Comic Book Notes (LJ) Jul 2003

07/05/03

I finally got around to reading issue three of Chimera. This really is an awesome limited series. The writing is good and the art work is nothing short of amazing. I am still left wondering how this ties into the rest of the CrossGen universe. The main character has a sigil, and I suppose that is the connection, but I'm wondering if the culture she comes from is related to or has come into contact with any of the other cultures any of the CrossGen universe.

07/10/03

I'm doing a little better on the comic book front. I read some more over the past couple nights.

Last Night

Negation - Chapter 8 from the second TPB. This series rocks. Period. No doubt about it. It takes a lot of will power to not read too much all at once. There are so many characters and so much going on, but it all seems to work. I love it.

Fantastic Four - Unthinkable Part 2 - It's a damn shame that this will be the last Waid and Wieringo story in FF. They do an excellent job together. Marvel really has me and a lot of other people wondering about their decision to let them go. It really does make it look like the company cares more about the movies and licensing than it does about the comics.

Batgirl: Year One # 6 - I like the artwork in this 9-part limited series, and that's what drew me in, but I find the story to be lacking. I'm already committed to buying the rest of the series to there's no point in crying about spilt milk at this point.

Tonight

Marvel Universe: The End # 5 - Another great issue in this limited series from Jim Starlin and Al Milgrom. I can't think of anything else to say other than it is a shame that there is only one more issue.

Batman # 615 - Once again I love the artwork and the story is pretty good, but if it weren't for the fact that it is Jim Lee I probably would not be buying this. Only four more issues to go in his run and as with BG:YO i am now already committed to buying the rest of the run. I don't think I would drop it even if I wasn't.

07/17/03

I got my monthly shipment from Mile High today. For the first time I received a copy of Diamond Distributor's Previews. It retails for $3.95, but Mile High sells them through the subscription service for $2. I thought it would be a big pamphlet. It isn't. It's huge. Beautiful full color advertisements for all sorts of comics, both mainstream and non.

I also received a number of comic books, including the last issue of two limited series (Chimera #4 and Marvel Universe: The End #6) and the first of two other limited series (Empire # 0 and Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman: Trinity #1). I also received a number of that are the next to last issue I have ordered in their run:

Truth: Red White and Black #6 - I saw a not so flattering review of the final issue the other day. Hopefully it won't be as big a let down as the reviewer made it seem.

Peter Parker: Spiderman # 57 - It's a shame that this is the second and last issue drawn by Sam Kieth. He's the only reason I picked up the book.

Wonder Woman #193 - Goes in the Good Riddance category

JSA #49 - Another Good Riddance comic. It's a shame too because I really like the JSA, just not the comic. I agree with the majority of the reviewers on the current story line, too busy, lack of substance, hard to follow, simple solutions to complex problems, etc.

Flash # 199 - I'm enjoying the current story, but will be cutting this off after another issue.

Micronauts #8 - Not all that bad, but I needed to drop something, so after 8 issues this will be it.

Mark of Charon #4 - One day I'll get around to reading this series.

There are a few more.

From CrossGen

Brath#5
Route 666# 13
Scion#37
Sigil#37
Solus#4

and there are other comics, but I am getting tired of just listing the comics I just received. I'd rather be reading them or writing a more substantive journal entry. G-night.

07/19/03

I stopped at Closet of Comics in College Park. I browsed for ten minutes and then got what I came in for, a couple long comic book boxes and some more backings and bags. After getting home I realized that I will need at least one and maybe two more such boxes to fit all my comics in. I also need to buy a lot more bags and backings if I am going to protect all the old comics I got from Mom and Dad's. I still haven't finished compiling the inventory of them.

I decided to volunteer to work at the Small Press Expo this year. I make it sound like I do this all the time. Seriously, I filled out an online form yesterday at the web site: http://www.spxpo.com/ and hopefully someone will call or e-mail me. I think this might be a good experience for me. Get me away from the computer for a bit and doing something interacting with people I don't know. It's just in Bethesda, so it ain't too very far to go. No hotel bill, etc to worry about.

07/20/03

I've just spent a good deal of time reading up on the updates from the San Diego comic convention. There were a few things that caught my interest:

DC is going to be hiring Waid & Weiringo (formerly of Marvel's Fantastic Four) to write and draw some stories for them. I can't wait to see what it is they do.

Sam Kieth is going to be doing a limited series, called Scratch, for DC. Another thing that I will have to buy.

JLA: Another Nail - maybe, maybe not

Shazam: The Monster Society of Evil - maybe, maybe not

Anyhow, now I won't have as much to plow through tomorrow. From the sounds of it the convention was mobbed and I'm not so sure that would be all that much fun. Also from what I hear there were probably as many non-harcore comic readers as there were hardcore comic readers. My source (Chuck Rozanksi) credits that to the convention committee. I think that the success of movies like Spiderman, Daredevil, Hulk, and League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (as well as T3) probably has something to do with it as well.

That's about it from here. I haven't read any comics, but I did manage to catalog most of those that haven't been done yet. Hopefully I can finish up next weekend. Ditto for my personal finances.