JD's Comic Book Thread

I got some money for B&N for the e-book pricing lawsuit, and I used some of it to get Amazing Spider-Man: New Ways To Die, and Planet Hulk Prelude. This will be the first complete arc of a Hulk comic I've read but not he first issues, I read the first issues of the Hulk run focused on Red Hulk and Indestructable Hulk. I've been wanting to check out some more Hulk stuff, and I hear about Planet Hulk a lot so I figured I'd start there, especially since there's a chance it might be an influence on Hulk's role in Thor: Ragnarok.

 

Planet Hulk is pretty good, and it leads into World War Hulk, which I thought was very good.

 

I took advantage of the Image and Dark Horse SDCC Comixology sales to get The Wicked + The Divine Vol.1 collection and the individual issues of Hellboy: The Conquerer Worm. These are probably two of the series I've been most anxious to read that I haven't gotten yet.
Just out of curiosity where would be a good place to start for someone whose never read Luke Cage or Dr. Strange comics? Are there any good jumping on points for them in the Avengers Dissassembled/Civil War/Secret Invasion era? Most of the other stuff I've been reading has been within that general era so if I'd possible I'd like to stick close to it.
Edit: I think they are both in New Avengers, which I'm already reading, so I'm looking for solo stories, or at least stuff focused more squarely on them.

 

I just finished reading Amazing Spider-Man: New Ways to Die a couple days ago. I really enjoyed this one. It was my first story with Norman Osbourn, and I thought he was a really good villain here. The Thunderbolts were pretty cool too.
This was also my first story with Eddie Brock, and I thought his arc and transfromation into Anti-Venom were good. So when would be the best time to read his solo mini-series?

 

New Ways to Die is probably my favorite Brand New Day era story (before the Big Time / Superior era which is better). And JRJR art is always a winner. Except when it's rushed and blocky.

 

I think the last time JRjr's art wasn't blocky was when Reagan was still in office

 

JRJR's art was a bit more cartoony that I was expecting, for some reason I was thinking his stuff was really, really realistic looking. I did like it, it just kind of surprised me at first.

 

It's sad, but at least we'll get a big series finale ender, rather the story just limping along forever.

 

i read the first trade of Lumberjanes. really great. lots of fun. reminds me a bit of Gravity Falls, Adventure Time and Regular Show.

 

Marvel marked down a whole bunch of their digital collections, so I got some of the ones I've been wanting to read, including my next Spidey book, Crime and Punisher, and I noticed something I wanted to ask about while I was flipping through it. In the recap page of the second issues, it talks about Mr. Negative saving and enhancing Hammerhead, but I don't remember seeing that in one of the post-Brand New Day issues. So did that happen somewhere else, or did I just forget about it? I though Mr. Negative was first introduced when BND started, so I was kind of assuming this must have happened in one of the issues after I started reading.
I also picked up the second collections of the first series of Runaways and New Avengers, Iron Man: Extremis and the first JMS Thor collection. Thor Vol 1 and Extremis will be my first solo comics for those characters.

 

Valiant has announced what could be the greatest series of variant covers ever.

 

I really enjoy VALIANT comics and am glad that variant cover collecting isn't my thing.
Hope those who enjoy it, find some fun in hunting these down though.

 

I've been planning on starting Scott Snyder's New 52 Batman series, and I was just wondering how connected it was to the other New 52 Batman series? Are any of them also worth reading?
I also have the first Sucide Squad collection, and I noticed flipping through it that The Joker's cut off face appears to come into play in it. Which book did The Joker lose his face in?

 

You can easily read Snyder's Batman and nothing else. It's the flagship title and tells its own story. Someitmes the satellite books tie-in to Snyder, but not the other way round.

 

Ok, that's what I thought, but I just wanted to make sure.

 

i really liked Court of the Owls. i think the rest of Snyder's run is vastly overrated.

 

I thought the entire run was a perennial classic. "Superheavy" wasn't quite as good as the rest but still interesting and a good change of pace.

 

Can anyone recommend any books that are like Identity Crisis? You know, stories that are more personal, or have a greater impact on a character emotionally, vs random big bad of the month? I just read Identity Crisis and its one of the best stories I've enjoyed since I got back into comics. I also just bought The Death of Jean Dewolfe, so books along that line interest me most.

Also I grew up Marvel, but recently got into Batman and wanted to expand to reading more DC characters. Which books are the most recommended? I want to try Superman (I bought All-Star Superman and World's Finest but haven't read them yet) and Wonder Woman. I like the Flash tv series, how does the books hold up? Any recs?