Do you read comic books?

[BriRedfern]

Do you read comic books? It seems that a good number of you either do or did, so there are three options.

I do. I think it is the most under-rated story telling medium out there and offers incredible story telling Possibilities that are not possible in other fomats...

[Sevag]

I used to, but I find them extremely rare to find nowadays.

The main reason I stopped reading the mainstream comics such as Marvel was becuase of the 'new generation' Spider Man, Wolverine etc comics, they changed too much.

The other comics I used to read were short run, only like 8-20 comics, depending on popularity.

Last I checked, comics were priced much higher than I used to buy them at. That's one factor why I won't be reading a comic any time soon.

[john_locke]

Yep but only Marvel. I hate DC comics

[BriRedfern]

Yep but only Marvel. I hate DC comics

Don't be like that!! I enjoy MArvel more than DC when talking about the big two, but any book can be good with the right creative team. Planetary is technically a DC book and there is nothing better on the shelves....

[Mr. Cluck]

The only comic book I can remember reading is the one featured in LOST with the polar bear. Someone posted scans of all the pages on here, so I read them.

[BriRedfern]

The only comic book I can remember reading is the one featured in LOST with the polar bear. Someone posted scans of all the pages on here, so I read them.

I owned that comic book long before Lost came on. It is not very good.

[ILoveEko]

Used to read Archie comics, lol. :p

[LostHorizon]

I'm 37 years old, and I do admit that I still read comics.. ..:)

When I was a kid, I read comics from Charlton, DC, And Marvel, but eventually became a Marvel comics fan. I was totally into Marvel back in the 80's, buying almost every title ( Fantastic Four, X-men, Avengers, Defenders, Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, etc..... ) But one I went away to college, I stopped reading them because 1) I had a ton of academic reading to do , 2 ) for some reason, there was no comic book stores anywhere on campus, and in town, and 3) I did not have any money for comics ( needed it for beer... :p )
I was in a total comics limbo for three years, until my Senior year, a comic book store opened near campus finally. I was so out of the loop regarding the Marvel universe, I was not sure what books to pick up now. The guy at the store told me to buy Wizard , a trade industry magazine that has info on what's going on in the comic industry at the moment. Learned about Todd McFarlane, and his revitalizing Spiderman, Found out about Jim Lee, and how he was the hot new artist for the new X-men imprint.....Soon after I graduated, both of those guys, along with some others left Marvel to form Image comics. I then bought most of the Image comics, until I got bored of them. Then I discovered ( untranslated ) Japanese Manga, and I have been reading them ever since, even after they are now popular. ( favorite manga titles now are Tenjho Tenge (http://www.tenjhotenge.com.au/) and Gantz (http://www.omanga.net/?cid=b_gantz) ).
I haven't really read very much American comics, until recently - Since I started working at my new job, I've started going to a comic book shop on my way home.
I never was a big fan of DC, especially since their incredibly idiotic " Crisis on Infinite Earths" series back in the 80's ( there is a sorta sequel now, with " Infinite Crisis ", which seems to me equally stupid.. :rolleyes: ), but DC did come out with Frank Millers Brilliant Dark Knight Returns, and Alan Moores Amazing Watchmen ( there is a thread about it here (http://www.losttv-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7602&highlight=Watchmen) .)
The titles that I am currently following are David Mack's Kabuki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabuki_(comics)), about a female former Japanese Assassin. The artwork is very nice, reminds me of Dave Mckean of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman books....

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f9/Kabuki-SkinDeep.jpg/200px-Kabuki-SkinDeep.jpg


I'm also a big Warren Ellis fan, I like what he is doing with his new Nextwave (http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=36;t=004065) series, taking unpopular , little known charcters and making them his own .

http://www.comicon.com/pulse/images_05/1nextw2_th.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_(comics))


I also highly recommend his Planetary (http://home.earthlink.net/~rkkman/frames/) series from Wildstorm/DC(!), very brilliant, in my opinion (i'm not a big fan of his Authority series though... :no: )

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/17/Absoluteplanetary.jpg/250px-Absoluteplanetary.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_(comics))


other comics that you should check out from Wildstorm/DC is is Brian K. Vaughan's Ex Machina (http://www.popmatters.com/comics/ex-machina.shtml)....

http://www.popmatters.com/comics/images/ex-machina.jpg


....And John Ridley's "The American Way (http://www.popmatters.com/comics/american-way-1.shtml)".

http://www.popmatters.com/comics/images/american-way-1.jpg



I really like the Luna Brothers Girls (http://www.popmatters.com/comics/girls-1-8.shtml), a 12 issue maxi series with a really good freaky gothic horror story, actually gave me bad dreams... :(

http://www.popmatters.com/comics/images/girls-1-8.jpg http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/0502/18/girls1th.jpg

I haven't bought any other Marvel comics recently, but Marvels Ultimates (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvel_Ultimate") looks very good - the whole series rumored to take place in a Marvel Universe ( " Earth 1610" ) very similar to the original well known " Earth 616 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_616) " one.

http://www.popmatters.com/comics/images/ultimates-1-8.jpg

That's pretty much the comics that I'm reading right now...
( Now all I have to find a woman somewhere that also likes comics, and my life will then be complete! :p )

[RaraFemina]

I've read some, but not enough to vote "Hell yeah"

[The_Island]

not in years

[BriRedfern]

I'm 37 years old, and I do admit that I still read comics.. ..:)

When I was a kid, I read comics from Charlton, DC, And Marvel, but eventually became a Marvel comics fan. I was totally into Marvel back in the 80's, buying almost every title ( Fantastic Four, X-men, Avengers, Defenders, Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, etc..... ) But one I went away to college, I stopped reading them because 1) I had a ton of academic reading to do , 2 ) for some reason, there was no comic book stores anywhere on campus, and in town, and 3) I did not have any money for comics ( needed it for beer... :p )
I was in a total comics limbo for three years, until my Senior year, a comic book store opened near campus finally. I was so out of the loop regarding the Marvel universe, I was not sure what books to pick up now. The guy at the store told me to buy Wizard , a trade industry magazine that has info on what's going on in the comic industry at the moment. Learned about Todd McFarlane, and his revitalizing Spiderman, Found out about Jim Lee, and how he was the hot new artist for the new X-men imprint.....Soon after I graduated, both of those guys, along with some others left Marvel to form Image comics. I then bought most of the Image comics, until I got bored of them. Then I discovered ( untranslated ) Japanese Manga, and I have been reading them ever since, even after they are now popular. ( favorite manga titles now are Tenjho Tenge (http://www.tenjhotenge.com.au/) and Gantz (http://www.omanga.net/?cid=b_gantz) ).
I haven't really read very much American comics, until recently - Since I started working at my new job, I've started going to a comic book shop on my way home.
I never was a big fan of DC, especially since their incredibly idiotic " Crisis on Infinite Earths" series back in the 80's ( there is a sorta sequel now, with " Infinite Crisis ", which seems to me equally stupid.. :rolleyes: ), but DC did come out with Frank Millers Brilliant Dark Knight Returns, and Alan Moores Amazing Watchmen ( there is a thread about it here (http://www.losttv-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7602&highlight=Watchmen) .)
The titles that I am currently following are David Mack's Kabuki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabuki_(comics)), about a female former Japanese Assassin. The artwork is very nice, reminds me of Dave Mckean of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman books....

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f9/Kabuki-SkinDeep.jpg/200px-Kabuki-SkinDeep.jpg


I'm also a big Warren Ellis fan, I like what he is doing with his new Nextwave (http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=36;t=004065) series, taking unpopular , little known charcters and making them his own .

http://www.comicon.com/pulse/images_05/1nextw2_th.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_(comics))


I also highly recommend his Planetary (http://home.earthlink.net/~rkkman/frames/) series from Wildstorm/DC(!), very brilliant, in my opinion (i'm not a big fan of his Authority series though... :no: )

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/17/Absoluteplanetary.jpg/250px-Absoluteplanetary.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_(comics))


other comics that you should check out from Wildstorm/DC is is Brian K. Vaughan's Ex Machina (http://www.popmatters.com/comics/ex-machina.shtml)....

http://www.popmatters.com/comics/images/ex-machina.jpg


....And John Ridley's "The American Way (http://www.popmatters.com/comics/american-way-1.shtml)".

http://www.popmatters.com/comics/images/american-way-1.jpg



I really like the Luna Brothers Girls (http://www.popmatters.com/comics/girls-1-8.shtml), a 12 issue maxi series with a really good freaky gothic horror story, actually gave me bad dreams... :(

http://www.popmatters.com/comics/images/girls-1-8.jpg http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/0502/18/girls1th.jpg

I haven't bought any other Marvel comics recently, but Marvels Earth 616 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvel_Ultimate) " one.

http://www.popmatters.com/comics/images/ultimates-1-8.jpg

That's pretty much the comics that I'm reading right now...
( Now all I have to find a woman somewhere that also likes comics, and my life will then be complete! :p )

I read all of those except "Girls" Kabuki is my favorite story in any medium ever. I have all the hard covers signed by Mack. Such an amaxing epic that ANYONE could love. Hardly even fair to call it a Comicbook at this point. Although the current "alchemy" arc is not hitting as hard as some of the previous arcs.

Great taste man!!!

[rottenralf]

I used to but my mother threw them all away back in the 70's.

[RoseArienh]

I used to, and I remember begging for an increase in my allowance when the price went up to 12 cents an issue. Read everything!

[LostHorizon]

I read all of those except "Girls" Kabuki is my favorite story in any medium ever. I have all the hard covers signed by Mack. Such an amaxing epic that ANYONE could love. Hardly even fair to call it a Comicbook at this point. Although the current "alchemy" arc is not hitting as hard as some of the previous arcs.

Great taste man!!!

Thanks, BriRedfern!
( I recommend GIRLS! )
I haven't gotten my Kabuki books autographed, but I hear that he really loves doing that for fans of his works. In Mack's "alchemy" arc, he seems to be trying to do something different, experimenting with different media, storytelling format, etc....So far, I'm still following him! :D
Yes, I love comics so much, that I recently became a member of MOCCA ( the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art (http://www.moccany.org/) ) here in THE CITY .

Through them ( actually this hot girl I met there....:D ), I also became a member of Friend of Lulu (http://www.popcultureshock.com/lulu/), a national nonprofit organization whose purpose is to promote and encourage female readership and participation in the comic book industry.
( In the American comic market, the superhero genre has dominated at the expense of the other genres, and especially alienating women. )

One of the titles that was recommended to me which I really loved was Majane Satrapi's Persepolis (http://www.randomhouse.com/pantheon/graphicnovels/persepolis.html), her wise, funny and heartbreaking graphic memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution.

http://www.randomhouse.com/pantheon/graphicnovels/art/persepolis_cover.jpg


This is just one of many diverse titles from women that other women ( or anyone else ) would be interested in, if they were aware of them, and that there are comics that can be enjoyed in different genres just other mediums like movies and TV even without superheros in them..... Look at how American women and girls embraced Japanese Shojo Manga - they are actually running some in Cosmo Girl magazine now (which means that maybe within five years, the regular Cosmopolitan magazine will be having manga in it's pages, and hopefully the other womens magazines will follows suite, so that the graphic novel medium would be more accepted in the mainstream female reading audience. )

Speaking of comics and LOST, Damon Lindelof himself is writing the limited series "ULTIMATE WOLVERINE VS. HULK (http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com/scoop_article.asp?ai=9774&si=121)" (set in the "Ultimate" Marvel universe of Earth 6160, see my previous post), his first time doing work in the comic medium. I browsed it at a store, it looks pretty good!

http://www.iabc.cz/images/TvSK/2wolverine.jpg

( Leinil Francis Yu’s artwork is amazing! )

And For the people that answered the option " heck no", or "not in years " in the poll, I would say that if you like all the elements that make LOST such a great show, there are many genres of comics out there ( I prefer the term "graphic novels" ) that I'm sure that would strike your fancy. Just open up your mindset, and actually make a trip to your local comic shop someday, I'm pretty sure you won't be dissapointed!

[*Saint*]

No offense to anyone here, but to me, growing up, comic books were for geeks...

I was a cheerleader. We weren't into that. ;)

[LostHorizon]

No offense to anyone here, but to me, growing up, comic books were for geeks...

I was a cheerleader. We weren't into that. ;)

Speaking as a former and present geek, I can only imagine what Cheerleaders where really into ...
That is, if those teen movies were any indication.....:p

[Jeannie]

I haven't read a comic book since I was kid, though I loved them then!

[LostHorizon]

I find it very hard to believe that out of the thousands on this forum, that only nine people read comics here.
Would the poll numbers be the same if the poll was about video games?
:scratchch

Comics may have been aimed at children in the past, but nowadays, especially in America, it is viable art form that should now have the same respect as other forms of visual media, like television, movies, books, etc.
I mean, I can't imagine anyone nowadays would say that they haven't read a book since they were a kid, or even say that they haven't seen a movie since they rasied their price from a dollar, or that they would say that televison is for geeks......Oh wait, maybe I can....
:p

( BTW, remember, the comic book in LOST tha Walt was reading wasn't his, but Hurley's...:) )

[LPU]

Certainly used to but good God man! I recently went into one of our local shops and saw what the prices is on those things now and hell nah. No way I would pay that much for a comic.

[BriRedfern]

No offense to anyone here, but to me, growing up, comic books were for geeks...

I was a cheerleader. We weren't into that. ;)

I was usually reading mine right after f*cking a cheerleader. If someone had called me a geek in highschool I would have quietly broken their knees. :D

Now, I couldn't care less. ;)

Editing because that wasn't supposed to sound quite as "tough" as that. So I put in smileys.

[LostHorizon]

Certainly used to but good God man! I recently went into one of our local shops and saw what the prices is on those things now and hell nah. No way I would pay that much for a comic.

....And how much do you pay for a movie ticket? :p

[BriRedfern]

Thanks, BriRedfern!
( I recommend GIRLS! )
I haven't gotten my Kabuki books autographed, but I hear that he really loves doing that for fans of his works. In Mack's "alchemy" arc, he seems to be trying to do something different, experimenting with different media, storytelling format, etc....So far, I'm still following him! :D
Yes, I love comics so much, that I recently became a member of MOCCA ( the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art (http://www.moccany.org/) ) here in THE CITY .

Through them ( actually this hot girl I met there....:D ), I also became a member of Friend of Lulu (http://www.popcultureshock.com/lulu/), a national nonprofit organization whose purpose is to promote and encourage female readership and participation in the comic book industry.
( In the American comic market, the superhero genre has dominated at the expense of the other genres, and especially alienating women. )

One of the titles that was recommended to me which I really loved was Majane Satrapi's Persepolis (http://www.randomhouse.com/pantheon/graphicnovels/persepolis.html), her wise, funny and heartbreaking graphic memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution.

http://www.randomhouse.com/pantheon/graphicnovels/art/persepolis_cover.jpg


This is just one of many diverse titles from women that other women ( or anyone else ) would be interested in, if they were aware of them, and that there are comics that can be enjoyed in different genres just other mediums like movies and TV even without superheros in them..... Look at how American women and girls embraced Japanese Shojo Manga - they are actually running some in Cosmo Girl magazine now (which means that maybe within five years, the regular Cosmopolitan magazine will be having manga in it's pages, and hopefully the other womens magazines will follows suite, so that the graphic novel medium would be more accepted in the mainstream female reading audience. )

Speaking of comics and LOST, Damon Lindelof himself is writing the limited series "ULTIMATE WOLVERINE VS. HULK (http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com/scoop_article.asp?ai=9774&si=121)" (set in the "Ultimate" Marvel universe of Earth 6160, see my previous post), his first time doing work in the comic medium. I browsed it at a store, it looks pretty good!

http://www.iabc.cz/images/TvSK/2wolverine.jpg

( Leinil Francis Yu’s artwork is amazing! )

And For the people that answered the option " heck no", or "not in years " in the poll, I would say that if you like all the elements that make LOST such a great show, there are many genres of comics out there ( I prefer the term "graphic novels" ) that I'm sure that would strike your fancy. Just open up your mindset, and actually make a trip to your local comic shop someday, I'm pretty sure you won't be dissapointed!

I was reading the Wolverine/Hulk series, but I am going to wait for it to be collected. It is a little too decompressed for a spandex-type story for my tastes. I am sure it will read much better in its entirety.

Also, You should check out the book "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay" It is a spectacular novel about the lives of 2 comic book creators around the time of the CBCA witch hunt in Congress. Excellent work.

I was able to visit Cartoon Art Museum the last time I was in San Francisco, but I wasn't aware of MOCCA in NY. I am going to have to check it out, I am currently in Jersey.

[LostHorizon]

Also, You should check out the book "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay" It is a spectacular novel about the lives of 2 comic book creators around the time of the CBCA witch hunt in Congress. Excellent work.

Thanks!
I'll see if I can find it when I go to the comic shop tomorrow! I'll do a Google search before I do, so I'll know what it looks like.

I was able to visit Cartoon Art Museum the last time I was in San Francisco, but I wasn't aware of MOCCA in NY. I am going to have to check it out, I am currently in Jersey.

New Jersey?

:eyebrow:

[BriRedfern]

Thanks!
I'll see if I can find it when I go to the comic shop tomorrow! I'll do a Google search before I do, so I'll know what it looks like.



New Jersey?

:eyebrow:

I'm from Boston originally, so imagine how I feel about it....

And Kavalier and Clay is a book-book. no pictures!! Your local CS may carry it, but I wouldn't count it. Really gret read though on so many levels.

[BriRedfern]

Wow, these polls turn over fast!!! So yeah, what I'm saying is :bump:

[LostHorizon]

I'm pretty sure that the poll numbers will change once the eventual LOST comic series is officially licensed by one of the big Comic publishing companies here in America ( I'm betting it's Darkhorse comics, they have a good track record with licensed properties - heck, that Croninberg movie, "A History of Violence" was originally a comic / graphic novel from Darkhorse, believe it or not... ).

Anyway, when that time comes, and it is only a matter of time, I'm sure those people here who polled that they haven't bought a comic since the Carter Administration, or the ones that say that comics are only for loser geeks, will hopefully go out and actually buy a LOST comic.
And then maybe, just maybe probably realise that comics are not just for little boys, but an ancient, yet very innovatative and adult sequential storytelling medium in some ways superior to even movies and televison.

[goAlvar]

I used to read them. Now, I have less time.

[LostHorizon]

I used to read them. Now, I have less time.

If you have the time to watch an episode of LOST, i'm sure you can make time to read a comic book!

:Cheers:

[Dezie]

I'm not much of a comic book reader, but I liked looking at Mad or Cracked for fun.

I do have a bunch of old Zaps.

[Vitriol]

I have a $30 a month comic book habit. Also I read countless trade paperbacks and graphic novels.

[Crandyman]

My brother is a comic book guy but not me so much. I have have a few graphic novels though, like V For Vendetta, Gunslinger Born, and The Watchmen.

[Leia Amos]

Certainly used to but good God man! I recently went into one of our local shops and saw what the prices is on those things now and hell nah. No way I would pay that much for a comic.
LMAO... I wonder if he could say that now.
....And how much do you pay for a movie ticket? :p
I try and double feature it. :p


Do read select comics or story lines in trade paperback or graphic novel too. Used to read some as a kid too. :)

[wickedsweet]

I'd be among the Hell Yeah group. Started out as a Conan junkie and it just went from there

[Vitriol]

Awesome. Comics are my lifeblood.

I've got a ton of old Joe Kubert Conan issues somewhere.

[~G~]

I used to read more...Clowes, Bagge, Dorkin, Brunetti...not so much in a loong time...I miss them...

[sals]

I never bought a comic book.



I never had much money when I was a kid and money had to be used for things they kept behind the counter like cigarettes and fountain sodas.


Comic books were right there on the shelf.

I loved comic books.



Sals

[Vitriol]

I used to read more...Clowes, Bagge, Dorkin, Brunetti...not so much in a loong time...I miss them...

Daniel Clowes is pretty great. I never really liked Evan Dorkin so much. I used to read a lot of Kitchen Sink and Top Shelf books.

[saladdays]

A couple of friends used to be into comics. I didn't have very many.

[RangerMel]

Sure. Archie and Jughead are swell. And that Veronica!

I love their wacky misadventures.

[wickedsweet]

Awesome. Comics are my lifeblood.

I've got a ton of old Joe Kubert Conan issues somewhere.

I had crates of comics but lost them during my series of moves during my 20's. The only ones that made it were some Tales of Terror, everything else I have is newish:mad:

[Vitriol]

I lost $15,000 worth of comics (estimated) in a flood about a year ago.

[tellthemmrekoletyoulive]

No comic book reading here.