Comic Books

I have a question on comic books, so we all know who this is directed too...

Cal, I'm interested in reading a Guardians of the Galaxy book. Preferably one that is a classic story, but enough to be a decent pick up for a one hit read (I'm not looking to start the series). What would be the best book to get a general taster for what the GOTG comic is like?

I've only been reading the Guardians of The Galaxy books and going back and finding the older stuff the past few years in the run up to the movie being released, so my knowledge isn't perfect. But from a mild interest due to the movie a great love for the team and it's history has grown!

Also you have to taking into account that there is actually very little in terms of classic and collected stories for the incarnation of the team that the movie is based on. Seeing as that particular version is only several years old as a concept. Also doubly surprising is that a good chunk of it is hard to get hold of because it hasn't been reprinted for a few years. The concept of the Guardians of the Galaxy is a niche, within a niche, within a nice. So there isn't a lot out there to read

Still here's a couple of picks from what I have:

You're best bet is to give the first volume of the current series a go Amazon Link which is really good and well worth reading. You can tell that this book was used as a part concept to help sell the idea of the Guardians movie to the comic book reading masses and it is damn fine reading. Serves as both a good jumping on point and also gives you the current origin story for a Star-Lord.



For about as classic as you can get for the movie team is the first volume of the Abnett & Lanning run from a few years ago Amazon Link which is what kicked off the characters and concept eventually being turned into a movie.



If you're wanting so old it practically has nothing to do with the film or the modern books give Guardians of the Galaxy: Tomorrow's Avengers a go Amazon Link. This is currently in my To Read pile so I don't know how good it is but it looks fun.

There is also a nice meaty collection of classic Star-Lord comics (again in my To Read pile!) that was released when the film came out, Amazon Link. 



If you are looking for a more general and awesome look at the cosmic side of the Marvel Universe I would highly recommend checking out the trades of Annihilation if you can find them for cheap. This is a series of books that is in dire need of a reprint! [url=Wikipedia link]Wikipedia link[/url] they're a great intro to cosmic marvel and will take you a while to obtain once you find a good reading order. 

Also if you want cosmic but with familiar characters (Iron Man, Thor, Cap and Co) then check out Infinity Amazon Link which is possibly my favourite Marvel event book of the past few years.

Finally keep an eye out over the next few months because both Rocket Raccoon and Star-Lord has just started new solo series which the first volumes of which will be put into print in the run up to Christmas I imagine.

Thanks Cal. 

That Tommorrows Avengers one is £30.   This is why I can't afford comic books. It's just not worth that price. 

I am still interested in trying the series out, however, and think the best one suggested is the Complete Collection one by Abnett and Lanning. Still £17, but I might wait, and put it on my Christmas list.

Wolvieware wrote:Thanks Cal. 

That Tommorrows Avengers one is £30.   This is why I can't afford comic books. It's just not worth that price. 

I am still interested in trying the series out, however, and think the best one suggested is the Complete Collection one by Abnett and Lanning. Still £17, but I might wait, and put it on my Christmas list.

Prices for all the ones I mentioned and more aren't too bad on comixology: https://www.comixology.co.uk/Essential-Guardians-of-the-Galaxy-Reads/list/1199 £13.99 for Tomorrow's Avengers Vol.1

Annihilation and Annihilation: Conquest are absolutely fantastic reads as well as the GOTG and Nova runs that span out of Annihilation.

Abnett and Lanning showed that you could create this massive event and not have have god knows how many issues and pointless tie-ins to tell the story. Yes there are mini-series before the main event but only four totaling sixteen issues (plus a prologue and two issues to wrap up) but considering that main events like Civil War, Secret Invasion etc cover god knows how many issues it really shows that such an excellent story can be told in such a smaller amount of issues.

Talking off prices, some of them are crazy at the moment. I'm selling off my comic collection and due to not wanting to use E-bay I'm finding it a bit more difficult to shift them, especially the really pricey ones that no one I know can afford. It's that catch 22 of not wanting to use E-bay due to the fees but people not on E-bay not being able to afford it. I would happily sell for less than E-bay prices as I would be saving on fees and I want for them to go to a good home.

Sorry, bit of a tangent there.

Have you tried selling them on Amazon Market place? They don't take to much of a cut.

I'm not familiar with it in all honesty as I very rarely use Amazon.

Will give it a look though as now really want to shift them.

Comixology are having a sale on Realm of Kings another big Cosmic Marvel event from a few years ago. The whole shibang for £17.49

https://www.comixology.co.uk/Realm-of-Kings/bundle/790

ComiXology is having a sale on the first 18 issues of Thor: God of Thunder which is the current Thor comic and also the best Thor comic ever!

18 awesome comics for £12.42

https://www.comixology.co.uk/Thor-God-of-Thunder-Sale/page/3627?tid=E140929001&utm_source=comiXology+Digital+Comics+Newsletters&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=E140929001_MM_Thor_God_of_Thunder

The first two arcs of this book made it my official favourite comic of last year so I am telling you all to read it because you will not be disappointed!

What a time to be alive!

Also this infographic caused a very surreal conversation in my house as me and the wife started planning major life decisions around comic book movie release dates 

Fantastic!

Loads of Batman stuff is £3 ish on Kindle at the moment. I got Killing Joke and Hush...any others I should grab whilst they're going cheap?

Court of owls, if you fancy dipping your toe into the New 52. 

Year One and Long Halloween are both great.

And anything Cal says!

Wasn't a fan of it myself but Grant Morrison's recent run is critically acclaimed.

sorenlorensen wrote:Court of owls, if you fancy dipping your toe into the New 52. 

Year One and Long Halloween are both great.

And anything Cal says!

dste01 wrote:Wasn't a fan of it myself but Grant Morrison's recent run is critically acclaimed.

All very good suggestions! If you want to give Grant Morrison's stuff a go start with Batman and Son because that's where it all kicks off. It is a amazing run and Morrison is a man who takes the characters he writes on an epic journey. It is also a long run, there is nearly ten years worth of stuff to it and you kind of need to read it all to understand what's going on at the end of it in Batman Incorporated. 

Also as mentioned by soren any New 52 Batman trade is a safe bet. Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's current run on the book is truly groundbreaking stuff with Death of the Family and Zero Year being the highlights for me.

For older stuff, if you like The Long Halloween grab Dark Victory which is the sequel and you need to read The Dark Knight Returns. It is the seminal Batman work and if you can look past Frank Miller's crazy right wing politics it is a gripping tale of Batman being awesome well past his prime

Comixology are also having a sale on comics too: https://www.comixology.co.uk/comics-sale

With the whole of the Age of Ultron comic event being on sale along with a whole host of other Marvel trades from their Marvel NOW! initiative. The highlights being Thor: God of Thunder Vol.1, Nova Vol.1, Superior Spider-Man Vol.1, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.1 and Captain America Vol.1

Death of the Family is excellent, really grim stuff. I got Zero Year for Xmas - have literally just started it.

sorenlorensen wrote:Death of the Family is excellent, really grim stuff. I got Zero Year for Xmas - have literally just started it.

It's cool because Zero Year is sort of the opposite, it's full of colour and bombast. It also references and takes awesome moments from all the other Batman origin stories that have been published over the years.

Hot damn the new trailer of Agengers: Age of Ultron is good!

The trailer was fantastic.

Did you see that the Vue cinema chain are showing all of the Marvel films bar Hulk and Guardians on 22nd April? From Midnight until 10pm and you get to see AOU five hours before release. Unfortunately it's only showing at Cardiff, Dublin, Edinburgh and London.

dste01 wrote:The trailer was fantastic.

Did you see that the Vue cinema chain are showing all of the Marvel films bar Hulk and Guardians on 22nd April? From Midnight until 10pm and you get to see AOU five hours before release. Unfortunately it's only showing at Cardiff, Dublin, Edinburgh and London.

I doubt my wife will be up for that but I will be working my way through all the films again before Age of Ultron hits!

Despite not being into comic books since I was a child I've rather enjoyed The Witcher comic books via th Darkhorse app on my iPad. A new series has just started leading up to the release of the The Witcher 3 game so looking forward to those. 

I also got a free 'taster' of a Mass Effect comic as well and it was pretty good. Maybe gaming related comics are for me.

MarkySharky wrote:Despite not being into comic books since I was a child I've rather enjoyed The Witcher comic books via th Darkhorse app on my iPad. A new series has just started leading up to the release of the The Witcher 3 game so looking forward to those. 

I also got a free 'taster' of a Mass Effect comic as well and it was pretty good. Maybe gaming related comics are for me.

Only just seen this in here!

The are a load of good game tie-in comics, however there is also a huge amount of truly terrible comics made to sell to people to make a quick buck. I've always enjoyed the Mass Effect comics and there are a few of them at this point all tie-ing into various key points in the games and the over arcing story.

But it really doesn't help that Darkhorse refuse to get on board with ComiXology and other digital comics sellers and continue to sell things through their own terrible app and web store!

The next and I'm guessing last chapter of Frank Miller's Dark Knight books! Dark Knight The Master Race.

There are lots of accusations that this is a cash grab on Miller's part due to his increasing ill health but even if it is I am still looking forward to it. The Neoconservative Batman of Miller's books is a weird and wonderful beast. Also I have always found it fun to see Miller's growing contempt for the younger generations get louder and louder as time goes on.

This time around other writers like Brian Azzarello (Wonder Woman) and Scott Snyder (the current Batman series) are meant to be on hand helping out so it looks like it could be a bigger and wider story than just one book by Frank Miller.

I loved Dark Knight Returns (still have my original trade pb from the late 80s).  The second one was mediocre at best though.  Best to say that I'm looking forward to this with trepidation!

There's been a bit of gap between them right? Seems like cash in on their highly regarded status to me. 

I've never really liked them, to be honest. I thought Year One was much better. And Hush.