Comic Book Resources

Regarding Marvel Omibus spinal issues…

I’ve got 9 or 10 Marvel omnibi at the moment, and I’ve learned it’s not necessarily the page count that does those books in. The larger volumes (FF #1 and #2, Uncanny X-Men) seem to hold up just fine. Whereas the only omnibus that I’ve had immediate problems with is the smallish Death of Captain America. Which makes me wonder whether Marvel cheaps out the binding on the smaller books.

Thanos>Darkseid. this is true

- Matt Fraction’ may be the first time I’ve ever enjoyed Thor – and that even includes Ellis’s “Worldengine,” which was…interesting? But not particularly “Thor-y.” (And I tried with Walt Simonson’s run, it just didn’t hit me.)

- What’s Brubaker’s track record on team books, just his x-men run, or am I missing something? (Granted, I didn’t read his X-Men run, because “space-faring x-men” isn’t really my thing, but how bad could it have been?)

- Other than Ellis’s two books, I’d say “Damnation’s Flame” is a pretty good intro to Hellblazer, since it starts the way a LOT of Constantine stories do – him putting himself back together after a previous misadventure, NOT horribly depressed, expecting some downtime, and getting the exact opposite.

- Doctor Doom could NOT beat up Wonder Woman. OK, now YOU discuss.

How many issues are required for something to be considered a run on a book?
12- brief run
24- decent
36-good
48-classic
72 and up- godlike

For all of you complainers, it could have been worse (in your view, at least): the Sentry could have acted like a real psychopath and had sex with Ares’s remains after tearing him to shreds.
Or Bendis could have written the whole issue consisting of the Sentry’s random thoughts.

Dr. Doom could beat up Wonder Woman. Discuss.
The same Doom who has been repeatedly bitch slapped by Susan Storm?

I’ve listened to The Wall by Pink Floyd all the way through.
How about Ummagumma.

I’m beginning to think that “Daredevil: The End” would just be Matt Murdock as a criminal mastermind. Or a mass murderer. Or it would be 22 pages of him brooding on a ledge in the rain before jumping off. Good times.
How about being framed by the kingpin and nearly killed? Iron Fist assuming the identity of Daredevil? Or getting sent to jail? Or becoming leader of the Hand? Or the women he loves being murdered?
Wait a minute…

I have the Death of Captain America omnibus and (although I really love the story) I can’t understand why it’s an omnibus (with an omnibus price). Yes, it’s more than 12-13 issues, but not much more- it doesn’t look like an omnibus to me (same with the Immortal Iron Fist omnibus and the upcoming Invincible Iron Man by Matt Fraction omnibus).

Chad, being a fan of the Marvel deluxe hardcovers, Criminal, Sean Phillips, and Val Staples, have you read the Criminal: Deluxe Edition hardcover? That is a thing of beauty!

America Fuck Yeah is the greatest song on any soundtrack ever. I listen to it all the time when i work out.

I would say a run consists of simply more than one story, within a relatively short period of time (so something like Milligan’s Dark Knight/Dark City and his fill-in two hundred issues later wouldn’t constitute a run).

I really didn’t care for Fraction’s Thor: Reign of Blood. Upon review, I’m surprised to see that that was the last thing he’s written that I’ve read, and it came out in Aug. ’08! So much for him being one of my favorite new writers. I can’t wait for more Casanova!

I loved Alice in Sunderland. What was the problem? I’ve not read nor am particularly interested in Alice in Wonderland, but I found that book extraordinarily entertaining (though I am the type who is intrigued by a byzantine 250-page lecture in comics form).

Oh, also, does that Criminal hardcover have all the backmatter from the single issues?

I reread Hellblazer: Haunted on Friday and I think what I enjoyed most this time was the stuff about London that Ellis included throughout the story.

I just love the tone of Haunted, perfect for the story, and for where the character is at in his life.
After this and Azz’s run, the other writers so far have all seemed so weak to me.
Carey with just having big bad magic up in the foreground, Mina’s run which was just boring and been done before, and Diggle having to have the character remake himself and act like he did again in Moore’s days.
Ellis and Azz are better writers than the other, but man, it’s like they didn’t even try.
(Milligan’s has started alright – not keen on the art – but I’d like it to get a lot more messed up… Full body scabs and aborted fetuses running around just aren’t enough for me!)

Of characters Ellis introduced,I liked Watford the best.
There was a character with great potential, and some really messed up lines.

I’m not a big fan of Carey’s work on the book, including All His Engines.

All His Engines is a big step up from the rest of the mess that was his run – I stopped out of sheer boredom – but it still reads like Delano lite.

I think Delano should get more props from people as a whole for turning an American comic book into a big rant about his problems with the British government.

same with the Immortal Iron Fist omnibus and the upcoming Invincible Iron Man by Matt Fraction omnibus

At the shops near me, it’s a fair bit cheaper just to buy the trades than the Iron Fist omnibus.

I wonder if it’s just certain books, or that common comic maneuver, of releasing a new format packed to the gills, then slowly stripping it down with less and less every few months.

Oh, also, does that Criminal hardcover have all the backmatter from the single issues?

Despite the back cover saying it includes the essay’s, it only includes two of them, and a short story, written by Brubaker.
He explains it that the essay’s are written by friends of his, as a favour, and so he didn’t want to exploit that favour by reprinting them… I just wish they hadn’t mentioned it on the back then.
Phillip’s art to accompany all the essays is in there, and it’s very pretty, but it’s a big tease, as you really want to read those essays.

There’s a short comic they did for CBLDF and a whole bunch of stuff from Phillips taking you through his progress though.

I finally read the second story to Sleeper – having read the first in trade, and not getting anymore… yet buying the omnibus anyway, cause that cover is cool – and I can finally see why people rave about the book.
Not quite sure why they rave to the extent they do, or why people were screaming it’s name from the rooftops after that first arc, but I’ll definitely be keeping up with the series after reading that.
Massive Attack’s latest album and Portishead’s third album made a good soundtrack to that comic.
(The Massive Attack one also works well with DMZ, while if your not playing a Portishead album whilst reading Sandman Mystery Theater, your denying yourself one of life’s great pleasures).

IMO, a run is anything where the writer/artist is signed on to a book for an indefinite time frame. That can consist of hundreds of issues or as few as none. Anything where creative staff is temporary is a guest spot or fill-in. So, basically, if a creative team is announced as being the new ongoing team, they’ve created a run, even if they get booted or the book is cancelled after one or zero issues. Those are just easy runs to complete ;-P

[quote]Thanks for reading, people respected readers who I view as complete equals to me in every way![/quote]

You only view us as compete equals?! Haven’t you ever heard the phrase the customer (or reader in this case) is always right?! We’re obviously your betters, and you should acnowledge us as such!

Sounds like someone hasn’t read much Wonder Woman.

” the upcoming Invincible Iron Man by Matt Fraction omnibus”

I never saw the word “omnibus” in the solicits for it. I think it’s just a deluxe HC.

Of course Doctor Doom could beat up Wonder Woman. Why?

He’s a master villain and she’s… that’s it. She’s a woman.

Random Thought! Zodiac is just another Last Defenders, isn’t he?

In just about every way. Part of me hopes other writers run with the Zodiac character, and part of me hopes they ignore him entirely because so few writers could do him justice. And, surely, most of them would try to give him some kind of heartbreaking origin story nonsense.

Random Thought! Joe Casey is an interesting fella.

A new Spurgeon/Casey interview was long overdue. After their lengthy chats in 2003, 2005, and 2007, I waited all last year for a new one. Glad it’s finally out.

“Something comics and wrestling have in common: an unhealthy obsession with the past and the inability to let characters or people go.”

You can go ahead and add video games and movies to that list. So many rehashs, remakes, spin-offs, prequels, and various other cash-ins are all over the respective markets :/

For the record, I don’t necessarily think Dr. Doom could beat Wonder Woman… it was a discussion topic… I picked two random characters… I thought comics fans like those discussions…

For the record, I don’t necessarily think Dr. Doom could beat Wonder Woman… it was a discussion topic… I picked two random characters… I thought comics fans like those discussions…

You should’ve been more out there then, like George Sprott vs Asterios Polyp, or Charlie Browm vs Jimmy Corrigan – to the death!

I had to search the Google to find out what Permanent Damage was. How soon I forget.

Manglr — a lot of collected editions are printed in China these days because the cost is cheaper. Don’t know if that qualifies as “cheaps out the binding” or not. I also saw mention somewhere that some books will be or may be printed in Korea, but I haven’t seen any as yet.

I’m pretty sure Asterios’ snobbish distain would take out George in a grudge match. Whereas Charlie brown’s buried aggression will tko Jimmy two minutes in the first round.

But George wouldn’t care one whit about Asterios’ opinion of him!

He’d either turn him around with a story, or put him to sleep with one.

I figure both Jimmy and Charlie would just end up forming a suicide pact.

Charlie Brown always loses. He’s Charlie Brown.

(Not so) Random Musings: Check out Kevin Smith’s Clerks 2 if you dare to see the Donkey Show.

(Not so) Random Musings: I like Delano, Ennis, Jenkins, Ellis, Azzarello, Carey, Diggle, Aaron’s Hellblazer.

(Not so) Random Musings: I’d rather buy Ellis’ Desolation Jones, Fell, and newuniversal, (would somebody PLEASE jump-start that old bastard!) especially if they’re monthly.

(Not so) Random Musings: It’s cold! It’s cccccc—-ooooo—lllll—ddddd—!!!! I hate Canada, sometimes!!!

(Not so) Random Musings: Not a Fraction fan, I am. Brubaker’s not so bad, sometimes.

(Not so) Random Musings: The reason why Doc Doom can beat Wonder Woman is ‘cuz everyone ELSE can beat Doc Doom and that being so, Doc Doom needs to beat somebody badly to regain his self-confidence.

> Random Thought! How is there not an Essential Alpha Flight book?

I’d settle for Alpha Flight Classic volume 2 (AND 3 !)

I also haven’t read Alice in Sunderland all the way through… I keep dipping in and out at random… Still love it though…

I agree about Marvel’s 12-13 issues Hardback collections… They seem the perfect way to collect a “mini-event”… I’ve got the War of Kings and Utopia collections, and because Forbidden Planet sell them for ~30% off, they are actually cheaper than buying the individual comics!! They look gorgeous, too!

“Random Thought! I miss Permanent Damage.”

I missed it when it was Master of the Obvious; before Steven turned the column into a political discussion platform. Perhaps he should have ended things back then? (Nothing against Steven. Nice guy, has had his share of good projects over the years.)

“Random Thought! Something comics and wrestling have in common: an unhealthy obsession with the past and the inability to let characters or people go.”

I guess. Is that why I no longer enjoy wrestling, either? LOL

I have more fun rewriting / booking shows where all the old farts are fired and I push the younger talent, or I find veterans from the minor leagues who barely appeared or never got to WWE / ECW / TNA / WCW level to fil the slots that the ‘stars’ I just trashed occupied. (Can we even count ROH or Dragon’s Den or whatever that’s called, seeing as only TNA and WWE have regularly aired national programming?)

Random Thought! Ed Brubaker’s track run on team books has me somewhat wary about Secret Avengers. But, his work with the other Avengers and Marvel heroes in Captain America: Reborn was good, so… yeah, I’ll be buying it.

I’d have to rephrase that. It’s Brubaker’s track record on the X team books that’s wary. C’mon…the whole time Steve Rogers was killed, the monthly Captain America book was nothing but a team book of Bucky, ‘Tasha, Falcon, and Sharon, and damn good too. When we get down to brass tacks, its the matter of having a writer that can do a good X team book is the matter. I think he was the wrong person suited for that franchise.

Theis book is a bit more heroic and not emo-mutant-y for Brubaker to work and handle. Also, it’s a Number One… there’s no major baggage to go along with the book to follow someone (well, aside from the overall story).

It’ll work.

Charlie Brown always loses. He’s Charlie Brown.

As opposed to the ultimate winner who is Jimmy Corrigan?

If anything, in the ultra-depressing look at Charlie Browns life that was Automatic Kafka #4, Charlie’s life was still better than Jimmy’s!

I missed it when it was Master of the Obvious; before Steven turned the column into a political discussion platform. Perhaps he should have ended things back then

Nah, the politics was awesome – he’s one of the most canny political observers out there.
He’s like a Ken Loach film – you think he’s gone over the top this time, then a year later, it turns out to be exactly right.

Also, it was way more than just politics, society as a whole.

I’d have to rephrase that. It’s Brubaker’s track record on the X team books that’s wary.

That Shi’ar Empire arc made me wary of checking out his work for a while, and with a writer as good as Brubaker, that’s saying something.

Massybe I shouldn’t have said anything. The problem is I was basing the statement on my knowledge of Charlie Brown, and I have no idea who Jimmy Corrigan is.

Massybe I shouldn’t have said anything. The problem is I was basing the statement on my knowledge of Charlie Brown, and I have no idea who Jimmy Corrigan is.

I don’t think any knowledge is actually needed, or goes into, a who would win ‘hulk vs Captain America’ debate, let alone who would win from these two slice of life, form experimenting, dramas.

(It was a joke question in other words).