What comic books are you currently reading?

EMaree · Jan 9, 2013

I noticed that while some of the other forums have a 'currently reading' thread, this forum didn't seem to have one. (Or none that I could locate in a search.)

So, what comic books are you currently reading?

(Manga counts too, of course!)

I've just finished reading "Batman: Year One" by and "Saga" by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Fiona Staples. I'm having a good comic reading run.

I've never read any of Brian K's work so I particularly enjoyed "Saga"'s writing, I'll have to pick up "Runaways" and "Y: The Last Man" some time.

Marta · Jan 10, 2013

I'm partway through Y: The Last Man. Really like it. I started reading Saga, but it didn't do as much for me, although I liked many elements of it.

Also recently enjoyed reading the first volume of Echo, so picked up the remaining volumes. Another one I found interesting was Northlanders: Plague Widow.

What kind of stories do people here prefer?

BigWords · Jan 10, 2013

Marta said:
What kind of stories do people here prefer?

I don't have a favorite genre, per se - I tend to look for writers and artists whose work I enjoy.

Currently reading through a stack of Transformers comics, and I have the Slimer special to one-side for when I need a beak from robots hitting each other.

Kerosene · Jan 10, 2013

If Manga counts too, what about korean web comics?

I'm re-reading Magician by Kim Sarae.

It's just one good epic fantasy.
The first volume has great fights, nice story behind, some spectacular characters. (Quite a bit of artistic testing though, there's a lot of change from the start of V1 to the end)
The second volumes slows down and grind into things, but the action doesn't die and you learn to love the characters even further.
This manhwa always brought up the question: Is it wrong to wish for a death of a charismatic character so another could benefit? And Kin Sarae answered, "No, it is not, I was thinking the same thing." Figuratively speaking. :Hug2:

Marta said:
What kind of stories do people here prefer?

A good one, though I am a sucker for romance.

DeleyanLee · Jan 11, 2013

I started reading Valiant's new book, Archer & Armstrong and I like it. It's only 5 issues old, but I'm liking the concept. The order of ninja nuns is fun too.

I have the first few books of All New X-men, but I haven't read them all yet. It looks promising.

Max Vaehling · Jan 12, 2013

Yeah, Saga is a lot of fun. I've enjoyed Vaughan's other comics, but this one had me right at "rocketship forest".

Bad Medicine (ONI) is a fairly new series my dealer gave me on FCBD. It reminds me of Fringe although it's a very different beast. Something in the timing, I think. Also, they have rather short story runs (2-3 issues) so you're not stuck with it.

Not entirely sure about Courtney Crumrin (ONI) - I love the character, and I'm glad they're going monthly now, but I'm not quite sure about where the current storyline is going, simply because I have no idea where that is. I'll give it the benefit of doubt, though.

And if I include Courtney, I've got to include Witch Doctor (Image), too, which I've been reading since the first story came up online and which has just started a new volume. Very funny, and written from very solid background in Weird Science.

That's it for recent print titles. Could be more, really, but my budget is glad I'm so blasé about new stuff. I still collect all the Buffy-related titles as well as Astro City whenever Busiek's up to it, Atomic Robo whenever I can get my hands on it, and lots of webcomics includingGunnerkrigg Court and Mark Waid's Insufferable, just to name a few.

EMaree · Jan 12, 2013

WillSauger said:
If Manga counts too, what about korean web comics?

I'm re-reading Magician by Kim Sarae.

Can't believe I forgot to include webcomics in my first post, good call!

Magician's artwork is very nice, not so keen on the sketchy lines but they seem to improve later. I love the strong use of colours. I'll have to check out the fan translation.

On the webcomic side I love The Meek (fantasy with a colourful, cartoony style reminiscent of Avatar: The Last Airbender, NSFW); Lackadaisy (Eisner-award winning webcomic set in Prohibition-era America using anthro cats in place of people); Monster Pulse (simply-drawn but dark comic for fans of 'mon' anime like Digimon and Pokemon) and The Fox Sister (fantasy with graphic violence, a Korean priestess hunts down the fox demon who stole her sister’s body).

BigWords · Jan 12, 2013

EMaree said:
Lackadaisy (Eisner-award winning webcomic set in Prohibition-era America using anthro cats in place of people)

That reminds me of something...

(yeah - I know it's a book for children, but I am allowed strange reading tastes)

Quantum1019 · Feb 19, 2013

DeleyanLee said:
I started reading Valiant's new book, Archer & Armstrong and I like it. It's only 5 issues old, but I'm liking the concept. The order of ninja nuns is fun too.

If you ever get a chance to read it, I very, very strongly recommend the original Valiant Archer & Armstrong series. I liked most of the old Valiant, but A&A was by far my favorite. I haven't tried the new series yet, but I intend to soon.

etcetc · Feb 19, 2013

I really didn't think I was a comic book girl but one day a few months ago I decided to try it - I don't much fancy the superhero stuff but I ended up reading Y: The Last Man in the space of a couple of weeks.

I haven't read anything else since - I was thinking of giving The Walking Dead a go as I love the TV series. Maybe I should try Saga...

EMaree · Feb 20, 2013

Reading "Batman: Hush" just now. After reading the mess that was "A Death In The Family" I'm really enjoying this... gorgerous art, decent colouring, and a good (not great, but solid enough) plot.

BigWords · Feb 20, 2013

etcetc said:
I really didn't think I was a comic book girl but one day a few months ago I decided to try it - I don't much fancy the superhero stuff but I ended up reading Y: The Last Man in the space of a couple of weeks.

Superheroes are a part of comics, but only a small part - there are great collections of classic material available, and a lot of them are now available at libraries (which, for most of the US titles I have been meaning to read, has been amazing).

Currently re-reading Angel, and... I'm as confused as ever with the title. The various notes available for the series are helping, but I probably need to watch the final season of the television show for this to make more sense.

bladestalker · Feb 20, 2013

The new Star Trek series is remarkably good. It's retelling and updating the origional TV series episodes. Very well done. I've also been enjoying Jonah Hex TPBs.

RedRajah · Feb 21, 2013

IDW's Doctor Who titles and Dynamite's version of the Shadow.

Bicyclefish · Feb 22, 2013

Conan The Barbarian(Dark Horse) - I picked it up because Becky Cloonan drew the first story arc, "Queen of the Black Coast", but have stuck with it for Brian Wood's writing and Dave Stewart's colors.
Multiple Warheads (Image) - It's a trippy, pun filled comic much like Brandon Graham's last, King City. It doesn't always make sense, but I like it though I didn't expect to.
Saga (Image) - I like space opera/fantasy and Fiona Staples' art. Brian Vaughan ain't bad too.
Kill Shakespeare: The Tide of Blood (IDW)- A five issue sequel to the original, I'm digging the story (Conor McCreeny & Anthony Del Col) and art (Andy Belanger) more than the first, but I'm biased; a fellow AWer is the colorist. Trying to be as objective as possible, I believe the lighter colors compliment the pencils/inks more and are easier on the eyes than the last.

K. Q. Watson · Feb 22, 2013

Deadpool - So good!
The Walking Dead - Lost interest after issue 100.
Dogwitch - Late to that party.
And I'm planning a re-read of Poison Elves since it's returning next month.

Lissibith · Feb 23, 2013

I've been really pleased with the way Gunnerkrigg Court has been going lately.

Monthlies, I've been enjoying Hawkeye, Captain Marvel and Gambit (For three very different reasons

)

Recently read Persepolis and Delphine. The former, I found compelling, the latter, atmospheric. (Also tried the comic book version of Beautiful Creatures. Not my best decision, unfortunately. May have to try the book version and see if the pacing there is as much better as I suspect. Some things just don't translate well to comic books)

Flutterlight · Feb 25, 2013

I'm working my way through the first volume of the Batman Chronicles series. I'm impressed at how well Bill Ammend (Foxtrot) copies the writing style when he has Jason write the Slugman cartoons. He's really got it down pat.

RachaelLaWriter · Feb 25, 2013

Okay, I have a confession to make: up until this past December, the only comics/graphic novels I'd read were Watchmen and the Tin Tin series (I grew up reading Tin Tin, sometimes in English, sometimes in French). So I'm what you'd call a newbie.

At my MFA residency this past December, a graduating student gave a lecture on using graphic novels as a tool for teaching social justice. Since then, I've read the first three collections in the DMZ series, My Friend Dahmer, and A Fun Home (in Spanish, because that was what got downloaded to my iPad). I've also been devouring Neil Gaiman's original Sandman series. (Brief Lives just about gutted me. I don't know if the final three original collections will live up to that.)

Any recommendations? I'm not super-into the superhero genre, but I'm willing to keep an open mind. Thanks!

RachaelLaWriter · Feb 25, 2013

P.S. I'm glad someone mentioned Fox Trot, Flutterlight. I know it's a comic strip, not a graphic novel, but it was one of my favorites growing up, along with Calvin & Hobbes.

Flutterlight · Feb 25, 2013

Those are two of my favorites as well! My parents never let me read superhero comics or graphic novels as a kid (getting my hands on manga was tough) so I read syndicated newspaper comics instead. I have an entire bookcase filled with newspaper comic books.

But I always wanted to try superhero comics. (I seem to particularly like Batman.) If anybody has any suggestions for me, I'd be happy to try them!

BigWords · Feb 26, 2013

RachaelLaWriter said:
Any recommendations? I'm not super-into the superhero genre, but I'm willing to keep an open mind. Thanks!

I keep telling everyone to read Alice In Sunderland lately. So very few people do. Of course, that's a graphic novel rather than a comic - for comics... Strangehaven is an almost perfect evocation of the sixties shows where weird stuff would happen (like The Prisoner or The Avengers), and you really should look out for the Charley's War collection. Quite possibly the best war story ever written, in any media.

Flutterlight said:
Those are two of my favorites as well! My parents never let me read superhero comics or graphic novels as a kid (getting my hands on manga was tough) so I read syndicated newspaper comics instead. I have an entire bookcase filled with newspaper comic books.

Little Nemo In Slumberland and Krazy Kat are amazing reads, and if you see the collections you should pick them up. Not so much the other stuff of the era, but those are comedy gold.

Flutterlight said:
But I always wanted to try superhero comics. (I seem to particularly like Batman.) If anybody has any suggestions for me, I'd be happy to try them!

The 80s Marvelman, the first bunch of Justice League comics after Crisis, and the classic Grant Morrison run on Animal Man are all great superhero stories (stories that cannot be told without the conceit of superheroes being in place), though - for my taste - the Black Orchid miniseries is a better story overall.

Flutterlight · Feb 26, 2013

Thanks! I have read some Krazy Kat, but I hadn't heard of Little Nemo In Slumberland. I'll definitely check that out, along with the super hero recommendations!

Lintlicker · Feb 28, 2013

Some very tasty choices mentioned so far.

I recently finished Y: The Last Man, which instantly made Brian K. Vaughan one of my most favored writers. His writing strikes me as intellectually and emotionally satisfying and is almost always funny to boot.

I'm currently 30 issues deep into Ex Machina. It's the tale of a guy who can talk to and control machinery and electronics. He uses this power to help out in a big way during 9/11 and subsequently becomes mayor of NYC. It's half super-hero antics and half political drama. Very satisfying read thus far. I've probably read these 30 issues inside a week.

I have also just discovered comics by Jason. Jason's writing and artwork resonate with me on a fairly deep emotional plane. Very affecting and original writing...using anthropomorphic animals in place of humans.

victoriajakes · Mar 1, 2013

Saga is sitting in my to-read pile, but my boyfriend just raves about it. We're both big Brian K. Vaughan fans.

My monthly superhero pull list is way too long, but Hawkeye and Young Avengers are the highlights. Matt Fraction is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers. I highly recommend the ongoing Hawkeye to people who want to try something in the Marvel universe, but aren't super into superheroes. It's amazing.

Plus I'm catching up on Locke and Key. Joe Hill is pretty good.

What comic books are you currently reading?

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