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

[HareBrain]

If you're going to read them all I would skip the first three: Tintin in the Land of the Soviets, Tintin in the Congo, and Tintin in America.

I doubt I'll read many more, but I have now bought and read Cigars of the Pharaoh, which is next in date after the three you mention, and which was a childhood favourite. It turned out to be fine, though I wish it had developed its plot more deeply in fewer places rather than rushing around everywhere.

One slightly mad thing is that Tintin is recognised by an Arab sheikh from his published adventures, and is shown the cover of Destination Moon, despite that being written in the 1950s and Cigars being written (and clearly set) pre-war. It seems Cigars was only colourised after DM was released, and they changed the art then. I wonder what it showed before?

 

[JunkMonkey]

I doubt I'll read many more, but I have now bought and read Cigars of the Pharaoh, which is next in date after the three you mention, and which was a childhood favourite. It turned out to be fine, though I wish it had developed its plot more deeply in fewer places rather than rushing around everywhere.

One slightly mad thing is that Tintin is recognised by an Arab sheikh from his published adventures, and is shown the cover of Destination Moon, despite that being written in the 1950s and Cigars being written (and clearly set) pre-war. It seems Cigars was only colourised after DM was released, and they changed the art then. I wonder what it showed before?

I noticed that too when I reread it recently and wondered exactly the same thing. Time to do a bit of digging:

Okay, Cigars of the Pharaoh was published as an album two years after Explorers on the Moon. So the Moon cover is original to the colour version.

And the original black and white:

'Tintin en Amérique' - not a lot else it could be really.

 

[HareBrain]

And the original black and white:

I was surprised to see that's quite different from the colour version: same basic composition, but different details. I didn't know that the early stories were redrawn as well as colourised (apart from Tintin in the Land of the Soviets).

In the initial redrawing, from 1955, the book Tintin is shown is Congo, with Destination Moon in the 1970 version.

(From this page.)

 

[Matteo]

I would have guessed "Congo"...

 

[Matteo]

Err.."Edit" I suppose (since @HareBrain beat me by a second) and I can't actuually edit my post... I meant I would guess the original was Congo. But in fact they changed it to that

 

[HareBrain]

But in fact they changed it to that

Yes, that struck me too. I assume they went with America for the original because it was the preceding one and freshest in serialised readers' minds. By 1955, the preceding one had become less obvious so they decided to go with Congo as the very earliest one, and only after that did Congo acquire its infamy so they had to change it again.

 

[JunkMonkey]

Yes, that struck me too. I assume they went with America for the original because it was the preceding one and freshest in serialised readers' minds. By 1955, the preceding one had become less obvious so they decided to go with Congo as the very earliest one, and only after that did Congo acquire its infamy so they had to change it again.

If they X-ray Hergé's original drawing they may well find another, even earlier, design.

I was surprised to see that's quite different from the colour version: same basic composition, but different details. I didn't know that the early stories were redrawn as well as colourised (apart from Tintin in the Land of the Soviets).

There are apparently three different versions of The Black Island. The original paper strip, 1937-38, followed by three album versions in 1938, 1943, and 1966.

 

[beccabear67]

I recently took the plunge into new and newer American comics series; non-superheroes for the most part... mostly creator-owned SF/F (and a couple Horror) series from Image, Dark Horse, Vault... I just finished a really nice bit of fantasy titled Gogor, only five issues or a single TPB but perhaps there will be more in the future. Before that I read the twelve issues run of Deep Beyond (both titles are Image). I have the first three TPBs of Saga to get into now. They add up to the first eighteen comics issues. I've read only the first 'chapter' in the first one but I'm sure it will be enjoyable. Some of these are definitely a lot more explicit than I'm used to, the style of the times, good thing I have lots of text SF/F 'experience' as well as with some underground comix.

Of European album series I have some Valerian and Roger Leloup's Yoko Tsuno. I can definitely recommend trying either of those if you enjoy SF/F, although Yoko Tsuno is for younger readers. I had a smattering of Asterix in the '80s but otherwise most of the European comics I ever saw were in Epic or Heavy Metal magazines also of that same era. Cinebooks in England seems a great publisher of series in translation and I'd like to be able to try some more of them, as imports they can be a bit pricey what with postage costs (and almost always arrive damaged).

 

[beccabear67]

I picked up in a dollar box a slightly damaged first issue of a SF/F series titled Angelic (Image Comics, 2017) and it's looking so good I just ordered the remaining five issues! It might look a little silly with flying marmosets and cyborg dolphins, but this seems pretty deep... also available in TPB which might be the best option.

"Centuries after humanity disappeared, the Earth belongs to our leftovers: the animals, genetically modified for a war they don't remember, guarding a world they don't understand. But for one young winged monkey, the repressive tribal routines are unbearable. Her name is Qora. She yearns to explore, to discover... to fly free."

Sorry to come across like an advertisement... it's my most exciting comics 'discovery' lately. Doesn't seem to be at all expensive to buy in any format. Rated: Teen.

 

[HareBrain]

Gunnerkrigg Court, Vol 6. A teen series involving nefarious goings-on in the boundary between Faery and the modern world (I think). I don't like jumping into a series so late, but this intrigued me while browsing in the comic shop so I thought I'd give it a go. I really enjoyed it, despite not having a full picture of who everyone was. I now want to binge the earlier volumes, but of course it turns out that they are out of print and expensive, almost all used copies being in the US. They are reprinting them, but only vol 1 has a release date so far.

Also reading The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire, Vol 5. These are new large-format softbacks collecting the comics printed in Look & Learn magazine way back when. Vol 5 dates from 1976 and 1977 (when I first started reading it) and includes the changeover of artist from Don Lawrence to Oliver Frey. Beautifully produced.

 

[HareBrain]

Gunnerkrigg Court, Vol 6. A teen series involving nefarious goings-on in the boundary between Faery and the modern world (I think). I don't like jumping into a series so late, but this intrigued me while browsing in the comic shop so I thought I'd give it a go. I really enjoyed it, despite not having a full picture of who everyone was. I now want to binge the earlier volumes, but of course it turns out that they are out of print and expensive, almost all used copies being in the US. They are reprinting them, but only vol 1 has a release date so far.

I found they had Vol 1 at the library, so I got that, and eek! I'm very glad I did jump in at vol 6, as if I'd started at the beginning I wouldn't have bothered reading more than a few pages. I'm surprised it got off the ground, though based on the later stuff I'm glad it did.

I also realised that it's a webcomic I could have read for nothing, which makes me the money I spent on vol 6 a bit annoying. Also annoying is that being a webcomic, it will probably never reach any resolution.

 

[beccabear67]

A couple of other short series along the lines and quality of Angelic I've really enjoyed are The Empty (Image Comics, 2015), which is six issues or one TPB volume...

"An empty apocalyptic world of poison and decay. Tanoor's village is all that remains of humanity as they struggle against mutant beasts and rotting bones. But Tanoor finds a chance to save her people when a stranger drifts into town; Lila, armed with the power to grow life from death. A stranger who could change the world—if Tanoor can keep them alive in the deadly world of The Empty. Just as their journey begins, Lila finds herself kidnapped by the Mool, creatures of The Empty. Tanoor and Fenx set out to rescue her, but first they must track the Mools to their hidden lair. Meanwhile, Lila's fiancé investigates Lila's disappearance, but finds more questions than answers."

...and... Gogor (Image Comics, 2019), five issues or one TPB volume.

"Deep underground, among the floating islands of Altara, the mystical Gogor sleeps. But trouble brews above ground as soldiers of the Domus impose their will across the land. Now, a young student named Armano must awaken Gogor and begin his quest to protect the culture of Altara."

If the creators ever get more of these or Angelic out I would order them in a second! Oh yeah, both of these also rated: Teen.