1000 books in 2017

[docgru]

2017 Week 05

Man-Thing by Steve Gerber: The Complete Collection Vol. 2 (352 pages, 16 issues)
Captain Marvel by Jim Starlin: The Complete Collection (408 pages, 19 issues)

Total for the week: 35
Total for the year: 130

[okSwede]

106? books (3,285 pages) in 2017-01 Jan


Though born in the 1980’s, I never read a comic until Winter Soldier…because I liked the film. I’ve only spent a few years catching up from scratch, so here’s my first stab at formally tracking my progress. Don’t let inexperience keep you from reading. We all start as noobs.


[Vertigo] Sweet Tooth Deluxe
40 issues
920 pages (296 + 256 + 368)
My first Lemire experience. Wow. Gripping, emotional, wrenching journey. I enjoy seeing characters act inconsistently over time, much like I do. A lovely journal depiction from 100 years ago sets the context and issues a precedent for the events of this story. I can recommend this as a new gateway comic to replace Watchmen (the scent of superhero genre still repels some), as long as you can stomach purposeful, warranted, plot-driven violence. Even my wife leaned over to comment on the cute animal children. I read this series quickly.


[DC] Solo Deluxe
12 issues
608 pages
Fun! I go for anthology works (I recently tasted EC Archives) for the high creativity/page ratio, but the good price/page ratio from Half Price Books’ post-Christmas sale sealed it for me. This book contains several high-contrast, thick-line, bright-color artists I recognize (Sale, Cooke, Allred), which was enough to encourage me to sample the others. I’d almost say it’s worth it just for those 3 (especially Cooke, who seems the be the only to have some connecting narrative through his sub-stories). Slight demerit for hybrid glued/sewn binding, but I think this is the ONLY way to acquire this series (no tpb, no digital).


[Image] Girls The Complete Collection
24 issues
654 pages
My first Luna experience. I don’t really enjoy the same-y art that makes it difficult to distinguish character faces, but I can always overlook that for a good story. I enjoy this particular seamless blending of sci-fi, horror and social drama. Usually. It’s a similar feeling to something like SK’s The Mist; when the true threat is not active and present, the base human tendency to fight for control becomes front and center. I like the mystery of never discovering the creature’s origin (or purpose, or intended destination, or anything). It wraps up with a very cyclic, symbolic conclusion (definitely not an ending). Bonus points for finite and self-contained storytelling.


[DC] The New Frontier Deluxe
8 issues (really? feels more like 15-20)
499 pages
Unfamiliar with most of the early DC universe, this felt slightly more like a chore than a downhill coast. I enjoy the exercise of introducing characters to each other (and to the reader) in the chronological order they were initially introduced to the world in publication order. Though Cooke’s art is enjoyable, these unfamiliar faces began to blur to me (Task Force, Suicide Squad, Champions? Challengers? who? what?). The constant reframing with location labels slightly helps to orient me, but maybe not enough. I can easily enjoying this after exposure to a half-dozen character/team origins from the Silver Age.


[Image] Glory: The Complete Saga
12 issues
352 pages
Yuk. I did NOT care for this. Picked up on a whim, read quickly, but not out of pleasure - more so to be rid of it. Extreme, over-the-top gore with no real stakes or consequences (at one point two characters meet to fight, rip limbs off, and spend a month to recover fully instead of using their words). I could not relate to the “protagonist” (a 10 foot bodybuilding alien woman with 30 feet of hair, bred for the purpose of uniting species and dividing enemies) nor the observer (a little girl who is forced from witnessing these atrocities to participating in them). Nothing here makes sense to me. I later learned this is a pre-existing character and universe. I still don’t care.


[Vertigo] Y: The Last Man (Book 1)
10 issues
252 pages
Y is another good contender for gateway comics. It was one of my first, but I’ve never finished this series yet. Stakes are grave (end of world? humanity? civilization?). Mystery is high (why did all males of all species on the planet simultaneously die?). Does not quite adhere to known genres - is this post-apocalypse, on the run, scientific disaster, or quirky social commentary? Art is a pleasure. Dialogue is natural and rapid. I always clip through Vaughan quickly.

[Mormegil]

Mega Man #13. 1 issue

Rocket Raccoon (2014) #1-11. 11 issues

Groot (2015) #1-6. 5 issues

Secret Defenders #12-14. 3 issues

Headlopper #1-2. 2 issues

Fear Agent #12-32. 21 issues


NEW TOTAL: 117


I got a lot of stuff read over the weekend. I sat down to read an issue of Rocket Raccoon and I caught the bug. Between Friday and Monday i read Rocket Raccoon, Groot, Secret Defenders, and Fear Agent.

I read those rocket issues back when they were first released and i loved them. Skottie Young's art and writing fits the character so well. I read the Rocket & Groot volume 0 paperback.

I think i'm done with Mega Man for the foreseeable future. It was fun but i'm just not that into it. I didn't really give Headlopper a fair shake, but i don't think it was for me.

Fear Agent is the clear winner here. Such a good story. I don't know if i could ever read it again, but it was really really good. I've never been brought to tears by a comic book but i was close when i finished the ending.

Thanks to me getting hooked on Fear Agent i'm above my total that i was shooting for. I'm trying for 3 issues a day on average. That would put my total at 111, so at 117 i'm ahead of the curve.

Next up on my to read list is Thanos Cosmic Powers and some Star Trek trades.

[Brewman]

Full list in post #54. Posting as I complete books.

Sixth Gun Gunslinger 1 12 issues (11+Prose bonus)
Marvels 10th Anniversary Edition 5 issues (4+Extras)

17 issues Total for year: 48

Slow start this year. I am totally hooked on Sixth Gun now, glad I just went for it on the Gunslinger blind buy absolutely worth it. So far I have this and Oyster War from Oni and they make a quality book both construction and content, makes me real curious about Wasteland. Marvels is just a classic. Last year when I read Untold Tales of Spider-Man the Amazing Fantasy issues made me remember how much I enjoyed this book. Found the Anniversary edition for $19 sealed on eBay a few weeks ago and jumped all over that to upgrade my tpb.

[awayne83]

Update:

Shutter TP v1 (5) - Got this on during IST's holiday sale for a few bucks. Decent fantasy tale, but nothing really noteworthy. May get v2 but not a priority.

Peter Panzerfaust HC v1 (10) - Having recently read Loisel's Pan i wasn't sure how much i was in the mood for another take on the classic. Surprisingly, i enjoyed this much more so. Best read early in the year for me.

TMNT IDW Collection HC v4 (13) - Dealing with the aftermath of "city fall" and the subsequent return to NYC. We also get the re-introduction of some old fan favorites, and a confrontation between krang and shredder. Good stuff.

13 + 28 = 42 for the year

*I think I'm going to keep a running top 5 for the year to help recall what I've enjoyed most. As of now:

1. Peter Panzerfaust HC v1
2. Bloodshot Reborn HC v1
3. TMNT HC v4
4. Shudder TP v1
5.

[awayne83]

Also managed to wrap these up this week:

New Avengers Omni (42) - Been working on this since the new year. Reading it all now for the first time, the series really did come across as a stop-gap between events, though Bendis managed to make the arcs entertaining for the most part. I thought Disassembled was just ok, and surprisingly really enjoyed the single character issues during Civil War. Was also neat to see how far ahead Secret Invasion was being set up.

Secret TP (7) - Image mini from Hickman. Entertaining espionage/thriller tale, though the ending wrapped too quickly for my liking.

42 + 49 = 91 for the year

2017 top 5:

1. Peter Panzerfaust HC v1
2. Bloodshot Reborn HC v1
3. TMNT HC v4
4. Secret TP
5. New Avengers Omni (i know omnis are at a bit of a disadvantage being grouped in with the rest, but i'm not sure i'll read enough of them this year to separate)

[Mr`Orange]

Also managed to wrap these up this week:

New Avengers Omni (42) - Been working on this since the new year. Reading it all now for the first time, the series really did come across as a stop-gap between events, though Bendis managed to make the arcs entertaining for the most part. I thought Disassembled was just ok, and surprisingly really enjoyed the single character issues during Civil War. Was also neat to see how far ahead Secret Invasion was being set up.

Secret TP (7) - Image mini from Hickman. Entertaining espionage/thriller tale, though the ending wrapped to quickly for my liking.

42 + 49 = 91 for the year

2017 top 5:

1. Peter Panzerfaust HC v1
2. Bloodshot Reborn HC v1
3. TMNT HC v4
4. Secret TP
5. New Avengers Omni (i know omnis are at a bit of a disadvantage being grouped in with the rest, but i'm not sure i'll read enough of them this year to separate)

Secret was great but yeah they had to wrap it up as the artist was massively slow. I think it was a case of "let's just get it done".

[awayne83]

Secret was great but yeah they had to wrap it up as the artist was massively slow. I think it was a case of "let's just get it done".

Yeah that's unfortunate. I think i heard it took like 2 years to do those 7 issues. Not normally being a fan of minis, this story had surprising depth, so it sucks to hear he probably didn't get see it through how it was envisioned

[UltimateTy]

This Week

Sandman (29-37 & Special) - The best arc so far. I loved it and the special was also great

Monstress TPB (1-6) - This is the best new image book I've read in a long time. I'm not into Manga but I like anime and it kinda reminded me of that.

Total = 153

[docgru]

2017 Week 06

Son of Satan Classic (25 issues)

Total for the week: 25
Total for the year: 155

[Lindsey]

I'm joining with a goal of at least 1200 comics by the end of the year. I'm behind badly right now but things seem to be evening out in life so I'm reading more.

Spider-Man: Blue 1-6: I really enjoyed this take on Peter's relationship with both Gwen and MJ. It was emotional without getting hokey and struck all the right nostalgic notes without being just a straight up rehash of tales from the past.

Animosity 1- 4 and Animosity The Rise: A fast moving tale of a young girl and her loyal dog trying to survive in a world where animals have "woken up" and can now talk and reason just like humans. Only 4 issues and a special in and I'm hooked.

Punisher Return to Big Nothing: Frank goes against a ghost from his past in form of someone he served with in Vietnam. An enjoyable but most paint by number Punisher tale.

I'm counting the Punisher Graphic Novel as 2 issues since it's 64? pages without ads.

Yearly total so far: 13

[TomSlick]

Detective 947-949
The Unwritten OHC
Frankenstein: Agent of Shade (both tpbs)
Infamous Iron Man 1-4
Guardians of the Galaxy omnibus: 48

Total: 80
TWD 161-163
Moon Knight 9-11
Old Man Logan 15-17
Action Comics 970-972
Star Wars 26-28
Daredevil 14-16
one third of the Incal (four issues)
Total: 25

Overall total: 105

Detective 950 (1)
Wolverine by Greg Rucka Ultimate Collection (19)
Wolverine by Jason Aaron Complete Collection Vol. 3 (17)
Wolverine by Jason Aaron Complete Collection Vol. 4 (16)
Wolverine/Sabretooth by Jeph Loeb (10)
Total: 63

Overall total: 168

Currently 400 pages into the Alpha Flight omnibus but I'll hold off the count until I complete it.

[Mormegil]

Tales of the Fear Agent. 5 issues

Chrononauts #1-4. 4 issues

Tales of Asgard. 50 pages, 97-106. 2 issues

Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #6-20. 15 issues
Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1. 1 issue


Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Vol. 1- Activation. 15 issues

Thanos Cosmic Powers #1-3. 3 issues


New Total: 162


This has been my favorite week yet for material that I've enjoyed. I have to admit, I'm not very big Spider-Man fan. I still like the character but he's not in my top 5. This silver age material is really good. It has a lot more character development than most other SA titles. This and Fantastic Four are tied for my favorite for this era so far.

I've had Spider-Man #6 sitting in my MU library for almost a year and a half. I decided to read one issue and it snowballed from there.

Chrononauts was fun, but a little short for what it is. I've seen people compare it to a summer blockbuster movie and i think that fits perfectly.

Early SA Thor has been hard for me to get into, but the Tales of Asgard series is great. Kirby's artwork really shines here.

The big his this week is Gundam: the Origin. I took my time reading this book and really soaked up the artwork and characters. I LOVED it. I have the next five volumes ordered and they will hopefully be in this week. If they don't show up this week I might have to reread the first one.


Thanos Cosmic Powers is a little wonky. I haven't finished it yet, but the premise is that Thanos is bored and is itching for a challenge. I guess he's trying to find meaning after all that has happened in the Infinity Trilogy.

If Thanos is so powerful, and bored, then why didn't he go grab that Oracle robot guy himself in secret defenders? Why did go through the trouble to capture 5 other villains and make them to take it?

I've read very little 90s comics so this its kind of neat being able to take in that style for the first time. But the way humanoids are drawn. That beefy Super Skrull in Secret Defenders and oddly the shaped women...

[Mr`Orange]

Moriarty : Endgame. 1 issue (just about). An interesting take on the dynamic and an interesting locale. Set in a future London with enough hints about the opponent and world to set the basis for another series.

Witch doctors - volume one 5 issues. What an absolutely fantastic read, the lead character is nuts, and so much fun, the world he lives in and the people he interacts with makes this a series I'm intent on following till its end.

The Dregs - 1 issue nice art boring writing. Good build.

The Superior Spider-Man - 35 issues. This felt like a lite version of Hickman's FF/Fantastic Four, a long thought, planned well in advance story. Though it doesn't have the nuance or style of a Hickman book it was still a fantastic read. Great art through out too. It was the first long form Spider-Man book I've read and it makes me want to go back and read more of Slott's work (suggestions welcome).

India dreams - way of the mist - 3 issues. Another beautiful European book, interesting story and as always it has beautiful art.

Milo Manara Library - Volume 2 - 10 Issues. Loved the first part of the book not so much the second. Over all still a great series and really looking forward to reading more of it.



This week: 55
Total: 187

[Balakin]

The big his this week is Gundam: the Origin. I took my time reading this book and really soaked up the artwork and characters. I LOVED it. I have the next five volumes ordered and they will hopefully be in this week. If they don't show up this week I might have to reread the first one.

ah so glad you are into it! Next thing you notice is you are in the middle of building a gunpla And don't say "no I would never" until you try it. I was never ever a model builder but I love putting together these high grade kits and MSG origins gave me the motivation to start it.
Also the art! Reading other manga made me appreciate it even more how effortless the art in Origin is.

gundams.jpg