What are you reading... Now...

[Autbot_Benz]

Reading The First Alan Moore Swamp Thing graphic novel. Its very good. What makes it even greater for me is my other favorite DC Character shows up Etrigan The Demon

https://i.imgur.com/0SnYV9A.jpg

[Autbot_Benz]

Reading Good Omens by Neil Gaiman. Love Crowley and Aziraphale the witty banter between the two is perfect.

[Autbot_Benz]

Currently reading Thor God Of Thunder Vol 1 by Jason Aaron and its really good so far. The art is superb and I love how the story focuses on Prince Thor Odinsion Current Thor and Future King Thor.

[Avenger]

I'm currently reading the Boom's Power Rangers comic book.

I watched the show when I was a kid so I tried just for fun, with no expectations...


What a blast!

So much better than the TV show. They aren't confined in the same formula.

I just finished Volume 4 of the main serie. I read volume 1 & 2 of "Go Go Power Rangers". I'll buy the "Shattered Grid" event coming in new Deluxe Edition in mid-November.

The main serie follows the original rangers (Jason, Zack, Trini, Kimberly & Billy) with Green Ranger Tommy. It begins just after the arc "Green with evil".

The second serie (Go Go PR) follow the original team (again) but a short time after they get their powers (so no Tommy here). Apparently, the goal was to offer something that wasn't "Tommy centric".

Never been that much a fan of Zach & Trini, but here they really are enjoyable characters.

They released Deluxe Edition books for Year 1 & Year 2 (#1 to #24), but it was limited edition printing, so it's hard to find.

[Autbot_Benz]

Currently reading Thor God Of Thunder Vol 1 by Jason Aaron and its really good so far. The art is superb and I love how the story focuses on Prince Thor Odinsion Current Thor and Future King Thor.

Just finished Thor God Of Thunder Vol 1 by Jason Aaron. Fantastic book this was Vol 1 which had the first 18 issues. They were great the godkiller storyline was fantastic as was the one with malekith the accursed Can't wait to buy Vol 2 next year.

[AT-Man]

Slowly but surely reading Avatar the Last Airbender: The Rise of Kyoshi. Excited to see if things will go as I suspect.

[Autbot_Benz]

Reading Rob Paulsen's Memoir. Its very good so far.

[MikeandRaph87]

Reading Rob Paulsen's Memoir. Its very good so far.

I did not know he wrote anything? Care to link me to this?

[Autbot_Benz]

I did not know he wrote anything? Care to link me to this?

https://www.amazon.com/Voice-Lessons-Couple-Turtles-Animaniac/dp/1632280663/ref=sr_1_1?crid=U2AWMH61B57S&keywords=voice+lessons+rob+paulsen&qid=1572740332&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&sprefix=voice+lessons+%2Caps%2C448&sr=8-1

[MikeandRaph87]

https://www.amazon.com/Voice-Lessons-Couple-Turtles-Animaniac/dp/1632280663/ref=sr_1_1?crid=U2AWMH61B57S&keywords=voice+lessons+rob+paulsen&qid=1572740332&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&sprefix=voice+lessons+%2Caps%2C448&sr=8-1

A new release! Alright! I will see if I can get it from Barnes & Noble either physically or digitally. Thanks for the hook up.

[Autbot_Benz]

Reading TMNT Ghostbusters and I am really enjoying it. The turtles play off the ghostbusters perfectly. Raph and Venkman get along Don Ray and Egon are big nerds with each other. Winston and Leo and Mikey gets along with everyone.


I also read Hellblazer Issue 1 of the new sandman universe. Its fantastic back to old school Constantine.

[Leo656]

I haven't read them all yet exactly, but I found a great bunch of stuff at the comic book store today! They have a Used TPB for $5 box and they usually package complete runs of books in a tight bundle for like $5-15 - very convenient! - so I ended up getting:

- Doomsday Clock #12
- He-Man and the Masters of the Multiverse #1
- Batman - Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth 25th Anniversary Edition
- X-Men: God Loves Man Kills
- SHAZAM! The New Beginning #1-4
- Wrath of the Spectre #1-4
- Superman: Secret Origin #1-6

I also picked up an 8-issue run of Street Fighter II from like ten years ago, I forget who published those, Udon or something? Anyways, one of her Christmas presents.

They had a Super7 Beast Man and Teela but I was starting to run low on cash. :ohwell: Maybe next time.

[TurtleTitan97]

Currently reading Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne

[Autbot_Benz]

Currently reading Hellblazer Book 13 and once I finish that I got Action and Detective Comics 100 deluxe edition

[Autbot_Benz]

Currently reading Hellblazer Book 13 and once I finish that I got Action and Detective Comics 100 deluxe edition

Reading Action Comics 1000. bunch of one off superman stories. Pretty good so far.

[Leo656]

So, my wife got me this for our Anniversary, and it's incredible:

https://scontent.fewr1-6.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/p720x720/98206599_2568842316548745_4446750658556592128_o.jp g?_nc_cat=101&_nc_sid=110474&_nc_ohc=uRJPB606jv0AX-8SvZl&_nc_ht=scontent.fewr1-6.fna&_nc_tp=6&oh=33571941ea8ec0e3b9caaf107dcc950e&oe=5EE9D5AE

Hardcover, over 1200 pages, beautiful, and contains all the original MOTU mini-comics that came with the toys, all of the original She-Ra mini-comics, two pack-ins from the 2003 relaunch, and the first three MOTU Classics mini-comics. It also has one comic that was drawn but never finished, and another that was scripted but never drawn. In addition, there's tons and tons of interviews with some of the original writers, artists, etc., little Notes and trivia about some of the discrepancies between the comics and the toys and cartoons, and on and on and on.

I've had my eye on it for a long time but I'd never seen it in person before. It's amazing. Any He-Man fan needs to have it.

[Whatswiththeheadbands?]

Going back to the beginning of The Shadow, without a doubt one of the most important characters in all fiction.

Crazy to think this story will be 100 years old in almost no time at all
https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1335027674l/2568542.jpg

[AquaParade]

That book cover is super sinister. Love it.

[Leo656]

For sure, that would make an amazing poster. Look great on the wall in a frame.

Kinda dig that noir/pulp-y stuff sometimes.

[Autbot_Benz]

Finished William Daniels Bio last week and Just Started Saga of Swamp Thing book 2.

[Leo656]

I'm simply awestruck by how incredible the He-Man mini-comic collection is. It's so neat seeing how entirely different the franchise was in its earliest incarnation, and how it sort of tried to morph into something much closer to the cartoon show once that took off but remained entirely its own thing all the way through to the end. Definitely a huge recommendation for anyone with even a passing interest in the brand, even though it's completely different from the familiar MOTU lore. It's a fascinating piece of work all the same.

[Autbot_Benz]

Reading Saga of Swamp Thing Book 3. I just read issue 27 which is the first Canonical debut of my favorite DC Anti-Hero John Constantine and it was great.

[Whatswiththeheadbands?]

Finished Book 4 of The Wheel of Time

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51Ko-wu8nwL._SX317_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

[newfan]

Currently, Mirage for the first time
Also have two downloaded books lined up, one being Bram Stokers Dracula.

[AquaParade]

Is anyone else reading Immortal Hulk? I have the second deluxe hardcover on the way. I definitely enjoyed the first. To be reductive, I'd say it's like a lightweight version of Alan Moore's Swamp Thing. Pretty dang good for a modern Marvel comic.

I'm also reading Brave New World for the first time since high school. Very fun book.

[Autbot_Benz]

Reading Thor by Jason Aaron the Complete Collection Vol 2 which is when Jane Foster gets the hammer and is the goddess of thunder. Really good so far

[AquaParade]

Reading Thor by Jason Aaron the Complete Collection Vol 2 which is when Jane Foster gets the hammer and is the goddess of thunder. Really good so far

I really wanted to like that run but couldn't get into it. The Silver Samurai issue being an exception.

[Autbot_Benz]

I really wanted to like that run but couldn't get into it. The Silver Samurai issue being an exception.

its decent. I still think Collection 1 the god butcher storyline was better.

[Leo656]

Going through storage boxes, found these. Still great.

https://scontent.fewr1-6.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/118765998_2856631741103133_1067738398041201093_o.j pg?_nc_cat=103&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=EOrTisda0ccAX8sugtR&_nc_ht=scontent.fewr1-6.fna&oh=59858142d18f0ec6ac954767201adf98&oe=5F7B51A3
https://scontent.fewr1-5.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/118779980_2856631714436469_6461342837508406737_o.j pg?_nc_cat=107&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=1GNX1ZLmj4kAX9U6KfY&_nc_ht=scontent.fewr1-5.fna&oh=d2146f66cf37786b8ba45d7cfdf81f35&oe=5F7C05D8
https://scontent.fewr1-5.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/118851330_2856631704436470_735958946343210371_o.jp g?_nc_cat=110&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=Q-ipfjWvLO8AX8AJKm3&_nc_ht=scontent.fewr1-5.fna&oh=1fe8e24c320c3085e5521d412f4a38a4&oe=5F7C1E75
https://scontent.fewr1-6.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/118962254_2856631817769792_9041160327210113025_o.j pg?_nc_cat=100&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=XTIlTwBwACkAX-TR-Y0&_nc_ht=scontent.fewr1-6.fna&oh=91b2e7d42c7b3b1f2091d3495fc143eb&oe=5F7C570F
https://scontent.fewr1-6.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/119081795_2856631751103132_1309211892648098037_o.j pg?_nc_cat=103&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=bQW6LV3WPPsAX9EIfgI&_nc_ht=scontent.fewr1-6.fna&oh=1e723b52799a5f5150fccbfc12f27d6c&oe=5F7D4A9D
https://scontent.fewr1-6.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/118779280_2856631767769797_3588242271734195517_o.j pg?_nc_cat=102&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=ehj_-GUeV5sAX9uBt2O&_nc_ht=scontent.fewr1-6.fna&oh=d4cf057fc03be38849e44fa7cae4b534&oe=5F7DB14F
https://scontent.fewr1-6.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/118874280_2856631807769793_6080667558879813210_o.j pg?_nc_cat=100&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=u0hmxjS_Q_MAX8gST0r&_nc_ht=scontent.fewr1-6.fna&oh=250b11af701583bb6589d83681dbdf28&oe=5F7E2D30
https://scontent.fewr1-5.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/118951054_2856538444445796_6754652697579645930_o.j pg?_nc_cat=105&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=__D58h-ae4IAX_refaF&_nc_ht=scontent.fewr1-5.fna&oh=28dd168e3828266f18121f96dce11abf&oe=5F7C0155

That last one, "Time Trouble", was by far the best, though. I adore that painted artwork on the covers. The stories were always top-notch but sometimes the interior art was merely serviceable. "Time Trouble, though, had both an incredible cover AND exceptional interior artwork.

That stuff is forever how I see the He-Man "universe" in my head. Particularly as depicted in those incredible paintings. If more people had that kind of thing as a frame of reference rather than the Filmation cartoon, then He-Man and MOTU would always, always be "cool".

[Autbot_Benz]

Just finished Saga of Swamp Thing Book 4 by Alan Moore. Issues 49 and 50 were amazing. Almost all the Occult characters in DC showed up.

John Constantine John Zatara and his daughter Zatanna Dr Fate Spectre Phantom Stranger Deadman Etrigan the Demon Dr Occult a few others whose names I Don't remember.

As someone who loves the occult members of the DC Universe this was the chef's kiss.

[AquaParade]

I love that Swamp Thing run. Speaking of Alan Moore, I just finished "From Hell".

It was incredible.

[D-ray]

Due to my lack of type (and money to spend) I'm just reading the Usagi Yojimbo series of Comics.
It's awesome for ancient Japan culture fanatics, but is hard to appreciate if you usually prefer funny or goofy stories. It's extremely serious in alot of levels.

But I definitely recommend it!

[Autbot_Benz]

Book 5 of Swamp Thing in the Can enjoyed seeing Batman Jim Gordon Harvey Bullock show up and Lex Luthor. Swamp Thing being trapped in Space in interesting. Just need to get book 6 to have all of Alan Moore's run.

[Voltron]

I decided to pick up Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. It's informative, but man is it a slog. The translation is written in this really complicated way that makes it really difficult to catch the meaning of things. There're no notes, either, so if he goes off on some contemporary, there's little to no explanation of what he's on about.

Basically, the whole thing boils down to "Stay positive, be nice, and work hard." That's the TL;DR.

[frank_one]

Alien by Alan Dean Foster. It is based on the original screenplay, so there's stuff that was cut from the movie or slightly different.

[Andrew NDB]

Embarrassed to say, nothing. I went into this forced lockdown and shutdown like, "Nice! I'm going to read all the novels I've bought that I've never read!" But I haven't.

[frank_one]

Embarrassed to say, nothing. I went into this forced lockdown and shutdown like, "Nice! I'm going to read all the novels I've bought that I've never read!" But I haven't.You don't have to feel guilty... as long as you have spent your time doing something else that is interesting.

[Autbot_Benz]

Currently Reading Hellblazer John Constantine Book 14 Good Intentions this is more the original vertigo run. Pretty good so far.

[neatoman]

I'm reading Aniara, in the original swedish of course. Reading science fiction poetry is... an insteresting experience. I can't say I've come across technobabble in rhyme before but there it is.

[IMJ]

The Sixty-Six Laws of the Illuminati, which is a one or two night read unless you try to weave the laws into a tapestry in your minds eye, in which case it's a three night read.

After that I want to get into Altered Carbon which has been sitting on my nightstand for a few months now.

[Leo656]

I started reading "Crossed" on a recommendation, and now I really think Garth Ennis needs a hug. :lol:

I generally love his stuff and I like this too, but man. This is undoubtedly the most f*cked-up thing I've ever seen in my life in any medium. It's like "The Walking Dead" times 100.

Not that I think that's bad. But this is one rare case of, when the comments about it are all "What the hell goes on in the mind of someone who can write this sort of thing?", I honestly have to ask the same question. :lol:

I can absolutely see some people needing five gallons of "brain bleach" and a long, warm nap after even one issue. It's very affecting.

I can't even say whether or not I recommend it. I mean, I LIKE it, but it's undoubtedly the most gory, bleak, and horrific thing I've ever seen in my life. And I can see most people not getting through a single issue. I'm pretty addicted to it, but man... it's rough. Like REALLY rough. As horrible as you might imagine it is based on description... it's ten times worse. Not over-selling it at all.

I guess if someone LOVES Garth Ennis, and they think "The Walking Dead" is too much aimed at kids, they'd like it, or at least find some entertainment in it. I think it might be far too much for most people, though. I mean, *I* like it, but I'm like, a known lunatic. :lol: And even I needed a long nap and a hot shower after the bunch of issues I read. Definitely not a feel-good read by any stretch. Seriously, Garth... who hurt you, man? :lol:

I actually jumped around a little and read a few issues that were written by other people... and those were a little bit worse. I don't know if that's Better or Worse. :lol:

That said... I've been entirely worn out on "zombie fiction" for many years just because it's so oversaturated in media now to the point it's almost entirely for laughs, but somehow I'd never heard of this, and it definitely makes the basic concept pretty goddamn frightening again. So, there's that.

I definitely don't think anyone who has kids would have a good time with it. Considering all the awful sh*t that happens to kids in these books. And pets... and the elderly... and... well, f*cking everyone. It's like a blood orgy that only barely stops to catch its breath, and every pause is only the calm before an ever-more horrifying storm.

It's alright, though. I can't say I could recommend to anyone it but I do like it. I mean, if you're gonna shock and disgust people, it's Go Big or Go Home. And I have to give them credit for "Going Big" in ways I've never even seen or thought of. That takes a certain talent all its own, nowadays.

[Autbot_Benz]

Currently Reading Hellblazer John Constantine Book 14 Good Intentions this is more the original vertigo run. Pretty good so far.

Brian Azzerello is a terrible writer for Hellblazer. I see why fans don't like his run

[Leo656]

I haven't read it, but Azzarello is definitely hit-and-miss with me.

I'm one of the few who really loved his "For Tomorrow" run on Superman, but I didn't care for his "Angel Lupo" storyline on Batman very much at all. Meanwhile, I thought his "Joker" graphic novel was great, but I didn't much like his "Lex Luthor: Man of Steel" mini-series.

100 Bullets is supposedly his magnum opus, but I've never read that yet either. He's pretty good but for my money very inconsistent. "For Tomorrow" remains my favorite thing he's done, with "Joker" a very close second.

[Autbot_Benz]

Just Started Justice League Dark Vol 2 Book 1. I have been reading the singles from issue 20 onward so I figured it was time to go back and get the first 3 books and read Issues 1-19.

Good Start to Issue 1 like seeing how the team gets formed. Love Swamp Thing's new look with his hair and beard being braided roots. Constantine shows up as he should and all the other main magical players too. Also makes reference to Saga of Swamp Thing Issue 50 with the death of John Zatara.

[Autbot_Benz]

Finished the final issue of the Sandman Universe Hellblazer. Fantastic really wish it hadn't been cancelled but DC are idiots and would rather push 200 batman comics/spinoffs/team ups/ villain spinoffs instead.

[IMJ]

Finished the final issue of the Sandman Universe Hellblazer. Fantastic really wish it hadn't been cancelled but DC are idiots and would rather push 200 batman comics/spinoffs/team ups/ villain spinoffs instead.

I've wanted to read Sandman and Hellblazer for a very long time now and never have. It's one of those things I'll probably never get around to doing, but I know that as far as required reading goes, I should.

[Autbot_Benz]

Finishing up Alan Moore's Swamp thing book 6. Issues 57 & 58 were cool seeing Adam Strange and two evil thanagarians. But half the words were in Rann language and I couldn't understand squat. Issue 59 was decent showing how evil Anton Acrane was.

[Leo656]

So I got This F*cking Thing in the mail today:

https://scontent.fewr1-6.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/p526x296/138310988_3189003397865964_4987726485581308612_o.j pg?_nc_cat=109&ccb=2&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=oR4EwH3eVIwAX-WZauB&_nc_ht=scontent.fewr1-6.fna&tp=6&oh=6f154a7ab195b11b36eee4c47f6b1bbe&oe=6023435E
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: The Newspaper Comic Strips in hardcover. This thing is gorgeous and MASSIVE, at a whopping 14.25x9.25 inches and over 500 pages! There's a Foreword about how hard it was to track down and assemble the strips into this book, some Afterword stuff about some of the regional syndication differences/errors, and more. The hardcover mini-comics collection was amazing but this is way up there, too. The oversized format really makes it shine.

I can't wait to dive into this goddamn thing. For starters, I was only barely aware that there WAS a newspaper strip back in the day because it didn't run around here. And I had no idea it lasted as long as it did. I just happened to find out about it while I was reading about He-Man stuff on Wikipedia, and ordered this book immediately. What an awesome discovery.

The only "negative" is that most of the strips are in black and white except for the Sunday strips. But that's fine, and it's authentic. It's still a great-looking book.

I still need the "Art of the Masters of the Universe" hardcover and the DC "Masters" Omnibus. I plan to order those pretty soon after I take care of a few other things.

[Autbot_Benz]

Finished Book 6 of Alan Moore'S Swamp thing it is the weakest of the 6 books and i thought it was kind of boring. Cool surprise seeing Darkseid and Apkolops showing up. Book said a green lantern would be in it I got excited for Hal John Kyle or Guy nope just some obscure lantern I've never heard about. last issue was pretty good too

[Leo656]

This came on Saturday: The He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Omnibus by DC Comics!
https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/s600x600/141037430_3222106967888940_1192271418269142905_o.j pg?_nc_cat=111&ccb=2&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=W9n1m1JpNLEAX93yVFR&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-1.xx&tp=7&oh=abb979b2c31af1f1b631c64d35ea06c3&oe=6034027Ehttps://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/s600x600/142448920_3222107284555575_2203386766177124806_o.j pg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=2&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=ainKShXS2CUAX8W0NHt&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-1.xx&tp=7&oh=941b945836b18f9a42bcddc0e1bf5cf3&oe=60339EA0https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/s600x600/141288706_3222107401222230_7607467932602254129_o.j pg?_nc_cat=105&ccb=2&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=sLAjRpkAMuEAX-mSu0U&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-1.xx&tp=7&oh=ba0f2d754296cc8ad56952dca0f385ca&oe=60328C01

Strap in, I've got a LOT to say about this one. Two-part post! :tgrin:

This thing is MASSIVE, at over 1400 pages; it feels like it weighs about 15 lbs! And it. Is. AMAZING. It collects nearly ALL of the DC Comics MOTU stuff ever released, including the original 1980s mini-series, the DC Comics Presents issue #47 where the series debuted in print, and the "Preview" strip "Fate is the Killer" which ran in several DC issues to promote the then-upcoming 80s mini-series, and of course, it collects almost all of the DC mini-series and ongoings they put out from 2012 and onward, both print and digital. The only DC stuff it DOESN'T collect is the "MOTU vs. Injustice" mini-series and the "Masters of the Multiverse" mini. It also includes multiple variant covers and bonus artwork.

The focus is on the more modern DC MOTU series, with the 1980s stuff placed near the back of the book as more of a "Bonus Feature". Which makes sense, because the 1980s series and the 2012+ series have nothing to do with each other other than being published by DC. The one thing they both have in common, is that they have almost no relation to any of the more "familiar" MOTU lore such as the cartoons, with each being entirely "Their Own Thing".

I had never read most of the post-2012 He-Man books, give or take a handful, so I was very, very excited to finally take a look at them. I know that they've gotten a very mixed reaction from the fanbase, with some people absolutely loving it and some absolutely hating it. So I was very intrigued to finally find out what all the fuss was about. I'd liked the few issues I'd seen, but without context there was only so much I could take from it. Having the opportunity to finally read the storyline in order as it was meant to be presented, I have to say... as a huge He-Man fan for my entire life, I absolutely LOVE what I've read so far. I can see why some people - especially fans of the Filmation cartoon - aren't fans of it at all, BUT, while it's nothing that I would have predicted or expected, I really, REALLY liked what I've seen so far and I was completely blown away.

It was late when I picked it up to look through it, so I figured I would just skim it briefly to get a look at what it was like. I ended up staying up until about 7am reading the first 400+ pages, stopping only once I got up to the start of the "MOTU vs. DCU" mini-series. I legit could not put it down... I kept saying "Just one more issue" but that went out the window pretty fast.

The storyline itself combines elements from the toyline mini-comics, as well as the Filmation cartoon, but is beholden to neither of them, being 100% its own distinct Universe, with its own history and tone. And it is NOTHING that an "old school" fan like myself would expect, and I mean that in the best way. I can absolutely see why some people would much prefer something more "safe and familiar", like an extension of the cartoon storyline or something in that vein, and I totally get that. That's probably what I personally would have done if I were in charge, and if that's what this series was, I'd have loved it for sure. BUT. For as completely unique as it is, and as someone who generally does NOT like "Different Just For Being Different's Sake", I was honestly blown away by almost every page.

I knew going in that it was going to be "different", and I expected to have mixed feelings about it, but so far, I don't. I love the original and Filmation storylines. I always will. But I love this so far, as well. It feels... "Right". It feels like what a never-ending battle between a magic-powered barbarian with a gigantic magic sword and an evil warlock with a skull for a face should be, rather than the childish punchline so many people seem to think of the franchise as. It comes off as what the series MIGHT have been if it was created and written as a straightforward "Conan-esque" Fantasy series rather than a kids' toyline. And in that, it feels a great deal like it fulfills some of the potential the series always had, for high-stakes action, drama, and danger. It leans heavily away from the Filmation trappings everyone knows, and far more into stuff like Conan and Red Sonja. And as much as I love the stuff I grew up with, as an adult I have to say, this feels a lot like what I always WISHED He-Man and MOTU was.

The storyline starts off in media res with Skeletor having finally conquered Grayskull, taken the Sorceress prisoner, and erased the memories of He-Man and the other Heroic Warriors, and proceeds from there, with the How, What, and Why slowly unfolding over several issues. Over 400 pages in, we STILL don't have all the answers as to WHAT exactly happened to bring this situation to a head, but there are a lot of shocking hints and revelations along the way. But it's VERY intriguing stuff. All of the characters' dialog and interactions are fantastic; Teela comes off a lot more of a bitch than she normally does, but I can handle it. He-Man comes off as much more world-weary than usual - you get the feeling he's been at this for a while, and has been affected by it - but retains his dry, sarcastic and quippy sense of humor. These definitely ARE the characters you remember from your childhood, just... "damaged", maybe? "Affected"? However you'd describe it, it's not altogether unfamiliar, just a bit unexpected, but also refreshing.

Along with brand-new origins for He-Man, Skeletor, Battle Cat (an especially touching one that explains why Cringer is so fearful when he's not Battle Cat), and several other characters, there's also an entirely new She-Ra origin story presented, with only the loosest possible connection to the original "Secret of the Sword" cartoon storyline. She still hasn't become "She-Ra" yet at the point I left off on, but they kept in the "Adora was kidnapped as a baby and raised under Hordak" stuff from the cartoon; it's just totally different. For one thing, her storyline takes place MUCH later in this series' timeline, and as "Despara" she's presented as an EXTREMELY violent, cruel and ruthless commander of the Horde at first, a far cry from her more naive cartoon representation. It's shocking stuff, to be sure - Adora/Despara conquers without mercy and kills without hesitation or remorse, even young children - but I have to figure that what it's leading to is some sort of redemption arc for Adora once she finally becomes She-Ra. Again, it's NOT what I ever expected to see but it's powerfully written stuff, especially the revelation that she and Teela were briefly close friends as children; it's hinted that it's that friendship that is what's going to help bring Adora back to the light. The stuff of them as kids is really touching stuff. This is an emotionally powerful book.

That said, as much as I'm loving it so far, I can see why some people hate it. This is NOT the cartoon show. Some people say that it's "disrespectful" to that version, but I really don't see it that way. To me, it feels simply like "What if He-Man was written for adults instead of children?" And I think that was smart, because let's be honest, the He-Man audience who'd be reading a comic book in the last decade is NOT a little kid, it's an adult male pushing age 40. Therefore, WHY would DC want to simply retread a 35-year old cartoon show that most people now look down upon as campy kitsch nostalgia? It makes sense to me that they would aim for adults, and present the storyline as more of a Conan or Red Sonja-style comic. And it is a DAMN good one. IF you're willing to accept it on its own terms.

(Cont.)

[Leo656]

But again... I DO get why certain people don't like it. There's the usual "Grimdark DC" jokes about it, and yeah, that's kind of fair. I would even say that calling it "Zack Snyder's Masters of the Universe" is a fair assessment. It's dark, violent, and definitely more aimed at adults. There's a little bit of sex (only shown in shadow but it's obvious what's happening), some censored profanity, and a fair amount of violence, albeit mostly-implied, such as He-Man's sword being covered in blood after a battle, and limp and bloodied bodies strewn about without any explicit showing of how they got that way. But yeah, He-Man kills people, and he only occasionally seems like it bothers him very much, but again, this is less of a "super-hero" take on the character and more someone who's been fighting a WAR, with everything that entails. Teela, for her part, is especially bloodthirsty, at times encouraging He-Man to kill someone and being increasingly annoyed when he doesn't. Again, if you expect an extension/retelling of the cartoons, this will all be hit-or-miss with you, but in-context, it all feels very natural. The most violent thing, so far, is when Skeletor casually snaps the Sorceress's neck, and later taunts He-Man with her severed head during a battle.

Again, maaaybe a little over-the-top, but again, context is everything. This Skeletor doesn't f*ck around; he repeatedly asks his minions after they fail to conquer He-Man, "Remind me again why you didn't just slit his throat when you had the chance?" Which let's be honest, is something any grown person with a functioning brain has asked of these "cartoonish" type villains at some point or another, once you reach the age of reason. Skeletor, Shredder, The Joker, and so on and so forth; we've all grown accustomed to seeing these "Bad Guys" be in a position to actually "win" against the heroes, and only lose or fail because "It's for kids" and the plot demands it. And let's face it, that rings a bit false after a while. It's refreshing to see villains actually use logic or have realistic motivations. Especially when Skeletor's initial plan fails specifically BECAUSE he chose to toy with the heroes rather than kill them outright; after that, all bets are off. It feels a lot more realistic, and I appreciate that.

So yeah, it's "dark" and it's violent and it's different from what may be expected, and all that may be a lot to take in for someone who genuinely wanted, or would have preferred or been satisfied with, a simple retelling or extension of the Filmation cartoon. But taken purely on its own terms? So far, I think it's great. I LOVE this book. I'm not even halfway through it, but it's one of the best He-Man storylines I've ever seen. And I say that as someone who DOES still love the Filmation cartoon.

If you take it for what it is, and look at it as maybe not the "Definitive" He-Man but rather One More Unique Version in the entire MOTU "Multiverse", I really don't see anything wrong with it, and while it's not what I would have done with the franchise I'm very pleasantly surprised. The only thing that's a bit jarring is that most of the issues have different pencilers, so the art, while generally good, can be very inconsistent from one issue to the next. There's a bit early on where Teela gets shot with an arrow near the end of one issue, and in the next one her wound is completely gone (not only visually ignored, but another character points out that she "Hasn't spilled so much as a drop of blood" despite CLEARLY having been shot with an arrow just two or three pages earlier), and then the bloody wound shows up again a couple of pages later as if it was always there. THAT was very jarring, but so far that's the only bit of inconsistency to that level that I've come across, everything else has been pretty tight.

I'm not even halfway through it, but I give it an A and a Highest Possible Recommendation for He-Man fans. And you know what? If you're the kind of person who always thought that He-Man was "silly", maybe give this a try. It might tonally be more in your wheelhouse. Especially if you like Epic Fantasy, Conan-type stuff. If you just generally don't like that stuff at all, this probably won't matter to you, but if you DO like that stuff and just never gave He-Man the time of day because it was a "goofy, dated kids' cartoon", this might just be up your alley. It runs about $70+ hardcover, but the digital version might be cheaper, and the hardcover is still a far sight cheaper than collecting all the issues (or even TPBs) individually.

At over 1450 pages, it's a fantastic value for the money and an absolute Must-Own for any serious He-Man fan. This Omnibus DEFINITELY Has The Power!

[Leo656]

I'm just about done with the MOTU DC Omnibus - I finished the entire "main" run, the Thundercats cross-over, and the first couple of 1980s issues - and I have just the three-issue 1980s mini-series left to go. But I also had THESE gems come in the mail today:

https://scontent.fewr1-6.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/s600x600/142731819_3230611730371797_8781777842415889823_o.j pg?_nc_cat=109&ccb=2&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=rJmEQ5pDRCUAX_UksBQ&_nc_ht=scontent.fewr1-6.fna&tp=7&oh=6cafb7c7c0877e92c2fc2c20e2035219&oe=6039E7D5https://scontent.fewr1-5.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/s600x600/142571216_3230611847038452_323647306265375128_o.jp g?_nc_cat=107&ccb=2&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=HCmvx4Ea_4MAX_cOaDX&_nc_ht=scontent.fewr1-5.fna&tp=7&oh=5df5a9d16f10d76d9c3ba008e1604f3d&oe=60377C31
https://scontent.fewr1-6.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/s600x600/142921433_3230611627038474_984273808269809240_o.jp g?_nc_cat=108&ccb=2&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=s6L-4YeC9BoAX_BPa-F&_nc_ht=scontent.fewr1-6.fna&tp=7&oh=c6e328c41697ddab57d49f964987fc57&oe=6039D281

I haven't read the Injustice cross-over yet, but it's a very nice hardcover.

I did however flip through the entire "Art of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" hardcover, and WOW. It's a nice-sized book and absolutely packed with content. There was tons of stuff I'd never seen before, like some the original toy concept art and Filmation pre-production sketches. But even insofar as the stuff I have seen a hundred times, seeing it all together in one place is AMAZING. So many differing art styles between the toy packaging, mini-comics, DC/Marvel/MYP/Image comic books, the Filmation cartoon, "New Adventures", the 2003 reboot, MOTU Classics, the posters, the magazines, the live-action movie... it's overwhelming, in a great way. There's even lots of scans of production notes, interviews with some of the creators, and a miniature animation cell. This book has it all!

Highest Possible Recommendation to any MOTU fan. It's a great coffee table book but ALSO an incredible "history lesson" and time capsule. This is the kind of book you give to someone who "doesn't get" why MOTU is so cool. If those incredible Earl Norem paintings don't get their blood pumping, you know the brand just isn't for them. But I feel like just about anyone would be able to flip through this book and come away with a better understanding and at least a slight appreciation for the property, simply from seeing how many different ways its been done and reinterpreted over the years, to such great effect.

A+. Buy it. It's gorgeous.

Also... I can't be the only one crushing on Evil-Lyn on that back cover, can I? :lol: Whooooo. :tgrin:

[Leo656]

So last night I finally read the Injustice vs. Masters of the Universe hardcover, and I gotta say, I liked it a lot more than I thought I would! It was way better than the "regular" DCU vs. MOTU crossover, which had great MOTU parts and very weak/lackluster DC parts. This was just plain good all-around.

It picks up after the "Superman Wins" ending of Injustice 2 and some time after the MOTU/Thundercats crossover; neither That nor This are canon to the other DC MOTU books, however; the DC MOTU ongoing series were their own distinct continuity whereas this and the Thundercats crossover are pretty much either the Filmation universe or one that's heavily inspired-by.

I felt like they did a good job incorporating all the characters and lore together into One Big Story, and in a way that felt natural to both universes. Although with some of the more major character deaths, I highly doubt this will be "canon" to the Injustice Universe once the inevitable third game hits; although the "true" ending of Injustice 2 was the one where Batman wins, anyway, so this story already takes place in kind of a "What If" scenario.

A ton of MOTU fans are seriously hoping that this will lead to He-Man and Skeletor being DLC for Injustice 3, but it seems that the relationship between DC and Mattel has soured over the last two years so that may no longer be likely. We can hope, though, because it's a natural fit.
---------

Then today, this came in the mail:
https://scontent.fewr1-6.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/p526x296/144883341_3237389479694022_4796162437650367425_o.j pg?_nc_cat=108&ccb=2&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=9BrQm0Qvbq0AX_dfHJZ&_nc_ht=scontent.fewr1-6.fna&tp=6&oh=d504be657454c67ae1cc94c65e2f16bd&oe=6039E3A1

I'd only managed to pick up issues #1 and 4 of the He-Man and the Masters of the Multiverse mini-series, so I saw most of it for the first time today. This was a really awesome concept and they did a lot with it. My wife and I really enjoyed this one.

Basically, an "evil" He-Man is going through the Multiverse killing all the other He-Mans and taking their Power Swords so he can absorb their power and unleash ultimate evil upon all creation. So the Keldor of that universe teams up with a bunch of surviving He-Mans to try and stop that, and also avoid his destiny of becoming Skeletor. It's ultimately an excuse to team-up and showcase all of the many different iterations of the MOTU brand, from the original mini-comics/toys version to the Filmation cartoon, the MYP 2003 series, the 1987 live action film, "New Adventures", and more. And as stories that are mostly wall-to-wall fanservice go, it's a great one. Which isn't to say that there's no story, or that the story is weak; the story is actually very good, with a lot of unexpected twists. But the writer knows what we want to see and doesn't shy away from giving it to us.

MAJOR pop for Anti-He-Man's snide dismissal of "New Adventures" He-Man right before he kills him. "Space He-Man. You're ridiculous." :lol: Hey, when you're right... :trazz:

Some people were unhappy with the plot's final resolution, because it means that most of the character deaths in the book are permanent. But eh, it's a comic book. I really DID like, however, how the final factor in the tide turning towards the heroes was directly related to the ending of DC's "The Eternity War" storyline, with DC's own He-Man ultimately becoming a deciding factor in the outcome based on his decisions at the end of that series. For this entire mini-series, DC's He-Man was quite conspicuous by his absence, to the point where I almost felt like he wasn't going to factor in at all for some reason, and then BAM, and it turns out that he might be the most important He-Man of all, in a sense. Rather than ignore the DC MOTU series, the ending of this book makes it EXTREMELY important to the fate of the entire Multiverse. And I really liked that.
The whole bit about Anti-He-Man not being able to trace and locate his Universe because that particular He-Man decided to share the Power of Grayskull with others rather than keep it hidden and "protected" in one central location made a LOT of sense and was a nice way to tie things up by using the DC MOTU series in a Really Important Way.

On the whole, this is an easy one to give a High Recommendation to. Any He-Man fan should have no problem following it, although the very end might make a bit more sense if you have read the DC MOTU ongoing series and "The Eternity War". But even if you haven't, it's easy enough to follow, it just makes the ending even more impactful.

Just be prepared going into it for the chance that your favorite version of He-Man might just die and not come back by the end. They don't ALL get killed off, but a few of them do, and some people were not pleased with that. The general expectation was that this being DC, and basically MOTU's version of a "Crisis", there'd be some shenanigans at the end where everything that had gone bad would be "restored" and thus anyone who got killed off would be "un-killed" by the ending. Instead... nah, pretty much everyone who dies stays dead, including a few He-Mans. And that annoyed the crap out of some people.

BUT, it's a comic book. And if you can accept that Your Guy might not make it to the end, it's still a damn good He-Man crossover and a great celebration of the larger franchise. I always wanted someone to do a story like this and I was in no way disappointed.

[Autbot_Benz]

Just Finished Justice League Dark book 2 from the Rebirth run. I really enjoyed this. I love the team of Wonder Woman Detective Chimp Swamp Thing Zatanna and Man Bat. Love everything about the Magic users. This run also calls back to Swamp Thing's American Gothic story line. Constantine is also in this a good amount same for Nabu/Doctor Fate.

[Leo656]

Currently re-reading the DC Masters of the Universe Omnibus alongside my wife, who's just reading it all for the first time. She's totally in love with it, and I gotta say it's all even better the second time around. Even the DC crossover played a bit better; maybe I was just tired the first time I read it, I'unno. Once we got started she only took a break to eat dinner, and then she insisted on going back to it. So we ended up getting almost 700 pages into it in a single day. That's way better than I would have hoped.

And then THIS came in the mail today:
https://scontent.fewr1-6.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/s600x600/146389907_3254063278026642_1456609908337275494_o.j pg?_nc_cat=101&ccb=2&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=KR1FmxmPJEwAX9hiM9H&_nc_ht=scontent.fewr1-6.fna&tp=7&oh=a6890c94ea8d46d1decce155925566d3&oe=6046CB97https://scontent.fewr1-6.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/s600x600/146147260_3254063394693297_4451620916892618403_o.j pg?_nc_cat=108&ccb=2&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=bW6vN7v_m9wAX8T_UHD&_nc_ht=scontent.fewr1-6.fna&tp=7&oh=93347671d06ab76fd2fc9cd4998020d1&oe=60467F4E
He-Man and She-Ra: A Complete Guide to the Classic Animated Adventures, published by Dark Horse and compiled with assistance from some of the staff of He-Man.org and others. And man, when they say "Complete", they ain't kiddin'!

This is one of the most comprehensive guidebooks for any TV show I've ever seen. It has in-depth coverage of all 130 episodes of He-Man and all 93 episodes of She-Ra, plus "Secret of the Sword" and the other specials. Plot summaries, Episode Moral recaps, episode reviews, Trivia Facts, script analyses, "Deleted Scenes" that were scripted but didn't make the final cut, behind-the-scenes artwork, and a whole lot more. They even point out some of the more notable instances where animation sequences were re-used - which, let's face it, happened quite a bit. They also go to great lengths to point out how some of the characters were portrayed inconsistently in later episodes compared to early on (especially the villains) and some of the more absurd uses of He-Man's powers. Every episode gets at least two pages of coverage, and sometimes even more, leading to over 500 pages of stellar content that is guaranteed to have even the hardest of hardcore fans saying, "Huh... I didn't know that!" I only skimmed it for a couple minutes and found a ton of things I never knew. This thing is a goldmine!

So far ALL of the Dark Horse "Masters of the Universe" books have been outstanding, and it really speaks to just how dedicated the fanbase is since so much of this material has been put together by fans, many of whom have even managed to work on the franchise in a professional capacity as writers, artists, etc. There's only a couple more I need to get, but they're all highly recommended to anyone with even a passing interest in the franchise. I know for a fact that I'll be keeping this book handy from now on every time I watch an old episode. I think I just need the Character Compendium and I'll be caught up, not counting the upcoming Toy Guide and the Supplement to the Character Compendium.

I got a good deal on this particular hardcover because a member of He-Man.org tipped me off that it was on sale one Amazon, despite being out of print and somewhat harder to come by now. Awesome! I can't wait to give it a deeper look, but even at a glance it's one of the best and most in-depth books for any TV show I've ever seen put to print.

[Leo656]

Got another awesome book in the mail today:
https://scontent.fewr1-6.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/s600x600/149648841_3265150546917915_8688405834440279892_o.j pg?_nc_cat=101&ccb=3&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=HV9WWFBnhhkAX9Kxh8o&_nc_ht=scontent.fewr1-6.fna&tp=7&oh=e4861ad974a77dc54d9bae3696128744&oe=6049DB32https://scontent.fewr1-5.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/s600x600/148339894_3265150610251242_8218124318632117264_o.j pg?_nc_cat=105&ccb=3&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=U58-4tZUQW8AX_jx5Qr&_nc_ht=scontent.fewr1-5.fna&tp=7&oh=a3511443b5c876cf790a569a72235cc5&oe=604CA094

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: A Character Guide and World Compendium from Dark Horse. 700 pages of the most in-depth facts and trivia about everything in the MOTU lore, from the most obvious to the most obscure.

Seriously, this book has just about EVERYTHING, right down to full explanations of the differing variants of characters between different universes. The mini-comics, Filmation cartoon, 2003 series, the newspaper strips, "New Adventures", the toys... every character, every villain, every beast, every vehicle, every background or supporting cast member, as well as every variant of each, it's all covered in here. Or at least it would seem; there's a Supplemental Guide coming out, which I'll need to pick up, which covers just about anything this book doesn't, although skimming through this one it's hard to believe they left ANYTHING out.

This book is unlike anything I've seen this side of the Star Wars Encyclopedia... except it's better, because it's He-Man. :trazz:

[AquaParade]

Hey Leo, you like Superman, right?

I just got the Morrison Superman Action Comics Omnibus. Haven't read it yet, but I'm a big fan of Morrison.

[Leo656]

I assume it's the New 52 stuff? I read some of the issues as they were coming out. Didn't love 'em.

I like Morrison in general, but not his solo Superman stuff. I liked how he wrote him in JLA and Final Crisis, but his solo stuff leans way too hard into all the goofy Silver Age stuff which I absolutely abhor.

I'd say the same thing to both Grant and Mark Waid: I get it, you saw a thing (Super-Friends, for example) when you were 5 and you loved it so much that it forever informed your opinion on the character... but you're not 5 anymore and at SOME point you should have come to realize that the thing you loved so much lacked any substance, and shouldn't be treated quite so sacrosanct. Objectively, those Silver Age Superman stories were unanimously pretty terrible, and knowing how much of it influences Grant's take on the character just makes me shake my head.

He does it with Batman, too, and it drives me nuts. Like he'll write something really layered and brilliant like the Black Glove stuff, and then he'll turn around and find a way to cram Bat-Mite in there, and it's like "God DAMN it, will you STOP?" :lol:

Grant's writing is really bipolar. It's like he really can't decide if he wants to be "the smartest guy in the room" and "elevate the genre" of comic book super-heroes into actual "art" with intelligent stories and witty social commentary... OR if he just wants to muck around in Saturday Morning Cartoon Land because "Let's face it, these are kids' characters! It SHOULD all be silly nonsense!"

It's like the part of him that forever wants to BE Alan Moore is eternally at war with the part of himself that resents Alan Moore and finds him pretentious, and so he can't ever let himself completely be that. "Whoops, I'm getting too 'deep' again, better throw something goofy in there so nobody will accuse me of having my head up my arse!"

Like god damn, man, just pick a side and play it! I really like his "serious" stuff but the goofy Silver Age stuff I can totally do without. I mean, "Crisis" in 1986 only partly happened because the continuity was "too confusing for casual readers". It objectively had more to do with the fact that DC editorial realized that their own history was a big joke and an embarrassment, and so for the next 20 years they only "celebrated" it by way of apologizing for it. "Yeah, we're sorry for the 50s and 60s, but if it's any consolation, we've decided to stop insulting your intelligence. Better late than never, right?" And then people like Grant and Waid come along and they're like "We LOVE that silly sh*t!" and then go about trying to bring it BACK, and it's like "No, NO! We ALL decided that stuff was terrible, where were you? We already had the meeting and we decided all that stuff never happened!" But they just refuse to let it go.

Sorry for the rant. :lol: My feelings on Grant Morrison are... complicated. :trazz:

My feelings on the entire New 52 are not, however. Hated all of it! :lol:

[AquaParade]

No, that was a fun read. I like your analyzation of Morrison. Personally, I love most of his work, even the Bat-mite bits, but I can see what you're saying about his work.

I'm about four issues into his Action Comics run (yeah, New 52) and so far I'm really enjoying it. If anything strikes me about it, maybe I'll check up on your opinion again.

[Leo656]

To be fair to the man, for as much as I rib him, I'll defend "Final Crisis" with my dying breath.

And I didn't actually think his Action Comics run was all that bad, but the stink of New 52 kept me from really being too engaged with it anyway, along with the fact that it was like the third or fourth attempt at an origin reboot within a very short few years (and they've done MORE of them since then!). I'm a huge, huge, huge fan of the Byrne/Jurgens run of Superman and I never wanted to see that version of the character done away with. "Man of Steel" in '86 was the only origin retelling that anyone ever really needed, and I still feel that way.

But then around 2001 they started tinkering with stuff, and they did a story which implied the entire Byrne Krypton story was an elaborate lie, and that the Silver Age origin was "the real one". But THAT turned out to just be an elaborate ruse by Brainiac - supposedly or allegedly because readers who were still invested in the MoS origin storyline felt insulted by such an abrupt retcon, so DC walked it back, but I don't know how true that is - except that even though it was said in-story to be a fake, they kept bits of it around afterwards anyway for a bit, which was weird. Like Superman now had statues in the Fortress of his Byrne Krypton parents and his Silver Age Krypton parents, and it was weird. It was like symbolic of how even DC didn't know which way they wanted to swing with his origin.

Then they had Waid's "Birthright" come out as "the NEW official origin", and it was awful. Then like two years later they tried to insist that the "real" origin was some sort of hybrid of "Man of Steel" and "Birthright", even though that made no sense whatsoever on account of all the huge discrepancies and outright contradictions between the two stories (along with the fact that Waid had always hated the "Man of Steel" origin anyway). When people said "none of that makes any sense", DC was like "Well, we're trying to figure it out, so bear with us for a while and just try and squint. It might fit if you squint."

THEN when Geoff Johns was on his huge kick of rewriting everyone's origin story, they let him take a swing at Superman's, and he basically just made it the Chris Reeve movie origin with some Silver Age comics stuff in it like Superboy and the Legion. And it's honestly not a "bad" version of the origin but it wasn't so good that they needed to erase "Man of Steel" for it, especially since at this point they were still pretending that the contemporary Superman and the one from '86 were the same guy, with the same history... even though huge chunks of that history were solidly linked to an origin story - and a specific version of Krypton - that now, "whoops", didn't exist anymore. So now "Birthright" was now strictly non-canon, except that they spent five years insisting that it was, but Geoff Johns sells more books than Mark Waid so now HE gets to say what "canon" is and isn't. And they were still using PARTS of the "Man of Steel" origin to reinforce the contemporary stories of 2009-ish, but only when it was convenient, even though the two origins and the two versions of Krypton that they each grew out of had nothing in common at all.

They even threw "Superman: Earth One" in there at some point, and even though that was explicitly an Elseworlds it was still yet ANOTHER Superman origin reboot/retcon within a very short span of time.

So of course then in 2011 we get "Flashpoint" and The Big Reboot, with Grant getting to do his own Year One Superman story that he'd been not-too-subtly pitching for ages. And by this point... Jesus, by this point I couldn't even be bothered to care. It was very obvious that DC had gone in the complete opposite direction with the character that they'd had from 1986 to 2003, which was "The established canon matters, and we're going to use the storylines from our recent past to inform our immediate future, but we're not just going to throw it out and start over every time sales take a hit." They went the complete other way, into a constant cycle of "Reboot, Retcon, Reboot" every single time there was a lull. So sure, Grant's version of "Year One" wasn't all that bad, but for God's sake, it was all too much by that point.

I miss the simpler times when I knew that the stuff I'd read in 1987 still informed the storylines of 1997. Now they can't even go two years without another do-over and an "Everything You Knew About Superman's Origin Is Wrong!" story. I mean they essentially wiped out Grant's reboot when they "merged" New 52 Superman with Superman '86 and had most of the history of Superman '86 supersede that of the New 52 one, anyway, so BOY, all of that sure needed to happen, I guess. Then Geoff gives him another origin at the beginning of Doomsday Clock... and then by the END of Doomsday Clock he has ANOTHER new origin! And then there's F*cking Bendis! Like Holy Sh*t, where does this sh*t END already?

So yeah, Grant's thing was "okay" but for reasons not entirely his own it was destined to 1. Not sit well with me, and 2. Become irrelevant almost immediately after it was finished. And even as it was coming out, you got that feeling just based on how DC had been handling Superman for the previous few years. "Sales are mediocre? HARD REBOOT!" Kind of a no-win situation for him; even if I was really into the stuff he wrote, it wasn't going to have any lasting impact just based on how DC was mismanaging Superman so badly during that window.

It blows my mind to think that at one point, not even that long ago, there was almost 20 years before any "serious" retcons or reboots on Superman. Even if "Man of Steel" wasn't a person's favorite Superman origin, at least DC was committed to it and stuck with it for a long, long time. And I don't think it's any coincidence that that era was the height of the character's modern-day popularity and relevance. Whether it's by measure of sales, fan satisfaction or overall attention in general, those were the strongest days for the character in print and it's been all downhill since about 2003 when they started tinkering with the bedrock. One could try and say, "It doesn't really matter," but I kinda think that at least in this case, yeah, it really truly does.

Like, it's about as clear a case of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" as one could ever imagine. If you had a line graph, you'd see the character's popularity and relevance take a complete nosedive once they decided "Man of Steel" didn't matter anymore. People really liked that origin, there's still a ton who prefer it and wish it had stayed canon, and nothing they replaced it with afterward was as universally accepted and acclaimed. "Just because something is old doesn't mean it's no good." And so many of his contemporary stories are rooted in his origins to the point where changing the origins even a little bit has a way of changing the entire character going forward. So I can't help but notice that that's when a lot of people really started to feel disenfranchised with Superman; he wasn't the same guy they'd been reading about for 20+ years, and the New Guy just wasn't as satisfying.

Again, Grant wasn't the problem nor was his take altogether all that bad. But there were just a million reasons why it didn't fully land, and most of them had happened before he showed up. I prefer to look at it as a kinda-fun Elseworlds story, since that's essentially what it became, anyway.

It's just... this character really, really demands consistency for his stories to be satisfying long-term. When consistency is abandoned, people stop reading about him. That's not a Grant problem, that's a DC problem, but it didn't do his big origin reboot any favors whatsoever, that it was just one of a dozen Superman Origin Reboots to happen within a ten-year span.

I prefer Grant on Batman than Superman. Although he spent way too much time setting up a "Thomas Wayne was really a scumbag who had his wife murdered!" subplot and then only kinda-sorta said "Just Kidding" about it, and that's something I didn't much care for either. I always got the feeling that he actually wanted to make Thomas Wayne a villain and that DC just wouldn't let him do it. Thank God. But I mean, that's one of those things that he does that makes me just kinda sigh. But I do like his Batman stuff most of the time. Reading his Batman and his Superman, you'd hardly think it was even the same guy writing them.

[FrederikWolferson]

Im trying to read the whole of Horus Heresy. Some of it can be a bit of a chore.

[joe-eyeball]

I’m a big Ennis fan myself and I just finished the Jennifer Blood series. The first six issues were all Ennis’ work but the rest of the series were by other writers. Overall it was just OK. Very ridiculous at times and formulaic at other times but overall the character was pretty unlikable. It’s often described as a “female Punisher” series but I have to disagree with that. I’d rate it a 6/10

[FrederikWolferson]

Finished Black Company Shadow Games and started Old Man's War to break up the Horus Heresy marathon a bit.

[nylemon]

Finished reading Red Star Over China written by journalist Edgar Snow written in 1937, very impressive, as a Chinese though this is my first read of it.

It's the first book that introduces the early stage of red army and its party. It broke the blockade of the reporting and make people outside know what really is. The book do have errors of details by still irreplaceable.

Sadly there are still one-sided or even biased reports nowadays and there is still a lot of misunderstandings. And I do admit reading a whole book patiently is not fit many people's life styles anymore.

[Leo656]

https://cloud10.todocoleccion.online/comics-usa/tc/2019/03/28/18/157403874.jpg

Just finished reading these in TPB. I've read the single issues several times but I must admit that on the whole the story plays a lot better without ads and chapter breaks.

I remember reading it as it came out monthly, and to be honest it was a bit hard to get into that way. The way the story reveals itself in layers with the reader only being given the full picture right before the end makes it a lot of fun to read all at once, but in bits and pieces with a full month in between each chapter it was a very divisive piece of work at the time it was first published.

That was during the time when each of the three Superman books was given its own writer and independent storyline that would ostensibly last for a full year - Azzarello on "Superman", Greg Rucka on "Adventures of Superman", and Chuck Austen on "Action Comics" - as a way to refocus the Superman books and get things back on track after what had previously been a very rough period for the character across the board. Most of the Superman books published between 2002-2004 were "uneven" and inconsistent, to be perfectly kind, and some of them were downright awful. So the "new era" that was set to cover 2004-2005 was designed to simplify things and give people a new jumping-on point.

Unfortunately, that didn't really work out as well as it was hoped, especially since Austin's run on Action was so dreadful, he was kicked off of his own story before it finished. Rucka's run on AoS was much more well-received, being a rather straightforward Superman story, very well-written even if not altogether groundbreaking. And then "For Tomorrow" was somewhere in the middle, for most people. Everyone agreed that the art was fantastic, but not everyone liked the slow-burn, in media res storytelling and were hungry for something more conventional and straightforward. Again, the Superman books were coming off of a REALLY bad slump, and for the most part people were desperate for something more "back-to-basics" than what this story ended up being.

I do very firmly believe that the timing of the project had an unfair effect on the overall perception of the work at the time it was being published. In a vacuum, reading it as its own stand-alone piece of work, all in one sitting, I feel that it's quite brilliant. In 2004-5, though, it was a bit of a hard nut for many people to crack. One thing I remember vividly was everyone getting very hung up on the continuity of it all, where it "fit" within the other DC and Superman comics that were in print at the same time, and they were letting those concerns affect their ability to take the story on its own terms. Now, to be clear, this story IS in-continuity - much of the unresolved plot threads were directly planting seeds for "The OMAC Project" which came out shortly thereafter - but nobody reading it had any way of knowing that at the time, and since AoS and Action made no reference to the events of this story at all, some people were quick to dismiss it simply because there wasn't more obvious connective tissue to the other Superman books. I'm on-record as being a huge fan of continuity, but at the same time it can very often hurt the ability to enjoy a story on its own merits if you spend too much time thinking about where it fits with other, unrelated stories. And I do believe that's what initially happened with this one. Between the "Where does it fit?" questions, and the fact that the story often jumps seamlessly between flashbacks and present-day scenes without much transition, along with the fact that most of it isn't fully explained until the very end of the story, reception to this one was VERY mixed during its initial run.

That said, when taken on its own and read in a single sitting, I feel that all of those issues evaporate, and what you're left with is simply a really great Superman story, one that deals powerfully with themes such as Hope and Faith, Superman's constant internal struggle between doing "Too Much" and "Not Enough", and how far he's ultimately willing to go to "save the world".

It didn't much hook me as a monthly read, but since then it's easily become one of my all-time favorite Superman stories, and it's one that I feel still often gets unfairly overlooked. It's great.

Huge Recommendation.

[IMJ]

It's hard to believe those Jim Lee Batman and Superman runs were so long ago now. Lee coming onto those books got me excited about those characters for the first time in years back then.

That was like a lifetime ago now.

[Leo656]

My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic Omnibus - Vol. 1 showed up in the mail today.

[IMJ]

Morals and Dogma. I picked up a first edition copy to go with other apocrypha of it's kind. I've been meaning to read it for years....

[Leo656]

Volumes 2 and 3 of the MLP Omnibuses showed up today. Still waiting on 4, 5 and 6.

[AquaParade]

What is the appeal of MLP?

I like all kinds of weird ****, but I feel like it's a fair question to ask. I mean, there is absolutely nothing wrong it, but it does subvert expectations how so many grown men are into MLP. That's why I ask.

[Leo656]

I really don't have the energy to even attempt to explain it properly. I can also only speak to the "Friendship Is Magic" iteration because I thought all the earlier versions were vapid junk. And I feel like it's one of those "To those who Get It, no explanation is necessary, but to those who don't Get It no explanation will do" kind of things.

In any case, it's funny, it's smart, it's well-written, it's whimsical, and the complete opposite of cynical. It puts over good values without being all preachy about it. There's a purity and innocence to it that simply doesn't exist in most shows anymore, even ones ostensibly aimed at kids. And despite being "aimed at kids", the show and comics are absolutely packed with inside jokes and pop culture references that only adults would get. Little kids wouldn't get the jokes referencing "The Big Lebowski", "The Shining" or "A Clockwork Orange", for example, but such gags always land directly as intended with the audience they're aiming for. The comics actually get away with a lot more since they're not limited by time and budget restrictions, and the readership skews a bit older than the audience for the cartoon.

I think if it weren't legitimately Good, then it wouldn't have the audience that it does. I've told the story often, but my wife and I initially only sat down to watch and make fun of it, expecting it to be stupid, but it simply didn't turn out that way. I won't "out" anybody, but I have a good buddy on this forum who initially steadfastly refused to watch it at all, then was like "Well, maybe my kids will like it...", and now he and his wife and kids all watch it together and have conversations around the dinner table about which Pony best-represents each of them. And we laugh about how ridiculous it is that things played out this way, but it is what it is.

I guess that it wouldn't be for everyone, since nothing is. But I'd generally say that anyone who actively hated on it probably has a strong adverse reaction to joy and whimsy.

I got into the comics way late, but they might actually be "better" than the show. I was quite surprised to find out how popular the comic was; IDW put out a couple hundred issues over the last few years across various series, and it outsells TMNT by a fairly wide margin most of the time. Pretty wild. I wouldn't have guessed, but turns out that's how it is.

Just for fun, and in case anyone is generally interested, here's a list of various pop culture references and inside jokes from the comics. Pretty sharp and clever stuff.
https://mlp.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_allusions/Comics

[IMJ]

I really don't have the energy to even attempt to explain it properly. I can also only speak to the "Friendship Is Magic" iteration because I thought all the earlier versions were vapid junk. And I feel like it's one of those "To those who Get It, no explanation is necessary, but to those who don't Get It no explanation will do" kind of things.

In any case, it's funny, it's smart, it's well-written, it's whimsical, and the complete opposite of cynical. It puts over good values without being all preachy about it. There's a purity and innocence to it that simply doesn't exist in most shows anymore, even ones ostensibly aimed at kids. And despite being "aimed at kids", the show and comics are absolutely packed with inside jokes and pop culture references that only adults would get. Little kids wouldn't get the jokes referencing "The Big Lebowski", "The Shining" or "A Clockwork Orange", for example, but such gags always land directly as intended with the audience they're aiming for. The comics actually get away with a lot more since they're not limited by time and budget restrictions, and the readership skews a bit older than the audience for the cartoon.

I think if it weren't legitimately Good, then it wouldn't have the audience that it does. I've told the story often, but my wife and I initially only sat down to watch and make fun of it, expecting it to be stupid, but it simply didn't turn out that way. I won't "out" anybody, but I have a good buddy on this forum who initially steadfastly refused to watch it at all, then was like "Well, maybe my kids will like it...", and now he and his wife and kids all watch it together and have conversations around the dinner table about which Pony best-represents each of them. And we laugh about how ridiculous it is that things played out this way, but it is what it is.

I guess that it wouldn't be for everyone, since nothing is. But I'd generally say that anyone who actively hated on it probably has a strong adverse reaction to joy and whimsy.

I got into the comics way late, but they might actually be "better" than the show. I was quite surprised to find out how popular the comic was; IDW put out a couple hundred issues over the last few years across various series, and it outsells TMNT by a fairly wide margin most of the time. Pretty wild. I wouldn't have guessed, but turns out that's how it is.

Just for fun, and in case anyone is generally interested, here's a list of various pop culture references and inside jokes from the comics. Pretty sharp and clever stuff.
https://mlp.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_allusions/Comics

Sounds like you read it for the upbeat escapism. Sort of like watching the Smurfs or "The Littles" - sure they had some kind of nemesis, but the even the conflicts were a universe formatted for comfort food. :)

[Leo656]

I generally don't even do "escapism". :lol: If it wasn't legitimately funny and smart it probably wouldn't have left any impact.

I can't even remember what episode we first watched, some two-parter from an early Season. And it kept shifting tone back and forth from being super-goofy and whimsical to this rather serious plotline, and I said out loud towards the end "It would be the funniest sh*t ever if Right Now they just started doing some full-blown Lord of the Rings sh*t"... and then lo and behold, that's exactly what they did.

It's just a strange thing in that it both completely leans into and at the same time somehow subverts all expectations of what it is.

It definitely doesn't hurt that the show has an amazing voice cast. All the characters have tons of personality and that goes a long way, too.

Like I said, if they didn't try hard to actually make an objectively good show, and it didn't turn out to be that, I doubt it would have made any impact. I guess there's a lesson in there about how anything can be "cool" if the people behind it give a sh*t. As I understand it, the creator of this version never much liked any of the earlier iterations of MLP on account of they were all vapid nonsense that no one but very young children would like, and deliberately wanted to make something "All-Ages" in the truest sense of the term; something parents could watch with their kids without wanting to shoot themselves in the head. On that, they succeeded.

Major points also must be given for the fact that when an audience they'd never intended to like the show started to like it, they leaned into it instead of shunning them. Kind of the opposite of how Viacom handled the TMNT brand so far. When older people started liking it, they started putting in more jokes and references just for Those Fans, holding conventions and putting out merchandise just for Those Fans. None of the "We don't want you here" stuff that other brands pull. I have to respect that, as well.

It's a very fan-inclusive franchise and they do smart business. Not sure how the next "Generation" of the franchise is gonna go, but the "Friendship Is Magic" era is like a master class on how to grow and manage a franchised brand.

[FrederikWolferson]

Twist of Faith. The DS9 continuation.

[Leo656]

The books I ordered from Power-Con came yesterday: The Toys of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, and the Character Guide and World Compendium Supplement Vol. 1
https://scontent.fewr1-6.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-0/p180x540/187865062_3531925916907042_5724975560911134929_n.j pg?_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=VSXUWBlLFEkAX-ARatD&_nc_ht=scontent.fewr1-6.fna&tp=6&oh=bed195c682ca74436ea904fd2a8aae5a&oe=60CCD467

The Supplement is simply an add-on to the original Character Guide, with some updates and additional information the original book didn't have. Cool stuff.

But the BIG item is the Toy Guide. At 750 pages, it covers EVERY He-Man, She-Ra and MOTU toy line in existence (pre-Origins, so from 1982 through 2018 when production on the book started), and the level of detail is absolutely insane. Figure and packaging photos, background information, variant and re-release comparisons, Trivia Facts, release timelines, interviews with the creative staff and more. Every single figure, playset, beast mount, vehicle, and accessory pack ever released for the original MOTU, She-Ra, New Adventures of He-Man, 2002 Commemorative Sets, 200X reboot, MOTU Classics, Club Grayskull, and Super 7 Filmation figure lines is covered in detail. It's truly amazing.

That said, it doesn't cover EVERY single thing, such as kids' roleplay toys and other licensed items, as the thing would have more pages than the Bible if they literally covered every toy ever released. But even "just" focusing on everything released in the various action figure lines is a massive undertaking, and you have to figure that's what most people would be most interested in, anyway.

An easy recommendation for collectors and casual fans alike. It's available on its own through various retailers, but I pre-ordered the two books together through Power-Con (for about $100 altogether) to ensure that the people who worked on these books (as well as the previous several Dark Horse MOTU hardcovers) would be paid for their hard work and dedication in putting all of these things together. The staff who've worked on these hardcovers have lost money on each of them, pretty much doing them out-of-pocket as a labor of love for the fans, and the results have been incredible so I was more than happy to go with the "premium" option to ensure they get a little something for all their efforts this time.

[FrederikWolferson]

Finished "Inside the Soviet army". Very interesting read. Even if Suvorov was probably hyping up the threat,being an MI asset and all that.

[Autbot_Benz]

re-reading the final 8 issues of Justice League Dark. I got them in book form just re-read Issue 20. Good story and I love the art by Kyle Hotz the way he draws Constantine is cool.

[Leo656]

Decided to pick up some wrestling autobiographies I'd missed.

Most recently, I read A Lion's Tale: Around the World in Spandex by Chris Jericho. I'd already got his second and third books a long time ago but somehow missed this one, his first. So I was very much looking forward to reading it, and it didn't disappoint.

Nothing much I didn't already know, and I think his second book might be the best one he's done, but this was very good. It's about 400 pages and I went through it in a night, same as his other books. They're all pretty consistent in that once you get into them they're hard to put down.

The only real criticism I have is that at one point when he's talking about his Japan tours, the timeline of events is a little confusing unless you're paying very close attention. Like he's talking generally about stuff going on in 1995 or '96, including his second run in Japan, then awkwardly jumps back to his first run in Japan from several years earlier before jumping ahead again to the stuff from '95/'96. So it gets a little bit jumbled up, and that could've very easily been smoothed out with a single line like "During my first run in Japan, back in 1994..." or something like that. As is, it comes off like both runs in Japan happened in the same year rather than years apart. Not a huge deal but it's clumsy.

Also, he has a bad habit of including quotes from some of his more memorable promos that aired on TV... but he misquotes himself. Despite anyone with the internet being able to very easily pull up a clip of the promos in question to make sure they were accurate. Given that in Mick Foley's books, he quotes several very lengthy promo clips word-for-word with a meticulous dedication to accuracy, it's just jarring to see someone like Jericho quote themselves but get the words completely wrong. Faulty memory, sure, but it jumps out when you're like me and can vividly recall those moments in question. You can't help but be like, "That's not how it went..." even if you get the gist.

Overall, a really good book. I like the conceit of having it end just as he was about to step through the curtain for his WWF debut, even though I'm sure some people who didn't know any better would be annoyed because they probably wanted to read more about his WWF/WWE run than anything. BUT, this book is entirely dedicated to his journey TO the WWF, and his second book picks up exactly where this one ends, so it all evens out.

Very High Recommendation, even though I think his second book was "better" on the whole given that it's funnier and has more stories that the internet hasn't run into the ground to the point where everybody knows them already. His second and third books had a lot of stuff where I was like "Huh... I never knew that", but this one has very few surprises, although hearing it all from his perspective is still entertaining.
-------------

Wrestling With the Devil by Lex Luger came in the mail today, so I'll be looking at that one next. It's only a little over 200 pages so it should be a comparatively brisk read. Kind of surprised it's so short but I've heard that it's good. I've met and spoken to Lex several times so I'm very much looking forward to this one.

[Stephen]

I've started reading the Star Wars Kenobi novel. I bought it a few years ago and just hadn't gotten around to actually reading it until now.

[Autbot_Benz]

Just finished reading Dee Snider's memoir Shut up and Give Me The Mic. I got it for my birthday in September. Its a great book about Dee's life and everything Twisted Sister and post Twisted.

[Autbot_Benz]

Finished reading the Crisis on Infinite Earth's Paperback. Man what a fantastic comic. Its literally a DC Comics Orgasm literally everyone is in that comic book. I see why this comic is beloved so much great **** happens in IE the debut of Wally West as the new Flash etc.

https://i.imgur.com/acIfupu.gif

[Bahamut810]

Just got done with issue 3 of Vaults Vampire the Masquerade: Crimson Thaw comic. Pretty good if you are a fan of the World of Darkness TTRPG. I am disappointed they didnt really include any new mechanics like they did in the last series.

[Autbot_Benz]

I finished reading the first 4 issues of Ram V's The Swamp Thing. Its a good story. Its a new Swamp Thing Levi Kamei not Alec Holland. The artwork by Mike Perkins is really good.

Can't wait for the second graphic novel

[Jester]

Just finished Maus....you all know why.

[IndigoErth]

Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe

Nice hardback novel, technically targeted for the 8 to 12 range, but an enjoyable easy read for an adult, too. (And short chapters for those of us that aren't fast readers, or reading to a kid, so it provides easy stopping points.) Been a long while since I've actually read a novel and figured this one that sounded like a gem might be a good easy one to try to get back into reading now and then.

4.6 stars on Amazon, 5 stars some other places... and yet I found it at Dollar Tree for just a buck. (Okay $1.25.)


Eleven days. Thirteen clues. And one kid who won't give up. Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe is "part treasure hunt, part wilderness adventure, and all heart."--Alan Gratz, New York Times Bestselling author of Refugee

How far would you go to find something that might not even exist?

All her life, Cricket's mama has told her stories about a secret room painted by a mysterious artist. Now Mama's run off, and Cricket thinks the room might be the answer to getting her to come back. If it exists. And if she can find it.

Cricket's only clue is a coin from a grown-over ghost town in the woods. So with her daddy's old guidebook and a coat full of snacks stolen from the Cash 'n' Carry, Cricket runs away to find the room. Surviving in the woods isn't easy. While Cricket camps out in an old tree house and looks for clues, she meets the last resident of the ghost town, encounters a poetry-loving dog (who just might hold a key to part of the puzzle), and discovers that sometimes you have to get a little lost . . . to really find your way.

Not quite sure how far it's going to go into it, still have about a quarter of it left, but seems to touch on the issue of mental illness (of the girl's mother).

https://i.imgur.com/rYSOF6Z.jpg?1

[blindturtle02]

I've started reading the Star Wars Kenobi novel. I bought it a few years ago and just hadn't gotten around to actually reading it until now.

It's been years since I read Kenobi. Miller does some interesting stuff with Jabba's ilk if memory serves. I should probably dust that one off and give it a second read, come to think of it. Well, it's digital, so forget the dusting.

[serpentnight]

Finally got around to getting the full Planet Racers by Peter Laird and Jim Lawson. Five issues in so far; say it was a good investment.

[DarkFell]

Currently trying to finish Eldest. I'm about midway through the book.

[Autbot_Benz]

I just finshed reading my Marvel Omnibus Dr Strange By Jason Aaron. It was a good read interesting story of what happens if all the magic is destroyed and how that affects the magic users like Dr Strange

[Autbot_Benz]

Finished Ram V's run on Swamp Thing. It was fantastic. I loved that it was a new avatar of the green Levi Kamai taking over as Swampy. It was very philosophical as well. The art by Mike Perkins is gorgeous. I put Ram V's Swampy second to Alan Moore's run

Also this year so far I finished Jane Foster Valkyrie graphic novel and Ronnie James Dio's autobiography

[Dpooly84]

This hoe has Roaches by Quan Millz. If you're not familiar with his work, try it out. Quan Millz is the Hemingway of the hood, the voice of his generation even.

[Autbot_Benz]

I just finished Kitchen Confidential. The Memoir of the late Chef Anthony Bourdain. It was a fantastic read. I like how it wasn't a tradindional memoir. It talked a lot about restaurant/cooking stuff and his life. I will be picking up the sequel Medium Raw shortly

[Wednesday's Serial]

I just started Usagi Yojimbo.

It's freakin' great.

[Autbot_Benz]

I just finished The Last Ronin and I loved it. I see why it's considered one of the better modern TMNT books. I loved how they made Mikey Mature for a change. I love Mikey but hate how he is always stuck with the surfer party guy gimmick. Also appreciated how they showed us how each of the other bros Splinter and Casey got killed. Loved Oroku Horito's T1000 Armor that was cool The storyline was great and I can't wait to see what the sequel books bring

[KROW]

I went to a comic book convention recently and picked up some graphic novels and trades for myself and my wife. I'm currently reading one I picked for her called, "Harrow County" by Cullen Bunn and Tyler Crook, published by Dark Horse. It's a witchcraft story so it's perfect for the season.

[Autbot_Benz]

Just finished Patrick Stewart's Memoir Making It So. It was a great read. loved reading about his growing up and getting in to the Theater. His Star Trek/X-men chapters were great too

[Autbot_Benz]

I just finished Opposable Thumbs How Siskel and Ebert Changed Movies Forever. It was a fantastic read on the History of Siskel and Ebert. It covered all the shows they did, Stuff in their lives a quick backstory on them both. I grew up watching Siskel and Ebert so I had to read it. I recommend this to any movie fan.

[KROW]

Decided to get back into Stephen King a bit with Just After Sunset. I saw it in a grocery store of all places and found that it was a collection of short stories I've never read before. I'm about halfway through it and I think it's a good way to get my toes back into his particular waters. The first story, "Willa," feels like something out of The Twilight Zone and "Rest Stop" has a Dark Half vibe to it (even mentions the main character). The piece I'm currently on, "Stationary Bike," references a local town I know. So far, so good.

[ResidentEvil7]

Before last March, you couldn't get me to pick up a book, unless if it was Resident Evil or Conan, but now I can't get enough of non-fiction books on Japanese culture, history, and Bushio (The Way Of The Warrior). I'm also researching technology from my background: computer repair/build and 4K home theater.

I got a Samsung tablet this past Christmas and I mainly borrow books from my local library if a physical copy isn't available. The only thing that sucks about the app (Hoopla) is that I can only rent up to 10 books in a month.

[Autbot_Benz]

I read Zatanna by Paul Dini. Sadly this book was a causality of the New52 as the book has no real ending. It doesn't finish the Brother Night storyline.


Still I enjoyed it cause Zatanna got some stuff on her own

[Iroh]

I'm reading Jujutsu Kaisen every week.

[KROW]

Currently wading through the first two TMNT IDW Collections, having started Volume 2 a couple days ago. It's... interesting. Not enthralling me exactly, but it's good casual reading.

[Autbot_Benz]

Finished Punisher max by Jason Aaron. First full run of Punisher I’ve ever read. I really enjoyed.

[Autbot_Benz]

Reread the fraction and Aja Hawkeye run with both Clint and Kate Bishop. I didn’t care for it the first time I read it but I loved it this time. I see why it’s a beloved book

[TylerD]

Finished reading The Shining. Second time I have read it. So damn good. A bit different from the movie, but both are good in their own way.