What comic books/graphic novels are you reading at the moment?

[Rodders]

I’ve decided to get back into 2000AD. I’ve just read Dredd: Underbelly. On to DR and Quinch.

This was a favourite of mine in the 80’s as the humour is superb.

 

[Dave Vicks]

A GAME OF THRONES VOL1.
GHOST IN THE SHELL VOL 1.

 

[Swank]

I had read the Alan Moore collected WildC.A.T.s, but recently bought the first 14 issues and started on those.

 

[Dave Vicks]

Ordered Some SCHLOCK MERCENARY Comic Books.

 

[alexvss]

20th Century Boys. By the author who created Monster, one of the best manga ever. Just read the first volume. I'm enjoying this one even more, and the suspense is killing me.

 

[redzwritez]

I'm reading the first volume of The Umbrella Academy. I love the series on Netflix and the art looked a bit unique so I wanted to read them properly. So far, it's very different from the show but when is that not the case? I really like it.

 

[Mon0Zer0]

20th Century Boys. By the author who created Monster, one of the best manga ever. Just read the first volume. I'm enjoying this one even more, and the suspense is killing me.

+1 Incredible pieces of work!

 

[alexvss]

Fire Punch.
In a world where some people have superpowers--the “blessed ones”--, a woman with ice powers gets mad and brings the world back to the Ice Age. Famine ensues. Dictatorship regimes rise. The protagonist, a blessed one with instant regenerative powers, gets his arm cut multiple times everyday to feed his village. When he’s attacked by a blessed with fire powers, whose flames won’t extinguish until the subject is dead, he becomes eternally engulfed in flames, his regen powers never letting him die. It takes him eight years to get used to the pain, and then he goes on a journey to kill that guy. Or rather, punch him in the face.

It’s from the author of Chainsaw Man, so it’s completely bonkers. The characters are total psychos, even more than in CM. The situations are completely crazy, and they make you ask how this is a shonen manga (made for boys aged 12-18). There's a character obsessed with film and filmmaking, and that's mirrored in Goodbye, Eri, another work from the same author, which makes me think that he's obsessed with movies too. I like the fact that he doesn’t care about repeating characters with the same powers, like similar works tend to do.

 

[alexvss]

Blame!
A boy wanders inside a crumbling, dystopian megastructure thousands of years in the future, looking for someone with special genes that could save the world.

I tried reading this a couple years ago, but I dropped it because it was somewhat experimental. The weird art and lack of dialogue were the main points. It’s as weird as Texhnolyze and Serial Experiments Lain (I dropped the former, and I also plan on revisiting it). However, after watching some videos about it, I decided to go back and read it.

It takes a while for you to get used to all the weirdness, but it’s worth it. This story is very similar to Matrix (but before Matrix) and other sci-fi manga like Gantz, one of my favorite manga. The clothing and the guns are pretty much the same. Looks like everybody was wearing black spandex in the mid-1990s.

 

[Swank]

Blame!
A boy wanders inside a crumbling, dystopian megastructure thousands of years in the future, looking for someone with special genes that could save the world.

I tried reading this a couple years ago, but I dropped it because it was somewhat experimental. The weird art and lack of dialogue were the main points. It’s as weird as Texhnolyze and Serial Experiments Lain (I dropped the former, and I also plan on revisiting it). However, after watching some videos about it, I decided to go back and read it.

It takes a while for you to get used to all the weirdness, but it’s worth it. This story is very similar to Matrix (but before Matrix) and other sci-fi manga like Gantz, one of my favorite manga. The clothing and the guns are pretty much the same. Looks like everybody was wearing black spandex in the mid-1990s.

Are you comparing Blame! to the Matrix? That wouldn't have occurred to me.

Blame! is truly original visual storytelling. The author is an architect, which is where the enormous structures come from. Biomega has a similar feel, and Knights of Sidonia and Abara are also well worth reading. While the Netflix Blame! movie is a bit of a departure, the animated Sidonia is spot on.

 

[alexvss]

Are you comparing Blame! to the Matrix? That wouldn't have occurred to me.

Blame! is truly original visual storytelling. The author is an architect, which is where the enormous structures come from. Biomega has a similar feel, and Knights of Sidonia and Abara are also well worth reading. While the Netflix Blame! movie is a bit of a departure, the animated Sidonia is spot on.

I think that the comparison is inevitable. Blame! came years before The Matrix and it has a lot of similar stuff, from the characters’ clothing to the nape plugs used to connect one’s mind to the net. I can't help but think that either the former influenced the latter somehow, or many artists were all using the same aesthetic back in those years. But I understand your concern: Blame! is visual storytelling and it’s very ambiguous, whereas The Matrix is an action movie with a standard hero’s journey structure. They’re different pieces of media with the same theme, and I’m not challenging that. But then again, The Matrix pulled a lot from Neuromancer (even the title), and people don’t hesitate to compare the two, even with the storytelling approach being so different.

And I didn't know that the author is an architect. That explains a lot. I'm waiting for the anime adaptation of his latest manga, Kaina of the Great Snow Sea, which has been announced for the upcoming year.

 

[Swank]

I think that the comparison is inevitable. Blame! came years before The Matrix and it has a lot of similar stuff, from the characters’ clothing to the nape plugs used to connect one’s mind to the net. I can't help but think that either the former influenced the latter somehow, or many artists were all using the same aesthetic back in those years. But I understand your concern: Blame! is visual storytelling and it’s very ambiguous, whereas The Matrix is an action movie with a standard hero’s journey structure. They’re different pieces of media with the same theme, and I’m not challenging that. But then again, The Matrix pulled a lot from Neuromancer (even the title), and people don’t hesitate to compare the two, even with the storytelling approach being so different.

And I didn't know that the author is an architect. That explains a lot. I'm waiting for the anime adaptation of his latest manga, Kaina of the Great Snow Sea, which has been announced for the upcoming year.

I'm going to nit pick a little:
Killy in Blame! wears motorcycle leathers like his counterpart in Biomega. He llooks like Mad Max. The other characters wear all sorts of stuff. Everyrhing is in black and white.


The Matrix folk wear club gear. Matrix is a nerd fantasy movie about how being a pasty hacker has the payoff of making you stylish, well armed and super powered.

Neck jacks have been around since at least the 80s in SF. Ghost in the Shell, etc. They aren't neck jacks in the Matrix but probes that go well into skull. Blame! uses an old trope, the Matrix came up with something new.

I don't think they share much, while Blame! owes a lot to previous cyborg manga and wasteland wanderer hero's like Mad Max, The Man With No Name, Kung Fu and the Incedible Hulk tv show.

 

[RicheyShrimptom]

Just about to start 8 Billion Genies By Charles Soule. I've heard very good things.

 

[HareBrain]

I discovered the first volume in a new story by the creators of Monstress (Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda) called The Night Eaters, set in modern New York and featuring a Chinese heritage family with demons in their past (and present). Nowhere near the quality of Monstress in either story or art (the drawing is rougher) but still worth a read.

 

[Matteo]

Well, I realise it's been two years since I posted in this thread - time flies! - so there's a bit to get through. Alphabetically...

The first two collected volumes of Black Hammer. I enjoyed these but would have liked a little more back story. Don't think I'll be picking up any other issues though as the publication of other issues/stories seems a bit complicated.

Blacksad - the lovely Dark Horse hbk collection of the first three stories. Glorious artwork and great writing. Well recommended. I read this just a few weeks ago and have the other two collections to read.

The Boys - the six volume tpk. How the hell this has been made into a TV series god knows... This is Grant Ellis on steroids; he really does out-Preachers Preacher. I more or less knew what to expect (and from time to time like reading comic that push the boundaries a bit) but there were times when I thought it went too far. Still, on the whole I enjoyed this - could have been shorter perhaps.

Crisis on Infinite Earths - a recent pbk edition. I have the original 12 issues but always wanted to read it in this format. I don't think it's aged well; and the writing feels a little forced. It's also very complicated (though I suspect I would have followed it better if I knew more of the characters - I've tended to be a Marvel reader).

Daytripper - Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba. Have just finished this wonderful 10 issue collection that tells the life (and death) of one character in ten different ways. I can highly recommend it.

Death - the pbk collection of the two three-issue series. I have the original issues and bought this collection some time ago but the recent TV series spurred me on to re-read it. What can I say? It's Gaiman - superb stuff.

The Eternals - the recent pbk collection. Mad, crazy, wonderful Kirby goodness.

Fables - the four compendiums. On the whole, very good. I would have preferred a greater exploration of how they (don't) interact with the normal world, and toward the end it felt a little stretched, but those are minor quibbles of a great series.

Harrow County - good, but not great.

Kingdom Come - recent pbk version. Have been meaning to read this for a while as it's highly rated. Artwork is lovely and the story is interesting but not exceptional. Again, I may have appreciated it more if I knew the characters/back story better.

Klaus - and alternative telling of the origin of Santa Claus by Grant Morrison. This was fun but nothing special.

The Mice Templar - in seven volumes. I was able to pick these up cheap and was glad I did. Arguably it borrows from Mouse Guard, but the story telling is tougher. A great read.

Providence - by Alan Moore. Hmm...not really sure what he was up to here. It took a long tome to really get going and was confusing when it did (maybe that was the point?). I would say it's one of his weaker efforts.

Severn to Eternity - some lovely artwork and a wierd story. Overall, quite good but nothing oustanding.

Sweet Tooth - the compendium. I liked this but am not sure it deserves all the acolades it gets.

Usagi Yojimbo - the first three volumes of Stan's move to IDW. Still very good (incredible how he keeps it up) but I prefer the old black and white art to the new colur version.

 

[alexvss]

Well, I realise it's been two years since I posted in this thread - time flies! - so there's a bit to get through. Alphabetically...

The first two collected volumes of Black Hammer. I enjoyed these but would have liked a little more back story. Don't think I'll be picking up any other issues though as the publication of other issues/stories seems a bit complicated.

Blacksad - the lovely Dark Horse hbk collection of the first three stories. Glorious artwork and great writing. Well recommended. I read this just a few weeks ago and have the other two collections to read.

The Boys - the six volume tpk. How the hell this has been made into a TV series god knows... This is Grant Ellis on steroids; he really does out-Preachers Preacher. I more or less knew what to expect (and from time to time like reading comic that push the boundaries a bit) but there were times when I thought it went too far. Still, on the whole I enjoyed this - could have been shorter perhaps.

Crisis on Infinite Earths - a recent pbk edition. I have the original 12 issues but always wanted to read it in this format. I don't think it's aged well; and the writing feels a little forced. It's also very complicated (though I suspect I would have followed it better if I knew more of the characters - I've tended to be a Marvel reader).

Daytripper - Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba. Have just finished this wonderful 10 issue collection that tells the life (and death) of one character in ten different ways. I can highly recommend it.

Death - the pbk collection of the two three-issue series. I have the original issues and bought this collection some time ago but the recent TV series spurred me on to re-read it. What can I say? It's Gaiman - superb stuff.

The Eternals - the recent pbk collection. Mad, crazy, wonderful Kirby goodness.

Fables - the four compendiums. On the whole, very good. I would have preferred a greater exploration of how they (don't) interact with the normal world, and toward the end it felt a little stretched, but those are minor quibbles of a great series.

Harrow County - good, but not great.

Kingdom Come - recent pbk version. Have been meaning to read this for a while as it's highly rated. Artwork is lovely and the story is interesting but not exceptional. Again, I may have appreciated it more if I knew the characters/back story better.

Klaus - and alternative telling of the origin of Santa Claus by Grant Morrison. This was fun but nothing special.

The Mice Templar - in seven volumes. I was able to pick these up cheap and was glad I did. Arguably it borrows from Mouse Guard, but the story telling is tougher. A great read.

Providence - by Alan Moore. Hmm...not really sure what he was up to here. It took a long tome to really get going and was confusing when it did (maybe that was the point?). I would say it's one of his weaker efforts.

Severn to Eternity - some lovely artwork and a wierd story. Overall, quite good but nothing oustanding.

Sweet Tooth - the compendium. I liked this but am not sure it deserves all the acolades it gets.

Usagi Yojimbo - the first three volumes of Stan's move to IDW. Still very good (incredible how he keeps it up) but I prefer the old black and white art to the new colur version.

Good haul!

There are other stories by Alan Moore that complete his vision on the Mythos, and I recommend them.

Fables and The Boys are way better in other medias: The Boys is a better show than comic and Fables is a better videogame than comic (as The Wolf Among Us).
Also, I caught a funny freudian slip here: you wrote that The Boys' author was "Grant Ellis". His name is actually Garth Ennis; what you wrote was a mix of Grant Morrison and Warren Ellis

 

[Matteo]

Indeed - Garth, not Grant.

That will teach me to post on Chrons at the same time as being in an on-line meeting...

 

[dask]

Online copy of course. Never seen an actual copy, only in-house ads. Even when it hot the stands no one in the neighborhood was enlightened enough to pick one up.

 

[Fiberglass Cyborg]

Stressed and struggling to read anything new or serious, so I'm ploughing through my shelf of "Ranma 1/2". I never did get round to collecting the whole run...

 

[Toby Frost]

A re-read of the 1994 adaptation of Clive Barker's "Rawhead Rex", drawn by the excellent Les Edwards. This tells the story of a pagan demon that, having been banished in the Middle Ages, awakes in the commuter belt in south-east England and goes on a crazed rampage.

My God, this is grisly. The gore is all over the place, and the monster looks like a cross between a starved troll, a mantrap and a toilet-wall drawing of a penis. Seriously. It's very much an adapted story, with a lot of text blocks, and perhaps isn't that good as a comic, but Edwards is a great artist (there's even a nod to Goya's Saturn Devours His Children as Rawhead does pretty much just that). The realism of the setting contrasts horribly with Rawhead himself. Like the Books of Blood, from which it's taken, it's very good and very, very gruesome.