Titles from last week:

Runaways 21 - finally the latest story arc concludes. This might serve as a good jumping-off point for this reader as the cast isn't doing it for me anymore.

Wildcats 1 - decent relaunch effort by Morrison and Lee. It's too bad the title might end up being a bimonthly book, something I don't think breeds long-term success or a loyal following.

This week's haul:

Jack of Fables 4 - pretty entertaining look at Jack's plan to escape his current situation, and it involves having so many other fables getting while the getting is good (escape-wise).

Uncle Sam 4 - this issue was sort of violent and Phantom Lady finally learns the truth about her dad, and the story is all over the map. If this were an ongoing title, I'd probably drop it, but I'm half-way there for this 8-issue series.

52 Week 25 - this week's installment makes me think the concept is running out of steam and we're just half-way there. Ralph's subplot was probably the only interesting bit in the issue this week.

Planetary 26 - the finale to an interesting ride by Ellis and Cassaday. I'm going to have to set aside a couple of days and re-read the whole she-bang because I know I've forgotten some details that would make this issue a bit more meaningful. One more aftermath issue to look forward to, perhaps by early in 2007.

Justice 8 - I'm having fun reading this 12-issue maxi-series, and can't wait to re-read it when the 12th issue comes out next year.

Action 844 - Richard Donner and Geoff Johns are up to the plate for the writing chores on this title, and from the looks of it, they are setting up the introduction of what could be another Kryptonian youngster who literally falls out of the sky (or perhaps hyperspace) and into Clark and Lois's household. I look forward to see where they are going with this storyline.

Both of these scream to be reread all in one (or three) sittings. I read the first 2 issues of Justice, but the space between issues was just too great. I'll certainly snag the collected edition once that hits the market.

Do you think now is the time to reread Planetary or should I wait until teh last last issue comes out...whenever that is?

You know the old joke about "If God had intended us to be vegetarians, he wouldn't have made animals taste so good"? If trades are killing the industry, why do they make them so convenient and so economical? Do they hope people are going to buy single issues AND the trade?

Like many others, I'm almost all trades. I buy a lot of older stuff then branch out into newer stuff. I wouldn't be collecting much at all if not for trades.

Planetary is pretty much done. The last issue is an epilogue of sorts. Although their timing sucks because the Wildstorm universe was just rebooted. The last issue isn't even solicited yet and my LCS said it wasn't going to come out for at least 6 months. So yeah, read 'em!

Anybody else reading The Boys?

The way I see it, I'm the customer. I love comics, but I'm not going to "save the industry" by buying something I don't want. The comic companies need to find a way to get me the stories I want in the format I want. I see nothing wrong with that.

I just spent $80 on a hardcover collection for God's sake. How is that killing industry?

I do think, however, that the new model might make it more difficult for the new guy to get into comics, but I even think that'll change soon enough as graphic novels get more of a foothold in chain bookstores.

I finally read ORIGIN last night (the new HC collection, of course). I was surprised at how good it was. And they didn't ruin the Wolverine character at all. Great stuff.

Yeah. Considering how much bad press it got before it came out. It was a great story becuase it doesn't just tell you his origin (which has almost NOTHING to do with the modern character), it tells you WHY he acts the way he does.

Hell, yeah, absolutely love it so far. Would probably be my favorite new comic of 2006 if it wasn't for Wasteland, which I seem to be the only person reading that here

Antony Johnston is bloody brilliant. And a cool guy too. I know you won't like to hear this, but I will buy this...once it's in trade format.

i read the first couple of issues of the boys and liked it. waiting for the eventual trade though.

I read most indy/small-time press comics in trade as well. My LCS has been really bad about filling my order (mostly because of errors with Diamond), so it really sucks to miss an issue and then have to pick up a trade anyway. Regardless, it's good to see you posting again. Soon i'll be writing for Sequart. Anyway, i'm sure you liked the past year:

- A better writer on Daredevil

- BKV wins again with The Escapist and Pride of Baghdad

- All Star Batman won't see another issue until March 2007

- All Star Superman and Justice on time. And spectacular.

- New writer finally on Ultimate Spider-man

Who is the new writer?

<fingers crossed> please let it be kirkman </fingers crossed>

Actually, NM. I thought I read somewhere that they're changing up the creative team totally. It's actually just Mark Bagley that's leaving - and Stuart Immomen is taking his place.

That's awesome. There is so much information on that site that it's a little overwhelming, but it's a great resource.

What topics will you be covering if you can disclose that?

My first article is an in depth analysis on the Ultimate universe. I'll be covering all comic topics. You probably won't be seeing it for a while - they want a queue of completed articles first.

Yeah, that breaks my heart not only as a true comic book fan, but someone who really tries to support quality non-Marvel/DC comics. I just don't get it, if the books is good, don't you want to support it? Most comic book stores offer a discount program that makes it even cheaper than waiting for the trade, if it is a money issue.

Also, I really, really think people should suppport books like wasteland even more so if it is a money reason. It really gives you your money's worth. Each issue has a couple of pages of prose story, that give you history & backstory, which I love, and hopefully won't be collected in the trade.

Just my opinion, but I think if your store is blaming things on Diamond, they are lying to cover themselves. I've been dealing with Diamond for 11 years, from a small store to a much larger one & they rarely screw up or allocate orders on indie books, & if a book doesn't ship on time, it isn't Diamond's fault it's the publisher. I think your store probably just doesn't want to order indie books & get stuck with them.



You have no idea, to me it is the truest example of how Bendis is the shittiest writer in all of comics. I swear something about the way he patterns his pointless phrasing actually brainwashes the people that read his tripe into thinking he is a tells good stories. Brubaker has been brilliant on DD, his first 2 issues alone contain more vital foward story, than Bendis did in his 2+ years on the book. Bru is just amazing. However I have to admit his Uncanny run sucks, but I think it's mostly b/c I've must lost all interest in the X-books.

While I love BKV, its' ironic, I never cared for the Escapist nor have any interest in Baghdad[/b]

Too soon IMO. Can't stand the book, never been a big Lee fan & think the story sucks. Plus books that late, annoy me that people still want to support them.

I am a bit of a hypocrite here, b/c I'll wait 10 years b/w issues just too get anything Quitely does. Justice I couldn't care less about, I can't stand Alex Ross or his art.

Don't read any Ultimate book, nor will I ever, & spidey is my least favorite character of all time.

However there has been a LOT of great things in 2006. Most recently the final & brilliant issue of Seven Soldiers. A ton of great new series Wasteland, Ant-Man, The Boys, Criminal(the 2nd issue of which is much better than the 1st), The Damned, Shadowpact & Checkmate I think are just awesome & so severely overlooked. I worry about both being cancelled. Checkmante is just like Queen & Country but with DC characters, a real unique book IMO. The Exterminators damn this book is all kinds of awesome, peope NEED to read this.

I'm actualy really diggin' both new Star Wars series. Legacy & Knights of the Old Republic. I really think they are too very overlooked comics b/c everyone lumps them in with pointless Star Wars stories, but both really stand as good sci-fi storytelling. Especially KOTOR.

The Bat-books are great, I haven't been disspointed at all, although I know a lot of people are. Same with 52, I think it's been awesome, but I know a lot find it boring.

Honestly, it's just my prefered way of reading. I often found myself saving 4-6 issues of a series before I read any of them anyway, but having the books on my shelf just makes it easier to pick up and enjoy. Don't get me wrong, I do often ponder whether or not I "should" support the little guy, but at the end of the day, I just want my stories in one lump.

Call it a stretch, but you can always just keep them together & then just read 4-6 issues all at once. That is what I do with Fables, Y, & a few other books. Plus I doubt anyone here is like me, I get about 80 different monthly titles, so I just fall behind & do just what you say, I read them in story arcs. I totally get if one wants a great arc in TPB, so they can just pull it off their shelves to read. But books like Wasteland, Exterminators etc ,NEED to be supported in their monthly formats. Plus, you can always just ebay fulls runs, should they day come where you need to purge & get some good money back, I do it all the time. you can't do that with trades.

I believe I've read everything from the current continuity of the Ultimate Universe (Ultimate Team-Up wasn't considered to be cannon last I knew), so if you'd like opinions of other readers on what they've don so far, I'd love to contribute.

I agree with all this. I love Shadowpact and Checkmate but I'm also afraid they'll end up on the chopping block soon. If the average comic reader is like some here on dvdtalk then I know they're not reading those titles. Anyway, the one I like always get cancelled.

I've also been buying The Exterminators issues since #1 but I haven't started reading the issues yet. I will often save issues for some series so I can read a few in one sitting instead of one issue at a time. Either way I'll be reading The Exterminators soon.

I was thinking that too - but it's still annoying. I want to support the writers regardless.

It's hard for anyone these days to be a good writer for X-men books. I mean even when Morrison was on New X-men it was fantastic but still watered down - and weighed down by the glut of bad x-men books on stands. If you see my article of Sequart you'll probably agree with me when I start talking about the X-men books, and how they've really helped destroy the creative energy in the comics industry as a whole.

Bendis is a hard issue for me because I remember a time when I couldn't go without reading Powers. And as much as I hate Bill Jemas his contributions to Ultimate Spidey really helped the book out in the beginning. I think nowadays he's writing the wrong kinds of books and writes way too much.

They're both great books and he's probably going to win another Eisner (for best miniseries and best OGN).

I honestly DO NOT know why Lee cannot stay monthly on a schedule. From what i've read he no longer handles major publishing duties for Wildstorm...so why the constant delays?

I find Alex Ross' art pretentious and repetitive. But I love this book. Love it love it love it. More proof that DC's Silver Age should have never ended.

Don't blame you for not reading the Ultimate books.

Spidey...sucks? blasphemy. Spidey is simply the most mediocre character in comics today.

I read the 7 Soldiers from the beginning but dropped it midway through. The publishing schedule was too hard to follow but the books themselves were brilliant. Brilliant. The Batman books should always be this good. That issue of Batman where he clashed Pop Art styles with the comic itself - brilliant writing.

What issue is that? Are you talking about an issue of solo??

That was the second part of "Batman and Son" by Grant Morrison. You know, how he blended actions in the foreground with the pop art in the backgrounds? it was a great issue with TONS of energy. It's hard to get excited about comics nowadays - even big bang actions fiestas like Ultimates seem really repetitive and predictable.