Comics Phase Fourteen

[Jaxom 1974]

Absolute titan of the industry (no specific pun intended).  George Perez was one of those creators who brought people back to comics when they didn't know they were missing out.  I won't say I've read everything by him, but it was mostly because of him that I learned to look at what I was reading, not just read it...

[Fez]

I've been thinking about trying to give comics/graphic novels another shot as an entertainment medium. I read the recent Harley Quinn spin-off issues based on the animated show. And they weren't great, but they weren't terrible either; and they got me interested in trying something more again. The problem is, it seems hard to find one that interests me. I don't care about superheroes, I prefer epic/sweeping stories to more personal ones, and I'd ideally like one with a strong female protagonist, though that's not an absolute requirement. So far I've got:

Saga;

Monstress;

Red Sonja (the new Dan Abnett run, I like him from his 40k work);

Nocterra

On my list. Does anyone have any thoughts on these?

I should note, I have previously tried Sandman and Fables years ago and didn't like either one. And considering how well-regarded they are in the field that would seem to suggest comics just aren't for me. Which is maybe true. But I have read Jeff Smith's Bone omnibus and I really liked it a lot, so I think there must be something else for me.

[Nictarion]

24 minutes ago, Fez said:

I don't care about superheroes, I prefer epic/sweeping stories to more personal ones, and I'd ideally like one with a strong female protagonist, though that's not an absolute requirement. So far I've got:

Saga;

Monstress;

Red Sonja (the new Dan Abnett run, I like him from his 40k work);

Nocterra

On my list. Does anyone have any thoughts on these?

Saga is one of my favorite ongoing titles right now. It took a super long hiatus, but it’s finally back. I’m a big fan of pretty much everything I’ve read by Brian K. Vaughan. 

One of his other books Paper Girls might interest you. It has 4 female protagonists. And the comic is much less character focused than the recently released Amazon adaptation. 

[hauberk]

10 hours ago, Fez said:

I've been thinking about trying to give comics/graphic novels another shot as an entertainment medium. I read the recent Harley Quinn spin-off issues based on the animated show. And they weren't great, but they weren't terrible either; and they got me interested in trying something more again. The problem is, it seems hard to find one that interests me. I don't care about superheroes, I prefer epic/sweeping stories to more personal ones, and I'd ideally like one with a strong female protagonist, though that's not an absolute requirement. So far I've got:

Saga;

Monstress;

Red Sonja (the new Dan Abnett run, I like him from his 40k work);

Nocterra

On my list. Does anyone have any thoughts on these?

I should note, I have previously tried Sandman and Fables years ago and didn't like either one. And considering how well-regarded they are in the field that would seem to suggest comics just aren't for me. Which is maybe true. But I have read Jeff Smith's Bone omnibus and I really liked it a lot, so I think there must be something else for me.

I would suggest taking a look at just about anything by Greg Rucka - Black Magick, Gotham Central, Lazarus (though the publication schedule has been painful for Lazarus Risen), Old Guard, Queen & Country, Stumptown and White Out. 

[Jaxom 1974]

@Fez

It isn't an epic, it isn't sweeping...but Terry Moore's Strangers in Paradise has elements of noir, comedy, love...it's just some of the best stuff...his follow up stuff is really good too, but not the same as the first series...though he interconnected them all later on...

[hauberk]

2 minutes ago, Jaxom 1974 said:

@Fez

It isn't an epic, it isn't sweeping...but Terry Moore's Strangers in Paradise has elements of noir, comedy, love...it's just some of the best stuff...his follow up stuff is really good too, but not the same as the first series...though he interconnected them all later on...

I recently picked up a Humble Bundle of his collected work.  It's on my to read pile now.    

[Fez]

Thanks for the suggestions. I decided to start by buying the first trade collection of Montress, by Marjorie Liu. Partially because it was only $9, so a low investment if I'm not a fan. But mostly because the artwork looks simply amazing. Even if the writing's not good I can at least look at it all.

My big issue with Sandman for instance was that I simply didn't like how it looked; which meant that even though I've loved almost all of Neil Gaiman's writing I couldn't get into it there.

[Wade1865]

There's a excellent series called, The Black Monday Murders (Hickman). It's less superhero and action; more detective / occult and expertly ties into Mammon and Wall Street. I'm not a big comic book reader as I find them too thin, so I read them when exhausted. This book, however, I had to read and reread while focused.

I liked Baltimore (Mike Mignola), but I found this one more intriguing.

[Jaxom 1974]

Should also mention, for epic western with a fantasy/horror bent, check out The Sixth Gun...

[LynnS]

Recommendations on graphic novels or comics for a 13 year old?

[Winterfell is Burning]

23 hours ago, LynnS said:

Recommendations on graphic novels or comics for a 13 year old?

Would be useful to know what the 13 year old in question is already interested in. He likes the MCU, fantasy, Star Wars, etc?

[LynnS]

2 hours ago, Winterfell is Burning said:

Would be useful to know what the 13 year old in question is already interested in. He likes the MCU, fantasy, Star Wars, etc?

I'm not really sure.  I was watching Stranger Things with him and said I thought the monster looked like something out of a graphic novel or comic book by design and he perked right up.  So the interest is there but I have no idea how to start him off on something.   I think the super hero thing would appeal to him but I sense he might get into just about anything.  I don't think he has any experience with that genre at all.  But the cool factor appeals to him.    I would like him to develop more of an interest in reading and this would be a good entry point.  I was thinking of the Sandman graphic novels but I don't know how age appropriate it is.  He could use some kind of distraction as his dad is not well.

[Wade1865]

3 hours ago, LynnS said:

I'm not really sure.  I was watching Stranger Things with him and said I thought the monster looked like something out of a graphic novel or comic book by design and he perked right up.  So the interest is there but I have no idea how to start him off on something.   I think the super hero thing would appeal to him but I sense he might get into just about anything.  I don't think he has any experience with that genre at all.  But the cool factor appeals to him.    I would like him to develop more of an interest in reading and this would be a good entry point.  I was thinking of the Sandman graphic novels but I don't know how age appropriate it is.  He could use some kind of distraction as his dad is not well.

LynnS -- give him an Amazon “comixology” subscription. He can figure out what he likes, there’s a lot of variety. After a 30-day free trial, it’s 6 bucks a month.

[LynnS]

11 hours ago, Wade1865 said:

LynnS -- give him an Amazon “comixology” subscription. He can figure out what he likes, there’s a lot of variety. After a 30-day free trial, it’s 6 bucks a month.

That's a great idea! Thank you!

[mormont]

Sad news: Kevin O'Neill has passed.

The US audience may be less familiar with his work, unless they've read League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. This is because, famously, the Comics Code Authority rejected O'Neill's artwork as just inherently unsuitable for children. His proudest boast.

We've lost a lot of iconic British artists recently but this is a big one.

[hauberk]

2 hours ago, mormont said:

Sad news: Kevin O'Neill has passed.

The US audience may be less familiar with his work, unless they've read League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. This is because, famously, the Comics Code Authority rejected O'Neill's artwork as just inherently unsuitable for children. His proudest boast.

We've lost a lot of iconic British artists recently but this is a big one.

I am absolutely gutted by this news.  His work in Marshal Law is part of what brought me back into comics in the late 80's.  I was wandering around a comic and game store and found the first couple of issues on the shelf.  Recognized the style from 2000AD, bought them and never looked back.

[Ran]

Oh, what a loss. Kevin's work on The League of Extraordinary Gentleman and its sequels was fantastic, full of verve and incredible amounts of detail that filled each page with a dizzying array of intertextual references. I love them to pieces.

I never did get into Marshal Law, but now I'll see if I can find a good collection.

[mormont]

Not sure the Marshal Law omnibus is still in print. The rights are a bit complicated, it was published in several different venues.

I like ML but I'll always prefer the pure, unbridled weirdness of his Nemesis work. It had a unique tone, sort of a cross between Giger and Edward Gorey. Way out there, but also never taking itself too seriously.

https://beyondthebunker.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/pat-mills-nemesis.jpg

ETA - 2000AD tribute here:

https://2000ad.com/news/kevin-oneill-1953-2022/

Edited November 7, 2022 by mormont

[Jaxom 1974]

That is a blow. I'm not going to say I'm super versed in his entire catalog, but League of Extraordinary Gentlemen alone is a seminal work and angering that sends people to look for anything else you can find by the artist. 

[hauberk]

Sigh.  2022 continues to suck.  Carlos Pacheco died yesterday after a rough year including paralysis in one leg resutlting from a fractured vertebrae and then getting diagnosed with ALS.  I was just phasing out of comics as he was coming on the scene in the US, but he was going full tilt when I came back in a few years later.