Legion World Forums LEGION COMPANION Dr. Gym'll's Cultural Rarities My Big-Ass Pile o'Trades Waiting To Be Read At My Whim

I've had this in my Pile for some time. I saw an interesting review and eventually got a good deal on eBay. Not sure when I'll get to it. If you read it soon, please share a few words!

Pile UPDATE (1/19/17)

Currently Reading

Thor Omnibus Vol. 2
Fantastic Four by John Byrne Omnibus Vol. 1 (Re-read project w/Fick) technically on hiatus with the re-read project--may finish it off soon anyway

Recently Read

Star Wars: The Original Marvel Years Omnibus Vol. 3
Underwater Welder
Marada the She-Wolf
Deadpool Classics Vol. 1
New Teen Titans Vol. 4
Doctor Strange (Jason Aaron/Chris Bachalo) Vol. 1
Batgirl Vol. 1 (Stewart/Fletcher/Tarr)

To-Read Pile

Mage Vol. 2: The Hero Defined
West Coast Avengers Omnibus Vol. 2
Goldfish
Fantastic Four by John Byrne Omnibus Vol. 2
Scout Vol. 2
Frank Miller's Ronin Deluxe Edition
Marvel Masterworks: Silver Surfer Vol. 1
Iron Man by Michelinie, Layton & Romita, Jr. Omnibus
Murder Me Dead (David Lapham)
Stray Bullets Uber Alles Edition
Grimjack Omnibus Vol. 2
Jon Sable: Freelance Omnibus Vols. 1 & 2
Secret Six Vol. 1: Villains United
Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange Vol. 6
Flex Mentallo
Nemo: Heart of Ice, Roses of Berlin & River of Ghosts
Orion by Walt Simonson Omnibus
Shaman's Tears (Mike Grell)
Howard the Duck Omnibus
Just the Tips (a Sex Criminals companion by Fraction/Zdarsky)
Bandette Vol. 2
Swamp Thing (Brian K. Vaughn) Vols. 1 & 2
Pride of Baghdad
Camelot 3000 Deluxe edition
Guardians of Galaxy Vol. 1 (Bendis)
Moon Knight Epic Collection Vols. 1 & 2
Star Wars: Legacy (Ostrander) Vols. 2-5
Star Wars: Tag & Bink Were Here
The Private Eye (Vaughn)
Descender Vol. 1
Deadpool Classics Vols. 2 & 3
Crossover Classics Marvel/DC Vol. 1
Paying for It by Chester Brown
Princess Leia TPB
Secret History Omnibus Vols. 2 & 3
Showcase Presents Warlord Vol. 1
World War Hulk
Star Slammers Complete Collection
Crisis on Infinite Earths Deluxe Edition
Thanos: Infinity Revelation
The Wizard's Tale
Superman: Secret Identity
Twilight Children
Marvel Masterworks Captain America Vol. 8
Thor: The Mighty Avenger Complete Collection
Marvel Masterworks: The Defenders Vol. 5
Wonder Woman: Earth One
Doom Patrol/Grant Morrison Omnibus
X-Statix Omnibus
Ultimate Spider-Man: Chameleons
World War Hulk: Incredible Hercules
Batman by Moench & Jones Vol. 1
John Carter Warlord of Mars Marvel Omnibus
Death & Return of Superman Omnibus
All-Star Section Eight
Batgirl Vols. 2-3 (Stewart/Fletcher/Tarr)
Rachel Rising Vols. 1 & 2
iZombie Omnibus
Tales of the Batman: Alan Brennert
Wonder Woman by Perez Omnibus
Incredible Hulk: Heart of the Atom
Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall
Fables: Werewolves of Heartland
Omega Men: End Is Here

New Stuff from In-Stock Trades (Christmas Present to self!)

Superman: Lois & Clark TPB (Road to Rebirth)
Vision Vol. 2
The Fix Vol. 1
Power Man & Iron Fist: Boys are Back in Town
Amazing Spider-Man Worldwide Vol. 2
New Teen Titans Vol. 5
Superman Rebirth Vol. 1
Green Arrow Rebirth Vol. 1
Darth Vader Vol. 3
100 Bullets: Hang Up on the Hang Low
100 Bullets Book 2
Point Blank (Prelude to Sleeper)

Lardy, I have no objections to your finishing that volume before we resume the Byrne FF re-read. I do feel really bad that we didn't reach the end of the Trial of Galactus arc like we'd originally planned. If things hadn't gotten so nucking futs in my life towards the end of last year, I think we'd probably have gotten through it by the first week of January. But I do fully intend to resume the re-read sometime in February (if all goes according to my current schedule, I should be finished writing the 2nd Legion Retroboot story-arc for Bits by the 2nd week in February.) Just let me know whatever's best for you.

Correct. Very disjointed
I'm not even sure it ended

Love hearing this! I've always personally preferred Kirby's Thor run myself, which I consider his best Marvel Age stuff. With Thor, the series mostly gets better and better throughout the Silver Age (save for the very end), especially once Kirby starts picking up steam with the Asgard related drama.

Plus, though he gets a bad rep (and maybe in some he cases he deserves it), I've always loved the way Colleta's inks softened Kirby's pencils and made things moodier.

I finished the Omnibus yesterday. I'd say it was really awesome especially thru the Troll War arc. After that, it's still good but not as awesome thru 152 when the book ends. In a way, thru a large part of the book, it is fickle Odin who is Thor's main antagonist. I mean, has there ever been a more controlling dad in all of comics? He de-powers and exiles Thor on Earth, like, twice in this short run because he simply doesn't want Thor to live his own life and make his own choices! Odin effectively ends Thor's relationship with Jane Foster! (For Thor's part, it's not a good look for him that he immediately becomes smitten with Sif!)

The grandeur and scale of the series really suits King Kirby like no other Marvel book I've seen feature his work. A lot of it is simply jaw-dropping, and I can see where Walt Simonson drew much inspiration. I lamented, though, the end of Tales of Asgard, as it featured some of the best moments of the book. I especially enjoyed Harokin's final ride.

I'll definitely be buying the next Omnibus whenever it is published. (I'm thinking maybe around the release of Thor: Ragnarok?) I'm curious about what some of the series highlights are in the Lee/Kirby run after 152. Also, unfortunately, Omnibus 1 is out of print, so I have to hope it gets a new printing. Or I will have to seek another reprint format.

Good stuff that really scratched an itch I didn't realize I had!

I just got volumes 1-4 of the KABUKI Library editions from Dark Horse... Each one is about as thick as the NEW X-MEN Omnibus, and an inch taller and wider, besides. Gorgeous, thick paper quality. I believe I have most all of the previously printed Kabuki stuff, but am looking forward to all of the extras.

So since I finished up the Thor Omnibus, I have read/am reading 3+ books from the Pile.

The first was one I knew I wouldn't wait too long to read because I've been coveting it for a while. That would be the Superman: Lois & Clark TPB. I read that one pretty quickly, and it pretty much met my expectations. Loved seeing married Lois & Clark again, this time with young Jonathan in tow! I know it wasn't essential reading before the Rebirth books, but with Lee weeks doing the bulk of the art and old-Dan Jurgens' on scripts, I knew it would be a pleasant read. I loved the mix of flashbacks that showed how our Super Family had to adjust to life on a strange but familiar world while staying true to themselves by working in secret while the story in the present day threatened to unravel all they'd built. Honestly, all of the family stuff was worth the price of the book alone!

The other three comprise a larger time and mental investment as I finally am reading all of my volumes of The Secret History Omnibus. It's been a few years since I read Volume One, so while I had slowly acquired the two subsequent volumes in the interim, I had to re-read the first and then follow straight thru the other two.

If you don't know anything about the Secret History series (and it's a good bet you don't), this was (is?) a series originally published in France and later translated and published in English by Archaeia. It follows four immortals, called Archons, and how they have greatly influenced history as we know it over more than two thousand years. Their influence goes beyond simply their immortality as the source of it, their Runes, grants them considerable power. These immortals often work at cross purposes and often end up on opposing sides in famous conflicts, beginning with the events of the biblical Book of Exodus and proceeding from there. Along the way more runes and other symbols of power become weapons for many other characters to use in what is similar to an escalating Cold war over milennia.

It's a fascinating, dense story, filled with both exposition and memorable characters. To be completely fair, it's sometimes difficult to keep track of all of the characters and continuing story threads, but I like that it is a challenging book and far from cookie-cutter comics.

The writer is Jean-Pierre Pecau, and the primary artist is Igor Kordey, who has done a fair amount of work on American comics. Kordey, I remember primarily from Kurt Busiek's memorable run on Conan for Dark Horse. That Conan run was one of a very few on that property that I've really enjoyed. He has a very earthy, detailed but clean style that doesn't remind me of any one artist but is similar in its effect to the work of Tim Truman or Sergio Cariello. Rugged but gorgeous.

I'm about a third through Volume 3. Volume One skips around for centuries, seven 48-page chapters that tell inter-connected but still largely standalone stories. By the end, it catches up to just before World War I. Starting in Volume Two, we're completely in the 20th century as each similarly-sized chapter takes place with a year or a few years of the last. When we get to WWII, it's pretty much 1941 and then 1942, etc. Looking ahead, Volume 3 ends with a chapter taking place in 1970. Though I kind of miss the more self-contained and exotic epics of Volume One, we also benefit in the more compressed timeline of Two and Three by getting to follow a number of great non-immortal characters as their lives progress. These books get their flavor much more from the non-immortal characters than the Archons, so that is a nice trade-off.

I was drawn to these graphic novels first by a recommendation for Vol. 1 by our own Fat Cramer. Cobie was the first to take her recommendation and then recommended it himself. Then, I also bought it. Their and my reviews of Volume 1 can be found in the "Any Recommendations" & "Random Review Corner" threads. Not having completed Vol. 3 just yet, I'm unsure whether it's meant to be the end of the story. I both hope it is and isn't. It would be good if it's the finale because I wouldn't have to worry that its American translations might have been discontinued. But if it isn't done and there's hope for more editions, I would definitely love to read more!

So, for my money, The Secret History is some great historical fiction. If I like it, it must be great history porn for a guy like Cobie who majored in it. (The subject matter is mature, btw, so we're not talking all-ages stuff!)

Thanks for that review Paladin. I think I've read Vol 1 and some of vol 2. I liked the density and the longer timescales of the first volume. I had expected their impact to have significantly altered history, but I seem to remember being a bit bored that a lot had turned out the same. Do correct me if I'm completely wrong here, as it was a long time ago.

I also remember not being able to follow all the characters all the time, which didn't help. I've occasionally thought of going back to this one for a reread. I was picking up a few Archaeia at the time.

thoth, I think the point of the books is not to tell an alternate history where things turned out differently but to show what could have happened behind the scenes that made things turned out the way they did. If that makes any sense....

I didn't know much about it when I started reading, and just expected it when it went another. I remember thinking "well, I could just come back for book ten, as none of the characters will have made the slightest difference." But the premise is that we only think we know what shaped our world, but actually... you'd think they could have made it clear to me in the title or something... oh...

BTW, next week, the Alpha Flight by John Byrne Omnibus is coming out! Can't resist that one!

I didn't know you were into kabuki, Pov. I liked what I saw of David Mack's work on Daredevil and pondered looking into Kabuki around that time but never did. Feel free to share some reviews if the mood hits.

I first read that serialised in Secret Wars Weekly, over here. I don't think I read enough of that to get anywhere near the close of the story line, but I made sure to get them when I was older.

So I did finish the Secret History Vol. 3 last week. It was good overall but got kind of bogged down by exposition at times. And it had some confusing moments, like what exactly happened with the Lee Harvey Oswald switch?

The worst part is I researched some and found out that the series definitely did go on beyond the twenty books collected in vols. 1-3. Archaia definitely hasn't printed translations of the series since those books, and there has clearly been enough published to fill 2 more Omnibus collections. So I may never see how it ends, unless I either learn to read French fluently and somehow obtain French copies or someone takes up translating and publishing these again.

Still a good and worthwhile read, overall, even if it is never completed in English.

At it's best, Kabuki is moody, gorgeous, scarring.
At other times, it is confusing and derivative (especially if you've read the book Speed Tribes)

Paying for It is honest in a way that is fascinating. The author has no qualms about portraying himself in a bleak light. There is no hero here, just a journey about love and sex, desire and self-awareness and need.

I'm teaching it in a class on pornography this semester. Really interesting narrative

The appendices are ridiculous

Pile UPDATE (3/7/17)


Recently Read

Mage Vol. 2: The Hero Defined
Guardians of Galaxy Vol. 1 (Bendis)
Moon Knight Epic Collection Vol. 1
Secret History Omnibus Vols. 2 & 3
Showcase Presents Warlord Vol. 1
Thanos: Infinity Revelation
Rachel Rising Vols. 1 & 2
Incredible Hulk: Heart of the Atom
Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall
Superman: Lois & Clark TPB (Road to Rebirth)
Amazing Spider-Man Worldwide Vol. 2
Superman Rebirth Vol. 1
Green Arrow Rebirth Vol. 1


To-Read Pile

West Coast Avengers Omnibus Vol. 2
Goldfish
Fantastic Four by John Byrne Omnibus Vol. 2
Scout Vol. 2
Frank Miller's Ronin Deluxe Edition
Marvel Masterworks: Silver Surfer Vol. 1
Iron Man by Michelinie, Layton & Romita, Jr. Omnibus
Murder Me Dead (David Lapham)
Stray Bullets Uber Alles Edition
Grimjack Omnibus Vol. 2
Jon Sable: Freelance Omnibus Vols. 1 & 2
Secret Six Vol. 1: Villains United
Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange Vol. 6
Flex Mentallo
Nemo: Heart of Ice, Roses of Berlin & River of Ghosts
Orion by Walt Simonson Omnibus
Shaman's Tears (Mike Grell)
Howard the Duck Omnibus
Just the Tips (a Sex Criminals companion by Fraction/Zdarsky)
Bandette Vol. 2
Swamp Thing (Brian K. Vaughn) Vols. 1 & 2
Pride of Baghdad
Camelot 3000 Deluxe edition
Moon Knight Epic Collection Vol. 2
Star Wars: Legacy (Ostrander) Vols. 2-5
Star Wars: Tag & Bink Were Here
The Private Eye (Vaughn)
Descender Vol. 1
Deadpool Classics Vols. 2 & 3
Crossover Classics Marvel/DC Vol. 1
Paying for It by Chester Brown
Princess Leia TPB
World War Hulk
Star Slammers Complete Collection
Crisis on Infinite Earths Deluxe Edition
The Wizard's Tale
Superman: Secret Identity
Twilight Children
Marvel Masterworks Captain America Vol. 8
Thor: The Mighty Avenger Complete Collection
Marvel Masterworks: The Defenders Vol. 5
Wonder Woman: Earth One
Doom Patrol/Grant Morrison Omnibus
X-Statix Omnibus
Ultimate Spider-Man: Chameleons
World War Hulk: Incredible Hercules
Batman by Moench & Jones Vol. 1
John Carter Warlord of Mars Marvel Omnibus
Death & Return of Superman Omnibus
All-Star Section Eight
Batgirl Vols. 2-3 (Stewart/Fletcher/Tarr)
iZombie Omnibus
Tales of the Batman: Alan Brennert
Wonder Woman by Perez Omnibus
Fables: Werewolves of Heartland
Omega Men: End Is Here
Vision Vol. 2
The Fix Vol. 1
Power Man & Iron Fist: Boys are Back in Town
New Teen Titans Vol. 5
Darth Vader Vol. 3
100 Bullets: Hang Up on the Hang Low
100 Bullets Book 2
Point Blank (Prelude to Sleeper)

New Stuff

Alpha Flight by John Byrne Omnibus
Flash Rebirth Vol. 1
Batman Rebirth Vol. 1
Detective Comics Rebirth Vol. 1
Complete Essex County by Jeff lemire
Doctor Strange Vol. 2: Last Days of Magic
Doctor Strange PB: Montesi Formula
Aquaman Rebirth Vol. 1
Nightwing Rebirth Vol. 1
Justice League Rebirth Vol. 1
Action Comics Rebirth Vol. 1
New Teen Titans: Games
Amazing Spider-Man Worldwide Vols. 3 & 4
Darth Vader Vol. 4

Lots to catch up on here! I can’t wait for detailed discussions on Superman and Green Arrow Rebirth, plus I’m interested in thoughts on Fables 1001 Nights (which I loved), Rachel Rising (never read), GotG / first Bendis (which I never quite gelled with) and the Showcase Warlord!

Regarding Secret History, that’s great that you read #3, which I haven’t got to yet. Your “history porn” comment is dead-on (even though I’m 99% positive you’re using that to tease me because I said I don’t like using the phrase “—porn” in the past :P). Am I correct that Boom / Archaia isn’t doing translations past #3? Sometimes they’re just delayed and that could be because of small company cash-flow issues where the intent is to get to it, but they can’t quite yet. All I know is if they don’t, you better learn French and read them, and read them to me over the phone. Or maybe Teeds can read them in French to us both like a bedtime story over the phone? Sounds sexy.

Like Lardy, I never read much Kabuki but I did enjoy Mack’s Daredevil work at the time, which was a bit of a novelty as that level of indie stylization hadn’t been used much by Marvel up until that point.

Lots of new stuff on the coffee table! Looking forward to thoughts on the Rebirth stuff, Dr. Strange and Essex County which I’m really interested in hearing about, having never read it.

Lots to discuss, indeed! I've honestly been trying to figure out where to start! I will say, though, that I only intended to read Rachel Rising Vol. 1 and save Vol. 2 for another time, but I just ATE IT UP! Those were too really good books with great art, fantastic characterization and a gripping story! I really want the Omnibus now, so that I can have the whole story at hand and not have to continue buying it piecemeal!



I'm not sure, but I really fear Archaia is not going to continue doing translations. This is mainly because they were first publishing them as individual chapters and then as Omnibuses. The individual chapters stopped with the material in the third Omnibus.

I don't know if you saw Cramer's recent post where she reviews the rest of the series, which she purchased and read in the French editions. She had given up on the translations being released and had a good enough understanding of French to merit purchasing the originals. Her review was either in Random Review Corner or Any Recs, I think. Maybe she could read them to us over the phone?



The Rebirth stuff won't sit in the Pile long, I think. I'm sure the other stuff you mention won't, either.

Pile UPDATE (4/22/17)

Currently Reading

Flash Rebirth Vol. 1

Recently Read

Murder Me Dead (David Lapham)
Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange Vol. 6
Nemo: Heart of Ice
Orion by Walt Simonson Omnibus
Swamp Thing (Brian K. Vaughn) Vols. 1 & 2
Star Wars: Legacy (Ostrander) Vol. 2
The Private Eye (Vaughn)
Descender Vol. 1
Batgirl Vol. 2 (Stewart/Fletcher/Tarr)
Power Man & Iron Fist: Boys are Back in Town
New Teen Titans Vol. 5
Darth Vader Vol. 3
Batman Rebirth Vol. 1
Doctor Strange Vol. 2: Last Days of Magic
Aquaman Rebirth Vol. 1
Scout Vol. 2
Jon Sable: Freelance Omnibus Vol. 1


To-Read Pile

West Coast Avengers Omnibus Vol. 2
Goldfish
Fantastic Four by John Byrne Omnibus Vol. 2
Frank Miller's Ronin Deluxe Edition
Marvel Masterworks: Silver Surfer Vol. 1
Iron Man by Michelinie, Layton & Romita, Jr. Omnibus
Stray Bullets Uber Alles Edition
Grimjack Omnibus Vol. 2
Jon Sable: Freelance Omnibus Vol. 2
Secret Six Vol. 1: Villains United
Flex Mentallo
Nemo: Roses of Berlin & River of Ghosts
Shaman's Tears (Mike Grell)
Howard the Duck Omnibus
Just the Tips (a Sex Criminals companion by Fraction/Zdarsky)
Bandette Vol. 2
Pride of Baghdad
Camelot 3000 Deluxe edition
Moon Knight Epic Collection Vol. 2
Star Wars: Legacy (Ostrander) Vols. 3-5
Star Wars: Tag & Bink Were Here
Deadpool Classics Vols. 2 & 3
Crossover Classics Marvel/DC Vol. 1
Paying for It by Chester Brown
Princess Leia TPB
World War Hulk
Star Slammers Complete Collection
Crisis on Infinite Earths Deluxe Edition
The Wizard's Tale
Superman: Secret Identity
Twilight Children
Marvel Masterworks Captain America Vol. 8
Thor: The Mighty Avenger Complete Collection
Marvel Masterworks: The Defenders Vol. 5
Wonder Woman: Earth One
Doom Patrol/Grant Morrison Omnibus
X-Statix Omnibus
Ultimate Spider-Man: Chameleons
World War Hulk: Incredible Hercules
Batman by Moench & Jones Vol. 1
John Carter Warlord of Mars Marvel Omnibus
Death & Return of Superman Omnibus
All-Star Section Eight
Batgirl Vol. 3 (Stewart/Fletcher/Tarr)
iZombie Omnibus
Tales of the Batman: Alan Brennert
Wonder Woman by Perez Omnibus
Fables: Werewolves of Heartland
Omega Men: End Is Here
Vision Vol. 2
The Fix Vol. 1
100 Bullets: Hang Up on the Hang Low
100 Bullets Book 2
Point Blank (Prelude to Sleeper)
Alpha Flight by John Byrne Omnibus
Detective Comics Rebirth Vol. 1
Complete Essex County by Jeff lemire
Doctor Strange PB: Montesi Formula
Nightwing Rebirth Vol. 1
Justice League Rebirth Vol. 1
Action Comics Rebirth Vol. 1
New Teen Titans: Games
Amazing Spider-Man Worldwide Vols. 3 & 4
Darth Vader Vol. 4

New Stuff

Green Lanterns Rebirth Vol. 1
Hal Jordan & GLC Rebirth Vol. 1
Suicide Squad Rebirth Vol. 1
Titans Rebirth Vol. 1
Batgirl/Birds of Prey Rebirth Vol. 1
Batgirl Rebirth Vol. 1
Wonder Woman Rebirth Vol. 1
Hellblazer Rebirth Vol. 1
Deathstroke Rebirth Vol. 1
Green Arrow Rebirth Vol. 2
Superman Rebirth Vol. 2
Doctor Strange Vol. 3 Blood in Aether
Sheriff of Babylon Vols. 1 & 2
Ultimate Spider-man: Death of Spider-Man Prelude
Monstress Vol. 1
Rachel Rising Omnibus
Postal Vol. 1
New Teen Titans Vol. 6
Star Wars Vol. 4: Last Flight of Harbinger
Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Vol. 1
Sensational She-Hulk by John Byrne: The Return

The second volume of Vision, Little Better Than A Beast, was excellent. Lovingly built on the character's past, tragic at turns, but overall a wonderful conclusion to King's story arc. Thanks to all the Legion Worlders who where talking this title up; I'd have missed this otherwise!

Glad you liked it. I was a little let down at first that it didn't go where I thought it would (but then again how would Marvel ever allow a cataclysmic event in a limited run series), but the more I thought on it, the ending was far more subtle and creepy anyway. The remaining Visions aren't "cured" in any way at the end and still work alongside their respective teams, while harboring their secrets.

The whole thing makes me even more frustrated that King's Batman is so hit or miss.

I'd be interested to know how this reads in one sitting. The first two story arcs were dynamite. Tthe crazy throw down between Darkseid & Orion was amazing and even though you knew DC wouldn't let it stand as status quo, had a great feeling of closure to it. I thought after the Anti-life story line, the "Banishment" story drug a little and while the rest of the series was still very good, it didn't really recover to the greatness of the first half (until 25, which was a satisfying Scott & Orion meeting which we surprisingly don't see that much of).

Sorry. I meant to respond to this much more promptly, but it kinda slipped my mind.




I thought it all read just fine. It was entertaining from start-to-finish. I never found myself thinking, "wow, the second half is really dragging compared to the first half!" I mean, I suppose the storyline with Orion on Earth facing some street-level crime was a little off-beat, but I was entertained.

What really surprised me was how Walt used the other existing New Gods fairly sparingly. I came in, for example, figuring Lightray would pretty much be Orion's supporting co-star. But Walt barely used all of the usual suspects (including Darkseid) but made their usages all the more memorable for having done so sparingly. His use of new or seldom-used characters and some somewhat shocking status quo changes made it clear that he wanted to build upon what Kirby had done rather than just paying homage to him.

And the art was utterly spectacular! Some of his best work, right up there with his classic Thor! I've always had trouble connecting with the New Gods and their milieu, but all it ever really takes is talented creators with a burning passion for the characters to make it work--as Walt showed me!