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Post by jasonlatta on Feb 2, 2009 22:33:16 GMT -8
I liked the Angel series. Sort of. I think it would have played out well on the show, I mean.
I share your opinion of the art, but I thought the dialogue was pretty spot on, especially with Spike.
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Post by Anders on Feb 3, 2009 14:16:52 GMT -8
Yeah, it would have worked great on the show, assuming they got the budget for it.  It may be that I'm overly critical, but the dialogue usually felt a bit off, except for the occasionally successful whedonism. Spike worked okay - the attitude was right - but something is a little bit off. I'm rewatching season four of The West Wing and I get the same sensation there. The characters aren't quite "there", and the dialogue doesn't pop the way it does in the first three seasons. In the comic it could just be that the delivery is missing, though. |
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Post by lostphrack on Feb 5, 2009 23:14:27 GMT -8
Scott Pilgrim vol. 5 - Awesome! Though a bit more subdued in tone. Still, I loved it!
Crossed #3 - Grim stuff. Good stuff, but grim stuff. This is Ennis comic I've read in ages and I'm really digging it so far. I'm tempted to try and check out his other Avatar stuff, like 303.
Buffy #22 - This was a step in the right direction after the previous two issues, and Buffy and Co. were hardly to be seen! Yay for putting the spot light on the minor characters and supporting cast!
Fantastic Four: The New Fantastic Four - It was fun, but nothing amazing. Solid, fun FF stuff though. I especially enjoyed the second half of the volume with the Frightful Four story. Not sure if I'm going to pick up the second McDuffie FF TPB though.
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Post by Anders on Feb 11, 2009 13:03:24 GMT -8
Umbrella Academy #3
Umbrella Academy is a cool comic, a bit Morrison-weird though not quite Morrison-great. The first series should be out in TPB soon or perhaps already.
Best line: "When fighting for freedom, never wear new pants."
Echo #9
Not as funny as Strangers in Paradise, but Terry Moore still brings it.
Best line: "Actually, that's a baboon. We found it at the end of a chain... six feet under ground."
Döda paret och deras "vänner" (The Dead Couple and Their "Friends")
The first collection by Sweden's greatest comics artist, Joakim Pirinen. As usual, a mix of experimental art, black comedy and absurdism. Not his best work, but not as self-conscious as he was ten years ago either, and the last two pages make up for any shortcomings.
The last story features an old sailing ship crewed mainly by versions of Pirinen at different ages. Near the end they are crossing a vast ocean.
"We sail on and meet other, newer ships. Until we one day reach the edge of the world" - the ocean is tilting, the ship gliding towards the edge, and then on the last page, the ship sails out into space - "where we continue."
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Post by Anders on Feb 13, 2009 13:15:55 GMT -8
I Am Legion #1
Decent start to an occult mystery story set during WWII. I haven't heard of the writer (Fabien Nury), but with John Cassaday drawing and Laura Martin coloring I would have given it a chance even if my LFCS proprietor hadn't recommended it. The only thing that dissapointed me were the ads - I wish all comics would put them in the back instead of in the story pages. When they're in the back I look at them after finishing the story, but when they're inside I just flip past them to keep reading.
Buffy #22
Not much to add to what was said upthread. Good issue, would have made an awesome TV episode.
The Vinyl Underground: Pretty Dead Things
I've been reading this on and off for a few weeks. It started out good, but by the end it was just weird and confused, IMO.
Glamourpuss #5
Dave Sim may still be weird, but his skillz are 133t. I'm not sure I buy his theories about all those photorealism guys, but it's not like I know enough to say he's dead wrong either, and his writing is entertaining enough to keep me interested.
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Post by lostphrack on Feb 13, 2009 23:23:21 GMT -8
DMZ #39 - You have got to be kidding me.  Seriously, that was not what I was expecting at all. Dying to see how this whole thing will play out now. Batman #686 - Interesting and fun, pretty, but I wasn't exactly blown away by it or anything. Still, looking forward to the second half, that's for sure. Suicide Squad: From the Ashes TPB - I really, really dug this up until the last page or so. I had a little trouble sorting out the status quo of Waller throughout the first half, what with it jumping from the original series, to her as part of Checkmate, to her after Checkmate, etc. But overall I really, really enjoyed it. It also made me realize that one of things I don't like about Secret Six is Simone's Deadshot. I love the way Ostrander writes him as a quiet, terse and slightly dickish badass. Much more enjoyable than the quipy chatter box Simone's giving us. That's just me though. Ultimates vol. 2 - Fun. That's about all I really have to say about it. Just.. fun.
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Post by jensaltmann on Feb 20, 2009 1:37:28 GMT -8
I'm currently re-reading some very good comics from the mid-1990s. I'm talking about Spider-Man. The real Spider-Man, the fun Spider-Man. The Mid-1990s were one of the best times for Spidey in the last two decades. They were very well written, engagingly drawn and the stories were done-in-one. Come to think, they were not unlike the current Marvel Adventures Spider-Man. I am talking, of course, about  I have the complete set, and I do enjoy the occasional re-read. |
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Post by jessebaker on Feb 20, 2009 21:53:34 GMT -8
I'd be doing that too Jens, but my local comic shop has a really really piss poor selection of Spidey back-issues and the ones that they do have go for $5 and up.
(Speaking of which, I FINALLY got my hands on Avengers Annual #10, for $25 this week at my local comic shop. Can someone PLEASE tell me why Claremont had to respond to the crappy Marcus/Ms. Marvel mind control/rape storyline with even MORE Ms Marvel abuse, as far as erasing her brain and permenantly stealing away her powers? Given that he makes a HUGE point that Rogue's powers only permenantly steals if she touches someone too long, why does he make Carol losing her powers permenant but Thor and Cap are only temporary? Why not make it temporary?)
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Post by lostphrack on Feb 20, 2009 22:37:21 GMT -8
JLA #30 - Poor McDuffie. What was supposed to be a six part story keeps getting pre-empted, re-written, and put through last minute changes left and right. This was a rather sad and disappointingly quick conclusion to the Shadow Cabinet/JLA confrontation. Then we get a lil' Origins and Omens thingy which I didn't bother reading. I had high hopes for this arc buuuut... meh.
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Post by Anders on Feb 20, 2009 22:44:13 GMT -8
Sandman: The Dream hunters #4 of 4: It's been good. Classic Gaiman stuff, and a very well done adaptation from prose.
The Walking Dead #58: Still the greatest zombie comic, and a great comic overall. Anyone who has the slightest interest in zombies or horror comics should pick up a TPB or two. Just beware that they change artists after the first few issues. Just beware that they change artists after the first few issues, and don't get too attached to any of the characters...
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Post by jessebaker on Feb 21, 2009 0:10:53 GMT -8
JLA #30 - Poor McDuffie. What was supposed to be a six part story keeps getting pre-empted, re-written, and put through last minute changes left and right. This was a rather sad and disappointingly quick conclusion to the Shadow Cabinet/JLA confrontation. Then we get a lil' Origins and Omens thingy which I didn't bother reading. I had high hopes for this arc buuuut... meh. They should just give McDuffie "Teen Titans" to write and be done with it. At least he'd be able to write Static Shock again..... Give Giffen the main JLA book and reunite the Giffen JLA (with "Search for Ted Kord" as the first arc) and let him reunite/rebuild that team while waiting for Robinson to get the art done on his JLGL/GA book. |
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Post by jensaltmann on Feb 21, 2009 0:27:55 GMT -8
I'd be doing that too Jens, but my local comic shop has a really really piss poor selection of Spidey back-issues and the ones that they do have go for $5 and up. I have it easier: I just dive into my shortboxes. I've got complete runs of Alien Legion (if I couple them with the TPBs), Jon Sable Freelance, Untold Tales of Spidey, Reboot LSH, Spider-Girl Universe, X-Files (the Topps run), Sandman Mystery Theatre and a load of others. A few years ago, I culled my collection and kept only what I liked enough to want to re-read over and over again. So I don't go to comic book shops and search the back issue bins* (heck, once Spider-Girl is gone, I won't go to comic book shops anymore, period), I just reread what I have. *The one exception is that used comics store on the other side of the city, where I go once a year on my birthday to buy used Francobelgian albums. |
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Post by jkcarrier on Feb 21, 2009 7:56:30 GMT -8
Can someone PLEASE tell me why Claremont had to respond to the crappy Marcus/Ms. Marvel mind control/rape storyline with even MORE Ms Marvel abuse, as far as erasing her brain and permenantly stealing away her powers? Part of his master plan to reinvent her as Binary, I guess. |
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Post by liliaeth on Feb 21, 2009 8:36:28 GMT -8
Yeah, it would have worked great on the show, assuming they got the budget for it. It may be that I'm overly critical, but the dialogue usually felt a bit off, except for the occasionally successful whedonism. Spike worked okay - the attitude was right - but something is a little bit off. I'm rewatching season four of The West Wing and I get the same sensation there. The characters aren't quite "there", and the dialogue doesn't pop the way it does in the first three seasons. In the comic it could just be that the delivery is missing, though. Lynch's Spike is ok, but he still misses something. I don't know, I often miss Spike's sensitivity. His sweet and loving side. It's like when he's written by a male writer, he's more written for men to read. While in the series, Spike was always more on the female side where relatability was involved. Like a friend of me once wrote:
I know what it's like to appear to almost be part of the group and yet, NOT be part of the group.
I know what it is to want something and not to get it.
I know what it is to be knocked down and have to get back up
ON. YOUR. OWN.
I know what it is to feel like your accomplishments aren't valued or perhaps seen by others.
I know what it's like to have a crush on someone and that someone not give a damn about your feelings.
I know what it's like to pretend to be "okay" with something when inside you're hurting but it's better to pretend that you don't care than to show your heart to a friend/lover who would use it against you.
I know what it's like to be lost.
I know what it's like to pretend you're tougher than you are.
Spike I can empathize with. Spike is emotionally accessible to me.
He may be a vampire, but he's more human than any other char on the show.
I am Spike. |
And it's that part that's missing, that humanity. It's the same problem I had with Angel s5, where the writers far too often tried to turn Spike into a buffoon to make Angel look better. It didn't work, it just made me hate Angel more. |
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Post by liliaeth on Feb 21, 2009 10:21:13 GMT -8
As for comics that I've been reading this week... not too much, since I've been sick for most of the week. But I have been spending some time on the Bruce Wayne fugitive arc. I loved the Nightwing parts.
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Seriously, that was not what I was expecting at all. Dying to see how this whole thing will play out now.
