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Rucka, Loeb, Kelly, Seagle, Casey, Azz(Ass)arello, Ennis, Millar, Bendis, Austen, Claremont, Winick, Lobdell, JMS, Tieri, Waid, Grayson, Priest, Marz, Robbie Morrison, and all the old farts who churn out shit now who used to be good.
All the current artists whose art looks like pure crap..the list is too long to name names.
Marvel Comics....sucks.
I suppose I should name a few people who keep me reading comics ..Brubaker, Johns, G. Morrison, Mignola, Busiek (sometimes), Ellis (sometimes), Art Adams, Templeton, Sprouse, Shanower, P C Russell, Darwyn Cooke, Alan Davis, Milligan ( I forgot a few) and some indy guys like Mills and Thompson..but that's about it. I'm about fed up and I am about to drop nearly everything I get except a couple of titles.
These modern writers pad everything, they take themselves way too seriously, They have no storytelling abilities, and they basically suck.
Sorry, but I've about had it.
Last edited by Pig Iron; 2004-03-04 1:30 AM.
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A couple of years ago, I experienced a sudden drop in income and I had to cut back on my comic purchases.
I realised that I was buying a lot of stuff that I only half enjoyed and that buying and reading these comics that I was only lukewarm about, was actually dampening my enthusiasm for comics in general.
I don't buy a lot these days but the titles I do buy, I really look forward too and I beleive that they genuinely enrich my life.
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Exactly....but the sucky thing is that I only buy about 10-15 anymore. I think I'll trim it to 5-7.
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i dont buy any new comics i think the writing and art has generally sucked major ass ever since the Image explosion, the only comics i buy any more are back issues of Flaming Carrot....
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So You don't own them all yet?
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nope, its my favorite series by far, but when it came out i only got to the comic shops intermittently and the shops i went to evidently didnt order many so ive bought a back issue here and a back issue there.....
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Quote:
Pig Iron said:
Casey, Lobdell, Tieri, Grayson, Marz
I didn't think these writers were ever good, personally.
I haven't read a comic since November(I do plan on getting a TPB or two later on), but by the end the only writers that I really genuinely enjoyed were Alan Moore and Brian K. Vaughan, and perhaps a title here and there by assorted writers.
MisterJLA is RACKing awesome.
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I agree with PI.
In some part I think that maybe I'm getting older, and the world around is more violent, and the stories are probably good, but they don't hold my attention the way they used to.
But really - I miss the days where I was completely ENGROSSED in a monthly. The trips to the comic shops weren't "when I had time" - it was to the DAY to see what happened next.
I feel a large part of it is due to the constant shift in writers - each new one comes along to "shake things up" and make his mark - and the characterization and development fall through the cracks.
I'm down to 3.
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Moore should be on there I love Moore, but so do 75% of the people out there. I thought he was too obvious so I left him off I don't really consider him "modern" comics, but I suppose some of the ones i put don't classify either. Either way Pariah I have most everything he's done-even the 2000 AD stuff. I get all his ABC stuff in hardcover so there are long waits between purchases..so he isn't on my mind all the time like he has been in the past.
Actually I have almost everything but Miracleman...sniff.
Brubaker is great. I can see if you didn't like him. But He doesn't purposefully stretch out stories like some writers. I liek his "voice". So I relate to his writing style. I don't like Azzarello's "voice" so i don't like him. I suppose it's a taste issue... Catwoman and Sleeper are 2 of my favorite books-I don't buy Gotham Central because Rucka mucks it up.
Last edited by Pig Iron; 2004-03-04 12:41 PM.
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Quote:
Animalman said:
Quote:
Pig Iron said:
Casey, Lobdell, Tieri, Grayson, Marz
I didn't think these writers were ever good, personally.
I haven't read a comic since November(I do plan on getting a TPB or two later on), but by the end the only writers that I really genuinely enjoyed were Alan Moore and Brian K. Vaughan, and perhaps a title here and there by assorted writers.
I don't either, but think of how many potentially good titles you can't read because they are working on it. That's what I mean...Hell, I can't read a marvel comic because Austen, Bendis, and Millar are writing the whole universe....
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Quote:
KrazyXXXDJ said:
I agree with PI.
but they don't hold my attention the way they used to.
But really - I miss the days where I was completely ENGROSSED in a monthly. The trips to the comic shops weren't "when I had time" - it was to the DAY to see what happened next.
I feel a large part of it is due to the constant shift in writers - each new one comes along to "shake things up" and make his mark - and the characterization and development fall through the cracks.
I'm down to 3.
Yep. To me, most modern DC Comics feel like if each title and sometimes each creative team is happening in their own little parralell earth, for all the consistancy (and importance) each story has in relation to the greater whole of the shared Universe.
That is a major reason each "epic" storyline (are there any other kind anymore?) doesn't hold my interest much. There doesn't seem to bee much point anymore. If you miss one Universe shattering event, there will always be another and another and another... that will all ultimately be forgotten as soon as a new arc begins.
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While I don't fully agree with all your picks of what's still worth reading among the newer material, Pig Iron, I do agree wholeheartedly with the thrust of your argument, that the overwhelming number of new books --the prevalent ultra-serious, overblown, pretentious style that runs through most new books-- makes me not want to support them. As was said in the old DC message boards topic, "Why do Comic Fans live in the PAST?" : Richcraft, posted May 06, 2002 09:46 PM:
.
Simple answers to that question. Nostalgia value (never overlook that--it keeps Nick at Night and TV Land rolling in the bucks)
.
Those comic books were better in that they were self-contained stories for the most part (okay, Marvel went overboard with the multi-part story at times).
.
Also, George Perez's artwork could show a variety of scenes like a TV show or film even though you may only see one eye and half of a nose and smile. Your imagination filled in the blanks.
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Speaking of artwork, give me silver age Perez or Jerry Ordway any day. This new "artwork" leaves me cold because it doesn't even seem to try to look like real heroes and villains.
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Also, dialogue was written in smaller type, so you got more dialogue and thoughts expressed than they are now. I can read a modern comic book in about 2 minutes now. That's how skimpy the art and words are. But in my youth, I could take up to ten minutes to read one.
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More panels, more words, more quality, more pride in the work. Pure and simple. whomod, posted May 06, 2002 04:24 PM:
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I'm finding myself buying more and more Silver Age books as of late, instead of modern fare.
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My thoughts on the Silver Age vs now is that IMO comics back then emphasized a good story over gimmicks and soap opera.
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Any given comic I buy from the Silver Age, and even Bronze age, does the job it set out to do. Grab you with the cover, which usually was the "hook" to get you to read the COMPLETE story inside.
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No year-long plots inside, no Part 1 of 5, no multi-title crossovers. Just good solid to the point and brief entertainment for your money. And getting back to the cover, look at any given comic book today. What do you see?? Usually it's a portrait of which i'm sure the artist will later sell the original art over at E-Bay. Nowhere does it actually try to sell the book or story. I'd be hard pressed to remember what it was I read last month by simply looking at the cover.
.
A Silver Age book, however, just looking at the cover reminds you of the story inside. Perhaps also because you have the whole story inside as opposed to just a little bit of it like most modern age books. Comic book fans seem to enjoy modern comics though. I however find that today i'm not getting nearly half the fun I'm getting from reading Silver Age books. Dumas, posted May 07, 2002 12:01 AM:
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Well, as Bono said... You glorify the past when the future dries up. Dave the Wonder Boy, posted May 7, 2002, 8:34 AM:
.
Whomod, Richcraft and Dumas all touched on my opinion of why I prefer the 1960's, 1970's and 1980's material to what I consider the drek being published now.
The characters were more likeable, the stories far more inventive and fun in past eras.
.
Now it's all about attitude, cynicism, the "roller-coaster ride" of shocking violence, gore, sexual perversion and general twistedness ( Morrison, Ellis, Ennis, Azarello, Bendis).
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Or somber, pretentious humorless overblown epics that pass themselves off as "adult" or "mature" but are in my opinion just bland and silly (Busiek's MARVELS and ASTRO CITY, Waid's KINGDOM COME, Robinson's STARMAN and THE GOLDEN AGE).
.
When I used to finish a comic, I used to think: Wow, that was great !!
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Now I think: I was robbed!!
or: That's IT ?? Where's the rest of the story ?!?
or: What a pretentious wanker this so-called writer is, using cheap gimmicks, and then thinking he's so frickin' clever!!
or: God, I'm depressed. I used to feel good when I finished a comic.
.
Like Dumas hinted at: When the well has dried up, you look back at when the well was overflowing.
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Writers like Dennis O'Neil, Roy Thomas, Steve Englehart, Len Wein, Marv Wolfman, Archie Goodwin, Don McGregor, Jim Starlin, Dave Sim, Paul Levitz, John Byrne, Chris Claremont, Roger Stern, Doug Moench, David Michelinie, Bruce Jones, Bill Mantlo, Jan Strnad, and so many others told stories that dealt with mature themes and issues, without having to resort to the relentlessly over-the-top extremes of the current school of writers.
.
I still think there's tons of great art in comics. But there is a definite writing crisis. And it's made many of us pine for the days when we weren't largely disappointed with our purchase of new books.
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Thank God for back issues. I'm amazed how I can continually find great reading from past eras, even as my occasional samplings of new books continually prove so disappointing. Of the new books, the only ones I buy regularly are: SOJOURN (I love Greg Land's art, and the story has a lot of fun elements. But it is drawn out, in the padded, drawn-out, trade-filler modern style. The mix of humor and adventure reminds me of the Bruce Jones/Brent Anderson KAZAR series from the early 1980's. Although I think the writing was better in KAZAR), HELLBOY (and only Mignola written/illustrated HELLBOY at this point. The other HELLBOY stuff by other creators is overwhelmingly crap), GROO (and anything by Aragones), LEAVE IT TO CHANCE by Robinson and Paul Smith the various projects P. Craig Russell produces, The new Busiek/Nord CONAN series from Dark Horse. I like the art, and while the story is barely passable, I'm trying to give the series a chance, because I love CONAN and would llike to see it get better. and a one-shot here and there. Most new series I try, I read one issue, and then, with disappointment and disgust, I stop buying. The recent FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE JUSTICE LEAGUE trade (collecting the six-issue miniseries) perfectly captures the tight scripting, clean art, clever dialogue and FUN that has been missing from the new books for a long time. Like BSAMS said, the point where Image Comics launched in 1992, and poisoned the well with their mindless, poorly illustrated megamacho crap, and that style became widely imitated, is what destroyed the industry. I'd also add the dark, morose, pretentious Vertigo line of DC as the other dominant style that has left its dark machine-stamped mold on the industry. Even at its best, SANDMAN was annoyingly smug and pretentious. And it only goes downhill from there with the Vertigo titles. And more recently, I've despised the current Marvel titles since Quesada took over. Despite the pretty art, the books remain dark, laden with rude attitude, poorly written, and ultimately, unreadable. --------------------  "This Man, This Wonder Boy..."
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Dave, that issue of fantastic Four is my favorite story of all time.
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Yeah, FF # 51, "This Man, This Monster". It's a great one, one of the classics. And it's a one-issue story, the likes of which you don't see often in the modern era. In the current period, it would be stretched for 6 or 8 issues to fill a trade paperback. Which would blunt some of its impact. Even in expanded stories of the 60's, 70's and 80's, with subplots that went beyond a single issue, the story would come to some kind of a conclusion at issue's end, that would give a sense of having read a complete story, even though elements of it were continued the next month. Some of my favorites, that are largely single-issue stories, despite plot elements that are continued:- Jack Kirby's Fourth World books:
JIMMY OLSEN 133-148,
FOREVER PEOPLE 1-11,
NEW GODS 1-11,
MR MIRACLE 1-9 ( all from 1970-1972)
And Kirby's KAMANDI, DEMON, O.M.A.C., DAYS IN THE MOB, WEIRD MYSTERY 1-3, JUSTICE INC, SANDMAN and others.
And really, just about every DC comic, prior to 1985.
Neal Adams' Deadman (STRANGE ADVENTURES 206-216), BATMAN, DETECTIVE COMICS, GREEN LANTERN, SPECTRE and other series.
I greatly enjoy all the Batman titles from 1970-1975, mostly scripted by O'Neil, Robbins and Haney, with art primarily by Novick, Aparo, Brown and Giordano. As well as Neal Adams, who I just listed above, whose style from 1970 forward set the style for all the other batman artists. With some great work by Simonson (DETECTIVE 437-443, 450), Almendola (DETECTIVE 439 especially!!!) and others.
Wein/Wrightson SWAMP THING 1-10(recently reprinted in the SWAMP THING: DARK GENESIS trade)
The McGregor/Russell Killraven series, in AMAZING ADVENTURES 18-39 (1973-1976, and the KILLRAVEN graphic novel in 1983). Some of the best writing in comics, on an Alan Moore level.
McGregor's Black Panther series in JUNGLE ACTION 6-24 is another close contender.
Starlin, Englehart/Gulacy, Moench/Gulacy, Moench/Zeck and Moench/Day MASTER OF KUNG FU 15-120 (1974-1982).
Starlin's CAPTAIN MARVEL and WARLOCK series (1973-1977)
Mike Grell's WARLORD series. The first 14 issues especially, which Grell wrote, pencilled and inked. He wrote and pencilled up to issue 50, and while it was still good, it wasn't quite as beautiful as when he did everything himself.
Grell's STARSLAYER series(1981-1983)
Grell's JON SABLE FREELANCE series (1983-1986).
AMAZING SPIDERMAN ANNUAL 14 and 15 (1980 and 1981 respectively) by Dennis O'Neil and Frank Miller.
From a period when, with others like AVENGERS ANNUAL 7 and MARVEL 2-IN-1 ANNUAL 2 (both by Starlin, 1977),
and X-MEN ANNUAL 3 (Claremont/Perez/Austin, 1980),
and AVENGERS ANNUAL 10 (Claremont/Golden/Gil, 1981) were truly an annual event.
The ultimate annual ever for me is AMAZING SPIDERMAN ANNUAL 1 (1963) by Lee and Ditko (I have it reprinted as ANNUAL 6, which is actually better because it collects a few other great early Marvel stories, where Spiderman first clashed with the FF.)
Michelinie/Byrne AVENGERS, issues 181-191. A tremendously fun storyline. The whole run surrounding it, mostly by Englehart, Shooter, Michelinie and Perez, from issues 141-220, I enjoy only slightly less.
A very consistent and fun series.
Stern's AMAZING SPIDERMAN 224-250, with John Romita Jr. (1982-1984). For me, the definitive Spiderman.
Stern's CAPTAIN AMERICA 247-255 with John Byrne. Again, definitive.
Stern's DOCTOR STRANGE 46, 48-73 (with Golden, Rogers, Paul Smith, Salmons, Green, Leialoha, and others). The definitive Doctor Strange, the book I think Stern poured the most love into. A LOT of great single-issue stories.
LEGION OF SUPERHEROES 285-306, by Levitz and Giffen. I've rarely enjoyed comics more than when I read this series (1982-1984), partially reprinted in the LEGION: GREAT DARKNESS SAGA trade.
And even Alan Moore's highly acclaimed SWAMP THING series, while telling a larger story, is broken into smaller one-issue, two-issue and three-issue storylines that can largely be understood independent of the rest of the series, particularly:
"The Anatomy Lesson" (issue 21, 1983),
"Pog" (issue 32),
"Abandoned Houses" (issue 33),
"The Nukeface Papers" (issues 35-36),
"Still Waters/Fish Story" (issues 38-39),
"The Curse" (issue 40),
"Southern Change/Strange Fruit" (issues 41-42),
"Ghost Dance" (issue 45, my favorite !),
and "My Blue Heaven" (issue 55).
Y'know, I just don't get the modern, "stretch it to fill a trade" mindset. You can fill a trade with single issue stories ! So I mean, really, WHY ?!? It's just lazy hack writing. And I choose not to support it. I'd highly recommend the new FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE JUSTICE LEAGUE trade. Even within the six-issue trade, the stories are largely broken into one and two issue segments. Clever, funny and tightly scripted. Again, it's the most fun I've had reading comics in a long time. A refreshing taste of what's largely been gone for the last 10 to 15 years. Likeable characters, instead of intimidation, attitude, sadism, profanity, graphic violence and gore ( shock elements which are almost always a substitute for real talent. I'm referring specifically to Azzarello, Bendis, Ellis, Ennis, Morrison and Millar. I would like if in real life, someone would do some of the terrible things to them that they do to the characters they script. Vile excrement. ) -------------------- "This Man, This Wonder Boy..."
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Stern is the most unappreciated writer in comics history. I met him at mid-ohio con and he had 0 line and mike mignola was next to him and had about 2 people in line. This was back in 1992 but I was flabergasted. Come to think of it Mark Waid only had 1 person in line...and that was when he was tops...
Triumph and torment was another of my favorite stories...unfortunately I can never find those Captain America issues I always wanted to read them but never have.
I got my Dr Doom/Strange hardcover signed by both guys and had a really long conversation with both guys. it's fun when you actually get to talk to people rather than them rushing you.
The only really long lines were for John Byrne and jeff smith.. I was surprised.
Even Walt Simonson didn't have a line..that was a crazy show.
Stern's Dr Strange, spider-man and superman work was fabulous.
All those Swamp thing works you mentioned are must haves and available in TPB.
The nicest man I've ever met...period. Sergio Aragones-he is a wonderful, talented human being.
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Quote:
Pig Iron said:
Come to think of it Mark Waid only had 1 person in line...and that was when he was tops...
That person was me. I was asking him if I can cop a feel at Devin's bewbies.
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Banned from the DCMBs since 2002. 15000+ posts
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I still blame superheroes.
I also blame soap writing. That is, writing something designed never to end.
Good stories have endings. Tha nature of a comic book franchise means that there is no ending.
I stopped reading superhero comics when Kingdom Come came out. I think its dated horribly, but it provided some closure for me, in relation to the overall DC superhero story.
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I really dig some modern comics. Vertigo is putting out some of the best stuff I've seen in the funnybook form. Preacher is my favourite comic of all time. Transmet comes to mind as something I've always enjoyed (say what you want about it, Ellis wrote what he wanted to and always had a definite end in mind. It's more than you can say for most superheroes). 100 Bullets is great.
The indy press is putting out some cool stuff. Everybody should read Oni's Hopeless Savages. If you read the second HS trade "Ground Zero" and don't cry, you have no damn heart.
Only the occasional superhero story is in any way interesting. The Marvel Knight's Daredevil (at least for the first few trades) is a great read. And that's not to say the recent ones are bad, I just haven't read them yet.
The first Ultimates story was great. The Ellis/Hitch Authority was fun. Most of Grant Morrison's superhero stuff is cool.
But lots of superheroes are just... dull. Rehashes of stuff that was done better forty years ago, and at the very least it's month-in-month-out "guy in tights punches villain in tights". Repeat.
Thing is- I can’t spell or type. I spell so badly my spell check doesn’t even know what I was trying to spell. And I have five Eisners HAHAHAHHA!!
-Brian Michael Bendis
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I actually stopped buying some Marvel titles in the last few months. Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, and X-Men specificly. Now I'm down to...maybe sixty titles a month? LOL!
I'm really into Silver Age comics off of e-bay moreso than many of today's comics...but they cost a bit more. Matbe I'll work on cutting down on that list of sixty...
-----once over and twice twisted---------
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Quote:
I'm Not Mister Mxypltk said:
Mike Allred.
I like Allred's work. I think he is very innovative.
Danny, I kind of like Preacher in a vague tepid sort of way, and hate Transmet. To each his own: by the same authors, Planetary and Unknown Soldier were excellent.
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I still buy some comics these days, but it's mostly out of habit. Maybe I'm just pass that age where I need them so much. And it's an expensive habit. To an extent I count myself lucky that many of the characters I liked did grow with me. That helped me stay in the game longer. The Legion somehow managed to stay around my age. The Teen Titans became the New Teen Titans then just Titans. They grew & evolved. I could never imagine not reading the Titans as a kid. Of course now it's a bit in reverse. Reading about a kid's group just doesn't hold my interest. Nor do I think I should be the target audience anymore, I'm just too old. At some point it became a nostalgia thing for me I think. And in that respect I'm lucky there too, as the big 2 have been reprinting stuff in high quality hardcover's. To be honest I'm a bit jealous of you folk that can still buy titles & truly enjoy them. It's something I've seem to have lost or broke.
Fair play!
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Quote:
Dave said:
I like Allred's work. I think he is very innovative.
That's I'm saying. That dude renewed my faith in comics.
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Quote:
Dave said:
Quote:
I'm Not Mister Mxypltk said:
Mike Allred.
I like Allred's work. I think he is very innovative.
Danny, I kind of like Preacher in a vague tepid sort of way, and hate Transmet. To each his own: by the same authors, Planetary and Unknown Soldier were excellent.
I actually agree with the Ellis part of that.. I may check out Unknown Soldier as I haven't liked Ennis' Preacher or Punisher,,although his hellblazer run -the American story?-was pretty good. Generally speaking I think Ennis and Millar are both a bit over the top and in your face.
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Quote:
Matter-eater Man said:
I still buy some comics these days, but it's mostly out of habit. Maybe I'm just pass that age where I need them so much. And it's an expensive habit. To an extent I count myself lucky that many of the characters I liked did grow with me. That helped me stay in the game longer. The Legion somehow managed to stay around my age. The Teen Titans became the New Teen Titans then just Titans. They grew & evolved. I could never imagine not reading the Titans as a kid. Of course now it's a bit in reverse. Reading about a kid's group just doesn't hold my interest. Nor do I think I should be the target audience anymore, I'm just too old. At some point it became a nostalgia thing for me I think. And in that respect I'm lucky there too, as the big 2 have been reprinting stuff in high quality hardcover's. To be honest I'm a bit jealous of you folk that can still buy titles & truly enjoy them. It's something I've seem to have lost or broke.
Most of my money is spent on OGNs, Masterworks, Archives, and statues. I buy less than 10 monthly titles these days. I do find myself picking up books, but generally never stay with a new title or new creator run more than 2 issues. That said, I find myself liking books targeted for kids as much as i like books targeted for adults. I can find enjoyment in both as long as they aren't dumbed down or padded for the TPB.
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Quote:
Pig Iron said:Marvel Comics....sucks....Sorry, but I've about had it.
I'm on the other side of the fence...I am more interested in Marvel Comics right now than I have been since probably 1983.
I just decided to whittle TEEN TITANS and OUTSIDERS out of my regular bunch of monthlies, in favor the ULTIMATE FF and MARVEL KNIGHTS 4. Basically, BATMAN and JSA are the only DC monthlies I'm reading. That will change once John Byrne's Doom Patrol starts up.
But Marvel's getting about all my comic money.
Jim
We all wear a green carnation.
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Quote:
Dave said:
Danny, I kind of like Preacher in a vague tepid sort of way, and hate Transmet. To each his own: by the same authors, Planetary and Unknown Soldier were excellent.
I've found that Preacher is one of the most divisive comics when it comes to people's opinions that I've ever discussed. Which is probably part of the reason I like it.
A lot of people lump Ennis in the pigeonhole of violent, over the top, sex crazed cuss words comics, but that's just the fun window dressing on a damn good story. And I dig Steve Dillon's art. He can put more expression into a face than anyone else in the business.
Transmet, at the very least, I find amusing in a kooky alternate future with the occasional clever one liner thrown in sort of way.
Planetary is amazing. But I only have the first two TPBs, and I'm trying very hard to just collect the trades because I much prefer the format and I pretty much buy everything like that nowadays. So I have a huge wait before my next chunk of reading.
I haven't read Unknown Soldier. I'd like to. If I see the TPB for a decent price I might pick it up.
Thing is- I can’t spell or type. I spell so badly my spell check doesn’t even know what I was trying to spell. And I have five Eisners HAHAHAHHA!!
-Brian Michael Bendis
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The violent over the top stuff didn't bother me in the slightest, on Preacher. I just felt it lost its way a bit. I know Ennis was out to show a wide variety of characters, as part of the philosophy of how a person's interaction makes up a person's character, but the main plot seemed to get lost/dragged out into insensibility.
I liked the characterisation very much, and thought the violence was kind of cool. I thought it was plot weak. He could have told the story in 20 issues, not 70 odd.
As for Transmet.... this is Ellis living life vicariously through his character, as an ultra-cool famous writer cum martyr. I have never been so disappointed by anything. Having said that there was the first tpb, which I thought was excellent. Which probably heightened the sense of disappointment.
I was also probably poisoned by reading Ellis's collection of columns, called Come in Alone, whcih gave too much insight into Ellis the man. It became impossible to distinguish Ellis the man from Spider Jerusalem the character.
I've just finished Global Frequency tpb #1, which is another Ellis book, which I also thought was lukewarm, but at least I didin't think it was Ellis masquerading in comic book drag.
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I concede your point on Preacher. I liked the tangential stuff, but I can see why another reader would find it unnecessarily drawn out. As you said earlier, it's a matter of taste.
Transmet had come cool sci-fi ideas and a great villain in the Smiler. Perhaps it helps that I haven't read Come In Alone (though I did read a few of them as they were posted at CBR), so I have less of a mental picture of Ellis the man. And, to be honest, I don't have a huge problem with a writer living out their desires and frustrations through a character.
Also by Ellis, I loved the first two Authority TPBs.
Thing is- I can’t spell or type. I spell so badly my spell check doesn’t even know what I was trying to spell. And I have five Eisners HAHAHAHHA!!
-Brian Michael Bendis
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I had the advantage of starting Transmet before I really got to know what Ellis was like. By issue 30, it was starting to become disturbingly clear that this was Ellis(or, rather, what Ellis thought of himself), and that he not only had nothing new to say beyond that point, but lacked the creative insight with which to say it(what seperated him from Hunter H. Thompson).
Planetary, however, remains Ellis' finest work, in my opinion. Even if he writes a dozen Transmets, in the end I think Planetary would redeem him, in my eyes.
MisterJLA is RACKing awesome.
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I walk in eternity 15000+ posts
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I am most fond of comic books that I read from 1964
to 1969, during the Silver Age. I was MOST fond of:
Adventure Comics Featuring Superboy and The Legion Of Superheroes.
The Fantastic four.
The Avengers.
Superman.
Spiderman.
The X Men.
Justice League.
The Mighty Thor.
Iron Man.
Captain America.
Green Lantern.
The Teen Titans.
The Atom.
The Doom Patrol.
Etc, Etc...
I have some of these old issues, in various states of decay.
I have NOT Bought NEW comics since 1989, when The X Men seemed to spin off into a direction I did not care for, DP - 7 was cancelled, Legion was cancelled ( Albiet only for a few months. ) Stories in general got darker, depressing and angry. That was not what I wanted.
Sure, I've been to comic book stores and checked some new things out, but they just don't move me like
the comics I read as a kid.
Now, I do buy archives and the Essential books.
I love 'em!
That's just me, LoL.
"I offer you a Vulcan prayer, Mr Suder. May your death bring you the peace you never found in life." - Tuvok. 
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Where have you been?
I am similar in that I now spend 80% of my monthly budget on Archives/masterworks/ SA back-issues/ classic tpbs. I also get a few statues and here and there. There are some really good books out there now, but most of the best stuff is somber or dark-I can only read so much of it.
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Quote:
Danny said:
I concede your point on Preacher. I liked the tangential stuff, but I can see why another reader would find it unnecessarily drawn out. As you said earlier, it's a matter of taste.
Transmet had come cool sci-fi ideas and a great villain in the Smiler. Perhaps it helps that I haven't read Come In Alone (though I did read a few of them as they were posted at CBR), so I have less of a mental picture of Ellis the man. And, to be honest, I don't have a huge problem with a writer living out their desires and frustrations through a character.
Also by Ellis, I loved the first two Authority TPBs.
Danny is a fucktard.
Danny:Swallower and proud pounder of MEAT.
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Quote:
Danny said:
Quote:
Dave said:
Danny, I kind of like Preacher in a vague tepid sort of way, and hate Transmet. To each his own: by the same authors, Planetary and Unknown Soldier were excellent.
I've found that Preacher is one of the most divisive comics when it comes to people's opinions that I've ever discussed. Which is probably part of the reason I like it.
A lot of people lump Ennis in the pigeonhole of violent, over the top, sex crazed cuss words comics, but that's just the fun window dressing on a damn good story. And I dig Steve Dillon's art. He can put more expression into a face than anyone else in the business.
Transmet, at the very least, I find amusing in a kooky alternate future with the occasional clever one liner thrown in sort of way.
Planetary is amazing. But I only have the first two TPBs, and I'm trying very hard to just collect the trades because I much prefer the format and I pretty much buy everything like that nowadays. So I have a huge wait before my next chunk of reading.
I haven't read Unknown Soldier. I'd like to. If I see the TPB for a decent price I might pick it up.
Danny is a fucktard.
Danny:Swallower and proud pounder of MEAT.
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Hi Pig Iron,
I been here, but just haven't seen much lately
I want to write about; I'll make an effort to find
topics I want to talk about in here more.
I collect figures. I have all nine Avengers featured
in the Avengers King Size issue No # 1, from
summer 1967.
I have all 11 DC Direct Legion of Super hero Figures,
plus Silver age box set of Superboy - Supergirl, featuring
Krypto and Streaky.
I have the Fantastic Four.
Spiderman.
And all Seven Justice League figures from the animated
series, plus a few other JLA figures.
And that is not even counting my Star Wars, Star Trek,
Babylon 5, Dr Who and Lost in Space figures, and other figures from Sci Fi movies, and historical ones, too.
I hope Marvel churns out a Fourth and maybe even a Fifth Essential Avengers, and more...
And I'd sure like to get MORE Essential Fantastic Four
volumes!
And Legion archives, too!
Off Topic : I got the Talking Tom Baker figure last week.
If you are a Dr Who fan as I am, I highly recommend it!
It is sculpted quite well, and the scarf looks terrific. He has his sonic screw driver and bag of jelly babies, and his trademark toothy smile.
K - 9 is equally as detailed, with his control panel and
fully sculpted features.
Both figures talk. Tom Baker says about 5 phrases, and K- 9, two.
Silver age Comics still fascinate me. Kurt Swan and Jack Kirby will always be my two favorite comic book artists.
The stories they drew were interesting and of ongoing interest. Sure, they had their dark moments, but the endings often had upbeat notes.
Another Off Topic moment : Stargate SG - 1 really is a Cool show. I only discovered it a year or so ago, and I love it. Richard Dean Anderson has a lot of funny moments spread through out each episode, and the stories and script are consistantly excellent.
"I offer you a Vulcan prayer, Mr Suder. May your death bring you the peace you never found in life." - Tuvok.
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I am overwhelmed by a wave of cleverness.
Thing is- I can’t spell or type. I spell so badly my spell check doesn’t even know what I was trying to spell. And I have five Eisners HAHAHAHHA!!
-Brian Michael Bendis
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Danny:Swallower and proud pounder of MEAT.
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A "fucktard" sounds like a very naughty dessert. A cross between custard and sex. Quote:
Danny said:
I concede your point on Preacher. I liked the tangential stuff, but I can see why another reader would find it unnecessarily drawn out. As you said earlier, it's a matter of taste.
Transmet had come cool sci-fi ideas and a great villain in the Smiler. Perhaps it helps that I haven't read Come In Alone (though I did read a few of them as they were posted at CBR), so I have less of a mental picture of Ellis the man. And, to be honest, I don't have a huge problem with a writer living out their desires and frustrations through a character.
Also by Ellis, I loved the first two Authority TPBs.
I liked Miller's version better, but anyway...
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