|
|
Post by Superb Owl 🦉 on Feb 6, 2020 16:17:46 GMT -5
Spiderman: Life Story, Chip Zdarsky and Mark Bagley What If™ Spiderman really was 15 years old in 1962 when he was bit by a radioactive spider, and everything in the Spiderman canon happened in real time? It's a cute concept, and handled pretty well overall. Spidey goes through a lot of crap (because of course he does), and there are callouts to a lot of famous events in his various series, like Kraven's Last Hunt, the Secret War where the black suit that becomes Venom shows up, and even somehow the Clone Saga; as well as real-life events like Vietnam and the September 11th attacks; but they are all woven together expertly in this rollercoaster. Zdarsky also gets to show off his art skills (he writes a lot of good stories (check out his Jughead), but he's also the artist for Sex Criminals and other things), drawing the covers for each issue. As I've said before, my only gripe with Life Story is that there wasn't more of it. Maybe the concept or creative team would have run out of steam or wouldn't have been interested in committing to the project for 3-4 years, but I think you EASILY could have done a book the size of this for each decade. Would have let some those re-imaginings of the classic stories with an older Spidey breathe a bit more too. |
|
|
|
Post by Superb Owl 🦉 on May 26, 2020 12:23:07 GMT -5
Yea, I've thought about Tintin in the past, but trying to work around the racial stuff scared me off. My kids enjoyed the Amulet books, and Mouseguard   The kids kinda aged out of Amulet before it finished (he's on vol. 9, and I'm not sure if he's done). Liz n Dicksgiving is running/playing an RPG based on Mouseguard, though, and can probably second my recommendation. We got Owl Jr. one of the Mouse Guard books for one of his birthday presents and you are correct, that shit rules. We also got him one of the Calvin and Hobbes treasuries and the next Fabled Lands game book that I searched for FOR YEARS as a kid unsuccessfully and can now find instantly on Amazon, because apparently 8 is the age when you REALLY lean into gifting your kid the stuff that you wanted as a kid. |
|
|
|
Post by sarapen on May 28, 2020 8:42:29 GMT -5
Going back to webcomics I read in college with Meredith Gran’s daily reposting of Octopus Pie. When I was reading it back in college I thought the characters were annoying hipsters (really post-hipsters, but it remained the term of opprobium)—going back and reading it now I realize I was reading it because I was fundamentally one of them, albeit in Chicago rather than Brooklyn—there’s an element of nostalgia and, looking back, understanding and sympathy that I didn’t allow myself to emotionally connect to (peak). For whatever reason I stopped reading, and while I’ve gone (and enjoyed) a lot farther this time I’m getting less engaged. I’m not annoyed this time, it’s just that the characters’ paths through their twenties really have diverged significantly from mine—it’s still fine, I like Gran’s little notes underneath each comic, but the relatability isn’t there. Also Eve, the main character early on, has really gotten sidelined. I am not an Eve, but I’ve known a lor of Eve-like people so I kind of miss the character. I read Octopus Pie too, but unlike you I was never really one of the hipsters it depicted, though I did know a few. Like you, I also stopped reading, and looking back it was for a similar reason as you - my life experiences greatly increased the already existing differences I had with the characters and they fundamentally stopped being relatable to me. I hadn't realized Eve stopped being the protagonist later on, though. |
|
patbat
TI Forumite
OK です か
Posts: 2,396
|
Post by patbat on Jun 12, 2020 12:12:54 GMT -5
Rest in peace Denny O'Neil
|
|
|
|
Post by President Hound on Jun 16, 2020 18:33:29 GMT -5
So Annie Mok, Cameron Stewart (who is clearly panicking), and Warren Ellis have been accused of being creeps to some degree by people in the industry on Twitter in the last 24 hours.
|
|
|
|
Post by President Hound on Jun 16, 2020 18:35:45 GMT -5
Spiderman: Life Story, Chip Zdarsky and Mark Bagley What If™ Spiderman really was 15 years old in 1962 when he was bit by a radioactive spider, and everything in the Spiderman canon happened in real time? It's a cute concept, and handled pretty well overall. Spidey goes through a lot of crap (because of course he does), and there are callouts to a lot of famous events in his various series, like Kraven's Last Hunt, the Secret War where the black suit that becomes Venom shows up, and even somehow the Clone Saga; as well as real-life events like Vietnam and the September 11th attacks; but they are all woven together expertly in this rollercoaster. Zdarsky also gets to show off his art skills (he writes a lot of good stories (check out his Jughead), but he's also the artist for Sex Criminals and other things), drawing the covers for each issue. As I've said before, my only gripe with Life Story is that there wasn't more of it. Maybe the concept or creative team would have run out of steam or wouldn't have been interested in committing to the project for 3-4 years, but I think you EASILY could have done a book the size of this for each decade. Would have let some those re-imaginings of the classic stories with an older Spidey breathe a bit more too. I heard that Zdarsky wanted to do more but eh Marvel treats its writers like crap unless they are a big enough name they could make just about any comic sell. |
|
|
|
Post by Superb Owl 🦉 on Jun 16, 2020 18:49:00 GMT -5
As I've said before, my only gripe with Life Story is that there wasn't more of it. Maybe the concept or creative team would have run out of steam or wouldn't have been interested in committing to the project for 3-4 years, but I think you EASILY could have done a book the size of this for each decade. Would have let some those re-imaginings of the classic stories with an older Spidey breathe a bit more too. I heard that Zdarsky wanted to do more but eh Marvel treats its writers like crap unless they are a big enough name they could make just about any comic sell. But...it's Spider-man...it definitely would have sold, right? |
|
|
|
Post by President Hound on Jun 16, 2020 21:41:31 GMT -5
I heard that Zdarsky wanted to do more but eh Marvel treats its writers like crap unless they are a big enough name they could make just about any comic sell. But...it's Spider-man...it definitely would have sold, right? didn't like two Spider-Man series get cancelled in the last two years, so maybe not an automatic seller? |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2020 1:27:15 GMT -5
Steel Ball Run  |
|
|
|
Post by sarapen on Jul 27, 2020 12:05:14 GMT -5
I read Spider-Man: Life Story, and you guys were right, it's good and it should have been longer.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2020 13:34:23 GMT -5
Honestly kind of shocking how good Steel Ball Run gets halfway through the story, especially given the silly premise (Cannonball Run style race across the continent where the heroes and villains are both vying to collect all the scattered pieces of a dead saint's corpse, which in turn grants them magical stand powers) and how a good chunk of the cast have names like "Hot Pants"
Far, far superior to every preceding part of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
|
|
patbat
TI Forumite
OK です か
Posts: 2,396
|
Post by patbat on Aug 21, 2020 14:20:23 GMT -5
TIL Art Spiegelman created the Garbage Pail Kids trading card series
|
|
repulsionist
TI Forumite
actively disinterested
Posts: 3,687 
|
Post by repulsionist on Sept 16, 2020 19:54:07 GMT -5
Arab of the Future, Vol. 4: 1987–1992 - Riad Sattouf (2019)
Riad recounts his life from age 10 to age 15 in this volume. For those unaware of what this series is: Riad Sattouf is a French-Syrian national who was born in the late 1970s; lived his early life in Libya, Syria, and Brittany. He was a cartoonist for Charlie Hebdo before 2015. He currently writes a weekly article for L'Obs. RE: L'Obs from Wikipedia: "It is the most prominent French general information magazine in terms of audience and circulation." He has directed a few films that have had some success.
This volume gives his father more dimension. As the memories of his family history become clearer and more distinct, so too do the characters begin to develop facets not previously revealed. Anyway, this is cool, heavy shit that uses flag colours to frame chapters. Sattouf continues to impress in a way such that I eagerly anticipate each new volume. He's working on the final volume that will take him through his mid-twenties. It may arrive before humanity extincts itself.
|
|
patbat
TI Forumite
OK です か
Posts: 2,396
|
Post by patbat on Sept 30, 2020 17:24:39 GMT -5
I'm about halfway through Guy Davis's The Marquis: Inferno. It's really interesting how many points of similarity there are with Bloodborne (the comic and the game), but I don't know if The Marquis was an actual influence or if this is just a case of convergent evolution. Davis's art is nothing short of stunning; it's like a baroque version of Eddie Campbell's work in From Hell, the eye just falls into it. The writing is a bit tougher; everyone speaks using extremely tortured grammar, but this may be intentional to remind the reader that they're speaking French rather than English (probably, anyway). The main problem I'm having is Vince Locke's lettering, which is frankly hard to read against the primarily black-and-white background of the art. On the whole, though, highly recommended if you like this sort of thing.
|
|
Crash Test Dumbass
AV Clubber
ffc what now
Posts: 7,058
Gender (additional): mostly snacks
|
Post by Crash Test Dumbass on Oct 1, 2020 9:37:11 GMT -5
Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed by Laurie Halse Anderson and Leila Del Duca. A reimagining of Wonder Woman's origin: she was still created of clay, but since the Amazons don't know what teenagers are, they refer to her going through puberty as "being a Changeling". Diana ends up leaving Themyscira by accident trying to save some refugees who were floating near the island, but she passes the barrier and ends up a refugee herself. Instead of meeting Steve Trevor, she meets Steve and his husband Trevor, who work for the UN. Diana is taken in by a Polish family and has to deal with corporate gentrification, homelessness, and petty politics. The climax is a little out there, especially since so much of the book is otherwise grounded in reality, and I wasn't completely sold on the art, but it was good and worth reading.
I'm also a few pages into Derf Backderf's Kent State: Four Dead In Ohio and it's just fucking depressing. 50 years later and history is just echoing. The conservative townies can't understand why the college kids are angry, so they blame outside forces for agitating; George Soros wasn't invented yet so they're blaming the Weathermen, but it's still "people are coming from outside to destroy our peaceful town" and outright lies about those people. Ugh. |
|
repulsionist
TI Forumite
actively disinterested
Posts: 3,687
|
Post by repulsionist on Oct 10, 2020 2:10:43 GMT -5
Treasure Island Starring Mickey Mouse (2018)
Haven't investigated the Italian pedigree of this one, but I'm enjoying this version of Stevenson's story.
|
|
patbat
TI Forumite
OK です か
Posts: 2,396
|
Post by patbat on Oct 14, 2020 12:23:06 GMT -5
So I really kind of hated Tom King's run on Batman, but I think his run on The Vision might be one of my all-time favorite self-contained comics stories.
|
|
|
|
Post by Superb Owl 🦉 on Oct 14, 2020 17:54:36 GMT -5
So I really kind of hated Tom King's run on Batman, but I think his run on The Vision might be one of my all-time favorite self-contained comics stories. It seems like there are superhero comics people that are really good at shepherding a big long flagship runs and ones that are really good at doing interesting weirdo standalone, and very few that pull off both. Also, you should read his Mister Miracle if you didn’t already. It’s not exactly the same sort of thing as Vision, but I can’t imagine digging one and not the other. |
|
patbat
TI Forumite
OK です か
Posts: 2,396
|
Post by patbat on Oct 15, 2020 10:13:36 GMT -5
So I really kind of hated Tom King's run on Batman, but I think his run on The Vision might be one of my all-time favorite self-contained comics stories. It seems like there are superhero comics people that are really good at shepherding a big long flagship runs and ones that are really good at doing interesting weirdo standalone, and very few that pull off both. Also, you should read his Miracle Man if you didn’t already. It’s not exactly the same sort of thing as Vision, but I can’t imagine digging one and not the other. is on my to-read list for sure, but I haven't been to the comic shop with the good selection of trades since COVID started. Maybe I can swing by when I go early-vote today! |
|
|
|
Post by Superb Owl 🦉 on Oct 15, 2020 13:04:29 GMT -5
It seems like there are superhero comics people that are really good at shepherding a big long flagship runs and ones that are really good at doing interesting weirdo standalone, and very few that pull off both. Also, you should read his Miracle Man if you didn’t already. It’s not exactly the same sort of thing as Vision, but I can’t imagine digging one and not the other. is on my to-read list for sure, but I haven't been to the comic shop with the good selection of trades since COVID started. Maybe I can swing by when I go early-vote today! Don’t know why you italicized that thing I definitely wrote correctly... Good luck with your voting and comics shopping! |
|
repulsionist
TI Forumite
actively disinterested
Posts: 3,687
|
Post by repulsionist on Oct 29, 2020 16:22:24 GMT -5
Walt Disney's Donald Duck Vol. 19: "The Black Pearls of Tabu Yama" (Vol. 19) (The Complete Carl Barks Disney Library)
Fantagraphics and all involved in bringing this to market are to be applauded and congratulated. These volumes are indispensable antidotes to the crushing reality of humankind.
|
|
|
|
Post by President Hound on Nov 2, 2020 23:17:00 GMT -5
So I really kind of hated Tom King's run on Batman, but I think his run on The Vision might be one of my all-time favorite self-contained comics stories. Some writers work best in limited series/a loose leash
Tom King is one of those writers. Avoid any continuing or event comics he writes, but the rest of his work should be safe.
|
|
patbat
TI Forumite
OK です か
Posts: 2,396
|
Post by patbat on Nov 11, 2020 11:22:46 GMT -5
Tom King, Mr. Miracle
 
|
|
|
|
Post by Superb Owl 🦉 on Nov 11, 2020 11:35:37 GMT -5
Tom King, Mr. Miracle
Plus the baby carrot panel which is probably a Top 3 most I've laughed at a comic book |
|
repulsionist
TI Forumite
actively disinterested
Posts: 3,687
|
Post by repulsionist on Nov 22, 2020 15:19:54 GMT -5
Americana (And the Act of Getting Over It), Luke Healy (2019)
Finally got to a library with reasonable comics selection. This looked good. I do miss America. This is the tale of a young Irishman and his trek thru hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (from Campo, CA to Boundary Monument 78). There's quite a lot of written exposition for a book-bound comic, but it never gets bogged down in introspective detail. Recommended.
|
|
repulsionist
TI Forumite
actively disinterested
Posts: 3,687
|
Post by repulsionist on Nov 25, 2020 15:16:50 GMT -5
The Complete Don Quixote, Rob Davis [Cervantes] (2013)
I never did read this classic. Only excerpts in school. Dabblings as an adult. Finally getting to enjoy the work with this work. Davis does a wonderful job synthesizing a comic from the book.
|
|
patbat
TI Forumite
OK です か
Posts: 2,396
|
Post by patbat on Nov 30, 2020 12:05:06 GMT -5
Frank Miller, Batman: Year One
Frank Miller, All-Star Batman and Robin, the Boy Wonder
What the fuck is "sweet chunks" all about? Does he mean "sweet cheeks?"
|
|
repulsionist
TI Forumite
actively disinterested
Posts: 3,687
|
Post by repulsionist on Nov 30, 2020 19:49:17 GMT -5
The Complete Don Quixote, Rob Davis [Cervantes] (2013)
Very much worth the time. I don't recall how much of Cervantes' story I have internalised since first exposure in primary school when seeing short acts from Man from La Mancha. I misremember reading about Terry Gilliam's plight to adapt. Actually, I don't remember much of anything anymore. All appears as a cynical moneygrab while the earth shakes us off. The preceding 5 years have really sunk my spirit, but this adaptation was done very well and maintained a thorough, nuanced understanding of the books' content and lasting importance as an artefact.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 15, 2021 15:14:33 GMT -5
|
|
repulsionist
TI Forumite
actively disinterested
Posts: 3,687
|
Post by repulsionist on Feb 17, 2021 19:55:15 GMT -5
Tom Strong (Book 2)
I found faults with Moore's work on this. It's predictable. The beautiful transcendence of Promethea is here only faintly. The kookiness of what goes on in the issues compiled is only occasionally sharp, in my opinion. I had read and purchased Book 1 some 10 years back. I subsequently gave it to another adult who probably promptly forgot about it then cast it off to the Goodwill in the US. I guess it's somewhat interesting to observe that this character and its baggage arrives very near the Venture Bros.
|
|
