The Official Recommendations Thread

[GNR]

7-Daredevil
8-Planetary
14-Superman: Red Son
18-Kingdom Come
19-Spider-Man/Human Torch
20-Powers
27-Young Avengers
28-Marvels
36-Green Arrow
38-Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters
61-JLA: Year One
68-Top Ten
69-Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
76-DC: The New Frontier
77-Watchmen
80-Superman: Secret Identity
81-Astro City
82-Batman: The Long Halloween
83-Daredevil: Born Again
84-The Authority
85-Ultimates
93-Conan (2003)
96-Batman: Year One
97-Startling Stories: Banner
107-The Golden Age
108-Wolverine: Enemy of the State
109-Alias

 

[Max J Power]

Has anyone read Ruse? I just learned about it and it sounds cool; is the forthcoming collection worth buying?

 

[BAH HUMBBUG!]

Is any of the Spawn run any good? I know it does have it's moments but I mean is there any span of issues where it gets really good and you can't put it down?

 

[Ace of Knaves]

Haven't read Spawn in years. Used to love it though when it first started. I remember a issue when he was in some kind of prison, and it had outstretched arms of all different heroes from different universe in a cage. Batman, Superman, Spiderman, Wolverine etc etc. Loads of em. I remember that being a really good arc near the beginning. Can't remember the exact issue numbers though now.

I've just started reading Joe Kelly's I Kill Giants. A great little read, I recommend it.

 

[Yodaman]

I just read Todd McFarlane's first arc of Spawn, and I really can't say I'd recommend it. I'm sure it's some people's cup of tea, but I just found it to be chock full with mediocre writing, dodgy plotting, and art that varies wildly in quality.

As far as some new recommendations-

Magneto: Testament- Fantastic, fantastic story. Great moody artwork. A very unique and welcome entry from Marvel.

Jack Kirby's New Gods Omnibus Vol. 1: Just finishing it up now. First time reading these stories, WOW the artwork is just amazing Some of if not the best work of Kirby. The stories sometimes aren't the greatest, but you can't say they're not completley full of imagination,

 

[nite-owl]

Ive got the first four trades of The Goon and I was wondering is the current series going through an arc now or can I pick it up straight away?

 

[Max J Power]

Is any of the Spawn run any good? I know it does have it's moments but I mean is there any span of issues where it gets really good and you can't put it down?

I started reading the trade of the first 10 issues and it was so bad I didn't finish. The characters are stupid, the dialogue is awful, and the art is mostly below average.

 

[Dark Victory]

Is any of the Spawn run any good? I know it does have it's moments but I mean is there any span of issues where it gets really good and you can't put it down?

No. I loved the animated series and picked up the first volume. I couldn't even finish it. Awful, cheesy stories with lame dialogue. The art is bad, too.

 

[Killgore]

Is any of the Spawn run any good? I know it does have it's moments but I mean is there any span of issues where it gets really good and you can't put it down?

I don't know if Sam and Twitch counts, but its pretty decent.

 

[Banshee]

Soooooo I don't feel like trawling through the whole thread, and almost considered making a new thread.

I have a dilemma.

So here's the thing. I don't get my monthly subscriptions any more for various reasons, and kind of latch on to certain series in trade since I abandoned the monthly route. It began a few years ago with Preacher, then Y the Last Man, and most recently Fables. Every now and then, I'll go superhero mad and grab a few trades, so as to keep up with the goings on of Marvel and DC, but generally, I just want a trade to look forward to picking up when I finish the next and so on. Right now, Fables is alright, but as its still been published I'm ahead of it and have to wait, can't just pick up the next one when I feel so inclined.

Anyway, I tend to fall in love with characters, and kind of obsess over series. Preacher and Y, Jesse Custer, Tulip, Cassidy, Yorik, 355... I obviously read for the story, but ultimately the characters make it for me. Now I'd love to find a new series in the same ilk as those, a fixed beginning and end, where all character arcs are tied up, and characters you can fall in love with. Story and humor are appreciated, but the characters are the primary thing I guess.

Sorry for the book, I guess what I'm doing is filling the void that Y left, just as Y filled the void Preacher left.

Any ideas from anyone.

 

[Addendum]

Transmet

 

[Manic]

Are you looking for a series that's already complete? Because if you don't mind picking up another series that's still being published, I'd recommend Ex Machina. It's by the same god among writers guy who wrote Y: The Last Man. There are about 7 trades out right now, I think.

It follows a man who gains the super power to control machinery, fails in his attempt to become a superhero, and ends up becoming the mayor of New York City. The series takes place between 2002 and 2005, during his mayoral term. The timeline is very important to the story, because he became a national hero when he used his powers to stop the second airplane from destroying the second World Trade Center tower-- an event that allows him to win the election by a landslide. There's politics, some sci-fi (but not much), and some crime drama.

 

[Dark Victory]

^Great choice, Manic. I picked up the first about a week ago and now I'm up to volume five.

By the way, Y: The Last Man is my favorite Vertigo title. Just with these two books, Brian K. Vaughn is one of favorite writers. I've heard his work on Runaways is great, too.

 

[Ion Kenshin]

^Great choice, Manic. I picked up the first about a week ago and now I'm up to volume five.

By the way, Y: The Last Man is my favorite Vertigo title. Just with these two books, Brian K. Vaughn is one of favorite writers. I've heard his work on Runaways is great, too.

I enjoyed his run on Runaways. Y is also great I am about three TPB in. I need to get the rest.

 

[Max J Power]

If you like Y, I would definitely recommend Ex Machina and Runaways. Runaways might be especially appealing for trade collecting since its volumes only cost about $8 each.

 

[Anubis]

But make sure to stop when Vaughn's run ends, cuz the book went to s**t after he left.

 

[Manic]

In other words, only buy the volumes of Runaways that look deceptively like manga.

 

[Dark Victory]

Has anyone here read Midnight Nation or Torso? I've been wanting to pick them up for a long time.

 

[Banshee]

Yeah I loved the first hardback of Runaways. Ex Machina does sound good, and I've been toying with the idea of picking up Transmet for a couple of years now. I guess I could pick up the first trade of both and just see if either one hooks me.

 

[Banshee]

What about Rex Mundi? I flicked through the first trade in the comic shop a year or so ago, it looked interesting enough. Anyone got an opinion on it?

 

[Cosmic]

I recommend Black Panther. There's a new creative team on the book, and their first issue (without Hudlin) was flawless.

 

[Ace of Knaves]

I like the sound of Ex Machina. Is it worth investing in?

 

[Dark Victory]

I like the sound of Ex Machina. Is it worth investing in?

Yes, especially if you're a big fan of Y: The Last Man(from the same writer). Just like Y, Brian nails the characters, dialogue and nearly each issue has an excellent cliffhanger. Obviously, I'm not very good at writing recommendations, but definitely check the first volume out. It's only $10 and the rest are $13.

 

[Ace of Knaves]

Will do DV. Thanks

 

[nite-owl]

Has anyone here read Midnight Nation or Torso? I've been wanting to pick them up for a long time.

Torso's very good. I haven't read Midnight Nation.