his shoulder that HE should be the #1 lantern over Jordan makes him even better.

Deadshot The Deadliest Man Alive With A Gun, again much like Gardner makes my list purely for his sense of humour and pure ruthlessness. Lately it's been suggested that he's getting closer and closer to going completely postal and blowing away anyone stood in front of him. Some of the lines he's had since Gail Simone started Secret Six have had me in stitches, like this one for example:

Bane Love is..... complex
Deadshot You don't gotta tell me dude, i've got videos.

I really, really want to go back and see if i can find some of his earlier appearances from when he first challenged Batman and even when he was in Suicicde Squad, because just about everytime i've read something where Deadshot was involved, i've enjoyed it that much more. Watching him trying to kill Pied Piper and Trickster in Countdown to Final Crisis was the highlight of the whole series imo.

Darkseid The Lord of Apokolips has to make my list really, i mean, i wrote a whole damn song about his quest to achieve the Anti Life Equation (wanna hear it? Look for Laid Wasted on facebook and there's a video of it from our second ever gig a week or so ago, sound quality's not great, but it's something. Song's called 'Anti-Life' funnily enough)

Jack Kirby's New Gods have always been a favourite of mine, and the mad ambitions of Darkseid are always a good read in my book. After seeing some of his appearances in Final Crisis, Superman, Countdown to Final Crisis, Death of The New Gods, and all of his appearances in Superman TAS, i'd say Darkseid is my favourite 'all powerful' comci book character. As you can see, most of my picks are simply guys with cool attitudes and characteristics as opposed to super-powered freaks, but if we're talking 'Power to destroy a galaxy' kinda characters, Darkseid's my number one.

 

[justinsayne]

Okay, in honor of the Comic Book Thread giving us a post count now, I say we take advantage of it by talking about some of our wildest, nerdiest comic book fantasies. I'll start it off by asking a question I ponder all the time.

Right now, who are your top 5 favorite super heroes/comic book characters?

Spoiler

Mine change all the time, but here are my top 5 for right now.

Nick Fury: Fury may seem to be a little Machiavellian, but he always is working for the people, even if it means going against his own government. He's probably one of the most brilliant characters in the Marvel Universe, not in terms of sciencey garbage like Richards or Stark, but in terms of politics and keeping world peace.

The Thing: Odd as it may sound, I have come to sort of identify with Ben Grimm. When I was a sophomore in high school I got diagnosed with Crohn's disease and I had to take steroids to avoid constant pain, and they did all sorts of shit to my face and body. While I didn't have to deal with turning into a giant rocky monster, my face did blow up and I broke out in acne, so I knew what it felt like to have to deal with an unwanted change in appearance. So did Ben Grimm. Grimm is also probably the most down to earth, level-headed, kind member of the Fantastic 4. How can't you love this gentle giant?

Gambit- It seems like people either love or hate Gambit. I fall into the love category. I think his powers are just fucking awesome, who wouldn't want to be able to make anything explode at will? He can also turn women on by using his powers on their brain, though I suppose that could be dangerous if he accidentally blows her head up. He also has an awesome costume and even more awesome bow staff skills.

Thor- The mightiest hero of all of Asgard AND Midgard is one of my all time favorites. How can't you dig a Viking god who wants to do nothing more than kick bad guy ass? He smashes people with a hammer, he can shoot lightening, he's as strong as just about any other hero, and he can take one fuck of a beating before smiting his foe.

Cyclops- Cyclops gets no love from the movie fans, but old One Eye is one hell of a leader. He's tough, relentless, and he's not afraid to break a few eggs to make an omelet. Despite his tough exterior he cares about each and every mutant and he believes in Professor X's dream more than anyone. As for his powers, you can't tell me that there was never a time you wished you could shoot lasers out of your eyes.

I'm just getting back into the world of comics, so these may not be my favorite so much as the characters that peak my interest the most at this point in time, and they're in no particular order either

-Batman- I have always been a fan of the Dark Knight, no matter how long of a break I take from comics I know I can always come back and there will be a nice stack of great story arcs waiting for me

-Green Lantern- Admittedly I don't know a whole lot about him other than the basic origin, and his powers, but I love the idea of the Lantern, and look forward to reading a few graphic novels before the movie comes out

-Thor- much like Lantern I've never really read much, but have heard their are some good graphic novels out there, and with the movie coming out, I defiently plan on picking up a few a getting more familiar with the character

-Human Torch- How can you not love the Human Torch, he's one the funnest characters out there and the sole reason I have ever given a shit about the Fantastic Four

-Capt. America- This is mostly from what I've read in Civil War so far, awesome storyline and it's hard not to take Caps side in it, I now want to read more Capt. America stuff as well

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

My top 5 comic book characters? Well I'm not really reading comics at the moment, so I'll give you my top 5 of all time:

1: Spider-Man (Peter Parker): Simply put, Peter Parker is the definition of what it means to be human. He made one mistake, just one, and his entire life came crumbling down. He's made the human errors, he's paid for them, but he'll never give up. He's the perfect example of a good human being. His rouges are quality and he's the most interesting character in all of comics.

2: Dr. Strange: Never a massive fan of magic themed comics, but Dr. Strange is very compelling. His story is different. He comes from a medical background, one of science, and has turned to the magical arts. He's got an intriguing history with the others of the Marvel Universe, and is pretty underutilised.

3: The Punisher: Much like Peter Parker, Frank Castle also defines what it means to be human. Castle's entire story is based on one act of evil by a gang, and that's lead to his one man crusade for justice. A lot of the Punisher stories are very samey, but every so often, there'll come along a great new idea for the Punisher and something good will form from it.

4: Mysterio: My favourite villain of all. Mysterio isn't superhuman, he's just one man who happens to be smarter than your average criminal. Quentin Beck was someone who was smart enough to put his expertise to work, and that's what he did. He's smart, manipulative and deceptive, just what a good villain needs to be. He's got a good gimmick and his usage over the years has been pretty damn good.

5: Kid Miracleman (Johnny Bates): This one's a little odd, but I'll try to explain. Years ago there was a British comic book called Marvelman, essentially meant to be the UK equivalent of DC's Captain Marvel, he had a sidekick called Kid Marvelman. In the 80's, the stories were taken over by Alan Moore who turned the entire world upside down, having the initial adventures of the characters turned into dreams, with only Kid Marvelman escaping. Kid Marvelman turned into a villain. There's a lot more to it than that, but it's pretty lengthily. He's a twisted, a diabolical character and the perfect example of a fall from grace.

 

[justinsayne]

Marvel Comics launches 'Fear Itself'; Miniseries has superheroes threatened by God of Fear
BY ETHAN SACKS
DAILY NEWS WRITER
Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Dec 29 2010, New York — In these tough times of record unemployment, terror alerts, oil spills, mortgage foreclosures and partisan politics that have torn a rent down the middle of this country, Americans have good reason to be living in fear.Now, it turns out super heroes aren't immune either.Marvel Comics announced Tuesday that it is launching "

Fear Itself

," a seven-issue mega-event series starting in April, which taps into all the malaise gripping the company's readers. In the fictional universe of Spider-Man and Iron Man, however, that panic is stoked by the villainous God of Fear instead of television pundits and Internet-savvy fundamentalist clerics."The climate in the world today was certainly the inspiration for this as we started to think about the bigger stories for the Marvel Universe," Marvel editor in chief Joe Quesada said at a press conference at Midtown Comics in Manhattan. "You will absolutely see the real world inject itself into this story because it's undeniable that there's a certain something in the air right now.we tend to tap into that whether consciously or unconsciously and it effects all our stories." The company had great sales success three years ago with its "Civil War" series, which similarly mined real world events to tell the story of a division in the ranks of super heroes in the battle between personal liberties and security. That storyline ended in the death of Captain America

-- as first reported by the New York Daily News - which many conservative commentators interpreted as a political shot aimed at the Bush Administration."My personal nervousness over the state of things today lies draped over "Fear Itself," like a great, anxious, quilt just a little bit too small," series writer Matt Fraction told the News. "And the punchline in the Marvel Universe is the same as it is for us in the real world: no heroes can help us; we're going to have to save ourselves. "Which is of no comfort at all."There is grumbling among some fans, however, in these scary economic times that last thing they want to do is spend more money on comic book tie-ins on big events that come like clock-work every summer from Marvel and rival publisher, DC Comics. "Marvel has played the 'Law & Order', ripped from the headlines card for a while now," says Nick Purpura, manager at Jim Hanley's Universe comic store in Manhattan. "It's their jobs to keep [readers'] asses in seats if you would."

This sounds like it could either be really interesting or really boring, if they can keep the main story in the mini-series I might buy those 7 issues, I have no desire to track down every Marvel Book that comes out over the course of the Summer, nor do I have the money to do so, I assume that if this is like Civil War that all those other books will be released in trades sometime next fall/winter anyway and I'll just pick up the ones I want to read then

Anyone else have any interest in this whatsoever?

 

[JGlass]

I read about this and saw a few of the Marvel press conferences on YouTube and they made it sound really good. I don't know how I feel about the whole God of Fear thing, but the stories should be really great. All of Marvel's greatest heroes will be forced to face their greatest fears, and that should make for some amazing stuff. Furthermore, whenever Marvel taps into the inspirations from the real world, they deliver. I'll definitely be doing my best to keep up with this series, should be wildly entertaining.

 

[The Codebreaker]

Oh neat a comic book thread. I'm probably the biggest Spider-Man fan on these forums.

Favorite Arc? Probably Kraven's Last Hunt (Spider-Man). I thought Under The Red Hood (Batman), Back In Black (Spider-Man), and The Grim Hunt (Spider-Man) were damn good as well. I pick up The Amazing Spider-Man and certain miniseries regularly and once Fantastic Four relaunches I'll be getting that as well.

I also just got two months of Marvel digital comics for my birthday so I'm reading every issue of Ultimate Spider-Man. The writing is absolutely hilarious, I just love it.

 

[nightmare]

Top 5 favorites of all time:


Batman: the ultimate anti-superhero really. growing up i alway s appreciated the fact he did so much without superpowers. rich\smart businessman who has some sick ninja training. Has one of the coolest vehicles ever- the batmobile. Fights my favorite villian of all time -the joker. plus the man has a backup plan to kill superman if he gets out of control. thats how you handle business.


Wolverine: one word, adamantium. the man not only has incredible healing factor, he has freaking adamantium grafted to his skeleton. better than the fuckin terminator right there folks. only downfall is- against magneto, he's kinda screwed, but all others beware.


Iron Man: very similar to batman & always tought it would be freaking awesome to see them team up. stark used his intelligence to build the iron man armor & it kicks major ass. He has taken down some of the best & has fought in major battles with the avengers. definately worthy of appreciation.


Jean Grey: not only is she hot (literaly) but her powers are fantastic. anyone who has that much telekenetic power is not to be taken lightly. Phoenix FTW!!!!


Spawn: the undead king of hell baby, no doubt!! i love mcfarland & his creation. spawn has always been enjoyable to me. definately a unique type of anti-hero & when mcfarland started releasing issues it was very different from anything i had seen. necroplasm has its advantages thats for sure. Plus its 'spawned' some of the coolest figures in comics.

 

[justinsayne]

So today was new book day, and I had a couple hours to kill before heading into work, so I hit up my local comic book store and picked up a few issues...

First up was Uncanny X-Force: The Apocalypse Solution #1

This is a collection of Uncanny X-Force #1-3, and it's fucking awesome!!!!, if there was ever a time to jump into any book this is it, this may very well be the best comic on the market today, and there is really no reason for anybody who has the slightest bit of interest in this to not pick it up, FOR FUCK SAKE YOU ARE GETTING 3 ISSUES FOR $5!!!!, THERE IS NO BETTER DEAL IN COMICS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW!!!

Next I went and grabbed Uncanny X-Force #4

It was only natural to pick up this as it's the final issue in the Apocalypse Solution arc, this means I got the whole story arc for $9, if you pick up Uncanny X-Force:TAS#1 then you mind as well check and see if they still have this issue on the shelves somewhere so you can read the whole arc, be warned it came out a few weeks ago, so not all stores may still have it

& the final book I picked up today was Venom #1

America...meet your newest Hero!

The lethal alien symbiote known as Venom is in the custody of the U.S. military...and with a familiar face from Spider-Man's world inside the suit, the government's own personal Spidey is going into action as one of the nation's top covert agents in hostile territory!

Yeah I picked this one just based on curiosity, I havn't read it yet but I flipped through real quick, and it looks to be pretty action packed and interesting, I also love Venoms new look in the book

One that caught my eye but I decided to pass on it was Punisher Max #11

"BULLSEYE, CONCLUSION"

The final epic confrontation between Frank Castle and Bullseye, as the maniac assassin hits Punisher with everything in his arsenal, including a dark secret that cuts Frank to his core. Even if Frank survives, he will never again be the same.

I like the cover and the story sounds interesting and I'm sure it's good, however it sounds as if it's the conclusion of a story arc, & I hate just getting the end of the story, I'd just rather wait and pick it up as a trade somewhere down the road

 

[JGlass]

Man, Bullseye has to be the biggest "thorn in America's side" super villain. He's good... real good... but harmless on a large scale. He doesn't have the power to ruin thousands of lives at the same time like such villains as The Green Goblin or Doctor Doom, but he definitely has the hate and anger.

Also, this mother fucker is EVERYWHERE. Seriously, is there any major hero in the Marvel Universe he hasn't had the pleasure of throwing something/shooting at?

I'm not a huge fan of Bullseye, but that's mostly because of how fucking nuts this dude is. He's not Deadpool levels of crazy, but he's walks a thin line between insanity and totally losing all of his marbles.

 

[The Doctor]

I just reread a comic I've mentioned rather a lot in the past: Secret War.

I've talked a lot about the art, but now that I've read it again, I'm going to talk about the story, and the issues it brings up, while trying to remain as spoiler-free as possible.

I want to preface this by saying that I'm not all that into continuity. I just inherited a massive stack of graphic novels from my brother and I read random ones periodically. I don't know what led up to this novel, or the events that followed. As it stands, Secret War is entertaining, smart, informative, and has some of the best art I have ever seen in a graphic novel.

The plot deals with some interesting questions on what to do when the people in charge won't do anything. In a way, below the surface, it questions the actions of superheroes, and whether or not it pays to be a vigilante. Whether or not the titular Secret War was right or wrong is left open to interpretation, and I'd rather have it that way.

The graphic novel also contains "files" from Nick Fury's database, giving background information and interesting facts on everyone involved in this thing. It's all fascinating and a good way for a reader not up on the who's who of the 'verse to get a bit of info, or at least it was back then. I'm sure a zillion things have changed since. I told you, I'm not up on my continuity.

Apparently, this was based on recollections of a true story told to Bendis in his childhood by a covert operative, just with superheroes. The prologue from the anonymous operative explains it, and it really adds an interesting dimension to the whole thing, imagining what it could have originally been referring to before it was comic-ified.

Overall it's a great read with some great art and I want everyone who can lay their hands on a copy of the graphic novel to read it themselves. Tell me I'm not crazy for enjoying it so much.

 

[The Doctor]

Also, on the subject of favorite comic book characters (mostly Marvel, since my brother was a Marvel guy with occasional forays into DC):

Deadpool - My absolute favorite. He's funny, he's nuts, he has a smart mouth, and he's also a badass. I'm sure if he were "real" he'd be annoying as hell, but in the realm of comics he's one of the most fun characters in the world.

Spider-Man - Come on, who doesn't love Spidey? I love how he's always wisecracking, and he's not always sure or confident but he gets the job done. I like him the most in Ultimate Spider-Man, mostly because the Ultimate series is how I got into comics. He's just a kid who gets these powers and goes out to be awesome.

Captain America - Being half-American, I love some good old patriotism as much as anyone. Captain America's sense of patriotism and justice is old-fashioned, and he's hot-headed, but I like that about him. There's something nice about seeing a guy have the old values of Freedom, Justice, and The American Way. He was probably one of the most black-and-white "heroes" until the Civil War, and sometimes you just want a hero to be that - a hero. I can't wait until the movie comes out, I'll probably see it first day.

The Joker - Let's get some villains in here! I love the Joker just because he's insane. He's vicious, crazy, and in every iteration massively entertaining. Whether he's cracking jokes or just being a creepy villain, he lights up the page. Obviously I love me some Batman as well, but The Joker is just that little bit cooler.

Nick Fury - All iterations, regular and Ultimate. He's a cool customer, a military man, and has one awesome look. I like his sense of right and wrong, and how he's kind of a grey character when you think about it. Plus, in Ultimate he looks like Samuel L. Jackson, and who doesn't love Samuel L. Jackson?

 

[justinsayne]

Just finished reading Venom #1, awesome fucking book, and I love everything they are doing with it, so basically the gov. has taken control of the symbiote, and are putting it on there own soldier, another person from Spidey's past, they have instituted (I beleive that's the word I'm looking for) a series of rules to make sure the symbiote doesn't take over it's host, he has 48 hrs. to complete his mission and return to base so that they can remove the symbiote , any longer than 48 hrs. & the bonding process becomes permanent, he must also control his temper as the symbiote feeds of rage

The main storyline of this book is Venom going to Eastern Europe to pick up a Doctor that has developed a method to weaponize Vibranium, however this is a comic book so nothing is easy, Venom is sent to pick of the Doctor who is in a tank reeking havoc what appears to be some village in a third world country, destroying everything in his path, and Venom isn't the only one coming to get him, some mysterious villain, who's face you never see, has sent Jack O' Lantern to get the good, or perhaps I should say Bad Doctor, naturally all sorts of fun chaos ensues with Venom not only trying to complete his objective but save as many civilians in the process as possible, they also focus on the personal demons that the new venom host is dealing with, I highly recommend this one to anyone looking to jump in on a new series, this is a whole new take on Venom, he is no longer some giant tongue wagging slobbering monster with no remorse, this is a much more human version of Venom and it makes things a bit more interesting. This is likely one of the few books I will be looking to pick up every month

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

Seeing as we're talking Venom, I think I'll go for a little bit of a throwback:

Venom Returns - Amazing Spider-Man #315-317

Now, I'm not the biggest Venom fan in the world, but his debut in #300 and this arc are awesome. This is one of my ten favourite Spider-Man arcs ever and I absolutely love it. The last cover could also, quite possibly, be my all time favourite Spider-Man cover. Not the world's biggest Todd McFarlane fan, but he knew how to draw two things; Good looking women and scary look villains and he totally nails Venom and even Eddie Brock really well throughout. The writing from David Michelinie is also spot on and Venom has never been better. They let the character keep his moral code without trying to force the lethal protector shit down our throats. Love this arc and worth picking up, especially if you pick up the 'Birth of Venom' trade paperback which has the initial symbiote arc, #300 and this arc. Great stuff.

 

[justinsayne]

Well it's that time of the week again, new book day is upon us once. There are a few books I'm looking to pick up this week

#1 on my list this week is Uncanny X-Force #5.1

Special Point One issue.

START READING with this Point One issue. When a situation calls for hard choices, the X-Force is there to step in. Lady Deathstrike, with the deadly Reavers at her side, set out to destroy the X-Men in their home! Deathstrike will obliterate the X-Men or die trying, and this new Uncanny X-Force is more than happy to oblige. As the line between right and wrong become more and more blurred, will the Uncanny X-Force be heralded as heroes...or villains?

Story by Rick Remender
Art by Rafael Albuquerque
Colors by Dean White
Letters by Cory Petit
Cover by Simone Bianchi & Simone Peruzzi

Price: $2.99

Fucking Love Uncanny X-Force, so this is always going to be a priority as soon as it hits the stands, last issue was the conclusion of a 4 issue arc which dealt with the X-force facing off against Apocalypes new Four Horsemen, as they tried to protect their leader, who apparently has been resurrected in the form of a child, leaving the X-Force to struggle with the decision, do you kill a child knowing that one day he will grow up to become Apocalypse, or do you take him in, and attempt to train him to be a good guy

Spoiler

Ultimately the issue ends with Fantomex putting a bullet in the kids head while the others argue and fight over what they should do

It was an awesome arc and a burned through all four issues with ease, I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next, so I'm very curious where this next arc is going to lead, plus that cover just looks fucking amazing

next on my list, Hulk #30.1

Special POINT ONE issue.

START READING with this Point One issue. For years, General Thunderbolt Ross chased the Hulk across the planet, hoping to capture and defeat the Jade Giant. Now, Ross himself is a gamma-irradiated force of nature and a new enemy emerges to fill the general's army boots. His name is Fortean. His mission: to enact vengeance on the beast that took the life of Thunderbolt Ross. Little does he know that the beast and the man are one and the same! Prepare for the birth of the next great Hulk villain!

Story by Jeff Parker
Art by Gabriel Hardman & Tom Palmer
Colors by Jim Charalampidis
Cover by Ron Garney

Price: $2.99

I've never actually read a Hulk book, but I loved both the movies, and enjoyed both animated DVDs Marvel released (Planet Hulk, & Hulk Vs.), and have always found the character kinda intriguing, and there really doesn't seem like a better place to jump in than with this special .1 issue, the story sounds like it should be pretty interesting

Now the I'm only planning on buying one of the next two books I post about, & I'm not sure which one I want more yet, but the first of those two that I want to post about is Fear Itself Book of Red Skull #1

All the Red Skull's terrible secrets and plans are in the hands of his evil daughter, Sin, who's intent on outdoing her father... Now find out about the Skull's most-dangerous World War II mission, that he risked everything for...and how it's going to tear the Marvel Universe apart today. Fear Itself starts here...in the darkest secrets of the past!

Story by Ed Brubaker
Art by Scot Eaton
Cover by Marko Djurdjevic

Size: 40 Pages

Price: $3.99

First I want to say that that cover looks un-fucking-believable, I mean damn.... as for the story sounds kinda interesting, and I want to collect and read the main Fear Itself mini that's coming out this summer, so I'm leaning towards getting this book as it seems like this is pretty much the beginning of that

The other book I'm considering picking up is Amazing Spider-Man #656

The debut of the NEW SPIDER-ARMOR!

If Spider-Man hopes to find a way to defeat his new nemesis MASSACRE, he'll need the help of his all new, all-power costume! But will protecting the people of New York mean that Spider-Man finally takes the last measure-- killing a bloodthirsty madman when there are no other options? (by the way, your first answer is wrong!)

Story by Dan Slott
Art by Marcos Martin
Colors by Muntsa Vicente
Letters by Joe Caramagna
Cover by Marcos Martin, Joe Quesada & Danny Miki

Price: $3.99

I am not loving that new Spidey suit at all, however I am curious about this new villain, Massacre, and this whole question of when faced with no other option will Spidey take the life a of blood thirsty psycho?, has me very intrigued, it's been awhile since I bought a Spidey book so I may end that drought with this one but it's gonna be a tough choice between this or Book of Skull

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

Buy the Book of Skull. Basically anything that's Captain American and written by Ed Brubaker is great. The man has had one of the most significant and entertaining runs on the title ever. He's an excellent writer and I have no doubt that the Book of Skull will be entertaining. Amazing Spider-Man on the other hand is a title I used to love. I actually liked BND (That's Brand New Day) until the stories all of a sudden became more adult focused and even featured heavy sexual references. in 2010 they put the final nail in that coffin with the abysmal SHED and to rub salt in the wounds, they brought the atrocity that was One More Day and gave it a sequel. The current writer on Amazing Spider-Man is Dan Slott. The guy can write, but he's a douchebag in real life. He's told fans to go fuck themselves (it was joke apparently) and won't listen to anyone who isn't a part of the Joe Quesada manifesto. Guy's an ass. Pick up Brubaker's Book of Skull.