Comic Thoughts by I.M. Vine: Issue 01 - Whatever This Is (Part 1)

[I_M_Vine]

Introduction:

I was born in the mid 80’s. When I was growing up, I thought comic books were the coolest thing on the planet. However, aside from a few floppies I bought at the local drug store, I do not remember owning many comics myself.

Most of what I knew, I knew from animated shows such as X-Men (1992) or Spiderman, Batman: The Animated Series, Superman Adventures, Justice League, etc.

Then, when I was around 16, a friend lent me 2 graphic novels that would reshape me for the rest of my life. They were Preacher by Garth Ennis and Y The Last Man by Matthew K. Vaughan. Those two comics blew my mind. I had never read such a thing, or seen such art. They just transformed me, and in many ways, I can look back at those comics and see little things that would shape me for the rest of my life.

I hoped to one day own a huge collection of comics.

It wasn’t until recently that I had the opportunity to build a collection. By now, I am embarrassed to admit how many graphic novels I own. I have also run out of space for them. What is even more embarrassing is the fact that I have yet to read many of them.

Thus, I came up with the idea to write this. I want to work my way around my collection, and I want to write brief reviews or thoughts that I have about the story I read. This will enable me to keep track of what I have and haven’t read. Also, I want to share where I got it and for how much (if I remember).

The idea is that other people can read and share stories or ideas. For example, maybe you want to show how you got this book, for how much, etc. Or maybe, you want to comment on the story itself.

Maybe you agree or disagree with my opinions. That is fine. Maybe you can give me recommendations for other books. That is great. Maybe we can have a little discussion about the books themselves.

My point is, I have no real goal by doing this other than to keep track of what I’m reading. However, I invite all of you fellow strangers to share anything if you feel like it.

I have two disclaimers before I begin.

First, this is not meant to be comprehensible reviews. This is just me sharing my thoughts and my opinions on graphic novels. I am not a professional reviewer, and I barely keep up with the names or artists and creators.

Second, I will buy just about any graphic novel if it’s 5 dollar or less. I love me some cheapness.

With that said, here is my list of books that I have read recently.

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• Wolverine: Goodbye, Chinatown by Jason Aaron

Why, how and how much?
I am not a die hard Wolverine fan, but the kid in me still loves him. I found this hardcover deluxe trade paperback for 5 dollars on Ebay, free shipping.

Thoughts?
This is the worst comic I have read in recent memory. First, I want to state that I love Jason Aaron. One of the reasons I got into reading weekly comics a few years back was because of Jason Aaron and his Thor run. I believe the “God Butcher” storyline is one of the greatest comic book storylines ever written, and definitely the best Thor story ever (in my opinion). I enjoyed that whole storyline all the way until it finished with War of The Realms (and later, King Thor I believe).

I was wondering why this book was so cheap. Now I know why. It is generic Wolverine fights mob guys in China story. I don’t know how the man who wrote Gorr the Godbutcher also wrote this dialogue, but here we go.

I think the whole joke is that these characters having “witty” banter during a fight is supposed to be funny, but I just found it to be off putting. I am fine with holding disbelief in comics, and I am even fine with some mindless violent fun (see thoughts on Jiro), but this book was a chore that left me wondering why I wasted my time when I have so many other books I could have read instead.

Recommendation:
I love Jason Aaron. I hated this comic. Hard pass.

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• Ex-Machina by Brian K. Vaughan

Why, How and How Much?
Y: The Last Man was one of the first graphic novels I read. I absolutely loved it. I hold Brian K. Vaughan in very high regard. To me, he is to comics what Maynard from Tool and A Perfect Circle is to music. They are downright bulletproof. When I saw that this was considered his original magnum opus, I was thrilled. I happily bought the two compendiums on Ebay. Book 1 was around 37 dollars. Book 2 was around 42.

Thoughts?
This is the one that pains me the most to write about. This is written by the master, Brian K. Vaughan. Surely, the man who wrote Y: The Last Man and the man currently writing Saga would deliver here with his earlier work.

I read the first few issues with joy. Everything is competent. The dialogue is great, which is to be expected. The art, while I wouldn’t call it amazing, is very good and it fits the story well. I would say I enjoyed the first book in the compendium very much. It includes the first 25 issues. However, when I finished the first book, I was dreading the thought that I had to start another book that had 25 more issues.

Here is my problem with Ex-Machina. This is a story about a former vigilante superhero called Mitchell Hundred. He can communicate with electric devices, and they follow his every command. However, he leaves his superhero ways behind to pursue a political career, eventually becoming the mayor of New York City after the attacks of 9/11.

At many points throughout the story, it is teased that the origin of Hundred’s abilities will be explained, or that there is a bigger story brewing in the background. And then…. Nothing happens. I feel the book is constantly trying to set up a story and then it pulls the rug from under you. A super villain will be introduced and then waved away in the next issue like they never mattered. Even the way the story ends hints at some sort of cataclysmic event in the future… which is never explored.

I think perhaps that is the point. Vaughan forces you to read the comic for what it is and refuses to give into the tropes of other superhero comics. If that was his intention, then good for him. However, halfway in, I found the book to be pointless. It was obvious that Vaughan had no desire to explore the superhero aspects, instead focusing on politics and a commentary on 9/11. To be fair, I think this story is a product of that era. This was published in 2004 when 9/11 attacks in New York were still a main part of the public discourse. However, this story simply did not work for me when I read it in 2021.

Recommendation:
Read Saga or Y: The Last Man, skip this one.

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• Transmetropolitan by Warren Ellis

Why, How and How Much?
When I started to build my collection, there were certain titles I felt were necessary to have a real collection. I remember a few years ago, someone posted his collection on reddit, and someone simply replied, “The only thing you need to finish your collection is Transmetropolitan.” I knew it would only be a matter of time before I had to bite the bullet and get it.

I was going to buy this as a set, but the price was always over 100 dollars. I bought a lot which included Vol 1, so this started the snowball effect of me buying each book individually on Ebay. The most expensive individual book was Vol 6: Gouge Away. I paid 13 bucks on the one. I think I bought all of them individually for a total of around 85 dollars. Not a bad deal, honestly.

Thoughts?
Where to begin on this one. I like the character of Spider Jerusalem. I love the tone Warren Ellis has on this book. It’s in your face satire that somehow is probably even more relevant today than before. Everyone in the world of Transmetropolitan are damaged, disgusting people. Society is hopeless. Ignorance has taken over the world and no one cares. In a way, I felt like I was reading an extreme version of the movie Idiocracy.

Warren Ellis was definitely ahead of his time with this one. I think this is why people talk about this book so fondly. As to my opinion on it, well, I couldn’t finish it. I read all the way to Vol. 6 before I said, “I respect you Warren Ellis, but I have had enough.”

Transmetropolitan as a story is disjointed. It will set up a story arc, then waste time on filler issues that have little significance to the plot. It is this back and forth that did me in. I think the appeal of this story is to spend time with the Spider Jerusalem character as he tries to destroy the world he lives in through journalism.

It is a good premise, and I can see how when this came out, it blew people’s minds. The art is also classic 90’s Vertigo gold. However, I started to read this on 2021, and I just felt I saw enough Spider Jerusalem to get my fix. I was invested with The Smiler story arc, but then it started to tread water again. At some point, I lost interest, and I unceremoniously dropped it. Honestly, I am thinking about selling it. But what if the redditor was right and no collection is complete without Transmetropolitan?

Recommendation:
Not for me but might be worth checking out, especially if you like classic 90’s Vertigo Comics.


....continued in Part 2

[I_M_Vine]

• 100 Bullets by Brian Azzarello

Why, How and How Much?
At some point, I decided I wanted to collect some classic Vertigo sets. That is when 100 Bullets came into my radar. However, this trade paperback series has 13 volumes. Most sets I saw on Ebay went for well over 100, closer to the 150 range.

However, I started looking for the volumes individually, and I was shocked when I found most of the books at around 5-6 bucks a piece. I completed the set by buying individual books from different sellers and it cost me around 80 dollars. Great deal!

Thoughts?
I enjoyed this book for the most part. At first, it begins as stand-alone stories where some sort of “agent” gives people a gun with 100 untraceable bullets. You can get away with any murder.

It is an interesting premise. What is even more interesting is that those stand-alone stories slowly weave a larger picture. Turns out, there is a war behind the scenes between the 13 most powerful families, and these stories are just basically collateral damage from that.

The thing about 100 Bullets is that it gets very convoluted around the halfway mark. There are so many minute men turning on each other and chess pieces being moved that at some point, I lost the plot. That is probably on me. I am sure a smarter person got a lot more enjoyment out of the story than I did.

I did finish the whole series, which has 100 issues. However, I will admit that I felt relieved when I did. I was ready to end my stay in the world of 100 Bullets. I enjoyed it, but I was confused at many points during the story.

However, one thing that was consistently great was the art. I didn’t know the name Eduard Risso until I read this book. Thanks to him, I also later decided to buy Batman: Broken City (5 dollar on Ebay) which is also by him and Azzarrello. Hopefully, I will get around to read that one soon as well.

Recommendation:
Cool book. I’m sure smarter people than me will enjoy the story a lot more than I did.

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• Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? By Allan Moore

Why, How and How Much?
I had been padding my Allan Moore collection when I saw this book title. I was shocked I didn’t know about this story by Allan Moore. I was hesitant to pay 12 dollars for the Deluxe hardcover, but then I saw the book also included For the Man Who Has Everything. I bought it off ebay when a seller accepted my offer.

Thoughts?
There is something about reading Allan Moore that just makes it feel like you are reading something important. That is how I felt when I started reading this comic. I felt like I was sitting back watching a master at work.

I feel this is a story every Superman fan should read at least once. It is basically two issues long, but there is no wasted space here. I especially loved the big reveal at the end when a baby is shown squeezing a coal and turning it into a diamond. If you are not paying attention, you will have missed the payoff from the story. Allan Moore doesn’t tell you. He gives you all the information so that you can figure it out by yourself.

I do not think this is the greatest Superman story ever told, but it is up there. I am personally biased towards Superman: Red Son. But, that is a topic for another day.

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• Superman: For the Man Who Has Everything by Allan Moore

Why, How and How Much?
This was included in the deluxe hardcover book for Whatever Happened to The Man of Tomorrow.

Thoughts?
The Justice League episode (the animated series) that is based on this story is my favorite episode from that show. I wanted to see how it compared to the original material.

Honestly? I enjoyed the show more. Not to say that this is a bad story, but I just wasn’t invested in it. I think I found it underwhelming because I had just read Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow which maybe isn’t fair.

In addition, I was somewhat confused with the story itself. It is explained that Superman is stuck in a reality where he gets to live his perfect life, but the story told is that Krypton is falling apart. I wonder if I missed something, and the reason Krypton is falling apart is because Superman is trying to get out of the illusion.

I honestly think that if I wasn’t biased for this episode of the show, I wouldn’t had cared about this story at all.

Recommendation:
Buy the TPB for Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow, keep the For the Man Who Has Everything as a little bonus. Also, watch the episode on the Justice League animated show.

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• Did You Hear What Eddie Gein Done by Eric Powell

Why, How and How Much?
For a while, I have wanted to read a horror comic. I saw this title was named by many people on the top comics of 2021, so I gave it a try. I bought this at Amazon from a gift card I won a work. It was 25 dollars.

Thoughts?
I liked reading this comic, but I didn’t love it. It is often an uncomfortable read. This is to be expected. In case you didn’t know, Eddie Gein is the inspiration for many serial killers in movies, perhaps most notably Norman Bates from the movie “Psycho”.

This book felt like watching a documentary. This comic is in black and white, and that aesthetic lends itself very well to this type of story. I read this one in two short sittings. When I finished, I was happy with my purchase, but I wouldn’t call this story mind blowing or amazing. It’s a historically accurate portrayal of a serial killer, and it is very interesting to see how much this one horrible person would go on to influence so many pop culture characters. However, I wouldn’t call this the best comic of 2021.

Recommendation:
Buy it if you like horror. Avoid it if you do not like black and white comics, or if you dislike graphic content.

....Concludes in Part 03

[I_M_Vine]

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• Get Jiro: Blood & Sushi by Anthony Bourdain and Joel Rose

Why, How and How Much?
A few months ago, I found the original Get Jiro for 3 dollars at Ollies. I picked it up and never read it. Last week, I went to Ollie’s again, and I saw this one. I figured if I didn’t read the first one, why should I bother? However, this was a Deluxe Hardcover paperback for 5 dollars. I couldn’t resist.

I decided to read Jiro because I wanted to read something short just to get it over with. It did the job well.

Thoughts?
This is the prequel to Get Jiro, and while I haven’t read that one yet, this shows the backstory of Jiro when he was a member of the Yakuza.

I didn’t find myself asking questions about this story. There was nothing deep or inspirational. This is what I call a pop corn book. I sit down, read it and I am not asked to analyze everything. Sometimes, I just want a little mindless entertainment. Honestly, I finished this book in one sitting, and I thought this was a cool little book. I am sure that any chefs who read this would get a lot more enjoyment from it because food is the main theme of this story.

Lately, I have grown interested with Japanese culture. I found that Jiro scratched that itch for me. If anything, as soon as I finished this book, I pulled the original Get Jiro book out (which is a sequel to this story). It is next on my reading list.

Recommendation:
I am very happy with my $5 deluxe hardcover TPB buy. However, I wouldn’t pay full price for this. If you have access to this, give it a try. However, don’t expect anything above average.

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• The Many Deaths of Laila Starr by Ram V

Why, How and How Much?
Not only is this the best book on this list, but it is in my opinion, the best book of 2021. I didn’t know who Ram V was, but I saw this book on many lists of top books of 2021. It’s a self-contained story that is 5 issues long. I loved every second I spent reading this book.

I bought this at Amazon for 15 dollars. I took advantage of some free shipping to sneak this one in. I sure am glad I did.

Thoughts?
As I mentioned before, I did not know who Ram V was. I also did not know about Felipe Andrade. I consider myself a huge fan of both after reading this book. The way this comic is written, and the way it is illustrated is just delightful. I find myself struggling to describe the story. It is complex and deep, but at the same time, it is deceptively simple.

In the first issue, I thought it would be a story about gods and how they manage the world. In a way, it is. But Laila Starr is a story about what it means to be alive. It tackles the question of life. It deals with mortality, and it does all this in 5 issues.

This is the type of comic that makes me happy to be in this hobby. It’s amazing how a 5-issue book can be so impactful. If anyone wants to read a non-superhero book with gorgeous artwork and amazing writing, this is the book to get. This is the opposite of Get Jiro. This book makes you think, and it will stay with you for a while after you finish it.

Recommendation:
Buy it. Also, Boom? Please sell me a Deluxe HC edition of this book.

Conclusion:

So, this concludes the first issue of… whatever this is. Feel free to share any ideas you have in mind. I am interested in seeing how some of you buy your comics and if you read them.

Thanks for reading!
I.M. Vine

[DanMad1977]

Hey, more power to you.

Your reviews are well written. You put a lot of thought in it without putting too much words in it.

I also like how you put everything in sections and how you reflect yourself on the book, instead trashing it only because you dislike it. Yes, sometimes its just trash, but most of the time its just dislike out of certain reasons.

[SJNeal]

I like the format of your reviews/posts, and agree with most of your conclusions (there's a couple on your list I haven't read).

Nice job.

[hyped78]

Great read, thank you and keep it coming!