Showing posts with label y: the last man. Show all posts
Showing posts with label y: the last man. Show all posts

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Y: The Last Man

Y: The Last Man v10 - I usually take a little longer reading trades but I was too eager (this time) to wait. I finished off Y yesterday. The last few chapters (# 58 and 60 in particular) were hard for me to read. Such a downer. If Yorick was on a quest then I'm not sure what he was questing for cause he sure didn't get it. Everything seemed to fall apart for him at the end. In a sense he got his come uppance. What I mean by that is that he felt guilty about being the only man to survive and finally he paid for it, big time. That still doesn't answer my question about what he was questing for. At least I know how it ends now.

I'll probably reread this in a few years. I wonder how it will read, knowing how things turn out in the end. I may not remember all the details but I'm sure that I'll remember certain key facts.

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I also went comic book shopping today. I went to Barbarian and picked up four books: two manga (Monster v16, Bleach v18), one DC (Camelot 3000), and one Marvel (Punisher: Circle of Blood). I asked them to order Powers v8 and She-Hulk v4 for me. I almost picked up Sleeper v1, but opted for Camelot 3000 instead.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Y: The Last Man

Y: The Last Man v10

* SPOILERS *

I read # 58 last night. Wow, that hurt. It felt like they ripped out my heart. At first I was numb and didn't know how to react. I think I might have half been expecting it to turn into one of those dream sequences. When it finally sank in I started crying. That went on for about 10 minutes. It really hurt.

It just feels wrong. She can't die. Not like that. I figured she wasn't going to make it out of the story alive but I didn't see it happening the way it did. I figured that her end would be more heroic.

The end to # 57 was bad enough but that was like a mosquito bite compared to what I am feeling now. The lack of words on the those last few pages made it that much more poignant. I'm half afraid to read any more. They just killed Superman.

Of course it wasn't just what happened or how it happened but also when it happened: just after the two of them admit to how they feel about one another. Who's to say how things would have worked out if she hadn't been killed, especially given the world they live in. Still, the fact that they finally laid their cards on the table was great even though it happened just before she got whacked. *sigh*

They probably won't reveal her real name (which she whisperd to him just before she was killed) but I'm okay with that. Some mysteries are better when they remain mysteries.

I've still got two chapters to go. I am afraid, very afraid, for how this will all end, especially given the cover to the last issue.

Friday, May 23, 2008

Why Fantastic Monsters?

Y: The Last Man v9 - by Brian K. Vaughn and Pia Guerra; collects # 49 - 54. Another great read. Loved some of the reveals. The last couple chapters didn't really have anything to do with Yorick, 355, or Dr. Mann. They were good chapters but it was a little frustrating not getting more about the main characters, especially when the series is almost over and done with.

Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four v6 - by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby; collects # 51 - 60. The last four chapters (# 57 - 60 where Dr. Doom steals the powers of the Silver Surfer) were awesome. The rest was also pretty good. The introduction of the Black Panther and Klaw wasn't quite as awesome as I hoped it would be. I did get a little tired of the way the saga of the Inhumans kept dragging on, and still wasn't complete at the end of this collection. Presumably they will come back into contact with the FF at some point.

Monster v12 - by Naoki Urasawa; collects chapters # 96 - 104. The best reveal was saved for the last chapter. More is learned about the twins past and their mother. Inspector Lunge goes to the Czech Republic on vacation but ends up working instead of relaxing as he traces down more information on the origins of the twins (Johan and Anna). Good read but of course this is one big story. There are some arcs within but it is hard to judge this series one book at a time.

Monday, October 31, 2005

Comic Book Notes (LJ) Oct 2005

10/02/05

I'm really enjoying Madrox: Multiple Choice. I think it would make for a pretty cool movie. I think it would take a talented actor and a good director to pull it off, but I think it could be done. It doesn't hurt that the story is written by Peter A. David. That's what drew me to this mini-series, initially. I've also heard lots of good things about it. PAD has a good handle on the material, keeping it both suspenseful and humorous. I just love the premise. He's taken a guy who can multiply himself (which seems like a pretty simple idea) and added wrinkles to it that most comic book writers would never come up with. I love it how some of the duplicates actually turn on him. It all very noir, and somewhat existential.

10/04/05

Y: The Last Man - One Small Step (Vol. 3) - Just one more chapter to go. I really dig this series. This could be a one note comic book but the creators are doing an excellent job IMO of exploring the different angles of what would happen if something (a plague?) wiped out all the men on earth, except one. The whole breakdown in mass communications and transportation systems alone provides plenty of fodder for stories. Its good to see the creators taking advantage of that.

In the last couple chapters in this volume the story turns away from Yorick (the last man) and focuses on a troupe of actors who are traveling the country (US of course). I found the comparisons made to what the theater was like before women were allowed to participate interesting (given of course that there are no men to participate). It was also interesting because for the most part the comic book so far has been about the struggle to survive and for Agent 355 and Dr. Mann to get Yorick to a lab in California. Despite the breakdown in society here are some women actually interested in producing art.

10/10/05

I picked up my comics today. Just three comic books (Rocketo # 2, Breach # 9, and Action Philosophers! Self-Help for stupid ugly losers # 1), two trades (Losers Vol. 3 and Walking Dead Vol. 1), and a magazine (Proculture Addicts # 85) and the latest Previews catalog (of course). I've started reading Exiles Vol. 9. There are definitely some similarities between this book and Negation (which I will NEVER stop talking about) and while I miss how deadly serious (in a life or death sort of way) Negation could be, one thing it did not have that Exiles does is humor. I love how Tony Bedard twists and plays with the Marvel Universe. It must be a fun book to write.

10/24/05

I'm tempted to start reading black and white graphic novels on the bus and metro. I've been reading Understanding Comics on the commute to and from work. I haven't really paid too much attention to what people think of it. I don't think I'm ready to read anything too recognizable on the metro, so color is out for now, at least on the public transportation.

Monday, February 28, 2005

Comic Book Notes (LJ) Feb 2005

02/03/05

Previews Catalog Part 1

Marvel - not much here, just GLA # 1, and Strange # 5. Not wild about this miniseries, but I wanna see how it winds up. I can't see myself ordering anything else from Marvel this month. I wanted to order Exiles Book 8, but I need to take a break from ordering trade paperbacks. They are starting to pile up again. Wolverine: Enemy of the State HC has me intrigued. I know it got hyped, so it probably isn't as good as it looks, but I do like John Romita Jr.'s artwork. Other collections? How about Black Widow: Homecoming or She-Hulk: Superhuman Law? They both look like fun reads.

Dark Horse - Steve Rude's The Moth is finally out in trade paperback form. I perused the comics at the comic shop. It has a retro look to it that I like and the story looked kind of zany. Not this month, but it goes on my list.

DC - Batman: Faces TP written and drawn by Matt Wagner. I'm willing to give it a try, but not this month. No trade paperbacks, thank you! I will get Breach # 4. This series looks cool. I just got issue # 1, and haven't read it yet, but it just has one of those looks to that make me wanna get it. I hope it lives up to expectations; mine at least. Justice League Elite # 10? But of course. If I was going to get a trade paperback and I wanted it to be something different then I might get Strontium Dog: The Early Cases. Looks cool. Bounty hunters are cool.

Image - Invincible # 0 looks like a cost effective purchase at 50 cents. It is yet another series that I have heard good things about and want to try. The Iron Ghost # 1 looks very cool. Definitely looks reminiscent of The Shadow.

So far I am ordering:

- GLA # 1
- Strange # 5
- Breach # 4
- Justice League Elite # 10
- Invincible # 0
- Iron Ghost # 1

There still all the smaller publishers to go through, but not tonight. Hopefully tomorrow or over the weekend.

02/04/05

Here's the list of trade paperbacks that I want to buy. Overtime I will buy some of them. I doubt that I will ever get them all. Some I may lost interest in before I get them or may just get dropped off the list without being purchased.

02/05/05

Previews Catalog Part 2

ADV Films - Not just films, manga too. Only thing to mention here is Ray. Story about a girl who is raised to be harvested for her body parts, but who escapes and attempts to live a normal life. Sounds good to me, but not this month.

Alias Enterprises LLC - Deal with the Devil looks too good to pass up. I don't know the writer or artist, but its the first ish of a four issue mini and looks too good to pass up. And it is only 75 cents. Other than that Alias seems to have quite a few T&A looking titles, like 10th Muse and Judo Girl, that catch my eye but that I think I will pass on. OK maybe not all of them feature scantily female characters, but I still think I will still pass on the rest.

Devil's Due Publishing - Breakdown continues to be a fun ride, so I will continue to buy. Plot? Good guy turns into a vigilante after his family gets wiped out by the baddies.

Evil Twin Comics - Action Philosophers # 1? Yes. Why? Looks too silly for me to pass up. I need to at least give it a try.

ibooks - Blacksad # 2 looks good, but at $12.95 its a little more than I feel like spending this month, even though at 56 pages it isn't very long. The first book was just plain gorgeous. Blacksad # 3? Nah, I don't buy sketchbooks.

IDW - Easy Way #1 looks interesting, but I'm not wild about the $3.99 cover price. Maybe someday they'll collect it in a trade paperback.

Second to Some Studios - I can't remember how long it has been since the last issue came out, but Fade From Blue # 10 is finally being solicited. Final chapter.

Viz LLC - Midori's Days Book 1, also known as Midori no Hibi. I was reading it on a snoopycool.com, but its no longer available there. I might just buy it, but not this month.

That's about it so let's see. From the second half of the catalog I am ordering:

- Deal With the Devil # 1
- Breakdown # 6
- Action Philosophers # 1
- Fade From Blue # 10

No trades this month.

02/06/05

Batman: The Long Halloween - I've read the first six (of thirteen) chapters. I love the artwork and the story isn't bad, but haven't I read this story before? Maybe it wouldn't seem as dated as if I had read it when it first came out. What I mean is that it reminds me a lot of Batman: Hush, in that it is a pageant. Batman is trying to solve a mystery and as he works he crosses paths with a number of prominent characters (Joker, Harvey Dent, Solomon Grundy, Catwoman, Riddler) from his past/present. Instead of focusing on his relationship with any one or two of these characters the point of the story seems to be to showcase, Tim Sale's art if nothing else. I like the characterizations and as I said before I love the art. I just wish there was more to the story.

02/15/05

Haven't written much about what I've been reading lately. Not much change to the list of trade paperbacks I am reading other than the fact that I started reading Queen & Country Book 1, but here it is anyway:

Recently Finished Reading
- Human Target Book 2
- Marmalade Boy Book 4

Currently Reading
- Batman: The Long Halloween
- Phoenix Book 2: A Tale of the Future
- Queen & Country Book 1

Have Not Started Reading Yet
- Scion Book 4
- Kare Kano Book 4
- Marmalade Boy Book 5
- Marmalade Boy Book 6
- Maxx Book 3
- Y: The Last Man Book 2
- Love Fights Book 2

Ordered But Have Not Received Yet
- Ministry of Space
- Stray Bullets Book 1
- Enemy Ace (DC Archive Edition)
- Losers Book 2
- Hysteria Book 2


The online solicitations for DC Comics (to be realeased in May) are out. There are only a few things that jump out and make me want to buy them.

The Golden Age TPB - DC is finally releasing a new printing of this miniseries, that I have heard so much about. Gotta have it, but I might wait until it comes out and not preorder.

Hawkman Book 3 - Just a year after the last TPB collection came out here it is.

Losers Book 3 - I have yet to read book 2, but I will probably be buying this one somewhere down the line.

02/22/05

Later that afternoon we checked out two of the bigger comic book stores in NYC. The first, Midtown Comics, had a huge selection, but for the most part it was mainstream (DC, Marvel, Image, etc.) and not much in the way of back issues on the racks. The second comic book store, Jim Hanley's Universe, was much more to my liking. It had a bigger selection of independents than it did of mainstream. I found the two back issues of Heroes Anonymous that I was missing.

02/23/05

Y: The Last Man Book 2 - I'm only one chapter in, but so far so good. Who woulda thunk that this series could be this good. It is entertaining on more than one level, too. It is exciting and amusing. It makes me think about trying Ex Machina, another series written by Brian K. Vaughn.

Flipping back and forth between unflopped manga and American comic books sometimes gets me confused and I start reading from the wrong side of the page. Lately I've started reading Naruto and Gantz @ degreeanime.com. While I wait for the pages to load I sometimes read from comic books.

Batman: The Long Halloween - Still reading it. Love the artwork. It is very dark and expressive. I'm not gaga about the coloring job, but I think it goes well with the sort of story that is being told and the work done by the penciler/inker, Tim Sale. I also like the detail in the artwork. It isn't always realistic. For instance the Joker's toothy smile looks positively and unrealistically horrific. And just because the work is detailed doesn't mean that you can see all the fine lines on every characters face. Anyhoo, I've got about 3 more chapters to go in this monster epic.

Phoenix Book 2 - Still reading it too. I guess I am close to the halfway point. This is a very different story from the first book. I can't wait to see how things work out in the end. Osamu Tezuka's artwork is sheer genius. Visually he tells a story as well as any artist I can think of. The flow from one panel to the next is smooth and logical.

That's it for now. I still have quite a few comics and trade paparebacks waiting in the wings to be read.

02/25/05

Breach # 1 - I like it. It reads more like something that Marvel would publish, but I like it. What's it about? An experiment 20 years ago gone wrong. Man horribly transformed. Story begins in December 2005. That is not a typo. Then the story flashes back to show how (in 1985) he was transformed. Of course he left a wife and kid behind. Angst. The first issue more or less just tells his origin. What comes next? I can't wait to read the next issue and find out why he, his wife, best friend and a couple others were in a helicopter than crashed in Siberia.