Latest Classic Comic You Read

[basbash99]

My library had a copy of the X-Tinction Agenda which I checked out. I read the 1st three issues (X-Men by Claremont, New Mutants by louise simonson and Rob Liefield (!!) and X-Factor by Simonson and John Bogdanov). The story was a bit OK altho I didn't understand how Storm had turned into a teenager but thats alright. The art was not great though, to the point of being distracting. Bogdanov's work was more interesting than Liefield but still had characters with either huge or tiny heads. Don't think I'm gonna finish it, no offense to 90's fans but just not for me.

On the other hand, during the same library trip I checked out Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics. I have a copy of another of his books, Making Comics, which I started to read but never finished, so I kind of knew what to expect. It's really an enjoyable and thought-provoking read! I'm not sure I agree with all of his theories but it certainly gives you a lot to think about and is an entertaining read at the same time. Just finished the chapter on Time in comics. Highly recommend this one!

[Daryl]

Eh, I lived through the X-Tinction Agenda the first time around. I don't think I own a single issue that tied into it any longer. No loss.

[Pat Thomas]

I've never felt older. Calling 2004 classic? Geez.

Anyway, I just picked up a couple of old Sad Sack issues from Harvey Comics, so those are the most recent classic issues I've read. Still makes me laugh. Easily amused, I guess.

I know. I can't think of the comics I was buying in the mid 80's as classics. There were already classic stories from the Silver Age back then.

[day_walker]

I've never felt older. Calling 2004 classic? Geez.

Anyway, I just picked up a couple of old Sad Sack issues from Harvey Comics, so those are the most recent classic issues I've read. Still makes me laugh. Easily amused, I guess.

I'm with you. I can't think of anything post 1990 as "classic". I have an issue or two of Sad Sack that I bought back in the 70's. I was looking though some dollar bins yesterday and they had tons of funny comics from the 60's and 70's, but my resources (and closet space) were too limited for me to pick them up, and I opted for some Bronze Age Marvel & DC instead.

I just read the Trial of Flash from 1984-85 yesterday. Pretty good stuff.

[basbash99]

Picked up Stray Bullets: the Uber Alles edition and have been slowing working my way thru it. A great indies title from the 90s with Pulp Fiction/Tarantino influences, among others. Still a great read!!

Just finished the issue (either 5 or 6 in the series, can't remember) introducing Orson, who goes on to be a fairly significant character for awhile. He's a nerdy high school kid who, after witnessing a car accident, gets seduced by an older woman of questionable morality, and ends up partying with her and some rather twisted individuals. Cool B&W art with some neat non-sequitur panels (using Scott McCloud's panel categories) that provide insight into how messed up Orson gets as the party goes on.

Next issue is the 1st appearance of Amy Racecar which I'm also looking forward to.

Have to agree with others, even though Stray Bullets is more than 10 years old, it seems pretty recent to me.. getting old I guess lol. I owned much of the floppies way back when but loaned them to someone and then fell out of touch with them.. was SO glad when a relatively inexpensive collected edition came out, and am really looking forward to the new issues being produced now !!

[Hoosier X]

I got Showcase Presents: Aquaman, Volume 1, from the library, and I've been reading them slowly. They're great! But a little goes a long way.

In the same amount of time I've had the Aquaman volume, I had no trouble reading all of The Essential Hulk, Volume 3. But I'm not even half done with the Aquaman volume.

Some of the silly stuff he expects from sea life. It's hysterical. Eels weave themselves into nets to salvage treasure. Octopi turn themselves into propellers to help disabled ships get out of danger. It is absurd. About on par with the Martian Manhunter's ever-changing power set.

But the Ramona Fradon art is amazing! And these stories are such light-hearted fun!

What is up with Aquaman jumping from one magazine to another so much in 1959 and 1960 and 1961? He's the backup in Adventure, then in Detective, then in World's Finest, and at the same time he has a three-issue tryout in Showcase, then he gets his own magazine. And I think he started in Justice League during this period.

Aqualad is introduced, but so far there's no sign of Mera or Black Manta or Ocean Master. And he barely has anything to do with Atlantis.

[earl]

I had no trouble reading all of The Essential Hulk, Volume 3.

Silver Age Hulk is very good, one of the better comics Marvel was doing, especially considering the artist and writers would change over sometimes even in the middle of story lines. It probably helps in that the series every issue leads into the next one, there isn't much down time and the series would get madcap going from one thing to another.

My current classic reading is Judge Dredd Case Files #4 in the middle of the Judge Child quest and I am re-reading Preacher about on issue #15 or so. (Preacher is almost 20 years old and it is definitely a classic in my book.)

I went through quite a few months of Marvel Essentials reading and am kind of off of them right now.

[Hoosier X]

Amazing Spider-Man 116-133. Highlights including John Jameson as Man-Wolf, the deaths of Gwen, Doc Ock romancing Aunt May, The Vulture killing a woman and more!

Oh, and Spidey-Mobile as well!

And the return of the Molten Man! And Luke Cage! And Spidey fights Hulk in Canada! And Hammerhead! And the first appearance of the Jackal and the Punisher ... IN THE SAME ISSUE!

I read these recently (some for the first time) in Essential Spider-Man. Such a great era for Spidey!

[djkinsaul]

I just finished reading the 'Funeral for a Friend' storyline in the Superman stories and am about to start on the 'Reign of Supermen' storyline. I remember when they were released, but never read them.

[Speed Force League Unlimited]

Justice League International v#2 #55-57

[Balakin]

Almost finished with Essential Web of Spider-man vol 2. I only bought vol2 because it was really cheap and I started the UXM essentials with vol2 too and had no problem following the story.
The Mchelinie issues were alright but the other stuff is pretty uninteresting and sometimes silly, I started to skip by the end. The Rose-Hobglin stuff was interesting but those 2 issues were part of a bigger story not included in this volume, so I skipped the second issue after a few pages.
The "stealing the torch from the statue of liberty" issue was really fun.

I'm in the middle of Kraven's last hunt but now I only read an issue/day. It's clearly the best part of the book, bu the darkness and the madness of Kraven seems a bit forced to me (the LEgo Batman theme is constantly playing in my head while I'm reading). I know how the story ends but I'm curious whether the darkness would still feel forced by that point.

I'm a bit burned out by this Essential but Captain America vol 7 is on it's way too, I hope that one will be better. I've never read classic Cap before.

I really tempted to try Showcase presents: Trial of the Flash, Jonah Hex vol2 and Batman and the Outsiders, but I have zero experience with bronze age DC (except some childhood memories).

[Daryl]

New Mutants Special Edition from the 80s by Claremont and Art Adams. One of my favorite books when I was younger. New Mutants go to Asgard, Hilarity ensues.

I swear when Lee and Liefeld and those guys came out, I thought they were mostly ripping off what Adams had been doing. I may be off on that but when I first saw their stuff, I thought of Adams.

[basbash99]

New Mutants Special Edition from the 80s by Claremont and Art Adams. One of my favorite books when I was younger. New Mutants go to Asgard, Hilarity ensues.

I swear when Lee and Liefeld and those guys came out, I thought they were mostly ripping off what Adams had been doing. I may be off on that but when I first saw their stuff, I thought of Adams.

Yup in fact I think there was an article on CBR within the past year or two observing how influential Adams was, for instance the Longshot character has a bunch of pouches and a weird jacket, etc. I think Adams is a lot better than most of the 90s guys, altho you could make a case for Jim Lee I guess.

Anyhow the New Mutants Special Edition was a pretty fun one, really kind of out of left field since Loki was never really an x-villain that I can remember, prior to this. It was kind of fun and different.

Was this self-contained? I seem to remember it finishing up in another annual (I'm assuming X-Men) but can't recall, and definitely don't remember if Adams did art on another part.

Almost finished with Essential Web of Spider-man vol 2. I only bought vol2 because it was really cheap and I started the UXM essentials with vol2 too and had no problem following the story.The Mchelinie issues were alright but the other stuff is pretty uninteresting and sometimes silly, I started to skip by the end. The Rose-Hobglin stuff was interesting but those 2 issues were part of a bigger story not included in this volume, so I skipped the second issue after a few pages.
The "stealing the torch from the statue of liberty" issue was really fun.

Yeah I think Web of Spiderman is mostly meh. I'm sure there were a few standout issues but can't remember any at this time, aside from the Kraven's Last Hunt issues.

[Bad Wolf]

Anyhow the New Mutants Special Edition was a pretty fun one, really kind of out of left field since Loki was never really an x-villain that I can remember, prior to this.

I think the feud was begun a year earlier in the X-Men annual.

[Bad Wolf]

I started reading the first Avengers omnibus. Read the first two issues late last night. I've read the first ten before in Masterworks but I'm starting over at the beginning again since it's been a while.