The ones that elicit a BWAHAHA on purpose or a *titter* unintentionally!

I think currently, FORMERLY KNOWN AS JUSTICE LEAGUE tops the list!

Surprisingly, THE OUTSIDERS has delivered laughs in all 4 issues so far. I honestly believe Winick's going for an '80s JLI' feel for the book-- it's really working for me! the scene between Grace & Arsenal in issue 4 was utterly hysterical!

EXILES and X-STATIX have their funny moments sometimes.

What other super-hero books crack you smooth up...?

Supergirl (Peter David's run) had some brilliantly funny bits in it. Top of my head one the best ones was in #75 (I think) where the bad guys are firing bullets at her and they're bouncing off so they throw the guns at her at she gets knocked down. Made me laugh out loud. Oh, and the pink kryptonite page from #79.

Young Justice always made me laugh too, and every issue of FKATJL has made me laugh out loud too.

The first three issues of FKATJL cracked me up. The fourth one, which I got yesterday, was amusing, but less so -- although the events shown in that issue weren't meant to be as lighthearted as in earlier issues, so that's not so surprising.

I've always busted out laughing with any of the old AMBUSH BUG issues I have.

The dialogue in X-STATIX usually makes me crack a smile, but rarely makes me LOL -- the wit is drier and subtler. It's one of my favorite titles.

I just picked up my first issue of EXILES yesterday... will let you know what I think...

FKATJL is the best right now.


I miss Ambush Bug though...although he's supposed to be in issues 4, 5 and 6 of Lobo's mini series.

I'm betting Giffen's return to LOBO guest-starring AMBUSH BUG will be SOOOOO funny!

Yes, SUPERGIRL and YOUNG JUSTICE were always good for laughs.

Giffen and Tom & Mary Bierbaum's HECKLER series lasted a scant 6 issues, but the laughs were anything BUT scant.

Giffen's VEXT was very funny too, but not really a super-hero book.

Recent DOOM PATROL writer JOHN ARCUDI had my favorite comic for 15 months with MAJOR BUMMER... I still miss that book! Damn all the comic readers who didn't buy it to the firepits of Apokolips!!!!

If any of you never read MAJOR BUMMER-- hit the back-issue bins NOW. You'll thank me later.

Not really sure if you mean current or past comics so -

"Formerly Known" is like getting back together with old high school buddies and reliving some memories. I love it so much, I hope it goes ongoing.

"Impulse" had some really funny moments in it when Mark Waid wrote it for the first couple of years. That was one great book.

"JLI" #24 still holds the record for making me laught out loud the longest. The scene where the mini-Khunds show up at the super-hero party was one of the all-time classic comic book scenes, ever. Kevin Maguire's facial expressions were at their finest.

"Aquaman" makes me laugh, but I don't think it's intentional. The book is so bad right now, that I just can't look away. I must keep reading to see how bad it gets. I may drop it once it starts getting better. The book tries to take itself seriously when it has two half-naked Viking chicks named Grinwald and Brunhald (or whatever) running around trying to save the godess of rivers or some such crap. All with Aquaman sporting a new waterhand that can only be used for good and never evil. The dialogue is so hokey, I keep checking the bottom corner to see if silhouettes of robots will start a commentary on the story.

I have to mention the classic Jack Cole Plastic Man stuff here. Some absolutely fantastic and funny work.

The current AQUAMAN series did appear to be the 'Plan 9 From Outer Space' of AQUAMAN series... I dropped it after issue 5.

I'm wowndering what Kyle Baker's PLASTIC MAN series is gonna be like... been years since he's (Baker) had a regular series, hasn't it...?

DC HORIZONS (their free instore promo news-zine) has 6 pages of the upcoming PM #1-- I'll scan them when I get home, and if I can't get 'em loaded, I'll at least e-mail you a peek, Lashie. I'm planning on checking out #1 from the strength of these pages ... clever uses for Plas's powers!

Judging from the pages I saw in PREVIEWS, it's going to be *very* cartoony. Very creative use of Plas' abilities, though.

"Young Heroe's in Love" was a very funny title and I miss it. Check it out if you haven't read it!!!!

Thanks Pov!

Icey, I loved YHIL!!!! Monstergirl was my far-away favorite!

Lash I was partial to Bonfire!!!!

Though I don't think it's been as funny in awhile, "Cerebus" used to crack me up.

The early Cerebus books were hilarious.

I'm also fond of Jim Valentino's Normalman series. Some fantastic stuff there, including a nifty LSH parody.

Ah, yes, the "Legion of Superfluous Heroes Roll Call!"

As for Cerebus ...

He rarely chooses to do so anymore, but Dave Sim is still capable of writing bust-a-gut comedy. If you can, check out #s 266 and 267 (the first two issues of "Latter Days", the final storyline).

Young Heroes in Love was pretty cool! The best part in the whole series for me was when Monstergirl revealed she could shrink down, and then got together with the small hero (forget his name). I remember thinking, "wow, that's cool" (I know, I'm a biiiiiiig dork).


And I don't know if I'm the only one, but I think that Giffen's Lobo Paramilitary Christmas Special is the all-time funniest comic book ever. In fact, I like most his Lobo stuff (latest series is pretty weak so far though). His Ambush Bug and Heckler were a lot of fun, but his Justice League run is the funniest in the history of comics and I currently love FKATJL!

Peter David's first run on Captain Marvel was pretty funny. The current one has changed focus and has more interesting stories, but is still good for a coupla chuckles.

Oh yeah, and Flaming Carrot was

Vext was great. Probably my favorite work of Giffen's since his Legion days.

What about the Inferior Five? How could you not find Dumb Bunny and company funny?

And how about Fruitman? Anyone remember that one from Harvey comics back in the day?

Nothing can beat Ambush Bug!

Early Impulse, before "they" decided it should be serious.

Early Harley Quinn, before "they" decided it should be serious.

The Simpsons.

Just had the pleasure of reading Love Fights #3 and 4 (by Andi Watson - ONI Press) last night. The first two issues were good, but I think he's hit his stride now; the story's coming together. It's a comment of comics, superheroes, comic book artists, fandom/hero worship, the media .... and the funny part is a cat who has become a superhero. A rather jealous, sneaky and egotistical superhero (how catlike). Guess you'd call it gentle satire.

Chuck Austen's sucktacular UNCANNY X-Men makes me laugh.

Or maybe it makes me scream incoherently in horror.
I can't remember.

The only current funny superhero title I can think of offhand is the new ALPHA FLIGHT series.

Can't forget Peter David's run on X-Factor...excellent stuff!

But is it supposed to be funny, Lash? I haven't picked it up so I wouldn't know.

I enjoyed issues 1 & 2 well enough.

It was most definitely supposed to be funny; alas, it lasted only 12 issues and nowadays I read somewhere here that the Alphans are all being massacred or something. *weary sigh*

Dan Slott has singlehandedly re-invigorated my interest in the Marvel Universe with his excellent SHE-HULK, THE THING and GLA/GLX stuff. Intelligently written as well as hilarious!

Going through Giffen/Maguire withdrawal, I recently reread their DEFENDERS, FKATJL, and am currently rereading "I Can't Believe...JL". HilARious!

After this, I'm planning to reread the entire Giffen 80s run on Justice League.

A January Review of Sergio Aragones Destroys DC (June 1996) written by Mark Evanier, art by Sergio Aragones

ust the thing for the post-holiday, Legionless blues.

Sergio Aragones, best known for his Mad Magazine margin cartoons and the Groo series, takes a light-hearted look at some DC superheroes - and himself.

In the story, Sergio wants to hit the big time in comics, and that means drawing superheroes. So he starts on a story and gets his pal Mark to script it. Rebuffed by the receptionist at DC Comics, he pursues his dream nevertheless, declaring "I prove that I am George Perez, rolled into one".

His stories within this story are framed by Hawkman predicting doom for the superheroes and various characters trying to figure out which Crisis of Infinite Proportions they're in now.

Aragones then takes on four books. In Superman, he retells the origin story, with a bumbling Jor-el and a dog-harassing Kal-el. He pokes fun at the "cool modern look" of Superman mid-90s, with emphasis on his continually torn costume.

In Batman, Bruce Wayne's origin takes a temporary wrong turn when he sees a Hare Krishna monk outside his window, but he soon gets rerouted to the bat theme. Aragones focuses here on the rebranding as "THE Batman" (which everyone ignores) and the crazy violent Batman which emerged at this time.

In his Wonder Woman, men are clamoring for her to tie them up and hit them. She returns to Paradise Island (where gay men are allowed), only to find the Supreme Court has declared the exclusion of males unconstitutional.

His final skewering is The Legion, with the classic tryouts - and a long series of rejections. When aliens invade and demand to speak with the Legion leader, a big fight ensues among the legionnaires, with each one claiming to be the Leader.

Return to the Hawkman/Crisis story, with Johnny DC as the Doombringer and more barbs at how unheroic heroes have become.

In the end, Sergio gets his comic published by DC due to a clerical error.

There are plenty of gentle laughs in this story; the artwork itself makes you smile - but the funniest thing about the book is how relevant it still is 14 years later.

Brian Michael Bendis's "Avengers" has illicited several chuckles from me - mostly from his handling of Spider-Man. The scene where the "New" Avengers react to Norman Osborn's "Avengers" on TV had several lol moments for me.

Current funniest and fun superhero comic? Atomic Robo!

Here's my latest review:

To reiterate: any issue is a jumping on point and stands on its own (even mid-mini). I recommend anyone who likes funny comics get the latest issue #3 (of V.4) and you'll end up like me, considering Dr. Dinosaur the greatest comic book character since the Heckler.

:...since the Heckler" Oh dear... strong words from Cobie.

Fine. I will take your dare.

I think any issue of Atomic Robo will hold up, but if you can, get this one specifically. Dr. Dinosaur and Atomic Robo's exchange reminded me of the Heckler and his villains. HILARIOUS.

INCREDIBLE HERCULES had some good laughs... at least till Herc "died" (I'm pretty sure he'll be back...)

Particularly the issue(s) where Herc hooked up with Namora and later where he and Thor exchanged costumes and names.

THIS IS WHAT I WANT. More funny comics. I love a big ol' batch of silliness, fun, adventure and whatnots! it balances out the beheadings and bloody zombies and stuff.

Cobie, I am going to snag that issue if its there. Todd, I will check on some HERCULES trades. This may be a good library search.

Heralds is hilarious. but you knew that already.

also, authority: the lost year is in the middle of a two issue funny by giffen and dematties ala JLI.

Lash, I totally thought you were already buying Incredible Hercules! You *MUST* check it out as it is by far the most fun / funny comic book Marvel has released since...well, since probably Not Brand Echh in 1968!

It's not all slapstick comedy--there is grandiose sense of adventure at times with tragedy, tension and other great bits, but the humor is ever-present. They capture the 'buddy' feel that Giff's JLI had.

The Herc/Thor exchange Todd mentions above was brilliant. Especially how Herc solved that entire problem.

I would say Atomic Robo is funnier (so you have to grab it), but Herc has charaters you're familiar with and is a close second. You should grab 'em both.