Dave Talks Comics - Episode 16

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Dave Talks Comics and Cartoons - Episode 7

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Dave Talks Comics and Cartoons - Episode 5

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Dave Talks Comics and Cartoons - Episode 2

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1. Stuff I want to read: Cloak and Dagger
2. Stuff I'm reading: Fury Max
3. Stuff I read: Detective 601-614
4. Stuff I read: Black Widow - Web of Intrigue
5. Stuff I watched: Justice League - Tabula Rasa

The Dark Knight Rises

I finally got around to watching the third movie in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy. I am not a big fan of the first two films. They are too long and complicated to satisfy my tastes. This one was no different in those respects.

I watched it over three consecutive nights. I watched 40 minutes the first night, 40 minutes the second night, and the remaining 85 minutes on the third night. I liked what I saw on the first night but after the second night I wasn't as optimistic about what my overall judgement if the would be. The third night confirmed my feelings from the second.

The best thing in the movie was Anne Hathaway. I thought she did a great job in the role of Selina Kyle, I don't remember them referring to her as Catwoman at any point in the movie. Both as adversary and then ally of Bruce Wayne and Batman she added something to every scene she was in.

The only other thing that I really liked about the movie were the little moments that occurred here and there. Some of them were nods to the comic book history of Batman, others were character moments that helped to flesh out the people and relationships that existed on the story.

My biggest problem with the movie is that it doesn't feel like a Batman or superhero story to me. What it feels like is an action/adventure story. The main character is named Batman but it feels like a story that wasn't written with the Batman in mind. It doesn't feel like an Elseworlds story where the writer takes an existing character of situation and changes them or the situation they are in somehow. Rather it feels like they slapped Batman's name on a story that wasn't written with him in mind. He doesn't remind me of the Batman that I grew up reading or the one from the cartoons or the Tim Burton films.

Quite often the action scenes felt very generic. Batman, Bane, Selina Kyle, etc. (characters I am familiar with from the comic books) were in them but it felt as if they could have been be easily swapped out for some other no-name action story archetypes with out missing a beat or changing anything.

I really wanted to enjoy this movie more than I did.

The Spirit v1: Batman/The Spirit

Crime Convention
by Jeph Loeb and Darwyn Cooke (storytellers), J. Bone (inks), and Dave Stewart (colors)

Batman and the Spirit travel to Hawaii to save Commissioners Gordon and Dolan from a gang of super villains.

The story looks great. Cooke, Bone, and Stewart do not disappoint. There are some beautiful splash pages.

It feels as if there is a little too much in this crossover special. At 40 pages it is almost double the length of a standard comic book. Every one of those pages is crowded with words, plot, and characters.

Even though it won an Eisner Award, this story doesn't compare favorably to the other stories in this collection. It is a jumbled mess. Some plot points are over explained. Not all the transitions work. On the whole the story feels very rushed.

Comic Book Resolutions 2012

With a little over two months until the end of the year it seems like an appropriate time to start thinking about comic book resolutions. The biggest resolution I made at the beginning of this year was to read more and buy less. Specifically I wanted by "to be read pile to shrink" and avoid buying things that I just ain't going to read.

Aside from that my only other resolution was to read more Batman comic books, specifically some of the classic Batman story lines. Prior to 2012 the only big Batman stories I had read were

- The Dark Knight Returns
- The Cult
- Hush
- The Long Halloween

So far this year I have read

- Year One
- The Untold Legend of Batman (3-part mini-series)
- Rules of Engagement (Batman Confidential 1-6)
- A New Dawn (Batman Confidential 26-28)

I also read books 3 and 4 of Gotham Central. Strictly speaking it is not a Batman book but it is a Batman family book.

At the moment I am reading Year Three (Batman 436-439) and also have Ghosts (Batman Confidential 40-43) sitting on my shelf waiting to be read.

There are a few other books that I want to read before the end of 2012:

Martian Manhunter: American Secrets - For almost 10 years I only had the first issue of this 3-part mini-series. A couple years ago I found the third one in a bargain bin at Baltimore Comic Con. A couple months ago I found the second one on Comic Collectors Live, for a reasonable price. Now that I have assembled the entire story it seems like an appropriate thing to push to the top of my reading pile. I hope it lives up to my expectations.

The Spectre 9-12 - by John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake - I bought the first 35 issues of this series a few years ago. I started to read it, was enjoying it but didn't get far into it before putting it down to read something else. I need to get back on that horse and start reading this series again. Based on my usual reading habits four issues seems like a reasonable number to try read over the next couple months.

The Mice Templar volume 2.2: Destiny

I will read other things aside from those I just listed above before year's end but as far as targeted reading goes I think this list will suffice for now.

I am working on a list of what I want to read in 2013. It won't be a comprehensive list of everything on my TBR shelf or of anything and everything that I would like to read. It will be a manageable goal which includes books from various types of writers, artists, and publishers.

Batman: Year One - Chapter 4

Batman 407: Friend in Need
by Frank Miller (writer) and David Mazzucchelli (artist)

Batman may be the title character but inside the pages of this story he shares the spotlight with Jim Gordon. Gordon is the heart and soul of this story. Batman is integral to the story as a whole but the fourth chapter is all Gordon.

This story leaves this reader hungry for more. Batman's story arc feels incomplete. His origins are explored and explained but his interactions with Catwoman and the mob are left dangling.

Overall this story is a tour de force and a must read for any and all fans of the bat. Mazzucchelli's visual storytelling and art are on a level that few artists have matched. Miller has spun a damn good story but without a master like Mazzucchelli handling the art chores it wouldn't be half the story it turned out to be.

Batman: Year One - Chapter 3

Batman 406: Black Dawn
by Frank Miller (writer) and David Mazzucchelli (artist)

One chapter, three characters: Batman, Jim Gordon, Selina Kyle.

This a great chapter with a good mix of plot and character developments. The variety and use of color is wonderful. The centerpiece is the struggle between Merkel's SWAT team and Batman. Very prominently in the background are the internal monologues of Wayne and Gordon as they separately come to the realization that they need one another.

Selina Kyle stands on the sidelines watching the fight between the cops and the Bat. Afterwards she puts on a cat suit, for the first time. Presumably, she was inspired by Batman who saved one of her cats. There is something heartwarming about seeing Batman save the cat.

The most unexpected and poignant part of this story is the relationship between Gordon and Essen. It is doomed and feels as though it doesn't belong. It is unclear how it will end exactly but it will in all likelihood be painful for both of them.

Batman: Year One - Chapter 2

Batman 405: War Is Declared

by Frank Miller (writer) and David Mazzucchelli (artist)

Bruce Wayne dons the suit and becomes the Batman for the first time. Jim Gordon continues his crusade to rid the police department of corruption. The visual storytelling is breathtaking. The scene where Batman and Gordon finally meet is beautifully laid out. The pacing of the story is also well handled. Frank Miller at his best.

Batman: Year One - Chapter 1

Batman 404: Who I Am; How I Came to Be
by Frank Miller (writer) and David Mazzucchelli (artist)

The story opens with the separate arrivals of Lieutenant James Gordon and millionaire Bruce Wayne in Gotham. From there the narrative jumps backs and forth between their stories as they separately confront corruption in the Gotham City Police Department; one from within and the other from without. The chapter ends with both men feeling a renewed sense of purpose despite the fact that they both have a long ways to go in order to right the wrongs they seek to address.

The storytelling so far is awesome, masterful. It is hard to say if someone who isn't familiar with Batman would be quite as impressed or moved by this chapter as one who is. Also worth noting is that so far Gordon isn't a supporting character, rather he is one of the protagonists.

Batman Adventures vs. Batman: Gotham Adventures

Batman Adventures #1 -- No Asylum

Batman: Gotham Adventures #1 -- With a Price on His Head

Based on these two issues I really prefer Adventures over Gotham Adventures. In part it comes down to the character designs. In particular I find the look of the Joker in Gotham Adventures to be jarring. He doesn't look human in that series. The Joker may be twisted but he's a twisted human being.

The addition of Robin, Batgirl, and Nightwing in Gotham Adventures doesn't add much although it certainly changes the dynamic of the series. In some ways the story feels cluttered with the addition of Batman's three protégés. There isn't enough good character interactions among them to justify including them all in this story.

Finally, I'm not crazy about the story in the first issue of Gotham Adventures, whereas I was riveted by the one in Adventures. The one in Gotham Adventures seemed a little too straightforward and formulaic. The one in Adventures begins with a mystery (Penguin is mayor and Batman is a fugitive) and then heaps more mysteries on top of that one. I also liked the character interactions in Adventures better, especially among the inmates of Arkham Asylum.

Despite having fewer pages Adventures also includes a backup story that recaps Batman's origin quite succinctly.

Both of these comics were available for free on Comixology. Both issues were written, penciled, inked and colored by the same team. I'm considering buying more of Batman Adventures. They cost $0.99 each.

What I Bought - Apr 15, 2012

I went to the Capicon Show at the Dunn Loring Volunteer Fire Department today. I didn't find any of the things at the top of my list but I did buy a number of other things.

- Hercules, Prince of Power #1 - 4 (1982 mini-series)

- Machine Man #1 - 4 (1984 mini-series)

- New Teen Titans (1980) #21 - 25 :: first appearance of Brother Blood (21-22) followed by the first 3 parts (of 4) of the Titans encounter with Starfire's sister, Blackfire; this story concludes in Annual #1, which I already have

- Captain America #262 :: to replace the coverless copy that I have had for years; I still need to buy #261 and #264 to complete my run of the early DeMatteis/Zeck run on Cap

- The Untold Legend of the Batman #1 - 2 :: I was unable to find #3 at a "reasonable" price

- DC Comics Presents Annual #2

- Comic Book Comics #4

Total cost: $11.50 which includes the $2 admission fee

I grabbed a bite to eat and then went to Barbarian Comics in Wheaton, MD where I bought some new, much more expensive books.

- 20th Century Boys v19
- Scalped v3: Dead Mothers
- Punisher Max v1: Kingpin

Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia

by Greg Rucka (writer), J.G. Jones (pencils), Wade von Grawbadger (inker), Dave Stewart (colorist)

Wonder Woman takes a sacred oath to defend a young woman, Danielle, unaware that she is pursued by Batman.

The use of ancient mythology adds value to the story and is quite appropriate given Wonder Woman's background.

The visual storytelling is quite excellent. It is nice to see that some writers know when to let the artist take over the storytelling duties. Some of the panels don't feel as dynamic or energetic looking as they aspire to be but overall this is a great read.

Overall: Great read. Highly recommended for anyone who is a fan of Greg Rucka or Wonder Woman.

What I Wanna Read ii

More stuff that I wanna read...

Limited Series

I've read parts of both these stories. Neither of these are ongoing although one of them does star one of the most popular comic book characters ever.

Batman: Death and the Maidens - link - I bought the first issue of this nine-issue mini-series, when it first came out. At the time I was looking to cut back on my comic book buying and didn't buy any more issues for that reason. Since then I have heard a lot of good things about it. Most recently it was brought to my attention during the recent Wordballoon interview with writer Greg Rucka. I don't read a whole lotta Batman comics but this one sounds like it would be worth my time, primarily because of who wrote it and my past experience (Queen & Country; Batman/Huntress: Cry For Blood) with his comic books.

Rocketo - link - I've got the first few issues of this series. I love the style employed by the artist. Some of his creations leave me stunned by their beauty and the amount of creativity they show. Its kind of how I feel when I read China Mieville's novels. That's not to say that the two are comparable just that they are both very creative. So far there are only two collections but hopefully one day there will be more.

Kare Kano, Blue Mondays, Batman

Has it really been six weeks? Since I last posted? Geeze.

Kare Kano v13 - I dropped this series after the whole Tsubasa/boy band arc. It was just a little too much of the wrong thing for me. I wasn't sure if/when I would ever read it again but last weekend at the comic shop I heard it calling my name so I bought it. I'm I've read the first two (of five acts) and so far I'm enjoying it again.

I've gotten this deep into the series because I really enjoy/love the main story: Yukino and Arima's relationship. I really like both characters. I'm glad to see that they are back in the spotlight, where they belong. I also enjoy reading about Tsubaki and Tonami.

While at Barbarian I also bought Fruits Basket v3, Bleach v19, and Monster v17 but I have yet to start reading any of them.

All-Star Batman and Robin v1 - I'm a little more than half-way through this collection: I've read 5 of 9 chapters. So far I like. Its not for everyone and not my favorite book of the year but its different and I like it for that. It is also slowly developing. At this point I'm not sure if/when I'll buy v2 but then again I have no clue when said volume will be released given the erratic release schedule of the individual issues.

So far the story seems to be be about the development of young Dick Grayson into robin; five chapters in and he has yet to put on the uniform or accompany Batman on a mission.

It probably isn't for everyone but so far this series is entertaining me enough to keep reading and not believe everthing I read about how Frank Miller has lost it.

Blue Mondays v1: The Kids Are Alright - One of the first trades I got through paperbackswap. Its very shoujo and also very manga even though it really isn't either since it isn't Japanese but American. Still I like how Chynna Clugston-Majors, the writer/artist/creator, varies the art style to reflect the mood of the different panels. Sometimes the faces are very detailed and other times they are drawn in a very rudimentary fashion. I like the mix of styles. It definelty works in this book. I also like some of the cute little drawings that occasionally adorn the the edges of the pages.

Comic Book Notes (LJ) Mar 2005

03/02/05

I got home last night to find that the offer letter had not arrived yet and neither had my comic books. UPS tried to deliver the comic books, but I wasn't there and apparently there wasn't anyone else around to sign for them. Usually they just leave 'em at my door. If no one is there to sign for 'em today or tomorrow I will have to drive to Laurel on Friday evening to pick them up. *sigh*

I checked on line this morning. Mail Order Comics updated my account to indicate which comics they sent me. It looks like they only sent comic books, no trades. I wonder why? I was expecting to get two or three trades in this month's shipment.

...

Kare Kano Book 4 - I finally started reading it. I think I bought it back in December. They've introduced a bratty new character, Tsubasa, from Arima's past. So I guess in a way she isn't new, but it is her first appearance in the series. She is very cute, used to getting her way, and in the past was good friends with Arima. He thought of her as a younger sister. When Arima introduces Yukino as his girlfriend Tsubasa goes kind of nutty. So far so good. At the same time Maho is still trying to freeze Yukino out by convincing all the other girls in their class to not talk to her.

I think Tsubasa is the first serious challenge (from another girl) to Yukino's relationship with Arima. Can't wait to see how this plays out.

03/10/05

Batman: The Long Halloween - A killer starts bumping off members of Gotham's organized crime families. Batman (with help from Comissioner Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent) investigates. Joker, Catwoman, Solomon Grundy, Poison Ivy, Riddler, Scarecrow, and the Mad Hatter put in appearances. Nearly everyone is a suspect, including Harvey Dent.

The art, by Tim Sale, is gorgeous. I wish I knew more about the technical aspects of art so I could describe it properly.

The story is okay, it has its moments. The ending leaves me mystified and chilled. I think the writer, Jeph Loeb, put too many elements into the story. Its not a bad effort, but I think it would have worked much better if the story had been more focused. I can see how it might satisfy people if they read it one chapter at a time. It reminds me of one of those Hollywood blockbusters that has a ton of stars in it but still manages to come up short. Its fun to read but leaves me feeling less that satisfied on some levels.

03/15/05

I've been looking at the DC Comics solicitations for June. Not much jumps out at me. I figure I will buy Justice League Elite # 12, the last in this limited series. I also plan to order Breach # 6, latest issue in this ongoing series. I like what I've read so far, just the first issue. I've got # 2, I just haven't gotten around to reading it yet.

Kissing John Byrne

What is up with JB? Two (Doom Patrol and Blood of the Demon) of the three titles he draws for DC have characters kissing on the cover. In both cases one of the characters looks passionate and the other suprised. Well, maybe not in the case of Doom Patrol # 13. After all, how can a robot look suprised? Still I may just buy the issue based on the cover. It will probably be awful, but that passionate kiss on the cover does things for me. :P

Just for reference sake here is the other kissing cover, Blood of the Demon # 4.

What else?

Well, Solo # 5 is done by Darwyn Cooke. The only other issue in this series that I bought was the Tim Sale ish. Well worth it and I expect this one will be too. It features stories starring two non-powered types from the DCU, Slam Bradley and King Faraday, both of whom played a role in what I think was the best miniseries of 2004, DC: The New Frontier, which of course was also written and drawn by Darwyn Cooke.

That's about it, from DC. Nothing else really catches my eye. Although the new JSA/Hawkman trade that collects the Black Reign story line is tempting, but I probably won't preorder it.

Aside from DC there is a neat article over at Newarama about Phil Hester's new mini-series published by Devil's Due, The Stronghold. It won't be out until August, but it looks really cool to me.

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.

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.