I've lost the handle on "Definitely Not Reviews" for the past few weeks due to the holidays and a debilitating flu, but it should be back, perhaps next week (because with only two books, there's not much worth talking about this week).
So in lieu, I present below this "State of Affairs" on the titles I'm picking up monthly, using December as benchmark.
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RATINGS KEY:
FAVE - one of my favourite reads every month
EVEN - I like it and will keep reading it
BUBBLE - I want to like it, but I'm not sure I actually do
DROP - It just didn't cut my mustard
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Doom Patrol - It took roughly 16 issues but I've started to enjoy the ride. FAVE
Secret Six - I used to love it but the last couple storylines (and art) have left me cold on it. BUBBLE
Red Robin and Batgirl - Two of the wife's books. She buys 'em so I can read it or not, but they're quite fun, so why not (plus I dropped Birds of Prey this month so Batgirl is a good sub). EVEN
Booster Gold - I'm wondering if it's only the nostalgia of Giffen/DeMatteis Justice League that is sustaining my interest, and if that's enough. BUBBLE
Justice League: Generation Lost - well, there are some moments I'm absolutely loving and other typical Winick-ian moments that are not so lovable. I can stick this through for another 8 issues I think... although I don't want it to spin out into its own thing which is kind of telling, no? EVEN
Superboy - Just dropped it this week. I like Jeff Lemire and what he does, it just works better for me in larger formats, so like Sweet Tooth, I'm going to trade wait. DROP
THUNDER Agents - I'm not certain what its narrative thrust is, but it looks pretty, and it'll be $2.99 soon enough so I'll stick with it through the first "arc" (not that there's any semblance of one now), before swearing any long-term allegiances. BUBBLE
Tiny Titans - These were for the kidling (and they're pretty entertaining on their own) but I'm just worried my 9-year old needs to move on to something a bit older. EVEN
Green Lantern - Y'know, I don't really give a crap about whatever story Johns is trying to weave here, I really don't (and I'm not reading either of the other Green Lantern books so when the big crossover happens in the coming months I may drop this anyway). But I'm so infatuated with Doug Mahnke's art I can't look away. BUBBLE
G.I. Joe/Cobra - I'm kind of becoming a bigtime G.I. Joe (I never was much as a kid) and this is the best there is and ever has been so I don't mind the $4 a month for it. I really don't. FAVE
Captain America and Captain America: Man Out Of Time - Two more of the wife's titles, but the former has been mandatory reading for years now, and the latter is fantastic on its own. FAVE
X-Factor - Continually a high quality book. FAVE
Unwritten - I'm now 8 issues behind on reading... it's the old Vertigo curse where floppies pile up and I just wished I'd bought em in trade instead. EVEN
Batman and Robin - the current post-Morrison arc has been a tad crap, so I'll give Tomasi/Gleason's run an issue or two before this hits the drop pile. BUBBLE
Mighty Samson - Just don't think I'm interested enough. DROP
Batman Incorporated - I'm Morrison's bitch so I'll get anything he does as long as he's doing it... which reminds me when's the Joe the Barbarian tpb coming out? FAVE
Legion of Super-Heroes - I went Legion crazy back in 2008, reading literally hundreds of issues of Legion material from over the decades. The fever hasn't stopped, though it's slowed enough that I'm not buying Adventure Comics (and don't seem to be missing out). EVEN
Chew - Some people don't like this book. I don't understand those people. I'm not a fanatic, but I think it's top three most entertaining books month in and out. FAVE
Sixth Gun - I'm not certain where this is going after the end of the first arc, but it's one of the best books of 2010. FAVE
Warlord of Mars - Alright, I'm bored. I think I'll just read the book now. DROP
SHIELD Bi-monthly and always a surprise when it shows up. I (heart) Jonathan Hickman. FAVE
Detective Comics - As great as Batman Inc. is, this is the best bat-book on the stand. Can Snyder and Jock sustain this level of quality? FAVE
Teen Titans - a recent addition, but this is the best Titans I've read since...hmmm the Titans have been crap for so long I don't recall when last I actually enjoyed it. EVEN
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So I count roughly 2 dozen monthly titles I pulled in December. Of which 3 are mini-series ending in the next 3-4 months, 2 are already dropped, and 5 are on the bubble (and three minis that just ended - Mighty Crusaders, Tiny Titans/Little Archie, Strange Tales II)
I pick up only a few series in trades - Incredible Hercules (which has ended leading into Chaos War which I'm hesitant about), Marvel Cosmic (Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova, leading into the Thanos Imperative), and Johnathan Hickman books (Fantastic Four, Secret Warriors), so...
I'm wondering Second Printers... be honest with me... what are you buying that are your favourites, on the bubble and what have you just dropped?
Any recommendations for me on books I should be reading. Looks like I'm freeing up some space in my roster so I'll have some testing room.
4 comments:
I'm dropping both Jack of Fables and Invincible. I've felt nothing's been going on in either of those titles for a long while and I've lost my will to care about them.
Other than Fables, you've already mentioned all my favourite books :)
I'm not buying a lot of ongoings these days but:
Darkwing Duck - FAVE
Secret Six - EVEN
Batgirl - EVEN
Batman Beyond - FAVE
Rebels - BUBBLE. I've only been buying this for two months, so I haven't decided whether I'll stick with it longterm or not.
Avengers Academy - BUBBLE. Same situation as with Rebels.
Heroes for Hire - EVEN
The only ongoings I've dropped in the last few months was Power Girl. Hawkeye and Mockingbird was canceled, though I would have dropped it if it wasn't. I'm pretty disappointed there aren't any ongoings from Marvel starting up in the next few months I'm excited about. At least there are a couple of mini-series.
Adj, Jack of Fables is cancelled after next month, so I guess more people feel the same way you do.
Calvin, what are your thoughts on Secret Six right now? I used to really love it but I've been less than enthused as of late.
Graig, it's been hit or miss with me from the start. I love how the characters interact, but I'm uneasy about rooting for them, considering the stuff they do (I had the same problem at times with Ennis' MAX imprint Punisher work).
I thought the "Get out of Hell Card" arc was good, but too long. I liked the Date Night issue, and the Battle for the Cowl tie-in, but hated "The Depths". That issue John Ostrander wrote focusing on Deadshot was good, but I'm a big Ostrander fan, so not an objective assessment.
This year, I thought the Blackest Night arc was OK, but would have preferred a straight-up Six vs. Suicide Squad, with no zombies. I liked the arc about Catman's son (maybe I prefer it when the Six don't proactively do horrible things to people, but do them in response to something done to them?). I'm not sure what to make of the issue set in the Wild West.
This last arc seemed like it would be good, and I loved waller's portrayal and the implied fate of Dwarfstar, but it simultaneously felt like Simone padded it out, and didn't get to go where she wanted with it. The teams fight, then come to a truce, apparently so they can find Savage Land costumes and start fighting again later in the same issue.
I don't feel like I'm close to dropping it, but I'm not consistently enjoying it as much as I'd like to. The story coming up where Scandal may use the Get Out of Hell card will probably decide things.
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