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The Weekly Haul: Week of February 14, 2018

Posted on February 15, 2018 by Walt

Along with recent toy hauls and Ollie’s hauls, this week was a big comic week! I almost held off on some issues, but figured I’d just end up spending the same–or more–trying to hunt a bunch of stuff down later, or outright forget stuff that I didn’t want to. So…got a bunch of stuff, and here it is!

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I probably should have held off on the Metal stuff. I never intended to wind up so far behind on reading, but at this point, I’ve read up to #2 or so and none of the tie-ins. The shiny covers are also wearing a bit thin…yet, I still appreciate them as identifying markers for the series and its official chapters (i.e. not tie-ins). We’re just a couple issues/months away from Action Comics hitting #1,000. Sideways actually looks interesting, so I figured I’d pick that up. Detective Comics is another regular for me, and I’ve been trying to keep up with several of the mini-series such as Ragman and Deadman.

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I need to "stabilize" what extraneous DC books I’m keeping up with. I’m pretty sure Titans and The Flash are ones I’ll want to–emphasis on Wally West, and with the upcoming Flash War stuff.

Avengers: No Surrender as a weekly and hopefully having something to it. I’d much rather follow a single weekly than multiple separate titles. Though my math was definitely off, if this is a 16-week thing, it’s gonna end at #690…not #700!

Invincible concludes, so figured I’d pick that up to read. Eventually, someday, I’ll get caught up on the entire series. Especially as this caps it off and it’s a finite run.

I’m a fan of Tristan Jones‘ art…he’d posted some stuff on Facebook about this Lazarus issue out this week. I figured I may’ve missed earlier ones, but what the hey…now being aware, I’d grab this one to jump in. D’oh! It’s a 6-issue series, and this is the 6th issue. So, I’ll either have to backtrack on single issues, or nab a collected volume down the line.

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A Valentine’s Day promotion: draw a card from the bucket, and win something. Some free comics from the bargain bins, a graphic novel from the half-off bins, might’ve been other stuff. I drew one for a graphic novel from the half-off bins, and chose this Ultimate X-Men vol. 2. $30 cover price, in the half-off bins, $15…definitely an excellent "door prize" or Valentine’s gift.

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Thanks to a #SciFiJanuary post over at The Crapbox of Son of Cthulhu, I was interested enough to snag this Trekker Omnibus. It’s a little bit beat up and some slight curl to it…but for the price, and very pleasant surprise of its very existence, an absolutely excellent addition to my collection!

And Comic Shop News has had Superman on its cover two weeks in a row now…quite a nice change of pace!

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Filed under: 2018 Non-Review Posts, 2018 posts, NON-REVIEW CONTENT, The Weekly Haul | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

The Weekly Haul: Week of February 7, 2018

Posted on February 8, 2018 by Walt

Been a long while since doing one of these posts. But, since I’ve not been in the mood for other posts, wanted to get something up this week. And this week does have several big books in it!

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First off, the Swamp Thing Winter Special that I’ve been looking forward to for awhile. Though it’s an $8 book, it boasts more than two issues’ worth of pages, maybe three…justifying its price. And as a "squarebound" issue, it’ll be able to go on the bookshelf with a growing number of such issues from the last few years. X-Men: Red #1 is here, and at $5, needs to do a LOT to justify its price…though I suppose ultimately it’ll simply fit with X-Men: Prime and X-Men: Blue and X-Men: Gold from last year. I’m definitely a fan of Adam Warlock, so at least somewhat interested in this, if only as a curiosity. Not so keen on Starlin feeling driven from Marvel, though, and haven’t been overly keen on the character in hands other than his. So we’ll see.

Then, of course, Superman and Batman, basically "givens" for me. And Justice League if only because I haven’t figured out where/if to break my run.

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Rogue & Gambit as I am a fan of the characters, and together. Been debating whether or not I’m sticking all the way with Avengers: No Surrender, but definitely in favor of a single title instead of umpteen different Avengers books with erratic shipping schedules. I picked up Jean Grey #10 that I’d considered last month, but since it lacked the Phoenix Resurrection logo, figured it wasn’t going to actually tie to that (boy, was I ever wrong there!)

Getting toward the end of Bane: Conquest, and same for Harley & Ivy Meet Betty & Veronica and The Jetsons.

I’ve a lot of reading to catch up on, and find myself wondering just how it was I used to get to read as much as I did just a couple years ago. It’s a shame there aren’t regularly-released "audio-comics" for commuters to listen to and get something of a story out of it. Maybe not the art itself, but…something.

Whatever the case…a huge, expensive start to February, and certainly reminds me of the need to be cutting back on titles, and to REALLY assess what I’m gonna get around to reading right away vs. just as well off to wait for a collected volume!

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Filed under: 2018 Non-Review Posts, 2018 posts, NON-REVIEW CONTENT, The Weekly Haul | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

On Damage and ‘The New Age of DC Heroes’ and Avengers: No Surrender

Posted on January 22, 2018 by Walt

damage_0001_trifoldI picked up Damage #1 last Wednesday. Partly for being a #1, partly starting this "New Age of DC Heroes," partly hype, partly the vertical-tri-fold-front-cover, and largely because despite being a #1, a new launch, not part of what was known as "Rebirth," it was "only" $2.99…so of course I "should" support it, the way I grouse about Marvel‘s constant $3.99-at-the-lowest pricing.

Unfortunately, the thing was more flash than substance for me. I put it on top of my stack to read, but when I went to read it…after several pages, I just started kinda skimming and flipping on through. "Oh, look…the Suicide Squad…goodie!" and nothing remotely resembling the Damage character I’d expected (with SOMETHING related to the ’90s title…)

Maybe I’m just THAT far outta the loop, behind on reading my Metal books. But I don’t remember the last time a new (as opposed to years-old-back-issue) comic actually had me zoning out and turning pages without interest enough to READ them.

Having no idea who this "new" character was, or motivation; a look reminding me somehow of Valiant‘s Shadowman (not positive points with Valiant on my personal crap-list for the last 2 1/2 years) and nothing really grabbing me to ENGAGE with any characters, it was NOT a good #1, to me.

A "good #1" is one that I can have zero knowledge about, zero reliance upon some other comic/event/series, and the issue by itself, all by its lonesome, pulls me in and leaves me actively interested in the next issue (a GREAT #1 has me emailing the comic shop immediately to add the book to my pull list…).

The "trifold" cover gimmick is FAR from being anywhere near as "cool" as I’m sure they were going for. "Wraparound" covers–the "double-panel"/"wide" layouts work well for the "widescreen" action, but this just looks odd, and to me, really look like they’d be three different covers!

While Damage (2018) #1 may end up being a good series, and a better, engaging story in collected/binge format (with more than JUST this one issue to go on), the first issue failed to grab me or engage me, and as the kickoff of this new line, has actually damaged the "brand" a bit, where I no longer have the "enthusiasm" for the "whole line" that I’d had. Now I figure I’ll try The Terrifics since I’d already planned to, and maybe see if/what else grabs me.  

avengers_0675As usual, while I’m often quite "down" on Marvel, I try to still get stuff here or there, IF ONLY to have some bit of "informed" knowledge of stuff. I bought the Legacy one-shot, so I can comment on not seeing how any of that’s come to play YET in any books, particularly Wolverine actually being back.

And where I’ve had ZERO INTEREST in umpteen different Avengers titles, since I AM interested in AN Avengers book, I decided to bite the bullet and try this No Surrender thing. I would absolutely NOT be on-board for an indefinite weekly $3.99 book. But as a contained 16-week thing, I got/read the first issue, and went ahead and picked up the second this past week.

I really don’t know what TO think of it so far…it does not feel like any Avengers book I’m familiar with. I liked Rogue on the cover of 675, but not sure where I am with her inside the book…I’ve obviously missed quite a bit over the past 5+ years and Uncanny Avengers and whatnot.

avengers_0676But I’m willing to "support" a single title in place of numerous different Avengers titles. Heck, do like the old Superman comics did, and have a weekly overall narrative…but each creative team can "focus" more heavily on some plot-thread or another according to their interest, while moving an overall "main" narrative forward each week.

As a 16-issue story, though, this will be ripe for an "omnibus" (because heaven forbid a single, complete story marketing as a single, complete story should ever be put out in a single, complete volume as a story rather than premium-high-priced Omnibus branding), so I’m still a bit cautious. Yet with Marvel‘s constant over-pricing of stuff, I figure the 16-issue (even if first and final chapters are double-length) "single volume edition" will be at minimum a $75 cover price (compared to ~$66 for the singles) and more likely $100ish ($5/issue would be $80, but being Marvel, I’d see them more likely to jump up to the next major price point of the $100 mark just because hey, people will pay it!).

I’ll probably check out the third issue this coming Wednesday, if only to give the singular, weekly thing a bit more of a chance…and go from there.

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Filed under: 2018 Non-Review Posts, 2018 posts | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

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