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My List (Also Alphabetically)... Astonishing X-Men Flash JSA Teen Titans Young Avengers
And the Runners Up... Day of Vengeance Green Lantern JLA (current arc) JSA: Classified Legion of Super-Heroes Runaways Ultimate Fantastic Four Ultimates 2
Y'know, there was a time, not so long ago, that this list would've been almost all X-Books... Oh, how the times have changed.
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I checked my old top five list and FOUR of them have fallen out, although one kinda by default.
Young Avengers What can I say that hasn't already been said? This is Marvel's best comic, and one of those rare comics that just gets it. Like the All-New X-Men, Byrne's FF, and even the Marvel Silver Age, it has an unknown excitement factor that somehow, despite many trying, cannot be bottled.
JSA This comic is the KING. Discounting Flash (due to upcoming changes), JSA has been comics best book for some time, and still is, and I'm confident, still will be for sometime. Top of my read list.
Legion of Super-Heroes I feel like its back. It's sharp and its fun and its the LSH again. Even with another reboot, I'm excited. Like many, I think I'm biased here, but I freely admit it. And I'm loving it.
Captain America Now this is good writing. And amazing art. And some risk-taking story-telling, but done in such a crisp, well-written way, with great characterization and I'm drawn in, despite early reservations.
Hawkman Anyone not reading this is stupid. Action, savagely likeable characters leaving my trying to catch my breath--and I'm loving it.
Honorable mentions - Birds of Prey - JLA (current arc, but I need more than a current arc to put it in) - Daredevil - All (4) Infinite Crisis minis, but I'm not counting minis (particulurly Villains United and OMAC Project) - Teen Titans - Ultimate Fantastic Four (the best of the Ultimate titles, and I enjoy USM and Ultimates) - Wolverine (Mark Millar's run has been the best Wolverine story I've ever read and the best work by Millar I've ever read--and I'm one of the fans that sick to death of Wolverine).
'Tis a good time to be a DC fan.
Falling out are: -Flash, but only by default. IMO, Geoff John's Flash has consistently been the *best* comic in the entire industry for a few years now, and it still is right now. But, with it ending, I'll have to wait and see what's next for the title.
-Supreme Power- has become a total letdown. Dragging along, no likeable characters, and I will not be buying any minis related.
- Human Target - cancelled, but to be honest, I wasn't liking this title in the final months nearly as much as I was when it started.
- Daredevil - this is still good, but the final two arcs just haven't felt *great*. But Bendis has had the best DD run since Miller, and I've read the entire run. I do think Brubaker will keep it going. It would be in my Marvel top-five, just not the entire one.
[ August 16, 2005, 08:01 PM: Message edited by: Cobalt Kid ]
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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quote:Originally posted by legionadventureman: I have some questions if you dont mind...
Is the Astonishing X-Men a continuation of X-Men (vol. 1) or a revamp?
Are the Fantastic Four still together (as a group and as a comic book?)
Okay, as a resident X-Men afficianado (and you all thought I only knew the Flash ), I'll field these. The X-Men vol. 1 is currently titled "The Uncanny X-Men" and has been for many years. The X-Men vol. 2, once called "New X-Men" for a short time (Morrison's run) but has returned to it's adjectiveless ways, started in 1991. The Astonishing X-Men vol. 3 (the first was an Age of Apocalypse mini andthe second was a normal continuity mini) was born out of the "X-Treme X-Men" ashes (which was the third X-Book, born in 2001, I think). It's written by Joss Wheaton and was one of the new titles when Marvel did a "Reload" in March '04. Basically, they reorganized the rosters for the X-Teams. There's now a fourth normal continuity X-Book, the New X-Men vol. 2, born of the New Mutants vol. 2 series, which is about the kids at the school. Additionally, there's also the "Ultimate X-Men", which takes place in the infamous "Ultimate" universe. Actually, it's pretty good... except for one or two minor things. And the current artist. I am not a fan.
And that's the short version.
As for the Fantastic Four, yes, they are still a team. A team with three books. They have their series going 530 or so issues strong. Waid came off of the book before starting Legion and his run was phenominal. The regular FF book is a bit campy but still fun. There's also a "Marvel Knights" book called simply "4" and I hear good things but haven't read it simply out of disinterest. And the Fantastic Four too have an Ultimate book (guess what the title is ) which has the most amazing art. Greg Land is a God. Seriously, this stuff is even better than his Birds of Prey work.
Uhm, so I think that about covers it!!
-------------------- Abin: You know what to do with a Cali sandwich? No but neither do Cobie and CJ! CJ: Yeah, we do. She's smiling, isn't she?
Context... who needs it?
From: Sunny Cali-- er, Planet Earth? | Registered: Jun 2005
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1. I completely agree with everyone on JSA. It's not going to take much more for me to call John's run one of the best ever.
2. Astonishing X-Men. I've been reading X-books every month for 16 years, and this is the only one I currently give two shits about. And honestly, more should happen each month.
3. Legion. It's still the book I'm most excited to see.
4. Astro City. Kurt can still throw down.
Sadly, I'm not sure I would bother to put some of the others I get on a "favorites" list. Hawkman? Sometimes great, sometimes underwhelming. Uncanny X-Men? A habit more than a favorite. Tom Strong? I still love the concept, but where's the creator?
I'm spending more time reading TPBs from the library than I am going to the comic store. I've really enjoyed the first fifty issues of Nightwing, Leave it to Chance was great, Y: The Last Man was amazing, I even liked the first part of Bruce Wayne, Fugitive! Maybe I would like comics more if I didn't have to pay for them...
-------------------- The only consistent feature of all of your dissatisfying relationships is you.
Don't judge me!
Registered: Aug 2003
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2. Ultimate Fantastic Four - it's been spotty but the new story arc is interesting and the art by Greg Land is some of the best I've ever seen.
3. Ultimate X-Men - depending on the story arc and the artist, this can be very good, or mediocre. Right now it's mediocre, but in the past, it's been great. Needs a better artist though
4. Ultimate Iron Man - I'm interested to see where this is going.
5. All Star Batman and Robin
Leaving me bored are
Green Lantern Doom Patrol Majestic
Registered: Aug 2003
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Had to think about # 5 there and it sorta surprised me that she would take the 5th spot, but I have to say that I ahve been enjoying here book alot more then the bat books or even Superman titles.
Of all the IC minis Villians United and DOV have been the best reads. OMAC is great but I have found R/T War somewhat lacking. Ditto on Donna Troy.
Books leaving me 'ehhh'
1. Bat books 2. Superman Books 3. Outsiders 4. Hawkman 5. Green Arrow
Didn't get Supergirl and will wait around for GL.
From: Texas | Registered: Apr 2004
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YOUNG AVENGERS-- likeable characters surrounded by mystery in well-told stories that make good use of good old-fashioned cliffhangers. Nice art, too. I think Legion fans might have some natural affinity for this title.
JSA-- It's still a treat to see an ongoing title featuring the Alan Scott Green Lantern, Hourman (or men), the Jay Garrick Flash side by side with Sand, Star-girl, Dr. Midnight, Atom-Smasher, etc.
For so long these guys were kept on the back of the shelf... pulled out only for rare appearances, often in crowd scenes.
HAWKMAN... I LOVE the use of the unfamiliar GA Hawkman villains! This has been a real surprise. The return of Golden Eagle is nice, ongoing source of mystery.
BIRDS OF PREY... I like the alteration between guest-stars galore and highly personal scenes. I never cared for the Helena-Huntress, but this title has made me appreciate her. And caused me to like Black Canary and Barbara Gordon even more.
WONDER WOMAN... the mythological element is the draw, for me. I like Rucka's updated Greek gods and am *very* curious to see how they'll progress. And I *love* seeing Hermes back! Hmmm- does Ares new role as Lord of Hades have anything to do with all the resurrected characters that've popped up in the last few months? Is the 'Infinite' crisis one of the afterlife(lives)?
MINISERIES:
VILLAINS UNITED: Loads of fun-- though possibly not for the 'uninitiated' unless that rare being likes figuring things out as they go (is this a dying art?)
RETURN OF DONNA TROY: I know, I know-- but I'm just so glad to get Donna back... and I like the Titans of Myth (except for that name!!)
PURGATORY (rising):
AQUAMAN... there's an energy to the stories now... though there's also a sort of drift that nothing ever really gets resolved. I like the addition of Sub Diego-- though featuring it at the expense of Atlantis doesn't sit too well. And the characters of Koryak and Tempest seem to have switched personalities, somehow. I'm not sure if the writer intends this, or not. I'm a bit concerned for the continued existence of Mera.
JLA... a great storyline going on, but will there even be a JLA in a few months? All's uncertainty.
FLASH... ROGUE's WAR needs to end on a high note... with lots of attention to Wally West and to some of the characters that have fallen to the wayside. I regret that it became ZOOM's WAR the last couple of issues. It makes sense as far as the larger plot goes, but the old Zoom kind of bores me.
RUNAWAYS... something about the series is not quite as good as the first volume, but it's still a fine book and well-worth reading.
PURGATORY (falling):
X-books-- the HOUSE OF M stuff has everything up for grabs. Maybe that mini's last couple of issues will make all the hype worth it, but I'd be surprised. I mostly hope that adjectiveless XMen will continue with the cast mostly intact (though I wouldn't care if Wolvy, the increasingly annoying Emma Frost and Gambit move off to some other title...) and with a renewed sense of purpose and some good old fashioned *stories*.
MARVEL KNIGHTS 4... I am royally ticked off that the solicits indicated that Crystal would be guest-starring in this week's issue... only to find that Emma bloody Frost joins Sue, She-Hulk, Ms. Marvel and Alicia Masters for a night out on the town instead. I liked the issue, and it's campy flashback to a Sue/Black Panther flirtation(!?!)... but really, Emma for Crystal? Gag.
From: Knoxville, TN | Registered: Jul 2003
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Man, where's the love for the Dead? If I have to get every one of you a copy of the first trade to read this series then I'll have to start saving up. Seriously, if you are not reading The Walking Dead you are missing out on one of the best series in years. Zombies aside there is a depth to the series that most super-hero books lack.
From: Utah | Registered: Jul 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Lightning Lad: Man, where's the love for the Dead? If I have to get every one of you a copy of the first trade to read this series then I'll have to start saving up. Seriously, if you are not reading The Walking Dead you are missing out on one of the best series in years. Zombies aside there is a depth to the series that most super-hero books lack.
Ahem...I'll promise to read an issue of Walking Dead if you'll do the same with what I believe is one of, if not the, best comics at the moment... Waid & Silvestri's Hunter Killers. Awesome art great story telling, excellence all around.
-------------------- "Hey Jim! Get Mon out of the Zone!! And...when do we get Condo back?"
From: Paragon City on patrol | Registered: Jul 2003
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That's a deal! I actually had placed the first issue of HK on my order list but it was one of the ones dropped when I cut back. I always wait until the last minute to submit my monthly order so I can add or drop books as needed.
I'll look for copies of HK later today.
From: Utah | Registered: Jul 2003
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You won't be disappointed. I'll look for Walking Dead this weekend when I go by Acme
-------------------- "Hey Jim! Get Mon out of the Zone!! And...when do we get Condo back?"
From: Paragon City on patrol | Registered: Jul 2003
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I take it you're referring to bothregular and limited-run series: 1.Legion (it's the only one I bag AND board after a reading) 2.Red Sonja (only two issues so far, but lots of promise) 3.Uncanny X-Men (not as good as it was, but not about to give it up) 4.Catwoman (spotty, but still enjoyable) 5.Black Widow (waiting for the newest run)
From: Michigan | Registered: May 2004
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(Hmmmm ... I probably won't be allowed to count GirlGenius since it became a webcomic, even though it will still have TPB collections ... )
1. P.S.238 by Aaron Williams, published by Dork Storm. Lots of interesting stuff going on at the School For MetaProdigies; I just wish it came out more frequently.
2. JSA.
3. Uncle $crooge. Carl Barks. Don Rosa. ... okay, they're not in every issue. But even the issues without Rosa or Barks usually manage to be fun.
4. Legion of Super-Heroes. Has the potential to move up the list.
5. Hawkman. I was really worried about this book when I learned Johns was leaving, but the new creative team has been doing a fine job.
Honorable Mention: I thought JSA: Classified got off to a terrific start.
-------------------- "Gee, Brainy, what do you want to do tonight?" "The same thing we do every night, Bouncing Boy: try to take over the United Planets!!" They're B.B. and The Brain ...
From: Monty Python's Flying Circus | Registered: Aug 2003
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