Finally got around to ASBR #3 last night. It wasn't as nearly gawdawful as #2 was, but it was still pretty bad.

I'm also working my way through Fallen Angel and finished issue 8 last night. A series that just keeps getting better. I paged through Volume 2 #1 and thought the art took a pretty big leap in quality. Has anyone read V2 #1 yet?

Chew, I have it in my DCBS order, but damn it, DHL hasn't delivered it yet because they need a signature. ARGH!

Has anyone here recently tried to cut back on the number of books they read? I'm finding it very difficult to cut books since I'm enjoying them all. If anyone has tips, I'd love to hear how you chose which books to stop buying.

I just try not to think about it too much when I order. Just pull the trigger and stick with it. I made a decision to get more DC than Marvel and I cut the Marvels down by quite a bit. Pretty much no more X MEN except Deady Genesis and Astonishing right now. Dropped Fantastic Four and All Ultimate Titles except Ultimates. I found lots of places to cut. Itwill always be around if I want to catch up.

I'm trying to cut back right now. I think my system is working pretty well actually: what titles usually end up on the bottom of the "to read" pile? I tend to always read what I feel most interested in of what's left and there's several titles that are always at the bottom.

I just have to decide what the cutoff point is for the pile. :)

There was a free DVD of an episode included with the SMALLVILLE Season 4 box set - and based on that, no, it doesn't quite hold up as well as I remember it. Chalk it up to TV production values of the time - this is a show that's 16 years old, after all. But screw it, I'm buying it all the same - as I'm still quite happy it's coming out at all!

See, that's weird. I almost always save the best for last.

But the problem with ordering in advance is that you're not sure if the issues between what you've read and what you've ordered will be any good. That makes me hesitate on those middle of the road books.

Whenever I wanted to cut back, I just stopped buying them for two months and went back to those I really felt I wanted to read what happened. It was easier back then though as the local shop always had a couple issues of the previous month or two on the shelf. I don't know what most shops do these days as its been a while since I've bought one at a shop.

Thanks for the feedback in DCBS. I will probably order some trades this weekend. I am not much into the monthly stuff anymore. I would reather wait for the trades.

I know that Infinate Crises is hot right now. Could someone please suggest the proper order of reading the whole story line, including the pre-crisis stuff? Thanks in advance

I just read IC #3 and I don't really know what to say. It's not that great. I think there's too much going on. Or maybe I'm missing somethings because I haven't read all of the crossovers. Either way, this issue was mediocre. I liked some of it, but too much was beyond me.


I also read Catwoman #50. I really like this book. And I'm very interested to see where they plan to take the character OYL. I'm in for a few more months at least.

yeah, i got mine too and was confused. i haven't read all the crossovers so that might be part of it. reading the first few pages made me feel like i had missed a couple of issues.

I'm going to wait to read infinite crisis all at once. DC should do a compendium of the original Crisis crossover issues. It makes a lot more sense...

Hmm, that's too bad. But the costume still rocks.

I read the third issue in my copy of Absolute Crisis and I'm not sure oversizing is really helping here. There's nothing wrong with the Perez art, but something strikes me about the coloring. Maybe the paper it's printed on just doesn't do much for it? I don't know, I can't put my finger on it. I almost think the printing of the tpb collection looks sharper.

On the other hand, the second volume is almost worth the price of admission right there!

Chew, I read some reviews that said the previous HC had better coloring. But you're right, the reason to buy that would be the supplemental stuff. What are your thoughts on the current Crisis series? Did you catch everything that's happening?

I'm enjoying the series quite a bit so far, but think I'll reserve overall judgement until the series is over. As for catching everything: that'd be a big "no". I'm almost caught up on the pre-Crisis minis, but there's still plenty of individual issues out there I've missed.

You know, I think it's the current crossovers that are making me lack understanding. There are like 10 storylines going on in the mini, and I'm only following a few of 'em. Like Kevin said, it's as if I missed an issue....like I'm reading every other one or something.

To me it's looking like Firestorm is really essential to IC. It's pretty much the only place where we are seeing Donna Troy's group in space. It's not really clear in IC what they are doing yet. The latest Wonder Woman just pretty much retold in longer form what went on in IC #3. That was pretty lame.

I can identify with this. There is SO much happening, you have to be a DC die hard life long fan who's reading EVERYTHING to really appreciate the whole story. As it stands I'm along for the ride, but really trying to make sense of things (in the greater scheme) where I can. This isn't DC's fault, but more my lack of a knowledge of DC history or desire to read some of the mini's that lead into IC. They have done a good job of bringin people up to speed on the main issues though I think.

I could wish for a more contained cross-over, but that wouldn't make any sense with the scope of what they're trying to do now.

Does anyone know how long Judd Winnick is staying on Batman? I imagine he's going to change books after OYL.

We can hope. I know James Robinson is on for 4 issues of Batman and 4 issues of Detective OYL sort of like Johns is doing on Superman and Action.

Bored, I think Winnick is good to go through #650. For the OYL story, there's a new writer. Robinson I believe.

What are your thoughts on the current Red Hood storyline? I think it's decent, but it's taking a long time to get where ever it's going. I like the idea of a showdown between Hood and Joker.

Oh, yeah, is anyone reading Red Sonja? I'm curious if it's worth picking up the upcoming HC.

It is taking a long time to get to the final point yeah, but I'm really enjoying it. Only one issue felt like striaght up filler to me, issue 647, but even that was fun to read. I think the one thing that's hurting the story for me is I just don't buy it. I keep waiting for the twist, y'know? The other shoe to drop. It also doesn't help that they said they didn't plan on explaining how Granted, that was said when the story started, and if by that they meant not in the first issue, but in these last two -- I'll be cool with that. I don't get that impression though.

This is the first stuff of Winnick's I've read and it's really clicked with me. It seems to be popular to dislike the guy (I always see the argument that his books always deal with aids and gay folk), but his stuff seems good enough to me. His style isn't one that is strong enough to make me go hunt down his other books (like I did with Kirkman), but I don't get where all the hate is coming from.

I totally agree. Not knowing if Hood is who we're led to believe he is, makes it both good and bad for me. Reading it as if I know the truth is a great story. But throwing in that "what if" scenerio sort of ruins it a bit. If he is who we think he is, it opens up so many conflicts for Batman. Does he hunt down Red Hood or not. That's great.

I think the upcoming annual will answer the question of who he is. But I'm looking forward to the showdown with Joker. I only wish Batman were willing to kill, or at least let others be killed. It'd make the story stronger if some main character like the Joker could die.

I was just saw Chew over at the Battlestar Galactica thread in TV. Anyone else want a comic of this series? Or do you think the shows continuity is too tight for it to work. I'd even like one showing the original cylon conflict.

Have you read that Titans/Young Justice miniseries that kickstarted Outsiders and Teen Titans? The one where Donna gets killed? That was terrible.

And of course it's DC's fault that the crossover is so confusing: they want you to buy it all up. Everything. Which is what crossovers are for, right?

I think it can work. I would love to see an entire series strictly based on the original conflict. We can still have a few of the main characters showing up and it's a good way to fill in the backstory.