The Uncanny Bought/Thought - 12-14-11

[JewishHobbit]

Nah, the team dynamic started with a bunch of people consisting of stabbing power and such (seemed a poor choice for an assassination team, plus I hated the reasoning for the team entirely). I do have a bit of a fascination with this incarnation though. And wolverine is becoming actually likable again. But I'll start later.

Oh I didn't mean number 1 of X-Force (aka, Team Stabby) I mean number 1 of Uncanny X-Force (team Not So Stabby).

Kyle and Yost's X-Force was good but not very deep. It was when it relaunched with a whole new crew under Remender as Uncanny X-Force that it got really good. You don't need to read the previous series and if you're just reading the Dark Angel Saga you're starting at issue 10 or 11, so why not just read the first two arcs since they set up the Dark Angel Saga (plus a stand alone issue or two in the middle)?

 

[moraldeficiency]

Oh I didn't mean number 1 of X-Force (aka, Team Stabby) I mean number 1 of Uncanny X-Force (team Not So Stabby).

Kyle and Yost's X-Force was good but not very deep. It was when it relaunched with a whole new crew under Remender as Uncanny X-Force that it got really good. You don't need to read the previous series and if you're just reading the Dark Angel Saga you're starting at issue 10 or 11, so why not just read the first two arcs since they set up the Dark Angel Saga (plus a stand alone issue or two in the middle)?

Did not know that as I've avoided the book entirely. Think I will, thanks.

 

[Phaedrus45]

It was in the issue.

I just went through the issue again; and, I don't see anything specific that states that isn't Flamebird. A cop does say "Another idiot playing dress-up. Our files say Flamebird." But, that's just the cop calling anyone in an outfit an idiot for dressing up. I could still be missing something; but, it didn't pop out to me like it did you, I guess.

 

[Phaedrus45]

You won't regret it. I suggest starting from issue 1 though. His arcs are fairly individual but there's a greater reward for starting at the beginning as the plots begin impacting one another. The first arc was great. The second arc not so much during first reading but better after having read it down the road. The rest after that I just loved and the Dark Angel Saga has been nothing short of perfection (unless you're on crack like Phaed).

You'll regret it!!! At least if he buys the collected story, he won't have to have the crappy polybag. (I even have the variant edition, which is a variant damn polybag. Not sure if what's inside is a different cover. Guess I'll never know, unless I see Remender at the Comic Con again.)

I do see that reviewers went crazy for this story; and, I'm just not getting it. Just like someone stated Archangel's plans were cold" and "emotionless," I felt the same way with the storytelling. I did not feel any sympathy for Psylocke, especially since this romance with Warren has been devoid of any real passion since the 90's. About the only character that keeps me coming back is Fantomex.

 

[moraldeficiency]

Why do people bother with variants and such? I never got that and it just annoys me that people are drinking that particular brand of cult koolaid?

Figure that a large part of the collector percentage is doing that same thing so really by making it "collectible" you ensure it'll never really be worth anything long term.

 

[Phaedrus45]

I did read some decent books this week that have zippo to do with costume heroes in tights. Pigs #4, '68: Jungle Jim One Shot, Hawken #2, and The Strain #1. All of them easily get a from me.

With Pigs, the story is about a group of "Cold War-era Russian spies who have come out from deep cover to carry out a devastating mission on U.S. soil." It's not fast paced at all; but, there is some dang good character development with each issue.

The Strain is an adaptation of Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan's novel that first came out a couple years ago. Presenting an exact opposite of Twilight and other teen novels that have romanticized vampires in recent years, they presents a thrillilng book about vampires as a plague that will decimate the human population. It all begins with an airplane taxiing down on the terminal; but, everyone inside is apparently dead. The reader is aware of what has caused this; but, there is still an air of mystery to it. I will say the book handled this story so much better. The suspense from those first chapters of Del Toro and Hogan's book is missing; but, the writers of the comic hit all the bases. Plus, it's only a buck for the first issue.

Hawken is very much like Jonah Hex. It involves an old western anti-hero who's hunting down some ruthless killers. It's very much a Death Wish type of story set in the old west. I am happy that this second issue had a bit more substance than the first, also.

'68 has been a fun ride. Sure, we probably didn't need another zombie book cluttering up the comic stores; but, I'm enjoying this Walking Dead meets The 'Nam take on it all. So far, we've had a 4-issue mini and 2 other one-shots; but, you don't need to read those books to appreciate anything that comes after. Jungle Jim is a nice self-contained story.

 

[Phaedrus45]

Why do people bother with variants and such? I never got that and it just annoys me that people are drinking that particular brand of cult koolaid?

Figure that a large part of the collector percentage is doing that same thing so really by making it "collectible" you ensure it'll never really be worth anything long term.

I do it for a couple reasons. First, my comic shop gives me a variant at the same price as any other edition. So, I still pay cover price, plus my 20% discount. Second, I'm a weird completionist, especially when it comes to Marvel. Third, I love to get my books signed at the local Comic Con in Seattle. Many times, a person's work on a book will only be the cover of a particular variant edition. And, not only do I have the pleasure of getting it signed; but, the artist seems to enjoy seeing their cover show up in front of them.

I know most other shops instantly up the price of their variants. If that was the case with my shop, I wouldn't even consider buying them. (And, usually, I'm only getting a few variants per week.) The only exception is I don't buy variant covers to reprint books.

 

[moraldeficiency]

Where on earth do you store all those comics?

 

[Phaedrus45]

Where on earth do you store all those comics?

I have a comic room. It's really a bit too much. There is a part of me that thinks, "just stop already." But, I did stop collecting once, sold my collection, and soon regretted it afterwards. (I still think of some great comics I had in that collection that I might never get again, like the Hulk issues with the first appearance of Wolverine.) Some people have cigarettes. Some have alcohol. Mine are these damn comics!!!

 

[El Bastardo]

I just went through the issue again; and, I don't see anything specific that states that isn't Flamebird. A cop does say "Another idiot playing dress-up. Our files say Flamebird." But, that's just the cop calling anyone in an outfit an idiot for dressing up. I could still be missing something; but, it didn't pop out to me like it did you, I guess.

Find the two page spread that carries the EKG reading across as a divider to make upper and lower halves. They're pages 14-15 by my counting. Pay attention to the upper half, which reveals this is Plebe in dress-up, and why some character who was not in the title previously could show up to essentially identify Kate Kane as Batwoman.

Main points: Batwoman has a sidekick. They have collected hair from Plebe at crime scenes. The hair from "Flamebird" is an exact match.

 

[Phaedrus45]

Find the two page spread that carries the EKG reading across as a divider to make upper and lower halves. They're pages 14-15 by my counting. Pay attention to the upper half, which reveals this is Plebe in dress-up, and why some character who was not in the title previously could show up to essentially identify Kate Kane as Batwoman.

Main points: Batwoman has a sidekick. They have collected hair from Plebe at crime scenes. The hair from "Flamebird" is an exact match.

Yeah, I read that; but, what I took from it is what the female detective says at the end: "Flamebird IS the Batwoman's sidekick." I just took that to mean what it says, not that they are disputing that the gal is Flamebird. I can see what you're saying, though. I just read it a different way.

 

[El Bastardo]

Um. Okay.