The Comic Book Discussion Thread

[Ezee E]

I'm trying to figure out if you're asking what is currently happening in the series or if you're asking something else.

In any case, we're at #130.

What's currently happening?

[Dukefrukem]

What's currently happening?

Rick grew a beard and build an Ash-Army-of-Darkness-arm.
They built an amazing farm/agricultural ecosystem in Alexandria.
They are constantly redirecting a giant zombie horde that roams aimlessly.

[Dukefrukem]

Anyone reading?

[Dukefrukem]

First volume of Image's Velvet was wonderful. Sophisticated art and love the adult take on noir (rather than the Frank Miller take). Hoping its second volume keeps up the quality--if so, I'm along for the ride.

I should search before I post.

[Sven]

Armor Hunters continues to be the shimmering paragon of comic book crossovers. Every illustrator is a four-star stylist (save maybe Diego Bernard, who is still a thorough pro, and I gotta ask, has Hairsine ever been this amazing?), each title relevant yet modulated, each writer a bona fide thrillseeker and adventurous with pace, doing what it would take Marvel to do in twenty in ten (DC in fifty, but saying that is like punching a poor little girl).

As is now obvious, I love me some Valiant, but I'm not really up on A&A or Q&W. I have not been compelled by the first handful of issues of each, but I hear The Delinquents is not-to-be-missed. Any first-person feedback here?

[Ezee E]

Sounds like Walking Dead is in a transition or something. Pretty weak.

[Dukefrukem]

Sounds like Walking Dead is in a transition or something. Pretty weak.

Do you want my honest opinion on the calmness recently?

[number8]

The zombies [

Show Spoiler

being able to talk

] could either be the gamechanger the comic needs to stop being so repetitive or completely fucking stupid.

[Dukefrukem]

The zombies [

Show Spoiler

being able to talk

] could either be the gamechanger the comic needs to stop being so repetitive or completely fucking stupid.

I don't even think that was real. I'm guessing there was someone in the area at that time and the people were just confused.

What I'm referring to is...

[

Show Spoiler

They are setting up the death of Rick. Big time. He's essentially a gimp with a bum knee. They keep mentioning Carl and his girlfriend, so either they are setting up for Carl to take over and marry this girl... OR the woman "leader" who is new to Alexandria will be the new "leader" of the group. Which would fit, because they are desperately needing new female roles. You can tell she has good logic skills, because she wasn't fooled by Negan begging for them to release him. So, something is cooking in the kitchen.

]

[Ezee E]

Would certainly make sense. I'm curious about the talking zombies.

Is it heading towards a Land of the Dead type of thing?

Has Kirkman said if there's an end in sight?

[Dukefrukem]

Would certainly make sense. I'm curious about the talking zombies.
Is it heading towards a Land of the Dead type of thing?

You never see the zombies the people are referring to. I think it was just a gag.

[D_Davis]

So I finally finished the Berserk Golden Age Saga a couple of weeks ago. Good lord....that thing gets freaking dark. Really takes the dark fantasy genre to a whole new level of depravity. It was entirely gripping and emotional, packed full of anger and angst, torment and violence. It was kind of exhausting to take in, but I couldn't put it down once those final dozen or so chapters kicked in to high gear.

[Sven]

Just reached out to one of the great talents to gauge his interest/request permission to adapt one of his works into a screenplay. Cross your fingers for me. I already have 60+ pages done, but figured if I wanted to actually make it, better run it by him.

For my money (literally, because I bought comics), last weeks releases were some of the best issues. Ewing/Keown's aforementioned Hyperion issue, more MI13/X-Force hijinks, Ditko-doused Copra, resonant conclusion to Harbinger's Armor Hunters tie-in (w/terrific bug work by Gill), new Terminal Hero and Captain Victory issues positively indicate Dynamite's forceful push into prestige territory, and Ennis's Caliban continues to horrify. I also picked up the bound conclusion to Spurrier's Crossed ancillary.

Good comics.

[number8]

I cannot decide if I liked God Hates Astronauts.

[Sven]

The first couple of issues of the first series were amusing, but definitely wore out their welcome. Didn't continue with it. Can't imagine the new series being different.

[Sven]

Oh, forgot about Annihilator. Completely. As in, had to run to the shop on my 30 minute lunchbreak to get it just now. Can't wait to read it... anybody engage yet?

[Sven]

Astonishing. Tumor as sink hole as cosmic body of existential destruction. Irving's never been better.

[number8]

Fuck. I forgot too.

[Dukefrukem]

I'm making a profound effort to complete my Punisher collection.

from the Punisher, War Zone, War Journal, 2099 and Marvel Knights.

[dreamdead]

Went to a speaking engagement by Charles Burns at an art museum in Tulsa tonight. Weird that he came here, weirder still that his basic walkthrough of early influences and how they've impacted his work led to such a fascinating discussion. Loved a story he told about his daughter going to college in Ohio and being assigned to read Black Hole for a class, and how she got a permission slip to read something else because she didn't want to read it and have to think about her father differently. Got Black Hole signed by him (Sarah's read it, but I haven't yet) and got some primers on other artists who he's enjoying right now, beyond the usual Ware and Clowes. I've done X'ed Out, but I'm content to wait until this current series gets wrapped up. It looks typically phenomenal visually.

Also did the first volume of Pretty Deadly. It's interesting--one of the few newer Image series where I struggled to internalize the art design. The general story is intriguing enough and approaches issues from a more female perspective, something I've long wanted Image comics to explore at a more fundamental level, but I struggled to grasp the action layout sequences more than I believe I should have had to--not all the panels clearly communicated the actual fighting, which seems counter-intuitive. We'll see with this one; I generally dug East of West and Velvet immediately, but this one's art leaves me a bit cold, though I like the aesthetics of it.

[ledfloyd]

That's awesome. Black Hole is one of my favorite comics of the last 20 years or so. What other artists did he tell you to check out?

[dreamdead]

That's awesome. Black Hole is one of my favorite comics of the last 20 years or so. What other artists did he tell you to check out?

Beyond the usual Ware, Clowes, and Sacco, Burns noted Carol Tyler, Gabrielle Bell, and Gary Panter. Also, the moderator mentioned Kings in Disguise (which I'd never heard of) as a phenomenal piece.

Bell's stories look really interesting. I'm gonna check one of those out soon. Probably Voyeurs.

[Grouchy]

Today I found the rather depressing news that Marvel decided to stop hiring Manara because of the bitching. I don't think it's tragic, Manara will continue to be a great artist and he doesn't really need Marvel, but it's the principle of it that's annoying.

Anyway, I found this guy's video that pretty much says everything I could possibly say on the subject:

[number8]

I stand by my original post, in that the cover is fuck ugly and immensely stupid, but all the blame falls on Marvel rather than Manara for the ludicrous pairing and even more so the complete obliviousness in releasing it. I'm even more dumbfounded that they're cancelling planned variants for Avengers and Thor, but they're still releasing the problematic Spider-Woman cover. It's like half-assing something but not knowing which half to ass.

I'm with the Outhouser on this:

I'm glad that Marvel has figured out that they were doing something wrong, but I remain unconvinced they actually know what that something was. Milo Manara is a veteran artist who deserves to get work. Marvel just needs to understand where his work would be appropriate, and where it clashes with their self-professed desire to make their comics more inclusive and less exploitive.

"Whew, people reacted really badly to this cover that runs counter to the mission statement we promised them. I guess this legendary artist doesn't know how to draw!"

[number8]

Maddox is such a cunt.