Manhole Eunuchsbane Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Justice League - Oh, God. I hate myself for this one. It's just fucking bad. There's no other way to put it. Characters just spit out phrases that feel vaguely in character for them. Wonder Woman is all about fighting. That Geoff! Johns! He sure knows how to peel all that excess baggage and get to the character core. Sweet two-dimensional core. And when Wonder Woman is concerned that core is stabbing something. Cyborg isn't about anything, also. Aquaman has sideburns. Hal Jordan is alive. Batman does something so profoundly out of character and for unexplained reasons that I still can't process it. The whole plot... well there's no plot to speak of. Some Parademons appear, then Darkseid shows up and starts wrestling with Green Lantern. Suddenly all those other shitty Darkseid appearances over the years seem great. I imagine you're probably familiar with this, but I thought I'd post it anyway... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Darkness_Saga Best Darkseid story ever and I'm not even a big fan of LSH. Levitz and Giffen were an awesome team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red snow Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Finally got round to visiting my local comic shop so have a chance to check out the Batman, Green Lantern, Superman, Flash and aquaman titles - all 6 months of them. I also picked up the swamp thing and animal run as I'd read some issues online and they were really good (and seem to be connected). The comic shop owner was singing DC's praises saying that his store was about to go under but he has increased sales on all the DC books significantly (Jonah hex 2 copies a month to All star Western 18 copies a months and Justice league went from 16 to 54). The good thing is they are levelling out that way for him too. It's good to hear the relaunch has injected a bit of life into the comics and seems to have saved at least one comic store. He hopes Marvel can do something similar but he fears that pinning hopes onto a mega crossover (Avengers vs x-men) isn't what the line needs. What he said people have liked about the DC launch is that the books aren't tied together making it eaier for people to just buy the titles they like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephrite Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I imagine you're probably familiar with this, but I thought I'd post it anyway... http://en.wikipedia....t_Darkness_Saga Best Darkseid story ever and I'm not even a big fan of LSH. Levitz and Giffen were an awesome team. Oh, I know Darkseid had great stories, that's why he's a great villain. But he had some crappy ones. But this one is the worst. He's just some brawler. They should not have gone with Darkseid as their first villain. For Darkseid you should do build-up. It' a reboot and they seem to be rushing it. This thing doesn't even feel epic. The story seems to take place in the same rubble for the past 5 issues, then Darkseid shows up and they get into a fistfight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red snow Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 Oh, I know Darkseid had great stories, that's why he's a great villain. But he had some crappy ones. But this one is the worst. He's just some brawler. They should not have gone with Darkseid as their first villain. For Darkseid you should do build-up. It' a reboot and they seem to be rushing it. This thing doesn't even feel epic. The story seems to take place in the same rubble for the past 5 issues, then Darkseid shows up and they get into a fistfight. The animated DC movie with Superman/Batman and Darkseid was terrible too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephrite Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 The animated DC movie with Superman/Batman and Darkseid was terrible too. The fight scenes were good, I think. That storyline from the comics was the first one I read when I started to get back into comics. So I like it, even though I know it's... not good.. I was like: "Wow, Superman and Batman together! YAY!" Turns out they team up twice a month. Superman is hanging out with Batman more than with his own wife, and Batman more with Superman than Robin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red snow Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 The fight scenes were good, I think. That storyline from the comics was the first one I read when I started to get back into comics. So I like it, even though I know it's... not good.. I was like: "Wow, Superman and Batman together! YAY!" Turns out they team up twice a month. Superman is hanging out with Batman more than with his own wife, and Batman more with Superman than Robin. The fight choreography was great but that's all there was to it. I didn't mind the original comic (back when I could still stomach Jeph Loeb) mainly as it was one of the last chances of seeing Michael Turner do interior art. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dornish prince Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 i just picked up jason aaron's run on ghost rider. i'm not usually a ghost rider guy but a couple of friends of mine say that it is a solid story. what say you? is it worth my time to read? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manhole Eunuchsbane Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 If Jason Aaron wrote it, it's worth reading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dornish prince Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 If Jason Aaron wrote it, it's worth reading. duly noted, ME. he was just coming onto the scene when i stopped actively buying comics but i have heard his name an awful lot. thanks. ETA: i'm pretty sure, in retrospect, that scalped had been running for a while but i never read it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red snow Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 I don't know if Jason Aaron has converted me entirely. His scalped is very good (I'm waiting till it wraps up now to get the rest of the trades). I was never overly impressed with his wolverine run (although i think i'm just tired of the character). I thought schism was utter tripe and didn't buy for a second it was the biggest threat they'd ever faced. That said I find Wolverine and the x-men to be good fun so maybe Schism was the thing that had to be endured to get there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manhole Eunuchsbane Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 I don't know if Jason Aaron has converted me entirely. His scalped is very good (I'm waiting till it wraps up now to get the rest of the trades). I was never overly impressed with his wolverine run (although i think i'm just tired of the character). I thought schism was utter tripe and didn't buy for a second it was the biggest threat they'd ever faced. That said I find Wolverine and the x-men to be good fun so maybe Schism was the thing that had to be endured to get there. His Punisher run was good stuff. He writes a nasty-ass Kingpin. I think his writing is probably better suited to the Crime genre than it is to the Cape stuff. I wasn't crazy about his Wolverine run either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red snow Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 His Punisher run was good stuff. He writes a nasty-ass Kingpin. I think his writing is probably better suited to the Crime genre than it is to the Cape stuff. I wasn't crazy about his Wolverine run either. Did they ever give him a go with Daredevil? I guess Mark Waid is doing well with a light-hearted approach at the moment. I need to check the Punisher runs as it seems to be a magnet for writers showcasing their skills, I hope Jason has another creator owned series up his sleeve once scalped ends. It would be a shame for him to only do superhero comics although to be fair it's clear he's a huge marvel fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red snow Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Just read the news that Travel Foreman is leaving animal man. That's a shame as his artwork was a huge part of what made that book click for me. I find it hard to imagine how he'd flex his muscles in the same way doing Birds of Prey. His reason for leaving was understandable though; he was saying his mother had recently died and it was burning him out drawing such dark stories. I have to admit some of those images were pretty disturbing. Hopefully he can return to the show at some stage once he's in a better place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drawkcabi Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 The animated DC movie with Superman/Batman and Darkseid was terrible too. The Darkseid arc though consisting of episodes from Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League, and Justice League Unlimited is absolutely fantastic. I'm not a big comic book reader, most of what I know comes from the movies and animated series, though I've read some, Kingdom Come, Watchmen, Dark Knight Returns, Red Son, Marvels, Marvel 1602, a few others. Anyhow, for some reason I've become a fan of Captain Marvel (Shazam!) of late, mainly from his appearances on the Batman: Brave and the Bold series and the DC aniamted short. Any good comic book/graphic novel storylines out there that aren't too "kiddie"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ran Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 to Beyond Watchmen, man. I'm disappointed in the creators who've chosen to be involved -- especially Darwyn Cooke. Not buying, not reading previews, etc. I won't stop buying other books from them (waiting on Cooke's next Parker adaption, I am) but... yeah, disappointed. Supers... Basically just Brubaker on the Captain America-centric books, and the excellent Mark Waid run of Daredevil. And whenever an issue of Powers comes along (I support 100% Bendis's decision to do whatever he wants and writes whatever he wants, but he's gone in directions I'm not a fan of on the regular superhero books, whereas Powers still retains its core sensibiltiy and style that made me such a fan). As for DC, absolutely nothing but Morrison on Action Comics (which, I'm sad to say, has been disappointing to me after the initial couple of issues) and J.H. William III's Batwoman (which is gorgeous). For Vertigo, DMZ wrapped up, so Northlanders is the only thing from Brian Wood I'm reading right now. I'm also digging Azzarello and Rizzo's Spaceman, as you can see he's laying the foundation of some careful world-building. It is a slow burn, but one that encourages some thinking about what the details they've revealed so far says about the imagined future and the characters. I tried The Unwritten early on and it just didn't click for me at the time, but I think I'll give it another go. Indies... The Boys, and of course I'm picking up the Game of Thrones comics from Dynamite. The Buffyand Angel & Faith books over at Dark Horse. David Lapham's Caligula and Crossed: Psychopath was truly grotesque, and, well, I can't wait for more Crossed (I believe Ennis is due to write a new series). OTOH, Ennis's... whatever it's called, with the Punisher-like woman, I bounced off of hard. Can't bat 1.000, I guess. Oh, and Brubaker and Sean Philips again with Fatale -- wonderfully atmospheric; Brubaker loves him some noir. Waid's Irredeemable I'm still following, but I've gotten tired of Incorruptible. Picked up Conan the Barbarian #1 -- with Beck Cloonan on art -- and it's quite nice, as well. Some day, some time, Artesia: Besieged #4 will be out. Until then, Mouse Guard remains fun (and absolutely gorgeous). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red snow Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Anyhow, for some reason I've become a fan of Captain Marvel (Shazam!) of late, mainly from his appearances on the Batman: Brave and the Bold series and the DC aniamted short. Any good comic book/graphic novel storylines out there that aren't too "kiddie"? Geoff Johns and Gary Frank are doing a back up story about shazam in Justice league I think. I might be worth checking out for Frank's art alone. Some people hate John's whereas i don't mind him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manhole Eunuchsbane Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 For my money Miracleman is the best Shazam story ever told. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sci-2 Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 to Beyond Watchmen, man. I'm disappointed in the creators who've chosen to be involved -- especially Darwyn Cooke. Not buying, not reading previews, etc. I won't stop buying other books from them (waiting on Cooke's next Parker adaption, I am) but... yeah, disappointed. I'm with Jason Aaron. Moore is a dick, a brilliant dick, but an asshole all the same. Watchmen itself is a bastardization of earlier characters, though I don't deny its status among the top comics of all time...in my limited experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manhole Eunuchsbane Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 I'm with Jason Aaron. Moore is a dick, a brilliant dick, but an asshole all the same. Watchmen itself is a bastardization of earlier characters, though I don't deny its status among the top comics of all time...in my limited experience. I think the proof will be in the pudding. If the writers and artists involved can spin off some quality tales, then why not? Alan Moore has made a pretty penny riffing off old properties. Why should he be treated any differently than all the writers who have come before him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mormont Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 I'm with Jason Aaron. Moore is a dick, a brilliant dick, but an asshole all the same. Watchmen itself is a bastardization of earlier characters, though I don't deny its status among the top comics of all time...in my limited experience. The irony being, of course, that it was at DC's insistence that 'Watchmen' is about Moore-created bastardisations of the Charlton characters, rather than actually featuring those characters. But this argument - Moore used/uses other people's characters, so it's hypocritical of him to object to DC using his - is missing the point. Moore wanted to use the Charlton characters because he had a particular intention in mind - to create a reaction in the reader by using familiar characters and playing on the expectations that created, and the resonances those characters had. He had a particular story he wanted to tell, and the use of these characters was in the service of telling that story. Now there's a world of difference, artistically, between using established characters for storytelling effect; and using them because you know people will buy comics featuring those characters. It's the difference between putting the story first and making it subordinate to other concerns. DC aren't doing this because there is a story one of their writers really wants to tell that works best if they use the Watchmen characters. They're doing this because they want to publish new Watchmen comics. The stories come after that. But even the latter can work - good work has come out of such circumstances before. The real test is this: does the story matter, in the end? Have these creators got a good story to tell, using the Watchmen characters? Can they show that the use of these characters was something more than a way to get people to buy comics on the strength of the Watchmen brand? I strongly suspect not, notiwthstanding the pedigree of some of the writers. I think Moore is right, and there's nothing left to add to the original story - and of course, supplementing the original story is the only artistic merit these comics can hope to have. For the same reasons these comics exist in the first place, radical revisions and reinterpretations will be off the table. The proof will be in the comics themselves - but I won't be rushing out to buy them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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