Interesting question

[Silvermane]

I consider myself to be much more of a DC guy than a Marvel guy. But I was just thinking of the best books out there right now and I was surprised to see that in my mind, the books I think consistently hit it out of the park are all Marvel books: Planet Hulk, Young Avengers, Supreme Power and Astonishing X-Men. I like DC titles a lot, but they are always hit or miss from month to month.

I'm not asking if you agree. My question is this.

What DC books do you EXPECT (not just hope) to be excellent month in and month out based on the track record? Does that make any sense?:confused:

[Silvermane]

Oops. Just thought of one. Justice has been very good throughout.

[shanedawg2k6]

Good question.

Prior to 'OYL,' my answer would be "JSA" but I can't say that now. Hell, just about anything by Geoff Johns, really. Well, almost. Green Lantern did nothing for me. :D

52 is one I expect to be excellent as I try and figure out who wrote which bit in each issue and happy to see the story continue week-after-week.

I also expect the conclusion to 'Seven Soldiers' to be excellent. Too bad it's only one issue. :(

I'm a huge DC fan as well, but swaying these days with the quality of Civil War & Astonishing X-Men. I read Avengers: Illuminata and got hooked immediately.

[Ontir]

I'm not sure what "Planet Hulk" is, but I largely dropped Marvel when everything went to hell in the 90's. Since then, I've been here and there with their books. I love "Astonishing," as well as "Young Avengers," "Ultimates, "Ultimate Hulk vs Wolverine," "Ultimate Exctinction." I bought "Anhillation," but haven't read anything else from that since. I'm looking forward to "Eternals." I've been reading and enjoying JMS' "Spider-man," but with the fall-out of "New Avengers," I'm rapidly losing interest!

On the DC side, I loved "JSA," even not wanting a contemporaneous book, and am going to check out the new series. I'm buying "Superman" & "Action," along with "Supergirl," but am probably going to drop "Supergirl & the Legion of Super-Heroes." If I don't, it will be pure nostalgia, and not my finding it hard to drop the book after 33 years. I liked the first issue of "Wonder Woman," as well as the beginning of "Blue Beetle" "52" is interesting, but a bit forced. "All-Star Superman" rocks! I'm going to check out the all-new, all-lesbian Batwoman. The re-introduction of Ronny Raymond was turning me on "Firestorm," but having been assured that he's really gone, I'm looking forward to the book again.

[Captain Jim]

It's a fair question, but I wish it hadn't been prefaced by those DC/Marvel "fighting words".

Everybody, please feel free to respond to the question. However, any and all DC/Marvel comparison arguments are out of bounds, thank you.

[shaxper]

Justice, Seven Soldiers, All-Star Superman. I look forward to them constantly and am never let down. Too bad that Seven Soldiers is nearly done. I've heard rumors that Morrison may choose to take the story into an ongoing series, but I can't check the spoilers thread since I'm following the tpbs and, thus, am several issues behind everyone else.

[Gingold]

All-Star Superman and Birds of Prey are pretty much always good. Justice has been consistantly entertaining, as have all the Seven Soldiers books.

[Zero Hunter]

I'm not sure what "Planet Hulk" is, but I largely dropped Marvel when everything went to hell in the 90's.

Planet Hulk is the 14 part storyline running in the current Hulk book. In it Reed Richards, Tony Stark, and a few other decided to banish Hulk from the earth supposably sending him to a nice quite planet where he would be by himself and left alone to live out his life. Intead the Hulk got pissed at being tricked like this and smashed up the controls of the ship they had him in and ended up going through a spacewarp to another world. the warp drains alot of the Hulks strenght and he is captured on arrival and ensalved into the gladiator arena. The world he is on is sort of ancient Rome type world with great scientific advancement. Slowly the Hulk is reagining his strenght and letting out some anger on the people messing with him. This is all Hulk as somehow Banner is submerged and he hasn't changed back since he has been there. The Hulk also is not the dumb Hulk SMash version in this story, and is instead alot closer to the greyhulk version with the bad attitude and mean temper and can talk pretty much normal.

This is one of the best book marvel is putting out now. The first 4 part chapter just finished with the last issue, and we did get to see a little of Banner in the Giant Sized Hulk 1 that just came out where Hulk and Banner had a little battle of the minds to see who would be in control. This is honelty the best the Hulk has been since Peter Davids peak way back when.

[Silvermane]

It's a fair question, but I wish it hadn't been prefaced by those DC/Marvel "fighting words".

Everybody, please feel free to respond to the question. However, any and all DC/Marvel comparison arguments are out of bounds, thank you.

Not that it's a big deal, but what fighting words? I think I actually made it clear that this was not about which company is better. I only preface it the way I did to add a little perspective as to what I was talking about. Sorry if I did not make that as clear as I thought.

[Sophisticated_Gamer]

hey....what is planet hulk about?

[Hellcow]

With DC its all hit and miss for me.

The only titles I can truely EXPECT to be great, based on past issues are not DC.

They are Hellboy and BPRD.

[kel25]

DC has been all miss for me lately. They canceled Batgirl and turned her into a villain. Nightwing has been downhill for years. I lost interest in GL when Kyle became Ion. God like characters bore me and I’ve never cared for Hal as GL. I might check out GL Corps if I hear good things.

So yeah, currently I’ve been reading heavier in Marvel. I’m a fan of the Ultimate line because it’s nice to see a new beginning and one that avoids major events in mainstream that get retconned or ignored later. Exiles has been enjoyable because they are like What If with a standard team. Cable and Deadpool is another book I really enjoy because of Deadpool.

[DC_FanBoy]

I have enjoyed a bunch of the OYL titles including Batman ad Superman, Wonder Woman seemed cool and I digged Flash #1. I am up in the air with Outsiders though, GA is doing OK, Robin was a great read, Nightwing kinda sucks, Teen Titans is hit or miss. Justice is panning out very well and I am enjoying 52. As far as new books, I think that Checkmate has all the spinoffs from IC beat. On the Marvel side, I love Ultimates, but wish it was more timely. The other Ultimate books are good, but I was extremely let down by the Ultimate Extinction trilogy, too many loose ends. A great book that is underrated is Firestorm, really cool book and at a low number so you can get the back issues pretty cheap at the moment. JSA classified had a good vandal savage story in it as well recently.

[Suzanne]

Justice League should be one of DC's top tier books. It's a damn shame it hadn't been in the last few years with the exception of the "Crisis of Conscience" arc. Hopefully the relaunch will right that wrong.

[PastePotPete]

Personally, I'm a Johns fan, so I always look forward to Green Lantern and Teen Titans. I think they are consistently excellent superhero fare.

The last Superman arc (cross-marketing movie promotion aside) has been really very fantastic. Again we're talking Johns with Busiek.

Justice is sublime.

Of course, you're hitting DC at a bad time. DC is coming out of a restructuring period, so everything is new again. For a year DC has been putting all its energy into its cross-overs and miniseries. Now the power is going to be re-routed to the ongoing titles again and I think you'll see a lot of these books pick up the pace and start hitting homeruns.

I mean, Morrison and Kubert on Batman? How can that fail?

[Gozwald73]

Current: Justice is un-fraggin'-real. I read it while walking out of the comic store on the way back to my car, and then a second time once I get home.

Formerly: Aquaman WAS good, but then OYL came and ruined it all so now it falls into your "hit and miss" category.

Nostalgic: L.E.G.I.O.N. was a fantastic run (including R.E.B.E.L.S.), with the exception of the Trinity crossover. <sigh> I don't think I'll ever come to terms with the closure of this book.
:(

[mtpspur]

Jonah Hex is a dependable read each month for me. Birds of Prey also. For Marvel it's Thunderbolts. (In fairness about 4-5 months ago mid life crisis hit hard and about 80-90% of my reading went bye bye--added to growing discontent with treatment of JLA and Avengers--interesting as its been. Someone let me know when Hawkeye is back. Please.

[Jack Zodiac]

Formerly: Aquaman WAS good, but then OYL came and ruined it all so now it falls into your "hit and miss" category.

I think the idea, the direction Busiek is taking it in, is great. I just wish the pace would pick up. Nothing bothers me more than an interesting storyline unfolding too slowly to keep my interest. I want to keep reading it, but when each issue reveals nothing about who the new Arthur Curry is, and what exactly happened to Orin, it gets to be a pain. But I love Kurt's work, so I'm sticking it out. I'm sure it'll be a much better read altogether, once it's finished.
________
UrKattyLuv (http://www.girlcamfriend.com/cam/UrKattyLuv/)

[astronato]

DC's best for me.....

Justice
All Star Superman
Jonah Hex
Superman/Action Comics
Green Lantern
GLC - basing it on the first issue and the previous mini
Supergirl and the Legion of Superheroes is an underrated book.

I expect Batman and the Mad Monk to be good because Batman and the Monster Men was good stuff.

[Sharcque]

Another vote for Justice here.

Besides that: Teen Titans, Fables, Y.

[Tobey Cook]

I like Manhunter and Supergirl and the Legion. Both have been decent titles for me since the beginning. I could also add Firestorm, Birds of Prey, and Superman and Action to that list. I was surprised that no one mentioned Manhunter because it's been a pretty consistent read even though it flies under most people's radar.

[Sean Walsh]

Y the Last Man is always a great read. Fables too.

And so far, I've liked each issue of 52.

[Alex Dragon]

Pretty much the only DC book that I thought was excellent on a regular basis was THE LEGION OF SUPERHEROES but with the last 5 issues or so that's no longer the case. Waid seemed to change the tone of the book since Supergirl showed up. Plus the fact that I don't think having Supergirl there adds anything. If things don't get better soon I'm dropping it.

I think that DC has a few books that have a consistant "quality" but none of those books really "wow" me. I think they are consistantly "okay" but never really blow me away, surprise me or do anything I think is clever or daring.

I'm looking forward to Brad Meltzer and Ed Benes JLA. Meltzer's IDENTITY CRISIS was the best book DC has put out in many years and I love Benes art so I pretty sure they'll impress me every month once they start.

[Alex Dragon]

Y the Last Man is always a great read. Fables too.

And so far, I've liked each issue of 52.

Oh yeah...On the Vertigo side of things FABLES is always consistantly good. Y: THE LAST MAN is consistant but I dropped it because the story never seems to change or go in a new direction. It's just them walking along on this quest and running into stuff along the way. That can be entertaining but after awhile I just got bored by it.

I haven't bought any issues of 52 but I flip through it every week and keep waiting to hear about any big surprises or shocking reveals or even a "must have" issue and so far to my knowledge there haven't been any. If DC isn't doing anything to blow me away in the first month or so I think it's highly unlikely they're ever gonna pull me in. I suspect in about 3 or 4 months the readership of this book will drop off sharply.

[mrc1214]

I would have to say at the moment im buying more Marvel than DC. But DC is putting out some good books. Green Lantern, 52, Justice and im pretty sure Justice League of America and Batman will be very popular.

I do have one problem with Justice i feel that now (unless they really screw it up which is doubtful) every JLA story i read will never be as good.

[Zero Hunter]

Pretty much the only DC book that I thought was excellent on a regular basis was THE LEGION OF SUPERHEROES but with the last 5 issues or so that's no longer the case. Waid seemed to change the tone of the book since Supergirl showed up. Plus the fact that I don't think having Supergirl there adds anything. If things don't get better soon I'm dropping it.



See I am the exact oppiste. I thought Legion before Supergirl was horrible. To much of Waid preaching his young-good/old-bad crap issue after issue. I thought the entire first years of the book was some of the weakest the title has ever had. With Supergirls arrival the book reads more like and actual Legion of Super Heroes book again. It was this turn around that kept me buying the series and not dropping it at issue 16. I am not even that big a fan of Supergirl, but the tone of the book did change for the better when they brought her in.