New Comic Book Day Megathread

[Hawkmumbler]

A nice week for comics this, word of the day being repetition!

With that in mind, Doctor Who 11th v.2 #8 is still bonker good stuff. Everything is piecing together nicely and is quite, quite excellent. Sadly though, it's not as good as Doctor Who 4th #2, which is simply put perfect Doctor Who, superb sci-fi, ingeniously dynamic and brilliantly fun. You know you should all be reading this, so why aren't you?!

Weekly Shonen Jump #20 is full of it's usual tricks, but this time HunterXHunter returns off of it's hiatus! And it's full of intruige, but I can understand where the argument that not enough is happening to sustain some people interest but I do think most of that can be attrebuted to being away for 2 years! But HXH was and still is in my eyes a classic.

Next was Cry Havoc #4 which is pure and utter SiSpurrier intruige and imagination, it's just brilliant and supreme comics. Buy it! And next up was Dept H #1. Don't know what most people thought of Mind MGMT, I never read it but a supernatural scuba diving comic? Hell, it's made for me!

Following on from this was a triple dose of Imagerverse goodness, Switch #3 despite the long delay was utterly majestic, delving further into the mythology of the titular superweapon and actually being a far superior comic (did I mention it was cracking all ages stuff? Really it is, Witchblade got rebooted as a teen action comedy and it WORKS!). The art is just lucsious as well! Savage Dragon #213 packs a wallop and NEARLY takes comic of the week, but sadly a random bit of OOCness for Angel kicks the chair out from under it's feat. Comic of the week does, however go to Invincible #127. Yeah, it's back! And it's full of surprises and joy and twists and...you know what, just read Invincible people. It's probably the best cape comic on the stand right now.

[Timothy]

In a week where [spoiler]Dredd apparently dies[/spoiler] I also picked up volume 5 of Alone by Vehlmann and Gazotti and find that [spoiler]every single character is dead[/spoiler]. Really wonderful tense storytelling. If you've not found the series yet seek it out.

[Colin YNWA]

Since I got some comics
I'll whitter on this thread
I'll whitter on that thread
All over this forum

I'll whitter 'bout good comics
I'll whitter 'bout bad comics
I'll whitter 'bout comics and whether they're grand
all over this forum

Enough with the clunkly rewrittwen song lyrics (remembered from assemblys long gone) lets get to business.

I've talked about Black Road 1 in the Proudhuff thread of Wood or whatever its called. Suffice to say its a pretty good opening. I also got IDW Dredd 3 and 4 and while its still okay the exciting concept is beginning to drag. Lets see. I keep forgetting to add this to my order so not sure if I'll get any more? Another one I'm struggling with is Cry Havok 4. I've ebbed and flowed with this series a little so I think I'll give it until the end of this first rc and decide. Its just not pulling me in. Dreaming Eagles 4 sometimes feels like the need to tell a story is getting in the way of Garth Ennis wanting to tell us facts. I think this will need a re-read to see of it holds as a story when its done. As will both Badger 3 and Kennel Block Blues 3 both really good I think BUT will be served well by having it all as one when done to get the true impact. Shame about the art in Badger mind, quite a drop off there. Lazarus Sourcebook vol.1 was the kind of thing I used to love when I was young and had time BUT these days was quite indulgent to wade through. So I've read bits and will continue to cherry pick others. Still glad its exists.

All that leaves us with three exceptional books fighting for book of the haul. Autumnlands 10 continues this magnificents book ability to throw in surprise and shift. Last time we had humanoid god things, this time nuclear explosions and giant goat beasts lunging into the fight. The brillaince of this series is none of it, not a thing, feels weird or forced. Speaking of which we get to Maxx 30 which reflects on relationships and family via the prism of a flower and moose tv show watched by a man with a 'rabbit' mask on his head while his companion wonders whether she's going mad cos she thinks her friend might be ressurected as a pool of water. No really. And its superb.

Book of the haul though I'll give to James Bond 6 for its quite masterful (or should that be Mastersful) big screen finish. Its quite breathtaking the way it managers to feel as epic and grandstanding as the conclusions of the movies AND as down dirty, grim and nasty as the books would have it. Its enthralling and compelling. An action romp of the highest order, yet feels grounded and real. Masters art work choreographys the set pieces with motion and grim realism. Staggeringly good.

[Hawkmumbler]

Speaking of which we get to Maxx 30 which reflects on relationships and family via the prism of a flower and moose tv show watched by a man with a 'rabbit' mask on his head while his companion wonders whether she's going mad cos she thinks her friend might be ressurected as a pool of water. No really. And its superb.

It's quite, quite deliriously brilliant. A real dyed in the wool classic and i'm on tinder hooks to see how the final act plays out. Completely ingeniously, I suspect.

As will both Badger 3 and Kennel Block Blues 3 both really good I think BUT will be served well by having it all as one when done to get the true impact. Shame about the art in Badger mind, quite a drop off there.

The change in art in Badger #3 is rather odd I will lend you, but I like it so it's no real negative from me.

KBB is pushing all the right buttons for me, what about it isn't quite clicking with you after the phenomenal #1?

[Colin YNWA]

As will both Badger 3 and Kennel Block Blues 3 both really good I think BUT will be served well by having it all as one when done to get the true impact. Shame about the art in Badger mind, quite a drop off there.

The change in art in Badger #3 is rather odd I will lend you, but I like it so it's no real negative from me.

KBB is pushing all the right buttons for me, what about it isn't quite clicking with you after the phenomenal #1?

To be honest I think its just that I've not been able to give it the attention it deserves. Its so wonderfully innovative I think I just need to find time to sit down and read it properly and give it the time it needs. One was so compelling and immediately refreshing it pull me in. 2 and 4 I feel will need more work, but its work I'm happy to give.

As it goes I've missed three comics from my write up and far be it from me to deny you lot anything .

Black Canary 10 has the feeling of a book past its prime. It was so good for most of its first arc, but since then its been treading water until its demise. Which will come soon enough. Its a real shame. Hercules 5 sees this book come to an untimely end too. So much to offer BUT I think I might get the mini that follows IF it does so from this rather than getting distracted by whatever crossover its part of. The issue is both great but a sad conclusion.

Finally Ninth Wave 5 sees this comic back on tip top form too. Fantastic comics.

[Hawkmumbler]

I should probably have saved my comics this week for my Malta flight on monday...forgot....but satisfied none the less!

Well, at least I got a crap ton of collected editions this week. Savage Dragon Archives 6, Jojos Bizarre Adventure: Battle Tendnecy vol.3, My Hero Academia vol.4, One-Punch Man vol.6, Ultraman vol.4 (falling behind on this, which is a shame because its great), Sooner or Later, and Planet of the Damned. All stuff to look forward to when I get back!

Besides that, what a great line up of comics I got! Saga #36 is a classic jail break story, and for a series that has rarely set a foot wrong (well thats a lie but damned if it's still not bloody curious) this was another superb story, utterly majestic. Last Gang in Town #5 continues to be just about perfect comics and ounk as all hell. Seriously, anyone who lived up north at any point in the kast 30 years will get a hell of a kick out of this, brilliant stuff.

Weekly Shonen Jump #21 takes comic of the week, however, with everything on top form. Black Clover is remarkably brilliant this week, with a great 50 Thousand Leagues Under the Sea feel, and some brilliant art on display to boot. My Hero Acadmeia, however, was a display in magnificens. It's truly another level of comics right now, and bloody fantastic in every single way in both art and story, and you should all be reading it!

[Colin YNWA]

Well of course I went to the store on FCBDand got my wod of none free comics as well. So since I pay for them I think you should by sitting down and reading my magnificent opinion on um... oh go on... please...

We'll start with the strugglers. Lets hope Klaus 5 offers more on re-read as to date this is very standard fare from GMozz, by which I mean not good for GMozz at all. Black Canary 11 continues this series struggle to recapture the magic of the first arch, but its done after next issue so I'll see it out. War Stories 18 continues to try my patience but the turn of in stories means I keep thinking it will find the old magic sometime soon. Quite why I think this when its main problem is the none changing God awful art I don't know.

Cinema Purgatorio 1 gives me enough to get it added for a trial on my pull list (which given it also includes GMozz ya Alan won't like ho hum) its... pretty good, nothing is quite 100% grabbing me but most of it has real potential. The exception being More Perfect Union which really doesn't seem to do much, its not a thing in itself it just feels like an extract from a longer story with no real thought put in how its episodic nature shoud work. Still as I say enough there to get me back. Mind with the art on the Pru thing Ennis wrote and the art in War Stories will Avatar please not get Garth a decent bloody artist!

The rest flows between good and great. My Hip Hop Family Tree 9 has no cover.

How does it smell?

Quite nice actual, like old newsprint but that was never going to work as a joke.

The comic itself, I dream this will become a mega rare no cover variant as its clearly a production not a cover ripped off thing, is as good as ever. Unfollow 7 has this magnificent series first steady issue, no real character surprises there for me.

Sex 27 provides another example of an issue of this magnificent series when you put it down and are amazed by how much there is going on in the series. Long may it keep it up. Doctor Who the Eleven series the second issue the 8th continues to be bloody brilliant aside from some weak art assists over Warren Pleece's otherwise funky art.

Tussling for book of the wod are Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur 6 which ends the first arc in mighty style and The Spirit 10 which starts to build this wonderous series towards its first arcs conclusion - hope it survives beyond that. I can't be arsed to pick between them, you can if you fancy.

I also got a few free comics but they were free so it feels churish to judge them.

[Hawkmumbler]

Ah Colin, it's always a delight to read you write ups on the weekly comic hauls. I have withheld my pull list for my flight home tomorrow, so expect more soon! And pray do tell us what you got at FCBD!

[The Adventurer]

I often forget my ravenous hunger for comics, as over the last three or four days I've read...

Volume 1&2 of Ajin Demi-Human
10 Volumes of Mark Waid's Irredeemable
4 volumes of Ennis's The Boys
Half of Battle Angel Alita Last Order Omnibus 1

Thanks Hunble Bundle....

[Colin YNWA]

I often forget my ravenous hunger for comics,

Never forget man, NEVER. FORGET.

[Hawkmumbler]

Volume 1&2 of Ajin Demi-Human

Any good, have seen rave reviews for this but it keeps eluding my pull list.

[The Adventurer]

It's... Okay. I sort of get what it's going for, buts it's not really a 'horror' comic like you'd think. I don't think I'll follow up with it right away. Though I might try the anime on Netflix.

[Davek]

Havent posted here for a while.

Picked up Island #7 and Heavy Metal # 280.

Island I loved at the start but the no. of pages seems to have dropped and the number of stories/articles as  the issues have gone on.  There is still something excellent in every issue.  The Ancestor strip has been one of my favourites - but this month it felt a little rushed.  I really want the this anthology to work but, and I have found the same thing with other Brandon Graham stuff, my inital excitement has wanted a little.  On a positive note the Firebug strip in this month's issue was amazing - but there were a lot of pages so it may as well have been released as a stand alone title.

Heavy Metal I picked up for the first time ever purely because Grant Morrison has become involved.  Not read yet - looks like some decent stuff flicking through though.

[Colin YNWA]

Picked up Island #7 ...

Island I loved at the start but the no. of pages seems to have dropped and the number of stories/articles as  the issues have gone on.  There is still something excellent in every issue.  The Ancestor strip has been one of my favourites - but this month it felt a little rushed.  I really want the this anthology to work but, and I have found the same thing with other Brandon Graham stuff, my inital excitement has wanted a little.  On a positive note the Firebug strip in this month's issue was amazing - but there were a lot of pages so it may as well have been released as a stand alone title.

Think this will have to be pretty special for this to last on my pull list. Like you I wanted it to work but so far its been very patchy . More frustratingly so many incomplete stories dangling and very little that has started and finished and I'm losing faith that they will.

Still lets see but this is very close to the chop.

[Hawkmumbler]

I'm glad someone brought up The Island, because i've dropped it for these very reasons. In an anthology consistancy is key, and though I can cope with titles getting cancelled after 3 months in Shonen Jump or Dandridge/Cursed Earth Koburn/Lobster Random vanishing off the face of the earth in 2000AD, but The Island was starting to take the micky.