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 the last day of previous month, and ends at dawn on the first day of the next month
- 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)

Sorry about the late thread start. I see that I started last year's late as well, maybe I'm allergic to June. Actually, it's more true to say I'm allergic to reality.

June 13
Archie FCBD
March FCBD
BUILDING Stories (10 issues)

Total read: 25

Maybe I can finish the first TPB of the Waid Archie.

6/10
1. Mark Waid Archie #3

Was going to ask what constitued "Reality" but that seems to sum it up. I had been making my way through The Walking Dead last month, but I guess that title doesn't really fit into the "reality" category. Looking at my list, I think I will start reading DMZ this month. Got the first two trades off ebay for super cheap.

Congrats davidh777 on 30,000 posts, by the way.

Thanks! I didn't even notice!

My spot, still no clue what I'll read that'll qualify.

a few old Archie comics
Will Eisner's fantastic graphic novel A Contract With God

Out of all the Hernandez Bros books I have tried to read, The Love Bunglers stands out as one that hooked me almost immediately. No sci-fi or fantasy in this one, just adult sadness of the Adrian Tomine variety.

Highly recommended.

Only thing I think qualifies for me is DMZ. Read the first trade and am halfway through the second. Have the second and third deluxe hardcovers en route. I can honestly say that I am hooked. I am enjoying the story immensely and really like that it is taking place in NYC. A city that I know pretty well. What I don't like about the trades is the paper they are printed on. Its that matte newspaper type paper. maybe I ma just used to the glossy paper that I have seen in other trades and hardcovers. I hope the deluxe hardcovers have different paper though.

Pretty non-compliant month for me. I read some old Archie stories early in the month, and plan on reading Eisner's A Contract With God tonight.

But the real reason for this bump is to say that I'm remembering to start the next Challenge thread on time this month, it should be up soon.

Not sure if there is anything that'll qualify for cross-Challenge double credit this time. Reality and Sci-Fi are pretty much opposites.

I'm hoping to finish Building Stories tonight. I got distracted reading The Girl with All the Gifts, a novel by Lucifer writer Mike Carey. There's a movie version coming out in the fall that looks pretty good.