What comics do people collect/read?

ChastMastr · January 21

This is what I got this last week, plus (since apparently, at long last, Diana has her clay origin back, which I've been waiting for ever since 2011 with the New 52 when they made her (ugh) the daughter of Zeus) the first five issues of Tom King's new Wonder Woman series:

Batman / Superman: World's Finest #23
Superman #10
Jay Garrick: The Flash #4
X-Men #30
Fantastic Four #16
The Invincible Iron Man #14
Miracleman by Gaiman & Buckingham: The Silver Age #7

For this coming week, I am getting these:

Green Arrow #8
Amazons Attack #4
Titans: Beast World Tour - Star City #1
X-Force #48
Resurrection of Magneto #1
Power Pack: Into the Storm #1

Doublethink · January 21

I watched Sandman on Netflix, so - on impulse - I bought the first instalment of the graphic novel before Christmas. But I haven’t started reading it yet, I think I’m putting it off in case I: disappointed.

Ariel · January 21

Robert Armin would totally have been here for this thread. He loved comics. His last gift to me was a graphic novel of The Sandman. Not my kind of thing but I appreciated that he wanted to share something he'd enjoyed and thought was great.

NicoleMR · January 21

I read the Ben Aaronovitch graphic novels, which are a part of his Rivers of London series. They aren't adaptations, they are separate stories from the novels.

Hedgehog · January 22

My comic book buying is limited these days: Doctor Strange & Fantastic Four are the main ongoing series. I did buy all of Batman Beyond: Neo-Gothic, but that limited series is over. I am buying the Alan Scoot: Green Lantern limited series, but that is halfway done. I have been getting Justice Society of America, but am getting disenchanted with it.

Of course, in daily comic strips, I am devoted to Breaking Cat News, and I regularly read a number of other ones. But BCN is the one I read first. And I am growing fond of Legend of Bill.

(Still read Prince Valiant on Sundays, of course. That goes without saying.)

Cheery Gardener · January 22

As a girl our parents got my sister and I hooked on English girls' comics. I think we started on Jack and Jill and Playhour. I moved onto Pixie in the early 70s and then onto Tammy and Jinty in the 80s. The worst part of being outside the UK was not being able to enter the competitions which seemed so tantalising. After the parents died my sister took most of the annuals and I took the comics which still reside in our old toybox. The thing I found most interesting looking back is that Pixie featured a comic version of The Mikado, which I don't think most 8-10 year olds would find enjoyable these days, but I loved it. At present my very favourite comic strip is Zits and for the last few years I've made a point of getting a desk calendar so I can enjoy it every day. I used to share these strips with work colleagues and one of the older ladies used to say, That comic is written by a man who has had children! I'm not sure whether that is true or not, but I loved his take on having teenagers. My husband enjoys anime/manga and our son is a big Marvel fan Daughter used to love Fruits Basket and One Piece, but not so much what I think of as a traditional comic book.

Eigon · January 22

I've got all the Rivers of London graphic novels, too, and most of Neil Gaiman's work - I even bought Lucifer (which the TV series was based on) on the grounds that it was a spin off from Sandman.
I've been enjoying the Ms Marvel stories, too.
What really started me off in comics, though, was Green Arrow, during the Mike Grell Longbow Hunters era - I'd go to the comic shop round the corner from work and buy the comics to read over lunch. It attracted me because I was already a Robin Hood fan, so guy with longbow, fighting crime, was an instant hit. And Elfquest - I adored Elfquest.

RockyRoger · January 22

Being of a certain age, I still treasure my collection of Dan Dare stories from the 1950's 'Eagles'. Oh, and the 'cutaways'. Both wee a huge influence on me.

Stercus Tauri · January 24

RockyRoger wrote: »

Being of a certain age, I still treasure my collection of Dan Dare stories from the 1950's 'Eagles'. Oh, and the 'cutaways'. Both were a huge influence on me.

Me too! I learned a lot from the cutaways and am still impressed at how accurate they are. PC49 was a favourite too. I haven't got any of the comics left, but I still cherish my copies of the Eagle Book of Aircraft and the Eagle Book of Trains. They were well written and stand up to critical reading nearly 70 years later.

Eigon · January 25

Of similar vintage to Eagle is the Trigan Empire, which was great fun!

And I forgot to mention one of my favourites - the Grandville series by Bryan Talbot, in which the hero is a badger who is a detective at Scotland Yard. One of my proudest fandom moments is meeting Bryan Talbot at London WorldCon in 2014. My boyfriend was dressed as Inspector LeBrock, and I was his girlfriend Billie (also a badger) - and Bryan Talbot took our photo and put it on his blog!

Sandemaniac · January 25

I recall the Trigan Empire running in Look and Learn in the very early 1980s, but didn't it originate in another title?

Caissa · January 25

I belong to graphic Novel Book Club. We are discussing Parasocial this evening.
https://www.simonandschuster.ca/books/Parasocial/Alex-de-Campi/9781534399372

Eigon · January 26

I remember the Trigan Empire being in Look and Learn, but I think you're right, Sandemaniac - it did appear in other places too.

ChastMastr · January 27

Resurrection of Magneto #1 was incomprehensible if you haven't read fifteen million other comics, with no useful information in the book about who most of the characters even are. Dropping that one like a hot potato.

Huia · January 28

I remember reading Dan Dare in the Eagle. My older brother, G was given it weekly, bought from the local bookshop - always a couple of months behind the date when it was published. I remember one of the series running in it then was Roy of the Rovers about a football club. I didn't understand it at all really as I had never seen a game of football, but I could never get enough reading material as a child and read everything I could lay my hands on.

I was given a comic named Princess and the only series I remember was about Sue Day, Edie her friend and Tommy, Edie's brother..

Other than those I remember Classic Comics which i loved. I could never get the characters of Dora and Agnes in David Copperfield sorted out in my mind until I read this version (where one had yellow hair, while the other's was brown) I always hoped I'd come across a Classic Comics version of War and Peace.

Eigon · January 28

My favourite children's comic was June and Schoolfriend, though I also read Mandy and Bunty. I remember my mum getting terribly excited once when June and Schoolfriend re-ran a text based story (rather than the usual comic strip stories) about the Silent Three. These were three friends at boarding school who formed a secret society and went about wearing cloaks and going down secret passages etc. Mum had read the stories in the 1950s when the comic was just called Schoolfriend.

Heavenlyannie · January 28

Like many of my generation, I was brought up on Beano and Dandy. My older sister’s boyfriend then introduced me to 2000AD which I loved, being a big fan of science fiction. I never really got into graphic novels though, despite my husband and sons reading manga such as Nausicaa. But I love cartoons, in particular political satire, and I have some old bound collections of Punch and several books on historical satirical cartoons on social history subjects such as fashion and medicine.

When I had my mental health crisis 2 years ago and was debilitated with anxiety I distracted myself with volumes of Calvin and Hobbes.

Doublethink · January 28

Eigon wrote: »

My favourite children's comic was June and Schoolfriend, though I also read Mandy and Bunty. I remember my mum getting terribly excited once when June and Schoolfriend re-ran a text based story (rather than the usual comic strip stories) about the Silent Three. These were three friends at boarding school who formed a secret society and went about wearing cloaks and going down secret passages etc. Mum had read the stories in the 1950s when the comic was just called Schoolfriend.

I was obliged to wear a cloak at boarding school - my main learning from this, is that shopkeepers get very suspicious.

RockyRoger · January 28

Heavenlyannie wrote: »

Like many of my generation, I was brought up on Beano and Dandy. My older sister’s boyfriend then introduced me to 2000AD which I loved, being a big fan of science fiction. I never really got into graphic novels though, despite my husband and sons reading manga such as Nausicaa. But I love cartoons, in particular political satire, and I have some old bound collections of Punch and several books on historical satirical cartoons on social history subjects such as fashion and medicine.

When I had my mental health crisis 2 years ago and was debilitated with anxiety I distracted myself with volumes of Calvin and Hobbes.

I too have a complete collection of 'Calvin and Hobbes'. Like HA, they helped me through some very dark times.

ChastMastr · January 28

Comics I’m getting this week, January 31, 2024 (will look at Dead X-Men — not sure):

Batman / Superman: World's Finest 2024 Annual
Batman and Robin 2024 Annual
Alan Scott: The Green Lantern #4
Trinity Special #1
DC Power 2024 #1
Wolverine #42
Spider-Boy #3
Dead X-Men #1
Deadly Hands of Kung-Fu: Gang War #2
Marvel's Voices: Legends #1
Conan the Barbarian #7

What are other people getting?

ChastMastr · January 28

Huia wrote: »

Other than those I always hoped I'd come across a Classic Comics version of War and Peace.

Here you go!

https://www.amazon.com/War-Peace-Graphic-Alexandr-Poltorak/dp/1524864986

Huia · January 29

Wow! I may need to email my brother in Chicago, after all I'm sending him some Whittakers chocolate.

(This is a New Zealand brand of dark chocolate that he and his wife enjoy, but it is ruinously expensive to post. I sent them 4 blocks for Christmas and postage was $50! I may have to send the cat out to work).

Cheery Gardener · January 30

Calvin and Hobbes was a favourite of my Dad and he'd ring me each day and update me of their adventures. Eigon I remember finding a story in one of my Aunt's annuals from the 1950's reprinted in one of our 1970/80's annuals, but I forget which one now and I don't have a hardcopy to refer to. I think it might have been one about some diamonds and a French pretender to the throne.

I did buy my sister a Jinty comics T-shirt from rebellion comics or 2000AD ,I forget which, but alas I think I've left it too late to get one for myself. I might have to try ebay, or write to them directly.

I bought my daughter for her birthday a copy of the hardback Misty, 40 years of fear as she had enjoyed reading these when staying with my parents in school holidays.

I have noticed that 2000AD have a copy of A very British Affair, which seems to be about romance comics. We never had these as I'm sure my parents thought them lowbrow, but i do think the historical perspective might be interesting.

ChastMastr · January 30

Huia wrote: »

Wow! I may need to email my brother in Chicago, after all I'm sending him some Whittakers chocolate.

It may be easier to get it through Amazon.au --

https://www.amazon.com.au/War-Peace-Graphic-Alexandr-Poltorak/dp/1524864986/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=War+and+Peace:+The+Graphic+Novel&qid=1706575553&sr=8-1

Also maybe this:

https://www.amazon.com.au/Uncle-Scrooge-Donald-Misérables-Peace/dp/1683967674/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=War+and+Peace:+The+Graphic+Novel&qid=1706575553&sr=8-2

RockyRoger · January 30

Did anyone collect copies of 'Mad', which was popular with me and my grammar school chums back in the day? It had a lot of good stuff in it though our masters questioned our taste.
But where now is Alfred E Newman's, 'What me worry?' now that we need him?

'Private Eye' is a worthy succesor in some ways, but has to be taken as medicine, not food. I deliberately do not keep my copies.

Eigon · January 30

Cheery Gardener - ooh, Misty! Traumatised a generation of young girls!

Cheery Gardener · January 31

Eigon, indeed!! I popped back to say that I did find a Jinty t-shirt on a couple of sites and I think one of them had a Misty tee as well, so I might have to space them out and buy a few different ones!

RockyRoger, our family used to get Mad intermittently and Dad had a couple of paperbacks which I think fell to pieces eventually. My favourite strip used to be The Lighter side of ... because I loved the illustrations, they were beautifully drawn. I also liked the fold-ins which formed the back cover. So clever! I think unfortunately the Oz version folded a few years ago, but definitely part of my childhood!

ChastMastr · February 1

I read Mad (and Cracked) growing up!

Hedgehog · February 2

Once upon a time, I had a CD (almost sure it was a CD and not a DVD) that contained copies of all the MAD magazines for the first few decades. I even think it had some program to do the fold-ins.

I am vague about the details because I ended up giving it to my brother, but I think this was it. From Broderbund and I remember there was a time when I loved whatever Broderbund chose to put out.

Cheery Gardener · February 2

@Hedgehog, that looks brilliant! Something to add to the wishlist here! @Eigon I did see on one popular online selling site that some comics have been digitised to CDs (Jinty, I think) and being non techy I need to check with Cheery husband about how to install the software to read them. Have been putting that off because I know the next suggestion will be to toss all my hardcopies and I'm not ready for that yet!!

NicoleMR · February 2

I just got the newest Ben Aaronovitch graphic novel yesterday (delivered from Barnes and Noble). A wonderful read.

Eigon · February 2

Is that Here Be Dragons, NicoleMR? That's on my wants list!

NicoleMR · February 2

Yes, that's it. I particularly like the ending.

ChastMastr · February 5

This week, 7 Feb 2024:

Batman #142
Shazam! #8
DC's How to Lose a Guy Gardner in 10 Days #1
X-Men #31
Fantastic Four #17
Wolverine: Madripoor Knights #1
Conan the Barbarian #7

Dafyd · February 23

I have just bought the second issue of the new Ultimate Spider-Man and it is just as good as the first.

TurquoiseTastic · February 23

As a child I remember Beano and Beezer annuals as well as Asterix and Tintin. I tended to read other people's comics as a teenager and in this way became familiar with 2000AD as well as binge-reading a huge collection of X-Men starting with #1 of The Uncanny X-Men.

When it comes to graphic novels I've enjoyed Shaun Tan's The Arrival, Logicomix (a fictionalised account of Bertrand Russell's life and works) and the well-knownWatchmen. But the graphic novel of all time is surely Art Spiegelman's Maus.

Heavenlyannie · February 23

Ah, Maus! I have a colleague who lectures on Maus and he introduced me to it a few years ago. There’s a copy within arms reach of where I am sitting.

TurquoiseTastic · February 23

Yes - whereas I would recommend Watchmen to anyone with an interest in comics and graphic novels, I would recommend Maus to anyone at all, whether they have an interest in graphic novels or not.

Hedgehog · February 23

TurquoiseTastic wrote: »

As a child I remember Beano and Beezer annuals as well as Asterix and Tintin. I tended to read other people's comics as a teenager and in this way became familiar with 2000AD as well as binge-reading a huge collection of X-Men starting with #1 of The Uncanny X-Men.

Do you happen to remember which #1 it was? There have been a good half-dozen over the years. The original "The X-Men" (without the Uncanny) #1 was 1963. A revamped new team of X-Men was introduced in "Giant-Size X-Men" #1 in 1975. The first issue to actually be called "The Uncanny X-Men" was issue #114 in 1978. And, since then, "Uncanny X-Men" (without the "The") has had multiple relaunches and multiple #1 issues. Because the marketers LOVE to say that the current issue is "#1" in an attempt to increase sales.

Twangist · February 23

I get comics/graphics novels from the library to avoid collecting them in addition to all the other stuff I collect.

Hedgehog · February 28

Meanwhile, newspaper conglomerates are severely limiting the development of new comic strips in favor of stale "legacy" strips and (even worse) rerun strips.

TurquoiseTastic · February 28

Hedgehog wrote: »

TurquoiseTastic wrote: »

As a child I remember Beano and Beezer annuals as well as Asterix and Tintin. I tended to read other people's comics as a teenager and in this way became familiar with 2000AD as well as binge-reading a huge collection of X-Men starting with #1 of The Uncanny X-Men.

Do you happen to remember which #1 it was? There have been a good half-dozen over the years. The original "The X-Men" (without the Uncanny) #1 was 1963. A revamped new team of X-Men was introduced in "Giant-Size X-Men" #1 in 1975. The first issue to actually be called "The Uncanny X-Men" was issue #114 in 1978. And, since then, "Uncanny X-Men" (without the "The") has had multiple relaunches and multiple #1 issues. Because the marketers LOVE to say that the current issue is "#1" in an attempt to increase sales.

You know, I can't remember, but having done a bit of research based on your tips I think it might have been "Giant-Size X-Men" because I remember Nightcrawler and Colossus being introduced and thinking of them as part of "the original team" whereas they are not part of the 1963 line-up.

Eigon · March 1

A local person is downsizing his comic collection, and I'm very pleased to have picked up some of The Dreaming, a spin-off of Sandman featuring the minor characters, and Books of Magic, the spin off of another Neil Gaiman title, about a boy wizard.

Cheery Gardener · March 24

@Eigon I must have missed your post, how wonderful that you can benefit from someone downsizing their collection. That's how I like to get stuff too. I'm quite excited this morning because the postman has delivered me a copy of Pixie no.2 from 1972. This was the comic I read when graduating from Jack and Jill and Playhour comics. I suppose because I was about 7, it would have been when I first became an independent reader.

It's been wonderful looking at the titles the comic included, a graphic version of The Naughtiest girl in the school, The Mikado, a one page Milly Molly Mandy story amongst puzzles and other stories. It's made me keen to look for more back issues as it's given me so much pleasure. I'm pleased to say that the vendor from whom I purchased, packed it really nicely and marked the package do not bend, so the postman knocked on my door and hand delivered it, talk about service!!

Happy days!

Lamb Chopped · March 25

Being an ancient person, I like the Peanuts strips and also Calvin and Hobbes--and some of the newer take-offs of the latter. I'm afraid I don't do well with full-length graphic novels--I read the text so quickly that I don't give proper attention to the art. Though I do like the Hades and Persephone series Punderworld, online.

Caissa · March 25

My wife is a veritable Peanuts fanatic and also owns most of the Calvin and Hobbes collected editions.

Lamb Chopped · March 25

Wonderful stuff! I'm frustrated with the Peanuts website because they seem to have taken the daily strip off a couple days ago. Must look elsewhere...

Caissa · March 25

Here is where my wife finds it, Lamb Chopped: https://www.gocomics.com/peanuts/2024/03/25?fbclid=IwAR2RxEh2k1ksWaYUyO0vZFqRA7lzN_uh1HWrm8IEeJWNOIuchwtrhIK0Kkg

Lamb Chopped · March 25

Thank you, I've replaced my bookmark!

Cheery Gardener · March 25

Thanks for the link @Caissa, have added to my bookmarks also. Peanuts is just wonderful!

Bob Two Owls · March 29

Sorry late to the thread! I have a lifelong love of Astérix, Tintin and 2000AD but have recently been captivated by Usagi Yojimbo by Stan Sakai. Supposedly a kids comic, it explores some very grown up themes and is a wonderful escape into a fantasy anthropomorphic Japan. Also reading The Boys, Preacher and Hellblazer.

Ship of Fools

What comics do people collect/read?

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