What should I read next?

[NESJosh]

Hi all,

I'm in between series at the moment and inspired by the Top 100 Comics Run thread, I'm considering a few different ones to read next. I am only interested in series that are a completed run and are all available in trade form. I would appreciate everyone's thoughts and recommendations on the following. Here are the ones I'm considering:

1. Promethea - inspired by Tim Callahan's Alan Moore Re-read over on the Tor.com site, this is a series I have never read and is available in 5 trades.

2. Ex Machina - The complete run is available at the library here. I like Brian K. Vaughan but I wasn't bowled over by Y The Last Man

3. Starman - I've only read the first 2 trades but I liked where this was headed.

4. Hitman - haven't read it but Greg Burgas likes it and he and I seem to have similar tastes.

5. Daredevil (Brian Michael Bendis's run) - I like Daredevil a lot and I like a lot of Bendis's work. I don't know much about this run, is it similar in tone to his New Avengers and other work?

6. Scalped - read about half the run before I had to move away from the library that had it. I'm a big fan of this noir vibe and location

Thanks for your thoughts everyone! Honestly, I'll probably read all of these at some point but I figured I'd start the new year off right. I am a big fan of the site and I am interested to hear what everyone thinks.

[MRP]

Most of these may be a little too recent for the tastes of some here on the classic boards, but some are in the wheelhouse.

1. Promethea-I enjoyed this but it reads more like an allegorical magical treatise a' la the wedding of Christian Rosencruentz than a traditional comic story in my opinion. The art by JH Williams III is incredible though, but I am not sure how well it reads to someone who is not familiar with the occult and magical lore that Moore is channeling throughout. Every page held some kind of hidden treasure for me, but I am familiar with the traditions.

2. Ex Machina-I can't help you here except to say I recently acquired the first three trades but have yet to dive in, so it is on my to read soon list.

3. Starman-one of my favorite series as it came out. It was a joy to read, but I have not gone back and reread it since the 90's, so I don't know how well it will have aged for me. Robinson captures a unique voice for Jack Knight, but it may have been that I was in a similar phase of my life as the character when I read it that contributed to my enjoyment of the book (no not dealing with a super-hero legacy, but struggling with finding your own identity amidst the burdens of family heritage and the challenges of life in general as a twenty-something with an appreciation for things retro).

4. Hitman-I am not the person to ask, as I find most of Ennis' work unpalatable, so I will let others comment on this series.

5. Bendis' Daredevil was solid to start but kind of meandered later for me and I lost interest. When Bendis is on, he can craft some great stories, but I have always felt his strongest work was with his own creator-owned stuff and not mainstream corporate characters. This was one of his better corporate efforts though, and the art by Maleev is quite good.

6. Scalped is another series I am just starting to sample. I have read a handful of issues and like what I saw, but haven't read enough to comment in depth on the series.

-M

[FanboyStranger]

Personally, I probably enjoyed Starman the most out of those books, but all are very worthy reads.

[Scott Harris]

I'll add another vote for Starman, though that's partially because I haven't read the others. For me, Starman reads better now than it did at the time; the pacing as a monthly got really weird for the last half of the series, as from #47-80 it was basically two gigantic interconnected arcs. And that's almost half the entire series. So it was a bit wonky reading it month-to-month, but it works a lot better when you can read it all at once. That's from a plot perspective, but the same is true from a character perspective, as Jack's growth from a guy who is kind of jerky and immature at the start of the series into a sympathetic, nuanced adult works better when you can read his whole story.

[Billy Batson]

They're all good.
1. Haven't read this yet myself but it's Alan Moore and J.H. Williams~
2. I'm there with you on Y but I really liked BKV's Ex Machina. It's a good series and it would be a plus if you're into politics.
3. If you're into softcovers more than hard ones, you should give DC more time to finish collecting it.
4. Was in the process of reading it. Will get back to it but it's good fun stuff.
5. Bendis' Daredevil is actually one of Bendis' good works and if you actually liked his Avengers work, then it might rocks your socks off.
6. Scalped is the best new comic book series in the past 6 years (along with Peter Milligan's Hellblazer <.<). It gets better and better.

Just go with Scalped if you've read half of it already.

[Reptisaurus!]

1. Promethea -

J. H. Williams 3 is my favorite current artist and Alan Moore is Alan Moore so I liked MOST of it, and bought every issue in singles. But the middle half is taken up by a lecture on tarot cards and magic that I wasn't particularly interested in... But it was sure drawn pretty!

2. Ex Machina - The complete run is available at the library here. I like Brian K. Vaughan but I wasn't bowled over by Y The Last Man

Like Y this felt like a series of barely interconnected events that didn't have much effect on each other kind of like a Garfield comic. I read the first 5-or-so trades, and strongly disliked 'em. Counter-suggestion: Transmetropolitan.

3. Starman - I've only read the first 2 trades but I liked where this was headed.

Loathsome and vile and I hate it a lot. I try to spend at least half an hour a day hating Starman, so I never forget how my I hate Starman. You should read anything but Starman. Cereal Boxes, 1922 guides to Engine Repair, How to Teach Your Sheep to Fish... a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g. I'm fairly sure nobody actually likes Starman (Because WHY?) they just keep saying they do as a cruel joke on me to try to get me to read Starman again so they can giggle all full of sadism.

4. Hitman - haven't read it but Greg Burgas likes it and he and I seem to have similar tastes.

NOW we're talkin'. My favorite Garth Ennis work, moving and very funny. With zombie penguins and dinosaurs and one of the best Superman stories ever!

5. Daredevil (Brian Michael Bendis's run) - I like Daredevil a lot and I like a lot of Bendis's work. I don't know much about this run, is it similar in tone to his New Avengers and other work?

Agreed with MRP. The first 2/thirds of the run are quite strong, then it trails off a bit. But picks right up for the first couple of Ed Brubaker trades!

6. Scalped

One of the best comic series ever, craftwise - unless the ending is terrible, I haven't finished it. But really dark. I always find myself asking "Geez.. Do I even WANT to keep reading it? Do I enjoy being disturbed?"

[JKCarrier]

The only one of those I've read is Promethea, which I recommend highly. If you're in a philosophical/spiritual mood, it might be just the thing to start off a new year.

[Aaron King]

I think they're all worth reading to one degree or another, but I would probably rank them this way:

1. Hitman
It's my solid belief that this series has something for everyone. Humor, brotherhood, tense action, and tons of character.

2. Starman
Some of the best world-building I've seen in a superhero book. Read in either single issues or the omnibuses since the trades leave stuff out. Wanders a bit towards the end but comes back for a strong finish.

3. Scalped
I didn't like the first few issues, but once Aaron makes it into more of an ensemble book and I got used to Guera's art, I couldn't get enough.

4. Promethea
Wandering and beautiful.

5. Ex Machina/Daredevil (tie)
There's nothing necessarily wrong with either of these series, but nothing that really gets me excited, either. Ex Machina had an amazing concept but ended up feeling too segmented with political issues introduced and resolved within the limits of a single trade.

Daredevil had some great storylines and some boring ones. The art was beautiful. I've never read it in one go all the way through, though, so that might affect my judgment.

[Billy Batson]

One of the best comic series ever, craftwise - unless the ending is terrible, I haven't finished it. But really dark. I always find myself asking "Geez.. Do I even WANT to keep reading it? Do I enjoy being disturbed?"

Nah, the ending was pretty excellent.

[dupersuper]

From those on your options list I've read it seems like you're good either way. I've only read the 1st Ex Machina trade, but really enjoyed it.

[dan bailey]

Loathsome and vile and I hate it a lot. I try to spend at least half an hour a day hating anything Frank Miller came within 500 feet of, so I never forget how my I hate anything Frank Miller came within 500 feet of. You should read anything but anything Frank Miller came within 500 feet of. Cereal Boxes, 1922 guides to Engine Repair, How to Teach Your Sheep to Fish... a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g. I'm fairly sure nobody actually likes anything Frank Miller came within 500 feet of (Because WHY?) they just keep saying they do as a cruel joke on me to try to get me to read anything Frank Miller came within 500 feet of again so they can giggle all full of sadism.

Much better.

[Ish Kabbible]

Of the ones I read, I recommend Ex Machina and Daredevil. Promethea starts out good but becomes a tough,didactic read later on. Havn't read Hitman but anything by Ennis I've enjoyed