Shopping List for 10/5/05

[Maukingbird]

Compared to last week, quite small. (which is fine 'cause I still have plenty to read)

DC SPECIAL THE RETURN OF DONNA TROY #4 (OF 4) $2.99
The conclusion!
GOTHAM CENTRAL #36 $2.50
GREAT stuff! The finale of "Dead Robin" and Brubaker's last work on the title.
OUTSIDERS #29 $2.50
Winick! Return of the Fearsome Five!
SON OF VULCAN #5 (OF 6) $2.99
GREAT stuff from Beatty and Grant! (totally adore the art on this from Keron and Danimation) Ed McGuinness cover!
SUPERMAN SHAZAM FIRST THUNDER #2 (OF 4) $3.50
UNBELEIVABLY GORGEOUS art from Josh Middleton!!! And more from Judd Winick!
WONDER WOMAN #221 $2.50
RUCKA!! Loooove this!
FANTASTIC FOUR IRON MAN BIG IN JAPAN #1 (OF 4) $3.50
Yaaaaaaaay!!! VERY looking forward to this insane mini-series from New Warriors writer Zeb Wells and Batman: LOTDK artist Seth Fisher!
INCREDIBLE HULK #87 $2.99
The final issue of Peter David's return to the title. A special stand-alone tale drawn by ADAM KUBERT!!!
MARVEL TEAM-UP #13 $2.99
The conclusion of The Titannus War!
POWERS #13 (MR) $2.95
BENDIS!!! Nice to have another issue so soon.
UNCANNY X-MEN #465 $2.50
MORE BACHALO!!!! SO AWESOME!
X-MEN UNLIMITED #11 $2.99
I'm really looking forward to this issue as it FINALLY addresses Rachel's feelings about Cyclops dating Emma.

[De Carabas]

Odd week.

Aquaman #35
I finally got Pfeifer's first two issues. This weekend my Aquaman marathon begins. Then I'll decide on whether or not to stick with it.
DC Special: The Return of Donna Troy #4
Here we are at the end and I find myself indifferent. My official stance on nearly all things Crisis related unfortunately.
Elfquest Archives vol. 3 HC
Pre-ordered for Patricia.
Gotham Central #36
Dying to see how this one ends!
Outsiders #29
I loved and HATED last issue. If I pre-ordered this, I'll read it. If I didn't, I'm done with this series. And that really makes me sad.
Wonder Woman #221
In spite of my Crisis apathy, I am still enjoying this title immensely.

Fell #2
I hate the art. I'm sorry, but I needed to get that out. I liked #1, but Ellis needs to write a little stronger for me to overcome my preference regarding the art.
Rising Stars HC
YES!!! I can't wait to start reading this! The infamous middle issues almost made me lose interest in the series altogether (thank you Mr. Zanier), but the final arc really turned around (Thank You Mr. Anderson). I never got around to rereading the early issues and I never read the last three, so this will almost be like a new read for me.
Witchblade #90
Marz has got us back on board. Hope he stays a bit.

Mary Jane vol.2: Homecoming digest
Woot! Now I can buy it for the library!
New X-Men: Hellions TP
I swear Patricia squeaked when she saw this in the list.
Spider-Girl #91
Need to catch up! :o
X-Men: Complete Age of Apocalypse Epic book 2
For Patricia

Actor "Excelsior" Wristband
Ah, it's for a good cause. ;)

Keith Giffen's Trencher TP
One of the more amusing and enjoyable books of 90s Image

True Story, Swear to God #15
I would like to switch to trade, but I can't help but feel Beland needs every reader it can get.

Boneyard #19
Yeah, yeah I should wait for trade. But the trades take too long! I want my funny now!
Zorro vol. TP
Hope it's good.


Wait for Trade
--------------
Usagi Yojimbo
I've deliebrately slowed down my reading of the trades because I don't ever want to run out. Yes, it really is that good.
Albion
Mmmaybe. Not a must-have, but might-like.
New Thunderbolts
I still like this book alot. The waiting is merely a cost-saving measure.
Powers
Patricia, not me.
Uncanny X-Men
See New Thunderbolts's comment.

EM

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

It's the biggest and most expensive hardcover/collected edition week ever.

CALVIN AND HOBBES
WATCHMEN
V FOR VENDETTA

Those three alone are cover priced at over $250. That's before you count MARY JANE Volume 2, BONE SHARPS COWBOYS & THUNDER LIZARDS, CONAN Volume 2, and heaven help you if you were considering RISING STARS HC. Yeep!

-Augie

[De Carabas]

Patricia and I deliberated for a long time over the Absolute Watchmen. Personally neither of us like the book, but all those extras sure made it tempting.

The Calvin & Hobbes is going to have to be a Santa gift. I hope.

EM

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

I'll try to overlook that neither of you like WATCHMEN, but --

Wait, neither of you like WATCHMEN?!?

::sputter::

Ooooooh kay.

Yeah, I'm thinking C&H is either a Christmas gift, or me using a lot of Amazon.com gift certificates...

But, really, no WATCHMEN? I grant you that the pirate chapter is fairly painful, but --

No likee the WATCHMEN?

That's unAmerican. Or unComic-an. Or something.

-Augie

[pmpknface]

· JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED #14 - Fun stuff!
· FELL #2 - I liked #1. Very interested to see what Ellis does with this format.
· RISING STARS HC - SWEET! I've been waiting to read this for a while.

· AMAZING FANTASY #13 - Gotta support the anthology! :)
INCREDIBLE HULK #87 - PAD and Kubert? Nice....
· MARVEL TEAM-UP #13 - Love this book!
· MARY JANE VOL 2 HOMECOMING DIGEST TP - The wait pays off.
· NEW THUNDERBOLTS #13 - Great stuff!
· SPIDER-GIRL #91 - Great cover. I'm counting down to 100!
· SPIDER-MAN THE OTHER SKETCHBOOK - I'm a spider-freak, so I had to.
UNCANNY X-MEN #465 - Bachalo is awesome. His pencils totally make the book.
· X-MEN UNLIMITED #11 - Looks like a good lineup.

Trade Items:

· USAGI YOJIMBO #87 - I may start ordering these trades w/ this month's previews.
· DETECTIVE COMICS #812 - Lapham.
· GOTHAM CENTRAL #36 - I know they'll never make trades for this title up this high, but I can dream. I have a tip that this is canned w/ #42 anyhow. :(
· WONDER WOMAN #221 - These need to come out faster! Rucka loves WW. You should have seen how much he loves talking about writing her at the cone this weekend.
· FRESHMEN #3 - #1 was so good, but I'll be patient.
· GROUNDED #3 - Met these guys this weekend and got #1. If I like it I'll tpb it.
· FANTASTIC FOUR IRON MAN BIG IN JAPAN #1 - maybe...
· MARVEL MONSTERS DEVIL DINOSAUR - This is an event that I'm waiting to see if Marvel collects. If not I'll find them in a bin.
· POWERS #13 - Too hard to read issue by issue.
· PUNISHER #26 - Just read the latest HC. WoW! :eek:
· SUPREME POWER NIGHTHAWK #2 - Must... wait..
· THOR BLOOD OATH #2 - #1 was damn good. This'll make for fine reading later.
· ATOMIKA #2 - Only up to #2? I already ordered the trade.

I'll actually be going to the shop this week, after not going the last 2 weeks. I have TONS of new material to read though. At WW Boston I got:


3 LB Cole golden age books
almost 200 Avengers back issues
about 75 Cap back issues
about 75 Defenders issues
a handful of artist alley books

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

I might skip the comic shop this week again. All of the major stuff is pre-ordered and will arrive via mail order next week. Here's what's left:

CLIB'S BOY COMICS
True Story Swear To God #15, $2.95

This book needs to come out more quickly. I have people waiting to read the third trade that doesn't exist yet. . .

DC COMICS
Gotham Central #36, $2.50

Definitely a candidate for the Pipeline Book Club, I should think. I need someone to kick my ass to get me to catch up on this.

GEMSTONE PUBLISHING
Uncle Scrooge #346, $6.95
Walt Disneys Comics & Stories #661, $6.95

The classics. They never die.

G T LABS
Bone Sharps Cowboys & Thunder Lizards GN, $22.95

Zander Cannon draws widescreen.

MARVEL COMICS
Powers #13, $2.95

Almost enough to get me to drive out to the comics shop, just for it. But nah. I'll be strong.

-Augie, couldn't imagine buying 350 comics in one weekend anymore. . .

[Gotham_City]

Patricia and I deliberated for a long time over the Absolute Watchmen. Personally neither of us like the book, but all those extras sure made it tempting.

Wow. I thought I was the only one. I thought it was okay, but i certainly didn't love it.


Jeff

[pmpknface]

DC COMICS - Gotham Central #36, $2.50

Definitely a candidate for the Pipeline Book Club, I should think. I need someone to kick my ass to get me to catch up on this.

-Augie, couldn't imagine buying 350 comics in one weekend anymore...

Well, there are only 2 CG trades. If there were more I'd be all over it. Maybe I can get some back issues on ebay. And I don't think that title is gonna be around much longer either. If you want to start some kind of on-line push for it ya better start now.

Of course you could buy 300+ comics! Trying to figure out what to do with them is the hard part! :p

[pmpknface]

Wow. I thought I was the only one. I thought it was okay, but i certainly didn't love it.

Jeff

I started reading it once, but was skipping the text sections and when I realized that they were too important I put it down. A few years ago I plowed through the whole book in a few days and thought it was pretty cool. I still like many things, including ELEKTRA: ASSASSIN, much more. It does need a re-read though...

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

There was a phrase I read at Kottke.org today: "Joy-to-Stuff Ratio" (http://www.wordspy.com/words/joy-to-stuffratio.asp)

I think that perfectly puts words to what I'm trying to do right now. I record too much stuff on TiVo. I buy too many unwatched DVDs. I buy too many comics I convince myself I'll have time to read later, but never really will. I have a backlog of novels and non-fiction reads sitting around.

It'd be much saner and cheaper to figure out my "Joy-to-Stuff Ratio" and buy only the stuff that will bring me joy now, that I know I'll have time for now and in the near-future, instead of some far-off nebulous time.

Ergo -- no more 300 comics purchases. =)

-Augie

[pmpknface]

There was a phrase I read at Kottke.org today: "Joy-to-Stuff Ratio" (http://www.wordspy.com/words/joy-to-stuffratio.asp)

I think that perfectly puts words to what I'm trying to do right now. I record too much stuff on TiVo. I buy too many unwatched DVDs. I buy too many comics I convince myself I'll have time to read later, but never really will. I have a backlog of novels and non-fiction reads sitting around.

It'd be much saner and cheaper to figure out my "Joy-to-Stuff Ratio" and buy only the stuff that will bring me joy now, that I know I'll have time for now and in the near-future, instead of some far-off nebulous time.

Ergo -- no more 300 comics purchases. =)

-Augie


That is an AWESOME word! Now if we can only come up with some kind of equasion that will help us figure out our personal ratios then we'll be all set!

For me, owning the books is 1/2 of the "joy" part, the reading being the other. I have this insane pipe dream of having (in 1 format or another) having a complete Marvel Library so I'm tracking down comics in the series' that I didn't read up until the last few years that are the foundations of the Marvel U. Books like THOR, AVENGERS, HULK, CAP, DEFENDERS, etc... I'll worry about stuff like NIGHT NURSE and SECATUARS later. :D

[Scott Beeler]

· ATOMIKA #2 - Only up to #2? I already ordered the trade.

Odd to see that on the list again (without it being marked as Offered Again), since according to the NCRL, #2 came out back in April, #3 in June, #4 in August. (Not reading it myself.)

My own list this week includes:

AUG051673 FELL #2 $1.99
I liked the first one. Eccentric Ellis stuff with an interesting atmosphere in the setting and art.

MAY051811 POWERS #13 (MR) $2.95
AUG053101 ELKS RUN #1-3 COLLECTED ED VOL 1 TP $7.99
I'd heard good things about this series round about the net, so when I saw them at SPX I grabbed them. In the big pile of stuff I bought there that I haven't read yet.

JUL052751 TRUE STORY SWEAR TO GOD #15 $2.95

[torippu]

Wow. I thought I was the only one. I thought it was okay, but i certainly didn't love it.

Jeff
Well, if it makes you feel any better, I've NEVER even attempted to read Watchman. I borrowed the collected edition from a friend about 2+ years ago and it's still sitting at the bottom of my reading pile.

I know that I should sit down and read it some day, but I've got so much other stuff that takes up my time (kids, TiVo, searching for a new job, Netflix, lounging around being lazy, etc.) that I'm probably never going to read it.

[torippu]

It's been a busy week so far, but here's what I hope to be getting at the shop today:

DC COMICS
DC Special The Return Of Donna Troy #4 (Of 4), $2.99
Read the first three issues and realized that this is another IC related mini-series that I could have saved my money on. This mini (as well as OMAC and Villains United) will probably be hitting eBay in the next couple of weeks.
Superman Shazam First Thunder #2 (Of 4), $3.50
I greatly enjoyed the first issue. This is self-contained, right? I don't need to reading any other DC series to get the whole story do I? :p

MARVEL COMICS
Astonishing X-Men Second Ptg Variant #12, $2.99
Maybe. Not a big fan of variants but I love this creative team.
Marvel Team-Up #13, $2.99
Kirkman! Big fight issue!

Wait for Trade
Usagi Yojimbo - one of these days I'll get caught up to where I stopped reading.

[Gotham_City]

DC COMICS
AQUAMAN #35
BATMAN GOTHAM COUNTY LINE #1 (OF 3)
pretty scott hampton art. gotta buy.
DC SPECIAL THE RETURN OF DONNA TROY #4 (OF 4)
GOTHAM CENTRAL #36
RANN THANAGAR WAR #6 (OF 6)
WONDER WOMAN #221

Jeff

[Ravenheart]

Big week for me this time.

Rann/Thanagar War#6
Spider-Girl#91
Wonder Woman#221
The Incredible Hulk#87
Swamp Thing#20
Blood of the Demon#8
New Thunderbolts#13
Lady Death:Abandon All Hope#1
Devil Dinosaur#1
Escape of the Living Dead#1

[De Carabas]

There was a phrase I read at Kottke.org today: "Joy-to-Stuff Ratio" (http://www.wordspy.com/words/joy-to-stuffratio.asp)

I think that perfectly puts words to what I'm trying to do right now. I record too much stuff on TiVo. I buy too many unwatched DVDs. I buy too many comics I convince myself I'll have time to read later, but never really will. I have a backlog of novels and non-fiction reads sitting around.

It'd be much saner and cheaper to figure out my "Joy-to-Stuff Ratio" and buy only the stuff that will bring me joy now, that I know I'll have time for now and in the near-future, instead of some far-off nebulous time.

Ergo -- no more 300 comics purchases. =)

-Augie
Patricia and I are sooooo guilty of this it is starting to become a serious topic of conversation between us (though, thank you for giving it a name we can use). I honestly think I would need one solid year of unemployment to get at least halfway through all the novels, DVDs, TiVo'ed shows, and graphic novels that I have back logged.

EM

[De Carabas]

OK.

The Watchmen thing.

Here it is, because I feel this need a tiny bit of context.

I grew up reading comics. I mean, I knew who Spider-Man and Superman were before I knew Big Bird and Mr. Rogers. So comics have always been apart of my life. Now, I was only ten years old when Watchmen first saw print. Needless to say, it passed well below my radar (And honestly, do you think there is a ten year old in the world that would understand and appreciate Watchmen? If there is, I sure don't want to meet him/her.).

Flash forward a full ten years. I finally find a copy of Watchmen in trade. Now this is ten years after Watchmen has made its mark. Ten years after other readers have become writers and other writers have found new inspiration. Ten years that can be defined by the influence, if not outright plagiarism, of Watchmen. A ten year period in which I have expanded my own reading horizons, to unintentionally incorporate many of these post-Watchmen works.

I read Watchmen and didn't find something new. Is it well-written? Yes; no question, no hesitation. But for me, it wasn't that eye-opening milestone that it was for so many people. People who had left comics for a number of years and came back to find this elaborate and (more importantly) mature world, in the place of the smiling Batman and Bat-Mite they left behind. People who had never read a comic in their life, until one of us thrust Watchmen into their hands and said, "Read. But only one chapter per night." No, I sat down and read just another comic. A well-written one perhaps, but not something... enlightening. The comic world grew and evolved around me, and I grew up with it, missteps and all, but through circumstances of age and timing I missed what started it all.

I guess that makes me a little bit like that generation that grew up after Star Wars and don't understand why so many of us see magic instead of 1970s special effects.




And honestly, can anyone tell me what the point to those pirates chapters were all about? I mean, come on!

EM

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

When I read WATCHMEN, the first thing I did was download all the annotations people did up on USENET back in the day as the series ran. They proved quite enlightening. I can understand some of your ambivalence about the book, though. The amazing part of WATCHMEN isn't necessarily the story, itself, but rather its execution. The symmetrical issue, the use of captions across pages, the use of symbols on the cover and the interiors, etc. I'm surprised there isn't a book out there breaking down WATCHMEN, quite honestly. Given all the other books -- such as Jess Nevins' annotations for LOEG -- you'd think someone would give the once over to WATCHMEN.

As for the pirates - I couldn't help you there. When I read it this fall/winter, I'll let you know if I come up with anything.

As for Joy-To-Stuff: I would think you two have me beat. I only have maybe 10 or 12 books (not comics related) backed up that I'd like to read. I'm sure the two of you have closer to three figures there. My backed up comics would be a six month project though. I have boxes of trades I could read at this point. . .

But I think I could blow through all my backed up DVDs in a month or two, if I put my mind to it. Doesn't matter -- I'll never have that much time. It's all money out the window.

-Augie

[BronteJD]

I'll try to overlook that neither of you like WATCHMEN, but --

Wait, neither of you like WATCHMEN?!?

::sputter::

Ooooooh kay.

No likee the WATCHMEN?

That's unAmerican. Or unComic-an. Or something.

-Augie


What can I say? Eric and I are clearly Meant to Be. ;)

Seriously, many of my reasons are the same as Eric's, with a slightly different time frame for reference. I started reading Batman and Sandman before anything, but when I started reading them, they had already been impacted by the storytelling of both WATCHMEN and DARK KNIGHT RETURNS. So I didn't see this great big "sea change" that so many people have in their lives as a seminal turning point. It was just the way it was.

I guess I would need to read it again to see if I feel differently about it.

[jameslucasoni]

It's the biggest and most expensive hardcover/collected edition week ever.

CALVIN AND HOBBES
WATCHMEN
V FOR VENDETTA

Those three alone are cover priced at over $250. That's before you count MARY JANE Volume 2, BONE SHARPS COWBOYS & THUNDER LIZARDS, CONAN Volume 2, and heaven help you if you were considering RISING STARS HC. Yeep!

Don't forget two BEAUTIFUL D&Q hardcovers--THE PUSH MAN & OTHER STORIES by Yoshihiro Tatsumi and edited by Adrian Tomine, as well as PYONGYANG: A JOURNEY IN NORTH KOREA by Guy Delisle. Oh, and the Pekar/Haspiel collaboration THE QUITTER from DC/Vertigo.

Sure, it's a crazy expensive week, but the better question is "Where am I going to put all this stuff?"

[sschroeder]

Week of October 5, 2005:
Powers # 13
Rann/Thanagar War # 6 (of 6)
Usagi Yojimbo # 87

Stuff from September 28, 2005, that I only got this week:
Daredevil # 77 (457)
Polly and the Pirates # 1 (of 6)
Showcase Presents: Green Lantern Vol. 1

Also:
Blade of the Immortal # 105

[matchstick johnny]

OCTOBER 5 05
Son of Vulcan #5 (of 6)
Superman Shazam #2 (of 4)
Marvel Team-Up #13
Powers #13
Spider-Man The Other Sketchbook
Uncanny X-Men #465
From last week:
Batgirl #68

[Augie De Blieck Jr.]

Nah, I didn't forget those books, James.

I just had no interest in them.

I know, I know. I'm part of the problem. ;-)

I feel your pain, though, on where to put them all. I have boxes of comics stacked up in front of my bookcase now. No room anywhere else. I used to be able to fit most of my books-with-spines on that bookcase. Ah, how I miss the old days, sometimes.

-Augie

[jameslucasoni]

You wound me, Augie, you really do. ;)

But seriously, I can see where THE PUSH MAN might not be your thing but I'm surprised you didn't take a look at THE QUITTER or PYONGYANG both of which look simultaneously gorgeous and fascinating...

[kevhines]

I haven't posted in a while.

I don't really want to list everything I bought over the last few weeks. But its a lot of good stuff.

I will say I picked up Sea of Red (Remender is doing great stuff! This, Strange Girl, and I assue Fear Agent are fun/smart books!)

I love Fell. I am not crazy about the artist, but I love what he is doing in this book - and I love the feel of this book. I think this is my favorite Ellis work since early Planetary. Yes.

And - Watchmen. I don't get it guys. I am your age. I might have started reading a bit early - and having an older brother reading comics obviously changed some things. He read Watchmen as it came out in issues. I skimmed it and wasn't drawn in (no Spider-Man? No, thank you.) But when it was collected I re-read it again. I liked it more. Its a great story. Mind-blowing? Life-changing? I don't think so. But a strong ending and a great mystery. Of course I was bored by most of the text pieces. If I wanted text I would read a book! After at time I felt I wanted to read it again. So I borrowed my brothers copy again. This time I devoured the text pieces. They made the rest of the story strong/richer. The Dr. Manhattan story was so good. And the ending was so perfect. And Rorshach working with Nite Owl again - so right. I loved it. Except the pirate story.

Now I have read it probably 5 times since then. Long ago I bought my own copy (so I won't be buying the new edition). I love everything. I loved the foreshadowing of the ending. I love all the clues placed throughout the story. I loved the mirror layout of the Rorshach issue. I love the pirate story (which aside from being a dark moody story, is a wonderful analogy (methaphor? I don't know english so good) for what is going on. Each panel's dialouge can be used for the ongoing events. Or vice versa. These stories overlap so well - while being completely different. I totally dig how well written that part is.

I just can't rave about it enough. I didn't see its impact either...I didn't really read it until I was much deeper in comics, but I loved it anyway.

I know the above is not going to convince you to love the book. I'd be suprised if it made you want to reread it. But I find it so good, I can't help but spew out the above. Sorry to bore you!

Um, I also got the new Zeb Wells book and the Elk's Run bumper edition. (Speakeasy and IDW have quietly been putting out some great books, huh?)

ok - back to the world where I can't reach this board very often. I miss you guys!

PS: I think Watchmen would make a terrible movie. Its one of those examples of something having found its perfect medium.