Give Thanks!
Happy Thanksgiving to all our American listeners and readers. As a little celebration, I thought it would be nice to see what comics everyone is thankful for at present. What books brighten up your day every time they ship?
For me, there are a handful of Marvel titles that are really singing right now. Incredible Hercules has got to be the best thing either of the Big Two are publishing at the moment, although it seems to be sailing under a lot of people’s radars. It’s fun, it’s action-packed, it’s doing big, epic stories with little nuggets of juicy characterisation and it’s got the best double-act in superhero comics front and centre every issue. It’s also now got an Agents of Atlas backup strip, just to tip it over into completely awesome.
As a New Warriors fan, Avengers: Initiative is essential. It doesn’t hurt, of course, that it also features a load of other B-to-H-list Marvel heroes and villains, which as a devotee of OHOTMU are my bread and butter. Dan Slott and Christos Gage have done first-rate work with this book.
Marvel’s cosmic books, Nova and Guardians of the Galaxy, are hugely enjoyable and do a great job of topping the previous month’s cliffhanger every issue. Bring on Realm of Kings, I’m ready for it.
Over at Image, Chew is wickedly entertaining and full of great twists, Elephantmen is one of the most coherent worlds in comics, Viking is inventive and compelling stuff and Phonogram has some of the best examples of the craft of comics in the field today.
DC’s Detective Comics blows my mind every month. The stories are first-class Bat-books fare, and the art shows what you can get it your artist is never content to rest on his or her laurels. Scalped is the best Vertigo book going at the moment (alas, poor Young Liars), and Jason Aaron deserves all the good reviews he’s been picking up – pick up his Ghost Rider run in tpb to see the best stories that character’s ever been in.
Lastly, I have to mention The Goon – Eric Powell’s stories manage to be laugh-out-loud funny and get-choked-up sad at the same time, which would be some achievement even without his gorgeous artwork.
That’s what I’m thankful for at the moment – what about you?
I’m thankful for 2000AD, natch! Where else will you find a comic character who’s aged in real time for the past 32 years?
Also thankful for Incredible Hercules, the Marvel Adventures line and any other comics that are unashamedly kid-friendly.
And thankful for Oishinbo, tasty cooking manga!
From Marvel, Incredible Hercules is great, pretty much the perfect blend of action, drama and comedy. SWORD for two stories a month of alcoholic space dragon and robotic Hannibal Lecter. Jason Aaron’s made Ghost Rider as cool as he seemed when I was 14.
From DC; Detecive Comics has beautifully illustrated crime/street superhero stories. J.H. Williams III seems to get better every issue. Three pages of Batman & Robin made me love a Batman story without Bruce Wayne which is something I never though would happen.
From Dark Horse; Beasts of Burden has cats and dogs so well drawn that they trigger my allergies fighting supernatural evil.
I am thankful for The Works, which makes it possible for me to afford to read about 75% of the things that I do. I did, however, wreck my back buying Dave McKean’s CAGES (reissued next year) from them, so it’s…it’s bittersweet.
I am also thankful for’t Internets, which bring unto me the free comicky stylings of Dinosaur Comics, Achewood, NPWIL, Complex, and the rest.
Making comics is pretty good, too, I guess. Lonely, but good.
//\Oo/\\
I think Phonogram is one of the most inspired comics I’ve read in a looooooooong while.
And based on what you and Paul have said, I have picked up the first Chew trade.
‘Batman and Robin’ and ‘Detective’ from DC
‘Amazing Spider-Man’ from Marvel
‘Creepy’ from Dark Horse, and ‘Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories’ from Boom!
Al – I love the Marvel Adventures books, particularly Marvel Adventures Super-Heroes. Dormammu must always pay exact change!
Matt – Cheer up fella! The Way of the Comicsist is a hard path to walk.
Thomas – Glad to hear it on Chew, I hope you enjoy it.
I’m thankful for Secret Six and Batman & Robin. I’m thankful for the continued existance of The Boys, but I suspect I’m in the minority there.
I’m also thankful for X-Men Forever. All the Claremontisms I remember from my early teens, none of the procrastination over plot threads. Plus they killed Wolverine, and they seem to have meant it!
Ooh, Secret Six, yes, I forgot about that. Come on DC, get those trade paperbacks out a bit more quickly!
PAUL MAC MAOILEACHLAINN WILSON, I TELL YOU YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
…I like Ennis/Robertson’s The Boys. I sometimes feel like I shouldn’t – like it’s so mean-spirited that I should probably get hypnotherapy and a passport – but I keep going back for more…
…the girl who works in the Waterstone’s where I buy my The Boys is flirtalicious, which helps.
(Seriously: never have two strangers flirted so well over the subject of loyalty cards)
(which is another thing to be thankful for)
(Al; what I need is to marry an artist)
//\Oo/\\
The Boys is meanspirited and I think sometimes I should hate it. But then Ennis let’s a moment of genuine warmth out and it’s all the more poignant for it’s surroundings.
And much as I love the Morrisonian attitude towards “realism” in superhero comics, I think that painting Superheroes as essentially reality stars with godlike powers is as valid as any portrayal I’ve read.
I think I’m most thankful for Adventure Comics, which is just beautifully written and drawn every month.
Basically, I’m thankful that Bruce Wayne is dead and Superman has left Earth, because it got me reading all of the Batman and Superman books regularly for the first time and I’m enjoying the hell out of just about all of them (the one I really don’t like is the oddly beloved Batman and Robin, which is incoherent crap with terrible Philip Tan art). Red Robin is terrific, Batgirl is terrific (which is amazing considering I’ve never liked Stephanie Brown before), and even Supergirl is good for the first time ever.
The only reasons I have to be thankful to Marvel are named Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, and Peter David. They’re the only guys writing anything at Marvel that interests me right now (and even X-Factor is starting to lost my interest).
And, as always, I’m extremely thankful for The Walking Dead.
PHONOGRAM, CHEW and FINAL CRISIS in particular, this year, I think.
And SEAGUY! Definitely SEAGUY.
I am thankful for Criminal. I caved in and bought the Deluxe Edition from Sean Phillips at Thought Bubble, and re-read those first three arcs over the weekend. It really is a stunning comic, so intricately put together, with great stories and beautiful art.
I don’t buy new monthlies, just TPBs. THerefore, I am thankful that:
• The last volume of Planetary is finally scheduled;
• Kabuki: The Alchemy is available in paperback (I will be buying it next week);
• I am rereading the Grant Morrisson run on X-Men.
-jonah hex
-rasl (when it comes out)
-amazing spider-man
-criminal
* Hercules and all the DnA cosmic stuff, natch
* ASM – weekly (almost) Spidey goodness!
* Thunderbolts – a cast of nobodies!
* Booster Gold – yes, I’m surprised too
* The Unwritten – so far anyway, it’s flagging a bit now
* The Boys – when it isn’t too puerile
* The Walking Dead – it’s getting good again!
Dark Avengers: Ares. SWORD. Invincible Iron Man. And, as always, Phonogram.
I am simultaneously loving my Dark Reign-related reading list, and hating that Marvel’s hired all these great people to suck me into the mega-crossover. “Stark Disassembled” and The Singles Club both sport the nicest trade dress on the shelf, too, which doesn’t hurt. Jamie McKelvie, Rian Hughes, and the like are bringing some much-needed design sense to covers these days.
I’m thankful for:
* Captain America
* Fantastic Four
* Incredible Hercules
* Thor
I’m thankful for Scalped, Criminal/Incognito (whichever comes out), and Chew.
I loved SWORD’s first issue, and if it keeps the same high quality I’ll definately be thankful for that.
I’m thankful that Ultimatum is over, with no sales boost to the Ultimate line. The last thing I wanted was for Loeb to be given more terrible crossovers to write in the case that Ultimatum turned out to be profitable.
I’m thankful for X-men Forever and Wolverine Weapon X. These comics are just plain FUN to read.
Secret Six, Wonder Woman, Scott Pilgrim, Empowered, Locke & Key, and the local Library for letting me read so much for free.
I’m thankful for The Complete Battlefields, which I read last night. Hopefully there’s a volume 2 forthcoming. Who knew the best comics of the year would be published by Dynamite of all people?!
I (as a cheap-ass student) am thankful for good value-for-your-money comics; naturally, this means I can never ever buy a single monthly / pamphlet / rag / what-have-you, also all those big fancy hardcovers (50$?!), or some otherwise outrageously priced items (why is Human Target: Final Cut 20$ is it printed with Milligan’s blood?).
So I’ll be thankful for Scud: The Disposable Assassin: The Whole Shebang, which is 30$ for 24 issues. I haven’t read it and I’m not sure if I’ll like it but worse-comes-to-worse it can still be affectively weaponized.
Also – just now discovered Sandman. Rocks.
I’m thankful that manga has come to the West to give us a break from the overly masturbatory superhero genre.
I’m right there with you on [i]Incredible Hercules[/i]; my other favorite right now is [i]PS 238[/i]. And I’m thankful that [i]Astro City[/i] is coming back to something like a monthly schedule.
I am thankful for the New Mutants getting their own book again. I’m also thankful that it is being competently written by Zeb Welles.
I’m thankful for X-Factor, even more so now because that time travel storyline seems to be finally over.
I’m thankful for X-Men Forever, because Cyclops is off the team, Wolverine is dead and Jean Grey is still alive and kicking. : )
I am thankful for Thor. The story has my attention, the artwork is amazing and I can’t wait to see Doctor Doom and Loki get their butts kicked.
I’m thankful for
Scalped (Fcking bleak, fcking great), Incredible Herc (even if art’s a bit inconsistent and now it’s incorporated Agents of Atlas my little geeky brain is overjoyed), The Walking Dead (how do they keep it so compelling every month when so many other titles jump the shark before the first year is out), Detective Comics (gorgeous), Jonah Hex (the 6 parter that just finished was a bit uninspiring, but as a rule I love my monthly western fix)
I’m thankful for Guardians of the Galaxy, Amazing Spider-Man and reprints of 80s GI Joe.
Everything in Marvel’s Cosmic universe right now, for starters. The two ongoings are always among my favorites, and the minis have been good, too.
Captain America. Yeah, it’s not as good as it was during the Death Of… arc, but it’s still top-notch.
Thankful that Wolverine finally has a talented writer working on him for an extended time in Jason Aaron.
Goon is the best comic ever produced.
As for current comics I’m thankful for:
…well, not much really.
I admire Doc Voodoo and Deathlok for featuring bitchin’ 70’s C-Listers, but tbh they’re only so-so quality.
Dark X-Men is pretty good, and the fact that both Mimic AND X-Man are revived- well, that’s just icing on the cake.
I’ve also been surprised by Necrosha X. It really brings out the fanboy in me.
Guardians of the Galaxy is alright, not as spectacular as everyone says though. Needs more Killraven 🙂
Oh, and how could I (almost) forget– Immortal Weapons! This is awesome. I wish a new Iron Fist ongoing would pop up soon though, because as cool as the other weapons are, Danny Rand is the man.
I’d also been enjoying WildStorm’s WildCATS and StormWatch World’s End books, but poor sales have dictated the end of these runs 🙁
SW is cancelled and Gage is leaving WC. Damn.
Lessee…what else…
oh yeah- the Marvel Masterworks! Definitely thankful for those 🙂
I’m generally thankful that, all things considered, this was a damn good year to be a comic-book geek.
More specifically, I’m thankful for Age of Bronze, Elephantmen, Chew, Usagi Yojimbo, Detective Comics, Proof, Cavalcade of Boys getting a new GN out, and Unwritten.
I’m thankful for Tiny Titans. I’ve had a lot of people bring their little kids into my shop looking for something to get them reading, and Tiny Titans is always a hit. Not only that, most of the adults I’ve suggested it to also really like it; particularly those who watched the Teen Titans cartoon from a few years back.
I’m thankful that Blackest Night hasn’t produced a single bad issue, yet. As a retailer, it makes it easy to tell people to buy everything, and as a fan it makes it easy to want to read everything.
I’m thankful for Spider-Woman. It’s got the tone and feel of Alias, which is something I’ve been wanting more of ever since Jessica Jones’ book was cancelled.
And I’m thankful that House to Astonish is back on a regular schedule. I look forward to listening to you guys every two weeks. Over the last year, you’ve become my favorite podcast. So… good job! Keep it up.
(Apparently there’s another Thomas out there, and I blinked first.)
I’m thankful for Agents of Atlas and Runaways. Admittedly these are two books that Marvel canceled this year, but it’s clear that Marvel sees the value in the two concepts and the talent behind them, considering how many chances those books received in the past.
Agents of Atlas is getting the back-up feature to keep it in the public eye, and I’m confident we’ll see a Immonen/Pichelli relaunch of Runaways early next year.
I am thankful for Rucka/J.H. Williams/Hamner’s Detective Comics, Vertigo’s The Unwritten and Fables. I am also thankful for Geoff Johns, who makes it cool to feel excited about DC Comics. Finally, I am grateful for Al & Paul’s perspective on the industry!
If I had to stop buying comics, the only one I would miss is Secret Six. The most consistent, funny, wicked and action-packed comic out there.
Green Lantern Corps is great fun too, more than the main GL book who drags its storylines too long for my taste.
I don’t buy Detective Comics because I’m waiting for the hardcover. Rucka and Williams is the dream team.
Can someone tell me how to do this part in a simple webdesign creation?
How do i align paragraphs to the left, AND justify them? (webdesign)?