the vynsane asylum

They'll collect it. The first arc by Hama will be four issues, deals with a small team of Joes transporting some satellite transmitter device the Cobras want. Typical Hama with everyone calling everyone else by name as often as possible, Dan Jurgens' art a little to "super" as per his usual. Not my favourite.

Verdict's in: stick to the monthly series.

Yup. Frontline eats it. I may see what's happening after the North Pole adventure. Back in regular Joe they are having a silent issue for #21 in honor of the original Marvel silent issue #21. Cool. Snake Eyes, Stormshadow, Cobra Commander, and Billy all go toe to toe to toe toe to...uh...toe? Too? Anyway...


A lot has changed since I last posted. I went from 0 monthlies to lessee...Amazing Spidey, Avengers, Batman, Hulk, GI Joe, New Mutants, Transformers,Teen Titans, X-Men, Uncanny X-Men, plus a whole slew of mini series and other random issues both current and back.

Who's still reading? The discussion on comics has gone in the shitter, has everyone slowed down or stopped buying? I've slowed down. I'm currently only getting a few books:

Amazing Spidey
Uncanny X-Men
Astonishing X-Men
Hulk
Planetary

And am not reserving, but am reading.......

Black Panther (I'm a bitch for anything by Romita Jr. it would appear)
New Avengers
New Iron Man
Squadron Supreme

..... and am regretting having dropped.....

Wolverine
Daredevil

......... and may have to add those back to my pull-list.

The only books I'm caught up on reading are Hulk and Astonishing. I'll catch up on ASM tonight.

What's everyone else up to?

Currently from Marvel
Amazing Spidey
(New) Avengers
Black Panther
Captain America
Daredevil
Exiles
Marvel Knights 4
Iron Man
Hulk
New X-Men
Punisher
Marvel Knights Spidey
Supreme Power
Wolverine
Uncanny
Astonishing
X-Men
Young Avengers

Currently from DC
Batman
Batman Gotham Knights
Green Lantern
JLA
Teen Titans
Superman/Batman
Superman

Plus too many LS to go into, but a few are Stormbreaker ( Beta Ray Bill kicks ass!) Ultimate Iron Man ( Orson Scott Card kicks ass!) and Lex Luthor: Man of Steel.

I like how DC is getting their shit tight with their main characters with this ID Crisis stuff and the upcoming Countdown. They got like five dudes writing everything and they are in constant contact with each other, so it's cool continuity wise.

That's always important - and is exactly why Marvel was great back in the day. Continuity = believability, or at least a much easier time suspending disbelief. I think Marvel wants that, and JQ has chosen Bendis to spearhead the movement.

I caught up on Amazing, the "Skin Deep" storyline is promising. Sqadron Supreme (I'm up to 15 now) was pretty great too - the way that investigation into the murderer worked out. Quite the bit of commentary there about US foreign policy by JMS - good for him.

I'm a little behind on actual reading, but right now I'm picking up:

Star Wars: Republic
Star Wars: Empire (even though this one is a bit iffy from time to time)
any Star Wars mini-series and one-shots (eg, General Grievous)
Superman/Batman
Astonishing X-Men
GIJoe (though with the re-launch, I'm not quite sure how long this one will continue to be on my list)

i'm way behind, the last time i went to my comic store back up north was around christmas. he sends out an email of which comics are coming out each week, and anything i send back to him, he holds for me. when i start making real money, i'll have him ship them to me every month, or every other week, like, but for now, i just let it pile up until i travel back up... so at easter, i'll have january, february, and most of march waiting for me... yikes!

here's an almost comprehensive list of what i'm reading...

amazing spidey
mk spidey
powers
supreme power
fantastic four
anything hellboy/bprd
invincible
daredevil
ex machina
fables
liberty meadows (when it comes out...)
savage dragon
planetary
the pulse (although i might drop this...)
rising stars (a yearly book?)

that's about it.

God, Rising Stars hasn't come out for a LOOOOONG time. There are only 2 or 3 issues left in that story supposedly, are there not? Just like Kevin Smith and that damned DD/Bullseye limited, and the Spidey Black Cat. PUT THEM OUT FOR FUCK SAKE YOU MONEY GRUBBING BASTARDS.

monkey grabbing bastards?

huh huh...

that's funny...

Lessee...

Amazing is getting good again, with this new villain they intro'd. I also like the dual artist storytelling style.

Avengers rocks. It's at the top of my reading list. I recently picked up the Sentry TPB. That was really good. I hope they follow through on the Sentry/Hulk relationship and recruit Banner into the A-team. He's the only Marvel A-lister who isn't on the team ( c'mon... mysterious "ninja guy" is Matt Murdock in new threads).
Black Panther. Meh. Too soon to tell. Issue one was a origin rehash.

Captain America. The Red Skull is dead? NOMAD is dead?!?! Dammit, I liked Jack. Especially when he was hauling a toddler around on his back for 25 issues.

Daredevil continues to rock. I dread Bendis and Maleev's depature at the end of this Decalogue storyline. Heaven help their replacements.

Exiles I forsee being cancelled very soon. I bought almost a complete run when a comic shop wnet out of business and were liquidating, so now I'm just kinda buying it out of habit. Doesn't suck, but it's not outstanding either. i see it as What if...? without the Watcher. And Morph is a funny guy.

MK4 started out strong with McNivens art, but now he's only doing the covers and frankly the stories seem like a dumping ground for years of backlogged filler issues. Psycho Man? Puppet Master? If I may paraphrase Ultimate Fantastic Four, it fantastisucks.

Iron Man. See, I think of myself as a fairly well read, sophisticated guy, but these first two issues are talking heads making references of people I've never HEARD of, let alone read. I feel dumb after an issue. When is the title character gonna show? PS I hate the new armor. Give me the clean lines of Bob Layton of Mark Bright.

Hulk is back in Peter David's hands after a complete letdown finale from Jones and a hiatus of a few months while the Hulk/Thing LS ran its course. Verdict's still out on this one. And peeyousa bringing back Thunderbolt Ross. WILL NOONE STAY DEAD IN THE MARVEL U????

New X-Men AKA Academy X. See I like these characters, I like the art, and the storytelling is decent, but this usually at the top of my reading list, and I'm one to save the best for last. I honestly don't think this one will last too much longer.

Punisher is kicking ass more than ever. I LOVE the new MAX imprint. Nick Fury cusses more than the entire crew of the USS Enterprise and that's alot of fuckin' sailors. And seeing him in bed with two hot blondes took the cake. I KNEW he was never monogamous with Contessa Valeria whatshername. Nick gets all kind of 'tang.

MKSpidey. This one is getting dropped after next month's finale. Green Goblin created ALL of Spider-Mans foes? Bullshit. And Scorpion as the new Venom sucks the cheese off my sack. This was supposed to be Spider-Man's HUSH, and it's just up-chuck on my shoes.

Supreme Power just keeps getting better and better. The only thing I wish was that we saw more of whatever character we aren't seeing from page to page. I want MORE! More!! Plus, Power Princess' titties...mwah!
Wolverine is great. Millar and Romita are dishing out two great story arcs, one right after the other.

The X-books. Astonishing is mopping the floor with the other two. Alan Davis has some awesome art in Uncanny, but I can't get behind Claremont's idea that these OUTLAW super heroes are now some defacto UN Peacekeeping force. And Milligan's run is too new for me to comment yet, except to say it's no Astonishing.

And Finally, Young Avengers is a cocky concept ( does anyone remember the New Warriors?), but I really liked the first issue so I will be back for more.

Yup. Dropping Black Panther and MK4. Young Avengers and Captain America were both good this month so I'll keep them. Everythimg else status quo...

Sweet Christmas. i am knee deep back in the monthly rut

All Star Superman
All Star Batman
Amazing Spider-Man
Astonishing X-Men
Batman
Captain America
Daredevil
Exiles
Fantastic Four
Flash
Ghost Rider
GI Joe: America's Elite
Hulk
Moon Knight
New Avengers
New X-men
Punisher
Teen Titans
Ultimates 2
Ultimate Spiderman
Wolverine
Wolverine: Origins
X-Men
Uncanny X-Men

And tons of limited series

I didn't see Strikeforce: Youngblood Brigade on your list. I assume you just forgot it.

My comic shop tries to give those away for free, but so far noone's taken the bait.

My comic shop has two "Quarter Bins" one with a variety of stuff for a quarter, then there's the Liefeld Quarter bins which are actually only a nickel. No one ever goes in there. Cause they suck.