What comics are you all reading? What do you think?

Hm, fair point. But those Adam Hughes covers are dreadful. Can that guy do anything other than sameface and big boobs? Funny how he's held up as a great artist (Terry Dodson isn't much different, admittedly, but I think his work can look better) whereas Greg Land is criticised for much the same thing (sameface and big boobs, not to mention his inability to draw the human form).

Anyway...

Reading New Crusaders as it comes out in monthly editions. Really quite interested to see how it goes, and I like how a non-white, female character seems to be getting a lot of push in marketing (even if she's not had all that much spotlight in the comics yet, bar a part in Issue 3).

And today I took delivery of Honour Among Punks, a collaboration between Guy Davis (Sandman Mystery Theatre, B.P.R.D., etc.) and Gary Reed (I dunno) which is like a punky take on Sherlock Holmes... where Holmes and Watson's analogues are female. Looking forward to getting my teeth into it. Yummy, comics as old as me.

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Originally Posted by Loerwyn

Hm, fair point. But those Adam Hughes covers are dreadful. Can that guy do anything other than sameface and big boobs? Funny how he's held up as a great artist (Terry Dodson isn't much different, admittedly, but I think his work can look better) whereas Greg Land is criticised for much the same thing (sameface and big boobs, not to mention his inability to draw the human form).

Anyway...

Reading New Crusaders as it comes out in monthly editions. Really quite interested to see how it goes, and I like how a non-white, female character seems to be getting a lot of push in marketing (even if she's not had all that much spotlight in the comics yet, bar a part in Issue 3).

And today I took delivery of Honour Among Punks, a collaboration between Guy Davis (Sandman Mystery Theatre, B.P.R.D., etc.) and Gary Reed (I dunno) which is like a punky take on Sherlock Holmes... where Holmes and Watson's analogues are female. Looking forward to getting my teeth into it. Yummy, comics as old as me.

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Yeah, the guy sure does seem to like drawing giant boobs... I think we've discussed Land, and Dodson before, here or elsewhere. I just don't have patience for that style of art anymore...I'm not sure I ever did, maybe as a 13 year old, but it bothers me even more lately. It is sad that mainstream comics still insist on these ridiculous depictions of females.

That Guy Davis book sounds cool. I'll be interested to hear what you think of it.

I'm not sure what my next series will be now that I'm done with Fables. I have complete sets of Queen and Country and Gotham City Central and Criminal on my shelves, and they all look tempting.

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Originally Posted by Corporal Blues

Yeah, the guy sure does seem to like drawing giant boobs... I think we've discussed Land, and Dodson before, here or elsewhere. I just don't have patience for that style of art anymore...I'm not sure I ever did, maybe as a 13 year old, but it bothers me even more lately. It is sad that mainstream comics still insist on these ridiculous depictions of females.

That Guy Davis book sounds cool. I'll be interested to hear what you think of it.

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Relevant aside. Opened up the Guy Davis book, and this is in his introduction:

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I wanted the series to have a couple of things not seen much in comics at the time: a strong female lead whose focus was her character and not her breast size, and also making it a fantastic piece for the punk scene I was into

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These thoughts he had in the late 1980s, judging by the publication dates given in the introduction, and that quote was a bit more recent (2003). But it still says a lot about how little mainstream comics has moved on.

Speaking of stuff with a great female lead character...I read the first two omnibii of Greg Rucka's Queen and Country over the past couple of days. Really good stuff. A spy book that doesn't go all Hollywood James Bond, but takes a more realistic approach to how the intelligence field operates. My only gripe is that the art is inconsistent. They rotate a new artist in with each new story arc, so you get three artist per omnibus. They've been either hit or miss with me so far. Some, like Steve Rolston and Brian Hurtt, have been great, while others have been a total let down.

Rucka is great when it comes to writing female protagonists. Between Whiteout, Stumptown and now this, I'd say he's one of the best.

B.P.R.D.: Plague of Frogs Omnibus 4 arrived on Thursday. I finished it on Thursday.

Guy Davis' art was absolutely amazing in it. Just an awesome collection. Easily the best and most focused of the four so far.

Not read a whole lot of comics (for me) lately. I've still got a few to finish, but I have still been reading.

Sabrina the Teenage Witch
The Sabrina series with Holly G! on art (and writing? I can't remember) is probably amongst the best stuff Archie has ever produced, behind maybe the recent Jinx reboot. But the art is consistently good (unlike Dan Parent), the humour's there and I just enjoy it. Yeah, me. Me with the military sci-fi, gory fantasy, violent films and so on. I enjoy a clean comic about a teenage witch and her talking cat. I also think the addition of Shinji, another wizard (who has a magic-related variation on dyslexia, which I think is a nice twist), adds a new dimension to the comics without it being too much like Archie.

Sandman Mystery Theatre
I stayed up until near midnight catching up on this series two weeks ago, reading two arcs (The Face & The Brute, as well as the first issue of The Vamp). I didn't mind the art in The Face or The Brute, though The Face was quite questionable at times with its depictions of the Chinese community, but if you view it with the attitudes of the 1930s/40s, it kind of makes sense, though is no less uncomfortable. The digital re-release is back onto Guy Davis' art, though, which I'm really glad about.

Idolized
One more issue to go until the end of Volume 1. I'm really enjoying this, both as a send up of popular culture but just as a capes title that intrigues me. Whilst the art can be a little... cheesecake at times (but VERY mild for an Aspen title), I am really enjoying this title.

Judge Dredd (IDW)
There are some who don't quite like this title, but I think it's better than some of the 2000AD stuff I've read. I feel it captures the humour and the wackiness rather well, plus it was great to see Judge Anderson appear in the second issue. She even had her own back-up story.

2000AD
Okay, I'm buying it. I'm not exactly reading it. Shoot me.

2000AD - Judge Anderson: The Psi-Files Volume 3
Best Judge Anderson collection yet, despite some cheesecake art. Steve Sampson went, over the space of this collection, from an artist I didn't care much for to one I really enjoyed. His work on the Wonderwall (I think) arc was brilliant.

Stephen King's The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger - The Man In Black
Well, that's a mouthful. Whilst it doesn't do much that the novel didn't, I felt Alex Maleev's art brought it to life quite well. I don't think there'll be many more left, now. The Gunslinger is over, so I think we'll get a few related stories (e.g. the current/just-ended Sheemie's Tale) and then they'll call it quits, particularly after Peter David's recent stroke.

Hellboy in Hell
Mike Mignola on writing and art. Hellboy. Lots of talking, not much else right now, but I'm interested to see where it'll go.

Has anyone read Jeff Lemire's "Sweet Tooth"?? Its about a young boy named Gus who is an animal/human hybrid and takes place in a rural post-apocalyptic setting.

This graphic novel (collection of the issues) was recommended to me by the staff at my friendly neighbourhood comic shop and I was blown away. I initially found his art style odd, but it quickly grew on me and fits with the world he is describing. Jeff Lemire has a talent for people and characters, his gritty, off centre style really adds to the creepy feeling you get when reading his books.

I am sorry for being so vague, but its one of those series where you spoil by saying too much. I was lucky to meet the author at the Fan Expo in Toronto last year, he signed all my books and even drew the main character "Gus" inside all my covers!

It is one of only three graphic novels I purchase without reading reviews, Goon and Hellboy being the other 2.

Mind the Gap vol. 1: Intimate Strangers
Blerghlywergly eh. It's pretty good but it's not perfect, and I really don't know what to think about it. It's trying to be one of those Lost-esque Morning Glories titles but it doesn't really manage it too well. Esquejo's art (mostly coloured by Sonia Oback) is rather good, though. Plus it's gone one of those vile, boring, stereotypical English accents.

Chew vol. 2: International Flavour
Eh. Ehhhhhhhh. Average at best. Some rather dodgy choices for the humour, too, including African-Americans with stereotypical accents. And I think they came rather close to a "Black People Love Chicken" joke. Racial stereotyping is funny, isn't it? Oh, wait, it's not. Not sure if I'll continue.

Velocity (1995 3-issue miniseries)
I loved the more recent miniseries, and this one is just as good - there's even an issue in which Image superstar Savage Dragon appears! I found the art a little repetitive at times (okay, we get it, Velocity can look really sad, but do we need the same close up of her face at least once per issue?), but it was surprisingly cheesecake-free considering when it came out (okay, it was a little cheesecakey, but it wasn't as bad as you'd expect for '90s Image title, particularly a Cyber(-)Force spin-off). I liked it quite a bit, though. Always good to have more Velocity.

Alabaster: Wolves
Read all five issues in one night, and then because I want more, I've pre-ordered the hardcover to hopefully help boost the pre-order figures. Really, really good series with some great art and some really good writing. It's certainly different, but in the good way.

Been reading some older issues of Conan:Cimmerian. I love Conan. No messing around with him.

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Originally Posted by Daddy Darth

Been reading some older issues of Conan:Cimmerian. I love Conan. No messing around with him.

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I have the entire run of the original Darkhorse Conan comics (including issue #0), i was lucky to also meet and speak to Cary Nord at the Fan Expo, he signed an original Conan poster he drew for me on the spot, was amazing such a cool guy and he wants to do more Conan if they opportunity even comes up again. I loved that run of comics.

Sweet! Colour me jealous. I am now on to Thor: Ages of Thunder.

Just read the first 9 issues of Saga and thought it was great. Dug the art and the the crazy space story. Plus, the last issue even had a giant's testicles. I assume you are all sold now.

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Originally Posted by Corporal Blues

Rucka is great when it comes to writing female protagonists. Between Whiteout, Stumptown and now this, I'd say he's one of the best.

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Totally agree. His work on Gotham Central (i believe he did an arc that focused on Detective Montoya) and Batwoman are good examples too.

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Originally Posted by Quimby

Just read the first 9 issues of Saga and thought it was great. Dug the art and the the crazy space story. Plus, the last issue even had a giant's testicles. I assume you are all sold now.

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I'll definitely trade-follow it. It's interesting, certainly, and I did quite enjoy it.

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Originally Posted by Loerwyn

I'll definitely trade-follow it. It's interesting, certainly, and I did quite enjoy it.

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I want more of the Stalk and lying cat. I may also have to change my name to the Quimby.