The Other Comic Thread

[The Lensman]

So we have threads about the current goings on with the Big Two, Marvel and DC, but none that I'm aware of for everyone else. So I'm interested in seeing what others are reading outside of the Big Two. For myself, I no longer collect on a regular basis, but I still go to the shop every once in awhile and if something catches my eye, I'll pick it up.

John Byrne was doing some nice Trek work until Paramount wanted to focus on nuTrek comics effectively ending his Trek run. Since then he's been putting out a steady stream of four issue mini-series ranging from spy stuff to sci-fi to super hero to end of the world stuff.

Doomsday.1 is a post apocalyptic tale. Most of the world has been devastated by a massive solar flare and we follow (so far) a group of astronauts as they make their way to the habitable area, which is in upper South America.

Two issues in and I'm enjoying the series, tho we're still in "set up" mode. Issue 2 was okay, but it felt a bit too rushed and predictable. I'm loving Byrne's art recently. Nice and clean, his best work in a long time.

Pulp action!! I'm loving this series. Love the art, the story, the whole approach (especially the radio on the inside cover as if it's a radio show). This is the final issue of this mini-series with the next one being teased at the end. More two fisted action and we learn the identity of Labryinto. I'd say that Francavilla would do a kick ass old school Batman, but I'd rather he do Black Beetle than that.

Mister X has returned! I love Dean Motter's retro futuristic cities (Radiant, Terminal and Electra) and always look forward to visiting them again. More retro-noir, more puns, more action, more fun! X's girl pal Mercedes has been captured and now X has enlisted Tess LaCoyle to help him get her back. Can she stay sober enough to help? Plus stand alone back up stories!

This is sort of a reintroduction to Mister X for modern audiences, so if you want something a little different, give it a try.

 

[Agent Richard07]

Great idea. I thought about starting a thread like this. Since I got back into DC with The New 52, I got into a few more titles as well. The ones I get regularly are…

Battlestar Galactica
Miss Fury
Star Trek
The Shadow

Battlestar is based on the old show. It's got some good hooks that suggest that it might become something more but if it doesn't, I may drop it. I just picked it up so that I'd have the first issue and because I was a little curious. And Star Trek gives me my episodic fix between movies.

Here's a repost from the DC thread about Miss Fury and another title that got one issue but hasn't gone to series yet…

I started getting Dynamite's Miss Fury.

It's a period piece like The Shadow and the art is fantastic.

Spoiler: sample pages with some mild sexual content.

Why bring this up here? I'm surprised at how similar she is to Catwoman. Thief puts on cat outfit and eventually becomes a crime fighter. I wonder who plagiarized who. She's a fascinating character though, almost the female version of The Shadow. She's a wealthy socialite who's bored and steals because of it. She also travels and a trip to Africa transforms her and endows her with heightened abilities. She then returns to Manhattan a new person.

It's a good read. I hope they can use this premise to tell decent stories.

The next two issues of Miss Fury aren't the best because I'm not too keen on the current story, but I like the character, so I'll stick with it for now.

I also got around to reading the first issue of something I picked up last year... The Beauty #1.

It's about a modern world like our own, but where a sexually transitted disease has infected half the population. This "disease" however seems to have mostly positive effects. It causes the infected to become better looking and fitter, but with a slight fever (not enough to affect their day to day living though). Most people want it, and it's only one sexual encounter away. However, some groups out there see it as a danger and lash out with terrorist attacks. One day, a woman dies on the subway due to internal combustion. It's thought to be another terrorist attack on the Beauty and its carriers, but it seems that she died of "natural" causes. Could the Beauty be responsible? Our team of cops, which includes an attractive young woman who has been infected, are on the case.

Top Cow put out this one issue as part of their Pilot Season. It could have been a one off issue and I read it thinking that it was, but found out that it got enough votes to make it to series. Read about the news here. And you can also read the entire first issue online here.

Still no word on when or even if any new issues will be coming out.

 

[Captain Craig]

I tried something like this back after VALIANT COMICS relaunched. Thinking that with our comic readers on the site there would be enough interest to follow the rebirth of that universe.

As they enter Year Two this summer I was going to bump in and mention the Year 2 books on deck. Guess I still could.

The TMNT from IDW thread that Trekker started kinda died. Felt like I was the only one still reading that.

From other publishers I've been enjoying the Dark Horse realunch of X and Ghost. I picked up Captain Midnight a few weeks back and despite feeling very Captain America esque may read the first arc. Looking forward to the other Comics Greatest World 9ish mini Catalyst Comics coming soon. An anthology to have a few other CGW characters in it.

I picked up Lazarus from Image, this week, based on Greg Rucka's name alone. Haven't read it yet. Same with West of East by Hickman. Though I feel 3 issues in it's going to read better as a trade. Feeling the decompression already.

Has anyone tried the rebranded Green Hornet Legacy by Dynamite publishing? When Mark Waid's Green Hornet, telling stories of Britt Sr in his prime started they needed to differentiate it from the Britt, Jr. stories. It went to the Legacy subtitle at I think #36. It continues the title started by Kevin Smith around the same time the last movie came out. I read the first 28 issues and have thought about going back to the title.

 

[Merlanthe]

I collect the Fables series i really like its interpretation of classic fairy tale characters and how it often adds depth to them whilst mostly remaining consistent with the themes of their particular tale. I havent bothered with teh spin off Jack of Fables? i think its called.

I did want to collect the hedge knight which is a graphic novel adaptation of George RR Martins Hedge knight short stories that i enjoyed reading but i havent gotten round to it yet.

I also really like the graphic novel of Pride and Predjudice and am slowly acquiring the published volumes of Widdershins an imho exceptionally good webcomic.

 

[Saga]

The Black Beetle really is a great book. the new Captain Midnight from Dark Horse has been really good too. honestly, i enjoy most of what Dynamite publishes over Marvel/DC. all their pulp comics are fun to varying degrees. plus they have a Phantom/Flash Gordon/Mandrake team up coming out soon. and a Tarzan/John Carter team up!

 

[JD]

Do any of you guys read any of Aspen's stuff? I've seen Fathom, Soulfire, and the Executive Assistant series popping up on Comixology and they kind of intrigue me.

 

[The Lensman]

Captain Craig, I read the original X years ago...what's the new take like? As for Green Hornet, I haven't read it....that's a character that has yet to grab me.

Dynamite has had a pretty impressive slate of books and I want to pick up the trade of their Flash Gordon series. I'd also like to check out their Kirby stuff as well as their "Masks" series as I like updates to old heroes.

 

[Captain Craig]

So far 2 issues in, it feels like the 90's X in as far as his modus operandi, attitude and personality traits. My memory of the 90's version was that he was one part Batman, one part Punisher who roamed the DD like Hell's Kitchen of Arcadia. So far that's what we've been given in the relaunch.
I'm not sure if I'm reading too much into it but X seems to take a brutal amount of punishment and bouncing back. I half expect to learn he's been a guinea pig of some scientific experiment but we'll see.


As for "Other Comics", last week I got Lazarus #1 from Image written by Greg Rucka. I picked it up based on his name alone. Knowing his solid work on Batman, Punisher, Black Widow and Elektra for starters I flipped through it. The story takes place in an unidentified future, near/far is unknown, where food is scarce and The Rich are essentially running things not to akin to Mafia crime families. The Carlyle family is our focus and the main character is called Forever Carlyle, she has the ability to resurrect and is, it seems, the Enforcer for the family. It's revealed she is at a seemingly crossroads with how things are and have been ran. The politics on the book is overt and the 4page editorial spells it out if you somehow miss it. Based on his tweets I think Greg is only trying to point out the widening disparity and not overtly saying he feels "all rich"(perspective of what that is) would be/are evil nor are all poor people just down on their luck innocents. I'm going to try the first arc.

Tried to post an image of the cover, not working for me?!!Uploaded with ImageShack.com