|
Post by Bob Reyer on Nov 3, 2016 5:59:13 GMT -5
Friends,
Some while back, I was asked by a Forum-ite about some recommended reading for Dr. Strange, so with the film out today, I thought it apt to re-visit that list:
Strange Tales #130 -#146 "The Eternity Saga" is a heck of a place to start, with the introduction of that cosmic character, and I would also recommend, in no particular order (and I hope I'm close with the issue numbers!)
Strange Tales #148-#156 "Umar Strikes!" This might go back a couple of issues further into the "Eternity" arc, but you get some great Dormammu stuff, the introduction of his sister Umar, the origin of The Ancient One, and of course, Clea, and all written by Stan and Roy Thomas, with art by Steve Ditko, Bill Everett and Marie Severin.
Marvel Premiere #11-#14 "Siseneg" Steve Englehart and Frank Brunner bring you the creation of the Universe--'Nuff Said!
Doctor Strange #1-#5 "Silver Dagger" More Englehart/Brunner greatness! (buy all the Englehart/Brunner---trust me! It's MP #9--14, DS #1--#5.)
Dr. Strange: The Oath #1--#5 Brian K. Vaughn & Marcos Martin give us a story that weaves elements of Dr. Strange's origin into a new tale that features a star turn by Christine Palmer, the original Night Nurse!
Strange #1-#4 Mark Waid and Emma Rios tell a tale of the older Stephen Strange and a new apprentice.
Marvel Feature #1-#3; The Defenders #1-#5 Roy Thomas created the team of Dr. Strange, Namor and the Hulk, but Steve Englehart and Sal Buscema took it to another level. (Defenders #4 has the return of The Valkyrie, too!)
Hope this helps!
|
|
|
Post by Bob Reyer on Nov 3, 2016 5:51:13 GMT -5
I'll be seeing this tonight with our Fearless Leader Bobby (and possibly recording a Patreon "quickie review"!), and I'll be back with some general and non-spoilery thoughts!
I'm very intrigued to see how the mystic arts will be handled in the MCU, though still a little skeptical about The Ancient One, but over-all, I'm excited!
|
|
|
Post by Bob Reyer on Sept 23, 2016 5:59:35 GMT -5
Bob, I agree that can be the worst, I'd like to cite the last few pages of Brian Q Miller's Batgirl as my favorite look at what could have been. But to be fair I understand the need for jumping on points, especially when trying to be accessible to new readers and more importantly new demographics. As an aging comics fart (approaching 40) I'd argue that when the comics industry actually started to attempt to reach new demographics, the story quality had risen almost industry wide! I feel like a lot of the comics getting get talked about every week on the podcast (Moongirl, Hellcat, Wolverine, etc.) Would not have happened with out some giant company restart/gimmick. Palaba, As you already know, it's those "fringe-y" books that make up the bulk of my super-heroic reading at this juncture, so on that point about the new readership demographic I whole-heartedly agree! It's a complex issue, but for me, the thing of it is that The Big Two have created far more "jumping-off" than "jumping-on" points for fans and so many thousands have taken advantage, and when you factor in the changes in product distribution, they haven't been replaced by enough younger readers, and there are many great books that will never reach the wide audience they deserve.
|
|
|
Post by Bob Reyer on Sept 22, 2016 5:13:20 GMT -5
Palaba,
Those moments when a creative team's run has to end or their story arc becomes truncated or otherwise altered due to "outside forces" can be wrenching. That feeling is made worse when you hear that it's due to some "event" that will ret-con or re-boot something that you were just enjoying!
|
|
|
Post by Bob Reyer on Sept 22, 2016 5:05:33 GMT -5
Hi I'm Palaba, (all soft As rhymes with Grenada) Yes it's my screen name but people have been calling me Palaba since I was a kid, it just happens to be a great unused screen name too! Where I'm From: Baltimore, MD (still here) How I Got Into Comics: In the 80s I would walk to the 7eleven with whatever spare change I could find. Graduated to trades at the library until I discovered Steve Geppi's comic store on a bus route. What I'm Reading: too much to list. I love Marvel Unlimited, I trade read almost any image title I read good things about. Left DC after new 52 (except for Gotham Academy) have now returned for Wonder Woman and Dective (I'm one of those Steph Brown fanatics) I am also one of those crazy X-Men fans so I reading all thoes titles despite their current quality. But right now my favorite titles are Ms Marvel, Saga and Paper Girls. Prized Geek Possession: I don't really have one. I'm more of a reader than a collector. I have a few omnibus' which dont leave the house, but I love lending out books to be read. I'd say my prized possession is whatever books are loaned or right now as I love talking comics (see what I did there?) Palaba, Welcome to the Forum! In the current marketplace, I think you're so much better off being a "reader" rather than a "collector", as you can steer clear of those publishers' gimmicks that are trying to separate you from your money and instead concentrate on those books that you love!
|
|
|
Post by Bob Reyer on Sept 21, 2016 5:40:16 GMT -5
Simon... Herman,
You'll hear an involved discussion about the new Doom Patrol on this week's show, as we each took at read of the that crazy first issue!
I'm a big fan of the original Arnold Drake/Bruno Premiani series from the old days, and I thought Gerard Way showed a nice (though quirky!) appreciation for what came before as he crafted his own weird world around the old theme. Moving forward, it will be interesting to see how-or-if he brings in other elements from that first series or Grant Morrison's, or if the bizarre nature of this new book is something that is self-sustaining, not to mention whether it's tenable as a monthly book.
I'm still not exactly sure at all levels what I read, but I had a great time doing it!
|
|
|
Post by Bob Reyer on Sept 9, 2016 6:21:26 GMT -5
Carol, The Brian Reed Ms. Marvel was the jumping-on point for a lot of readers. and will continue to be the touchstone for many fans. For me anyway, whilst Carol was certainly trying to be the "best hero she could be" which was admirable, she was written with an angry edge to her that put me off, and when added to the tsouris that was visited upon her through the 90s and 00s, I found core elements missing. That said, I own every issue from that period, and considering my feelings about this "Civil War", maybe it's time for a re-read? its at the height of the first Civil War event ironically, I thought the CW issues were the strongest of the bunch, her and Wonderman are my wish couple in the MU and they had great partnerships during that run.
my First reading was actually the first series she was in, my Mother got them for me as she was a fan also. I love them both.
I think Carol much like and I know im going to get roasted for this Darth Vader is feeling the pull from all sides and is just going to do what she thinks is nessary, she has evolved to this stage, its not the try try try Carol from the first volume, and its not the Be the best you can be from the Second, now its more jaded and F yeah Im right. Now while not popular, its how she is now... and its kind of how Comics are too... some like it some hate it some love it... and you know... were all correct.
love chatting Bob.
Carol, it's always great to "talk" with you! Where the split amongst readers might be happening (at least it's a thought) is that for me at least, the Carol Danvers being written in the main CW II does appear to spring more directly from the Brian Reed era, where it seems that G. Willow Wilson's in Ms. Marvel and Kelly Thompson's in A-Force both seem to have their roots in Kelly Sue DeConnick's re-launched version. You've hit upon a quandry that plagues all super-hero films, and most certainly with which the Captain Marvel film-makers will struggle; with so many iterations of the character, how do they determine which elements make up the "core" of the character? (As always, if I'm picking the "definitive" version, barring extremely extenuating circumstances, I'm going to go to the original creator's intent, and then any writer/artist team that builds from that foundation in a logical fashion. Of course, your mileage may vary!)
|
|
|
Post by Bob Reyer on Sept 8, 2016 9:52:46 GMT -5
First, let me say that I've been listening to the Talking Comics Podcast for about a year now and it has become my favorite podcast of all time. I've tried listening to other comic book related podcast, but none have the heart the Talking Comics team has. This morning on my hour long commute I finished the 3 hour epic podcast #250 and was reminded why I love this podcast so much. It was great having the guest come on and provide their insights and questions. I'm sure coordinating all of the guest was not easy, but I enjoyed it and would suggest maybe doing some more of that in the future. Keep up the fantastic work, even though I don't get to post on here as much as I like (real life sucks sometimes), I am an avid listener and take your feedback and suggestions to heart. Let me put it this way...y'all have me reading Wonder Woman and LOVING IT! Here's to #251 and beyond... Aaron, Thanks so much for the kind words! Now that we've done the "long-time listener, first-time caller" thingie, I don't doubt that we'll try again, particularly in that our 5th Anniversary is coming up on October 17th!
|
|
|
Post by Bob Reyer on Sept 6, 2016 15:07:47 GMT -5
Carol,
The Brian Reed Ms. Marvel was the jumping-on point for a lot of readers. and will continue to be the touchstone for many fans. For me anyway, whilst Carol was certainly trying to be the "best hero she could be" which was admirable, she was written with an angry edge to her that put me off, and when added to the tsouris that was visited upon her through the 90s and 00s, I found core elements missing. That said, I own every issue from that period, and considering my feelings about this "Civil War", maybe it's time for a re-read?
|
|
|
Post by Bob Reyer on Aug 29, 2016 4:56:32 GMT -5
Bobby,
I feel as if have to be conversant in them, so I'll sneak a peek whilst I'm in the store or sitting around the table as we record, but it is very liberating to not feel beholden to the marketing and promotion departments of The Big Two, or in the case of Marvel particularly, their "writers' retreats" that cook up these events each year.
|
|
|
Post by Bob Reyer on Aug 26, 2016 9:10:02 GMT -5
That's true. I think at this point they could easily do the seasons method without all the world changing events beforehand. I think om mostly fed up with the everything is planned out years in advance song and dance. At the end of the day, I've been enjoying the titles that have managed to avoid the big interruptions. Like I said I'm excited for Nova, Power Man and Iron Fist is amazing and a couple other titles may get a shot. Bobby, A couple of years ago, we did a "Predictions" show, and I thought that Marvel would have gone to a yearly "Volume" system by now, but "Seasonal" may let me claim a victory and depart the pitch, don't you think? As you've heard (and ad nauseum, too!), I'm more jazzed at the fringe-y titles, and actually become annoyed when the "event" horns in on my enjoyment, no matter how well the book's creative team integrates it into their milieu.
|
|
|
Post by Bob Reyer on Aug 25, 2016 11:31:38 GMT -5
The Carol that was off model was thr Kelly Sue Carol. Chris, We'll have to agree to disagree! As someone whose history with Carol Danvers as a super-heroine goes back to the original Ms. Marvel #1 back in 1977 (and with Carol in general to the Captain Marvel days!), I think that Kelly Sue DeConnick restored what Gerry Conway and Chris Claremont had envisioned for their "bold, new super-heroine", and which to me had become lost during some of her stay in The Avengers, and then the Brian Reed era...but that's what makes for good conversation, right?
|
|
|
Post by Bob Reyer on Aug 16, 2016 13:15:19 GMT -5
I have always wanted to have some comic book artwork & prints on my walls but for the life of me don't know where to look, cons aren't an option & I don't have a comic shop near me so the internet is my only option really, so having said that can people point me in the right direction. Thomas, Have you ever taken a look at Etsy or DeviantArt (particularly their shops); both could be good resources for all sorts of artwork. Additionally, 8 1/2" x 11" document frames can be used to nicely display actual comic books (as well as simple print-outs of images that you can grab from the internet!), and are readily available at your local "dollar store"!
|
|
|
Post by Bob Reyer on Aug 9, 2016 14:43:36 GMT -5
Bob, Again, a great job tonight discussing the evolution of the female hero in comics! As always, you are informative and entertaining. And no technology mishaps! It was great to put the face to the voice, as it was with Bobby, Steve, and Joey, who were all sitting right behind me. I hope to run into you again at Fourth World, NYCC, or somewhere else. Scott Honig Scott, It was great meeting you, too, and I'm glad that you enjoyed my little ramblings! NYCC is right around the corner, so I'll hope to see you there!
|
|
|
Post by Bob Reyer on Jul 21, 2016 6:21:55 GMT -5
I've been less active, but it's less about reading books and more about life and how I read books now (more trades & digital). My kids getting older an has more stuff going on... I've found it more difficult to stay engaged with a forum that was at one time and to a certain extent still is my primary source for new books. Speaking of which, Bob, I just pre-ordered my copies of "Lady Killer, vol. 2" 1 & 2... I'm seriously stoked for this. I can't wait to see Josie's story continue! Jason, I completely understand, as one's life finds its own level and balance in all things! I'm also very excited about the new volume of Joelle Jones' Lady Killer, I'm hoping that we can have Ms. Jones back on the podcast somewhere in the middle of the new run!
|
|