The 4th Annual DVDTalk Make-Your-Own Comic Book Challenge - May 2018
 

Make-Your-Own 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 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)

Want a personal checklist to help you pick stuff to read?

Obviously you'll want to edit the below spoilered example checklist to fit your needs.

Re: The 4th Annual DVDTalk Make-Your-Own Comic Book Challenge - May 2018
 

First three years for ideas:

http://forum.dvdtalk.com/comic-book-...ay-2015-a.html

http://forum.dvdtalk.com/comic-book-...ay-2016-a.html

https://forum.dvdtalk.com/comic-book...ay-2017-a.html

Re: The 4th Annual DVDTalk Make-Your-Own Comic Book Challenge - May 2018
 

Don't know for sure, but I might do a Transformers and GI Joe Challenge.

Re: The 4th Annual DVDTalk Make-Your-Own Comic Book Challenge - May 2018
 

I realized I have a lot of random Wallace Wood titles so I think I'm going to try that.

1. Cannon
2. Shattuck
3. Thunder Agents classic vol. 3

Re: The 4th Annual DVDTalk Make-Your-Own Comic Book Challenge - May 2018
 

I think I’ll start joinging you guys on these now that I’m back into reading. I’ll call mine an X-Men challenge, since I’m doing that anyway. When I got Marvel Unlimited, I spent some time trying to figure out where to start. I knew I wanted to check out All-New X-Men where the original 5 are brought forward into the present. But when I started this I quickly realized I was missing a lot of back-story on Cyclops. So, I back-tracked and researched until settling on Schism as my starting point. Now I’ve worked my way through events like Original Sin, about to start Death of Wolverine, and looks like Secret Wars is not far away.
Kinda crazy that there’s 6 or 7 X- titles running simultaneously at times. I didn’t realize Marvel had diluted things so bad until I started this. Right now my library has X-Men, Uncanny X-Men, Wolverine & The X-Men, All-New X-Factor, along with indivual series for Cyclops, Wolverine, and Magneto. I stopped reading the X-Force title that started up when Uncanny X-Force and Cable & The X-Force ended. Too much focus on Fantomex, a character I don’t really like or care about.
Ok, I guess I rambled a bit here. :lol:

Re: The 4th Annual DVDTalk Make-Your-Own Comic Book Challenge - May 2018
 

Keeping up with the X-Men is like a full-time job. Marvel went crazy on expanding their mutant empire.

Re: The 4th Annual DVDTalk Make-Your-Own Comic Book Challenge - May 2018
 

I think I’ll do an Unread Alphabetical Challenge. I’ll find something in my unread stacks starting with the letter A for the first of May, and try to post my thoughts daily.

Re: The 4th Annual DVDTalk Make-Your-Own Comic Book Challenge - May 2018
 

Started after dark on the 30th, and went with 2012 series Alpha Girl from Image. I’m not familiar with any of the creators, and the series only lasted 5 issues. It’s basically a comedic zombie survival story, with a 17 year old orphan as the hero.

Owned the first issue, sure it was a past freebie. It was decent fun, but sparse dialogue and decompressed storytelling made it a too short read. I’m unlikely to buy the rest of the series, although I am downloading the second issue now, as it is included with Unlimited. More later.

Edit to add: Second issue wasn’t awful, but a step down in quality imo. Art style isn’t my cup of tea, and the story is getting cruder, so I’m definitely out. See, Unlimited has saved me from a possible future purchase.

Edit even later to add:. Also read Action Comics issue 1000. Repeating my thoughts in that thread, it was a nice dose of nostalgia and has me once again excited for a mini-series called Man of Steel.

Re: The 4th Annual DVDTalk Make-Your-Own Comic Book Challenge - May 2018
 

B is for Bandette, a thoroughly charming series from Monkeybrain by writer Paul Tobin and his artist wife, Colleen Coover. I had read the first issue or two a couple years ago, and decided that this was a must purchase. It’s only put out a few times a year, and just 99 cents an issue on Comixology.
https://www.comixology.com/Bandette-...al-comic/27559

More later, going to binge a bit.

Edit later to add: Read the first 9 issues and loved them. Pretty much a complete storyline thru this point, so a good place to stop and move on to C. But a hearty recommendation, and a definite continued purchase for me. I think they have Monkeybrain linewide 50% off sales every year or so, which is where I likely have been picking these up, but Bandette is a title where full price is worthwhile. And I’ll definitely be double dipping and getting the hardcovers, as they add new material.

Edit even later to add: Also read the first issue of Bob’s Burgers. I may have read this issue before, but this was definitely my first time reading the Midtown Comics exclusive variant cover version, a recent ebay lot purchase. Funny show, and book, but I’m not planning on following either.

Re: The 4th Annual DVDTalk Make-Your-Own Comic Book Challenge - May 2018
 

C was mostly for Chase, an underrated gem from DC a decade or so back. Read most of the 9 issue run last month for that Challenge, but finished it up.

Also read a hardcover graphic novel from Dollar Tree called Cemetery Girl.

D was for DC Nation, the 25 cent zero issue that came out yesterday, but was actually free at my LCBS and on comixology.

More details on all three later, it’s way past my bedtime.

Re: The 4th Annual DVDTalk Make-Your-Own Comic Book Challenge - May 2018
 

E was for Evil Dead 2: A Merry Deadite X-Mas issues 1 and 2. It’s from Space Goat Productions, a little company that seems to specialize in licensed books. They have several Evil Dead 2 books, but no other from that franchise, so maybe that film had a different production company or something than the others. This story wasn’t that great, and was very short, at just 16 large panel or splash pages per issue. In fact, I could have sworn it was a digital-only release, from the formatting, but it apparently got a print release too. My addiction to buying holiday issues did not serve me well here.

I also started Elves, a series from Delcourt that I borrowed on CU, but it didn’t grab me in the first few pages so I deleted it.

F was for Faction issue 1, a 61 page anthology from New Zealand, for Kiwi creators. It was pretty interesting, although many of the pieces were just quick tastes of an artist or story. Perhaps they continue in future issues, something I might discover if they ever go on sale. The only creator I recognized was Roger Langridge, of Muppet comics fame.

Re: The 4th Annual DVDTalk Make-Your-Own Comic Book Challenge - May 2018
 

Ive been trying to read through Marvel's Ultimate Comics line so...

Ultimate Comics Challenge

Ultimate Power 1-9

Re: The 4th Annual DVDTalk Make-Your-Own Comic Book Challenge - May 2018
 

I started with a nutty comic strip called Cannon, like James Bond with copious nudity. It was originally published in a tabloid for military personnel so I guess it didn't have any restrictions. In an early scene, the damsel in distress is naked when rescued. She wants to put on clothes for the escape but is told "No time for that!" That kind of sums it up. :lol:

http://img.valorebooks.com/FULL/97/9...1606997024.jpg

Spoilerized for size, not nudity:

Re: The 4th Annual DVDTalk Make-Your-Own Comic Book Challenge - May 2018
 

I started with the original Transformers #1 from the first mini series of 4 issues. I bought a couple Transformers Classic collections on Google Play a few months back, and they bring together the original run of the series in a collection of books. The first issue, besides introducing the Autobots and Decepticons, also introduced Buster Witwicky and his father, Sparkplug.

Re: The 4th Annual DVDTalk Make-Your-Own Comic Book Challenge - May 2018
 

May 10

Number two in my Challenge was part 2 of the original Transformers 4 issue mini series. I believe that part was later retconned, but in the beginning, the Transformers was actually part of the Marvel comic universe. Dazzler was mentioned on a radio in issue number 2.

Re: The 4th Annual DVDTalk Make-Your-Own Comic Book Challenge - May 2018
 

G is for Gamora issue 1, first of a mini series that explores her beginnings. Must have been a Comixology freebie at some point. Decent, but not good enough to buy more, unless the 99 cent collections return.

Also read two issues of Dark Horse’s newish Ghost reboot, Ghost: In the Smoke and Din. Issue 0 was a freebie, then borrowed issue 1 on Unlimited. I’ll definitely continue/finish it someday, always seem to enjoy the writing of Kelly Sue DeConnick.

Another borrow with Ghostbusters 101 issue one. I own most of the other Ghostbuster comics thru various bundles and sales, but decided to check out this newer series which combines the two film continuities thru a portal. Looks like the entire 6 issue series is on Unlimted, but reading the rest probably isn’t in my future. A teaser “ashcan” of Ghostbusters International was also included, but there wasn’t enough to sell me either.

Re: The 4th Annual DVDTalk Make-Your-Own Comic Book Challenge - May 2018
 

More G with two Unlimited borrows of Grimm Tales of Terror, the first issues of volumes 1 and 3. The first seemed to be going for the old horror comic tradition of a host of sort, with a character that wanders into each story. I’m just guessing, but that appears to be the set-up. Decent enough, but I won’t be buying this series. Volume 3 began with a modern take on the Invisible Man story. Both had the typical Zenescope attributes of not being too wordy and having lots of good-girl art. Meh.

H was for Hellbillies, a fun little title from King Bone Press. I think they’ve had a couple FCBD issues, and the basic story appears to be a family of hillbillies actually being a team of monster hunters. I read the first and zero issues, and it was enough to get me to back their current Kickstarter, for a print version of the 15 issue digital series.

Re: The 4th Annual DVDTalk Make-Your-Own Comic Book Challenge - May 2018
 

I often look at those Zenescope series when they go on sale, but they look too trashy, even for me (see my entry above ;)).

Re: The 4th Annual DVDTalk Make-Your-Own Comic Book Challenge - May 2018
 

I was for Infinity Gauntlet. Figured this would be a good time to finally read this tale, given the recent Avengers film, and the fact that IG was a recent book of the month on my favorite podcast. I read and enjoyed issue one, but will read more after I read some of the books that lead into the storyline, those will come when I get to S and T.

J was for Jenny Finn: Doom Messiah. This Boom series was written by Mike Mignola, and is very Lovecraftian, so I was sure I’d love it. Well, issue one was a good start, but it just wasn’t quite as good as I expected. I’ll finish the series someday, but will move on in my alphabet quest for now.

Re: The 4th Annual DVDTalk Make-Your-Own Comic Book Challenge - May 2018
 

K was for Kaijumax issue 1. The premise alone was enough to guarantee me giving this at least a few issues try. Defeated giant monsters are captured and jailed on an island, with the jailers having Ultraman-like abilities to keep them there. Oni has a winner with this book from Zander Cannon. It’s completed two ‘seasons’ iirc, I’m looking forward to finishing them when I’m into the sci-fi challenge.

L was for Lolo XOXO volume 2 issue 1. Didn’t realize that this was a sequel series when I initially borrowed it from CU. It’s from Aspen, which has never really impressed me, but this post-apocalyptic tale was fairly interesting. I’ll probably check out the original someday.

Re: The 4th Annual DVDTalk Make-Your-Own Comic Book Challenge - May 2018
 

I took a break from Cannon to read another Wood comic strip, Shattuck, intended for the same military audience and with the same kind of mature content, but in a Western setting. It was a tidy read at only 64 pages, but unfortunately ended its last arc on a cliffhanger. Not the greatest stuff ever, but I dug it.

I guess the next logical place for me to go would be Wood's Sally Forth, but it doesn't seem like there's a good, easily available edition.

https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/906/7...ion=1431555759

Re: The 4th Annual DVDTalk Make-Your-Own Comic Book Challenge - May 2018
 

M is for Martian Manhunter. I read issues 0 and 1-5 of this 1998+ series from John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake. This series spawned out of the bwah-ha-ha era of the Justice League. I’ve always loved the character, and Ostrander’s writing, so bought the entire series years ago, one of my countless future reading projects. What spawned me to finally start this series was the fact that Cameron Chase is apparently featured as a somewhat regular supporting cast member, starting in issue 5. Chase was a great series, cancelled way too early, so it’s nice to see that the character has remained a somewhat regular guest star in the DCU over the years.

N was for Nextwave: Agents of Hate. The first arc was another 11 O’Clock Comics book of the month. More later, as I’ve only read an issue and a half, but so far I’m loving this Warren Ellis comedic take on the Marvel universe.

Re: The 4th Annual DVDTalk Make-Your-Own Comic Book Challenge - May 2018
 

I’m only up to U so far, but hope to finish my alphabet challenge this next week off.

June is up.
https://forum.dvdtalk.com/comic-book...ne-2018-a.html

Re: The 4th Annual DVDTalk Make-Your-Own Comic Book Challenge - May 2018
 

Probably won’t go back and write mini-reviews for all of these, but fwiw, here is the rest of my alphabet challenge.

Obi-wan & Anakin 1-5
Packs of the Low Country 1
Quantum & Woody 0-1
Queen Sonja 1
Rocket Queen and the Wrench 1
Ronin 1-3
Silver Surfer 34-38
Thanos Quest 1-2
Untold Legend of the Batman 1-3
Voodoo 1
Wild’s End 5-6
XOC: The Journey of a Great White preview
X-0: Manowar 0-2
Y: The Last Man 1-3
Zero 1-2

Re: The 4th Annual DVDTalk Make-Your-Own Comic Book Challenge - May 2018
 

:clap: for getting through all the letters!

I finished my Wood challenge with some classic THUNDER Agents, which he took part in along with other luminaries. I first read this series through some random black-and-white British reprint that my parents bought me, and I've been reading bits and pieces ever since (still haven't found reprints of those specific stories in that issue, though).

https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OsIXhwgso...ts_05_00fc.jpg