Today was new order day, and as I placed my order I considered that maybe I would write about what I'm ordering right now and see who's reading it, and who thinks I'm really missing out on some key books. When I was done though (and the order grew by about $5 a week) I decided that I was more interested in talking about a hand full of books that I stopped ordering, and whether or not anyone thinks I may have made a mistake. Here goes...
Brave & The Bold
I'm not traditionally a fan of books that don't have a specific target story that they are advancing over the course of the year, and this book is no exception. I was lured in on the first twelve months by the fact that the series was being written by some of my favorite writers, and so I gave it a chance at a time when I didn't have a problem with the finances. When I got back into picking up books after finding a new source last fall, I cut this book. That cut came right on the even of J.Michael Straczynski taking over the book, and ever since then I have been wavering on picking it back up. Another month has passed, and once again I have refrained from getting involved with this book.
For me the lure and the argument against it are the same; the writer. Aside from Midnight Nation (which has HUGE movie potential) my experience with Straz is that his books start out full of potential and ripe with creative ideas that really engage my mind, but by the time they end, I am left feeling flat. The other problem is that I feel like he's left me hanging on a few too many projects, and that he lacks any genuine longterm commitment to a book. Rising Stars took forever and a day to come out, and by the time the finish came around, I almost didn't give a shit. I felt like his runs on Squadron Supreme were incomplete, and that the story was unfinished. It is a feeling that I have had when reading other works he has done.
With that said, Midnight Nation was sensational. If you haven't read it, it should go very high up on your list of things to read.
Punisher
As I have mentioned repeatedly, for me Punisher was redefined as a gritty, filthy book under Garth Ennis and I didn't envision enjoying anyone else's work on the book in his absence. Marvel went out and got a writer that intrigues me though when they signed Rick Remender to the book. I know Rick is taking it in very different directions than Garth did, and the book has a very distinct feel. It isn't even close to Garth's style, which makes the book different enough that I think I might be able to enjoy it.
Is anyone reading it? I'd love some feedback on whether or not Remender is doing the kind of job I should be interested in. I really like some of his past work.
Fall Of The Hulks
I have been on The Hulk for some time, but when I saw the multiple limited series that were being touted as a part of Fall Of The Hulks I got pissed off. I don't like that kind of marketing, and it rubs me the wrong way that I have been building to a big Hulk story, only to find Marvel trying to leverage me out of buying two books a month and into buying four or five. That said, I am interested in the resolution of the storyline, and seeing the secrets of the multiple hulks finally unfold before our eyes. Is it time to suck it up and go read this, or should I ignore it until it is brought together in some format that is more linear?
Any thoughts?
Invincible
I have dropped this book at least 12 times since it was first launched, and every time I do, I end up regretting it. The man's take on super-hero books is both fresh, a little bit irreverent and supremely creative. I dropped it again when I got back into books last fall because I felt like I was too far behind to even try and get back into it. Then I stumbled on a wicked sale and got mostly caught back up. Now I'm left to wonder if I can afford to pick it back up again. I really like the story, and they are angling towards a war against the homeworld of Mark's father (think Krypton full of assholes.) I think Kirkman is a solid, fun writer and his books often leave me smiling.
So why do I keep dropping them? What is it about them that leaves me thinking they're expendable, when the truth is that they are better written than some of the longtime staples I read?
God Complex
Michael Avon Oeming launched Powers with Brian Bendis, and every now and then he takes on a project taht appeals to me. This one caught my eye and I read issue #1, although I did not order any of the following issues. Is anyone following this book? It is centered around Apollo, the god, and his rejection of his immortal family in an effort to live out his days as a mortal. His father doesn't take it well, and the stage is set for Apollo to confront the rest of his Pantheon, bereft of his gift of immortality. I can't explain much more than that, unless I get back to reading it, which I admit that I am tempted to do for a little while longer.
What about you guys?
Does anyone see books that they're thinking about reading, and wonder if the rest of us have opinions on them? Anyone want to tell us about a book we're not talking about but should be?
I'm all ears (which, when you think about it, is a pretty gross idea!)
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