Comic Book Discussion thread Vol. 9

THE ULTIMATES Book 1 and 2 by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch

- Marvel's modern reimagining of the Avengers' origin. It's gritty, realistic, funny, and thoroughly entertaining. Noticed how the Hulk comes to town or a city and destroys it but with no human casualty? F*ck that shit. This Hulk version kills 800 people in Manhattan in just a few minutes. Book 1 volume 2 is the best when the team defend against an alien invasion. Warning: Stay away from Ultimates 3 and Ultimatum, it's total crap.

THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS by Frank Miller

- The book that revolutionized the comic book industry. Writer extraordinaire Frank Miller told the pen-ultimate Batman story during 1986 where a 55-year old Bruce Wayne comes out of his decade-retirement to become Gotham City's champion once again.






BATMAN: YEAR ONE by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli

After the success of The Dark Knight Returns, Frank Miller goes on a 180 and tells the origin of Batman and James Gordon. The story is so fantastic that many have accepted as a canon. This might be a Batman book but James Gordon steals the show with his tale of battling police corruption as well as his own immoral dilemma.






DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli

- The best Daredevil story (in some cases, best story period) ever told. It's about Daredevil fall after the Kingpin discovers his true identity and how DD rebuilds himself and his beloved city. Before Frank Miller changed the comic book landscape with The Dark Knight Returns, he first re-invented Daredevil. From being a joke, made him into Marvel's most popular character.






ELEKTRA: ASSASSIN by Frank Miller and Bill Sienkiewicz

- A trippy psychedelic action adventure starring Marvel's popular anti-heroine. It starts out very confusing but stick with it and it'll reward you with the most wildest politically incorrect action-packed book during that time.






KINGDOM COME by Mark Waid and Alex Ross

- Set some twenty years into the future of the then-current DC Universe, it deals with a growing conflict between "traditional" superheroes, such as Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Justice League, and a growing population of largely amoral and dangerously irresponsible new vigilantes. Between these two groups is Batman and his assembled team, who attempt to contain the escalating disaster, foil the machinations of Lex Luthor, and prevent a world-ending superhuman war.

 

OLD MAN LOGAN by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven

- Set over fifty years in the future in which the world's supervillains band together to finally kill all the superheroes. An older Wolverine, who is now a pacifist and content in raising his family on a farm, is forced to accompany a blind Hawkeye to pay off the Hulk hillbilly clan for the land's rent. The duo travel across a post-apocalyptic America to deliver a secret package that might give the good guys a fighting chance to reclaim the country. Also the best road trip comic book ever made.

WATCHMEN by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons

- Hailed as the greatest graphic novel of all time, Watchmen has had a staying power in the realm of comics for quite some time. It is thought of as not just a comic, but literature and has been used in college courses and been the source of discussions the world over. This comic officially helped end the age of comic innocence and ushered in a new thought of how comic books could be told and presented to the world.






FABLES by Bill Willingham and various artists

- Fables is an excellent series in the tradition of Sandman, one that rewards careful attention and loyalty. The series deals with various characters from fairy tales and folklore – referring to themselves as "Fables" – who have been forced out of their Homelands by "The Adversary" who has conquered the realm. The Fables have traveled to our world and formed a clandestine community in New York City known as Fabletown.






FREAKANGELS by Warren Ellis and Paul Duffield

- FreakAngels is a free weekly webcomic created by Eagle Award-winning writer Warren Ellis. The story: 23 years ago, twelve strange children were born in England at exactly the same moment. 6 years ago, the world ended. This is the story of what happened next. Amazing detailed characters, terrific group dynamics, hilarious, and most important of all it's FREE! Go to freakangels.com






PREACHER by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon

- The story follows an ex-preacher man, Jesse, who has become disgusted with God’s abandoning of His responsibilities. So Jesse starts off into the wilds of Texas with his hitman girlfriend and new best friend (a vampire) to find God so that he can give Him a piece of his mind. Despite its superficial perversity, this book contains what may be the most moral character in mainstream comics.






PUNISHER MAX by Garth Ennis and various artists

- Now famous volume noted for Garth Ennis writing. It was critically acclaimed, cited for its realistic, uncompromising stories. Taking advantage of the freedom of a MAX setting, Ennis explored concepts of violence and revenge and how they spiral out of Frank Castle's quest to affect everyone around him.

 

X-FACTOR Vol.3 by Peter David

In the fallout from House of M and following the surprise film-noir hit Madrox, a new mutant team is forged! X-Factor is an investigative mutant agency that includes Madrox, the Multiple Man; Guido, the Strong Guy; Wolfsbane, the shape-shifter; Siryn, the chorus girl; Rictor, the living earthquake; and Generation X's Monet, the pompous witch. Drawn together in the heart of District X, this rag-tag band of heroes has a lot of answers to find, and fast!





X-FORCE Vol.3 by Craig Kyle and Chris Yost

There are lines that the X-Men have sworn never to cross. But after the shocking events of Messiah CompleX, Cyclops realizes that some enemies need to be dealt with permanently - and the X-Men can never know about it! Enter Wolverine, Warpath, X-23, and Wolfsbane - X-Force!





UNCANNY X-FORCE by Rick Rememder and Jerome Opena

Writer Rick Remender grabs the reins from Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost, previous X-Force scribes, to relaunch the series from square one and hits the ground running. It easily fits the bill for both longtime fans looking for a good action yarn and new readers looking to hop onboard the X-Men bandwagon without needing Google handy to help decipher what's happening and why. Jerome Ope

 

UNCANNY X-MEN #94 to #247 by Chris Claremont and various artists

- When a young writer named Chris Claremont took over X-Men in 1976, few fans could predict the incredible impact he would have on the Marvel Comics series. With a flair for realistic dialogue, heartfelt storylines and hard-hitting action, Claremont's writing breathed life into the characters. In collaboration some of the best artists in the business, Claremont crafted a run still heralded as a definitive era on the book. X-Men became more than just another super-hero title: this diverse cast of mutants fighting against prejudice and intolerance has resonated in the hearts of millions of devoted readers.






ASTONISHING X-MEN #1 to #24 by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday

- Winner of multiple prestigious Eisner Awards, Joss Whedon and John Cassaday's Astonishing X-Men was a smash hit with critics and fans alike from the very first issue - winning praise from dozens of top media outlets including Entertainment Weekly, Publishers Weekly, TV Guide, and New York Magazine, as well as racking up nearly every major comic-book industry award. Whedon and Cassaday assembled a tight cast - Cyclops, the Beast, Wolverine, and Emma Frost, joined by returning fan-favorite Kitty Pryde - and set forth a groundbreaking pace, from the opening pages of a Sentinel attack to the unexpected return of a beloved X-Man. Then, building on early momentum, they ratcheted up the danger and drama with a shocking second year, creating a must-read book that can truly be called "astonishing!"

THE NEW MUTANTS #1 to #75 by Chris Claremont and various artists

- The New Mutants was an attempt to recreate Uncanny's success by introducing an all-new team of ethnically diverse young heroes and it succeeded brilliantly and on several levels.






THE MIGHTY THOR #337 to #382 by Walt Simonson

- Considered by many to be the greatest run on Thor ever, Walt Simonson's classic tales of the God of Thunder are collected here-completely remastered from the original artwork and newly colored by Steve Oliffe! And there are too many timeless tales to count: The Casket of Ancient Winters! The death of Odin! The origins of Asgard! The sacrifice of the Executioner! Thor as a frog! The Mutant Massacre!






JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #1 to #50 by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis and various artists

- The best Justice League version ever! Writers Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis destined to shake up not only the Justice League, but the nature of comic books in general. In an era when comics were going for "grim-and-gritty", they decided to opt for jokes and slapstick. Giffen and DeMatteis didn't have access to Superman, Wonder Woman and Flash. Those characters were undergoing editorial renovation. Their solution? Populate the League with second-rank heroes, those guys nobody seemed to really love, like Black Canary, Blue Beetle, Mister Miracle and (later) Captain Atom, Power Girl and others. Giffen and DeMatteis not only rescued these characters from their fates as perpetual walk-on players...they actually endowed each of them with recognizable personalities. They took a bunch of backup heroes and breathed life into them.






MARVELS by Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross

In 1994, Marvels was the breakthrough work for both of its creators: a worm's-eye view of the spectacle of Marvel comics history—35 years of glorious superheroes and terrifying super-disasters, told from the perspective of Phil Sheldon, a newspaper photographer who's experienced "the marvels" from ground level. Renowned artist Ross's rich, lush, nearly photorealistic style (he painted all the major characters from photographs of models) made his reputation—and the book—a landmark. The story, too, suggests a sort of grandeur that had largely slipped away from superhero comics by the early '90s, even as it describes the helplessness that normal people might feel in the presence of angel-winged mutants and rapacious gods from outer space.

 

Okay maybe one more

 

I was just thinking of reserving a spot for my recommendations for the new Marvel NOW titles when I get a chance to read them.

Just talk anything you want in here about comic books.

 

What's the story of Wolverine's Revenge? And what year did it come out?

 

Yeah, I've read a lot of praise for those two titles from the previous thread. Looking forward to reading them.

 

I've browsed the first issue but plan on reading them all in down the line.

 

Gold Foil Cover of AGE OF ULTRON #1

Here

 

The Incredible Hulk relaunch was bland but tolerable because of Marc Silvestri's artwork but sucked big time when Whilce Portacio took over. I was enjoying the book again when they did the switcheroo as Hulk would try to stay awake or else evil Bruce would take over and put the Jade Giant in compromising situations when they switch back.

Daredevil relaunch with Mark Waid at the helm is great. Gone is the moody and depressed DD and they've brought back his swashbuckling side. I haven't kept track of the title but it's one of the quality Marvel titles today.

 

Good news for Thunderbolts. Steve Dillon is apparently gone from the title. Good riddance. Haven't read the new Thunderbolts yet.