Can We Talk Comics?

[Dave]

Has anyone read the New DC book Countdown? I wonder about folks opinion on it? What do you think about the direction that DC Comics seems to be headed? What about all the resurrections? And i'm not just talking about Hal Jordan... I want some opinions people. or do you not care at all?

[Dave]

here's what i think: Beware there be spoilers below maties! YARRRRR!!!!

I read the Countdown book last night after I had a few drinks, so I’m going to re-read it tonight, but my impression of it was that while it seemed well written and well drawn, there was one part that seemed to strike me as wrong. And that is that there is no way that Max Lord would cap Blue Beetle. And not only that, there is no way that his whole operation with the JLI was to make an “ineffective” league. I understand that there is a certain element out there that doesn’t like the Giffen era league, but why this senseless retcon? Max is pissed because the Big 7 took over the league and pushed him out… OK, I’d buy that. But not how it was scripted now. It just doesn’t ring true. And is it just me, or does any character that took part in the Giffen league is fair game for Deaths scythe. Let’s count shall we?
Sue – Dead
Ralph – Retired / Depressed loner
Capt. Atom – Dead
Beetle – Headwound Harry
Booster – Retired/hospitalized
Max - Murderer
I’m sure there will be more to come, Fire best watch that Brazilian Behind of yours….

I’d also like to know what you think of the Red Hood reveal to be Jason Todd in the newest Batman, why can’t we let the dead stay dead? I can understand bringing back Hal Jordan (although, the evil yellow cricket taking over his mind seems a bit of a stretch to me) as people have been clamoring for that since he went crazy and offed the GL Corp, but was there really anyone that wanted Jason Todd back? Isn’t he one of those few characters that work better dead than alive. I say that, as some one who wanted him to live in the initial vote. He’s my favorite Robin, but I don’t see the need for him to return to the land of the living. At this rate, look for Barry Allan to return by the end of this Infinite Crisis.

I’m thinking that the Infinite Crisis to me may be dropping most DC books and spreading that money around to Dark Horse and Ryall’s house.

[TLS]

I care!
Actually, no I guess I don't care because I have no idea what you are talking about. I don't know any of the comics you listed. Sorry.
Maybe when I become better educated on this topic I will return to this thread to talk about comics.
Truthfully, I came here because the little sad face next to the thread title told me too.

Did you like Countdown ?
Would you recommend it to someone who is somewhat new to comics? If so, then maybe I will look for it this weekend and return on Monday to make better conversation.

[Dave]

I thought that it was well written and well drawn. It's only $1 for 80 pages of story so it's not like it will set you back much if you want to go out and buy it....

[FanGirl]

I haven't had a chance to get my comics. As soon as I do, I'll let you know.

[karmattack]

I'm playing catch-up at the moment, going back for some trade paperbacks. First, I had to finish up Batman: The Long Halloween which FanGirl sent me (thank you, thank you, again), and I'm on the very last pages of Watchmen, then it's V: For Vendetta after that. Matt1 recommended the Preacher series, which I'm going to look into.

[Dave]

I'd also suggest the James Robinson Starman Series. It's almost completely collected as trades now. It's a very good Father/Son story wrapped in the cloth of superheroics.

[DangerSeeker]

Starman is one of the best things I've ever read. Just amazing.

[Jason_Brown]

I definitely enjoyed the first two TPB's of Starman, and I plan to buy more at some point. I think my expectations may have been raised too high, however, as I liked it, but didn't totally flip over it. Go figure.

I liked Preacher, but I often felt that Ennis was going over the top, for the sake of going over the top. I prefer his work on Hellblazer.

I'd love to plug one of my favorite '90's comics, Shade: The Changing Man, but I think only the first storyline (The American Scream) has been collected. Oh, well.

[Dave]

I think its always hard to overcome high expectations even when the material is excellent (which Starman definately is). Still the book has a great Family Dynamic going on, which gives it much more heart than your usual superhero book. In fact, it's that aspect of it that i like the best.

I agree with you on Preacher, i've sort of Soured a little on them as time passes, still a good book, but like you said a little over the top.

As far as Hellblazer goes, i think my favorite writer on that title is either Paul Jenkins or Azz... however you write his name. Mike Carrey started strong, but he has lost a little, i think with this latest issues, or it could be that the new artist has gelled with me yet.

Fanny, have you read the book yet, i am eager to hear your opinion.

[Jason_Brown]

I quit Hellblazer after Ennis and Dillon left (I followed them over to Preacher), so the only writers I'm familiar with are Jamie Delano and Ennis. Any recommendations on later collections by the authors you mentioned?

Did Preacher ever end/resolve? If so, I may have to pick up the rest of the series (I think I bought the first 30 issues, or so).

[Dave]

I got the book as single issues, but a little digging on Amazon produced the collected material. Both writers did about 40 issues of Hellblazer (like Jamie and Garth before them).For Azzarello, I would recommend Hard Time (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1563896966/qid=1112641429/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/103-6976282-7567852?v=glance&s=books) which is his first arc Hellblazer and Freezes Over (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/156389971X/qid=1112641429/sr=1-10/ref=sr_1_10/103-6976282-7567852?v=glance&s=books) which is my favorite Constantine Tale in a while.
I'll tell you that among the Hellblazer faithful there is torn opinion about Azzarello's Constantine, as he sometimes stands on the sidelines and lets the story happen around him, not the proactive guy that Ennis wrote, but i found that i like that. It was almost taking him back to his Swamp Thing more mysterious roots. Also, much of Azz's book takes place in the states.

For Paul Jenkins, there haven't been any collections made yet, but I'd recommend Hellblazer 120 (http://www.insanerantings.com/hell/comics/ongoing/hb120.html) which is the 10th anniversary issue and as good as any that Paul wrote.

If you are looking for a good Hellblazer website, try www.insanerantings.com (http://www.insanerantings.com)

[karmattack]

Kathy's friend Matt and I talked about this when I was in Cali. I brought up Invincible (http://newsarama.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=26697) and he hadn't yet looked into it, but he explained a bit of Starman to me. I'm definitely going to check it out. If memory serves, it's about the son of a "retired" superhero taking on the legacy kind of against his will, and after his brother (who wanted the legacy) took it on and was killed? Sounds good to me.

[Dave]

Exactly right. It's very solid and Tony Harris' art (http://www.jollyrogerstudio.com/) is great. I originally bought it to support a hometown guy, Tony, and ended up staying for the excellent story. James Robinson is really the man.

[Matt1]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Did Preacher ever end/resolve? If so, I may have to pick up the rest of the series (I think I bought the first 30 issues, or so).

[/ QUOTE ]
If you stopped at issue thirty, you missed about half of the series. I'd tell you about all the real, real, good stuff in that latter half, but that would ruin it for you. Go pick up the TBPs. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

[Dave]

Had the Meat Doll happened by issue 30? That's what sticks out the most as time passes.

[Matt1]

No, it hadn't.

[DangerSeeker]

Fans of Invincible should enjoy Starman and vice versa, since they're both good stories about young heroes, growing up with it in the family and trying to deal with family stuff, and neither tries to be tongue in cheek, but rather embraces being a superhero book straight up.

As for maybe taking a bit of time to get into it, it really is an 80-issue (plus specials) story. Much of the small detail in the beginning won't seem as cool until you go through the series again (which you'll eventually want to do). Before the final issue came out I reread everything up until then just to put off having to see it end.