Comic Book Resources

Yesterday I blazed through League of Extraordinary Gentlemen vol. 2, and skimmed the Black Dossier (so I read the bits with pictures. I was pressed for time, and I don't think I will ever make it through a Moore-as-Kerouac section anyway). The former wasn't bad, the latter was nigh-impenetrable.

I've also finished Vonnegut's God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, and am about to start in on Galapagos.

I started rereading the Dark Phoenix saga (before Cool Moment #50-whatever was posted, coincidentally). I was really jazzed to see Kitty's first appearance again, but was otherwise turned off by the Hellfire Club's 19th century schtick. It went back on the shelf only partially read.

I just read Galapagos for the first time a few months ago. I need to find a good compendium of Vonnegut's work. It's getting harder to remember where all the characters show up.

I'm also itching to reread some Chuck Palanuik. I just saw Choke and I want to confirm that the book was at least a little bit better.

I'm re-reading the DMZ trades before I lend them to my brother

Just picked up Essential Defenders vol 2., so I'm just digging that.

i've been reading Journey for a few months now. i got real into it at first, been i haven't picked it up for at least two months now. not that it's not good, i'm just not in the mood for it right now. also, it's a really dense read IMO.

as for what i'm reading RIGHT right now (other than my weekly Weds books that i'm really behind on)... i picked up the singles issues of the first Armor Wars run on Iron Man. i love that MD Bright art. i've also been reading a lot of of early War Machine stuff so the Armor Wars run will give me a nice Rhodey fix. to tie in with my War Machine kick, i picked up the issues connecting Rhodey's first War Machine appearance (IM #284) to Iron Man #300. AND i also snagged a few late MCP issues with a 4 issues Rhodey story. about a month back i finished reading the War Machine solo series (25 issues).

Trying to read Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy

Finished re-reading Loeb/Lee's "Hush"; no reason...just needed a Batman fix and hadn't looked at any of the issues for a number of years. I'm struck by how it probably could have been told in half the issues and how much of it was unnecessary (last read it when it was coming out monthly...hadn't actually sat down and read all of the issues together in one sitting).

That, and Transmet, but only because I was looking stuff to teach from it...

@Bill Reed:

You are in for a treat. Galapagos is awesome. And God damn it, you've got to be kind.

I just finished Vonnegut's The Sirens of Titan yesterday. It's the only book of his that I would classify as actual science fiction. And it is awesome. He writes lines like "Our purpose in life is to love whoever is around to be loved," and I surprisingly don't feel the urge to make gagging noises, but instead just shake my head and think, he's right, he's right. What a genius.

And I'm reading Morrison's Zenith saga (illegally downloaded--is there a legitimate way to read these wthout spending a fortune right now?).

What am I reading? In terms of comics, nothing. I do have Lewis Shriner's Glimpses waiting for me to start it.

On the other hand in the mail I've got that new edition of Moore's Swamp Thing which I've read, All-Star Superman vol. 2... which I've read, and two Order of the Stick books..... which I've read. Oh well...

The Evil In Pemberley House by Win Eckert. The Goliath Bone by Mickey Spillane and Max Collins. Showcase Presents Aquaman volume three. On deck is The Death of Captain America volumes one and two from Brubaker and Epting and some sword-and-sorcery stuff from Michael Reaves I've been meaning to get to for years.

I'm reading, novelwise, TWILGIHT FALLING by Paul S. Kemp, which is part of the Forgotten Realms book series. Also rifiling through various short stories by my favorite writer, Damon Runyon. Comic trade wise, I finished re-reading last nigt Seven Soldiers of Victory by Grant Morrison. And starting up on DMZ vol. 6 later on this week.

Some guy at work is giving me the Chuck Palaniuk novels to read (I've avoided them like the plague, even though Fight Club is one of my favorite movies). I'm also reading Young Adult novels- Scott Westerfield's "Extras" and Nick Hornby's "Slam". As far as comics go, I'm slowly making my way through "Essential Tomb of Dracula" book 1, and looking forward to picking up the other volumes.

Comic-wise? Herbie Archives, the Howard the Duck Omnibus, Ed the Happy Clown, Tomorrow Stories, and Swallow Me Whole.

Finished up Chopper: Song of the Surfer from 2000AD this morning.

Darkminds: Macropolis is next on the pile. I'll start that either tonight or tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing how Jo Chen handles interiors after becoming so accustomed to seeing her solely on cover duties.

Then, it's onto a trio of Morrison-era Doom Patrol trades (volumes 3 through 5).

I am currently reading a nonfiction book called Everything is Miscellaneous about how the old ways of organizing information to make it easy to find no longer applies to the internet - there is a new way of categorizing data that lets you put it into as many categories as you want.

I am going to read Outliers next.

I just bought Journey at a show yesterday! I haven't started it, but I leafed through, and boy, the art is super-Eisner-y. I also got Dan Clowes' Pussey (pretty funny, definitely worth a read) and Ghost World (so far, so good), some JLI issues (very fun), and some early American Flagg! (haven't ever read it). I re-read Watchmen, which made me decide not to go see the movie.

I'm reading the Canterbury Tales, and they are as good as one would expect. Getting into the Middle English language is actually pretty fascinating and well worth the difficulty. I was inspired to check it out by reading Shakespeare, recognizing that it would be an important source material, and by reading David Crystal's excellent works on English language.

I'm also reading through all of Vonnegut's work; I just reserved The Sirens of Titan from the library. I finished Mother Night. It was good, but a little non-descript.

I just finished reading the last Iron Man trade by the Knauf's, and I gotta say, that was all kinds of badass! I wish someone had told me how awesome that book was when it was coming out. I liked it so much that now i want to read the Knauf's externals, and i didn't like the Kirby or Gaiman version. Before anyone gets any ideas, I loves me some Kirby, but the externals were a watered down 4th world.

I bought Journey issue #6 and later in 4/$1 bins a little after the series ended, and caught-up from the beginning with the first Fantagraphics reprint. Even then, I knew it was a crime how little the market supported it the first time around. For those of you about to read the showdown between MacAlistaire and the wolf, you're in for a real treat.

Speaking of crimes, I also think it's a crime how little credit Sirens of Titans gets for how much Watchmen was built on it. The other-wordly invasion staged to unite the earth, and the invulnerable demi-god who can see the future but is still helpless to alter it. You take those away from Watchmen, and you don't have Watchmen anymore.

I just read:

RASL - I'm still interested in the story but not blown away by it so far.

Acme Novelty Library #18 - Even though it was still depressing, I actually enjoyed the issue! Though I'm always undecided as to whether I should read another issue (several months pass...Maybe NOW I'll like it...reads issue...several months pass...Maybe NOW I'll like it..., etc.). I just really, really want to understand why some people LOVE it so much. Maybe I just don't know enough about art.

Creepy Archives - I expected to enjoy this much more but found it mostly unsatisfying. Loved the art, but the short story/twist ending format didn't work for me. Anthologies are always so uneven.

Herbie Archives and Zot await me at the library.

Just finished volume 4 of "Y: The Last Man"

Reading (slowly) the first volume of "Casanova"

Me?
I'm currently re-reading the critically acclaimed graphic novel of all time, the Watchmen, refreshing my memories, in preparation of "watch"-ing the movie.

I'll just repeat what I said over at Tim's blog, because I'm a lazy, lazy man:

Finally finished my long reading of The Joke's Over by Ralph Steadman... mostly because I began it, read a bunch and then set it aside. It had its moments, but, much like Hunter Thompson's writing, it sagged during the late 70s through the early '90s.

Began rereading Kingdom of Fear by Thompson, which I read when it first came out and not since. Pretty decent.

Had a wonderful experience reading Fantagraphics' Sam's Strip collection for reviewing purposes.

Reread Skreemer by Peter Milligan, Bret Ewins and Steve Dillon, and like it more this time (and I liked it a lot the first time I read it).

I actually just finished re-reading Imajica last week, it still holds up. Currently reading REX MUNDI, an epic conspiracy adventure through 20th century alternative history European esoteric occult politics. Jesuits and Freemasons and Inquisitors oh my!

I just finished reading The Surrogates (which I liked), and Final Crisis in one sitting (it works a lot better that way).

Currently, I'm 2/3 of the way through Fool by Christopher Moore. For those unfamiliar with his writing, his books are funny, with fantasy elements (demons, vampires, etc.), kind of like an American Terry Pratchet.

Journey is one of my favorite comics. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Juisarian: Good to see someone else is reading Rex Mundi. It's my favorite comic.

Mike: The Surrogates movie is coming out in October, so you're timely. I read Moore's Lamb and enjoyed it. I've been reading reviews that say Fool is wildly uneven. But I might check it out at some point.

Like many, I'm currently re-reading Watchmen before it comes out next week and just starting on the Bone One Volume Edition

Currently re-reading Essential Uncanny X-Men vol 1, and Mutant X, and also reading for the first time some mid-90s Cable that I picked up in a back issue bin (consider me a masochist if you like).

I also recently re-read the first 6 or so issues of the Tick, and am thinking about continuing with that - one of my all-time faves.

I'm in the Volume zero of Fantastic Four Visionaries: John Byrne. it's fun, and it reminded me that I haven't read Marvel Team-Up in a long time.

I intend to jack myself out and spend part of my weekend re-reading Watchmen.

I'm reading 1421: the Year the Chinese Discovered America by Gavin Menzies (even though I know the theory and his "scholarship" has been roundly debunked) and volume one of the Kirby Fourth World omnibii.

You steal my idea AND get more replies?

You know what I'm reading? ALL YOUR REPLIES.

Me = Jealous

Now you're really going to punch me the next time you see me, aren't you?

Still just hugs!

And maybe a scissor kick.

I'm reading the original Hawkworld miniseries which is GREAT.
Why oh why hasn't this been collected?