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[BenjaminBirdie]

But Gaiman's Sandman isn't the original Wesley Dodd-Sandman. They are totally different.

The Sandman grew out of a proposal by Neil Gaiman to revive the 1970s Sandman series illustrated by Jack Kirby. Gaiman had considered including characters from DC Comics' "Dream Stream" (including the Kirby Sandman, Brute, Glob, and the brothers Cain and Abel) in a scene for the first issue of his 1988 miniseries Black Orchid. While the scene did not make it into later drafts, Gaiman soon began constructing a treatment for a new series. Gaiman mentioned his treatment in passing to DC editor Karen Berger. While months later Berger offered Gaiman a comic title to work on, he was unsure his Sandman pitch would be accepted. However, weeks later Berger asked Gaiman if he was interested in doing a Sandman series. Gaiman recalled, "I said, 'Um...yes. Yes, definitely. What's the catch?' [Berger said] 'There's only one. We'd like a new Sandman. Keep the name. But the rest is up to you.'"[4]

.

All those characters show up in Sandman. That's my point. Yes, it grew beyond that, just like Swamp Thing and Doom Patrol.

They're still superhero comics, as they feature superheroes.

Like I said, there's only one sensible way to categorize comics: GOOD and BAD.

To dismiss Umbrella Academy because it's a Superhero comic is like dismissing Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind because it's Science Fiction.

 

[gdt]

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree then. MM makes a two page guest spot (in his pajamas actually :lol), that doesn't give him any sort of importance or role in the story. He was no more notable than any other character Dream meets briefly.


An a related note, I'm about halfway through my reread of Sandman, and I'm loving it even more than my first time. It's my favorite comic book ever.

I might even spring for the Absolute Editions...

 

[gdt]

No one is dismissing Umbrella Academy though (I've read both arcs! I really like that book.), this is just a thread for non SH books. Thats it. It's not an attack.

 

[EviLore]

Yeah, I didn't want to be anal about Sandman being in the OP when I saw it there. There are DC superhero cameos a few times, but I wouldn't classify it as a superhero book.

 

[Fuzz Rez]

Finally got the first issue of The Choker... And it was sooooo gooood.gif
Loved the art and writing. I enjoyed the fact that this wasn't Blade Runner kind of wnb cyberpunk but genuine cyberpunk with 'em DNA injections and cybernetic modifications. (well it wasn't HC Gibson kind of Cyberpunk either but still...) Atmosphere really oozed from the pages and the few characters that were introduced were really great.

On the down side first issue didn't give too many glances of the futuristic world but I expect we will be seeing a lot more of it in upcoming issues. Also the main character looked bit goofy from time to time and it brought down the atmosphere a bit. I really would like that the art style would be more consistent from start to end. I also didn't like where the story ended

Spoiler

I mean vampires ? Come on!

Still it was a good number #1 issue and it left me wanting more.

8/10

"No, thank you, Ms. Gaynor. I'd rather fuck a faulty toaster"

 

[Fuzz Rez]

So, I'm going to start reading new comic series but don't really know yet what I should read.

I have narrowed down my options to these five series and yet I can't decide where to start. Help gaf :lol

- DMZ
- Preacher
- Walking Dead
- Scalped
- Transmetropolitan


Also would like to know if any one here has read A History of Violence if you have is it any good ? I did like the movie so I was wondering wheter I should also read the source material. BTW should I read Moore's From Hell ?

 

[gdt]

So, I'm going to start reading new comic series but don't really know yet what I should read.

I have narrowed down my options to these five series and yet I can't decide where to start. Help gaf :lol

- DMZ
- Preacher
- Walking Dead
- Scalped
- Transmetropolitan


Also would like to know if any one here has read A History of Violence if you have is it any good ? I did like the movie so I was wondering wheter I should also read the source material. BTW should I read Moore's From Hell ?

Minus DMZ (which I haven't read, but IIRC reception is mixed) those are all awesome choices.

While not my favorite there, Scalped is shortest, so knock that out first, I think.

 

[Sluiter]

You can't go wrong with Preacher, Transmet, Scalped or Walking Dead. Just spare yourself the disappointment of buying DMZ and seeing it deteriorate from a really cool concept with amazing art to where it is now.

Edit: Buy some Scalped trades to support one of the best running series at the moment. Indian Country is good but the second trade, Casino Boogie , has some really amazing writing. From there on it only gets better.

 

[Fuzz Rez]

You can't go wrong with Preacher, Transmet, Scalped or Walking Dead. Just spare yourself the disappointment of buying DMZ and seeing it deteriorate from a really cool concept with amazing art to where it is now.

Ok, I'm gonna skip DMZ. Too much mixed reviews and opinions about it. Don't have the money/time to invest into +50 issue comic series if it's not going to be kick ass from start to end :lol

I'm going to start with Scalped becauses so far it's only 33 issues and I have to say I really like the art of it. Then it's probably walking dead because of the compendium sets.

edit: I just ordered first three trade paperbacks of scalped. Gonna be reading them next week.

 

[Judderman]

OH MY WHAT'S THIS? is it a tease of a tease of an announcement? i've said too much!

BRACE FOR EPIC.

 

[gdt]

Ohhh.

Give me a date dammit!

 

[Thai]

is there no text or something?

yea, there's some very minor text...quotes from moby dick or the bible or something.

 

[HK-47]

lol @ Sandman being a superhero comic. Not only do most superheros only cameo (and then only in the beginning and ending volumes) but even when they are the focus, it usually has very little to do with doing anything superheroic (the Element Girl story is one obvious example).

Most of the comics I read are Vertigo or independent stuff. I occasionally read mainstream superhero stuff, but usually only self contained storylines or one shots. Getting into the canon multiverse isnt appealing to me.

 

[Costanza]

lol @ Sandman being a superhero comic. Not only do most superheros only cameo (and then only in the beginning and ending volumes) but even when they are the focus, it usually has very little to do with doing anything superheroic (the Element Girl story is one obvious example).

Most of the comics I read are Vertigo or independent stuff. I occasionally read mainstream superhero stuff, but usually only self contained storylines or one shots. Getting into the canon multiverse isnt appealing to me.

I like you.

Also OMG need to see SP #6 cover nowwwww

 

[Son of Godzilla]

Oh hey, a thread involving Scott Pilgrimm not about the movie. I finally read it a while ago. All five in like two days. As much as I loved them overall, I *really* didn't like the fifth book. Felt like a charade of itself for the first half and was way too enamored with it's timeline progression. Felt like half the cast had negative character growth too. Anihawk parading around with that terrible party party avatar just makes it sting worse.

 

[evilpigking]

Finished Chew tpb 1 and moving on to Unwritten tpb 1. Chew was pretty much all kinds of awesome. Not very far into Unwritten but it is pretty good so far too.

 

[gdt]

Yeah, Chew is totally awesome. And the second arc, running now, is even better.

 

[Fuzz Rez]

Shuddertown #1
Story by Nick Spencer
Art and cover by Adam Geen

The dead are killing, and troubled homicide cop Isaac Hernandez is on a desperate search for answers. His investigation leads him deep into the corridors of the Shuddertown housing projects, and towards a truth too terrible to face.

Format: FC, 32pg.
On Sale: March 24, 2010

Small notice for everyone. I had the privlage to read the first issue and it was off to good start. Still I'm personally swamped with my new comic purchases so I won't probably start with this but someone might be interested.

 

[Blackhead]

Are there works out there similar to Joe Sacco's book length comics journalism? I was going to recommend Guy Delisle and and maybe Guibert's The Photographer to a friend but on reflection the similarities are mostly superficial...

 

[afternoon delight]

Never knew about this thread. So many great suggestions and info. Must subscribe.

Just finished The Sandman series last week, are any of the spin-offs any decent? None of them looked worth checking out, but I might be wrong.

 

[gdt]

Never knew about this thread. So many great suggestions and info. Must subscribe.

Just finished The Sandman series last week, are any of the spin-offs any decent? None of them looked worth checking out, but I might be wrong.

Defintely check out anything by Gaimen (Death, Dream Hunters, Endless Nights, etc) and Lucifer.

I'm going through some spinoffs right now...

 

[Technosteve]

i just picked up Age of Reptiles: The Journey, it's a 4 part series that's just filled with incredible dinosaurs.

 

[Lafiel]

Never knew about this thread. So many great suggestions and info. Must subscribe.

Just finished The Sandman series last week, are any of the spin-offs any decent? None of them looked worth checking out, but I might be wrong.

Not really. The two "death" spin-offs were pretty average, and didn't do full justice to the character. Haven't heard to many positive things about the "Lucifer" series.
The "dream hunters" which is drawn by the FF artist "Yoshitaka Amano" is worth reading though. And although, it's not a comic book i hear good things about "sandman - the book of dreams" which is basically a set of short story's written by different authors.

Edit - You should read some of neil gaimans other work, as far as comics go - signal the noise & black orchid, mr punch are all good in their own way. And the books of magic are suppose to be pretty decent. (which also has cameos by sandman characters). Although, this probably doesn't fit the DISCUSSION of this thread. I loved marvel 1602 by him, which puts marvel superheroes in, you know, 1602.

 

[UrbanRats]

Anybody read "The Winter Men"? Is it to be considered super-heroistic stuff?

 

[HK-47]

Never knew about this thread. So many great suggestions and info. Must subscribe.

Just finished The Sandman series last week, are any of the spin-offs any decent? None of them looked worth checking out, but I might be wrong.

Yes. Read Death, though it is much more toned down compared to the main series cause they are only short three parters and because Gaiman seems to specifically avoid revealing too much about Death (or any of the other Endless really). Death consistently gets awesome and hilarious dialogue though. If you count them as tie ins, Lucifer and Books of Magic are worth checking out. Dream Hunters and Endless Nights are essential I think and also liked the Dreaming though it focuses on the other inhabitants as opposed to Dream and the Endless (could be good or bad to you).

Also most of the Sandman Presents stuff is pretty good. Thessaly and Bast in particular. Very little of the Sandman stuff isnt at least decent.

 

[Blackhead]

readyourselfraw.com has been down for a while... I don't think it's coming back

Edit: I scrapped their "classic manga" recommendations a while back. It's a good list worth checking out

 

[Blader]

Not really. The two "death" spin-offs were pretty average, and didn't do full justice to the character. Haven't heard to many positive things about the "Lucifer" series.

I read Death: The Cost of Living a little while ago and was pretty underwhelmed by it. Is "Time of Your Life" any better?

 

[afternoon delight]

Dream Hunters and Endless Nights are essential I think and also liked the Dreaming though it focuses on the other inhabitants as opposed to Dream and the Endless (could be good or bad to you).

I don't know if I could pick between the Dreaming and Endless as a focal point, they're both so engrossing/interesting to me. I'll definitely be looking into them.

Also, as an X-Files nerd, I read the first and second volumes at the library. While it was nice to imagine their voices, they aren't really good. In fact, they're mostly second rate episodes you wouldn't have cared about on television. And they're incredibly short. So, I wouldn't recommend them.

 

[Fuzz Rez]

Got time to read while I was banned Finished first five TPB of Scalped and man it's great. Cliffhangers after cliffhangers, can't get enough of it. First I had some troubles to get into it but after first issue I couldn't put the book down :lol

Also got first TPB of Transmetropolitan and I have bit mixed feelings. I liked the futuristic Hunter S. Thompson alias Spider Jerusalem. Awesome character. I also liked the world of Transmetropolitan but the first TPB didn't have continuing story arc so I haven't bought the second vol. yet. Don't know when or if I will buy it. Really liked the first part with the transients but rest off the stuff where pretty lame. Humor was the only thing that kept me reading it.

The Walking Dead wasn't my thing. I got vol.1 and I had hard time going through it. Don't know what put me off but I just didn't like it. Not going to continue with it... Maybe it was the setting. Modern day with zombies has bee done in other medias so many times that I'm just not interested. When there is zombies in the dark ages or in wild wild west let me know

The Criminal (deluxe edition). Awesome x100.

Blue Spring. Didn't like the art but the stories were decent.

 

[WascallyWabbit]

The Walking Dead wasn't my thing. I got vol.1 and I had hard time going through it. Don't know what put me off but I just didn't like it. Not going to continue with it... Maybe it was the setting. Modern day with zombies has bee done in other medias so many times that I'm just not interested. When there is zombies in the dark ages or in wild wild west let me know

The Criminal (deluxe edition). Awesome x100.

Blue Spring. Didn't like the art but the stories were decent.

I agree with you on Walking Dead, Kirkman is one of my fav writers and i can't really get into it even though i can see it's good writing. Maybe I just don't like zombies though.

Has anyone else read The Losers? The vertigo series that's gonna be a movie soon is pretty amazing IMO. Jock's art is polarizing but i really enjoyed it this time. Finally got a chance with this series and was totally blown away!

 

[Costanza]

Anyone pick up Turf #1 this week? I got it but haven't had a chance to read yet.

Looked great from the WD preview a couple months ago.

 

[IrishNinja]

so many great books in the OP, dont know how i missed this thread.
man, i forgot all about American Virgin...was enjoying that, then the rush-job ending shat all over itself. ugh, most forgettable Vertigo title for me since American Outlaw or whatever that shit with the Glenn Fabry covers was.

 

[Chuckie]

kabuki used to be one of my favorites. Great artwork.

 

[BaronLundi]

Question to comics-gaf ? How is "100 bullets" coming along ? I liked the first TPBs a lot but stopped halfway because (1) i was skint and (2) the story got a bit too circumvoluted and confusing to my liking.

Now that it's (almost?) finished, is it worth picking up again ?

 

[IrishNinja]

its actually been done for a while now. its a great book, and yeah you need a wiki to keep up with its growing cast, but...personally, i thought the ending was rushed & disappointing as shit for such a good series. then again, no Vertigo endings in recent years are gonna top Y The Last Man for me.

 

[BaronLundi]

its actually been done for a while now. its a great book, and yeah you need a wiki to keep up with its growing cast, but...personally, i thought the ending was rushed & disappointing as shit for such a good series. then again, no Vertigo endings in recent years are gonna top Y The Last Man for me.

Ok thanks, I think I'm gonna dive in again. As long as the ending is not as painful as the Invisibles...

Have to finish Y as well. Can't believe I picked up issue # 1 when it first came out and still haven't read it all. Will make for a great back-to-back reading session !

Different issue : if anyone knows how to import Stray Bullets and the latest issue of Eightball in Europe, I would be grateful. Those stuff are almost impossible to find here (not "Miracleman" impossible but still very pricey).

 

[Jak140]

Question to comics-gaf ? How is "100 bullets" coming along ? I liked the first TPBs a lot but stopped halfway because (1) i was skint and (2) the story got a bit too circumvoluted and confusing to my liking.

Now that it's (almost?) finished, is it worth picking up again ?

It's been finished for nearly a year now. Stick with it; the colors get significantly better in the third book which I felt made it a lot more readable. It's a good read, though it can feel a little dense at times. The story all eventually comes together and plot lines that at first seem totally unrelated start to weave together around the seventh book. I did feel the last scene of the final issue lacked some resonance because the relationship being mined for an emotional payoff was underdeveloped, in part, I think because Azzerrello held the cards of a certain character's motivations too close to his chest for too long. But don't let dissuade you from reading the series; almost all of the main characters are well developed and Azzerrello clearly had a plan and knew where he was taking the series from the very beginning, which is rare in serialized storytelling. Also, once the colors improve in the third tpb, Risso's art really starts to shine. I think the ugly colors in the first few books really put me off the series at first, but by the sixth book things really started to come together and I was hooked.

 

[Combichristoffersen]

I read Death: The Cost of Living a little while ago and was pretty underwhelmed by it. Is "Time of Your Life" any better?

Personally I thought Time of your Life was pretty meh compared to The High Cost of Living, but you might like it more than I did.

Edit: And the Lucifer spinoff is kinda meh too. I don't think there's any Sandman spinoff that's really awful, but quite a few of them are mediocre and not really all that interesting.

And although, it's not a comic book i hear good things about "sandman - the book of dreams" which is basically a set of short story's written by different authors.

It's kinda eh. Not bad, not really good either. Not required reading unless you're a hardcore Gaiman/Sandman fan.

 

[Costanza]

so I just started reading Hack/Slash

Love this book. Cassie is awesome.

Just read the one with all the comic writers getting murdered. I wasn't expecting Robert Kirkman to be in it :lol

 

[Vyer]

Is Ellis' SUPERGOD a new work or a reprint of some sort? It seems like someone referenced it as though it's been around a while, but this is the first I've ever read of it. Been enjoyable so far.

And did someone say there's an Unwritten TPB?!? Damn, I have to get that.

Any word on when we can expect the second Chew TPB? I'm planning on only buying the trades.

 

[Costanza]

And did someone say there's an Unwritten TPB?!? Damn, I have to get that.

Any word on when we can expect the second Chew TPB? I'm planning on only buying the trades.

Yep, that Unwritten trade collects the first 5 issues.

Chew TPBv2 is May 26th.

 

[Vyer]

Yep, that Unwritten trade collects the first 5 issues.

Chew TPBv2 is May 26th.

hmm. Amazon has the Chew preorder for 9 bucks

EDIT:

just read the 3 issue Grant Morrison mini We3... jeez

I just looked this up. It sounds like it could be really awesome and horribly depressing. :lol Not sure if I'm gonna give it a go.

 

[jdogmoney]

So I just finished Y: The Last Man.

It's...it's really good, you guys.

 

[gdt]

I have my issues with the ending of Y, but yeah, as a whole it was awesome.

 

[AgentOtaku]

Hey just discovered this thread when running a search for DMZ.
Basically been playing alot of inFamous and learned that Sucker Punch drew some inspiration from it. Wanna check it out but the mixed reviews put me off. I'll at least buy the first TPB...

Also, guess I'll pimp this:

I'm only like 2 issues into Vol.1 but the artwork alone makes it worth checking it out.
also, the psp/PS2 game kicks all sorts of ass

 

[Costanza]

So you guys, Hack/Slash is fucking amazing.

I'm like 7 issues into the ongoing now after finishing the one-shots. I love it so, so much.

 

[afternoon delight]

Is anyone keeping up with the newly started American Vampire? The story and those involved has me intrigued, but I don't even know what a comics store looks like, let alone how to find one. Anyone heard any good words about it?

 

[Costanza]

I loved the first issue last month. About to read #2 right now actually.

Re: finding a comic shop... http://www.comicshoplocator.com/

 

[afternoon delight]

Re: finding a comic shop....

Holy hell, just found one two miles away! Thank you!

 

[ChubbyHuggs]

Bigger Picture: Character Cast

The mice struggle to live safely and prosper among all of the world’s harsh conditions and predators. Thus the Mouse Guard was formed. After persevering against a weasel warlord in the winter war of 1149, the territories are no longer as troubled. True, the day to day dangers exist, but no longer are the Guard soldiers, instead they are escorts, pathfinders, weather watchers, scouts and body guards for the mice who live among the territories. Many skills are necessary for the guard to keep the borders safe. They must find new safeways and paths from village to village, lead shipments of goods from one town to another and, in case of attack, guard against all evil and harm to their territories."[1] They are not simply soldiers that fight off intruders; rather, they are guides for the common mice looking to journey without confrontation from one hidden mouse village to another. The Guard patrols borders, finds safeways and paths through dangerous territories and treacherous terrain, watches weather patterns, and keeps the mouse territories free of predators. They do so with fearless dedication so that they might not just exist, but truly live.