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The 2nd Annual DVDTalk TBD Comic Book Challenge - April 2016

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The 2nd Annual DVDTalk TBD Comic Book Challenge - April 2016

Old 03-31-16, 10:06 AM
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The 2nd Annual DVDTalk TBD Comic Book Challenge - April 2016

DC Trinity Challenge


What's a Comic Book Challenge?

- monthly threads to encourage more reading and discussion
- a way to figure out "what do I read next?"
- motivation to try different genres
- motivation to keep reading and make progress on our unread piles
- a place to get recommendations

How does it work?

- we pick a genre (or company, or title, or whatever) for a month
- we post in this thread and talk about what we plan to read and read throughout the month
- you could keep a spoilered list in one post and update it all month, or post as you read
- in theory the lists could be kept in a separate thread to allow for fancier formatting while avoiding clutter

What makes it a "challenge"?

- well, unofficially, the goal is to read 100 comics a month, but that isn't stressed
- the group discussion will challenge and encourage you to read more (the main goal of most participants I imagine)

Who can participate?

- anyone and everyone!
- you don't have to list your reading or even post at all to participate, but what's the fun in that?
- quasi-technically, anyone on the planet who reads a qualifying book for the month is a participant, whether they know it or not

When does it start and end?

- it begins at dusk on March 31st, and ends at dawn on May 1st
- this bonus time allows for possible "double counting" cross-Challenge content
- content eligible for both Challenges has the bonus of being able to be counted for all 24 hours of the last/first days of both Challenges

How does counting work?
- as with every other 'rule', we're pretty liberal and you can count any way you want really
- in general, a comic book counts as one
- for graphic novels and oversize books, feel free to count one for every twenty pages

Who wins?

- there are no losers, the person who reads one page a month is equal to the person who reads 20 books a day

What is the schedule?

January - TV/Movie/Book
February - Eisner/Harvey/Etc Winners
March - Rotating Company
April - TBD (random idea every year)
May - Make-Your-Own
June - Reality
July - Science Fiction
August - Fantasy
September - Outside-Your-Comfort-Zone
October - Horror
November - Comedy
December - Holiday (w/ bonus Thanksgiving and New Year's time)


Don't forget about the possibility of comics counting for both Challenges during those dusk to dawn hours at the end/beginning of each month.

From last month's thread: Last year, for TBD month, we did Avengers to counterbalance the March of DC and to coincide with the opening of the second Avengers film. I'm not positive of the timing on the Batman vs Superman movie release, but perhaps we could mirror last year and do Batman/Superman this year? Adding one month later: Yes, we'll do that in light of no other ideas. Any book containing Superman, Batman, or Wonder Woman, even in parody form by other publishers, is eligible for this April Challenge.
Old 03-31-16, 12:39 PM
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Re: The 2nd Annual DVDTalk TBD Comic Book Challenge - April 2016

April 29-30
Batmanga vol 3 9-15

Total books read: 57


Spoiler:

April 2:Batman 15-17. I can't remember the last issue of this series that I read, so I'm jumping back in here. Also, Batman Haunted Knight 1

April 3
Batman 18
Batman: Haunted Knight 2-3

April 4
Batman: Haunted Knight 4-7

April 5
Batmanga Vol. 2 1-2

April 6-7
Batmanga Vol. 2 3-7

April 8-9
Batmanga Vol. 2 8
Batman 18-21

April 12
Batman 22-23, 23.2, 24 (counting it as 2 issues)

April 13
Batman 25

April 14-17
Batmanga 9-16

April 22
Batman 26-28

April 25
Batmanga Vol. 3 1-3

April 27
Batmanga Vol. 3 4-5

April 28
Batman 29 (counting this as 2 issues)
Batmanga vol 3 6-8

Last edited by majorjoe23; 04-30-16 at 11:47 PM.
Old 03-31-16, 12:52 PM
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Re: The 2nd Annual DVDTalk TBD Comic Book Challenge - April 2016



4/9
Justice League 107-124, 128-29 (Showcase Presents Justice League vol. 6)

4/16
Batman 229-236, Detective Comics 408-416 (Showcase Presents Batman vol. 6)

I hope to get into my WW omnibus, but expect to first read the JLA showcase I recently got on sale. I believe it's the era I read in floppy but I haven't flipped through it yet to preserve the surprise.




Last edited by davidh777; 05-12-16 at 10:08 PM.
Old 03-31-16, 03:19 PM
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Re: The 2nd Annual DVDTalk TBD Comic Book Challenge - April 2016

While my tiny collection is sadly lacking any Wonder Woman, I do have some new Batman and Superman acquisitions that I have been itching to start into. I think I will start with the Dark Knight Saga.
Old 04-12-16, 11:33 AM
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Re: The 2nd Annual DVDTalk TBD Comic Book Challenge - April 2016

Finished up The Dark Knight Returns yesterday, and went to see Batman v Superman last night. It was definitely neat seeing elements that I had jsut read, featuring so prominently on the big screen.
Old 04-12-16, 12:14 PM
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Re: The 2nd Annual DVDTalk TBD Comic Book Challenge - April 2016

Finally read Trinity by Matt Wagner. It was the three issue mini series, not the similarly named 52 issue weekly series from a few years later (if I'm remembering that correctly, have never seen an issue). Great stuff, looking for more Wagner to read that qualifies now.

Edit to add list much later:
Trinity 1-3
Batman (2011) 1-7
Man of Steel 1-6
Superman vs Wonder Woman treasury
treasury

Last edited by Trevor; 06-05-16 at 09:44 PM.
Old 04-12-16, 08:42 PM
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Re: The 2nd Annual DVDTalk TBD Comic Book Challenge - April 2016

I vaguely remember reading that Trinity mini-series by Wagner years ago. It didn't make much of an impression on me.
Old 04-12-16, 09:32 PM
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Re: The 2nd Annual DVDTalk TBD Comic Book Challenge - April 2016

My copy of it (hardcover) repeated 30-some pages in the middle of the book. It made for a weird reading experience, but I don't think any pages were missing.
Old 04-21-16, 04:11 PM
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Re: The 2nd Annual DVDTalk TBD Comic Book Challenge - April 2016

So I recenlty finished the second half of The Dark Knight Saga. The Dark Knight Strikes Again was a little bit of a disappointment. I liked seeing some other heroes besides Batman and Superman, but the story just didn't click for me the same way that The Dark Knight Returns did. I also found the artwork a bit distracting in it's "weirdness". Don't get me wrong, there were definitely some really cool panels in there, but overall I was left feeling kind of "meh" about the whole thing. Feel freem to tell me I'm wrong, but I kind of liked Carrie as Robin and didn't really care for her as Catgirl. I dug the reveal of the shapeshifting villain, but felt that it was all tied up too quickly.

Up next I am thinking I am going to read some of the stories by Alan Moore that qualify for this months challenge. Really looking forward to reading The Killing Joke and Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?.

Last edited by jjcool; 04-21-16 at 04:25 PM.
Old 04-21-16, 10:01 PM
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Re: The 2nd Annual DVDTalk TBD Comic Book Challenge - April 2016

I think most people found The Dark Knight Strikes Again a complete disappointment.
Old 04-22-16, 01:17 PM
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Re: The 2nd Annual DVDTalk TBD Comic Book Challenge - April 2016

There are only two parts to Miller's Dark Knight series, Year One and The Dark Knight Returns. Any other stories were the product of a failed cloning experiment or something.
Old 04-22-16, 04:04 PM
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Re: The 2nd Annual DVDTalk TBD Comic Book Challenge - April 2016

Originally Posted by PhantomStranger
I think most people found The Dark Knight Strikes Again a complete disappointment.
I can definitely see why.

Originally Posted by majorjoe23
There are only two parts to Miller's Dark Knight series, Year One and The Dark Knight Returns. Any other stories were the product of a failed cloning experiment or something.
I would have preferred that The Dark Knight Saga Deluxe Edition hardcover book that came out earlier this year had contained Year One and The Dark Knight Returns that's for sure. Hopefully the planned sequels will be more in the vein of Year One and TDKR than Strikes again.

On a good note I started The Killing Joke last night. Coming off of Strikes Again, it is refreshing to go back to a more traditional Batman in terms of art style. I definitely see shades of Nicholson's Joker in the Joker in this story. I must say that I find the dialogue here much more to my liking than the dialogue in Strikes Again. I got up to the point that the Joker shows up at Gordons home. I did peek ahead a little bit so I am expecting something bad to happen, but I haven't gotten there just yet.
Old 04-30-16, 10:23 PM
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Re: The 2nd Annual DVDTalk TBD Comic Book Challenge - April 2016

As usual, didn't read nearly as much as planned, but I did have fun breaking out some old DC treasurys and reading books with nary a squint!

Maybe I'll post some pics later, I've been on a minor ebay kick and have picked up some digests and treasuries.

The thread for May is up.
http://forum.dvdtalk.com/comic-book-...ay-2016-a.html
Old 05-01-16, 04:13 PM
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Re: The 2nd Annual DVDTalk TBD Comic Book Challenge - April 2016

Was finally able to get some time to read some more last night. Finished up The Killing Joke, For the Man Who Has Everything, and Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow.
Old 05-02-16, 08:34 PM
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Re: The 2nd Annual DVDTalk TBD Comic Book Challenge - April 2016

Originally Posted by jjcool
Was finally able to get some time to read some more last night. Finished up The Killing Joke, For the Man Who Has Everything, and Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow.
Great choices. I haven't read Joke since it was released, but the other two are frequent re-reads and perhaps my two favorite Superman stories.
Old 05-03-16, 10:54 AM
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Re: The 2nd Annual DVDTalk TBD Comic Book Challenge - April 2016

Originally Posted by Trevor
Great choices. I haven't read Joke since it was released, but the other two are frequent re-reads and perhaps my two favorite Superman stories.
I had been meaning to read them for a while now. With the trailer for The Killing Joke being released, that was the final push I needed. I must say that I really enjoy Alan Moore's writing. It seems to be, for want of a better phrase, more geared to the adult reader. Between the phrasing, the word choice, and the overall plot and theme of the stories, they just seem more "adult" than some other superhero stories I have read.

The Killing Joke, I had never read before. I had heard a lot about it but had never actually read it. I definitely found it to be more of a Joker story than a Batman story. I could see lots of commonality to the Joker from the first Burton Batman film. I enjoyed the story, disturbing as it was, and look forward to see what they come up with for the film.

For the Man Who Has Everything, I had never read before. I must admit that I found about this story after watching the Supergirl episode. I remember thinking "what a great idea for a story". As I have mentioned before here, I am a big fan of "what if?" style stories. Here we got a glimpse into "What if Krypton didnt blow up?" and "What if Superman grew up on Krypton and had a family of his own there?". I found all that very intriguing. It also shows how strong Superman actually is. On top of that, it lets us know that Superman does celebrate his birthday.

Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?, I had never read before. Despite the twist that has become, by now cliche, I didn't see it coming. This story held my attention the whole way through. Seeing all these classic villains, was great. Seeing them actually attack at the same time answered a long held frustration of mine with comics and film and tv in general. Why don't the bad guys attack en masse rather than one at a time? The ending of the story left me a bit bittersweet. Happy that Superman is living the life that he wants, but sad that he is no longer out there protecting us.

I can definitely see why these stories hold such esteem for may people.
Old 05-12-16, 10:22 PM
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Re: The 2nd Annual DVDTalk TBD Comic Book Challenge - April 2016

I finally updated my list post with the titles I read on vacation last month. As I mentioned, Justice League Showcase 6 was the era I read in floppy as a kid, and I'm sure I haven't read any of these issues since, other than the JSA crossovers. The bizarre thing was that the stories were your regular split-the-team-up-and-fight-enemies-in-distant-locales fare, but the endings were just bizarre mumbo-jumbo. "Yes, I knew we couldn't get through his force field so I ran in an equidistant hexagon pattern in order to reverse the polarity and make it implode on him!" Also odd was that this must have been where I stopped reading Justice League because issues 107-124 were all familiar to me, then I apparently skipped a few and returned for the Wonder Woman-centric issue 128, which ended in a cliffhanger and I never read the subsequent issue! So now I've read it, and can have resolution 30 years later.

One side benefit is that I discovered a JLA Christmas story that I remembered and can read again for the holiday challenge.



I also picked up the recent Batman Showcase 6, which seems to be a pretty rare Showcase release these days. It's Batman and Detective issues from 1971 and on, all dark and moody stuff with pencils by Neal Adams, Bob Brown, and Irv Novick--much better suited to the black-and-white format than Justice League. And mostly mood stories with few supervillains (a little Two Face, some Ra's Al-Ghul). This volume is almost 600 pages, and I got a little tired of it while binge-reading on the plane so I had to switch to something else, but it was still a good read.


Last edited by davidh777; 05-13-16 at 01:12 AM.

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