What are you reading in February 2011?

I just finished Codebreakers. It's a pretty good thriller comic. It does seem like it was written to be a movie though....

Finished Superman: Earth One yesterday - which was not that bad.

And I am trying to get back into most of my usual monthly series after all the moving, missing months and so on - so probably will start commenting on these at one point.

Have some archive editions and Castle Waiting 2 lined up next (I was following it up for the most part but there is never a bad time to read it again and in order :) And I have a few things coming in the mail.

I can't believe I had never heard of Castle Waiting before... It looks great and not too expensive on amazon :)

Well - it's Medley's only project as far as I know - I stumbled at it almost by chance a couple of years ago

You might want to grab the first volume first - the storyline in the second one does stand on its own but the characters are introduced in volume 1 - and it is a fun read. I like it a lot - and the collected editions themselves are done really well as well. :) If you do not feel like fairy tales are for children only, you probably will like it. :)

And Codebreakers look interesting - together with a few of the other BOOM! Studios editions - somehow I had always connected BOOM only with their children imprint (nothing to do with me collecting Duck stories...), I should really look at their more mature lines I think...

I was looking for a good all-ages book to read so I'll give it a try. Plus you can't got wrong with a good fairy tale!

For the longest time I always ignored Boom! Studios but recently I've been reading a few of their titles and many have been good surprises.

Have fun - I hope you like it. :) Medley is officially on vacation from a while... I hope she will be back with more issues at one point. Especially now when she does have a publisher...

Looking at the Boom! titles available and I definitely will try them next time I get some more collected editions/graphic novels :) How did they manage to sneak in a Die Hard comics without me even realizing that is beyond believe.

Ended up reading Jason's Werewolves of Montpellier yesterday- it came in the mail earlier this week and I had put it in a strange place so almost forgot it.

If someone likes Jason, that one will be a treat. Full color (as most of the new ones), his signature style, the story is actually fun - what's not to like :) A bit too much talking for what I am used to from him but that seems to be what he does lately.

For a newcomer in the Jason works that one might be a bit overwhelming though - he tends to jump from one sub-story to another while following the life of the main character.

You're already sold on it, but I can't help seconding the recommendation for Castle Waiting. The first series is really good. I didn't know the second volume had been collected - I'm looking forward to it. If you're looking for other all ages fare, have you tried Bone?

Same format as the first one - slightly smaller than the original issues and in the same gorgeous hardcover format :)

Talking about Bone - had someone seen the colored versions and are they worth checking? I like the story a lot and had been thinking of picking up this version as well but still wondering if it is worth it...

Meanwhile I just finished The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec Vol. 1 which was kinda mixed-bag. I liked the art (it definitely shows its age (these stories were published in 1976 initially) and the whole premise but the storytelling was a bit strange (especially in the first story). I will be picking up the next volume when it is published but I am not quite sure of most people will like the first volume...

I did order the first volume of Castle Waiting. I'll let you all know how I like it :)

I love Bone! I do own the colored versions. I love the original black and white but the colours are really well done. I don't regret it.

Speaking of Bone, does anyone know if the other stories (the ones outside the main series), like Stupid, Stupid Rat Tails, are any good?

I have the black and white huge book (well - it is back home but that's another story). I think I will just order volume 1 and see how I like it colored.

No idea of the other stories though - never got around to reading it -- but planning to one of those days.

I'm a Bone fan, too, and that big one volume edition is a real bargain! I've liked what I've seen of the colored ones, too.

I wasn't as taken by Castle Waiting, but I certainly liked it enough to now want to read the sequel.

Adventures of the Magic Monkey Along the Silk Roads hit the spot for me, although I'm sure with its Buddhist themes it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea.

10210141::Return of the Dapper Men and 8618449::The Complete Essex County are up next.

edited to fix the touchstones

Just finished Hikaru no Go Volume 20, and am waiting on volume 21 from the library. Also giving 20th Century Boys a shot, volume 2 is on the way. I picked that one up after seeing it compared to Watchmen in scope and tone, and I'd thought I'd see how it measures up. It's interesting.

Reading the Empowered series by Adam Warren for a 2nd time. His books, although enjoyable the first time through, always deserve multiple reads. It's quite enjoyable, the way his stories are so interwoven from the get-go.

Aside from that, just started ドラゴンボール 7 and よつばと 5 this month. Takes me a while to get through those books though (they're my toilet and bathtub reads).

On top of that, my buddy just sent me a copy of Hicksville which looks quite interesting. "The best comic from New Zealand" as he claims.

>14 lampbane:

I do not think that 20th Century Boys is comparable with Watchmen - even in the tone. But it is an enjoyable read (at least the few volumes I read a few years ago)

On a side note: does anyone have any idea what Jason Lutes is up to these days? I am not sure if he even published Berlin #17... and it had been at least 2 years since Berlin 16...

I like 20th Century Boys. I'll agree that it's quite different from Watchmen. Still both are good for their own reasons.

I'm currently reading Happy! by the same creator (but I'm not sure if it's been translated in English, I'm reading it in French). Pluto was also pretty good. I should probably just say that I'll read (and most likely love) anything by Naoki Urasawa and leave it at that :)

>16 AnnieMod: I just started reading Berlin and a quick check confirmed 17 is the last one that came out and that was a while ago... I can always ask at the Drawn and Quarterly store next time I'm there. They might know....

>17 Gendy:

Are you sure that #17 was even published? I know it was announced and I can see it on the publisher site but beyond that - I had not seen it and none of my usual stores for comics know anything about it.

If you have one nearby, you might as well ask -- he was making some noises for needing 4 years for the last 8 issues but nothing about needing 2+ years for the next issue. Oh well - maybe one day he will finish that one.

How do you like Berlin?

I do not think that Happy! is translated into English -- I've read a few volumes from Monster and from 20th Century Boys and liked them so I need to get back and finish these series... and probably pick up whatever else he had written.

According to the D&Q website you can buy 17 online or at the store, but I didn't double check to make sure so I'm not 100% certain.

Their main store is in Montreal (where I live) but on the other side of the city, I go every month or so. I've been planning to go back soon-ish so I'll ask next time I'm there. As for Berlin, I'm enjoying it so far, I've almost finished the first collected volume and I'm planning to get the second one.

Yeah - I saw it there but noone else have it - and it won't be the first time a publisher has on sale the next issue before it is out... So I am not sure what's going on. :) If it really exist, I am probably putting in an order with D&Q...

I kinda like the later issues more than the first ones - although the whole series is good enough if you ask me.:)

At Mark's suggestion, I'm reading The Complete Essex County.

I loved Essex County!

I do have to admit I am guilty of Canadian bias :)

Let us know what you think of it.

Will do, Gendy. So far, so good.

Just started Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes. I have my eye on Asterios Polyp next.

>24 AygsWithLaygs: I thought Asterios Polyp was really good. It's a comic about comics without knowing it.

>24 AygsWithLaygs: Reading for the first time or rereading? :) Anyway - have fun with it -- Sandman is a very nice series.

Meanwhile I managed to read two miniseries this weekend:

Mystery Society -- a 5 issues miniseries by IDW published in 2010 and already collected in TPB - it was not bad -- there were some annoying moments, there were some enjoyable ones and the combination of psychic powers, Area 51, Poe's skull, a ghoul and a robot with Jules Verne's brain and a rich couple that can connect them all was worth the read. I wish it was a longer series though - it kinda picks up in the middle of the book and a second arc would have been probably even more enjoyable (not dealing with setting up the background). Full review in the work page.

And as part of my DCU catching up (due to all moving and so on I am kinda behind on what's going there -- I read the current ones so I know what happened but I still like reading how it happened), I went through the Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne issues. They will be collected in a hardcover (later this month I believe) but I have the single issues so just read them.

It's Morrison. I like some of the things he does but sometimes I wish he cut somewhat on the more experimental part of it. Don't get me wrong - I like most of his work - but sometimes it is just a bit too... strange.

Anyway -- the miniseries deals with the return of Bruce Wayne after he is sent in the past during Final Crisis (yeah - when they tried to tell us that he is dead - as if anyone would have believed that DC will kill him...). The 6 issues are portraying 6 different historical periods (pre-history, the times of the pilgrims and witches trials, The Wild West (Jonah Hex with the face of a major batman villain kinda made me chuckle), the Pirates (and Blackbeard), the beginning of the 20th century (or something like that - this period is never defined and there is a remark that the retro is in fashion that year) and the present time. I actually liked the first 5 issues (the sixth was also ok but it was not exactly one of the history ones) - the difference is just there... together with the similarities. And while he travels in time, he does not travel in space -- everything happens in Gotham (or whatever Gotham is at that period). Bruce is moved between the periods from the Sun eclipse and of course he has an amnesia (and keep having it occasionally) -- no surprises here --it just won't make a good story if he remembers everything from the moment he wakes up, would it. And while he is getting closer to the normal time, the Justice League (part of it travels to Vanishing Point where the time ends, part of it stays behind and tried to make a plan) is trying to find a way to stop him and/or save the world - whichever ends up being easier. Because obviously until he is alive, the world is in a big big trouble.

As we already know this story is in continuity, the world does not explode and all finishes well and Bruce is already back in Gotham later on alive and well. But Bruce dies - this time for real. And nope - no more Omega beams, time travels and so on. He dies. Plain and simple - normal human death. And then he is alive again - truly alive.

Note to self: Pick up the companion series for the Vanishing Point - that might help explain some of Morrison's strange explanations (or lack of) while part of the JL is there. Besides - that second series is done by Dan Jurgens and he tends to write in a pretty understandable way.

>26 AnnieMod: Quick warning about Vanishing Point, after the #3 (I think that was it...) it becomes much more of a Rip Hunter series than anything and the Batman connection is marely mentioned in the background. It's a good story but no the best at helping explain Morrison craziness.

Of course, I might mostly be saying that because I forgot the connections since RoBW came out a while ago and the #6 of Vanishing point came out last week...

>27 Gendy:

That's ok with me - I am not sure anyone can explain Morrison sometimes. :) But at least the few scenes from the Vanishing Point mission might start making some sense. One can always hope

Besides I like Jurgens. :) And Rip Hunter centric story will be more than welcome - DC is way too Batman-centric these days (better than Superman centric but still...)

> 26, just started. I'm enjoying it so far. :)

What are your favorite DCU ones? I grew up watching Superfriends, Batman, then Justice League on Cartoon Network. I know there's so many Batman-centered ones, I just don't know where to start.

>29 AygsWithLaygs: Some times I wish I can read some of these comics for the first time again :)

As for DCU - I am Warlord (actually lining up all the issues just now so I can read the whole thing in order) and Green Arrow fan. Which usually gives a wrong impression of the type of comics I like - both are kinda similar in a lot of ways.

I enjoy most of the heavy lifters in the universe (Superman and Wonder Woman being the exception in most cases - Clark is a tad too powerful (although the current monthly arc is almost a nod to the days past and I like it) and I never got the appeal of Wonder Woman).

I do enjoy reading Batman-centric stories (I usually read them all...) - I just need some different ones now and then. :)

PS: If you need DCU and/or Batman recommendations, what had you read already? :)

Just read:

Buffy Season 8 #40, the finale of the 3+ year "season". Liked this issue a lot, and looking forward to the beginning of Season 9 later this year. If only Joss Whedon would script *every* issue!

Scarlet #4. I love the Bendis/Maleev team so much I don't care that I'm paying $4 for a comic book.

The Guild: Vork. A silly one-shot. Only recommended if you are addicted to the web series The Guild. Which I am.

To be read:

Powers, Vol. 13: Z. The latest Powers collection from Bendis/Oeming. I'm interested to see how things proceed without Deena Pilgrim (my favorite character, retired in the last volume).

Madame Xanadu: Broken House of Cards. The 3rd collection of this Vertigo series. I hear the series has been canceled, but there should be a 4th collection forthcoming.

Motel Art Improvement Service, a graphic novel by Jason Little. I greatly enjoyed the several web comic installments I saw, and look forward to reading the whole story on paper.

Well - I like your taste in comics :)

Yeah - they canceled Madame Xanadu. About time for me to grab some of the TPBs - I had read singles here and there and liked it. Vertigo are good at collecting though so I think they will collect the whole series.

About DCU - if you want to get into it just now (adn haven't read it for a while), it is a big mess - all the previous crises cannot hold a candle to what is going on just now with the Final crisis aftermath and the whole Blackest Night/Brightest Day storyline (and we all wait for the next big event this year - Flashpoint)... So depending on which characters you want to read about and what is the last you read about them (if anything), some recommendations can be made -- not necessarily that current though...

> 32: I've never followed big events in either the DC or Marvel lines. I just follow a few odd series that seem to have mostly self-contained story lines: Zatanna & Madame Xanadu in the DCU; Daredevil & Runaways at Marvel. Exception: I loved Grant Morrison's "Seven Soldiers of Victory" maxi-series, though I waited for all the collections before I attempted it.

Don't you hate what Marvel is doing to Daredevil just now? :) Not that the miniseries is not nice but well... I miss the monthly series. (that's the only Marvel title I am following regularly)

Not following the big crossovers sounds like a good idea sometimes - although some of the series were nice.

Well - if you are game in giving the Dark Night as shot, I would recommend Batman: Year One and/or Batman: The Long Halloween if you had not read them. If you had - some of newish ones might also work - such as Batman and Son for example (which is where Morrison took over basically)

AnnieMod: I don't follow the monthly Marvels, I always wait for the trade paperback collections. So it might be six months before I see what you're hating in Daredevil :-)

Thanks for the Batman recommendations, I'll probably see if my public library has them. I have a strong dislike for Frank Miller's writing (just got too violent for me, though I loved his early Daredevil work), but I'm interested in the other books.

Ah - then we will discuss that in a few weeks/months I guess.

If you like the Halloween one, there is a sequel (kinda..) Batman:Dark Victory. If you don't - well - I can find some other styles.

And even if you do not like Miller, if the library has Year One - just look through it - it's a good story. Worst case scenario - you won't like it. :)

Have fun reading whatever you decide to try.

PS: And just because I can recommend it - if you do not mind Elseworlds tales and haven't read that one, check Kingdom Come - it's out of sequence, it has nothing to do with the current events, it is self-contained and it is as good as DCU can get (but don't read the introduction until you read the book itself - some days I want to kill someone for this type of introductions).

>30 AnnieMod:

I've read The Killing Joke, Batman: Year One, and Batman: The Man Who Laughs.

I need to start looking at names - edgewood - I really thought you asked for DCU above (sorry) - my recommendations stay anyway :)

AygsWithLaygs,

I'd say that Batman: The Long Halloween or Batman and Son might be a good idea if you want to try them. And Batman: The Dark Knight Returns if you had not read it. Batman and Son is actually a pretty good start if you want to get into nowadays Batman...

>19 Gendy:

Berlin #17 is really published back in November (just when I was moving so I think I simply missed it) -- and Lutes still says that he plan on finishing the whole story in 2012. So we'll see :) So Berlin #17 is ordered and I start being patient again

Awesome!

It always makes me sad when good stories get abandonned. I'm glad to hear it'll get finished. :)

Yep - especially something as good as Berlin :) And while I was at that and had to pay postage from Canada anyway, I also ordered the new one from Adrian Tomine.

I got Castle Waiting vol 1 today. I have never received a book that badly packaged/damaged from amazon. Looks like it's going to be a bit more time before I get to read it....

In better news I got a lot of good comics yesterday. A lot of Bat-Books.

I also got Marvel Adventure Super-Heroes. I'm really enjoying this all-age Avengers book (plus I love the idea of Sue Storm being in the Avengers). A few recent story decisions have annoyed me but it's still a good story. It's an interesting alternate (and out of continuity) story and I hope it continues.

Ugh. Amazon usually are not that bad :( Sorry to hear that.

TPBs or the current monthlies for the Bat books?

I know, I think that's why I'm so annoyedé

Monthlies :)
I got Batgirl and Batman & Robin and in the somewhat related to Batman, Birds of Prey and Knight and Squire (still not sure if I like that one)

Plus a bunch of non-bat titles

:) Mine are arriving a bit late but I am getting way too many of these as well...

It's kind of an addiction.

Also I read the Batgirl last night and it was great. Kind of a Valentine's day issue with Klarion the Witch boy. I'm not normally into Valentine's day specials but that one was really funny.

*glancing at my pull list* You think? :))

I have a few lined up for reading for this weekend - most of the Bat titles, some of the GL ones, some not entirely related... (but still DCU) plus a few independent ones. So probably will be going through them. That Batgirl had not yet arrived here but it might show up any time now I suspect :)

I read GL in trades but I do love that universe. I do read the Flash when it comes out on an almost monthly basis. This week was pretty good but not enough Rogues. I have this weird love for the Flash villains.

Every time I try to reduce my pull list I discover 10 new titles I want to try....

Don't remind me... :)

I cut one title, I add 5 and then when the next issue of the cut one gets published, I buy it anyway because I like finishing my stories. And I had kinda decided not to wait for trades on DCU (partially because I like the backup features when they have them and partially because I will buy some of the singles anyway so why not simply stay with them). So I stopped trying - I just keep adding.

I need to catch up on Flash (especially with Flashpoint coming) - I think the latest issue I got in the monthly was 2... or thereabouts.

When I moved a few months ago I canceled everything from my pull list - now rebuilding it again and getting the missed ones. I suspect I will be posting in the thread quite a while when I get around to reading them.

In the meanwhile I decided to reread the Warlord series from scratch - always liked it and it is as good excuse as any to pick up the few missing issues. :)

I've started rereading the Sandman series, which I've been meaning to do for a while. I'm hoping to read it straight through (but am easily distracted by new and shiny things!). This is also a good excuse to purge some of my single issues for trades.

Anyway, I finished Preludes and Nocturnes which I enjoyed more than I expected to. Over time, I guess it's crystallized in my memory as the "one that's not as good as the others". That's still true. There's some awkward stuff in there and it definately has the sense of it's creators trying to get into a groove. But overall, I still liked it. I've also been more into (certain types) of horror recently so I enjoyed how these issues create a feel of various horror sub-genres.

I've also been reading along with The Sandman Companion which is a set of interviews (mostly with Gaiman but also a few others) about the series which helps me appreciate the work a little bit more. It's not rigourous criticism by any means.

>50 AnnieMod:
And I had kinda decided not to wait for trades on DCU (partially because I like the backup features when they have them and partially because I will buy some of the singles anyway so why not simply stay with them).

I was really disappointed not to see The Question backup in the Batwoman trade. (That's not to say that Batwoman: Elegy isn't a great book.) My understanding is that it might be too short to collect separately but I haven't seen anything official.

>52 lucien:
They almost never collect the backup features... and when they do it is in strange books... had been like that for a while. So I do not even expect to see them.

I am almost sure that a lot of the backup features in the last years were never collected. Which is a shame.

And yeah - it is a bit too short for a separate book but they might put it in any book they decide to... :) One can always hope.

>>16 AnnieMod:, 17

I think it was Robot 6 that said something like, "People keep asking where the Watchmen for manga is." And then they went on to say 20th Century Boys is the closest thing. I don't think the two are really that similar, nor do I expect them to be, but I can already see where Robot 6 (or whomever) was coming from.

>52 lucien: The question backup is going to be collected. The trade is not out yet but I think it's suppose to come out sometime in the spring.

Although I agree that they rarelly do. I've got a feeling the Question is getting this treatment because Greg Rucka sells pretty well.

>54 lampbane: To be honest they are both great stories. I hope you're enjoying 20th Century Boys :)

>55 Gendy:

After you mentioned it... it is already published - The Question: Pipeline -- Collects stories from DETECTIVE COMICS #854-863

Your're right. It just went with what somebody told me and didn't research it. That'll teach me....

>55 Gendy:+

Thanks! I apparently fail at Google.

>57 Gendy:
I did not even know they are collecting them - so after you said they are I went hunting (to pinpoint a date):) Although you are right - Rucka... if he gives his grocery list to DC, we might see it published... in an Absolute Edition.

PS: I like Rucka actually - quite a lot... :)

The Complete Essex County by Jeff Lemire was a good one. Multi-generational Canadian family saga, heartgrabbing and memorable.

>59 AnnieMod: I would probably buy that grocery list :) I love his stuff.

>60 jnwelch: I'm happy to hear you liked Essex County. I love how Jeff Lemire writes his characters.

7 Psychopaths by Fabien Vehlmann - a team of 7 insane people is first recruited and then sent to kill Hitler. Sounds boring and cliched but actually it works pretty well and it even manages to pull off a twist ending. Sean Phillips's art does not hurt either). Full review in the work page if someone is interested.

>60 jnwelch:&61
I guess I should pick up that one..

> 62 Yes, you'll be glad you did. I wouldn't have picked up The Complete Essex County except for strong LT recommendations from people like Genevieve and Mark. It's over 500 pages (although they go by fast), so you'll want to pick a good time for it. Really well done.

I know that I will probably like it - it is more a question of remembering about it next time I am buying -- I just bought half the Amazon's Non-Marvel Non-DC Graphic Novels section (again) and I had decided that this time I want to try to read them before I buy anymore. Not that I will manage that but oh well - one can always hope. :)

Hah! I know that problem well.

It's hard - there are so many good ones out there.

I have 21 new ones in my cart already and the last ones arrived less than a week ago. :) I will probably decide not to get half of them but oh well.

If you're anything like me you will decided not to get half of them.... today. Tomorrow/Next week/Next paycheck however is a complete other story.

I keep telling myself I need to finish my comics to read pile before buying new comics....

Yeah - sounds about right

I finally got my copy of Castle Waiting (in good condition) along with Locke and Key Head Games (also in good condition). I'm really looking forward to reading both.

Blacksad was a good animal noir (hah!) featuring John Blacksad as the charismatic feline private eye.

I'm now reading The Return of the Dapper Men by Jim McCann, and Lost at Sea by Bryan Lee O'Malley, who did the Scott Pilgrim series.

@ 64, that sounds amazing. Which ones did you get?

>71 AygsWithLaygs: What I bought last time? Let me pull that list :)

Filthy Rich by Brian Azzarello (from the Vertigo Crime line)
Area 10 by Christos Gage (from the Vertigo Crime line)
Dark Entries by Ian Rankin (from the Vertigo Crime line)
Rat Catcher by Andy Diggle (from the Vertigo Crime line)
A Sickness in the Family by Denise Mina (from the Vertigo Crime line)
Noir - which is a collection of graphical short stories - half of them part of existing series, part of them independent

Footnotes in Gaza by Joe Sacco - Sacco is prejudiced and his own idea of the zone but if you account for that, hos stretching of the genre into the journalism field is phenomenal and I like it. And I never picked that one up (his latest)

The Killer by Matz - what can I say - I like European art and this sounded interesting
7 Psychopaths by Fabien Vehlmann - might be an American art but the writing is still French and sounded interesting enough - and it was - see the review)
The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec, Vol. 1 by Tardi - European and sounded interesting (and it was despite some issues - see review if you want)

Alice In Sunderland by Bryan Talbot - had been on my "to buy" list way too long
Lost Girls by Alan Moore - same...
The Arrival by Shaun Tan - same...
Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 by David Petersen - I honestly cannot say why I never picked up that one earlier

Irredeemable: Volume 1 by Mark Waid - Figured out I can check it
Chew, Volume 1 by John Layman - I am still not sure that's my type of reading but I will give it a shot.
Sweet Tooth by Jeff Lemire - I know that this is kinda my style but I never picked up the series in individual issues so I will read the first volume collected and figure out if I stay with the TPBs or start getting the individual ones.
The Walking Dead Book One - for some reason I never picked up that series so time to check it.
Madame Xanadu - no excuses. No idea why I never got around to picking it up. I know it is a series I will like. I just never got around to it.

Incognito by Ed Brubaker - I like Brubaker.
Some Ennis stuff - The Pro (I think I've read it back in the day but I was on a roll so just added it as well), Just a Pilgrim, Crossed, volume 1, The Complete Battlefields, Chronicles Of Wormwood, 303

Beasts of Burden: Animal Rites by Evan Dorkin - sounded interesting after popping up as a recommendation in Amazon
The Nightly News by Jonathan Hickman - sounded interesting
The Amazing Screw-On Head and Other Curious Objects by Mike Mignola - sounded interesting
Mystery Society by Steve Niles - sounded interesting and was a good read (see the review if you want)

Mome 20 - I don't like some of what they publish but it is always an interesting anthology

(Continued in next post because the touchstones start being a pain)

Continues from above:

Global Frequency by Warren Ellis- sounded interesting
The Complete Ballad of Halo Jones by Alan Moore - uhm... it was there and I had not read it so added it was.
Lucifer, Vol. 1 by Mike Carey - haven't read it (all of it anyway - I think I had read one of the later volumes), sounded interesting

Capes Volume 1, Invincible The Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1, Brit, Vol. 1, The Astounding Wolf-Man Volume 1 and Haunt, Vol. 1 by kirkmanrobert::Robert Kirkman - decided I can as well check the other series by Kirkman while I am in Walking Dead checkup-mode

Autobiographix - the collection from Dark Horse

Nat Turner by bakerkyle::Kyle Baker - someone mentioned it. I decided to check it.

Usagi Yojimbo, Book 1 - I was picking up good series I had missed so time to check the rabbit. I've read a few of the later volumes and I like it so...

Add some manga..
Ayako by Osamu Tezuka
Black Jack, Volume 1 by Osamu Tezuka - I like Tezuka so figured I can try another of his series.

MPD-Psycho Volume 1 by Eiji Otsuka - sounded interesting

Path Of the Assassin Volume 1: Serving In The Dark, Samurai Executioner Vol. 1: When the Demon Knife Weeps and Crying Freeman, Volume 1 by Kazuo Koike - same like Tezuka - I like the style

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Vol. 1 - back in print - had been waiting for that to get back in print for a while

Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms - you cannot beat that name

Battle Angel Alita, Vol. 1
Trigun, Volume 1
Vagabond, Vol. 1 (VIZBIG Edition)
Gantz Volume 1
Gunslinger Girl Omnibus 1
Gunsmith Cats Revised Edition, Volume 1

These above just sounded like something I might like.

Black Butler, Volume 1 - picked it up on a whim - something caught my eye.

Add to that a few Archive editions I picked up earlier this year and in December and my usual single issues and I think I am NOT buying graphic novels for a few months. Until I decide I need volume 2 of one of all those volume 1 above most likely :)) Which may be sooner than I thought but I am planning on trying to not buy a new one until I had read most of the above

PS: As I said - I bought half non DC and non Marvel section at Amazon. :) And I will be posting as I go through them in the next weeks/months.

PS: As for the reading this week - I am on a business trip so no paper books (besides the few I picked up at the airport and non is a Graphic novel) - part of the reasons I bought Kindle :)

I did read a few single issues just before leaving though (will comment when I am back home tomorrow and grab the pile).

Wow! That's one heck of a list, AnnieMod.

You certainly have some of my favorites listed, including Alice in Sunderland (inventive), The Arrival (beautiful), The Walking Dead (hard to put down story), Usagi Yojimbo (fun - read this one with my son for years), and Vagabond (great art, great story).

Looking forward to your reactions to those and others.

#72

I read Lost Girls recently and it was an amazing, unique experience.

That's a pretty interesting list of stuff.
I tend to like the Vertigo Crime line and I do like some of the ones you picked (I read Rat Catcher recently). Noir was also interesting.

I'm trying to pick all the Bédé in the 7 series but they are so expensive in Quebec. Their interesting and I recommend checking the other ones out.

Beasts of Burden is brilliant :) I hope they do more soon.

I don't know if you've read it but by the same creator as MPD Psycho there is a series called Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service. I like it even better.

In any case there is a lot of very awesome things in that list (Madame Xanadu love!). It also made me add a few things to my comics wishlist. A few of those I had not heard of...

>75 jnwelch:

When I am on a roll for buying books, I get carried away a bit - as is obvious :) And the fact that I would buy a book simply because it is there and sounds a bit interesting does not help much :) And Amazon is damn good with those "Customers that bought that bought also" lists :)

>76 LolaWalser:
Yeah - it was out of print for a very long time and I was not in the mood for paying $100+ for it secondhand. So when it showed up again, I simply snatched it. I had been aware of it for a while so I know what to expect - now need to find a silent afternoon and read it :)

>77 Gendy:
For the 7 series - I am on the whim of BOOM! studio or whoever else will be translating these - I do not speak any French.

Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service will need to get in my list next I guess :)

The few issues I read last weekend (before the business trip mentioned above):

Witchfinder: Lost and Gone Forever (part 1 of 5) (Dark Horse) -- I definitely like Severin's art... :) The issue is starting a miniseries so it is more a background setup and backstory but it still manages to pack a church where some bad things had happened, a bar fight going really bad, a stranger that somehow ends up in the right place at the right time and a cliffhanger at the end of the issue. It is a self-contained story as it seems (no previous knowledge is needed and I doubt that it will tie in any of the currently running Mignola's books) -- even if it is credited as #6 in a series, it does not need the previous miniseries. That's the only bad part in reading single issues - now I need to wait for #2 :)

Hellboy 51 and Hellboy 52 - The Sleeping and the Dead (parts 1&2 of 2) (Dark Horse) - if you like Hellboy, you will probably like that one. Old vampires, strange demons and Hellboy needs a backup. I am not sure if you need to know anything bout Hellboy besides the basics to understand that one - as almost all stories for him, it is mostly self-contained. I liked it... need to get some of the older ones that I had missed :)

DC Universe Online Legends #1: Legendary - Lex being an idiot. Brainiac being his usual scheming lying self. Lex having a backup plan (and managing to betray an ally). Cameos and appearances from a whole lot of DC heroes and villains. So far so good for a first issue in the series -- let's see what follows.Surprisingly long for a DC issue (30 pages of story).

Daomu #1 - one of the new series from Image - picked it up last time I was getting my weekly comics. I am not a great fan of the art but it is not that bad - and it grew on me a bit while reading the issue. Based on a Chinese novel series, a translation of the name would be Tomb Robbers. Nope - noone is opening graves (not yet anyway). Sean had grown in USA with his mother when his Chinese father makes an appearance... and is being killed. Sean decides to figure out what that was all about and here we go, we have a series. The first issue is mainly preparation work -- it ends with Sean seeing the first strange thing (and not showing to us -- that's how the issue ends). I am picking up a few more issues - it has a potential... then will see.

Finished Batwoman: Elegy today and loved it. Thanks to lucien for recommending it some time back (I'm always more than a little behind....)

>80 sweetiegherkin:
You're welcome. Glad you enjoyed it.

Now I'm on to a scholarly look at comics with Reading Comics: Language, Culture, and the Concept of Superhero in Comic Books by Mila Bongco.

I'm just starting Buddy Does Jersey. It's occurred to me I might just love anything Peter Bagge does.

83: Yes!! Peter Bagge is a comic genius.

I'm another one who liked Batwoman: Elegy - one of my favorites from last year.

I just finished Return of the Dapper Men by Jim McCann, and am not sure what to say about it. Beautiful art, and an intriguing story that I may understand better upon re-reading. Time stopped in Anorev, and that wasn't a good thing - kids and robots meander about without purpose or understanding. The return of the Dapper Men changes everything.

A number of reviewers have called this a "classic", and it may be. It certainly was an interesting and enjoyable read.

I've been hooked on the Hellboy graphic novel series that Mike Mignola did about a decade ago. Unfortunately my local library has them in pieces but they are definitely an interesting read.

>86 akhepburn:

He keeps doing them :) Sometimes other people contribute but we see Mignola's stories quite often :)

Finishing up Simone's run of Wonder Woman with the trade of Wonder Woman: Contagion. Also rereading Batwoman: Elegy while waiting for the new series to reeeeaaalllly start in April (damn you DC).

FYI: Hicksville was really good and I totally recommend it to people who appreciate the art of comics.

Now, back to reading the Adventures of Tintin :)

89: Yes! Hicksville is one of my favorite graphic novels ever.

>>89 ACGalaga:,90 Thanks for bringing up Hicksville. It's new to me and looks good.

I finished Bryan Lee O'Malley's Lost at Sea. Pretty good g.n. about a girl dealing with estrangement and a lost romance. Written by the Scott Pilgrim author when he was 24.

Now I'm a ways into Joss Whedon's Fray.

Yesterday I opened up 11 months worth of comic book shipments from Things from Another World. I ended up with 71 issues to plow through. I think I'll start off by catching up with Northlanders.

>93 DaynaRT:

11 months and just 71? You have better restraint than me. And Northlanders is worth catching up with...

I am starting to line up my pre-order for May (the March Previews) and I am getting overboard again...

Just back from the LCS - needed some boxes and bags/boards and ended up buying some comics as well... - some old issues I needed, some series I was trying not to buy but could not resist when I went there. Oh well... Need to start organizing these so I know what I still need.

I don't know if it's restraint exactly...

I don't have an LCS, so I have to do all my comic book browsing, and picking, and choosing, and ordering online. I think it's caused me to become very picky and overly cautious about what I buy.

So, all caught up with Northlanders. Not sure what to start on next. Here's what I've got in my TBR stack:

i zombie
Sweet Tooth
Fables
Victorian Undead
American Vampire
Daytripper
DEMO
Sparta USA
The Walking Dead
Jack of Fables

Well - my subscription service is online (I moved from Bulgaria in November - no LCS there so I am used to working with them so I keep it there) - and ever since I am here I decided that I can as well pick up a few more books... I tend to experiment a lot and I hate dropping titles - so imagine the result of both things.... And the discounts for the preorders are based on overall amount of money so sometimes I will add a title to move to the upper level. The problem is - I am at the highest level usually lately... :)

Fables is always good. Daytripper gets quite a lot of good publicity but haven't read it yet. And I do not follow most of the series you listed...

Northlander is one of those series I keep meaning to read but never do.

How is Sparta USA? I've heard a few things about it but no actual review.

Yay another Daytripper reader! I think I was the only one getting it at my comic book store...

My theory when it comes to my list is that as long as I don't look at it, I don't have to acknowledge how much stuff I'm getting....

I think Sparta USA is a lot of fun. I got the first issue free at a convention; it was different, so on to my pull list it went.

And Daytripper....so wonderful.

>97 Gendy:

Check Northlanders - it is mostly independent stories in 1 or a few issues so you should be able to get into it easy. Or pick up the first TPB.

Nice theory and it ties to my theory that if I get enough boxes and get all books in them, I do not buy too much. :) Dunno for your numbers but 71 is less than I get in a month these days (back issues not counted)

Wow. Mind if I come over and read for a day or three? ;-)

Let me organize them and pick up the missing ones (the moving kinda screwed me up so I still catch up) and you are welcome :)

And I need to start reading (and posting about) them :)

I need to remember to pick up the Northlander trade next time I see it.

I'll check out Sparta USA. I didn't realise it was a Wildstorm comic... Hopefully that won't make it impossible to get.

I actually need to get a new box... or two.

I got three today. I think I will need a few more shortly (as in - as soon as I fill these and find out that they are not enough). I have a perfect place for short boxes in my walk-in closet (there is some space there that I simply have no use for... and it fits short-boxes almost to a perfection

In the meantime my Q&D order showed up as well :)

And I am looking at all these that DaynaRT mentioned. :)

PS: Wildstorm (especially the universe but the non-universe ones as well) is a pet project of mine - I am trying to collect everything from there these days.

>102 Gendy:

PS: If you cannot find something up north, let me know. I do not mind picking it up with one of my usual shipments and then shipping it there for you (if you do not want to deal with an online retailer that is)

Thank you! I'll let you know if I'm ever unable to get something up here :)

I've added so much stuff to my list of things to buy just by reading this thread. So much stuff to get.

*smile*

And I had not even started posting about the ongoing series I read... :))

But yeah - I keep adding as well... Some days I wonder why I bother to choose and don't just pick up everything (and the answer is that I can probably not afford it and I cannot find the time to read it all... the March preview has 444 comics listed (I think) (even if you account for special reprints and what's not, I think there are at least 300 published in May).

Do you guys catalog your single issues here, or anywhere else? I have been using comicvine.com for about a year now, but I don't really know what else is out there that's geared towards comics.

I just started over at my other account ( http://www.librarything.com/profile/Annie_comics ) - it is not very comics friendly but I like LT and prefer to have everything in one place...

Before that - I have some in this account, some were in an Excel table, some were on index cards...

Excel table!

I actually also have an account on Comic Book DB. I haven't used it in about a year though so it's not up to date. I don't dislike it but something about it annoys me and I'm not sure what.... I keep hoping to find something I really like but so far nothing beats my excel table :)

I don't like LT for issues but that's just a personal preference.

Excel table cannot keep reviews (which I fully intend to do... uhm... that's the plan at least) :) Besides - with all this traveling and what's not, I need it online.

LT is really not comics friendly but it is not Bulgarian languages books friendly either and I was dealing with that just fine.

It's kind of sad but whenever I update my excel document I save a copy in my e-mails (basically I have a draft with an excel document in attachment) so I can access it at all time... I also use to carry a copy on a USB key but I kept forgeting the key... It's not a perfect solution and it works for me.

I've seen a few people use LT for issues and it does work just fine. In my case, it's just a matter of preferences :)

:) Yep.

If I ever stop fixing series and so on while adding my issues, I might have a chance at catching up :)

I don't buy single issues any more but if LT does progress to 1) handling short story anthologies and 2) a more robust "other" author system* I would catalog the individual issues that make up trades. Right now, I put all the pencillers, inkers, etc. as other authors for the trade but that can be an unwieldy list and it's difficult to judge the relative size of contributions (doing one issue vs doing seven of the eight issues). It would be nice to be able to do that by issue.

* Right now all I want is an author page that shows the other roles so I could go to Todd Klein's page and see all works for which he was the letterer.

I decided to try out this comic collection software. So far, so good. I like how it can sync with an online version too.

I looked into that one before and wasn't sure about it. If you don't mind, once you had a chance to try it out, let me know how it is :)

Well, I went ahead and bought it, if that tells you anything. ;-) I found a $10 coupon, so I figured it was a good deal. I really like how you can add issues manually or use the Diamond database to add in batches, automagically.

Adding in batches. I really need to be able to do that :)

Also thank you for linking the coupon! I think I'll check the free trial and see how it goes.

I guess I might as well try that one as well

And looks like they have a free trial. Hm... I think I am trying it :)

I finished Sparta USA. Not bad for a 6 issue run. I also finished DEMO which was superb. I think I'm becoming a big Brian Wood fan.

Had you read New York Four (and the currently running New York Five)? It is different but.. it is Wood :)

I love DEMO and I'm going to see if they are doing a SPARTA USA trade (otherwise I'll go issue hunting)

I would like to second the New York Four and Five series. Actually I would like to second pretty much anything by Brian Wood :)

And now that I'm back from work, I'll go investigate the Comic Collector database. Setting it up right before leaving for work was probably not the smartest thing I ever did... I've been curious about it all day....

http://connect.collectorz.com/users/anniemod/comics/
I don't really need the desktop version (I think - for now at least) and the online seem to be fully functional anyway

*sigh* I am on my way home to actually play with it but I love it so far :)

>121 AnnieMod: I haven't yet, but I think I better soon!

>122 Gendy: I have issues 3-6 of Sparta. I can send them your way if you'd like.

>123 AnnieMod: I've been playing with both :)

>124 DaynaRT: Thanks for the offer :) I do want to investigate a possible trade but I'll let you know.

>125 Gendy:

According to my sources, the TPB is not published (and noone really knows if it will be). I am ordering all issues as we talk so if you need me to throw in doubles of copies 1 and 2, between me and Dayna, we can get you the whole series :)

Well I e-mailed my friend who works at my local comic book store to see if he can get them for me. If it's okay to wait 1 day (not sure how the ordering works) I can let you know tomorrow if I'll be ok to get them.

Thank you for the offer :)

There is nothing time sensitive (that's a fill-in order - just back issues I had missed) so yep, I can wait :)

>120 DaynaRT: DaynART If you're becoming a Brian Wood fan, Local is my favorite of his, and you'd probably like it. Someone else mentioned New York Four, another good one.

You guys have me adding all of Wood's stuff to my subscription list at TFAW.com! ;-)

>130 DaynaRT:
:) Right. I was going to ask you how you like your subscription there. I am at mycomicshop.com - which I like but it has its quirks :)

Oh I love it - I've never bought comics anywhere else, so I can't really compare it to any other experiences.

:) I had been buying bits and pieces from a lot of places but I am usually gravitating towards MCS (and my subscription is there) :) We need to compare notes I think but probably I will send you a PM :)

>130 DaynaRT: Let us know what you think of the Brian Wood stuff :)

Also I'm jealous of your online subscription sites. The online Canadian one I know is more expansive than my local comic book store...

>134 Gendy:

I used MCS from Bulgaria while I was still there (that's why my sub service is there now - I am used to them) - but we have no comics shops in Bulgaria so it was either a sub service like that or nothing (or paying retail prices + shipping).

I usually manage to get the Platinum Discount on my sub service which is 30% on most titles (a bit less on some publishers) (yes, I know I am buying way too much stuff) so noone locally can beat the prices... even with the shipping thrown in. And I do not mind getting the comics a few days/a week late -- I do not have an walking distance LCS anyway :)

And I do not mind getting the comics a few days/a week late -- I do not have an walking distance LCS anyway

I love being able to delay shipping until there are a whole month's worth of comics to send. It saves on shipping (under $5 per package!) and it's nice to have a big stack to read all at once. :)

I still wish there was an LCS around though. The closest is a 40 minute drive away. I think I might find more titles to read if I could browse in person and flip through the pages, etc.

>136 DaynaRT:

I can do the same but I an getting mine weekly. Which still gets me enough reading material (and it is $5 flat rate per shipping regardless of the order size (the flat shipping fee is just for the sub service) which combined with the discount still leaves me better than going locally).

I have 3 LCSs in a 10 mile radius - but I do not drive (I have a license but I hate driving and I do not need a car at the moment so...)

Don't worry - you will find more to read when we all start posting more about individual issues (note to self: post about the reading from the last 2 weeks).... :)