The Bullshiting About Comics Thread w/ Justin & Friends

[justinsayne]

R.I.P. Batman, but it's confusing as fuck if you don't know all your Bat-history, plus it's written my Grant Morrison who seems to be the Vince Russo of comic writers. If you haven't read Killing Joke then that's a must read. Other than that Hush is pretty good. Here's a list of Batman tpbs I was given when getting back into comics.

1.The Dark Knight Returns- The Dark Knight Returns tells the story of a 56-year-old Bruce Wayne who comes out of retirement to fight crime, only to face opposition from the Gotham City police force and the United States government.

2.Batman:Year One- The story recounts the beginning of Bruce Wayne's career as Batman and Jim Gordon's with the Gotham City Police Department. Bruce Wayne returns home to Gotham City from training abroad in martial arts, manhunting, and science for the past 12 years, and James Gordon moves to Gotham with his wife, Barbara, after a transfer from Chicago. Both are swiftly acquainted with the corruption and violence of Gotham City.

3.Dark Knight Returns 2- After going underground, Batman (Bruce Wayne) and his young sidekick, Catgirl (Carrie Kelly, Robin from Batman: The Dark Knight Returns), train an army of "batboys" to save the world from a "police-state" dictatorship led by Lex Luthor.

4.Death In The Family- Basically the "death" of the 2nd Robin, Jason Todd

5.The Killing Joke- The plot revolves around the Joker's attempt to drive Gotham City Police Commissioner James Gordon insane, and is intercut with the villain's flashbacks to his early, pre-disfigurement life.

6.Knightfall- The story takes place over approximately six months. Bruce Wayne (Batman) suffers burnout and is systematically assaulted and crippled by a "super steroid"-enhanced genius named Bane.

7.Knightsend- Wayne is replaced as Batman by an apprentice named Jean-Paul Valley, who becomes increasingly violent and unstable, tarnishing Batman's reputation. Eventually, Wayne is healed through paranormal means, and reclaims his role as Batman.

8.Contagion- It concerns the outbreak of a lethal disease in Gotham City, and Batman's attempts to combat it. The events of this story lead into "Batman: Legacy" and "Batman: Cataclysm", which itself leads into "No Man's Land".

9.No Man's Land- The lead-up story began with the "Cataclysm" story arc, which described a major earthquake hitting Gotham City. This was followed by the storylines "Aftershock" and then "Road to No Man's Land" which resulted in the U.S. government officially evacuating Gotham and then abandoning and isolating those who chose to remain in the city. "No Man’s Land" covered, in detail, a period in the lives of the residents of the city, explaining all events from the time of isolation, until its time of re-opening and the beginning of rebuilding.

10.Lonely Place of Dying- Traumatized by the death of Robin, the Dark Knight Detective descends into a brutal existence. But this blind quest for retribution has extremely hazardous mental and physical consequences as a careless and unhinged Batman suffers injury after injury. Deducing the connection between Bruce Wayne and Batman as well as the repercussions that the murder of the Boy Wonder are having on him, a teenaged Tim Drake seeks out Dick Grayson, the original Robin, in a desperate attempt to reunite the Dynamic Duo.


11.The Long Halloween- Taking place during Batman's early days of crime fighting, The Long Halloween tells the story of a mysterious killer named Holiday, who murders people on holidays, one each month. Working with District Attorney Harvey Dent and Lieutenant James Gordon, Batman races against the calendar as he tries to discover who Holiday is before he claims his next victim each month. The story also ties into the events that transform Harvey Dent into Batman's enemy, Two-Face.

Out of that list I've only read Knightfall, parts of Knightsend, & Killing Joke, I have The Dark Knight Returns but have not got around to reading it yet.

 

[.]

Just finished Black Mirror. I liked it but the ending was just ok.

 

[Police Penis Sucking Goat Fucker]

Has anyone read Batman Noel I saw a add in my Aquaman comic and really liked the way the artwork looked

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

I'm reading Knightsfall/Knightsend at the moment. Some pretty good stuff if only for the weird stuff surrounding Tim Drake's father.

 

[Muffin Top Merkley]

Other than that Hush is pretty good.

Hush is really good, especially when you don't know the ending. Unfortunately, I was told the ending before I started to even read Hush, which took a lot away from it.

1.The Dark Knight Returns- The Dark Knight Returns tells the story of a 56-year-old Bruce Wayne who comes out of retirement to fight crime, only to face opposition from the Gotham City police force and the United States government.

I haven't read a lot of Batman books, but this is one of the best Batman stories that I've read.

3.Dark Knight Returns 2- After going underground, Batman (Bruce Wayne) and his young sidekick, Catgirl (Carrie Kelly, Robin from Batman: The Dark Knight Returns), train an army of "batboys" to save the world from a "police-state" dictatorship led by Lex Luthor.

I wasn't even aware that there was a part 2 to The Dark Knight Returns. I will have to look into this.

5.The Killing Joke- The plot revolves around the Joker's attempt to drive Gotham City Police Commissioner James Gordon insane, and is intercut with the villain's flashbacks to his early, pre-disfigurement life.

This is the one where The Joker shoots Barbara correct? If so, it's another one that I need to put my time into reading.

6.Knightfall- The story takes place over approximately six months. Bruce Wayne (Batman) suffers burnout and is systematically assaulted and crippled by a "super steroid"-enhanced genius named Bane.

7.Knightsend- Wayne is replaced as Batman by an apprentice named Jean-Paul Valley, who becomes increasingly violent and unstable, tarnishing Batman's reputation. Eventually, Wayne is healed through paranormal means, and reclaims his role as Batman.

I read an actual novel about theses arcs and really enjoyed it. I'm sure the TPBs are very good as well.

9.No Man's Land- The lead-up story began with the "Cataclysm" story arc, which described a major earthquake hitting Gotham City. This was followed by the storylines "Aftershock" and then "Road to No Man's Land" which resulted in the U.S. government officially evacuating Gotham and then abandoning and isolating those who chose to remain in the city. "No Man’s Land" covered, in detail, a period in the lives of the residents of the city, explaining all events from the time of isolation, until its time of re-opening and the beginning of rebuilding.

11.The Long Halloween- Taking place during Batman's early days of crime fighting, The Long Halloween tells the story of a mysterious killer named Holiday, who murders people on holidays, one each month. Working with District Attorney Harvey Dent and Lieutenant James Gordon, Batman races against the calendar as he tries to discover who Holiday is before he claims his next victim each month. The story also ties into the events that transform Harvey Dent into Batman's enemy, Two-Face.

These are the two Batman books that I've always wanted to read, but have yet been able to.

[/QUOTE]Out of that list I've only read Knightfall, parts of Knightsend, & Killing Joke, I have The Dark Knight Returns but have not got around to reading it yet.[/QUOTE]

Make time to check out The Dark Knight Returns. Its one of the best Batman books that I've read, not that I've read a whole lot of them.

There is also supposed to be a heavy influence of The Dark Knight Returns in Nolan's next Batman flick.

I'm reading Knightsfall/Knightsend at the moment. Some pretty good stuff if only for the weird stuff surrounding Tim Drake's father.

Are you reading the novel, or the TPBs?

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

Are you reading the novel, or the TPBs?

The TPB's. I just finished book 2 and it finishes in an intriguing place, though the final outcome is fairly obvious.

 

[justinsayne]

There is also a radio play adaptation, made by BBC, for Knightfall available on CD, I remember checking it out from the library when I was in HS, it's 3 discs, with each CD running about 80 mins. & pretty fucking good, if you can find it it's worth checking out.

BBC also made a second Batman radio play called "Batman: The Lazarus Syndrome" this one is available on iTunes for only $4.95 & is 45 mins. long, I just downloaded it & put it one my ipod.

 

[.]

I'm really interesting in Hush.Became super interested in the guy after Arkham City. Sadly I had to order it in so I'll be waiting a while for it
I'll be getting Batman RIP for a friend and I've already read the Long Halloween. Thanks for the recommendations anyways.

I'm reading Absolution thus far and I'm not a fan of it thus far.

Also looking into one called Child of Dreams. Any good?

 

[justinsayne]

There seems to be a lot of discussion on what to read for particular characters & there is always people coming in saying they want to start reading comics but don't know where to start, well over at iFanboy they do these great pieces, entitled "Where Do I Start?" where the pick a comic book character & list a bunch of tpbs that new readers should read if they don't know where to start. I've decided that I'm going to post as many of those as I can find in this thread.

First up is gonna be Batman

Batman: Where Do I Start?
by Chris Arrant

In a world of brightly colored superheroes flying and swinging around comic book stores, Batman sets a strong precedent of a different kind of super-hero. Dark, brooding, and willing to go to the extreme to get what he’s after. Unlike most other super-heroes Batman is without powers, relying more on his wits and ingenuity than paranormal powers be they magical or genetic. Although people point to Superman as the world’s most popular hero, if you look at comic sales, movie grosses or even their shared publisher’s origin of its name – “D”etective “C”omics – Batman’s the man behind the goliath.

But with 70+ plus years of history to comb through and multiple series coming out each month, where do I start? You don’t need Oracle to help you out in that regard… you’ve got iFanboy. Here’s five entry points into the world of Batman, Bruce Wayne and Gotham City that’ll cover the bases for a rewarding experience. No utility belt required.

Batman: Year One: Although Batman’s origins has been told numerous times, Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli take on the costumed crusader’s first year as Batman and turn into a seminal street-level story that has cast a long shadow on every Batman story to come. Both the Christopher Nolan Batman films as well as Scott Snyder’s current run on Detective Comics have their roots in this 1988 four-issue arc, and it touches not only on Batman but also his extended family of Catwoman, Commissioner Gordon and the Wayne family itself.

Batman: Arkham Asylum: Although he didn’t become the chief Batman writer until over twenty years after this came out, Grant Morrison’s Arkham Asylum (with artist Dave McKean) took Gotham’s super villain prison and made it a character unto itself in Batman’s carnival-like world. In this graphic novel, Joker and other inmates of Arkham take over the prison and carve out a list of demands beginning and ending with one thing: Batman. Gotham’s crusader delves into the haunted halls of Arkham to save the hostages and put a stop to the rampage of his rogue’s gallery, but not without putting his own life to the test.The Killing Joke:

Gotham Central: In The Line of Duty: To get to know the man, you must know where he lives – and the late 90s series Gotham Central does that to the hilt. This series by writers Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka explore Gotham City through the eyes of its Special Crimes Unit, as they take on Batman’s biggest villains … and on occasion, Batman himself. Both Brubaker & Rucka have gone on to extensive careers in crime fiction in and out of the world of super-heroes, and Gotham Central remains a keystone in both their – and Batman’s story.

Batman: The Killing Joke: They say every hero is defined by his adversary, and who more perfectly defines that than the Joker? This seminal story transforms the comedic cackling criminal into a stone-cold force we know today. With the pointless shooting of Commissioner Gordon’s daughter Barbara, Alan Moore and Brian Bolland’s inventive story took both the reader and the franchise to a new place and set up stories that live to this day. Bolland’s art in particular made the mold for how Joker would be depicted in the future, from Jim Lee to Jack Nicholson and on to Heath Ledger.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns: Batman would be in a far different place had Frank Miller never come along, but fortunately for us he did. In This futuristic story sets up Gotham City as hell on earth, with street gangs roaming the city and Batman missing for the past ten years. Much like the epic Clint Eastwood film Unforgiven, Bruce Wayne is pulled back in for one last mission – to save the city, despite whoever comes to stop him. The aged Batman enlists a new, female Robin and goes after cultish street gangs, criminals and even Superman himself to bring his city back from the brink.

There are sooooo many great Batman stories out there, as we've discussed in this thread before, these are just the books you wanna pick up if you are just getting into Batman & don't want to have to try a sift through the thousands of stories stories that are out there now.

Not sure whom I'm gonna do next, but I'm going to be starting with the bigger names & working my way down, if there is a particular character you want me to post on of these for then please just ask in this thread & I'll dig it up and post as soon as I get a chance.

 

[Muffin Top Merkley]

Is there a where to start for Hawkeye?

I'll also accept one for Hulk, Iron Man, Avengers.

 

[justinsayne]

Is there a where to start for Hawkeye?

Sorry, they've not done one for him yet.

I'll also accept one for Hulk, Iron Man, Avengers.

These I can do...

The Hulk: Where Do I Start?
by Chris Arrant

Although he’s one of Marvel’s key heroes, the incredible Hulk is also the least understood. Combining the 20th century fears of radiation with the man/monster dynamic of Jekyll and Hyde, he’s certainly not cut from the same cloth as the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man or even the X-Men. But regardless, the Hulk has become a memorable character and concept inside comics and out; virtually anyone in Western society would know what you’re talking about when you say the Hulk. From the 70s TV series to numerous cartoons and two recent feature films, everyone knows the Hulk. But past his origin, what else is there?

The Hulk has been hitting comic shelves on a near-monthly basis over the past 49 years, and through that he’s racked up a number of stories, adversaries and even personalities of his own. Featuring an extended cast of Banner/Hulk’s flame Betty Ross, her military father Thunderbolt Ross, sidekicks Rick Jones and Amadeus Cho, the Hulk series has gone all over the Earth, under it, and to different planets and dimensions all together. With all those stories to choose from, we’ve picked out the five quintessential collections to give you all you need to know on the Incredible Hulk.

Incredible Hulk: Planet Hulk: On Earth, the Hulk is a monster that is feared by humanity and forced to control what he is; but after the Marvel heroes decide he would be better off gone, they exile him from the planet and he ends up on the savage planet Skaar. It’s here Hulk finds a home – in a world full of monsters and monstrosities, the Hulk is able to use his (super)natural abilities to save others in a barbaric world where might makes right. This epic story-arc put the Savage Hulk in a world as savage as he is, and where the Hulk flourishes.

Incredible Hulk: The End: Characters can best be judged by the tribulations they go through, and how they act in that; in this book, we see two possible futures of what happens when the Hulk gets what he wants. This volume collects two stories: “Future Imperfect” depicting our own green-skinned Hulk coming up against a future self that’s turned into a despot mad with power, and “The End” where we show the final fate of the Hulk centuries (or more) into the future where he’s the last living thing on Earth. Written by Peter David and expertly drawn by George Perez and classic Hulk artist Dale Keown, these are memorable stories even though they haven’t happened (yet).

Hulk Visionaries: Peter David, Vol. 6: You might think Vol. 1 is the best place to start in any collection, but memorable scribe Peter David had such an epic run that there’s many riches to be had. This sixth volume collects the height of David’s run with artist Dale Keown, and tells the story of the warring personalities inside Bruce Banner’s mind and body. By positing that Banner suffers from multiple personalities, it brings up not only the green-skinned Hulk but also the gray variation as well as the super-intelligent “Professor” personality.

Hulk Visionaries: Peter David, Vol. 2: Although this volume focused on the gray-skinned Hulk rather than the classic green, it’s an important part of the Hulk mythos. Whereas the green Hulk is child-like in personality, the gray Hulk is a savage animalistic beast of a character. In this volume, Peter David pairs with Todd McFarlane to expose just what the Gray Hulk is and pits him against one of the Hulk’s fiercest opponents: Wolverine.

Hulk: Gray: Jeph Loeb & Tim Sale’s series of color-themed origin stories of Marvel’s biggest characters hits home with this volume. Via a therapy session with Doc Samson, this goes back to the early days of Hulk’s birth and also explores the human side – Bruce Banner – and his connection to Betty Ross. The final chapter, “F for Father,” adds a startling facet to Betty’s Ross relationship with Banner/Hulk that makes you see all of them in a completely different light.

Iron Man: Where Do I Start?
by Chris Arrant

Although he may have metallic skin, inside the Iron Man armor beats the heart of a human with the same problems as all of us – and then some. Since his creation in 1963, Tony Stark and his alterego Iron Man have been about how a man can struggle with personal problems but use his immense drive (and brain) to overcome them. From the ramshackle tincan armor that helped him escape from behind enemy lines to the device that helped his injured heart keep beating and on to the drive that helped him escape from alcoholism, Tony Stark’s storyarc is about how human ingenuity can overcome practically any obstacle.

For years, Iron Man has been part of an informal trinity of characters leading Marvel’s flagship team the Avengers, but it wasn’t until the early 2000s that his thrusters really began to kick in for the world at large. After Warren Ellis and Adi Granov redefined the character for the modern age with the “Extremis” storyarc, 2008’s Iron Man movie knocked armchair critics on their heels by being one of Marvel’s most successful movies – even after Spider-Man and X-Men. Around the same time, Marvel tapped Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca to take on the character in comics and to carry forward what Ellis and the movie had done. And now three years later, they’re still going – and Iron Man is well on his way to a third movie and two ongoing comic series.

But with 44 pages of new Iron Man comics coming every month and forty plus years of comics to go through, where would someone go to get their start in Iron Man? We’ve picked out six books that’ll give you a crash course on Marvel’s Armored Avenger.

Iron Man: Extremis: Although Iron Man has been published almost continuously since his debut in 1963, for awhile he was behind the times on the technological revolution. It wasn’t until the relaunched Invincible Iron Man series in 2005 by Ellis and Granov that Iron Man became a technological hero for the modern age. A bizarre new lab-grown technovirus is on the scene named Extremis, giving its users expansive new powers. After Iron Man’s initial attack on the Extremis user gets knocked back, Stark uses the Extremis technology on himself to innovate a new type of Iron Man armor. This story-arc cemented Warren Ellis’ role as the mad scientist writer at Marvel to turnaround concepts like this and Thunderbolts, and Adi Granov’s work on this comic series led director Jon Favreau to enlist him as a designer on both Iron Man feature films.

Iron Man: Demon In A Bottle TPB: Although Stan Lee broke with the comics code years before this was published, the “Demon In A Bottle” story-arc in Iron Man really poured through that opening. After being introduced as the wealthy industrialist playboy of the 1960s, this 70s storyarc shows the bitter consequences of a jet-flying, limousine-riding, kiss-stealing, Iron Man-wearing life. With the pressures of his business and superhero life coming in on all sides, Tony Stark turns to alcohol .. not so much as an escape, but as a way to make it all bearable.

Iron Man: Enter The Mandarin: Although this isn’t the original first meeting between Iron Man and Mandarin, this series by Joe Casey and Eric Canete pits their struggle of technology versus magic in a modern context. Movie-goers may give you a collective “who?” when you mention the name Mandarin, but he remains Iron Man’s chief foe and its only a matter of time before he’s brought into the big screen. Casey shows an exemplary understanding of Tony Stark as a person, and Canete brings an expressive and evocative sense of art to this story – showing how kinetic a battle between a 21st century technology hero and an ages-old asian mystic can be.

Iron Man: Iron Monger: If you liked the story in the first Iron Man movie, this is where you go to see where it all c ame from. Obadiah Stane takes on Tony Stark on all fronts – from the business side with his competing company and as a hero with the Iron Monger armor. Writer Denny O’Neil really hit a home run here by taking everything from a hero to see what he’d be like left with nothing and what a hero would do to get it back.

Iron Man: Armor Wars: Although over twenty years old, Iron Man: Armor Wars is a omnipresent piece of storytelling of an inventor combating those who try to steal his designs. Imagine if Steve Jobs caught someone stealing the designs for iPhone, but imagine the iPhone is a fully-equipped war machine and there’s your story. With the advent of the Iron Man armor, numerous competitors get into the market – and many on the evil side. After years of fighting them just as a hero versus villain, he learns that their armors were based on his technology – in fact giving him some role in them even existing. The second Iron Man movie was based in part on this story-arc, and comics have used this as a foundation for Tony Stark’s business actions. Consider it “How To Do Business The Tony Stark Way”.

Iron Man: The Five Nightmares: When the son of former rival Obadiah Stane lands on the scene, Tony Stark sees an inventive young man like he once was but with a terrible bitter streak. This story-arc shows an Iron Man who comes face-to-face with the next generation – younger, faster, smarter – and with a grudge to settle. Although later stories by Fraction and Larroca prove to be more potent this initial storyarc, The Five Nightmares serves as a foundation for their work to come and also an ideal bridge from the Iron Man movie to the comics themselves.

The Avengers: Where Do I Start?
by Chris Arrant

They’re Earth Mightiest Heroes, but with such boisterous language it might be hard to get to know the Avengers. More than just a mere super-group consisting of the top heroes in the Marvel line, the Avengers have become an institution in comics and in recent years has become the focal point — and best-selling — title in comics. With the long-awaited movie just months away, iFanboy has pulled together a definitive list of books to get if you want to get to know Marvel’s Avengers.

Avengers: Under Siege: This lesser-known classic came out in the mid-80s from writer Roger Stern and artist John Buscema, and shows how Baron Zemo and the Masters of Evil can methodically take apart the Avengers team and take over the Avengers Mansion itself. Stern shows Zemo pick apart the team one-by-one ala Benjamin Linus from Lost, giving each character a spotlight in their faltering and subsequent comeback.

The Ultimates Vol. 1: Superhuman: Produced as a 21st version of Marvel’s premiere super-team, The Ultimates shows a re-invented retelling of the core Avengers which has become the blueprint for the Marvel movies to come. From the stellar WW2-era story of Captain America that leads of this initial story-arc to the rampaging potty-mouth the Hulk, this arc is where to start for any non-comics reader wanting to get a head start on the movie.

Avengers: The Korvac Saga: Although it’s certainly not the first (or the last) interstellar time-spanning super-hero story in comics, this classic story sees the Avengers run across a man, Michael Korvac, on the run from the heroes of the 31st century after committing atrocious times. But Korvac’s villainous ways get the better of him as he starts tinkering with the modern-day world and brings the unwanted attention of the Avengers. In many ways this was the precursor to the later Secret Wars event series, but the Korvac Saga did it best.

Avengers: Kang Dynasty: This arc was the culmination of writer Kurt Busiek’s run on The Avengers, showing a futuristic dictator named Kang coming to conquer the world in what he says is an effort to save it from a darker path. Kang really tears through the Avengers and Earth itself, killing the entire population of the U.S. Capitol to make a point. This 16-part storyline was a true epic, and Busiek was ably joined by a great collection of artists including Alan Davis, Ivan Reis and Kieron Dwyer.

Civil War: Although it encompassed the entire Marvel U, at it’s core this 2006-2007 event series is about the Avengers. Featuring Iron Man and Captain America going head-to-head over the issue of secret identities and safeguards against rogue super-heroes, it draws a line in the sand and splits the Avengers and the larger hero population in half as they battle — in some cases, to the death. Writer Mark Millar and artist Steve McNiven really capture lightning in a bottle with this series, crystallizing what the current Marvel regime had been working towards for years and set the stage for what was to come in the new Avengers-centric Marvel U.

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

Just gonna' say, I see Roger Stern getting mentioned and it pleases me greatly. Also, The Five Nightmares is a very solid story that does indeed work as a good place to jump on if you've only really paid attention to the movies of Iron Man.

 

[justinsayne]

Just gonna' say, I see Roger Stern getting mentioned and it pleases me greatly. Also, The Five Nightmares is a very solid story that does indeed work as a good place to jump on if you've only really paid attention to the movies of Iron Man.

...as I imagine most new readers have.

 

[Muffin Top Merkley]

Just gonna' say, I see Roger Stern getting mentioned and it pleases me greatly. Also, The Five Nightmares is a very solid story that does indeed work as a good place to jump on if you've only really paid attention to the movies of Iron Man.

...as I imagine most new readers have.

 

[justinsayne]

My Iron Man knowledge consist mainly of the 90's cartoon, the movies & a few random issues of War Machine from about 15 yrs. ago (if not longer), so I'm sure there is plenty on that Iron Man list I'll be checking out when I get caught up on all the other shit I have stack & waiting to be read.

 

[justinsayne]

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance opens today, so it only seems appropriate to post the "Where Do I Start?" for Ol' Flame-head.

Ghost Rider: Where Do I Start?
by Chris Arrant

Spikes. Leather. Motorcycle. Flaming Skull.

Who else but Marvel's Ghost Rider could fit that bill? Since his creation in 1972 he's starred in a host of miniseries, ongoing and has even guest-starred with the biggest in comics — including a stint as a member of the Fantastic Four! With news coming out of C2E2 last week that Marvel was revving up a new series for the Spirit of Vengeance and that a second Ghost Rider flick is in production now, we turn to the extensive library housed in iFanboy HQ (3rd floor, next to hardware) to pick out six books that will help you get to know Ghost Rider better.

Ghost Rider Omnibus: This 500+ page tome colllects the complete run of writer Jason Aaron on old flame-head. With the news that Ghost Rider isn't a demon but an angel from heaven, Aaron puts Ghost Rider front and center in a battle against the forces of Heaven and a hostile take-over by one of its own. Joined with artists Tony Moore, Tan Eng Haunt and Roland Boschi, Aaron fleshes out the flesh-less Ghost Rider with a supporting class including a legion of other Ghost Riders from other times and places.

Ghost Rider: Danny Ketch Classic Vol. 1: Although Johnny Blaze was the first Ghost Rider, the 90s saw a new man take the mantle — Danny Ketch. Using a modern-ized battering ram of a bike, this new Ghost Rider blazed through comics in the late 90s in one of the pinnacles of the character's fame. This collects the first ten issues of his 90s series, and is by Marvel stalwart Howard Mackie and two of the definitive artists of the character ever: Javier Saltares and Mark Texeira. A bonus for this is the two-part crossover with the X-Men in the streets of New Orleans against the Brood!

Ghost Rider: The Road to Damnation: When Preacher writer Garth Ennis was announced as doing a Ghost Rider series, people erupted. And that's a no brainer, given his run on Preacher as well as Punisher. What we saw in this miniseries was a startling different kind of Ghost Rider, going through time and establishing it as more than just one man but a true Spirit of Vengeance. Stunning artwork by Clayton Crain only makes this a better package. If you like this, search for their sequel miniseries, Ghost Rider: Trail of Tears.

Essential Ghost Rider, Vol. 1: Every fire starts with a spark, and the spark of Ghost Rider is found in this collection of stories. It tells the startling origin of Johnny Blaze as he sells his soul to find a cure for his adoptive father. In the transaction, Blaze becomes connected to a fire-headed demonand is tasked with putting a stop to supernatural — and all-too-real — threats the character comes across.

Ghost Rider: The Hammer Lane: Without argue this is probably the most over-looked in our selection today, and it's still having trouble finding an audience. This miniseries by writer Devin Grayson and Trent Kaniuga is far different than what's come before or since for the Spirit of Vengeance, but I'm repeatedly drawn back by the unique characterisation and the mind-blowing art by Kaniuga. Truly the art is the draw for me here — it's like a mix of Chris Bachalo and Skottie Young, and definitely worth a look.

Ghost Rider, Wolverine, Punisher: Hearts of Darkness: Not only is this a team-up, but Ghost Rider gets first billing over both Wolverine and Punisher. Those were the days of the mid-90s, and in this story we have this trio going up against Mephisto's son Blackheart as he tries to usurp his father. Blackheart's plan is to turn these three heroes into his own army, but when that goes downhill he turns a small midwestern town against them. This one is a hard one to find — originally published in the mid-90s as a slimline graphic novel one-shot, it's been out of print for years but worth the search to find it — especially for the John Romita Jr. art!

I love that the Jason Aaron omnibus is the first thing they list on this one, anytime Aarons run on anything gets mentioned on any of these it brings a little smile to my face.

 

[justinsayne]

Is there a where to start for Hawkeye?

I tweeted Chris Arrant, the guy who writes these, & got this tweet back...

@SilentJ1021 Good idea, Justin. Some of the best Hawkeye stories haven't been collected, but I'll put it on my list.

as soon as I see a Hawkeye one go up, I'll be sure to post it here. Though if you really want to start reading more Hawkeye, I suggest picking up Secret Avengers, Rick Remender, who does a fantastic job on Uncanny X-force & Venom has just taken over that book with Gabriel Hardman on art. It's basically a new beginning for the team so the most recent issue is a perfect jumping on point, Hawkeye has been named the leader of these team of Avengers so you can expect a lot of him in this series.

 

[justinsayne]

Daredevil: Where Do I Start?
by Chris Arrant

While Marvel’s flagship super-hero Spider-Man swings through the skylines of New York City, Daredevil exists on another level: the street level. Created by Stan Lee and Namor creator Bill Everett (with some design help from Jack Kirby) in 1964, his was the story of a blind son of a veteran undercard boxer who grows up to avenge his father’s killer and bring justice to the streets of the Clinton Hell’s Kitchen section of New York as both a hero and a lawyer. Gifted with enhanced senses from the same accident that robbed him of his sight, Matt Murdock has evolved into a thoroughly different kind of hero than other Marvel heroes, both in attitude, story, and substance.

Through the years, a number of notable creators have made their mark on the horned hero of Hell’s Kitchen, with some readers defining the character’s long history through so-called eras: the Lee era, the Colan era, the Miller era, the O’Neil era, the Smith Era, the Bendis era, the Brubaker era, and so on. In this week’s installment of Where Do I Start, we narrow 47 year history into five seminal collections that haven proven to be the foundation for the Man Without Fear.

Daredevil: The Man Without Fear: Although Daredevil’s origin story has been told numerous times before and after this story, Frank Miller & John Romita Jr.’s portrayal here continues to be the definitive origin and also one of the character’s greatest stories. Acting in a “Year One” style story, Miller delves into the character to explore the transformation of a runt son of a boxer into a street-level vigilante with pathos.

Daredevil by Brian Michael Bendis & Alex Maleev Ultimate Collection – Book 1: It’s the book that made Bendis a star at Marvel, and now 10 years later it still stands high as the best Daredevil run since Frank Miller. Bendis & Maleev really brought Matt Murdock’s story to a new level, pulling in deep realism and delving into the psyche of why the titular character is the way he is. Although it has his name on the title, this run on Daredevil shows him as the lead character in a deep ensemble piece where the good guys aren’t white knights and the bad guys aren’t necessarily all bad.

Daredevil: Born Again: Frank Miller made his name on Daredevil both writing and drawing stories, but this later story partnering with artist David Mazzuchelli proved to be the highpoint of Miller’s run on the character by far. In this collection, Daredevil finds his secret identity secret no-more as former girlfriend Karen Page sells it for a drug fix. Daredevil struggles with trying to put that secret to bed from his arch-nemesis the Kingpin while also trying to help his one-time love.

Essential Daredevil, Vol. 1: Although Daredevil wouldn’t be definitively defined until years later in Frank Miller’s early 80s run, it’s important to go back to the very first stories to see how the character evolved. This book collects the first 25 issues, going from Stan Lee & Bill Everett to Jack Kirby & John Romita Sr. and even the first stories by Gene Colan; the star of this collection (for me at least), is Wally Wood’s brief run on the book that coalesced the character’s early concepts into a more uniform story.

Daredevil Omnibus, Vol. 1: If every comic creator has a company-owned character they were born to write, I’d say Ed Brubaker’s is Daredevil. Although he might be best known for Captain America and his creator-owned crime fiction, Brubaker seemed to not just know Daredevil but know his entire world; from the streets he works on to the friends he keeps, and most importantly, what gets to the character and how enemies exploit it. This handy volume collects Brubaker & Michael Lark’s first set of stories in the title, starting off with Daredevil in prison to dealing with his arch nemesis kingpin and trying to carve out a life for him and his wife.

Daredevil: Fall of the Kingpin: Although this story-arc is the least-known out of our list today, it’s worth tracking down. Created in the mid-80s when everyone was trying to work in the shadow that Frank Miller cast on the character, writer D.G. Chichester and artists Lee Weeks and Al Williamson went back to Miller’s own Born Again arc to find out what happens next for both Daredevil and the Kingpin.

Though it's not on this list I think anyone who has read it it would agree with me that Daredevil Vol. 1 by Mark Waid belongs on that list as well. It's easily one of the best written comics going right now.

 

[justinsayne]

Here's a question that I've been curios about for awhile & keep forgetting to post. When you're done reading individual issues what do you do with them? Bag 'em board 'em & throw in a box? donate them to some place? toss 'em away? Stock pile 'em & try and sell then a few years down the road for extra cash?

Currently mine all go in big boxes, never to see the light of day again. I'm thinking of digging out all my old issues (3-4 boxes worth) & seeing what I got in there & what my LCS would be willing to give me for them. I'm not really much into the collecting aspect of comics anymore, so much as I'm more interested in the story's and reading experience. Most of the old stories I would want to read again are available in tpbs anyway & those look much nicer sitting on a shelf.

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

Spider-Man issues are boxed up, everything else is, for the most part, in a massive drawer in my house, in a distinctly unorganised pile. One day I'll sort that out. One day...

 

[klunderbunker]

Awesome story I saw:

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/46479950/ns/today-books/#.T0V7UPVCh4E

That would be so cool to find.

 

[justinsayne]

Very good article on the stigmas of comics

Cultural stigmas limit comic book audience

By Nicholas Slayton · Daily Trojan

Posted Yesterday at 10:24 pm in Columns, Lifestyle


When people think of comics, most unfortunately hold very dated and cliché views of the medium. That’s why so many articles and superhero movie reviews have the trite words “Pow!” “Wham!” “Bam!” headlines. This has some unfortunate consequences: Parents taking their kids to very mature films like The Dark Knight or Watchmen, for example, because they’re comic books, they must be for kids — or so the thinking goes.

For the most part, the general public still has the perception that comic books are kids’ stuff. And every so often there’s a media controversy over violence and death in comics, or things like breastfeeding on the cover of Brian K. Vaughan’s new series Saga. Never mind the fact that many comics are written for and labeled as appropriate only for mature audiences.

If you’re letting a 10-year-old read PunisherMAX or Criminal, maybe you should reconsider your parenting skills.

But it’s more than just some exhausting, foolish controversy. The cultural perception of comics essentially consists of most people writing off the art form entirely because they think everything is like the 1960s Batman television show.

I still get odd looks or get dismissively called a nerd — and expletive-laden variations of the same — when I admit to reading comics; the basic idea being anyone over the age of 12 is weird for doing so.

No matter how many well-made, smart comic book movies or television shows come out, that stereotype won’t seem to go away. And that’s a stereotype from almost half a century ago, when major censorship limited comics to absurd, cheesy storylines and writing. That censorship has eased dramatically, and now comics are telling stories far removed from that “Zap!” mentality.

Sure, there are superheroes and big bust-up fights in comic books, but there are also political dramas, coming-of-age stories and horror. Comic books are a medium, not a genre. Unfortunately, in a world where ‘comic book movie’ equals ‘superhero movie,’ that idea isn’t getting across. Road to Perdition and A History of Violence are also comic book movies. Where are the dismissive comments on those films for their origins?

At the same time, the comic industry itself, whether from fans or creators, is facing the inverse of that problem. Trying to get over the kid stereotype, and still bearing grim and gritty post-Watchmen elements, those involved in comic books are constantly talking about the maturity and the absence of childlike qualities of series they read. If a series is well-written and deals with intense subjects, that’s great, but it’s this kind of knee-jerk defensive reaction that undermines the argument for a book. And those aren’t even the worst problems.

Comic book sales, even with new initiatives and the digital market, sell around 200,000 copies. The public’s exposure to comics is on the rise thanks to the prominence of comic book-based shows and the popularity of Comic-Con, but that isn’t translating into comic sales, in part because of the cultural divide mixed with the inaccessibility for younger readers. If they alienate any potential new blood, the industry will inevitably shrink and eventually die.

Sure, major and independent companies have all-ages books out there, but they’re often ignored in favor of the latest dark series where someone dies.

This isn’t to say that comics need to stop what they’re doing and suddenly focus on books to draw younger readers in. And it doesn’t mean that the general public should suddenly think the comic industry is darker than the love child of Six Feet Under and Taken. But things do need to change.

This sort of absolutist perception from all parties hurts the industry.

For the general public, they’re essentially disregarding and generalizing an entire medium. That’s like saying you don’t watch television because all shows are like American Idol. They aren’t, and you’re missing out on quality writing if you do.

So here’s an idea. Let’s stop with the clichés. Comics are not washed-up remnants dripping in corny puns. And comic book makers and fans, let’s be more inclusive. If we love the medium, we need to support it, and that means showing people the wide spectrum of comics available, not shouting from one extreme of it.

If a certain comic series seems interesting, read it. Don’t worry if people think it’s for kids. And if it is a series written for them, share it with a younger friend.

I think just about any comic fan can relate to exactly what the author of this article was saying.

 

[GI Cake]

Has anyone actually read the Darkness comics? I played both the video games and I am really interested in reading the actual comics.

 

[justinsayne]

No, I actually didn't even know there was a comic until this morning when I made a trip to my LCS & saw issue #99 sitting on the shelf with last weeks new releases.

I'm actuelly being forced to cut back on the amount of comics I buy a week, I think the only title I'm currently picking up are

*Uncanny X-Force
*Wolverine & The X-Men
*Batman
*Flash
*Justice League (though I'll likely drop that too once this arc concludes)
*American Vampire
*Incredible Hulk (another one on the verge of being dropped)

I think I'm gonna just focus more on picking up tpbs, at least for awhile anyway.

 

[justinsayne]

Spoiler

A special variant cover for AVX #1 drawn by Skottie Young. This cover will only be available through Midtown Comics.