Welcome to the Danger Room

[Uncle Nobs]

Welcome to the Danger Room...

Just as the Danger Room is where the X-Men go to hone their skills and become better X-Men, this extra geeky online Danger Room is where we X-Fans can go to become better X-Fans.

Essentially, it works like a book club. Every month, we'll decide on a small run of comics, a TPB, or other similar collected edition that we will all read and discuss. Eventually, we may include films and such that might also relate to X-lore.

How is this different than just starting random threads about comics we want to discuss, you ask?

It's different because we HAVE to read the selected work. Everyone who participates. Together. If we've read it before, we HAVE to re-read it. If we don't own it, we HAVE to find a way to read it, or else we can't participate that month. NO "as I recall" or "back when I read it" type of posts!

The purpose of this thread is to broaden our appreciation of X-lore. We'll have a chance to expose fellow posters to material they might otherwise overlook. Likewise, any of us that participate will be forced to reexamine work we may have pooh-poohed in the past.

Remember: This is the Danger Room. Once you enter, there's no turning back. Each assignment should be viewed as exactly that: an assignment. Read it. Examine it. Return to the Danger Room on the deadline to discuss it.

Hopefully, the monthly assignments should give participants plenty of time. Throughout the month, we can help each other track down the books we need. BUT: We can't start the discussion until the due date. No spoilerage.

Remember that you don't need to buy the required reading. You just need to read it. Use your resources. Borrow from a friend. Have a library transfer a copy for you. Order books through Barnes & Noble or Borders and just read them in the store on a nice, comfy couch when they arrive. If you happen to fall in love with a book, go ahead and buy it!




For now, I'll see what you think of this concept and who is interested. Then we can decide on our first assignment (I have one in mind, of course).

...hope you survive the experience!




EDIT:
I will edit all assignments into this post. That way, if you fall behind, you can always come back here. Each month's assignment will be announced and confirmed no later than the beginning of that month and will be due on the 21st of that month.

I've planned assignments far in advance. This list is tentative and assignments may change. Do not purchase reading material until you see "Assignment confirmed" in blue under each assignment.

August 2006:
Classic X-Men #1-13. Also available as Giant Size X-Men #1 and (Uncanny) X-Men #94-105 (all available in multiple reprint editions), and X-Men: Vignettes (TPB) vol. 1.
Due August 21st, 2006. Assignment confirmed.

September 2006:
Longshot #1-6 and Firestar #1-4 (both available in TPB form).
Due September 21st, 2006. Assignment confirmed.

October 2006:
Classic X-Men #14-25, (Uncanny) X-Men #106, and (Uncanny) X-Men #110. Also available as Uncanny #106-119 (in multiple reprint editions) and X-Men: Vignettes (TPB) vol. 2. (#106 & 110 are not reprinted in Classic #14-25. If you choose to use the Classic X-Men reprints, I suggest reading #106 & 110 for free in a good bookstore or library.)
Due October 21st, 2006. Assignment confirmed.

November 2006:
Alpha Flight vol. 1, #1-12 (not available as reprints) and Cable vol. 2, #51-60 (Casey & Ladronn's run, not available as reprints).
Due November 21st, 2006. Assignment confirmed.

December 2006:
X-mas vacation. No homework!

January 2007:
Classic X-Men #26-44. (While Uncanny #120-138 is reprinted in several editions, the backup stories from Classic #26-44 are not available as reprints. I recommend everyone buys these issues of Classic since the assignment is really designed to be both sets of stories.)
Due January 21st, 2007.

February 2007:
Dazzler #1-12 (not available as reprints) and X-Force vol. 1, #71-81 (Road Trip era, possibly available in reprint editions...?).
Due February 21st, 2007.

March 2007:
Uncanny X-Men #139-150 (available in multiple reprint editions) and Uncanny X-Men Annual #3-5 (1979-81, possibly available in reprint editions...?).
Due March 21st, 2007.

April 2007:
To be announced.
Due April 21st, 2007.

May 2007:
Uncanny X-Men #151-161 (available in multiple reprint editions), Uncanny X-Men Annual #6 (1982, possibly available in reprint editions...?), and X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills.
Due May 21st, 2007.

June 2007:
To be announced.
Due June 21st, 2007.

July 2007:
Uncanny X-Men #162-167 (available in multiple reprint editions), Uncanny X-Men Annual #7 (1983, possibly available in reprint editions...?), and Marvel Graphic Novel #4: The New Mutants (reprinted in New Mutants Classic vol. 1 TPB, which also contains material that will be part of August's assignment).
Due July 21st, 2007.

August 2007:
Wolverine vol. 1, #1-4 (the original miniseries, available as a TPB), Avengers Annual #10 (1981, possibly available in reprint editions...?), plus To be announced.
Due August 21st, 2007.

September 2007:
Uncanny X-Men #168-175 (available in multiple reprint editions), and New Mutants vol. 1 #1-7 (reprinted in New Mutants Classic vol. 1 TPB).
Due September 21st, 2007.

October 2007:
To be announced.
Due October 21st, 2007.

November 2007:
Uncanny X-Men #176-180 (available in multiple reprint editions), New Mutants vol. 1 #8-14 (not yet reprinted at the time I'm writing this), and Uncanny X-Men Annual #8 (1984, possibly available in reprint editions...?).
Due November 21st, 2007.

December 2007:
To be announced.
Due December 21st, 2007.

January 2008:
Uncanny X-Men #181-188 (available in multiple reprint editions) and New Mutants vol. 1 #15-21 (not yet reprinted at the time I'm writing this).
Due January 21st, 2007.

[Beast]

Sounds fun to me. I suggest that if it's really older stuff, it's at least been put in an Essential or traded... just to make things easier for some folks. What do you say? :)

[The Fury]

Sure...I guess, why not? Sounds fun.

[Mikl C]

As long as it's essentialed if it's pre 1990 I'm good to go :)

[Gene M.]

Cool idea. I'm in for any reads I can get my hands on.

[An Average Madri]

Im soo down, too. :D

[Ironspider]

im in for newer stuff i dont have anything pre house of m

[fishtaco]

sounds interesting...:evilsmile

[CE_Rap]

The CE_Rapster was looking for a new challenge:evilsmile

[bounusball75]

I like it alot.

[Uncle Nobs]

Well that's kind of the point, guys. If you don't have it, you get it.

No snarkiness here (I save that for X-Cres). I'm reinforcing this for a distinct reason:

The whole idea is to expose ourselves and others to material that we might otherwise skip--including material we might skip because we deem it "too hard to collect" when, in fact, it doesn't have to be so difficult.

You don't have to buy it. You just have to read it. There are myriad ways to get your hands on old material at cheap prices. Libraries, ordering for free through your local bookstore, borrowing from friends, buying and returning from a bookstore, the new DVD-rom collections, etc., etc., etc.

So let's not limit ourselves on our group selections. If someone absolutely can't find a way to get the required reading even with an entire month of prep time and all his/her fellow posters to help him/her, then he/she doesn't have to participate that month.

Honestly, this kind of thing will only be fun if it challenges us.

Kosher?

[Beast]

Sounds good. I have a few I may suggest as well. :D

[Hi-Fi]

Sounds fun.

[Sentinel K]

You gonna decide on something then!?

[xmanson]

Yeah, pick something already!!!