The Comic Book Thread

[Octopod]

I have every single issue of Kamandi. I bought some brand new and others before the internet through snail-mail order. The great illustrator from a bygone era, Jack Kirby's Sci Fi last series. At the time I didn't know this, glad I invested. Only regret is that I never got his autograph on the spare 1st issue.

http://hilobrow.com/2010/04/16/tyger-tyger/

That is awesome dude. I collect sword & sorcery comics and stuff that I find to be related or similar and I have always wanted to pick those up. I have the King of Comics coffee table book on Jack Kirby. He had an amazing career.

[Gamerforlife]

Get Grant Morrison's Batman stuff:
Batman and Son
Batman: Black Glove
Batman: RIP
(Final Crisis - extra)
Batman and Robin

This will get you all caught up on the world of Batman as seen through the eyes of the great Grant Morrison

Do you need to know a lot about Batman to understand what's going on in those trades? My knowledge of Batman came from the Animated Series and the recent Christopher Nolan movies.

I haven't read any of those, but I do know some classic Bat books that anybody can jump into. And I think some of these influnced the Christopher Nolan movies

Batman:Year One(This is Batman when he's just starting out, some of this influenced the last two movies)
The Killing Joke(some consider it the best Joker story and it's a critical moment in the history of the original Batgirl)
The Dark Knight Returns(Frank Miller really redefined Batman here)
The Long Halloween(The story of Two Face, I think they took some stuff here for the Dark Knight movie)
Mad Love(if you liked the animated series, this one is a must. It was so good they included it in the animated series)
JLA: Tower of Bable(if you ever wondered if Batman could take out the whole Justice League, here's your answer)
Arkham Asylum(I don't like this one pesonally, but it was critically acclaimed. It tells the story of Amadeus Arkham, the guy who created Arkham Asylum. His story is interesting and we learn a bit about Joker's insanity, but other than that I don't like this one much. The art didn't seem to mesh with the story)

[Octopod]

Does anyone who reads Batman/DC comics know if Arkham Asylum is an nod to H P Lovecraft or just coincidence?

[SpaceBooger]

Get Grant Morrison's Batman stuff:
Batman and Son
Batman: Black Glove
Batman: RIP
(Final Crisis - extra)
Batman and Robin

This will get you all caught up on the world of Batman as seen through the eyes of the great Grant Morrison

Do you need to know a lot about Batman to understand what's going on in those trades? My knowledge of Batman came from the Animated Series and the recent Christopher Nolan movies.

Morrison does pull alot from the past. So yes and no. I think you can read the comics minus Final Crisis and you will enjoy it... but be warned they are deeper than your standard super-hero comic.

If you want to start from scratch check out the Blue Beetle. It is my favorite new (and now canceled) series of recent. All of the issues have been collected in five trades:
Shellshocked
Road Trip
Reach for the Stars
Endgame (The best storyline!)
Boundaries

Now if you are not into spandex clad super-heroes and like more mature style of stories check out The Question
Zen and Violence Vol 1
Poisoned Ground Vol 2
Epitaph for a Hero Vol 3
Welcome To Oz Vol 4
Riddles Vol 5
The Peacemaker Vol 6

Does anyone who reads Batman/DC comics know if Arkham Asylum is an nod to H P Lovecraft or just coincidence?

Yes it is a nod. From Wikipedia:
"History:
Arkham Asylum is located on the outskirts of Gotham City and is where those of Batman's foes considered to be legally insane are incarcerated (other foes are incarcerated at Blackgate Penitentiary). Although it has had numerous administrators, recent comic books have featured Jeremiah Arkham. Inspired by the works of H. P. Lovecraft, and in particular his fictional city of Arkham, Massachusetts, the asylum was created by Dennis O'Neil and first appeared in Batman #258 (October 1974); much of its back-story was created by Len Wein during the 1980s.
"

[itsmattxp]

Read the Batman IGN countdown and I am very intrigued to go out and buy Batman: The Killing Joke and Batman: First Year. Anyone here read those yet?

[GSZX1337]

Morrison does pull alot from the past. So yes and no. I think you can read the comics minus Final Crisis and you will enjoy it... but be warned they are deeper than your standard super-hero comic.

Of course it's deeper than the standard superhero comic, it's the goddamn Batman!

If you want to start from scratch check out the Blue Beetle. It is my favorite new (and now canceled) series of recent.

Blue Beetle's cancelled? I remember I was looking through some random comics my Dad had lying around and found the first issue. I thought it was great. Nice to know the whole series is in trades.

Does anyone know if Marvel's classic comics (ie. Captain America, Amazing Spider Man, Uncanny X-Men) are in trades yet? I know the Ultimate series are in trades now, but I can't seem to find the classics. I'd get them issue by issue, but I haven't hit the lottery yet and I don't think they've all been reprinted.

[SpaceBooger]

Does anyone know if Marvel's classic comics (ie. Captain America, Amazing Spider Man, Uncanny X-Men) are in trades yet? I know the Ultimate series are in trades now, but I can't seem to find the classics. I'd get them issue by issue, but I haven't hit the lottery yet and I don't think they've all been reprinted.

Both Marvel and DC has reprinted its early comics in giant 500 page Black-n-White books. Marvel calls them "Essentials" (Essential Spider-Man, etc) and DC calls them "Showcase Presents."

[GSZX1337]

[quote="SpaceBooger"
Both Marvel and DC has reprinted its early comics in giant 500 page Black-n-White books. Marvel calls them "Essentials" (Essential Spider-Man, etc) and DC calls them "Showcase Presents."[/quote]
Thanks, SpaceBooger! I don't know why, but I never came across those.

With these huge ass trades, maybe I could get back into comics. First, I gotta sell my single issues.

[durkada]

I don't read too many, myself. I tend to stay away from superhero oriented books, and enjoy these:

I can heartily recommend Fables. http://www.amazon.com/Fables-Vol-1-Legends-Exile/dp/1563899426 Beautifully written and illustrated -- it concerns the characters from Fables fleeing their homeland and taking refuge in our mundane world.

Rex Mundi http://www.amazon.com/Rex-Mundi-Guardian-Temple-v/dp/1593076525 is also pretty good. Here we have another take on conspiracy as it relates to the Knights Templar, etc. This, apparently, is going to become a movie starring teh Johnnie Deppz.

The Goon http://www.amazon.com/Goon-Nothin-Misery-Graphic-Novels/dp/1569719985/. This one pays homage to pulp stories, but with modern sensitivities and bizarre humor. Again, this is suppose to become a movie -- directed by David Lynch!

Ex-Machina http://www.amazon.com/Ex-Machina-Vol-First-Hundred/dp/1401206123/. More great writing and art, this time with a story about the man who can talk to machines. While the super-power is significant, its rarely the focus of the books -- rather dealing with how the lead character acts as mayor of NY.

More random goodness...

Mouse Guard http://www.amazon.com/Mouse-Guard-Graphic-Novels-Quality/dp/0345496868. And _ANYTHING_ by Jason http://www.amazon.com/Jason/e/B0034P7CP4/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_. And more _ANYTHING_ by Tony Millionaire -- http://www.amazon.com/Tony-Millionaire/e/B001JRVDWC/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

[CRTGAMER]

I have every single issue of Kamandi. I bought some brand new and others before the internet through snail-mail order. The great illustrator from a bygone era, Jack Kirby's Sci Fi last series. At the time I didn't know this, glad I invested. Only regret is that I never got his autograph on the spare 1st issue.

http://hilobrow.com/2010/04/16/tyger-tyger/

That is awesome dude. I collect sword & sorcery comics and stuff that I find to be related or similar and I have always wanted to pick those up. I have the King of Comics coffee table book on Jack Kirby. He had an amazing career.

Thanks, gonna have to dig them out, that stuff is from the 70s. I actually bought most new when I was into comics. Had 1st twenty or so issues of Conan Barbarian which I sold decades ago, Stupid move! Comic bug dwindled away as I grew up and my interests changed to cars, girls and gaming. Now married with children and still have that box with plastic-sleeved collection.

If you speak French (or one of the other languages it's been translated to, which unfortunately English isn't) Golden City by Pecqueur and Malfin is really good

Snagged a rare graphic novel years ago, remembering this French illustrator from the magazine Heavy Metal. Hardback Book MOEBIUS ARZACH. A very collectable version considering it has Arzach, Harzak, Arzak and Harzakc in one book. First Edition Printed in Paris Juin 1976, Damn, I better put this in a glass case! My kids are gonna make a fortune outta my OCD collecting!

In my search found this interesting,
Can anybody say Panzer Dragoon?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arzach