What Comics are you reading?

[sith_killer_99]

I recently got back into reading several comics. I am mostly a DC kinda guy. Here are the stories I have been reading up on:

Marvel:
Zombies 1
Zombies 2
Marvel Zombies vs Army of Darkness
Dead Days

DC:
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Infinite Crisis
52
52 Aftermath
Sinestro Corps War
Countdown to Final Crisis
Final Crisis
Green Lantern (pretty much anything GL related)
Trinity

I suppose most comics fans can tell from my list that I really like the BIG story arcs.

[figrin bran]

On a monthly basis, I read and/or buy these titles:

DC:
Green Lantern
Green Lantern Corps
Booster Gold
JLA
JSA
JLU (though for only one more issue)

Dark Horse:
Buffy
Knights of the Old Republic (though interest in it has waned considerably).

[Blue2th]

Don't read as many comics as I used to but since I've been opening my GI Joe 2-pks, been reading those.

[Phantom-like Menace]

I have the local comic book store hold Buffy: Season Eight and Angel: After the Fall for me each month. These are the first comics I've ever collected on a monthly basis.

[El Chuxter]

I've pretty much burned out on both DC and Marvel. Both companies take a slightly different approach, but, in both cases, the emphasis is on a small core of fanboys, and not on storytelling. Not to say there aren't good stories from either, but there's a lot of chaff to sort through to get to the wheat. Also, death has become a gimmick at both companies, and that really bugs me.

Mostly, I'm reading older indie and Vertigo stuff that I disdainfully (and stupidly) refused to read in my youth. Sandman, Cerebus, Maus, the various works of Alan Moore, etc. The only new book I'm reading regularly is IDW's Transformers (only the G1-related stuff). Since the closest comic shop is about 45 minutes from here, and it's hardly worth the price for gas or shipping for one title, I wait for the paperbacks.

I'm crossing my fingers that the new IDW GIJoe title will be good. Devil's Due started out strong, but quickly lost steam and fell into the same traps that Marvel and DC wallow in. I'm hoping their relaunch is better, since they've done great things with Transformers.

[sith_killer_99]

Also, death has become a gimmick at both companies, and that really bugs me.

Blame it on "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman".

The Death of Superman really seemed to have set it all off.

In any event, I have been enjoying the death turn as of late.

Marvel Zombies...LOL and the Black Lantern Corps looks promising.

Though, I suppose those are really more "undead" related...hehehe.

I think 52 was really good. It gave DC a chance to explore non-mainstream characters and generated renewed interest for many titles. I still find it hard to believe they sent the DC Universe off on their own without Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman for an entire year!

As for the death gimmicks well, you are right. With all the major story lines killing characters it's hard to remember who is still alive. Infinite Crisis, Sinestro Corps War and Final Crisis are killing people left and right, we even lost a few people in 52!

BTW, a dollar to anyone who can explain my Lois & Clark comment.

[El Chuxter]

Killing characters doesn't bother me so much as the haphazard, almost offhand manner it's done now. For example, characters shouldn't die off-panel. Major characters should get death scenes that rip your heart out. And death should proceed logically from the storyline and characters; it shouldn't be "okay, kill Character X in issue 5, and everything leads up to that--that oughtta boost our sales!"

For God's sake, I just heard that one of my favorite DC heroes, and a pretty important one, was killed in Final Crisis #1. And that it took place in one panel, and even fans didn't feel anything because it was handled so poorly. (I generally like Morrison, but think he's insane and should be kept on a leash. He's had a bit too much free rein at DC of late, because no one's willing to tell him he can turn out garbage just as easily as gold.)

I keep hearing that the world is a more serious place (because I suppose stuff like Pearl Harbor and World War II and the Cuban Missile Crisis and Vietnam and the civil rights movement were a walk in the park, or something) and comics have to reflect that. I don't buy it. Kill whoever you want, but don't do it for hype alone, and handle it properly. And, for God's sake, stop bringing them back the next year. We're talking about the end of a life, even a fictional one, and it's not something that should be trivialized.

[sith_killer_99]

For God's sake, I just heard that one of my favorite DC heroes, and a pretty important one, was killed in Final Crisis #1. And that it took place in one panel, and even fans didn't feel anything because it was handled so poorly.

Yeah, it was done pretty poorly! I was shocked and then I thought...I wonder if anyone else noticed who just died...it really was THAT bad. For such a key character, it was a disappointing demise!

[Ji'dai]

I don't buy monthly comics; I wait until the trade paperbacks are available. I don't care for superheroes. I prefer 'ordinary people thrust into extraordinary situations' type of thing. My favorites are The Walking Dead and Y: The Last Man.

[jjreason]

Lots, mainly Marvel:

Wolverine Origins
Amazing Spider-Man
Fantastic Four
Daredevil
Uncanny X-Men
X-Men Legacy
New Avengers
Mighty Avengers
Hulk
Thor
Captain America
Secret Invasion (or whatever other "mega crossover" they're churning out at any given time) and assorted tie-in issues of other series I don't normally read.

I also read All-Star Superman & Astro City, and grab the odd issue of Batman or books done by creators I like (such as Neil Gaiman's Eternals or whatever Warren Ellis might be writing).