He won the popular vote, but not the election.

OBAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

PW Comics Week are previewing a 'Dark Horse Presents vol. 2' strip of Captain Hammer, written by Zack Whedon. Heh.

Want!

Got hold of the new volume of Walking Dead (Vol. 9) and read it within a couple of hours. It was a bit dissapointing to be honest and was over far to quickly. It was very much a bridging volume though, building up to a whole new direction that it seems they are taking. I don't know what I was expecting though and there was no way it could have topped the jarring and draining climax of volume 8. I'll have to start on the actual issues now that I'm up to date.

What happens in Volume 9? I can't remember, I have up to about issue 57/58 and I think Volume 9 is not far off of that.

It does simmer down a bit in terms of intensity and things happening, but it picks up pretty quickly again.

Got hold of Crossed issue 3, and the ending of that was pretty fucking brutal. Not as brutal visually in terms of what is on the page at the end of the first issue, but the actual acts that the "normal" people have decided to carry out are pretty fucked up Killing "normal" children because they had killed and eaten humans in desperation and couldn't be trusted because of this.

Volume 8 is when the prison gets raided and Lori and her newborn child get killed along with pretty much every one else. Volume 9 is the issues after that where it's just Rick coming to terms with it then at the end they find everyone at Hershel's farm and that trio of people turn up, one of whom is a scientist that knows why all of this is happening. It ends with them leaving the farm.

This exactly what I thought, it's going to set off in new direction now and unfortunately the TPB format means that gathered together bridging episodes look a bit meh.

I liked all the stuff about swarming and a bit of focus on the son....my only worry is that the whole going to Washington thing might see it turn into Y: The Last Man (Or Busydick: The Only Man as I shall always think of it now thanks to The Boys) but I'm fairly certain it won't.

It was especially meh when I'd waited a long while for it to be released only to have nothing much happen. There were some nice bits in it as you say but not a lot really happened and the whole woman on the end of the telephone was rather predictable and as a result fell a bit flat. It was good to get a bit more information about Michonne and her apparent craziness although even that was far less interesting than I'd hoped.

I think we were pretty much spoiled with the Walking Dead prison story arc, leaving us with with a cliffahanger or shock with almost every issue. It's going to be a slow burn I think until it all kicks off again...if it does.

Anyone tried X-Men and Spider-Man Noir, Marvel Zombies 3, Ultimatum or any of the post-Secret Invasion Dark Reign comics?

That sounds interesting. Is it?

It's alright, but like I say at the top of the last page all of Vertigo's stuff just isn't as clever as it thinks it is. Have you read The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen? Or Top Ten? Both of those Alan Moore comics do big shits into the entire Vertigo imprints open mouth and remind you what comics should be.

When you look at those comics next to each other you realise that Y: The Last Man is comparable to shows like Lost or 24 as they bumble along on a dumb, occasionally annoying, quite enjoyable fashion, whilst Alan Moore's stuff is The Sopranos and offers you glimpses of utter beauty.


Have you read any Hellboy or BPRD? It's not plot brilliant but it's got a certain style and beauty to it.

I have read and absolute loved TLOEG and that really started me off on absorbing graphic novels in earnest. I haven't seen read Top Ten though so I'll have to track that down. The Boys sounds like good fun as well so I may try that one out. As for Hellboy etc, the films are my limit on that front.

Is anyone reading the new "Punisher: War Zone" comic? It's by Garth Ennis again and it's a sort of sequel to the whole Welcome back Frank arc, it has the return of Ma Gnucci in it. I spotted it in Forbidden Planet today. Just wondering if anyone been reading it and if it's any good.

Started reading Ennis' Hitman the other day, it's some crazy shit XD

I maintain that Hitman is a damn near perfect blend of comedy, drama, tragedy violence and pure batshit insanity. Just wait until you encounter Dogwelder.

I'd have to agree with you there from what I've read so far man. Nightfist had me chuckling.

Comicon was super fun.

Also:



Woot!

^ Eyy!

Nice work, Jewls! The shiny cover is...shiny. I have it too.

I got all excited when we saw Titan's booth until I remembered you live in another country.

Aw, yeah - boo. I'd've been there if I could (y'know, if Titan would've paid my airfare). Seth Green didn't show up to meet Dave, so I feel mildly better about missing out being there.

Section 8 have just shown up. Dogwelder is the fucking win

I love that he was put in as the result of a drunken bet where Ennis was challenged to fit the character into a published comic.

Hah, that does indeed make it even more awesome.

I'm currently working through the fantastic Marvels for the second time in as many weeks, this time really taking the time to appreciate not just Alex Ross' absolutely stunning artwork, but the brilliant writing from Kurt Busiek. If you've not read it and you are even the tiniest bit of a Marvel fan you really should.

So jealous!
Very impressed Julie!

@Kei: Just read the overview, it sounds pretty cool. The fact that it has been painted is interesting as well.

I'm reading The Boys, which many of you may already that Simon Pegg is the inspiration behind the main charater; Wee Hughie. Although, he's a Glaswegian and not from further south like the real Mr. Pegg, Hughie is the newest member of the Boys. The Boys are a small organization set up to police the 'Supes' (superheroes) from fucking up too many peoples lives. It's a fantastic read.

Other than that I'm into anything by Mr. Ben Templesmith of 30 Days of Night fame. He did a great 4 parter not long ago set in a maximum security prison that's been set up by Werewolves who intend to hunt the inmates. His art is amazing!

I finished Volume 5 last night. It is a profoundly brilliant series beyond its appearance as a fun, cute and fighty comic book. This is serious adult writing. The art is wonderfully drawn, the dialogue is snappy and hilarious, but above all, the warmth and emotion - which could easily be overlooked in the presence of killer robots - is moving and lovely. The rather distressing end had me choked up, not just because we have to wait a year for the next one! Exceptional.

Has anyone read: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Volume 2?

Yes, it's great. So much deeper, funnier and more violent than volume 1. Not that violence should be the only thing in a comic, but Moore's use of it is very funny at times and completely true to the characters. The references to Victorian literature and much more plentiful than the first volume as well, but Moore never lets the in-jokes get in the way of a really exciting adventure story.

Think I may pick it up, was only £7 in HMV. Might get Volume 1 as well, that was a tenner. I've read it a fair few times and loved it butdon't actually own it.

Fittingly, since the last few posts have been about The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, I have just finished reading The Black Dossier.

Set almost sixty years after the events of the second book, the plot sees Alan Quatermain and Wilhelmina Murray return to post-Big Brother Britain in an attempt to retrieve the dossier of the title, which contains a secret history of the League stretching back to the reign of Queen Gloriana in the sixteenth century.

As ever, the series is like porn for a poncy literary type like myself (as well as actual porn in the hilarious Tijuana Bible-style comic within the comic), with hundreds upon hundreds of references to different works of literature littered throughout.

The plot is as exciting and fun as ever, but I did find the reliance on the 'primary' sources a bit tiring and, as such, it felt like a slog some of the time, most notably during the 'beatnik' novel section.

All in all, it is an excellent like addition to the series and a primer for the forthcoming ''Century'' volume, but I did have trouble getting through some of the sections. And the 3-D glasses gave me an almighty headache.

Over the last few days I've caught up on some collections that I've had kicking around but not read:

The Sandman: The Kindly Ones

Wow. Just when you think it can't get better, it does. I got to the final 20 pages and just kept thinking, ''Dream'll get out of this, he has to get out of this. No one would kill off such a good character'' so when he eventually did 'die', I was actually quite shaken by it. Can't wait to read ''The Wake'' and see what the fall out of these events will be.

The Walking Dead: Safety Behind Bars

Again, just when you think it can't get any better...

I'm really loving the way that the series is developing and, even though I'm reading them at a slower rate than I would like due to monetary concerns, I look forward to each one immensely since Robert Kirkman writes such convincing characters and the plotting is just wonderful.

I recommend taking your time with them as I bought them all in one go and ended up sitting up and reading them until the wee hours and then having nothing to read and not being able to sleep! Roll on the next volume, whenever the hell that will be!

The Walking Dead Compendium One

That'll be 1088 pages of awesome. It weighs 5 pounds though.

I have never really read many comics other than The Beano and The Dandy when I was very young.

I recently picked up a copy of The Walking Dead Volume 1, needing a Zombie fix. My god, enthralling is not the word. It's great, one too many "rip-offs" for my liking but there's zombies so all's forgiven.

I'm looking for some more comic goodness, any recomendations?

Bit of prescience there by Ennis?

Walking Dead #61. Still managing to provide a few shocks at a fairly regular rate without feeling too forced.

Anyone wishing to catch up on the series, issues 1-48 are being collected in one volume at a fairly reasonable price.

http://www.forbiddenplanet.co.uk/index.php...aign=03-06-2009

I need to catch up with walking dead, I can't remember the last issue I had...I think it was one where they're all on the way to DC

Definately not one to throw in the backpack for a spot of on bus readage

Bought it the other day after hearing good things on here ( im such a trend follower) it is very enjoyable though.
Just ploughing through ' Safety behind bars'

Zombies are fun!!

Herogasm #1
The Boys spin-off mini-series. The Supes and some bad guys join forces to defend the Earth against an impending threat from outer space. In fact their all going on holiday to Herogasm - I think you can guess what the holiday entails from the title. Of course The Boys are on a mission watching and waiting in the wings.

Kev O'Neill is at OK Comics in Leeds ttomorrow, signing the new LoG volume. He's there from 1 o'clock.

BTW, I noticed in there today that there is a hardcover collection of the entire 'Secret Wars II' saga. It's possibly the worst thing Marvel ever put out, I can't believe there is a market for it.

Reading Young Liars. I've seldomly been by a comic that much. Better than Preacher. Almost as good as Tank Girl.

Is that ''Century''? Is it just the first issue or the whole enchilada?

I finally got hold of Scott Pilgrim vol. 5 and it was well worth the wait; exciting, romantic, laugh out loud funny and always surprising, it continues to be one of the best comic book series out there. The only problem is that I now have to wait ages for the final instalment.

So, for those who have read it, Ramona is pregnant, right?

Really? Didn't get that at all. There's definitely something going on with her but I wouldn't have guessed that.

Er...I think I need to reread it in that case. What's your reasoning, Ed?

Oh wow! Is that why she was acting like such a crazy bitch?
Interesting theory, Ed.

It stems from three sources 1. her actions and general mood throughout seem to me like a hyper-exaggerated depiction of pregnancy, mood swings and such. 2. The Glow, which I pretty much straight away connected with the almost mythic 'glow' that pregnant women get. 3. The series as a whole has progressed in agenerally upwards direction regarding Scott; he has matured more and more as each book has gone on, and I think the logical conclusion of this would be for him to have some genuine responsibility thrust upon him, testing his mettle not just as a fighter and a boyfriend, but as a father.

That's my theory, anyway.

I just thought she was getting more agitated because she knew what ex-boyfriends were to come.

Hmm. Maybe, but I'm not sold.