What Comic Should I Read Next?

[Kirin]

I'm'a just keep voting for Daleks as long as it's in the rotation. It'll happen someday!

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Damn. The Black Panther Party was a powerful read, one that is frank and upfront about how things and particular people went terribly wrong, thanks mostly to the evil of the FBI. The final note really shows how bleak things went on the last page when it features the final fate of Huey. Definitely an incredible read on a fascinating organization that did a lot of good before being turned on itself.

What should I read next.

Dalgoda - Can a good boy save the universe?
Song of a Blackbird - YA cross-generational drama
The Secret Voice - Indie superhero madness.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Finished Dalgoda. I wouldn't call it a lost classic but it's a solid little indie book. Definitely feels like smart creators just taking things one issue at a time and hoping that they'll have a story idea for the next on in the following issue. It surprisingly does come to a mostly definitive end point for the series, which I feel like a lot of indie adventure books of the era never got around to. Decided to check in on the creator and they've had a pretty robust career writing for cartoons (a lot of the Disney Afternoon shows and their last credit was a 2022 SpongeBob episode). This is very much in the same tone as early Ninja Turtles, though was created a bit earlier. Some really interesting world building (it takes place in the future but the quality of tech depends on how affluent your location is. Earth is somehow stuck in 1960s tech while the colonies look like Star Trek) though it feels less cohesive and more "let's throw stuff at the wall". To be fair, most of it sticks in it's way. But as a saga, the nature of how it came out feels somewhat disjointed.

OK, what do I read next?

Thieves and Kings - Oakley, Thieves and Kings, I heard it from the people of the town!
Takio - A one volume superhero series for kids by the Powers team
What If? Classic Vol 1 - The Bronze Age takes a look back at the Silver Age!

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Takio is a perfectly decent, if slight, teen superhero comic for all ages of readers. There's not much to say beyond that. Not as good as his Ultimate Spider-Man run but a perfectly acceptable and similar book from Bendis.

What should I read next?

World of Krypton - I guess I could do back-to-back Oeming!
Four-Fisted Tales - ANIMALS GO TO WAR!
Bullseye: The Colombian Connection - A Bullseye comic! Hopefully the writer comes up with some fun improvised weaponry.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Four Fisted Tales is a pretty good and light read about true facts and stories of animals in war. The art is pretty good and it's written in a way that's fun and digestible. Would be pretty great for an elementary or middle school classroom. I also like the surprisingly dramatic coda.

What should I read next?

Nick Fury Vs. SHIELD - A prestige 80s comic that feels like it had a pretty big impact on Nick Fury comics following.
Fictionauts - Adventurers who travel in fictional realms.
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Comic - I actually read the first four issues when they were being released monthly but never finished. It was pretty good with the premise of the characters entering old public domain comics and mocking them as characters.

 

[Torzelbaum]

Fictionauts and MST3K comic both sound pretty good but also rather similar.

 

[Kirin]

Fictionauts and MST3K comic both sound pretty good but also rather similar.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Finished MST3k. It's clear they wanted to call it Mystery Science Comic Book 3000 but also didn't want to fuck with the SEO or anything else that might confuse searching for it.

Anyway, I've seen plenty of comics where they replace the dialogue for fun. This does something different. Yes, it does that but it subtly makes it clear where the altered dialogue is by putting little bubbles in the caption boxes and word balloons. I think it has a bit of the same problem as the first Netflix season in that I kind of wish they actually had a little less riffing and let the silliness of the original comic speak for itself a bit more. But it's still a pretty fun read and you can tell long-time comic artist and MST3k fan Todd Nuack is having fun.

What should I read next?

Thieves and Kings - Good old-fashioned fantasy stuff.
Song of a Blackbird - Multigenerational YA drama
The Secret Voice - Devo HAS been telling me to unlock this and give into ancient noise.

 

[lincolnic]

The Secret Voice - Devo HAS been telling me to unlock this and give into ancient noise.

Always listen to Devo. A man is real, not made of steel.

 

[Kirin]

Seconded.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

I can't tell you what is happening in the mythos of The Secret Voice but I loved it. Very prog rock-y sci-fi fantasy series. I assumed this was an indie superhero thing but it's more like a high concept prog rock-vibin' fantasy-sci-fi series about a group of intellectuals and scholar at war with an environment-razing empire. Quick read, I'll have to get subsequent volumes some day. Very clearly some big ideas for this one.

What should I read next?

The Amazing Adventures of the Escapist - They did a lot of these books based on the fictional-within-fiction character in Kavalier and Clay. Pretty sure I didn't read this one yet.
Incredible Science Fiction - I think this is one of the last of the original EC Comics series when they were scared out of doing horror.
What If? Classic Vol. 1 - The original what if run. At least the first 10 or so issues.

 

[Kirin]

Oh let’s see what Chabon is up to.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Incredible Science Fiction is a pretty good sci-fi anthology except it feels like every story has a set number of endings. It was Earth/humans all along, oh this poor guy was delusional, humans aren't the biggest fish in the sea, etc. Still, they are tales well tale and sometimes there was a few surprises or interesting ideas. Great Wally Wood art but frankly even in the waning days of EC Comics, the quality is still good across the board.

What should I read next?

Daleks - The last of my large-format (as in "won't fit on my self standing up) comics of my b-tier (tiers ranked by excitement rather than quality) comics list.
World of Krypton - Hey, what do you think Superman's mom and dad were up to before blowing up?
Paying For It - Memoir of Chester Brown, author of the fantastic Louis Riel, as he gets into the world of hiring sex workers.

 

[Kirin]

At this point I’m obligated by tradition to keep voting for Daleks though I’ll admit I’m curious about the memoir as well.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Finished Paying For It. I loved Louis Riel, this one less. In terms of what I like; it mostly works as sex work advocacy and while there are lots of moments of dialogue as argument, there's also a lot of focus on simply the minutiae of the experience and inner life of Chester Brown. It's not trying to be glamourous or erotic and is more matter of fact. In that, it also has elements that are certainly less flattering to Brown, such as it starting with him being 38 in the beginning with in interest in women who are around 18 to early 20s. Telling that at one point he goes with a sex worker who he is uncertain is being honest when she says she is 18 (but still goes with her which seems... dude... no). While this was a little... questionable, it is a book that I think comes from someone who is trying to be sensitive and considerate but also knows they are looking in a specific thing in paid sex. Apparently Chester's former girlfriend, who is a character in the book, actually directed a movie in 2024 based on the comic which is apparently good.

Also, I know this is the nature of what is being presented but... very repetitive visually.

What should I read next?

Bullseye: The Columbian Connection - Definitely the shortest read on the list.
Crater XV - No idea but it looks like a fun adventure book.
Nick Fury Vs. SHIELD - One of Marvel's 80s prestige format books.

 

[Torzelbaum]

Crater XV - No idea but it looks like a fun adventure book.

 

[Kirin]

Yeah I’m also curious what Crater is about.

 

[LBD_Nytetrayn]

I know you already read it and gave your thoughts in the Legends thread, but I was sorta looking forward to/hoping Mega Man Legends Timelines #1 would wind up in this thread eventually. XD ^^;;

 

[Johnny Unusual]

I didn't realize it till I was well into the book but Crater VX is actually a sequel to a book called Far Arden. But that's OK because I can tell this stands on it's own. It's a story that starts with a Canadian pirate and it seems like he and a young astronaut wannabe are the leads but as it goes on it's much more of an epic about an alternate history version of the Canadian Space Agency (called CASA in the book) and a race to the moon for a power source that might merely be a fugazi as part of an oil heist. But really it's about dreaming about space and the journey to make it there. There are no real "villains", though there are definitely characters that kind of suck but with the conflict and backstabbing and treachery, it's not really what it's about. In the end, all of the characters are working toward different goals in interesting ways, many of whom are yearning for the moon. I highly recommend it. Also, I think the author is Zander Cannon's brother? Or son, maybe? They have worked together.

OK, what should I read next? Crater XV was a longer read than I thought so these ones look relatively nice and short.

The Amazing Adventures of the Escapist - More homages and pastiches to superhero fiction.
Song of a Blackbird - Multigenerational YA character drama.
Fictionauts - A team of folks who travel into stories.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

I don't think the Escapist had any out-and-out clunkers (OK, the 80s-manga styled one is kind of a weak one) but for the most part it's just a bunch of pastiche stories and not a ton of substance and the style lacks a bit. The two exceptions is the last story in the tone of darker Neil Adams-style Batman tales and a fun silver age campy story with a Harvey Kurtzman feel (and Kyle Baker art!). Those two are worth the price of admission but my price was on the "bargain bin" rack so your mileage may vary.

What should I read next?

Thieves and Kings Vol. 1 - Prose and Comics fantasy mix.
What If Classic Vol. 1 - The original series
Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy - A YA novel I feel like got a bit of a bump lately.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Since there were no chapters, decided to read Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy in one sitting. It's really solid teen romance drama. Interestingly, it seems to have a ton of the plot points that you would expect (the best friend girl who feels resentment over the male lead choosing someone else, characters dealing with bullies, characters dealing with their issues with their parents, past trauma, etc.) and you realize all that stuff might be well-trod ground but that stuff works when it is well-written, which this is. The art is good, too, particularly how well rage is visualized. Great coming-of-age books.

OK, what should I do next?

Daleks - Classic Dalek comics from the 80s. Some solid creators here!
World of Krypton - I don't really know the quality of Vendetti's writing but Michael Avon Oeming art is a plus.
Bullseye: The Columbian Connection - Definitely the shortest of the three books.

 

[Torzelbaum]

I guess sooner or later we all must succumb to the crushing inevitability of the Daleks.

 

[Kirin]

I’ve been voting for those Daleks for like a year and I’m not stopping now.

 

[Torzelbaum]

I’ve been voting for those Daleks for like a year and I’m not stopping now.

The crushing inevitability of Kirin voting for the Daleks.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Discussed my thoughts on the Daleks comic in the Doctor Who thread.

What next?

Song of a Blackbird - YA multigenerational tale.
Nick Fury Vs. SHIELD - The first story where SHIELD is the baddies. Maybe.
Fictionauts - A group of explorers travel into fiction.

 

[Torzelbaum]

Fictionauts. (I like that 50s sci-fi comics throwback cover art.)

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Fictionauts was an even better book than I hoped. Very Grant Morrison-inspired. Not just the meta-element but also the existential horror and theme of a bright, glorious fiction being desecrated by an ugly "reality". I really enjoyed it. Then, unfortunately, I decided to check out what other things the writer did and he did that one issue of Bloodshot that feels like a not-so-thinly veiled attack on parents supporting their trans kids. Yuck. That was a bummer.

OK, hopefully the next thing won't have an unpleasant coda to it.

Onyx - I don't know anything about this except it was fairly cheap in the bargain bin. I've never read any Chris Ryall work except I know he's a guy who primarily does IP comics for... I wanna say IDW?
What If Classic? - The original series
Thieves and Kings - From the creator of Akiko, another series I never read.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Finished the first volume of Kings and Thieves. It's a good book I'm curious how the art evolves (I've seen bits of the more polished looking Akiko, which the same creator's Star Wars meets Wizard of Oz-type book) because it's good but a bit rough and sketchy. Makes a good companion piece with Bone. It also doesn't get very far into it's narrative despite being a lot of prose. It really feels like the first mission in a Zelda game but with more table setting and world building before the action comes in (also I was not expecting knights with super guns in the latter half of the book, making it suddenly feel like Final Fantasy 6 instead of Final Fantasy 1. It's a lot of fun and if I ever get the chance, I'll have to get more volumes.

OK, what next?

Bullseye: The Columbian Connection - Shortest book on the list. Bullseye on an escort mission and also he's being hunted, I think.
World of Krypton - Michael Avon Oeming drawing some Superman prehistory
Song of a Blackbird - Slick looking YA multigenerational story

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Ed Brisson's Bullseye is a fun book. Nothing to go out and rave about but Brisson knows NOT to make Bullseye sympathetic and though he's fighting other villains, he's more villain than antihero. There's a subplot of a plainclothes FBI agent trying to avenge her husband on him that feels like Brisson is hedging on maybe making a Bullseye ongoing but this really works better as a one off. There's also a short story by Marv Wolfman which is pretty decent, though it drags out the build up to it's obvious punchline a little long.

OK, next!

Nick Fury Vs. SHIELD - 80s Espionage action
The Manhattan Projects - I only have the first two volumes (of six). Science fiction about scientists.
Secret Reverse - Did you know the creator of Yu-Gi-Oh made an Iron Man/Spider-Man team up comic and it's still somehow about card games?

 

[Torzelbaum]

Secret Reverse - Did you know the creator of Yu-Gi-Oh made an Iron Man/Spider-Man team up comic and it's still somehow about card games?

I did not. That does sound like the most off the wall choice here.