Comic books you hate or disliked

[Shawn Hopkins]

Scott Pilgrim

Man, what utter crap this series was. I know its critically acclaimed but its just terrible. Scott and Ramona are unlikeable characters; straight out users and leechers with no redeeming qualities to them. Also I think Scott was mildly 'tarded or something. I don't think I've seen a character that's been that stupid (aside from G'Nort). I know I'm older than the intended audience, but I'm not a gamer (even though I'm alright with the video game references), but I felt insulted that someone wrote this for a mass audience.

That's totally one of my favorite books. Scott and Ramona aren't really supposed to that likeable, they are deeply flawed people and the entire series is a process in which Scott grows up and stops using and hurting people. He's more in massive denial than really stupid, although some of it is, you know, jokes. I really loved the art, too, and it gets into some honest emotion by the end.

Also, for the record I love Grant Morrison's stuff. Big fan since I first found Animal Man. If you want where I stand on the litmus test I thought Seaguy was great.

[DubipR]

That's totally one of my favorite books. Scott and Ramona aren't really supposed to that likeable, they are deeply flawed people and the entire series is a process in which Scott grows up and stops using and hurting people. He's more in massive denial than really stupid, although some of it is, you know, jokes. I really loved the art, too, and it gets into some honest emotion by the end.

But there has to be hint of likeability of the characters in the beginning but there wasn't. I know its a progression of him growing up but like I said, me not being in my 20s, I guess the nihilistic/slacker attitude they represented, I couldn't relate to. In my 20s I was working, going to school and making money, not playing video games and doing fuck all. As for massive denial... no, I'm still gonna say he's more 'tarded/ADHD.

Also, for the record I love Grant Morrison's stuff. Big fan since I first found Animal Man. If you want where I stand on the litmus test I thought Seaguy was great.

Seaguy is wonderful. I love the spin of Morrison took on superheroes and just Etch-A-Sketched one's expectations and gave us a fun mini. I'm waiting for the third arc to close it out.

[The Confessor]

Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow.

I loved this story, but I do sort of know what you mean. I almost disliked it. I find that the way Alan Moore writes the new, ultra-ruthless Luthor, Brainiac and Mr. Mxyzptlk is a bit too close to being "edgy for edgys sake" for my liking. Then again, the writing is pretty strong overall and at points the book is very moving. All things considered, I think it serves its purpose as a suitable ending for the career of the Golden, Silver and Bronze Age Superman very well. But still, the new take on those classic Superman villains does come perilously close to turning me off.

[dan bailey]

But there has to be hint of likeability of the characters in the beginning but there wasn't. I know its a progression of him growing up but like I said, me not being in my 20s, I guess the nihilistic/slacker attitude they represented, I couldn't relate to.

Nihilism I have no problem with. The "I'm an idiot, everyone I know is an idiot & being an idiot is cool" ethos embodied in the strip is another matter altogether.

In my 20s I was working, going to school and making money, not playing video games and doing fuck all.

That's probably part of the equation for me as well, as I remember saying in so many words a year or so ago. I was married at 19 & married again at 27; in the meantime I'd been to college, attended grad school on a fellowship & started my newspaper career. I was (& am) in no way a "go-getter," but having no living parents I also didn't have the sort of safety net that would've afforded me the luxury of lying around & honing my natural tendency toward utter slothfulness into an art form, a la young Mr. Pilgirm & (presumably) whatever useless wastes of space Mr. O'Malley was basing his entire cast of loathsome characters on.

As for massive denial... no, I'm still gonna say he's more 'tarded/ADHD.

Obviously, I agree. I never got the feeling he was in denial about being a vile parasite; if anything, he embraced it.

[FanboyStranger]

Tom Grindberg drawing Warlock and the Infinity Watch. Starlin characters just ruined artistically. During that time I didnt think anything could make me drop a comic with those characters but that did it.

I don't pin that on the usually reliable Grindberg so much as the inker. It looked like he inked with a Sharpie with a tip that had been rubbed against a brick for a few hours. Grindberg was definitely adopting some typical '90s distortions, but it's those inks that make those stories unreadable. (Although they were also part of a terrible crossover with Thor)

[Slam_Bradley]

I loved this story, but I do sort of know what you mean. I almost disliked it. I find that the way Alan Moore writes the new, ultra-ruthless Luthor, Brainiac and Mr. Mxyzptlk is a bit too close to being "edgy for edgys sake" for my liking. Then again, the writing is pretty strong overall and at points the book is very moving. All things considered, I think it serves its purpose as a suitable ending for the career of the Golden, Silver and Bronze Age Superman very well. But still, the new take on those classic Superman villains does come perilously close to turning me off.

I'm guessing what you disliked would have been the only thing that might make it palatable for me.

My thing is...I hated the Silver/Bronze Age Superman from the second I laid eyes on him. And even Alan Moore couldn't make him interesting.

[dan bailey]

My thing is...I hated the Silver/Bronze Age Superman from the second I laid eyes on him. And even Alan Moore couldn't make him interesting.

Spoken like a true sack of potatoes.

[Ziggy Stardust]

Morrison's X-Men run, Batman run,and Superman run, Batman Inc.
Anything Ultimate
Bendis' Avengers

OH YEAH! Co-signing these!

[Ziggy Stardust]

Anything with Millar's name attached to it is an insta-pass for me. Civil War should have earned him prison time.

[destro]

I loved this story, but I do sort of know what you mean. I almost disliked it. I find that the way Alan Moore writes the new, ultra-ruthless Luthor, Brainiac and Mr. Mxyzptlk is a bit too close to being "edgy for edgys sake" for my liking. Then again, the writing is pretty strong overall and at points the book is very moving. All things considered, I think it serves its purpose as a suitable ending for the career of the Golden, Silver and Bronze Age Superman very well. But still, the new take on those classic Superman villains does come perilously close to turning me off.

I enjoyed the story and the art is beautiful...but I did feel it was overly dark for what was basically supposed to be a good-bye to the Silver age Superman. My issue was not with the way Luthor and the rest were written so much as the mass death that ensued. Just a bit much..

I'll take Moore's work on Supreme over any of his actual Superman stories.

[Kikaider]

I don't pin that on the usually reliable Grindberg so much as the inker. It looked like he inked with a Sharpie with a tip that had been rubbed against a brick for a few hours. Grindberg was definitely adopting some typical '90s distortions, but it's those inks that make those stories unreadable. (Although they were also part of a terrible crossover with Thor)

You know, now that you say that I remember seeing Grindberg do something with the Silver Surfer that looked really good and figured it (the strange art) must had just been for the Warlock series.

[LEADER DESSLOK]

I dislike all the comics I've read that we're drawn by John romita jr. His art style just looks so bad...

I really don't like his "new" style. When I saw the story he did in SPIDER-MAN 50 (491) I couldn't believe this was the same guy who drew such beautiful stories in the 80s AND the 90s! Peter and MJ looked like mutants--WTF happened?

Getting back to the thread the only book I remember hating with a passion was AVENGERS #200 (1980) the Ms.Marvel rape story. If I had bought OMD it would have been ripped to shreds too!

[The Confessor]

I'm guessing what you disliked would have been the only thing that might make it palatable for me.

My thing is...I hated the Silver/Bronze Age Superman from the second I laid eyes on him. And even Alan Moore couldn't make him interesting.

Ah, right. Gotcha.

I enjoyed the story and the art is beautiful...but I did feel it was overly dark for what was basically supposed to be a good-bye to the Silver age Superman. My issue was not with the way Luthor and the rest were written so much as the mass death that ensued. Just a bit much.

Yeah, that's pretty much exactly what I disliked about it. For me, the heightened levels of violence jibed with the way Superman had been shown pre-crisis. So I feel it's somewhat flawed as a end piece to that version of Superman. The art was lovely though, you're right.

[BDiogenes]

I'm guessing what you disliked would have been the only thing that might make it palatable for me.

My thing is...I hated the Silver/Bronze Age Superman from the second I laid eyes on him. And even Alan Moore couldn't make him interesting.

The above must mean you read the GA Supes first. Would you describe how he changed to someone who preferred the George Reeves incarnation if it had to be all one or the other?

[Cei-U!]

For me, the heightened levels of violence jibed with the way Superman had been shown pre-crisis. So I feel it's somewhat flawed as a end piece to that version of Superman.

FYI, Confessor, "jibe" means the opposite of what you're trying to say here. It means to agree with or be in harmony with. The level of violence in WHTTMOT clashed with the way Superman had been shown pre-Crisis (a criticism I agree with, for whatever that's worth).

Cei-U!
I summon the Webster's!