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

I also think you'd love Saga, Harbi. It's premise is right up your alley, and both writing and art are as good as it gets in the industry these days. There's also a nice sized ensemble cast, which isn't obvious from reviews and summaries online.

Fab, that's that doubly decided then, Saga here I come.

Thank you both.

Those early Authority books were some of my faves too. But I can't think of anything like it at the moment that is good.

In addition to Saga, I really liked Glory, and Avengers Forever.

Cobie and Lardy got me onto Sex Criminals which I love! But I think what's good now, is not the big super hero books but the narrowly focused stories on one or two characters. Marvel's been doing it with Hawkeye, She Hulk and Black Widow.

Some stuff kinda like Authority I was into:

Irredeemable
The Boys
Powers
Preacher

They've all got tangental takes on the superhero world. (Preacher is on the metaphysical)


Oh! I just picked up the latest East of West, you might find that interesting, it is sort of a mythological tale about the four horseman in the dystopian future.

I've also got started on the Wicked and the Divine which has me hooked but, I have to be in the mood for it, it is a new take on gods in contemporary days. and a murder mystery.

I love a good murder mystery so that' sounds good too. Thank you, I really do appreciate all your suggestions.

I don't want to bury you under recommendations, Harbi, but in the superhero genre, I've long been a huge fan of Kurt Busiek's Astro City! Such great storytelling with a shifting focus on different characters' point of view: heroes, villains, supporting players, average people on the street, etc. So much wonder and such a wealth of great stories! If you decide to try it, start with the "Life in the Big City" TPB.

Okay, will do., I've noticed you mention it before so that'll be number 3 on the list I go looking for at the weekend.

Do you like spy thrillers with kick-ass female protagonists, Harbi? Because Ed Brubaker & Steve Epting's Velvet is as good as that genre gets IMO. There's one trade out already, with the second one coming in the spring.

The first thing that popped into my mind here was the first couple of arcs of the Ultimates.

Similar concepts to the Authority - check
Superheroes - check
Wide screen action - check
same art team - check?
Doesn't revert to the status quo - check

I had no idea that the other Ultimate books were set in the same universe (I thought they were all their own thing). You can almost get away with the second volume of Ultimates without anyone else showing up. I think vol 1 is stand alone.

I also quite liked it's take on the avengers, although mileages may vary considerably here.

Thanks FL, Velvet will be no 4 on the list. I read a lot of spy thrillers so that sounds great.

I have the trade of the first two Ultimates stories Thoth, totally loved it until Hank got nasty with Jan then it kind of lost it's appeal. The art is lush though. I tried the Ultimate XMen too and it was okay then it got really 'meh' really fast as the writer tried to get too clever at twisting canon to fit their new world IMO. That said I picked up the trade that introduced Longshot and Spiral about two years ago at a car boot sale; again the art was great but the rest kind of bugged me, especially emo Dazzler.

Yay! at least I was in the right ballpark with the recommendation (apart from the Hank thing that will haunt him forever).

I had zero interest in the other Ultimate books, although I quite enjoyed the Thor mini. That's about the only Thor I've ever read so I've no comparison between that and the regular books.

Looking at my pull list, I could do with a cracking superhero book too. Invincible doesn't have that team magic and Astro City is good but also focused.

For crime related titles, I'd always pick Stray Bullets, although the first issue of Velvet had that spy thriller feel that perhaps you're after, as Fickles said.

Did anyone read Nextwave from Marvel by Warren Ellis?

I'm thinking of trying it.

I read a couple of early issues - full of itself and with main characters that are so much better than anyone else in the book - i.e. overly smartassed. I think it ruined Captain Marvel as a character for me too. Annoying enough it got punted into a different universe. Earth self indulgent.

Other than that, you should give it a try

I was thinking I liked the characters and it's supposed to be funny ... and not in continuity. so I thought I might give it a chance ... but ...

Also highly recommend Velvet and Astro City!

I bought Saga book 1 today, am half way through and loving it!

EXCELLENT! So glad to hear you are!

So glad to hear it Harbi! It gets better and better as it goes too!

I was getting Saga and Velvet, enjoying both when I got fed up with the DC nonsense and dropped monthlies entirely. Just not worth a long drive across town for a couple books so I'll probably on-line the novels. Need to get the last Fables novels and I think I'll order the novels for the years I have pamphlets so I can create a Fables bookshelf.

Also considering getting the Astro City. I got the first one on a half price shelf while traveling and have since got a few from the libraries. I like the world he's created and the person on the street approach.

Purchased a remote mouse for my lap-top so now I can sit it on a little side table in front of the lazyboy, satisfy my ADHD rocking away, while reading free kindle books in large font, changing pages using the remote. Now all I need are remote headphones to listen to music while reading because I'm kind of limited by the cord length-vision combo. My best focal range is about 6 inches further than the head-phones will let me place the table.

Yeah I know, its pathetic. Gets worse. When weather gets warm, I'm thinking I can make a tray that will unfold and fit over the tub so I can watch, read, eat and soak at the same time.

One of the best things I've read lately is The Underwater Welder by Jeff Lemire, published by Top Shelf. I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone.

Lemire is somewhat of a big name in the comic book industry these last few years, though his mainstream work is a combination of hits and misses. His indie work, however, is almost always excellent. The Underwater Welder, a true indie piece, stands out as his masterpiece thus far in his young career, as it is simply astounding from start to finish.

Lemire does everything here: writing, art, colors, and he is at his best when he has total control over the whole product. He provides a staggeringly emotional story that pulled me in within two minutes and held me by the nose throughout the whole thing. I found myself outright tearing up and venturing into actual crying while I was on a seriously overcrowded airplane high up in the air where anyone could have seen me. (And being ruggedly handsome, crying is not a good look on me).

The intro by Dameon Lindolf calls it "the best episode of Twilight Zone you never knew should have existed" and that's an apt intro, because Lemire does a fine job laying the ground work for a very eerie and highly emotional piece. I feel any type of description of the plot--other than saying it stars an underwater welder--would possibly give something away, and that I cannot allow myself to do.

I recommend it be read from start to finish in one sitting. It's powerful, and its a reminder of how great the OGN format can be when done right.

I admit Lemire had kind of lost me these last two or so years with his DC work and such. But this was good enough to make me give anything he does a good look.

A kajillion out of a kajillion stars!

Alright, buddy--I just ordered the book you recommended in the previous post and used my $8.03 eBay Bucks coupon to help pay for it! If I don't love it, you owe me $2.32!

Not only will you love it, but you'll owe me $0.02, which is the recommendation fee I charge in this thread!

Right. I've ordered this. It better be a kajillion...

I hope it doesn't set off my fears of enclosed spaces, depths and being blinded wearing welding apparatus...

So....did anyone read the Orion series by Walt Simonson? I never really tried it, having never been much of a New Gods fan, but I love Walt. But there's this Orion Omnibus just out, and In-Stock Trades has it half off this week. Should I...?

I read it as it came out, and remember enjoying it quite a bit. If you're a Simonson fan, it's got all the things we love about Walt in there: epic fantasy, action to the Nth degree, a grand scope, and usage of many different characters.

At the time it came out, it wasn't among my very favorite series, but it was one I looked forward to reading each month and was sad to see go.

The New Gods are a concept that many people get wrong all the time. I think both John Byrne and Walt Simonson were very good at getting it right (just like they did on Kirby's FF and Kirby's Thor in the decade before). The whole era that started with Byrne midway through the 90's New Gods, continued into his Jack Kirby's 4th World and then finished with Simonson's Orion was pretty good.

I wished I remembered more of it but it's been almost 15 years.