Classic Comics Book Club 2013

[CromagnonMan]

This just happens to be sitting at the very top of one of my eight "To Read" stacks.

I have the Vampirella's in Archive reprints. FYI, i was less than impressed with the early Vampirella's including #1. The later ones, #34 and #35 were much more sophisticated and enjoyable. How much did you pay for that 1st issue?

And still impressively ahead of me. I've been reading my brains out to get to 125 by this point, not for the sake of winning, but just because there's SO MUCH GOOD STUFF in my collection that I want to read!

Ha. I may have managed it as im reading more modern stuff of late. I have the Marvel Now! bug for the time being. Although ive been slacking recently. Only managed to read 3 issues today.

[shaxper]

I have the Vampirella's in Archive reprints. FYI, i was less than impressed with the early Vampirella's including #1. The later ones, #34 and #35 were much more sophisticated and enjoyable. How much did you pay for that 1st issue?

$35. I was in the right place at the right time.

Yeah, I'm not surprised by what you say. From what I understand, the series didn't really find it's footing until several issues in. Aren't the first few issues set up pretty much like a female counterpart to Creepy and Eerie?

Only managed to read 3 issues today.

Funny. I have grades due tomorrow (I'm a teacher) and only had time for 3 issues today...

[Chris N]

What's the answer Mr. N ?

The theme is Spider-Man, and they are all part of my Spider-Man reading project. So that was pretty much right. But they feature either Spidey himself, or a supporting character like JJ Jameson, or villains like Electro or Chameleon.

[thwhtGuardian]

Based on your readings of those Lovecraft comics Shaxper, I'd like to make a suggestion.

With all your other reading I don't know if you'd ever get to it this year, but if you like H.P. Lovecraft stories you have to try "the House on the Borderland" by W.H. Hodgson. He's the author that truly inspired Lovecraft and other weird tales writers such as Clark Ashton Smith.

And to top it off there's even a comic based on it by Richard Corbin.

[shaxper]

Based on your readings of those Lovecraft comics Shaxper, I'd like to make a suggestion.

With all your other reading I don't know if you'd ever get to it this year, but if you like H.P. Lovecraft stories you have to try "the House on the Borderland" by W.H. Hodgson. He's the author that truly inspired Lovecraft and other weird tales writers such as Clark Ashton Smith.

And to top it off there's even a comic based on it by Richard Corbin.

I'll have to add it to the list. Thanks for the suggestion.

And, incidentally, it's the original Lovecraft stories that I'm reading, not a comic adaptation.

[thwhtGuardian]

I'll have to add it to the list. Thanks for the suggestion.

And, incidentally, it's the original Lovecraft stories that I'm reading, not a comic adaptation.

Ah, I wasn't aware, I just knew there are a lot of comic adaptations running around these days of his work.

Hodgson's work is a lot of fun though, and his take on the universe is pretty fasinating so I hope you get around to it.

[Chris N]

This genre-assigning is hard. I decided I would call things "superhero" whenever close, as it often blends genres together. Hellblazer was on the line between superhero or fantasy/horror, and I went superhero. Scion was also pretty close to the line, but I decided not superhero. I added it to sword & sorcery, as there are swords and sorcery. But it's not quite Conan. So perhaps just calling it fantasy might be better?

[shaxper]

This genre-assigning is hard. I decided I would call things "superhero" whenever close, as it often blends genres together. Hellblazer was on the line between superhero or fantasy/horror, and I went superhero. Scion was also pretty close to the line, but I decided not superhero. I added it to sword & sorcery, as there are swords and sorcery. But it's not quite Conan. So perhaps just calling it fantasy might be better?

Yeah, "genre" is always going to be a matter of opinion. I call Conan and Sandman both Fantasy, which never feels quite right. And, while I've settled on calling the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sci-fi, it's never felt totally right, either.

I really only count a title as superhero if their primary goal is protecting innocents in a costume. Even Silver Surfer and Doctor Strange don't fit that category for me.

[dupont2005]

That's why I skipped that part. I'd go crazy categorizing my read list like that

[thwhtGuardian]

I don't know, for me categorizing is part of the fun but then again you're talking to a guy who grew up thinking Conseil was the best character in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

[shaxper]

That's why I skipped that part. I'd go crazy categorizing my read list like that

Eh, I still enjoy being able to look back and get a general sense of how my reading selections broke down.

[Chris N]

I even just had a publisher ambiguity. Reading a book published by Dark Horse, collecting issues published by Capital or First. Record original publisher or reprint publisher? Life is hard.

And Howard the Duck was another probably-not-really-superhero comic I decided it was easiest to call a "superhero" comic. It perhaps could go under "humor".

[shaxper]

I even just had a publisher ambiguity. Reading a book published by Dark Horse, collecting issues published by Capital or First. Record original publisher or reprint publisher? Life is hard.

I generally count the originals unless the tpb or reprint contains original or significantly altered material. For example, if you read Dark Horse's The Chronicles of Conan, vol. 1, I count it as Conan: The Barbarian (vol. 1) #1-8, 11, 12 since that is the content that the volume contains.

And Howard the Duck was another probably-not-really-superhero comic I decided it was easiest to call a "superhero" comic. It perhaps could go under "humor".

I still haven't gotten around to reading Howard yet, but it's my understanding he would count far more as humor than superhero. Residing within a shared universe mostly made up of superheroes doesn't necessarily make a title within that universe a superhero mag. Would you count Gotham Central as a superhero comic?

[Chris N]

Would you count Gotham Central as a superhero comic?

Certainly. Unless I had crossgenre options (superhero comics frequently cross genres). Superhero/noir or superhero/police procedural.

[shaxper]

I've officially read more than 55% of my comic book collection as of tonight. The goal for this year is to get to 75%. I have to read 1,509 more books this year (actually more when I inevitably buy more) to do so.