The Shelf Of Comics (9-13-09)

The moment you said that you hated Grant Morrison, I wanted to cry tears of happiness. I just got through writing a tangent about him over on the TGWTG forums about the latest Batman and Robin. I seriously don't get what he's doing. But, like a glutton for punishment, I continue reading the book so I can see just what it's trying to accomplish.

You should definitely do a new comic video Spoony.

Also, I read Orbiter (a Warren Ellis story) and it was pretty good. I'm doing Transmetropolitan now, and I got the style already but it may take a little getting used to all the anger.

Also I'm trying to get into X-Men it's harder then you'd think. I just got into Batman graphic novels (I noticed you had The Dark Knight Returns, good story).

Anyways, I hope to see a new one soon

Alright, lots of stuff to say here, since I think comics are going to be my main area of specialty, and I actually want to make a comic sometime.

I'm more of a DC guy than I am a Marvel guy. So far I've gotten 52, which in my opinion is as good as Linkara says it is, flows pretty well, and didn't require a neophyte like me to learn too much about it. It did have its flaws, but I don't feel like getting into those. Let's just say it blows Countdown out of the water.

Anyway, the next DC story I got was Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth. I know, I know, that's a Grant Morrison work, but I liked Arkham Asylum so much I picked it up, and it isn't that bad. Dave McKean's art helped seal the deal for me, though the choice to use such a stylized, artistic style is also a point of contention. The only other things I've read of Grant Morrison's are 52 (though he shared that project with three other writers, so it's not as weird) and The Filth, which... I guess it's alright for the mindfuck factor. I guess that's the main reason why I don't hate him as much as you do. I like good mindfucks. Oh yeah, and I did read Batman: R.I.P. and Final Crisis. The first one is extremely ballsy for one particular plot point regarding Batman. I won't spoil it for you. The second... was a huge fucking letdown. The only good part was Darkseid's monologue in issue five or six, I forget where, exactly.

Anyway, the third and current DC thing I'm getting into is Blackest Night. I'm actually kind of considering collecting all the tie-ins, though I probably won't jump onto most of these series. I think Booster Gold is my most likely choice, as something about that guy just really appeals to me. Anyway, this is really my first crossover, as I'm relatively new to the world of comics, and even after I joined up, I was only interested in Vertigo titles for a while, but can you blame me?

Anyway, if I had to pick one author I really like, it would be... Brian K. Vaughan. He did excellent work on Y: The Last Man (very awkward title to say out loud, by the way), and Ex Machina. Something that amazes me about his work is how even-handed it is, politically speaking. He isn't horribly biased or interested in just taking cheap shots at figures he doesn't like, but he gives different characters very different beliefs that are given more or less equal weight. You want me to recommend a comic without superheroes? Y: The Last Man is IT. And pick up Ex Machina, while you're at it. It is about superheroes, or rather _a_ superhero, but it's closer to Watchmen than DC or Marvel in tone. Hell, you know how good this guy is, you've read Runaways, which he created! Oh, and he wrote for Lost, which is a show I like despite knowing its faults full well.

Anyway, one last thing, it's pretty interesting how different your tastes are from Linkara's. I'm sure you noticed this already, or he's already told you, but he's a really idealistic sort of reader who HATES Garth Ennis as much as you hate Grant Morrison. And he's probably none too fond of Ellis, either. As for me, well, Transmetropolitan is one of the Vertigo series I'm currently collecting (besides Sandman and Ex Machina), and Preacher was probably the first Vertigo series I ever read (out of order, since I saw it in the public library). Hell, even my dad, who isn't really that into comics and nerdy stuff like that, and just lets me show him that stuff as a form of bonding, admits that it's one of his favorites. I'm not sure if it's still his favorite right now or if it's been replaced by Death Note (I know, I know, not the right kind of comics, but it's not _terrible_).

Geez, I've probably typed enough shit here to rival one of Spoony's videos. And for what? Oh well. Here goes, hope you enjoy reading it.

Fortunately, anime/manga appears to be dying down in the United States. Most of the “fans” don’t purchase any of it. That’s why they block the aisles at your local Borders and Barnes & Noble all day, reading the books for free. They’ll go online and just watch free fansubs instead of buying DVD’s.

Tack on the fact that the publishing companies have just been dumping mounds and mounds of series, only which a small percentage is worth reading or watching, and then have the gall to charge you 30 bucks or more for only a handful of episodes of a cheap cartoon or 15 dollars for a black-and-white book no bigger than your hand. They got greedy! The two series that sell well at all in the US are Naruto and Bleach, and both of those suck anyway (it’s just Dragonball Z again but with Children or Swords)."


You DO realize that manga is outselling American comics like ten to one right? Spidey is lucky if he gets 70,000 sales a month, Naturo easily outstrips that...and anyother American Comic by an insane margin....at best. There is a reason Manga is at every cafe, Barnes and Noble, book store, while Comics AREN'T.

While I agree with most manga sucks...most of everything sucks. That and your choices for good manga blows.

"Monster, Berserk, Neon Genesis (yes I said, grow up. I'm sorry Anno makes fun of your ass in his anime and it hurts your nerd feelings, but its a great anime. Because of the whinny loser wetsuit boy too), 21st Century Boys, Fist of the North Star, Ghost in the Shell, Gurren Lagaan, Zeta Gundam, some parts of Jo Jo's Bizarre Adventure and Black Lagoon and One Piece...because unlike you I realize that grim dark does not equate good.

If I hear one more person tell me Death Note rocks, I'll track them down and kick them square in the balls...or well let's tone down to crouch just in-case its a girl. Its high-school level philosophical rantings and morals mixed with 4 grade cat and mouse games, do not equate a good series.

I'm not even an anime fan though, and I'm getting sick oft he E-Hate for anime. Get over it, Spoony...there are just as many jackasses who dress like Spock that dress like Cat Girls; and TWICE as many racist 13 year olds on X-Box live as their as there is yaio on Deviant Art.

For historical-based comics, definitely check out the old DC war comics, like Sgt. Rock, The Haunted Tank, The Unknown Soldier, etc. I would also suggest getting the collections of War comics done by EC in the fifties, like Two-Fisted Tales and Frontline Combat. They are considered some of the best comics in history. In that same vein, Fantagraphics has released the complete collection of stories from Warren Publishing's Frontline Combat.

For horror comics, go with EC Comics, like Tales From the Crypt, etc. A lot of great stories. Same for science fiction comics. Dark House is releasing the complete Creepy and Eerie Magazine out in hardback. Great work. Good stories and phenomenal artwork. Along the horror line, I've heard Marvel's Tomb of Dracula is phenomenal.

Either than that, try going with Howard the Duck by Marvel, the seventies version written by Steve Gerber. It is one of the most unique comics ever written, and beautifully drawn by Gene Colan. Funny, heartfelt, and, in my opinion, one of the best comic book series of all.

I'v been reading Alien Omnibus and it's good but they keep changing artists. In the first part of volume 2 the art looks like it's from the 1970's!

I would recommend Vietnam Journal if you are looking for a somewhat historical war comic. I believe that its publisher, Apple Comics, had several war stories series like Blazing Combat and even a Desert Storm Journal that came out in the '90s.

Also, Chester Brown's work is really quite interesting if you are looking for historical comics; his Louis Riel biography was epic.

Love the site, keep up the good work.

I love Transmetropolitan. I think everyone has a little bit of Spider Jerusalem in them.

In some ways you are pretty lucky in the U.S of A. Here in Sweden, we basicly got Donald Duck, Dillbert, Monty and Nemi.... >:|

I read Transmetropolitan and really loved that "Fuck you all, I'm a journalist"-attitude of Spider Jerusalem. Nextwave was just as awesome, having a much thinner story, but way more fighting scenes with robots and gorillas and dinosaurs.
I liked the Watchmen-Comics, too and I heard the pirate story will be in the ultra-version of the DVD (which will be some hours longer). I'm really looking forward to that.

...when i was reading Transmetropolitan I couldnt help but think
that Warren Ellis was trying to give us a comic
series about Hunter S. Thompson except his name just happened to be
Spider Jerusalem instead of H.S.T.


go ahead read any...any Thompson book and tell me I'm wrong

what's up with the turkish movie poster in the background? =P

Amen to the Spider-Man related remarks.....although I would have to disagree about Stracynzci ( or however you spell it) I though the OTHER storyline sucked, and i think he was ruining Spidey too... as was Quesada....GOD I hate that guy. although, i did like him having organic webbing. im a huge spidey fan (have been since one year old, am now 16 and its not likely to change) but if there was one thing the spider-man series always had that i thought was weird/annoying, it was a lack of organic webbing. I guess it was because when Stan Lee and Steve Ditko first created the character, the idea of someone who could do that was to weird. I'm pretty sure that if the character was invented now, he would have it. Why go to the trouble of making a guy get all the powers of a spider, when the one thing he doesnt inherit is a spiders signature, its webbing. always thought that was odd. Im afraid i cant relate to most of what youre saying, not because i disagree, but because I have always been more a fan of superhero type comics, and tend to stay away from shorter lived graphic novels and things. that being said, I am quite interested in the watchmen so.....yey watchmen :)

great....review? of your comics haha.....VIDEO, thats the word i was looking for....yea great video



yea....no one gets spidey right these days.....Marvel has screwed them all up. They need:
1)to kill any character that was around before the 80s and LEAVE THEM DEAD
2)a massive reboot
3)superhero retirement
or
4)combining some of (1) and (3) ....(but i think (2) would be best)


crap...now im ranting on your vid...sorry...keep doing what you do

--Spider

Right then. Grant Morrison wrote The Invisibles--the character Spider Jerusalem is sort of a homage to The Invisibles' character King Mob.

I do like Warren Ellis more, however. The constant use of metafiction for the sake of metafiction pisses me off.

so, what did you think of empowered?

Also, check out scott pilgrim, it's loser canadian indie-rocker love story, with a lot of "magic realism" (I don't like the term for that genre, but it's the only thing that seems to fit) and video game logic to the setting.

I would love to hear you ramble more about other comics, maybe with linkara, because he's a pretty cool guy too.

Noah, or anyone else on here, maybe you can help me you are better versed in the comic world than i, i have and LOVE a small few page "preview" insert of a black and white comic called "December" i cant find it now to give you the writer but its about an undead man that is powered by a car battery? id like to know if it ever was published as a series OR if the writer did anythign else ive tryed Wiki to no aveal pelase if anyone knows anything email me at Natethanastyninja@hotmail.com
thank you in advance,
Nathan
P.S. Build the other shelf ALREADY haha
PPS sorry for the spellign and grammer, blame the beer , lol

I recently was on a very small comic/cartoon/art convention becuase a friend of mine was doing art comissions there and a smaller stand selling one comic book catched my eyes. The comic was called "Dreamkeepers" and I decided to pick up the first issue since it looked really quite fascinating. And indeed, it was. The next day, I came back and bought the second issue. It's pretty much done by only two people and one comic takes ages to come out but... Wow! The story is absolutely fantastic, fascinating and thrilling. It's not a superhero stroy but reather an adventure, a bit like a cartoon movie, but a lot darker at times. Ontop of that, the artwork is vibrant and sometimes even really out-world-ish. At least I felt that way. If you want, I can donate the two issues so you can check it out.

I see empowered there, Do yo like Adam Warren style?
nice collection, you put mine totally in shame.
Also, Do you have read Geoff Johns last run whit green lantern? I'm assuming it because of the blackest night thing whit linkara

It'd be cool that is

You seem to have a strong opinions on Spiderman. I've always been a causal Spiderman fan in the past but you've sparked my interest. Sounds like the J. Michael Straczynski run was pretty good. I'm going to check it out.

Seems like a Spiderman video would be a natural for you. Any plans? Talk about why you like spiderman. What makes him special from other superheroes? Who were the best writers and artists? Which are your favorites? Best stories? What has been most disappointing? Maybe a multi-parter?

I'd be cool to hear your thoughts.

Hey this is my first time commenting but ive been a fan for quite some time. You said you wanted to hear about comics that aren't about superheros? Well i just got done reading Maus. Its a true story about the holocaust in world war two, through the eyes of the narrators father. This comic is done much differently than most in that there aren't humans drawn, but animals. The Jews are mice and the Nazis are cats, along with other various nationalities with different animals. This is one of the best stories i have ever read and it is one of the most compelling I have seen. I believe you would be interested in this comic. The authors name is: Art Spiegelman. Trust me this is a great read.

I don't know if anybody has mentioned it before, but if you look for an alternative on superhero comics I'd like to point out DDP's HACK/SLASH. It's a comic about that one girl that always survives a slasher flick striking back and hunting down slashers. It got plenty of gore and yeah, it features some T&A, but maybe you should pick up the first Trade Paperback, called First Cut, just to check it out.

hey. just saw your video saying about war time or pirate comics? i doubt im the first to suggest it, but MAUS by Speigelman... i love it! its one of my prized possessions...

about the nazi's and Jews... using mice and cats.

The only manga I can see you liking, Spoony, is Berserk, since you like Conan. Similar sort of thing, extremely epic tale.

No Y: THE LAST MAN? Or do you have any in a box somewhere?

You too spoony?!?!?! Why does everyone hate garth ennis's recent works? more specifically, why does everyone hate the boys? Am i the only that finds funny and innovative storywise (not a big comic guy so maybe there's already a comic like this but i still find this series to be hilarious and entertaining)

Im making my own comic... look at the link... YOU TOO SPOONY... its not a superhero one so it will be very interesting... Its about assassins and lust and good stuff...

Jason Aaron's "The Other Side" is a great war related graphic novel. It is about an American soldier and a Vietnamese soldier both leaving home to fight in the war. It shows how both cultures treat war and how both people react to being in war. It is a great read and is some very haunting and disturbing story telling. Don't think gross out, but mostly disturbing in how war is horrible.

Not pirates but some great viking stories are Northlanders and Viking (yeah, Viking). Both are very good reads and are still being released in single issues. Northlanders has been going on for a while now, but Viking is on issue 3. Viking is also very interesting just because it is not only great writing and artwork, but the format of the book is more like a Golden age comic, basically just an oversized issue compared to current day comics. Plus, it is creator owned and is written by a pair of fairly new writer and artist.

What about Sgt. Rock comics and The Unknown Soldier from WW2?

Personally I've been a huge fan of Neil Gaiman's Sandman series. Been meaning to check out the spin off series also. Definitely a good read.