Legion World Forums LEGION COMPANION Dr. Gym'll's Cultural Rarities Any recommendations

I picked up the first TPB of the Astounding Wolf-Man title, and I've really enjoyed it so far. I'd seen the book on the shelf a while back, but I figured I'd missed so many issues that it wasn't worth going back to try to get them all.

The TPB solves that problem. As a bonus, there are quite a few pages of sketches and other artwork at the end.

Stu, is that one of the 'new' comics coming from Image? Is Kirkman writing that, or someone else? I saw it too recently in solicits but not at my comic shop. Looked interesting.

It's an Image title and I guess it's relatively new, but there have been at least seven or eight issues. I'm not sure how many more issues have come out beyond the ones in the TPB.

And yes, the astounding hairy Wolf-Man is written by the amazing furry Kirk-Man!

Now for something which really moved me deeply while reading it last night:

Alex Robinson - again - "Too cool to be forgotten"

A 120 page new graphic novel by the author of Box Office Poison and Tricked. It is very emotional and is bound to inspire a memory flash for everyone reading it, as the "hero" of the story gets transferred back to his high school days.

It is a wonderful homage to our teenage days, but still very mature in its approach and has a wonderfully emotional ending. I was very moved by this one, highly highly recommended (available via Top Shelf, I guess).

I went to a comic book store I usually don't visit to get plastics and figured it'd be a good time to shop around for 'oddities' that I don't normally get (so I wouldn't cheat on my reg store), but I couldn't find the Astounding Wolf-Man there.

I'm still itching to try Dark Horse, Image, Vertigo and other independent titles but I need reccomendations. Years and years of independent publishers crumbling and coming out mucho infrequently have left me jaded to just try anything.

X-Men Noir, from the OCtober Previews, actually has me interested. It would be the first X-Men comic I bought in I don't know how many years. There's also a Spiderman and Daredevil Noir. All 4-issue specials. I might get them all just for the pretty pictures.

news release blurb

Dennis Calero is supposed to be drawing X-Men: Noir, if that sweetens the deal for anyone...

CBR\'s Marvel Solicitations for 12/08

I don't know if most stores order just a few copies, or what. After getting the TPB, I was interested in the ongoing title. On the day issue #8 came out a few weeks ago, I got to my store around lunchtime, and there was only one copy on the shelf. The guy at the counter said they only ordered two, and the other copy was for another customer who had it on his pull list.

I picked up the copy on the shelf, and put the title on my own pull list for future issues.

Cobie, Dark Horse has been getting a lot of my money lately. I tried a few books that looked interesting and some that were in trade, and so far none of them have disappointed me.

The Umbrella Academy - this one is a given. It’s just fun Silver Age superheroics with a shot of modern cynicism. You get teen angst, over the top action, insane villains, and the occasionally WTF! I know you like Morrison’s run on BATMAN, and this has a similar vibe with respect to comic book history.

B.P.R.D. – this is the Hellboy team. They handle paranormal threats. It’s got a dark humour to it, and the soap opera feel is akin to Spidey’s. Not as heavy on the big bang action, it’s more horror themed. Start with the 3rd trade if you can, it’s got a full story and really starts the ongoing series run. The first 2 are a collection of anthologies highlight the different cast members.

The End League – this is “Days of Future Past” the ongoing. It’s superheroes fighting a losing battle. The bad guys have won our post-apocalyptic world and there’s no hope. It’s a heavier read, the characters are obvious analogs, but it’s does for super heroes now what the LSH did for them in the 60’s and 70’s- progresses them. Think 5YG.

Grendel - Matt Wagner writing Batman! Only this Batman is a bad guy!

Solomon Kane – just the first issue out, based on the literary character. It’s horror, with a seemingly DEVOUT religious man for the lead in a Van Helsing role. I like it enough to keep trying it.

P.S.238 by Aaron Williams, about an elementary school for kids with super powers. The early issues can be read for free at www.ps238.com so you can get some idea if it suits your tastes before spending $$ on it.
A note: the earliest stories deal with the establishment of the school, and therefore focus on the faculty and staff. Once the school is open, the storytelling focus gradually shifts to the students.

Ceej, thanks for the reccomendations! Comic book reading has hit an interesting transition for me. Whlie I feel Marvel is superior to DC for the first time in my lifetime, I've devoted an actual large portion of my time in the CBS to find independent titles I can follow but don't make me commit to an actual company (since Crossgen and multiple others still linger in my mind).

End League sounds cool, as does B.P.R.D. and Solomon Kane! Definitely keep me updated on any other titles you try out and I'll do the same! How far along is End League? I'm always hoping I can catch it from the beginning.

PS - Eryk, you still picking up issues of the Lone Ranger? If so, how is it? The art at least looks great.

Nope. Haven't picked up any comics in ages.

Its amazing--I've never seen so many Legion Worlders so discouraged / ambivalent / 'just not buying comics' at the same time before. I'm in that category too. At lot of it I blame on DC Comics.

Not me! Since I started going to the new CBS that opened nearby, I've been in hog heaven! I keep having to resist the urge to buy everything that peaks my interest. Maybe it's just all those years of withdrawal after my longtime CBS closed in 2000, but I've rarely picked up something and regretted it since the shop opened (actually, I can't think of any eggs laid at all). The key is to read reviews and get plenty of recommendations before spending your hard-earned moolah. Word-of-mouth hasn't done me wrong yet!

The reason I didn't mention you by name Lardy is for the most part, by and large, we *usually* have similar tastes in the titles we buy, specifically DC & Marvel. Several times I've noticed that when a comic goes to shit, you and I both notice right away, and when a sleeper hit is kicking ass (Priest Black Panther, anyone?) we're both on board.

Sooooo...what comics are you absolutely going ape over lately? Both DC, Marvel and any independents (what I'm especially interested in). How is Iron Fist with the new team?

So wrong...

Isn't it?

EDE had such potential...

I, of course, blame the Titans.

Echo by Terry Moore isn't grabbing me as quick as SiP did (One issue and i was hooked), but its more sci-fi intrigue than what SiP was.

But, with his writing and art, it don't hurt to read it.

Finally asked my local cbs to just get me the final tpb of SiP. Wasn't ever going to get the end waiting on them to find it. Disappointing, but whatcha gonna do?

Anyone that enjoyed Morrison's Doom Patrol, and especially anyone that enjoyed Rachel Pollack's Doom Patrol, I reccomend 'Young Liars' by Vertigo. Its probably the weirdest, most non-sensical comic series in 15 years. And its good!

So is anyone checking out the whole "Project Superpowers" thing from Dynamite Entertainment? With all those Alex Ross covers and other things.

I've been pretty busy in 2008 so I really only started paying attention to the articles, covers and shelf-space of these comics within the last month or so. Anyone reading them? They sure look pretty but I know next to nothing about them story-wise or if they are of any quality.

Random thoughts:

Armed Forces – by Kyle Baker, Image Comics – wow, anyone pick this up? Talk about way over the top parody of war, ‘selling the war’, and American culture in general while remaining poignant and at times realistic. This is probably the most controversial thing I’ve read in quite a number of years even if no one seems to be engaging in the controversy other than a handful of critics. It was definitely eye-opening, especially #3 which is where I came in, what with all mutated, disfigured, orphaned children trying to cannibalize prisoners and all. Worth a buy though.

Ghost Rider – Scooter or anyone…still buying this? I’ve heard good things with Jason Aaron coming on board, but I’ve never bought an ongoing Ghost Rider series in my life.

Project Superpowers – So I guess no one is reading? Or no one checking this thread? The concept seems really cool but I’ve read mixed reviews. Plus, didn’t Alan Moore do this with Terra Obscura already?

Incredible Hercules – buy this title! You’ll love it!

Jonah Hex – buy this title! You’ll love it!

I’m not a fan of Ross and his opinions on comics. That alone has me avoiding the Superpowers line. It does sound like interesting work he and Joe Casey are doing.

I gave the last 4 issues of Captain America a try, Bru’s run being so well received. It’s good work, and an example of the diversity I keep expecting from DC. So these recommendation threads just might be working…

I'm not too familiar with his views outside comics but I generally find his writing to be a little weak, though obviously his art is terrfiic. That's kept me from checking it out, as has the fact that I have no real idea what the overall story is about beyond the concept of reintroducing these characters, which isn't enough to win me over by itself. I was hoping someone could give me a 'they're great!' or a 'they're terrible!' reccomendation and I'd move on

Re: Armed Forces - I'm a big Kyle Baker fan but this one looked a little raw to me (the previews; I haven't read any of the issues). They say everything is funny eventually but I didn't know if I was ready for laughs about the War on Iraq. But maybe I'll check it out, since I'm already scheduled to beat you up if I don't like Four Eyes. Gosh, I've got to get to the CBS soon!

Right now I'm slavishly devoted to Dungeon by Lewis Trondheim and Joann Sfar. It's a paperback series about a world inhabited by strange funny-animal type characters (for adults). A weird and funny satire on fantasy stories and contemporary society.