Comic Book Geeks

[deanb]

Read Miracleman last week. Certainly a lot darker than anything Superman might take a crack at (the Billy Batson/Black Adam character is raped at an orphanage by one of the other boys and in returns transforms to Black Adam like and kills most of London in morbid ways (including a checkers board of breasts).

 

 

Sort of explores what'd happen if ended up with superhero like beings, especially of such a powerful nature(although while having all the powers of Superman/Shazam Miracleman is psychokinetic). There's similarity with Red Son to a degree too, with a world knowing peace and all these massive advancements provided by the new "gods" of the world. Only bummer is it ends so sharply. Best I can tell from reading up on it there was some issues with the publisher so the final bits never got finished (There's just a rough overview of upcoming arc, n some uninked stills).

 

Currently on Y: The Last Man (someone mentioned it other day n I figured it'd be a good follow up)

[Hot Heart]

That was me. Great series.

 

Also, since the TMNT board game based on the IDW comic series is currently funding through KS, the comics themselves are on sale on Comixology if anyone's interested.

https://www.comixology.co.uk/Teenage-Mutant-Ninja-Turtles-Sale/page/2964

 

I think they're real good in an "Ultimate Turtles" way (i.e. no previous decades of canon knowledge required, combines elements from multiple incarnations)

Edited February 6, 2016 by Hot Heart

[deanb]

Finished Preacher the other day. T'was recommended (though not directly) by Rich Stanton (if any of you follow him on Twitter, he's pretty ace though a huge Dark Souls nut)

 

It's Garth Ennis, same as who did The Boys which I've read before now. I'd say Preacher was much better, though not hard going up against The Boys, though it also has the same weak ending that The Boys had where he sort of runs out of story and pumps and ending out. But the journey in this is fine so makes up for it. Much less needless sex and gore in this (even though one arc features a hedonistic society). It's worth a read, some great characters (I love Herr Starrs character arc. Less so with Arseface who had very little impact on the plot but featured kinda heavily).

 

They're making an AMC series to come out later this year (month maybe) though I found out after the fact. I've watched the trailer and I'm a bit "eh" on it. While I like Dominic Copper he's not quite who I would have playing Jesse. Given Quincannon is gonna be in the first series for 10 episodes I reckon they're not planning on following the plot of the comic too closely. (Though it's Jackie Earle Haley, aka Rorscharch n he was great)

[deanb]

Currently giving Hellblazer a whirl. I think this is a particular run (since I think in New 52 he's now part of the Justice League Dark or whatever, where they've integrated other comics more into the DCU).

 

I'll open with saying I quite liked the film and watched it without knowing it was based on a comic. The ending was absolutely brilliant imo and great for casting for Gabriel and Lucifer. What's kind of neat is seeing some of the little elements of the comic that had appeared in the film (for example trapping the cockroach and blowing smoke in, which implies to me that despite being set with an American Constantine the director had at least actually read a chunk of the comic (whic given the director also did I Am Legend, Hunger Games n Gotham as well seems he's used to adapting works).

 

Comic is pretty good, there's times it goes a bit rambly and you kind of have to slightly ignore some of the "magic" bits for the larger plot and character arcs/development going on. Also Newcastle features for a bit which is kind of neat.

[deanb]

It's free comic book day, anyone pick stuff up? I grabbed the below: 

 

 

 

Mainly for my sister (she does some etsy like bits n bobs n comics are a frequent medium) as well as younger siblings for in-car reading (they're slim enough to slip a few into the seat pouch)

[TheFlyingGerbil]

I bought the humble lgbtq bundle and the comics in it are available in pdf ePub and cbz. Which format is best, and what best to read them on an iPad? is it worth downloading a cbz reader (any iPad app recommendations?) to use that format? What makes it better than PDFs/ePub? Googling just tells me it's a zip file full of jpegs in articles that are years old. I have precisely zero experience of this topic so I just want the least frustrating experience.

[Hot Heart]

I used Perfect Viewer for some cbz files, which I'm not sure is on iOS. I hear Comics Plus is supposed to be a pretty good/better alternative. I know Comixology is what most people use but I don't think you can import things not bought through it.

[deanb]

I find that any PDF that's more than a dozen or so pages long tends to start fucking up because they get huge (RPG books are my main sticklers I hit on those). Can't offer recommendations for iPad, though I imagine ComicRack is on iPad*, but for any Android users the PerfectViewer shits all over any Android conventions in design n use but is pretty nice especially as it has a control "overlay" of sorts so you get a full screen experience.

 

Most comic apps will run both so could put both on your system n see which plays best. I imagine PDF is more for portability since it's a pretty common file format.

 

*https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/comicrack/id660025721?mt=8

[TheMightyEthan]

cbz is definitely the best format. It really is just a zip full of jpegs. I also use Perfect Viewer on Android, no idea about iOS.

[Mister Jack]

I use komik. Don't know if that's available on the iPad.

[deanb]

I recently read "Marvels" and "Ruins". Both sort of following the same theme, though the latter more a sort of parody/corruption of the former.

 

Marvels is by Kurt Busiek and retells much of the Marvel history through the eyes of a photojournalists from the start of WWII, and the rise of the original Human Torch and Namor, through to the civil unrest against the X-Men decades later and the death of Gwen Stacy. It's a nice art style that's very similar to that of Kingdom Come (*has a thought* *Googles*)...cos it's the exact same artist; Alex Ross. So yeah it's that lovely painterly style. It's fairly short, and nice sort of summary of sorts on the events of the Marvel universe as seen from random people in the streets and their opinions and interactions with these gods amongst men. There's a vaguely ambigious ending of sorts in a "are these good guys good for everyone" sort of vibe that I guess given recent movies seems a bit dated (it's like 20 years old mind so...)

 

Ruins is different writer and artist, much shorter and it's sort of the multiverse of Sods Law. Mystique has horrific multiple personality disorder, Prof X has taken over the white house, Cyclops has his eyes removed to stop the beams, Fantastic Four (except ironically Ben Grimm who didn't go) are all mutilated by cosmic radiation. etc etc.There's no hugely consistent storyline of sorts and ends on quite a whimper but is more an art in "what could be the ways these powers fuck up".

[deanb]

They're doing a Justice League Dark animated film

 

Still early days I guess given their teaser still has some pre-viz n storyboarding stuff in it.

 

Gone the form of man, raise the demon Etrigan!

I quite liked them introducing the paranormal stuff into BTAS. A lot of time shows ignore that side of things.

[Mal]

Finally got volumes 5 and 6 of Saga, so about a year worth of chapters. Still great as always. Also still have killer cliffhangers at the end of volumes. The next volume is out in late March then the next one towards the end of the year. God is following this series suffering.

[deanb]

A friend lent me "Manhattan Projects". It's an alt-history thing where the nukes and space race are just a cover up for more advanced things going on in the background. Stars a bunch of famous scientists of the time including Einstein n Oppenheimer n such. I'm sort of middling in overall opinion, the story not much really happens. Well...I guess quite a lot happens but it's almost in a bullet point kind of way, there's little "in the middle" kind of just...stuff going on. But some of the art is quite nice, mainly mixing between shades of red and blue depending on which side of iron curtain we're on, and which err...Oppenheimer or Einstein we have (alt history for you).

 

Also gave the prelude comic to the nu-Trek a read too. Not much we didn't hugely know already but a showing for Captain Data n such n fleshes out the development of the Red Matter and Spocks exile from Vulcan (he went to go live with the Romulans as an Ambassador, hence him being "Ambassador Spock" in the movie which wasn't covered). It's a sort of TNG wrap-up of sorts I guess. Made an article I read about the "end of Star Trek timeline" a bit better actually.

[deanb]

 

Seems Mark Hamill is doing a youtube series with DC, could be quite interesting. First episode is good sign so far.

 

also TIL that it was 28 votes that cinched it for Robin dying. (they show the alternative ending of Death in the Family)

[TheMightyEthan]

A friend lent me "Manhattan Projects". It's an alt-history thing where the nukes and space race are just a cover up for more advanced things going on in the background. Stars a bunch of famous scientists of the time including Einstein n Oppenheimer n such. I'm sort of middling in overall opinion, the story not much really happens. Well...I guess quite a lot happens but it's almost in a bullet point kind of way, there's little "in the middle" kind of just...stuff going on. But some of the art is quite nice, mainly mixing between shades of red and blue depending on which side of iron curtain we're on, and which err...Oppenheimer or Einstein we have (alt history for you).

 

Also gave the prelude comic to the nu-Trek a read too. Not much we didn't hugely know already but a showing for Captain Data n such n fleshes out the development of the Red Matter and Spocks exile from Vulcan (he went to go live with the Romulans as an Ambassador, hence him being "Ambassador Spock" in the movie which wasn't covered). It's a sort of TNG wrap-up of sorts I guess. Made an article I read about the "end of Star Trek timeline" a bit better actually.

Somehow I missed this post originally.

 

Spock being an ambassador was already established in the TNG TV run.

[Saturnine Tenshi]

Yeah, season 5 I believe? Somewhere around there. Picard and Data had to disguise themselves as Romulans, and sneak in on a Klingon vessel. Spock's father died in that episode, too.

Edited November 16, 2016 by Rudolph Hitler

[deanb]

Reading Sandman. I've heard good things and I'd say they're well deserved. It's weird that it's part of DC universe, it frequently feels quite standalone but every now n then you've got folks turning up. And sure it's mainly centred around Dream but includes a few of the other Endless too who are quite interesting. Check it out if you haven't.

[deanb]

Been a while.

 

Gave Wicked + Divine a spin, not super duper keen on the "jumping around in chronology" but the art is good and the premise interesting.

 

Other day I read the first volume of Valerian since it's currently free on Kindle. Man it's some super old school art style, which after the super new of Wicked takes a bit to go through. But I can see how its premise sets it up for a long running series, it's pretty much "Doctor Who if he was sort of black ops". When you have (almost) all of time and space at your disposal it opens many doors.

[Mal]

Got around to Saga volume 7. Helped by the wonderful layout, this one hurt. A lot. Black page. Black page. Black page...

[deanb]

It's free comic book day!

[Hot Heart]

TMNT, nice!

I don't think there's actually anywhere near me that participates. The one dedicated comic book store we had, run by a miserable pair, told me that they couldn't afford to participate the one year I asked and they've closed down now anyway.

[deanb]

 

This was a pretty good video looking at All-Star Superman. Regarded as one of the better Superman stories. I should give a re-read at somepoint. Got the DC 1Million stuff lined up too though not sure there's much to that.

[Bogie 2.0]

Ah! This thread… where were you hiding all this time, sweetheart?
Speaking of which, why are there so many threads with such small differences, e.g, three for last movies seen and one for manga plus another for comics? Should I create other ones for Bande dessinee and Webcomics? And if so, wouldn’t that just help the website seem a little “slower”? Just my 2cents =)

@deanb Have you read Alan Moore’s Supreme run? While I find All-Star Superman to be a neat amalgamation of older silver age stories, Moore here creates something really special/different by using a 90’s knock-off to really delve without restrictions into what now is and was then our beloved Supes&co – all the while staying away from his usual Margaret Thatcher analogies, hooray!! –, making it one of the best Superman stories without actually featuring the iconic character.

Edited January 31, 2018 by Bogie 2.0

[Mal]

34 minutes ago, Bogie 2.0 said:

why are there so many threads with such small differences

It's just how it all came together years ago but some of them are kind of self-explanatory.

35 minutes ago, Bogie 2.0 said:

three for last movies seen

Good movie, ok movie and bad movie. I like to think it as a way to immediately call out shit tastes (e.g., why the hell are you putting this movie in this thread!?).

38 minutes ago, Bogie 2.0 said:

one for manga plus another for comics

While similar enough, they have enough differences and are each large enough to separate out. You can see similar things going on in other sites. As for webcomics, take a look at it and figure out where it best goes. Chances are Japanese webcomics may follow more of a manga feel while Western webcomics may follow a more comic feel. Personally, I got to figure out a space for manhwa and manhua since I'm slowly getting into them. Chances are it will go into this thread since they may follow a more traditional comic feel.

And yes, you can easily find comics and manga that break their cultural mold.

56 minutes ago, Bogie 2.0 said:

just help the website seem a little “slower”?

Nice bait but yeah, we are slow. Consider this place a hole in the wall bar for a small group of locals to shoot the shits.