Trevor

Rather than monthly threads, we’ll just keep bumping this one throughout the year. Below is the primary schedule, but feel free to plan your own binges and discuss them here, perhaps someone will join you in a read thru.


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.

Trevor

This year I’m really going to focus on reading some of the classic runs that have languished in my to-read piles for years or even decades.

For January and it’s TV/movie theme, a couple choices will be making more progress on Preacher, and the Miller/Romita Jr mini-series Daredevil, The Man Without Fear. That one is only 5 issues iirc, and I resolve to read it all tomorrow.

PhantomStranger

That Daredevil mini is pretty good.

shadokitty

Comic # 1 - Free Comic Book Day Bob’s Burgers
I went into this not really expecting too much, but I actually enjoyed the stories in this issue.
2. Transformers # 4. The conclusion of the first four issue mini series

davidh777

A few January titles:

Superboy and the Legion: The Early Years: OK collection of somewhat disjointed stories of the early Legion. Paul Levitz has done better.

Jango Fett and Tie Fighter: Interesting takes from the opposing side, including the concept that Tie Fighter pilots are patriots who are just defending the Empire. Nothing memorable so glad I borrowed them on Cmx unlimited.

Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer: Another of the Hard Case Crime series. Good stuff.

Trevor

It was. As I started it all came back to me, I had read it as it was released back in the day. Miller’s Daredevil was my jam back then, just such a breath of fresh air in the usually tired Marvel universe. Still need to re-read his entire run someday soon, heck, maybe this month.

But for now, I still want to concentrate on things I haven’t read (or at least think I haven’t read, apparently). Locke & Key is on deck now. I’ve read the first mini before and loved it, but plan to read the whole thing over the next week or two.

Trevor

Latest read is the first issue of Aliens: Dead Orbit by the brilliant artist James Stokoe. Beautiful, story seems the usual of the franchise, but I’m looking forward to more.

davidh777

I restarted the Dynamite version of Game of Thrones. I watched the whole series but only started the first book, and the comic seems to be a middle ground, covering a little more depth than the episodes at 24 issues per book. They’re currently midway through the second book so I’m not sure how long this is going to take or if they’ll wait for Martin to release more books or follow the show. Good art, if a little on the cartoony side.

Trevor

So my main 2020 comic related resolutions were to try to read 100 comics a month, concentrate on the classics I’ve been putting off, and to steer away from the OCD of my monthly checklist.

Well, I was two for three there. Topped 100 comics, with a fair amount aimed at classic stuff that I’ve put off like Simonson’s Thor run, but went back to my checklist, and even expanded it a bit. I’ll get my January list into here soon.

February’s challenge of Eisner/etc award winners synchronizes nicely with my goals.

shadokitty

Given that the writer of the early Transformers comics, Bob Budianski was honored one year at Botcon for his contribution to the mythos, for my first comic of the month, I read Transformers # 5. Shockwave had taken over Decepticon leadership from Megatron. That’s some different than the Shockwave of the cartoon.

Trevor

Mixing in some Romance comics with my award winning month. Found an old DC digest of Dark Mansions of Forbidden Love today, seems appropriate for a Valentine’s Day with Jen at work.

davidh777

For February I finally started one of my white whales, Alan Moore’s Swamp Thing. Liking it one TPB in.

Trevor

^ I envy your virgin reading experience.

A little late, but the March theme, in our normal rotation these past 5 years, would be pick any publisher outside of DC and Marvel to focus on this month.

shadokitty

Most of my comics are from the big two, but I do have a couple that I can read this month.

Trevor

Don’t forget Hoopla and other online library options.

Trevor

Fwiw, and a little late, but I guess the annual ‘to be determined’ Challenge for April should be pandemic/apocalyptic/contagion books. Plenty of choices, especially in the zombie category.

PhantomStranger

I'd suggest tossing in contagion themes as well. Lots of stories have viral contagions wreaking havoc.

Trevor

My make-your-own month is going to concentrate on Hoopla.

Trevor

Pretty much skipped last year in this arena. But with a new year approaching, it’s time for future failed resolutions to be made. Plus I’ve been re-organizing my comics lately, so I’ve been reading more and reading goals are on my mind.

Trying a December thing with a minimum goal of one holiday single issue per day.

Trevor

January 2021 focus will be TV/movie/book adaptations/inspirations

Have lots of runs to choose from, as it seems like pretty much every comic series has been turned into a show or film.

PhantomStranger

One of my goals for 2022 is finally plowing through one of the biggest backlogues ever seen.

Trevor

I have three main goals, the first two what I promise myself every year and fail. (But this year will be different!)

• read an average of one issue of Swamp Thing a day
• do my monthly checklist of ~30 genres/formats like digest/treasury/Humble Bundle/Hoopla/etc
• new this year, read one physical single issue every day

I’m two for two on the dailies so far!

Trevor

So I’m just thinking out loud here, but I’m torn on how to post my list here. I’m committed to reading daily this year, and having documentation.

A monthly list kept in whatever personal place I chose (notes or maybe a spreadsheet), with that pasted into this thread will be the baseline. But I want to post daily updates, not because I think anyone here will care, but for personal accountability. It will be a mix of singles and trades, so posting in those reading threads would be disjointed; I’d rather have it all in one thread.

Would personal reading threads be silly? Otherwise the next best option seems to be bumping this thread daily, or updating one post daily. Trying to figure out what would help me stay on target best…..

majorjoe23

I'm reading Sex Criminals right now. I wish there was an adaptation, then I could count it!

Trevor

Maybe Jack Black and Mos Def can make one for you?