.Are you tired of reading comics in short, monthly instalments?
Do you yearn for nice, smart books with spines, dustjackets and no ads?
Are you willing to pay ridiculously inflated prices for hardcover reprints of comics you already own in three different editions, just because the page size in the new version is ½” bigger?
Then this is the thread for you!
https://www.humblebundle.com/books/lone-wolf-cub-koike-from-dark-horse-books
Lone Wolf and Cub and other related books up on Humble Bundle. Lone Wolf and Cub is worth price of entry alone. I got a Kindle Fire for my birthday in October so Ill be all over this.
Murder Falcon is getting a deluxe OHC
And the first of the Busiek reprints are showing up. Arrowsmiths in OHC form. “This edition, in hardcover for the first time, will present the art as PACHECO originally intended.” 978-1534322066
Also Astro City Metrobook v1. “Collects KURT BUSIEK’S ASTRO CITY, VOL. 1 (#1-6) & VOL. 2 (#1-12, #9;)” 978-1534322042
Murder Falcon is getting a deluxe OHC
Great. Will have to pick that up.
Hope Extremity gets a complete collection too.
Recent reads:
Helm Greycastle Volume 1
This was an interesting take on the mythology of Mexico. It was a little confusing at first as it’s more fantasy alternate history than alternate history, which takes a bit of getting used to.
Hope they continue it.
Time After Time Volume 1
This was a surprisingly refreshing take on time travel from the Write It In Blood team. It’s trump card is not getting bogged in the mechanics of how time travel works, it simply says it does and asks what happens them. The answer is cross-time crime syndicates!
American Vampire: 1976
For a long time I really thought this series was fated to join the long, long list of comic serial stories forgotten or abandomed by their creators, doomed to remain unfinished.
Fortunately, it proved not to be so and this is an excellent conclusion. Though, it probably works better when you can pick up the dizzying array of references to preceding tales that are scattered across it – I had a, at best, hazy recall as it had been so long.
This worked really well, both as a conclusion and a final musing on the nature of the US.
Hopefully, there will eventually be a second omnibus to accomany the first.
Nocterra Volume 1
This was a fun ride and quite distinct from Snyder’s other works. Some excellent art from Daniel, backed up with colours to match made for a great opening shot.
It’s also neatly done in the end pages how future arcs are set up and alluded to.
Ultimate Omnibus – 978-1302945657 Doesn’t even have Ultimates 3 though, so what’s the point?
Isn’t that a point in its favour? 
Black Friday offers:
Speedyhen – 10% off with code BLACKFRIDAY21
Wordery – Buy 3 books, get 15% off with FRIDAY15
Thanks Ben. You’ve just saved me a chunk of cash on some preorders with that Speedyhen code.
Twitter does have its uses.
The existing HCs are OHCs. The fourth one just came out.
Did a quick look on Book Depository:
OHCs 3-4 came out this year so ought to still be available
OHCs 1-2, however, were 2019 and 2020 respectively so might be a bit harder to obtain.
Thanks, Ben. I had ordered the direct market edition from FP – got to love the Art Adams cover! But, this is £10 cheaper, so I’ve cancelled that and ordered this instead.
I finally finished reading Jason Aaron’s Thor run, having binged the back half of it (inc. War of the Realms and the first few Avengers trades) over the last couple of weeks.
The run never quite achieves the highs of that initial God Butcher arc, but remains highly engaging throughout. Exciting, world/ realm shaking events, combined with moments of beautiful introspection from the characters involved. Accompanied, for the most part, with some excellent artwork from the likes of Dautermann, McGuiness, del Mundo and Ribic.
At times, elements did feel stretched out and padded. I certainly don’t buy that the whole Jane Foster storyline or the inclusion of the Ultimate Thor was the plan along. But, it is to Aaron’s skill as a writer that he manages to weather the storm (sorry) and stick the landing remarkably well.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the Avengers chapters. I had kind of dismissed the book when it launched, but the crazy all out action of the book is infectious. I’ll certainly be continuing to read this further on Marvel Unlimited.
Really good to have Inferno Prologue omnibus in place.
Fall of the Mutants in May 2022, then the last piece needed will be Uncanny X-Men omnibus 5.
I purchased a Transformers humble bundle years ago. Never got around to reading the books as it was a pain in the arse reading on the computer. Got them on my Kindle now and looking for a suggested reading order. These are the titles and the order they are automatically sorted in to. Is this ok or is there a better order?
They’re not all related.
Classics 1-4 is the Marvel US run. Regeneration One is a follow up to that, but you’re missing a few volumes.
Fall of Cybertron is a video game tie-in. Rage of the Dinobots is a TV show tie-in.
For the others, there are gaps, but a rough order is:
Autocracy, Spotlight, All Hail Megatron 1-4, For All Mankind, MTMTE v1, RiD v1, MTMTE v2, RiD v2.
Recent reads I’ve forgotten to review:
Chariot
A fun AWA miniseries by Bryan Hill, who one day might return to the Postal series, this one focuses on a tricked out super-car, think Knight Rider, but the computer is the digitised soul of its last driver.
Covid Chronicles
A set of 10 true short stories covering the globe, this is an excellent collection but one you have to be in the right frame of mind to read.
Batman: The World
A short story collection by a global set of creators, by its nature, it will be patchy and hit ‘n’ miss, but that’s not to say it’s bad.
Geiger
Johns and Frank’s creator owned series isn’t the first volume in a multi-volume epic. Instead, this tells the story of one hero inthe US, both pre and post apocalypse – Geiger. In doing so, it mentions various other heroes and that’s where they’re going next, to tell one of their stories. In effect it’ll be an anthology tale. It’s pretty good, but then this is a cheap collection so, at that price, I’m inclined to not be that critical.
Star Wars: High Republic Volume 2
I continue to really enjoy the various strands of this SW project, especially now as it’s doing events in parallel. Why wasn’t Avar and other Jedi available to help during the Drengir attack on Valo? Because they were occupied with a sentient carivorous plant hive-mind! One deep in the depths of wild space and originally imprisoned by the Sith.
Wonder Woman: Lords and Liars
Collecting Tamaki’s run into one high value package, this 11 issue collection is a good run, with excellent art from Janin- sadly not enough – but Pigh succeeds him and is also very good. Based around Diana having to deal with a supposedly redeemed Max Lord, who finds out that another time, he got his neck snapped by her! Tamaki uses all this well and it’s a fun read.
Dreadnoughts: Breaking Ground
A Dredd origin story in effect, Carroll uses the space to explore just what the US moving to the Judge system would really mean. With angle set, he explores what happens when the rights US citizens are told are inviolate become removed. It’s not pretty. It is also pretty fascinating and Higgins’ art is excellent.
Far Sector
This is a superb collection. In every respect, story, art, concept, value-for-money, it aces it. The story is intricate and complex, the art is stunning, it uses the space of the 12 issues it has to maximum effect and the story in turn uses the Green Lantern mythos very effectively. Buy this.
Bought Far Sector as singles and thought it was great.
I’m currently catching up on 3 years of Firefly. Done vols 2-4 today and enjoyed it though because I bought it in singles I need to track down a one shot that I thought was unrelated.
Is that the Boom run of Firefly?
It is. I read vols 2-6.
Dealer Alert
X-Men: Hellfire Gala OHC now at BooksEtc for £33.23.
The Old Guard: Tales Through Time at SpeedyHen for £10.76.
_____________________
As we head for Covid Pandemic Year 3, the state of play for trades has changed once more with my experience in recent months being:
There are still good prices to be accessed, but diversifying the sellers looks to be the way to go.
Edit – And then, just to prove you can’t entirely rely on patterns, BooksEtc currently have copies of Witchfinder Omnibus 2 for £20.05
Working my way through various Humble Bundles. Picking away at the Millarworld one. How well received was Space Bandits as I thought it was dull as shit. Lots of nice visuals, sure, but none of that counts for heehaw when you don’t really care
Man, I don’t even remember hearing of Space Bandits, so I’m guessing it wasn’t a big hit with many people.
Man, I don’t even remember hearing of Space Bandits, so I’m guessing it wasn’t a big hit with many people.
All I remember of Space Bandits is Millar talking about how original and fresh it was, while everyone else pointed out that it looked like a direct rip-off of Kim & Kim (probably unintentional, as Millar clearly doesn’t read anyone else’s comics).
I’ve never read Kim and Kim but I’d recommend it over Space Bandits all day long.
Man, I don’t even remember hearing of Space Bandits, so I’m guessing it wasn’t a big hit with many people.
All I remember of Space Bandits is Millar talking about how original and fresh it was, while everyone else pointed out that it looked like a direct rip-off of Kim & Kim (probably unintentional, as Millar clearly doesn’t read anyone else’s comics).
Oh yeah, I remember that now. Doesn’t even have better art. I’ve not read Kath & Kim and I don’t like Mags Visaggio, but I suspect it is better.
People keep saying the art was nice; I’m assuming that cover isn’t by Scalera then? Because it looks awful.
That’s a Howard Chaykin “Legends” variant. There was a gimmick where those covers were only 75c, as opposed to $3.99 for the regular cover. The others were by José Luis García-López, Walter Simonson, Klaus Janson, and Dave Gibbons, none of them all that good.
Sharkey was actually published before Space Bandits.
I think the ending of Space Bandits is meant to be a cameo from that earlier series to tease that the two stories are going to cross over at some point.
As far as I know that hasn’t happened yet.
It’s a great start that sadly isn’t followed up as well as it should have been.
Mark Millar comics put succinct.
Dealer Alert
SpeedyHen have copies of both Post Americana and Moonshine: Volume 5 – The Well in stock for £10.76
Edit – Scheduling changes spotted:
I think it’s slightly different to the existing omnibus and reprints as it’s based on scans of the original issues (ads and all) to replicate as closely as possible the feeling of reading the original comics. As opposed to the cleaned up linework and colouring of the modern reprints.
I’m not sure I really see the value in it though, especially not at that price – and given that it only collects some of the Lee/Ditko issues (whereas the first ASM omnibus collects the whole lot).
Is this just a repackaged omnibus? By David Mandel and Ralph Macchio???
I believe it’s larger than an omnibus but the colouring is the origina.
Paper stock? Who knows.
This suggests it’s close to the artworks original size which might mean that old colouring flaws are more obvious
https://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/graphic_design/all/01152/facts.marvel_comics_library_spider_man_vol_1_19621964.htm
This XXL-sized collector’s dream, close in size to the original artworks, features the first 21 stories of the world’s favorite web slinger from 1962–1964. Rather than recolor the original artwork (as has been done in previous decades’ reprints of classic comics), TASCHEN has attempted to create an ideal representation of these books as they were produced at the time of publication. The most pristine pedigreed comics have been cracked open and photographed for reproduction in close collaboration with Marvel and the Certified Guaranty Company. Each page has been photographed as printed more than half a century ago, then digitally remastered using modern retouching techniques to correct problems with the era’s inexpensive, imperfect printing—as if hot off of a world-class 1960s printing press. Three different paper stocks, including an uncoated and woodfree paper, were exclusively developed for this series to simulate the feel of the original comics.
I’d probably buy an FF One at that price
Good to have that WOBH:LW confirmed.
Yes it is, but they (Jeff Lemire Deluxe books) seem to have slowed down. I seem to remember 2 a year pace for BH, this this will be over a year.
Gideon Falls is finished, but still don’t see DE Book 2 (Sept. would be one year).
Ascender? Haven’t heard, but no way I don’t wait to put a Deluxe version beside Descender 1 & 2.
Pandemic related issues? I guess I hope it’s that rather than them wavering over sales/profits issues.
Hopefully it is just pandemic related, lots of stuff is being bumped due to printing problems.
Holiday reads:
Wonder Woman: Afterworlds
On the one hand, it is hard to be cheesed off over a 10-issue collection I got for £11, but, this wasn’t that great. It’s an OK read but not as good as Tamaki’s preceding run.
Moonshine: Volume 5 – The Well
I can’t say this is a series that I love, but the sheer technical skill and partnership of Azzarello and Risso make it work well.
It ends the way you’d expect – violently.
The Old Guard: Tales Through Time Volume 1
This is a good collection of 12 short stories with various of the main characters turning up.
Brink Volume 4
It took me a while to get hooked by the start of the earlier volumes but this one starts off far better and takes a very satirical track from the off with the hate boxes concept.
What’s a hate box? Every time you swear it applies an automatic $1 fine to your money. Abnett has a lot of fun with this shit – $1 fine – and you can tell he’s having a fucking – $1 fine – good time.
Will be nabbing Volume 5 in a few months.
Beasts of Burden: Occupied Territory OHC
This was another good, standalone adventure in the series, well told by the team of Dorkin and Dewey.
Post Americana
Easily the biggest surprise of the lot, I was expecting good things from this but it instead of being very good, it was excellent.
Skroce packs in loads of dark humour into this post apocalyptic and he isn’t afraid to tell a complete story in seven issues, which only made it all far, far better.
Very, very fun.
Shadecraft
It says Volume 1, but I think that’s more aspiration than fact, as volume 2 might be a long time coming. Don’t let that put you off though, as this is a great new story from the Skyward team of Henderson and Garbett.
Very enjoyable with fantastic art.
Post Americana Easily the biggest surprise of the lot, I was expecting good things from this but it instead of being very good, it was excellent. Skroce packs in loads of dark humour into this post apocalyptic and he isn’t afraid to tell a complete story in seven issues, which only made it all far, far better. Very, very fun.
Yeah, I just finished this in singles and enjoyed it a lot. Very silly, imaginative and quite extreme in places but always fun. And the art is great.
Just the HC it seems. I avoided more than a cursory glance of the digital edition but the little I saw looked fantastic.
I’m genuinely excited about this
Britain’s most controversial comic is back with two of Britain’s most controversial creators!
I seem to remember Alan Moore announcing that rather than Kevin himself.
Bugger it! Wrote a lengthy post about this book, but it seems to have got lost in the ether. Annoying. Anyway, the gist of it was, I managed to get hold of a first printing of this bad boy. It’s a great series for fans of Buffy, Stranger Things, and/or Hellboy.
The hardcover’s a lovely presentation of the first story arc (#1-15 or the first three trades). There’s a second printing coming later this year.
Thanks for checking, Dave. No worries. I think the third trade is worth a look as it completes the first story arc. The second trade was very much a middle chapter, so I definitely concur that it felt like it was spinning its wheels when taken on its own. The third trade is where you can tell Tynion realises that he’s on to a winner here. There’s a greater confidence and surety in the writing, and the scope of the story really starts to open up too, whilst bringing the initial Archer’s Peak storyline to a worthy conclusion.
It’s worth remembering that the series was only supposed to be a five issue mini originally, that got extended to 15; before getting extended again to an ongoing. You can literally see that reflected on the page, I think.
Pleasantly surprised that this arrived today, a week earlier than it was expected. Funded from an Indiegogo campaign in May 2020, almost two years ago. Gorgeous looking book, although slightly worse for wear from international shipping. Really look forward to reading it.
My bundle arrived today too, hooray.
Looking forward to reading it.
Lucky buggers. No sign of mine though Nemesis The Final Heresies did arrive.
Fine Print v.1 TPB
I picked this up after having enjoyed previous Sejic books like Sunstone and Harleen. Unfortunately it’s not quite on the same level as those books, although it was an ok read.
Partly the problem is that it feels like several disparate ideas are thrown together without enough connecting tissue to make it feel coherent as a whole. There’s one strand that’s about grounded relationship drama and emotional baggage (more akin to Sunstone) and there’s a whole different strand about a fantasy world of angelic and demonic creatures, beings of desire and love and how they interact with the mortal plane.
While they both work ok individually (the real-world section was the most successful for me) they intersect awkwardly, and neither one feels like it really makes sufficient progress by the end of the volume to really have me hooked. The premise of the series doesn’t really come into focus until the end of this book, which is fine for a first issue but not so much for a full TPB-length OGN. And there’s also a third strand about an asexual character which is introduced upfront, at the very start of the book but then mostly forgotten about, leaving them feeling more like a plot point than a genuine part of the story.
Still, the art is nice and (like Sunstone) the adult/sexual elements are handled well – it’s explicit but never feels sleazy or crass, and crucially it always serves the story and characters rather than seeming gratuitous.
Ultimately though I was hoping for something a bit more assured and coherent from this.
Usagi Yojimbo: Bunraku
This is the first trade of the IDW series, which sees Usagi jump to colour and, well, it’s fine. Decent enough stories (though not classics) except for Adachi, which is a retelling of the first Usagi story mixed with an almost beat for beat redraw of the battle of Adachi plain flashback from the start of the Mirage or Dark Horse run, and so feels a bit redundant really.
As someone who usually isn’t that keen on black and white comics (I struggle with pre-colour 2000AD for instance, and it’s often genuinely struggling to parse detail and make sense of what’s happening), I’m surprised to find myself saying this, but I don’t think moving to colour really adds anything to Usagi. I never had a problem with it being black and white. Tom Luth’s colours are fine, if a bit basic and dated, but I don’t feel like the comic would be any worse without them. In fact it’d maybe be better. But I guess being in colour is a requirement of IDW’s.
I received my Gen 13: Starting Over Deluxe Edition today. It reprints the original 5 issue mini, the interim #0, and the first five issues of the main series (plus various & sundry pinups and all 13 variant covers). These are categorically not good comics, but Jeff Campbell’s artwork is just so fun, and there’s so little of it out in the world, that this was a must buy.
I hope there’s a volume 2 and 3 to reprint the whole Campbell run, but it’s probably unlikely.
Funnily enough, the series does get much better after Campbell leaves. John Arcudi and Gary Frank’s run from #25 to #41 was one of Wildstorm’s better books.
The Plot Holes HC
This was fairly light stuff, but it’s an enjoyable romp with a likeable cast of characters.
There’s a nice character-oriented story at the heart of it, and the device of being able to jump through various books and visit the worlds of lots of different stories keeps things fresh and allows for some cool diversions (and plenty of fun Easter Eggs).
Plus the art is really nice and the book itself is top quality, with some decent process stuff in the backmatter too.
Maybe not my favourite Murphy book overall, but I’m glad I backed it.
Volume 4 is due in May I think.
Upcoming DHC stuff from Bkackwells:
July sees part 1 of new Blacksad! They All Fall Down 1.
Plus Hellboy: The Silver Lantern Club HC
August sees Hellboy: Land of Giants HC.
September has Madman Library Edition Volume 3
Plus the already spotted World of Black Hammer Library Edition Volume 4.
October sees Tales From Harrow County Library Edition.
Plus Blade of the Immortal Deluxe HC Volume 7
2000AD stuff:
Lawless Book 4 due June
Brink Volume 5 moves to November
Judge Dredd: Citadel due July.
The main Harrow County series is 4 LEs. It’s a great littke horror tale from Bunn and Crook.
he main Harrow County series is 4 LEs. It’s a great littke horror tale from Bunn and Crook.
Seconded; it is a great example of Southern Gothic horror, well executed by the creative team.
The Many Deaths Of Laila Starr TPB
This arrived today and I read through the entire thing in one sitting tonight. I loved it. A beautiful and poetic comic about life and death and the stuff that makes up our lives.
It felt very heavily influenced by Daytripper – which is an all-time favourite of mine – as well as having shades of Death/Sandman to it too.
Filipe Andrade’s art is just beautiful and Ram V’s writing is very elegant and creative, with conversations that have a lovely grounded but lyrical quality to them.
I don’t want to say too much as I enjoyed going into this entirely unspoiled, but it’s well worth checking out if you haven’t already.
