Favourites & Recommendations: Comics and Manga

This is the official thread for people to let others know about their favourite comic books and graphic novels, as well as Manga series. More than that, it is a place for people to recommend some of their favourite comics and manga to others.

While simply listing favourites is welcome, it is encouraged that you spend some time explaining why it is that you like these particular comics so much. A few sentences would be nice, but more is also very welcome. Heck, feel free to write a whole essay on Superman or Hellsing or Watchmen, if you feel that passionate about it. This is especially encouraged if you are looking to recommend others get into the series or graphic novel that you love so much, as people are far more likely to look into something if they know more about it rather than just knowing its name.

Finally, a note on why I decided to group western comics and manga together, rather than keep the manga together with anime. I am hoping that fans of one will also become fans of the other by promoting cross-discussion on the subjects. While I am very aware there are differences between the two, they also undeniably have things and common, and I'd rather have a comics fan exposed to a great manga (or vice-versa) than have people live in these separate spheres. Plus, this way you get to post in two threads and get an extra post out of it. And everyone knows post count is all that matters.

Have fun!

Alright, time to drop some knowledge on you folks.

This is going to be a post of graphic novels and comic series' that I highly recommend. Some of the stuff will likely be obvious, some of it will be rather popular (at least amongst the comic-reading community) and some of it may not be. For the most part I'm going to try to put stuff that is also easily accessible, things without a lot of backstory that would need to be known or caught up on. So let's start.


Batman: Year One

Written by Frank Miller of Sin City and 300 fame, Year One is exactly what you would imagine it to be, the telling of the first year of Batman's career. Written from the perspective of both the Caped Crusader as well as the newly-arrived to Gotham Lieutenant James Gordon, the reader gets to see how Bruce Wayne arrives at becoming Batman, as well as the initial reaction from the citizens and elites of Gotham City to this new presence in their dirty city.

A must-read for Batman fans.


Batman - The Halloween Saga

The Long Halloween and Dark Victory serve as sequel's to Frank Miller's Batman: Year One, with one following close on the heels of the other and the second covering much of the fallout of the first. Tales from early in Batman's career, written by Jeph Loeb and drawn by Tim Sale, both spanning 13 regular issues (though both available in collected editions), the stories retell the origins of many Batman characters and his relationships with them, like Two-Face and Robin. Very much in the noir detective style Batman was originally known for, the art perfectly reflects this, giving the city of Gotham and its inhabitants a gritty kick.

Must-reads for any Batman fan.


Batman: Hush

Again written by Jeph Loeb, this story takes place in a more recent part of The Dark Knight's continuity, and comes accompanied by more modern and realistic art by superstar Jim Lee. The series runs for 12 full issues and contains appearances from many Batman and DC characters, and almost the entire rogue's gallery's most notable members. It still contains much of the noir feel and plot that Loeb so greatly utilized in The Long Halloween, but still feels very much set in the modern world and continuity. It also happens to introduce one of the best new villains in comic books.

Highly, highly recommended.


New Avengers

This is a great place to start off with the Avengers in current comic continuity, as it deals with a whole new team of Avengers, some old and some new. Amongst familiar faces like Captain America and Iron man you have newcomers Ronin, Spider-Woman, and perhaps most notably Wolverine and Spider-Man. This book runs through all the major Marvel events of the past few years, including House of M, Civil War and most recently Secret Invasion. Writer Brian Michael Bendis has a real talent for finding the voice for all of these characters, and it is both funny and action-packed, like all of the best action movies are. While the series has gone through a number of artists during its 50+ issue run, it has mostly been excellent.

This is a very accessible book for anyone looking to integrate themselves with mainstream Marvel continuity.


Runaways Volumes 1 and 2

In 2003, Marvel made the risky decision of allowing Brian K. Vaughan (best known for his work on the show Lost) to create an entirely new group of characters, and in fact almost an entirely new community, in their mainstream universe. Runaways is set mostly on the West Coast, whereas most action takes place on the East Coast, which meant that the book managed to remain in its own world for some time, but it was still a risky one. One that perhaps didn't pay off at first, as the book was canned after 18 issues. Trade sales were so high, however, that the series was revived, and has been rocking ever since.

Telling the story of a group of children ranging from late-to-mid teens who discover that their parents are literally evil, in every sense of the word. So they decide to do the thing that makes the most sense at the time, run away from home. Throughout the first volume, the kids are trying to figure out what to do, about being on their own and about their parents, as they also come to grips with other changes in their lives. Vaughan does an excellent job with each of these new characters, giving them distinct voices and strong arcs, making the reader care about and even identify with these kids really quickly. The gorgeous covers done by Jo Chen don't hurt either. Plus, the last six issues of the second volume are written by TV God Joss Whedon.

Recommended if you like Lost (not really, but you are a rabid bunch who should be following Vaughan around anyway), ever felt like you hated your parents, wanted to be a superhero, and/or you like amazing coming-of-age stories. With dinosaurs.


Ultimate Spider-Man

The first series to be published in Marvel's Ultimate universe, and arguably still its best. The Ultimate series was basically created for a new generation of comic readers, ones who didn't want to have to read or know about decades of backstory to get into the stories and characters. So the Ultimate universe serves as a modern reboot/re-telling/new take of classic Marvel characters and storylines. Spider-Man is again a teenager, and dealing with very real teenage problems, not to mention all the problems that arise when he becomes Spider-Man; which, by the way, doesn't really happen until issue #05.

Written near-perfectly by Bendis for over one hundred and thirty issues now, who manages to make Spider-Man sound like Spider-Man better than almost anyone (as well as the newly updated Sam L. Jackson-inspired Nick Fury) and drawn with Mark Bagely for a record-breaking one hundred and eleven issues (after which Stuart Immonen took over, aquitting himself admirably in the process), the book is coming to a close of sorts soon, so now is the time to get into it, while there is a lull in issues.

Recommended if you are a Spidey-fan, and if you don't want to wade through all of his backstory for some good reads. Super-accessible to newcomers.


The Ultimates volumes 1 and 2

Again taking place in the Ultimate universe, this time its the Avengers who get the updated/retake. The original players are all there, and some of their stories remain the same, but their adventures are mostly new, and are far more modern. Volume One is mostly an origin tale, how the team comes together and learns to work as a team.

Volume Two, on the other hand, has to do with the team falling apart at the most inopportune times. It also happens to end with one of the most incredible and well-portrayed mass battles in comics history. The whole thing is more fun to read than most movies are to watch. There are so many awesome moments that continue to pop up towards the end of the thirteen-issue series, its hard not just give a recap worthy of a Ritalin kid without his Ritalin recapping his family trip to the beach. Both volumes are written by Mark Millar (who wrote the Marvel Civil War event, as well as the adapted into a movie Wanted), and he does an amazing job with them.

Rec'd same as for Ultimate Spider-Man, but also for those who just love pure awesome.


Kick-Ass

This is not a book for kids. Which can come as a surprise, when you hear the plot. Basically, a comic-loving socially awkward nerd finally asks, why can't he be a superhero? What's stopping him from strapping on some tights and fighting bad guys? Nothing, that's what. Plus, the ladies will love it, for sure. So he does it, he puts together a costume, gets some tools to fight crime with, and goes out into the dark and dangerous night.

And gets his ass kicked. Badly and brutally. But he gets up (after lots of hospital treatments and physical therapy), and does it again.

This is the story of Dave Lizewski, a normal kid who decides to become a superhero. It also features characters with names like Hit Girl, Red Mist and Big Daddy. The eight-issue series (on issue six), plagued with delays, has gone for numerous repeat printings and has already been optioned for a movie. Written by Mark Millar, this book offers blood, cursing and violent beatdowns and battles abound between normal folks who just want to kick a little ass.

Rec'd if you are sadistic, or if you just like really insanely graphic (though thanks to the art by John Romita, Jr. also somewhat cartoonish) violence. And hey, I hear those manga things can be pretty gruesome, so some of you must be into this kind of thing.

I'm running out of image space (only ten per post, right?), so I'll end here for now. Don't make me double-post (or triple-post), start putting out some recs and favourites of your own!

My problem with getting into comics is that it can be annoyingly difficult to find compilations.

So, for example, I've been keeping an eye out for Runaways stuff, because the concept piques my interest, and I can find the first six issues in Hardcover, and the last five in soft cover, and none of the others.

I'm thinking the problem is that comics don't seem to be made to be released that way. You do get compilations of the really well-selling stand-alones, but they take a long time to come out.

However, I really dislike buying them one issue at a time (I have trouble tracking them down reliably, it gets pricey, I hate being left on cliff-hangers, etc.)

So it's a bit of a dilemma.

That said, I think I might pick up the first 6 editions of Runaways regardless, now that I'm making money again.


Moving on: I've read The Long Halloween and, I must confess, I didn't much care for it. It's just way too over-the-top. It just made me think it was trying too hard to be grim and gritty.

It's weird. I mean, I love Watchmen, and it's definitely darker than The Long Halloween, but it feels like it's earned its darkness. Wheras TLH seems more like it's trying to be dark because it's the cool thing, not because it needs to be...gah, I'm rambling, and I can't seem to put my point into words.

The Joker also seemed needlessly shoehorned into it, but I was rather expecting that.

To each their own, I s'pose.

Originally Posted by John

My problem with getting into comics is that it can be annoyingly difficult to find compilations.

So, for example, I've been keeping an eye out for Runaways stuff, because the concept piques my interest, and I can find the first six issues in Hardcover, and the last five in soft cover, and none of the others.

I'm thinking the problem is that comics don't seem to be made to be released that way. You do get compilations of the really well-selling stand-alones, but they take a long time to come out.

However, I really dislike buying them one issue at a time (I have trouble tracking them down reliably, it gets pricey, I hate being left on cliff-hangers, etc.)

So it's a bit of a dilemma.

That said, I think I might pick up the first 6 editions of Runaways regardless, now that I'm making money again.

http://www.amazon.ca/Runaways-1-HC-A...1383794&sr=8-8

That's the entire first volume in one hardcover. I generally prefer to buy my trades and collections over Amazon because it tends to be cheaper. The second volume is available as well, but it is split into two hardcovers (1-12 + X-Men crossover, then 13-24).

Basically, Amazon is your best bet for finding the various trades. Use wikipedia to find out which ones collect which issues, so you can get the best bang for you buck.

Moving on: I've read The Long Halloween and, I must confess, I didn't much care for it. It's just way too over-the-top. It just made me think it was trying too hard to be grim and gritty.

It's weird. I mean, I love Watchmen, and it's definitely darker than The Long Halloween, but it feels like it's earned its darkness. Wheras TLH seems more like it's trying to be dark because it's the cool thing, not because it needs to be...gah, I'm rambling, and I can't seem to put my point into words.

The Joker also seemed needlessly shoehorned into it, but I was rather expecting that.

To each their own, I s'pose.

I think TLH makes the most sense if you read Year One first, because it sets up the tone. They are basically self-contained within the mythos, graphic novels based on the on-going series. I think Loeb does a good job with the tone, though I do agree that the inclusion of much the rogue's gallery is kind of more done to appeal to those who wouldn't quite grasp a batman book without them...I think Dark Victory uses them slightly better.

Originally Posted by Nolan

Runaways Volumes 1 and 2

The Runaways is a really good series. I've yet to read Volume 2, but vol. 1 was quite enjoyable. Also the first comic I've ever read.


The Civil War is a seven issue Marvel event that tells the story of a small war between various superheroes as a result of the Superhuman Registration Act. The story is pretty good, and I think the artwork is phenomenal.

Also pretty neat to see Captain America and Iron Man fighting each other.

Civil War: Frontline is an 11 issue event that occurs right along side the Civil War. Half of it follows the stories of two reporters covering the Civil War, and the other half follows Speedball dealing with guilt of what he has done.

While Civil War is good, I really like Frontline. It brings a much more emotional aspect to it all, than the regular superhero stuff in Civil War.

Originally Posted by Eternal Paradox

The Civil War is a seven issue Marvel event that tells the story of a small war between various superheroes as a result of the Superhuman Registration Act. The story is pretty good, and I think the artwork is phenomenal.

Also pretty neat to see Captain America and Iron Man fighting each other.

Civil War: Frontline is an 11 issue event that occurs right along side the Civil War. Half of it follows the stories of two reporters covering the Civil War, and the other half follows Speedball dealing with guilt of what he has done.

While Civil War is good, I really like Frontline. It brings a much more emotional aspect to it all, than the regular superhero stuff in Civil War.

Civil War is a solid event, certainly better that Secret Invasion, but as with most Marvel events the fallout is way more interesting than the actual event.

Front Line was a neat idea that I'm glad they've continued for their major events. It was also really cool seeing Robbie Baldwin become Penance, which terrified me.

Anyway, onward to some other recs and stuff that I really love.


X-Factor

The X-Factor series of the X-Men books has gone through a few incarnations. For most of those they were penned by the amazing Peter David (Random Trivia: One of the creators of the kid's sci-fi show Space Cases). It's most recent incarnation is the one I am recommending here.

Preceded by a miniseries (that is also worth checking out), that sets up this team as a private detective agency led by Jamie Madrox, the Multiple Man. He leads a team of semi-known figures and some new ones, like Strong Guy, Siryn, Wolfsbane, Monet, a de-powered Rictor, Layla Miller (a young girl whose power is that she 'knows stuff') Darwin and Longshot. This team operates out of 'Mutant Town,' where after the events of the House of M is home to mostly depowered and thus vulnerable mutants.

Existing pretty much in its own continuity for the most part, one doesn't really need to be familiar with the Marvel universe at large, or even the X-Men universe. This book boasts incredible writing, solid art (except for a brief stint with Larry Stroman, who apparently thinks abstract art is appropriate for comics), and some serious 'wow' moments. Probably the best-written X-book available, and one of the best mainstream on-going titles out there today.

Rec'd if you are into the X-Men, Noir, and dramedy.


Y: The Last Man

I already extolled Brain K. Vaughan's virtues when I talked about Runaways above, but if there is one book in all of the ones I've talked about that I think everyone should read above all others, it is this one.

The situation is this. For some horrible reason, every male on the planet dies, leaving only females behind. There's old jokes about what the world would be like if women were in charge, but here you can see it become a reality, and reality can be quite harsh. In this harsh new reality, two males survive. Yorick Brown and the helper monkey he is supposed to be training, Ampersand.

This is the story of Yorick Brown, as he is torn between finding out what caused the disaster and how he survived, and what that means for the world, and his own personal mission to find the love of his life who was on the other end of the world when the disaster happened. Accompanied by a bodyguard known simply as 355 and geneticist Dr. Mann, this journey is filled with pop-culture references, moments that will make you laugh out loud, and moments that will tear your heart out.

Reading this isn't just reading a comic book, it's an experience.

This is a must-read for everyone who has ever enjoyed stories of any kind.


Preacher

I like to describe this as a plot that Quinton Tarantino couldn't dream up in his worst nightmares. This book is crass, bloody, violent, blasphemous, shocking, gruesome and pretty much every other loaded adjective I can think of. And it is excellent.

Jesse Custer is the titular Preacher, but he is not your average man of God. One day an entity called Genesis escapes from its prison in Heaven, and merges with Custer, granting him the power of the Word of God and bringing all matter of hell (and heaven) down on the Reverend. Shortly after Custer decides that he must find God, because he has some questions and wants answers, no matter what obstacles (and there are many) get in his way. Accompanying him is an old flame and an Irish fellow named Cassidy who has an aversion to sunlight and an affinity for blood.

Three dimensional with very realistic art, yet at the same time completely and utterly absurd, this is The Da Vinci Code on crack and meth. This is by no means for everyone. But if you aren't bothered by some pretty extreme images and language and love good characters, then you'll probably dig this book. I certainly did.


Fables

Bill Willingham takes everyone's favourite characters from their favourite fables, folklore and fairy tales and puts them in the real world. Forced out of the world of Fables by a being known only as The Adversary, these self-proclaimed 'Fables' made their new home in the 'Mundy' (Mundane) world, specifically in New York City.

Featuring favourites like Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, the Big Bad (Bigby) Wolf, Boy Blue, King Cole, Pinocchio, The Frog Prince, Goldilocks, Cinderella, Prince Charming and pretty much every other character you could think of, each of them is fully fleshed out far beyond their original tales.

These aren't the stories you were read when you were little before you went to sleep. These are better.

Recommended for everyone and anyone.

Figured I'd add a bit of a different comic to this thread.

More specifically, Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud.

Now, this isn't a comic as you think of them. It's a book that explores the nature of comics. It starts off trying to define them, then it looks at what makes them different from other forms of art (with a quick diversion into trying to define what art is) and then just going into what makes them tick, what they do well, and just generally how they work. Stuff like what colour does, why different drawing styles work the way they do, how writing and drawing can work together, and why they so often end up fighting against each other, etc.

It is, quite simply, amazing. It plays with your preconceived ideas and is guaranteed to give you a much deeper understanding of the medium.

It's incredibly readable, yet still gives insight into complex issues and ideas.

It's also presented entirely as a comic.

If you enjoy reading comics (be it All Star Superman or Death Note), make comics (or are involved in any aspect of the creation of a comic) or are curious about them this is an excellent book.

^I've heard so much about that book (all positive) that I think I will add it to my list next time I do an Amazon order.

Well, having read the first trade paperbacks of both Fables and Y: The Last Man, I feel a need to recommend them.


Fables is, well, exactly what I was expecting. Old-time fairy tales imported to New York, trying to keep up the masquerade, and attempting to live in a very different world.

It's the standard stuff that Urban Fantasy uses all the time. But it's quite fun. The first trade paperback focuses on the murder of Snow White's sister. I am about as far from an expert on drawing as one can get (Pretty inking is about all it takes for me to like stuff, forget anatomy, proportion, perspective, etc.) so I won't comment on that. I will say, however, that the detail is marvellous. It's not to the ludicrous level of Watchmen, where every panel had something in the background that was worth noting, but there's at least one..."mini story" that occurs solely out of focus in the background. The pictures of the crime scene also give lots of clues, as the denouement shows. What I'd taken as simply a bit of artistic liberty turned out to be very important.

The plot itself is good. I wasn't engrossed by it, but I did quite enjoy it.

I quite recommend it to anyone who likes "Whodunnit" murder mysteries or urban fantasy.


The first TPB of Y: The Last Man is very good. I can't really say why, I've had the basic plot spoilt for me by all the internet hype, but it still managed to surprise me. The pacing is excellent, the world-building is, so far, quite good. It manages to convey just how changed the world is in a couple of panels.

My one complaint is the protagonist, Yorick, who seems oddly...unconcerned at the gendercide. Oh, he's clearly deeply upset by it, and worried about his family. He seems to be starting to experience survivor's guilt, and so on, but when it's pointed out that he's the last known living man and that, well, it's kinda his responsibility at this point to try and help repopulate the world, he resists very strongly. To an extent that's understandable, despite the oddly common, in literature, fantasy of being the only man alive, in real life I'd imagine I'd be creeped out beyond belief.

However, his resistance really does seem a bit too extreme. Perhaps it'll make more sense as the character gets more fleshed out.

Still, I highly recommend it also.

Originally Posted by John

I quite recommend it to anyone who likes "Whodunnit" murder mysteries or urban fantasy.

Willingham's conceit for the series (if he's still sticking to it, which he kind of is), is for each arc or storyline to be in a different style/genre. So the first one is a noir-style murder mystery, and from there you get some political intrigue stuff, caper, spy thriller, comedy, romance, war epic, etc etc. So don't go in expecting it to all be told using the same story-telling technique, it goes to lots of different places. It is very interesting and very cool.

My one complaint is the protagonist, Yorick, who seems oddly...unconcerned at the gendercide. Oh, he's clearly deeply upset by it, and worried about his family. He seems to be starting to experience survivor's guilt, and so on, but when it's pointed out that he's the last known living man and that, well, it's kinda his responsibility at this point to try and help repopulate the world, he resists very strongly. To an extent that's understandable, despite the oddly common, in literature, fantasy of being the only man alive, in real life I'd imagine I'd be creeped out beyond belief.

However, his resistance really does seem a bit too extreme. Perhaps it'll make more sense as the character gets more fleshed out.

Keep reading. That's all I'll say.

Incidentally, I just today bought the first hardcover collection of Y: The Last Man (issues 1-10) and the trade of the Fables graphic novel, "1001 Nights of Snowfall" (which I have yet to read). So go figure that I come home and read this.

My one complaint is the protagonist, Yorick, who seems oddly...unconcerned at the gendercide. Oh, he's clearly deeply upset by it, and worried about his family. He seems to be starting to experience survivor's guilt, and so on, but when it's pointed out that he's the last known living man and that, well, it's kinda his responsibility at this point to try and help repopulate the world, he resists very strongly. To an extent that's understandable, despite the oddly common, in literature, fantasy of being the only man alive, in real life I'd imagine I'd be creeped out beyond belief.

I read this series straight through earlier this year. Yorick is the best; under the circumstances, I really think that he was an impressive character. He evolves and you learn more about him throughout the graphic novel.

Well, I've just read through the rest of Y: The Last Man (and I now require about an extra foot of bookshelf space somewhere to store it) and yeah, my endorsement stays strong.

The characters get far more development as it goes on, and you come to understand all of them much better.

The ending, I found, wasn't that great. But then, the book really isn't about the ending. It's about the journey. The trip. The people.

So yeah, my endorsement stays. Read this series. It's only 10 volumes, and it's very much worth it.



Now, on to trying to find the second volume of Fables locally...

The Walking Dead

The concept is familiar. Something happens, no one can be sure what, that causes the dead to rise and prey on the living. It's been done before, in film, in books, on television. Zombies are a popular horror device. But nowhere have they been used as well as they are in Robert Kirkman's comic series. The black and white art of the series reflects the bleakness of the series, as you follow one group of people's struggle to survive in a world where the wandering dead are sometimes the least of their worries. The group grows, and of course, it shrinks as many of the characters you come to love are brutally killed, in a fashion where you really don't think that anyone is safe. This book manages to keep tension an suspense high, despite not having many of the convieniences many zombie films have by letting the music and dynamic lighting and movement help. But even beyond that, it doesn't matter because this isn't a book that is about people running away from these night terrors, it is about those people on the run as they interact with one another. The Walking Dead is not about the zombies, it is about the survivors.

Recommended for everyone, especially if you love the horror genre. I definitely recommend getting the Compendium Edition, as it collects the first 48 issues for a good price.

I'll take the opportunity to be the first person to suggest manga here, since everyone else is talking about other graphic novels.

1. Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou

This is a sci-fi/slice of life manga that ran for several years. It is set in a post-environmental disaster future. Humans are peacefully fading into the past as nature retakes control of the planet. The manga follows the adventures of a robot girl named Alpha as she explores the world around her and enjoys life in general. It has a very nostalgic mood and is one of my all-time favorites.


2. Solanin

Solanin is the story of a recent college graduate named Meiko. She hates her job and lives with her freeloader boyfriend, completely disillusioned with the real world and longing for an escape. Another one of my absolute favorites.


3. Maison Ikkoku

Probably the best work of Rumiko Takahashi, save perhaps Urusei Yatsura. Maison Ikkoku tells the love story of a poor student named Godai and a widowed boarding-house manager named Kyoko. Although long for a story of its type, Maison Ikkoku never lost my interest. I guess that stating that it's one of my favorites is a little redundant at this point.


4. Cromartie High School

This is a slapstick comedy that is based at a high school for delinquents. There's generally not a lot that you can write about the plots of comedy manga such as this, other than it's one of the funniest things I've read to date.


5. Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei

Another comedy about a depressed teacher and the students in his class. Often comments on the state of society and parodies things of the sort. Many of the jokes are based on puns, so don't read this unless you are prepared to read some subtext. Really good, if you don't mind the reading though.


6. Gantz

Probably better known by a far inferior anime devised from the same story, Gantz is the story of people who die in Tokyo who are recruited to a game of sorts. In this game, you are given targets to kill, generally aliens and the sort. The manga is very brutal, but is also captures the attention very well. I would suggest it to people who like to see fighting and gore. Nothing funny or cute at all in this.


7. Sexy Commando Gaiden: Sugoiyo!! Masaru-san

I'm pretty sure that this is one of the best things ever. It's a gag-comedy about an extracurricular club at Wakame high school. The Sexy Commando Club practice the Sexy Commando, a martial art where distraction of one's opponent to leave them open for attack is the chief goal. I reemphasize: this is probably one of the best things ever. <3


Alright, that's enough for now. Maybe more later.

So, I've finally tracked down/read through the first hardcover collection of Runaways (gotta love it being shelved in the DC section...) and I'm not sure what to think.

I suspect the main problem is that the first volume sets up the rest of it, and I already know the setup.

I'm also kinda hit-and-miss on the art style. Solid colouring, but the stylization just grates on me a bit. I think it's the faces. They look...gah. I think I'm going to have nightmare's about Karolina's mom's first appearance. (Page 8, top left)

On the other hand, the art styles works perfectly for Karolina and her powers. I almost suspect that that was the entire point of the style. Seriously, the final splash page/cover of the hardcover collection almost seems to have her as a focal point, despite her being at the very back and off to the side, almost being eclipsed by the title.

As for the characters, six volumes isn't enough time to get to know them well, beyond broad outlines, but there's definitely lots of potential there.

And I...can't see their family as a threat quite yet. I realize that they are super villains, it's not that, it's more that so far they still want their kids to see things from their point of view, so it seems unlikely that they'll do too much to actually harm them (with the exception of Karolina's mom, who actually seems willing to seriously harm or kill the other kids, so long as her daughter is fine.) I've no doubt that they'll significantly up in threat as the series goes on, but for now they're not as intimidating as they might otherwise be.

Now, I'm not a fan of Superman. Though I admire his personality as a character, I've never been able to really appreciate him simply because he's just invincible. A boring hero-type who thankfully has been brought up with a half-decent set of morals. He can be interesting when people give him this personality within a story laden with morally ambiguous characters - when everyone is talking about maybe compromising their ideals for the greater good, or committing a lesser evil to prevent a greater one, he might step in and berate them for it, saying there has to be a way without resorting to breaking their pre-established rules. In a world where things get increasingly ugly and the odds overwhelming, in a world where dark and gritty seems to be the order of the day no matter who you're reading about, it's inspiring to see a pillar of righteousness shining through to remind you exactly what a hero is supposed to be (even if he isn't human).

But rarely from my experience with Superman stories does this occur, since it's usually about how much arse he can kick given that he is nearly invincible, and what it would actually take to bring him down. Sometimes, even less interestingly, the story is basically using him as a funnel for a moral lesson to the reader, a way of getting the author's ideals out to the youth, or simply as an embodiment of patriotic ideals. And when this happens (which is far too often given that Superman is a hero from a time where this was what comics were for) I start to yawn. I might even get angry.

Which is why, when I heard about Superman: Red Son, my interest was piqued. Imagine a world where, instead of landing in Kansas, the Kryptonian instead landed in a farm in Ukraine during the reign of the Soviet Union, and brought up under a communist system, used as a tool by Josef Stalin. The sheer contrast between Russia and America during the cold war already means we have to move away from our traditional "freedom, justice, and the American way" Superman.

Not only does it explore how different Superman himself would have been, but it also creates its own version of the DC Universe, with its own Wonder Woman, its own Batman, its own Green Lantern, and its own version of the traditional Superman rogues gallery. It's not just about Superman, but an exercise in truly creating an alternate history based solely on the fact that Superman landed in Russia, and not in America. And in my view, it's an excellent read. Considering the fact that the Red Son universe's Superman is apparently going to appear in an upcoming series by DC, it might be worth picking up if you're an avid follower of comics. Even if you're not, any interest in how different DC's world would be if Superman was a communist, or even in alternate universe's in general, means you should pick this up as soon as you possibly can.



We're all familiar with the works of Alan Moore and how famous they've become. We're all aware that he always brings something new to the table, some new ideas that we may never have hoped to explore before, that we've never even thought of until he came up with it.

This is a collection of stories where Alan Moore has done that over and over again using pre-existing characters or settings, taking something familiar and adding his distinctive twist to still end up with something totally original.

From stories relating to alien life in forms we may never have thought we'd see them being members of the Green Lantern Corps, to a story in Vega where a civilization of tiny beings experience time at a different speed to beings many million times their size, rising and falling in the blink of an eye, Alan Moore shows us what originality really is. He doesn't just think outside the box - he utterly annihilates the box. You may not be familiar with the universes that he's writing about, but it hardly matters for many of them, and for many others, if you know anything at all about comics, you should have enough of a general idea to be able to get through it.

He also gives us a new perspective on certain characters, such as a story where Abin Sur (the Green Lantern predecessor to Hal Jordan) meets a race of cosmic horrors who foreshadow his future, a story about Batman's nemesis Clayface and his deteriorating mental state, and in "Whatever Happened To The Man Of Tomorrow", a story about the end of Superman's days as a superhero.

Probably the main selling point of this collection however should be the fact that it contains possibly one of the greatest Batman stories I've read - The Killing Joke. A story about Batman and the Joker playing out yet another duel, but beautifully written, and an excellent insight into the interaction and relationship between them, and how they define each other. Instead of buying it individually for an extortionate price, you can buy this entire collection for a few quid more, and receive a dozen quality stories about the DC Universe and more besides, all at the pen of Alan Moore.

Spider-Man/Venom: Maximum Carnage



A 14 part crossover comic series in the Spider-Man universe. Carnage (Kletus Kassey) , psychopathic serial killer escapes from prison along with Shierk, his new "love". The dou joins up with other super villain nutjobs and they all go on a take no prisoners killing spree across New York.

Knowing that things are getting out of hand, Spider-Man and Venom must put their difference aside to protect New York from Carnage and his crew.

Originally Posted by John

So, I've finally tracked down/read through the first hardcover collection of Runaways (gotta love it being shelved in the DC section...) and I'm not sure what to think.

I suspect the main problem is that the first volume sets up the rest of it, and I already know the setup.

I'm also kinda hit-and-miss on the art style. Solid colouring, but the stylization just grates on me a bit. I think it's the faces. They look...gah. I think I'm going to have nightmare's about Karolina's mom's first appearance. (Page 8, top left)

On the other hand, the art styles works perfectly for Karolina and her powers. I almost suspect that that was the entire point of the style. Seriously, the final splash page/cover of the hardcover collection almost seems to have her as a focal point, despite her being at the very back and off to the side, almost being eclipsed by the title.

As for the characters, six volumes isn't enough time to get to know them well, beyond broad outlines, but there's definitely lots of potential there.

And I...can't see their family as a threat quite yet. I realize that they are super villains, it's not that, it's more that so far they still want their kids to see things from their point of view, so it seems unlikely that they'll do too much to actually harm them (with the exception of Karolina's mom, who actually seems willing to seriously harm or kill the other kids, so long as her daughter is fine.) I've no doubt that they'll significantly up in threat as the series goes on, but for now they're not as intimidating as they might otherwise be.

The whole first 'volume' of the series (the first eighteen issues) really reads better as a single story rather than three trades. The first six really are just the set-up, and really the whole first volume sort of functions like a season of a serial TV show. There are many stories within, but the overall arc is where the big payoff is.

Really, I would have recommended trying to get the book that collects the entire first volume, if you could've found/afforded it. Though I suppose that would have been an expensive purchase if you read the first one or two and found you hated it.

As for the art, it's Alphona for as long as Vaughan is on the book. I don't mind his art at all, actually. But then again, I had to live through Ramos' art the book, and that will make anyone's look good. Ramos just draws everyone like a saturday morning cartoon character. I think Michael Ryan's art was the best on the series (Whedon's run), and the current artist is pretty alright, but it's only been one issue.

my favorite manga is GTO

I highly recommend Bitter Virgin. It really isn't meant for younger readers. It deals with highly real issues. The story can be viewed as depressing, but it gives the message that even after suffering abuse and loss you can still find happiness in your life. The story focuses on two high school students. While hiding in a church one day, a boy over hears the confession of one of his females classmates. The girl confesses that a year ago she gave birth to a child that was concieved through abuse. After hearing her confession the boy feels the need to protect her.Truly powerful and a must read.


On a lighter note, I recommend Midnight Scretary. C'mon, what's not to love about vampires? It is a major romance series..and the romance scenes can get pretty graphic, so it isn't meant for younger readers. That being said, it doesnt just focus on those types of scenes alone. It shows vampires in a new light instead of the basic blood suckers who only come out at night. Instead it offers the idea that vampires can only feed from members of the opposite sex and that vampires are born rather than created. While the end of the series was a touch dissappointing it is still a highly entertianing read.