Recommended graphic novels / comics

[redstar_dan]

I'm going to chime in and ask for a recommendation, not sure if it exists, but I will ask anyway...

Are there comics that revolve around mecha, but are really dark. I would love a really dark transformers series, but i doubt it would ever exist.

[mekanor]

Yes bud, each novel is a standalone story arc, so there is no need to worry about missing out on a issue in a storyline.

We are upto issue 16, so it appears you are a few issues behind us!

If you want me to detail what's in any particular issue (that's been released, obviously), let me know and I'll do some investigative journalism!

Decided I'm going to wait and see if they do something similar with DC. Now I just have to stop thinking about it in case I cave again...

[Super Grover]

A question for the more knowledgeable comic book readers on here.

I've noticed on bronze and silver age comics that on the front cover, bottom left, sometimes there is a barcode, and other times there is a pic of Spidey's/Capt. America's face. An example is Avengers 214, it can be found with either a barcode or a pic of spidey's face.

Is it something to do with newsstand/direct editions, or something else entirely?

[Soundwave]

A question for the more knowledgeable comic book readers on here.

I've noticed on bronze and silver age comics that on the front cover, bottom left, sometimes there is a barcode, and other times there is a pic of Spidey's/Capt. America's face. An example is Avengers 214, it can be found with either a barcode or a pic of spidey's face.

Is it something to do with newsstand/direct editions, or something else entirely?

I'm not entirely sure I always thought it had something to do with an anniversary coming up for the character.
I seem to remember seeing one for X-Men & Avengers as well over the years but honestly I have no clue other than that.

Neil

[Super Grover]

Picked this up as it was a bumper issue. Not a great fan of FF4, tho' Mr Hickman is a writer who's storylines I quite enjoy reading.



I'm also going through a nostalgia phase at present. How long it will last I've no idea, but in the meantime I'm going to start picking up some issues that have some key relevance to characters or storylines, or both! .

First one I've bought is 32 years old, and that's Avengers #195 (May 1980). The has the first appearance of the Taskmaster. He's on the last page, and its quite a nice picture as it a 1 panel page. I would put a pic on here of it, but I'm not sure about copyright issues etc, etc.



Got a couple more that I have my eye on, plus I've 1 coming through the post.

Onwards!

[QualityChimp]

I'm going to chime in and ask for a recommendation, not sure if it exists, but I will ask anyway...

Are there comics that revolve around mecha, but are really dark. I would love a really dark transformers series, but i doubt it would ever exist.

There are some manga suggestions you might want to check out on this forum:

http://www.mangaupdates.com/showtopic.php?tid=32553&page=1#post528480

I really enjoyed FF #600! Thought it was a great story arc.

I'm still plodding through Fear Itself, but there's over 120 different comics covering the event, so it's a little crazy. I think a little focus would have made the story a lot neater. I guess they just want people to buy other issues than what they normally would.

However, Mark Millar is still coming up with the goods. Wanted was a breath of fresh air, Kick-Ass 1 & 2 were great, Nemesis was a great flip of the Batman idea with a billionaire supervillian and Superior was a really nice tale of a disabled boy who becomes his favourite superhero.

Those are all finished and he's currently working on a couple of interesting ideas, with the usual humour, excitement and OTT violence included.

The Secret Service is drawn by Dave Gibbons (Watchmen) and is about a British Superspy who decides to give his cousin a lift out of the scummy estates of London and enrols him in the secret agent programme. Really liking it so far and it has an awesome start - the rescue of Mark Hamill!

Supercrooks is about a bunch of supervillians that are fed-up with getting beaten up so easily by all the superheroes in America. When one of their old team members ends up in debt to Casino mob bosses, they decide to try their luck abroad where there are no superheroes to stop them - "Have you ever heard of Captain Spain?"

Both have a strong start and have unique ideas behind them. It makes a nice change from all the Marvel stuff as it seems like they've all got angst-issues these days! Didn't it just used to be the Hulk?!

[bash]

Mark Millers stuff is generally good but I hated Nemesis. It was just a hateful, mean spirited tale that I just couldnt get into.

I hope you guys have read Millars Old Man Logan? Brilliant take on Marvel villans taking over in the future with only a few heroes left inc Wolverine who hasnt popped his claws for about 50 years.

[QualityChimp]

I thought the first few issues of Nemesis were great, but "Hateful, mean spirited tale" does sum up the end of it! I really liked the bit where Nemesis took out all the prison guards but I was a bit shocked at what he did to the detective's family. It's not his best work and a lot of people think the same as you. That's not stopping them from making a movie version though!

Old Man Logan is great! I particularly enjoyed the last "fight"!
Millar was considering doing a sequel a few years back, but nothing ever came of it.

[speedlolita]

Bought the first volumes of Empowered today, shall be arriving tomorrow.

I've also recently picked up 52 volume one, two volumes of the recent Booster Gold series, and the first two Fables volumes recently also. Really like the Earth Twoish DC stuff. Plan to get Generation Lost, and indeed Infinite Crisis eventually. I've got all the trades for the Power Girl series that finished fairly recently too. All have been good reads so far.

[redstar_dan]

edit that post QC, Add in (beneath a steel sky) next to (watchmen).

[bash]

I didnt mind the New 52/Justice League GN, although seemed a bit strange to have every hero except for Batman and GL to get a reboot.

[Super Grover]

Latest acquisition.

Thor #337 (Nov 1983).

First appearance of 'old horse face' Beta Ray Bill.

Soon as I saw this comic I knew I had to buy it. Just a fantastic front cover, the detail on the top left which has the thor pic, price and issue number being smashed by Thor's hammer is great!

Quite a good read too, with Bill giving Thor a good kicking.

Been looking at some key silver age comics/titles lately, but the ones I want have quite high price points, so I'm doing a lot of research before I start entering the market for those.

[Soundwave]

Latest acquisition.

Thor #337 (Nov 1983).

First appearance of 'old horse face' Beta Ray Bill.

Soon as I saw this comic I knew I had to buy it. Just a fantastic front cover, the detail on the top left which has the thor pic, price and issue number being smashed by Thor's hammer is great!

Quite a good read too, with Bill giving Thor a good kicking.

Been looking at some key silver age comics/titles lately, but the ones I want have quite high price points, so I'm doing a lot of research before I start entering the market for those.

Nice get Grover.
I've just finshed reading his first appreance in the Walter Simonson Visionaires GN that I picked up.

Pretty good story all round, I enjoyed it & it's only helped cement BRB in my fave characters ever pile.

You need to read the rest of the story...it's well worth it.

Neil

[Soundwave]

Not sure if this will be of use to anyone but I just stumbled across a pretty awesome Comic related site...

http://www.tradereadingorder.com/home/

It's called Trade Reading Order & gives you information on the reading order of pretty much every GN series in the history of the universe across all the main players.

You can search by character, title etc.

It's now firmly nestled in my bookmarks

Neil

[Super Grover]

Latest purchases for my fledgling 'old school' comic collection.

The Eternals Issue 2 (August 1976).

This has the first appearance of the celestials, or to be more precise the celestial 'Arishem the Judge'.



Next up is the oldest comic I now own (and the most expensive!), and that is Fantastic Four Issue 45.

This came out in December 1965! The pages are off white, and it has a small crease on the lower r/h front page, but seeing as it is 47 years old, its holding up better than me!

It has the first apperances of the Inhumans (Crystal, Karnack, Lockjaw, Triton and the main man Blackagar Boltagon (aka Black Bolt).



I'm waiting for some more to come through the post, however I've gone somewhere off the beaten track with Marvel and picked up some of their more lesser known/obscure titles.

To be continued.