Host of Loose Staples: A Comic Book Podcast
And if you like Velvet, Fatale and the Fade Out(all by Ed Brubaker) are worth checking out.
Bushido, romantic or realistic view on feudal Japan? Do they portray the power relations and the repressivness of feudal Japan accuretly or it's more like Last Samurai with Cruise?
Anyone pick up Drifter #1?
Host of Loose Staples: A Comic Book Podcast
I preferred Copperhead of those two. It had more charm and personality. Also, the art was better.
Host of Loose Staples: A Comic Book Podcast
Anne Bonnie, Princess Ugg, Five Ghosts, Saga, Rat Queens, Groo, Goon, Usagi Yojimbo, Sixth Gun, Wasteland, Courtney Crumrin, Jonah Hex, Walking Dead, Manifest Destiny, God Hates Astronauts, Spread, Fearless Dawn, Nailbiter, Copperhead, Stray Bullets, Birthright, Bone, Lazarus
Copperhead's character relationships and traits are definitely stronger than that of Drifter's characters. We know who the players in Copperhead are (for the most part). A lot of Drifter is still a big mystery.. the characters, the world, the circumstances, etc...
I'm a fan of the grittier western types.. and the art much more in Drifter, so I lean towards that early. But I enjoy Copperhead very much and appreciate the differences between the two series.
Rasputin #2 comes out this week. I picked up the first issue and wasn't overwhelmed, though it seems like a story that might read better in a collected format. Anyone else check it out?
Host of Loose Staples: A Comic Book Podcast
Am bored, so gonna start listing some recommendations for new readers here, might update later.
Currently being published:
A Voice In The Dark: A serial killer story set in a college. Our main character runs a radio show and struggles to suppress the urge to kill more people. Darkly humorous at times, it has a more diverse cast in terms of sexuality, body-type and race than the Marvel and DC universes combined ánd the artist writes/draws/letters the entire book with his mouth due to a disability. First 7 issues are black & white, after that it moved to full colour, currently about 10 issues in. Double-sized first issue is free on the Top Cow website too, give this a chance people! Is Dexter a show you like? Get this. Do you complain about lack of diversity in comics? Put your money where your mouth is and support this.
Alex + Ada: So, you like Saga or movies like last year's "Her"? This is a boy-meets-android tale you will love. Art is very clean, almost sterile which not everyone digs so read some previews. Story is pretty affecting and endearing, even though it's not a hugely novel concept. This series feels like a very quiet, small story. Never gets much hype, doesn't sell gangbusters, and yet I will boldly claim this is a top 5 Image book for sure. Unless you hate the art I can't see people disliking this. About 9 issues in right now, I think.
God Hates Astronauts: Bonkers comedy. Haven't a clue what's going on but it's a wild ride so far. Frankly the art isn't really my jam here, I don't like the colours a lot. But it's zany, hilarious, very foul-mouthed and stars a bunch of screw-up astronauts, owl burglars, lots of anthropomorphic animals doing weird stuff. Best sound effects I've ever seen, flip through this sometime.
Multiple Warheads: Releasing at a snail's pace of 4 issues a year or less, this is my favourite of Brandon Graham's work. And the dude also did King City and he writes Prophet, so that's high praise. It's pretty manga-inspired sci fi set in post-nuclear Russia and you follow an organ smuggler and her half-werewolf boyfriend. So far it's pretty much just been a roadtrip where they chill smoking singing cigarettes and you can let your eye wander over the hugely detailed pages Graham does which are filled to the brim with lil' background puns and gags. Very funny, creative stuff in a very unique and detailed world. The older material is black/white and NSFW. (Unless you have a super chill, possibly weird, boss.) My favourite series, period.
Prophet: Speaking of Brandon Graham... Prophet used to be a Rob Liefeld thing about a bearded dude with an axe or something. You don't need to know any of that though, because this starts like 50 000 years later when clones meant to revive the human race come out of cryo-pods. Little narration with even fewer dialogue, it's pretty much just Conan in space. Delightfully inventive sci-fi drawn by some of the best talent in the industry (Stokoe, Simon Roy, Milogiannis, Graham himself, many others), a vast sprawling universe filled with things out to kill each other. An early issue features a caravan of huge animals who eat dirt and poop out diamonds, and a huge society has formed on their backs. It's "out there" stuff which you need to check out if you dig sci-fi. Also the trades are dirt cheap!
Pretty Deadly: Currently on hiatus, this is a dirty, poetic western story. Deliberately difficult, even obtuse but features career-best work of Emma Rios and Kelly Sue DeConnick. This isn't for everyone, but if you wanna see gritty characters ride like death on the wind on quests for vengeance in a mildly magical western -- look no further. 5 Issues/1 trade in right now and patiently waiting.
Orc Stain: Do you hate comics which come out regularly? Meet Orc Stain -- where the last issue was like a year ago or more because Stokoe just HAD to draw Avengers flying around space fruit and the best Godzilla comic in well, ever. He's back on this now though, a world where orcs are very dirty and mean and murderous. Everyone double-crosses each other, there are poison-based spells and their currency is based on sliced up... Gronches... Richly detailed art (duh it's Stokoe), funny writing; I'll be honest and say I didn't expect much of this but it's really good. Where's issue 8 though Stokoe?!
The Autumnlands: Tooth & Claw: Okay it's still early on this one at just 2 issues in. Art looks GORGEOUS (where was Dewey before this?!), Bellaire colours the hell out of it and it's a very vibrant fantasy world with floating cities and magical warthogs. First issue begins rather heavy on exposition but that dissapeared about half-way through. If it stays gone, this looks like a tight ride.
Revival: The most consistent book on the stands that isn't called Saga. If you like issue 1, you'll like the other 25 or so too. It's a horror/noir in a small town where one day suddenly the dead come back to life. The twist: no zombies. They literally just stop being dead. The plot meanders all over the place and we're no closer to finding answers than we were before, but it's very good at using its own setting to the fullest. Wasn't too hot on the initial religion-heavy implications, but by the end of the first arc I was hooked regardless. Em in particular is a great character and I can't wait for her to burn the entire world to the ground. It seems similar in concept to Rachel Rising, but no witchcraft here and the tones of the 2 series vary quite a lot. Also Rachel Rising is great so if you like that, check this out to. Or the other way around!
Saga: Believe the hype, Saga's matter-of-fact marriage of magic and sci-fi has quickly become the world's best soap drama. Reliably executing "OH DAMN!!" plot twists at the end of every issue with scary precision, it really is one of the best comics being published to date. Fiona Staples is one of the very best artists in comics. Also read the letter column sometime, Saga has thougtful readers yo! Some people dislike Saga for containing some 'shock value', personally I disagree as things like breastfeeding and sex aren't shocking - they're natural. If that puts you off though, maybe don't try it, but for everyone else... all aboard the hype train!
Sex Criminals: Speaking of letter columns, also make sure to read this one because the brimpers are full of hilarious stories. Sex Criminals seemed like a hilarious joke: a couple has sex, and when they climax, time stops... So they rob banks. But somewhere around ooooooh say the fourth page, Fraction and Zdarsky have sneakily started a really hilarious, touching (mind out the gutter!) and lovely romance, where characters have real problems beyond getting caught by the sex police. Ever wanted to see the Iron Throne made out of dildos? Features karaoke, time stopping in a static visual medium and more!
Zero: This is bleak, restrained spy fiction. Ales Kot's signature "say as much as possible with the fewest words" approach suits this really well. Every issue is technically a stand-alone so far, with a new artist on every time. Still looks cohesive thanks to Bellaire's colouring though. Don't come looking for James Bond, the world of Zero features awful people doing unspeakable acts. Some very interesting turns too. I can't make all the puzzle pieces fit yet, but it's gonna be a gorgeous mosaique. Best issue: #9.
Last edited by TotalSnorefest; 12-05-2014 at 06:11 AM.
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Alex + Ada is phenomenal! There's a few more on that list I need to check out, thanks!
Host of Loose Staples: A Comic Book Podcast