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Post by The MRP! on Jun 21, 2015 16:41:41 GMT -5
Not buying new comics as singles any more. Tempted by Sonny Liew on Dr. Fate though, as I love his stuff elsewhere. I may check out some when they come to trade though.
I did however, get a year subscription to Marvel Unlimited and a new tablet as early b-day gifts, so I am going to be catching up on some stuff there. I can't wrap my mind around paying for digital copies of individual comics, but I don't mind paying for a subscription service that gives me access to a vast library of comics. I already do Thrillbent, and I would most likely jump on a DC version of unlimited, but I am not going to go to Comixology and buy digital singles or trades. If I am buying something specific, I want a physical copy, if I am paying for access, I'll pay for that if the accessible library is big enough and of interest though.
Yeah but I am kind of done with the lcs and pull lists and Diamond in particular.
-M
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Post by hitmonkey on Jun 22, 2015 4:58:18 GMT -5
I haven't got to Black Canary yet but I have read Starfire and Bizarro which were both great, fun books that I'm glad to see DC starting to do again.
MRP as someone who has a massive collection of comics on comixology i can say the two main benefits to it over physical comics is that they often have huge sales on comics meaning you get them cheap and you don't have to spend years tracking them down. Secondly, and the big one for me, you don't have to worry about space, when you've only got the one room in the house for everything it's pretty difficult to justify having huge amounts of comics.
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Post by The MRP! on Jun 22, 2015 14:18:47 GMT -5
But I like digging through things, and on older comics I like the nostalgia that comes with looking at classic adverts, letter pages, editorial hype pages etc. New comics not so much on that stuff. But I get most of my comics cheap-quarter bins, dollar bins, Bronze and Silver books for $3-$5 each at cons, etc. and when I have read them if I don't wan them I can trade them to other comics folks I know for more stuff to read or sell them or trade them for credit to get other stuff to read if I choose. I can pay $1-$3 for a digital comic, or I can pay $4 for a month of access to Thrillbent and read as much as I want, or $10 to Marvel Unlimited a month (less if you subscribe by the year) to read as much as I want. Even at sale prices at Comixology that's 10 books max, I can read 10 new comics a day via Unlimited if I chose, (or 20 or 30 if I have the time) and I still don't have those storage problems you mention or having to dig through (but I do need to scroll through to find them in the digital realm), I also have to have access to the device that is charged, access to the internet, etc. which a lot of people take for granted, but shouldn't.
As for spending years tracking something down, the thrill of the hunt is part of the joy of collecting. But if I don't want to spend a lot of time tracking something down, ebay, mycomicshop and a few other online options can get me just about any comic I want. And if I want to read a Golden Age issue of Tarzan, I am not going to find that on Comixology, or an issue of More Fun Comics, or what have you. I am at the mercy of what the publishers choose to make available of their backstock, and most of what I am interested in reading is stuff that was published pre-1990, so Comixology is really no help there.
As for space, I get that. It just means you have to be selective in what you keep and separate the wheat from the chafe. I just purged over 600 comics from my collection this month-most was post-2000 stuff I had read and had no desire to ever read again. I am in the process of trading off most of it to get stuff I do want to read or own. Can't do that with digital access via Comixology. And it is access you are paying for, not the actual books. If I am paying for access, I'll pay for access to an entire library, not by the book...
-M
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Post by The MRP! on Jun 22, 2015 14:21:00 GMT -5
Jason Aaron and Chris Bachalo announced as the new creative team on a Doctor Strange solo. Might get me to buy singles, but I might look into a print subscription from Marvel (they actually do those and give a 45% off cover price discount on them, wheras DC only offers their big guns (Superman, Batman, Justice League) as subs and charges you 25% more than cover to subscribe).
-M
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Post by The MRP! on Jun 28, 2015 1:44:55 GMT -5
Some new arrivals at chez mrp! a few copies of the Spirit Magazine from warren-reprinting classic Eisner stories in full magazine size glory...   The Marvel Elric GN and Savage Sword #5, the classic crucified Conan cover...  a couple of Kubert Tor issues...  the last 3 issues of Warlord I needed to finish the run...  the last 5 issues of Amazing Adventures I needed in the Killraven run...   and some 80s mags about comics issues 2 and 3 of Four Color Magazine..,. one spotlighting Eisner  issue 5 spotlighting Moebius and an issue of Comics Interview spotlighting Conan comics...  I am awaiting one other package-I finally found a copy of Conan the Barbarian #24 (1st appearance of Red Sonja) in the grade and price range I wanted, and ordered it, so when it arrives, I will have completed the full run of Marvel's Conan the Barbarian series (still working on Savage Sword though). -M |
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Post by The MRP! on Jul 1, 2015 3:39:57 GMT -5
So Marvel announced 60 titles for October's relaunch, creative teams, taglines, and covers released for all of them...and there's only 1 I am thinking of breaking down and buying-Doc Strange by Aaron and Bachalo. I'll check out some others once they hit Marvel Unlimited (yes the Luddite has entered the digital age) but I won't be buying/reading any of the others until then. I might even do a print subscription from Marvel for Doc just so it's sent to my house and I can avoid the comic shop and giving Diamond any money, I have come to despise Diamond that much.
-M
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Post by buck on Jul 1, 2015 3:55:22 GMT -5
I had two titles I will definitely get
Doctor Strange and Ant-Man.
Then my maybes include
Uncanny Inhumans
howling Commando
ANAD Avengers
old Man Logan
With Three Lemire books the only one I might pick up is Logan but mostly for Sorrentino's art.
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Post by hitmonkey on Jul 1, 2015 4:58:25 GMT -5
There's over 20 I'm at least interested in, although 8 are just relaunches of comics I'm already reading. I'm obviously not going to be able to read all of them so I'm going to be trying to find a bunch of interviews about the comics to see which ones I'll pick. That being said Dr. Strange, Ultimates, All New All-Different Avengers and Karnak are the front runners at the moment.
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Post by C_Miller on Jul 1, 2015 23:08:22 GMT -5
I'm interested in probably 10 or so, which is more than I can afford, so I guess there's a success there. But I'm not bowled over by a lot of the announced changes. A lot of them don't really make sense as to why Marvel would think these are good ideas. I know nothing is long term in the comic world anymore, but changes should feel like they either A) Have a good story behind them or B) Could possibly be long term. It doesn't feel like either of those really seem to fit.
I can't imagine any writer is using Old Man Logan or Old Hawkeye or a lot of the teams because that's the team they built or who they want to use. It all feels very editorial. It'd be nice if DC and Marvel could line up once with their feelings of creator control.
As for the books I'm interested in. I'll continue reading Ms. Marvel. I'll give both James Robinson books a try. Squadron Supreme has always beena concept that's interested me and I'd call myself a modest Scarlet Witch Fan. I'll probably look into both Inhumans books. And Waid on a title that deals with legacy characters is kind of too good to pass up.
I also find the lack of Fantastic Four disturbing (even no Silver Surfer, which has been one of my favorite titles). But we knew this was coming.
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Post by hitmonkey on Jul 2, 2015 8:00:24 GMT -5
I'm curious to which teams feel editorially driven, I could see Uncanny Avengers but other than that the teams seem to be at least partly a bunch of B and C-listers which I don't see editorial putting together. But that's just me and I'm interested in the other side.
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Post by The MRP! on Jul 2, 2015 15:18:51 GMT -5
Image Expo is today and lots of interesting new projects were announced.
I'm most excited for Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott doing an occult rodecrual called Black Magick, but also interested in Jason Aaron and RM Gueva reuniting to do the Goddamned set in the times before the Biblical Flood and Warren Ellis and Tula Lotay reteaming for a book called Heartless.
Lots more announcements to sift through though.
-M
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Post by hitmonkey on Jul 2, 2015 21:30:40 GMT -5
For me an Ellis book will always be the book I am most looking forward to with a Brian K. Vaughn book being a close second. Others that interest me include Ringside, Cry Havoc, Camp Midnight, and Crosswind but Black Magick is the one other book I will definitely be picking up.
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Post by The MRP! on Jul 4, 2015 0:23:31 GMT -5
Little package arrived from Lonestar yesterday, only three books but they included this little beauty...  Conan the Barbarian #24, the first appearance of Red Sonja and the last issue I needed to complete my Conan the Barbarian run from Marvel, all 275 issues, 12 annuals and all the Giant Size issues. I am still working on Savage Sword, but this was in the package as well...  Savage Sword of Conan #7 giving the first 10 issues and 15 of the first 20. I have a ways to go on that one, so should keep me busy. Also working on the Red Sonja run from Marvel, about halfway there but added ths one that was in the package too...  just three books, but all very welcome additions. -M |
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Post by The MRP! on Jul 6, 2015 23:07:43 GMT -5
So San Diego is in the air and comic news is flowing...
Grant Morrison is named editor-in-chief of Heavy Metal
Warren Ellis is doing a James Bond comic for Dynamite
Dynamite also got the Atari license and will do new comics based on Atari properties plus reprint classics like Atari Force originally released by DC
Ostrander and Mandrake are reuiniting for an OGN via Kickstarter, Civil War horror theme
Mike Baron and Steve Rude are reteaming to continuie Nexus as a weekly strip mailed to readers via Kickstarter, and will follow up witht heir other creation, the Moth when the Nexus story wraps up.
DC is doing 8 new minis, many with classic writers returning to their properties-Len Wein to Swamp Thing (and MEtal Men), Gerry COnway to Firestorm, Mike W. Barr to Katana, Marv Wolfman to Raven and Keith Giffen to Sugar and Spike as adult private dicks operating in the super-hero world...wait...wha?
Poison Ivy and Metamorpho will be getting minis too.
Lots of interesting (some interesting as in I am intrigued to see that others interesting as in wow that's going to be a trainwreck I can't turn away from) stuff going on in the comic industry right now.
-M
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Post by hitmonkey on Jul 7, 2015 1:00:12 GMT -5
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Post by The MRP! on Jul 7, 2015 1:20:28 GMT -5
Here's the caveat on that article and it's a big one. They are comparing dollars to dollars, not units to units. Since comics cost 2-3 times what they did 20 years ago, it means a far lot less units are moving to generate the same revenue. An issue of Amazing Spider-Man on sale in July of 1995 had a cover price of $1.50 An issue of Amazing Spider-Man on sale in July 2015 has a cover price of $3.99 adjusting for inflation that $1.50 should be $2.34 in 2015 money. So you can sell half as many copies of Amazing in 2015 and generate more revenue than 1995 and hit a 20 year high. That's not a cause for celebration. Trying to celebrate it is a whole bunch of spin, because it means half as many people are buying copies and the industry is half the size it was 20 years ago. -M |
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Post by hitmonkey on Jul 7, 2015 9:06:50 GMT -5
True there's still less people but with how many people were reading back in the 90's and the fact that sales themselves are increasing year to year I'd say it's still a good sign for the industry.
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Post by The MRP! on Jul 7, 2015 13:00:48 GMT -5
Batman, which is DC's top seller month to month, and is finally selling 100k copies a month regularly and is pointed to as a sign of the health of the industry, moves as many copies now as Power Man and Iron Fist did in the mid 80s when it was demoted to bi-monthly and then cancelled for poor sales. And this is a sign the industry is doing well?
-M
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Post by hitmonkey on Jul 7, 2015 19:25:24 GMT -5
Yeah it's doing well after the crash that happened in the nineties that almost killed the industry.
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Post by The MRP! on Aug 30, 2015 23:50:55 GMT -5
My wife is on vacation this coming week, so we took a ride down to Trader's World, a larger permanent indoor flea market today to browse around. There are 4-6 comic vendors there on a semi-permanent basis, and a handful of of others that come and go, so I did a little comic shopping while I was there today. Here's what I gots.... A handful of issues of Savage Sword of Conan I needed: #21, 30, 31, 32, 48, 120, 122, 123 and 124 all $4 and under (most $2)  a half dozen issues of Heavy Metal from '79-'83 I needed (July 1979, Nov 1980, Jan '82, Oct '82, July '83 and Nov '83) all for $3 or under each  a couple of random Marvel mags-Hulk 24 (which Bleeding Cool is listing in their speculation threads as going for $50+ for $5 (I am slowly working on the post-Rampaging Hulk magazine run and I was dismayed to see this one being speculated on for some reason I do not know, but happy I found an affordable copy for myself today) and Savage Tales Vol. 2 #2 for a buck...  a bunch of $1 stuff (including a nice copy of Legends #1 and #5 which I will likely flip at some point since I still have my copies from off the newsstands when I was in high school), Legion Baxter #1, L.E.G.I.O.N. ('89) #1, Book of Fate #1 a trade of Truman's Scout collecting #8-14, Nightwing mini #2, a collection of Gil Kane's Starhawks, Elektra Assassin #2, Teen Titans Spotlight featuring the Omega Men #15...  more dollar stuff...Chase 1 Million (last issue of Chase I needed), Mystery in Space 1 (Starlin) Hercules Unbound #5, 7-11, Slash Maraud #3, Hawkman #47,  and a few other miscellaneous books..The Gold Key Spotlight issue reprinting Dagar #6 and Blazing Battle Tales #1 from Atlas/Seaboard (these 2 were throw ins from the vendor I bought the Legends issues from because I spent $20 on $1 books with him), Semper Fi #8 (last issue I needed to complete the run), Planet of Vampires #3 from Atlas Seaboard and Marvel Collector's Item Classics #1 in sold G (these 2 I got from a vendor for a total of $5) and a couple of more $1 books, Fate #2 and the firs tissue of the Official JLof A index with a cover by George Perez.  So not a bad day of finding books. -M |
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Post by The MRP! on Aug 31, 2015 1:51:13 GMT -5
So CBR is doing their 100 Greatest Marvel and DC characters poll again, asking folks to vote for their top 10 of each. Balloting runs through Sept. 30th. I cast my votes a few minutes ago...
TOP TEN COMIC BOOK CHARACTERS
MARVEL
1. Doctor Strange
2. Nick Fury (classic)
3. Thanos
4. Captain America (Steve Rogers)
5. Shang Chi
6. Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze)
7. Daredevil (Matt Murdock)
8. Adam Warlock
9. Gamora
10. Black Widow
DC
1. Phantom Stranger
2. The Spectre (Jim Corrigan)
3. Madame Xanadu
4. Dr. Fate (Kent Nelson)
5. Hawkman (Katar-Hol)
6. Hawkwoman (Shayera)
7. Darkseid
8. Zatanna
9. Warlord (Travis Morgan)
10. Sgt. Rock
-M
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Post by The MRP! on Aug 31, 2015 2:03:42 GMT -5
So my current buy list is very small-I don't have a pull at the lcs anymore...
I have digital subscriptions to Marvel Unlimited and Thrillbent, so get a bunch of content through them. I have print subscriptions to Heavy Metal and ordered one for the new Dr. Strange book form Marvel that will start when the series launches.
I am picking up the new Archie series when I see it on newsstands (Waid & Fiona Staples) and will likely track down issues of Shattered Empire the story bridge between RotJ and the Force Awakens for my wife, who is a huge Star Wars fan and is already jonesing for the new season of Rebels to start and Ep. VII to hit theatres.
There are a few series I am picking up in trades now, mostly Image...
Five Ghosts
Southern Bastards
The Fade Out
Velvet
Lazarus
and am behind on Thief of Thieves and Saga in trade. Some others are hit or miss as I find them...
afterlife with Archie
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
Stumptown
George Perez's Sirens
Walt Simonson's Ragnorak
and I might check out the first trade of the new Dr. Fate series and the new Spirit series written by Matt Wagner when they come out.
With so many ways to get books available right now I just don't feel a need to buy new issues as they come out and pay what cover prices are for a tiny bit of content unless it is something I absolutely want to have, and there's not much of that I am willing to pluck down the cash for.
-M
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Post by The MRP! on Sept 25, 2015 1:22:19 GMT -5
Latest acquisitions were from Labor Day weekend, we went to Columbus, went to the Half Price Books next to the OSU campus and then checked out a comic shop I hadn't been to before in one of the Columbus suburbs...
Picked up the following:
What I got at Half Price:
The Complete Bone in one volume for $20-20%
Rachel Rising Vol. 1 ($8.49 -20%
The Marada the She Wolf Hardcover form Titan for $8-20%
The Will Eisner Reader for $6 -20%
Hawkgirl: Hath Set-the last volume collecting the Simonson run $9-20%
and then from the $1 and 50 cent bins (minus of course the 20%)
Jack Kirby's Fourth World (Byrne + various on back ups) #1-7, 9-13, 15, 16
Orion by Walt Simonson #1, 2, 4, 6, 8-14
Grim Jack #3
Usagi Yojimbo Senso #6 (I missed the final issue when I dropped my pull list)
Scene of the Crime by Brubaker, Lark and Phillips #1, 2, 4 (no #3 though, need to track that down)
Slash Maraud #1, 2, 4, 6 (completes series)
Zot! #5, 7, 10
Hawkman #41
Dark Horse Presents #74, 76 (both have chapters of a Jodo/Moebius serial)
Solo #7 (the Mike Allred issue)
Sandman Mystery Theatre #28, 45, 47, 51, 56-60 (getting closer to completing this series)
at the new shop, they had a bunch of SSoC and Heavy Metal (plus other assorted mags) in their dollar basement back issue room, so got all the following for $1 each:
Conan of the Isles OGN
Savage Sword of Conan #70, 72, 73, 79, 91, 93, 94, 210-218, 220
Werewolf by Night #34 (in G/VG
The First Kingdom #21
Eerie #29
Heavy Metal from Sept 1981, November 1990 and March 1991
and also recently picke dup Southern Bastards Vol. 2 and Five Ghosts Vol. 3 via Amazon with a gift card we had.
Only new comics I got were my Heavy Metal sub, #276 the Kirby Lords of Light issue (see Argo for the story behind that sort of), and Archie #2 by Waid and Staples off the racks of my local grocery store of all places.
-M
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Post by The MRP! on Sept 25, 2015 1:33:23 GMT -5
So I am super excited by Marvel's hire of Ta-Nehisi Coates and Brian Stlefreze for Black Panther. I am likely going to break down and order a print sub for the 12 issue run direct from Marvel to show my support (I did the same with Dr. Strange by Aaron and Bachalo) rather than wait on stuff to become available on Unlimited like I do for most Marvel stuff. Anytime you can get a National Book Award Winner to bring new eyes to the medium, it's good thing, plus the dude's got comic cred, he knows his stuff. Stelfreze is an amazing artist. I am loving what he did on Day Men for BOOM!, I just worry because he is slow as hell and is at absolute best an 8 issue a year guy, so they need to either get a bunch in the can (and if he has started already they may have one or more issues already done) or have a compatible and competent back up team ready to go to avoid delays.
I find it amusing that some comics fans are disappointed they didn't get an "A-list" wirter for this because Coates can't be A-list because his resume doesn't have a run of Batman or X-Men or whathaveyou on it already. Coates is A-list in a way Hickman, Bendis, Grant Morrison, Geoff Johns or whoever never will be.
Also find it ironic that Coates' father was an actual Black Panther in the 60s and 70s. Kind of fun karmic coincidence there.
-M
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Post by The MRP! on Nov 24, 2015 1:28:52 GMT -5
So I have somewhat ended my moratorium on buying new stuff.
Placed an Amazon order today for the following:
The Golden Age Batman Omnibus
Elric Vol. 2 Stormbringer
Sandman Overture hc
Visual Storytelling: Art & Technique by Jim Steranko
also subscribed to the new Dr. Strange series via direct mail subscription from Marvel (45% off cover price but pay for a year's worth of issues) and have read the first 2 issues.
I also went to the comic shop for the first time in a year a couple of weeks ago and picked up the following:
Scooby-Doo Team-Up #13-the Scooby gang teams with Deadman, Phantom Stranger and the Spectre-how could I resist?
Black Magick #1 by Rucka and Nicola Scott (got the magazine sized variant-love that format getting to see the art extra big-good start but since the rest of the series is only comic sized will trade wait on it
James Bond VAGR #1 -Warren Ellis on Bond, had to check it out
Twilight Children #1-Hernanadez and Cooke are both genius creators and legends, had to see what they were going to come up with.
I've also been buying Mark Waid and Fiona Staples new Archie series (got #1-3) off the magazine rack of our local super-market-I like seeing distribution channels outside Diamond so am supporting books I see on the newsstand. Been a fun series so far.
We also ordered the Shattered Empire series by Rucka for Marvel's Star Wars in trade and I read that. Our household is quite excited for Force Awakens next month.
Also keeping up with trades on the following: Lazarus, Velvet, The Fade Out, Injection, Trees, Five Ghosts, Southern Bastards but have been doing the Amazon thing for ordering those when they come out.
Still don't have a pull list (and won't get one) but am sampling some new stuff again after nearly a year off. Plus well I have Marvel Unlimited and been checking some stuff out (aside from Golden, Silver and Bronze Age stuff I checked out Abnett's Guardians 3000 and Edmonson & Noto's Black Widow series and all the new MArvel Star Wars stuff).
Escaping the monthly and weekly grind of comics has been quite liberating and I have come back with a fresh eye picking out only those things I am interested in and following only those I enjoy, nothing out of loyalty or inertia.
-M
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