[noisereductions]

But I also have to buy them. I buy a lot of comics.

[noisereductions]

the longer version (I've been sick, so not really feeling like thinking/posting too hard)...

Every week I go and buy new comics. No set number, just "enough" to last me ~week, and of course depends on what has come out and what I'm catching up on.

Some weeks are rich with stuff I'm actively loving. Others not so much, so I'll grab something interesting to try or whatever. Sometimes I drop something after 2-3 issues of not loving it, or if a story wraps up and a new one starts that I'm not feeling as much.

On top of this, I made this huge list of 90's books I want to read, and have started reading.

What I'm saying is - I buy and read a lot of comics right now. So I have to prioritize. And the best way to do that is by sticking with stuff that's grabbing me hard, and not reading stuff that isn't grabbing me hard.

So with Bats, I am not saying I totally will not read Gotham/Suicide, but at this point Gotham is already compiled into a collection. I'm not going to hunt down the issues, but rather I'd just wait until I saw a good price on the collected book. I'm in no rush. I have too much other stuff keeping me busy.

[Severian]

Sure I gotcha.

Sorry. I thought you said you weren't planning to revisit it. I think that would be a shame. Honestly, I'm behind on it now, but I think all of Rebirth's first 6 months is worth reading. It will continue to be, as long as the Watchmen and DC universes are hurtling toward one another. How that all ends is going to be some epic shit.

Imagine the conflict! Superman vs. Dr. Manhatten! Barry Allen and Wally West vs. Ozymandias! Batman vs. a resurrected or undead Rorschach?? What happened/happens?! Did Barry CAUSE the Watchmen alternate timeline? Did he disrupt it somehow with Flashpoint, or in the destruction of Flashpoint? I mean... the questions, people!!!

Anyway, I'm reading that Thor now. It is good.

[noisereductions]

I really want the Watchmen/DC Universe thing to happen, yeah. It seems like many fans of both sides don't really want it, but I'm all for it.

But yeah my main point w/ Bats was that I'm in no hurry to go back to the beginning now. I'd be cool w/ reading it later in trade form, but I'm not gonna go hunt for issues #3-13 at this point.

[demonrail666]

The DC Rebirth TPBs are starting to come out. I've been getting the Batmans in single issues but was wondering if there's any others I need to check out in collected editions

[Severian]

Originally Posted by demonrail666

The DC Rebirth TPBs are starting to come out. I've been getting the Batmans in single issues but was wondering if there's any others I need to check out in collected editions

I think Action Comics is the best. Granted, it's mostly an extended fight between Superman and Doomsday, but it takes place in a universe where that fight has already taken place, and only a few people are aware of that (Superman, Lois, the puppet-master behind the whole thing), which adds a lot of depth to the story.

Throw in a recently deceased Superman, a still-living but apparently powerless doppelgänger, apparently of Clark Kent, and a Lex Luther with uncertain motives and you've got a pretty goddamn weird and interesting story. Plus, the fight scenes are just incredible. Really. Check it out.

[demonrail666]

Awesome, good to know. Thanks! I'll definitely be getting the Superman ones as they come out and always wondered what the deal was with Action. Does it relate to Superman in the same way Detective relates to Batman?

[Severian]

Originally Posted by demonrail666

Awesome, good to know. Thanks! I'll definitely be getting the Superman ones as they come out and always wondered what the deal was with Action. Does it relate to Superman in the same way Detective relates to Batman?

Yes! Quite! In fact, one could easily view them as the same comic, only one is for Supes and the other is for Bats. In other words, Detective Comcis is Batman's Action Comics and vice-versa.

Story arcs tend to overlap, or jump, between the regular Superman monthly and Action Comics, and the same is true for Batman/Detective Comics. Also, both characters made their first appearance in the non-titular comic. Superman famously made his debut in 1938's Action Comics #1, while Batman first appeared in the following year's Detective Comics #27. Old farts!

But the Rebirth has some weird implications for Superman, since there have been two Superman versions in DC for some time now. Action Comics reverted back to its pre New 52 numbering, and features that Superman picking up where dead New 52 Superman left off. Superman Rebirth also features that Superman, but in a different context. Still, the main Superman in DC is once again the Superman from the old days, and both titles are playing with... y'know.. the WTF-ness of all that.

So in that sense they don't relate to one another in the same way, as the Batman in Detective Comics is and always has been the Batman in Batman. There's only one Batman (actually that's entirely accurate but it'll have to do for now), so his titles aren't dealing with the ramifications of one Bruce Wayne dying and another returning from another universe after a lengthy absence.

BUT... long story short, yes. They are essentially equal. They serve the same purpose for both characters. The defining difference is that Action Comics began with Superman, as did... well... everything. Superman got popular and got his own title, but maintained Action Comics, which is more likely to veer off into sidestories involving Lois, Jimmy, Luther, etc. but which is still a Supes comic.

Detective Comics was meant for more earth-bound stories, and though it came before Superman's first appearance, it took on a new purpose the following year when Superman debuted and took over the world. Detectice became the place for more earth-bound stories. It existed for two years before Batman showed up, but he was popular as hell, and he took over. Ever since, Detective Comics has been a Batman thing. And like Action Comics, it is more likely to focus on Bat-family escapades than Batman.

For instance, the Rebirth Detectice Comics is about a team assembled by Batman, including Batwoman and Red Robin and fucking Clayface (?) ... Batman Rebirth is a BATMAN deal. Sure, you have Catwoman and Nightwing and stuff, but it's a Bruce Wayne joint, for sure.

Have I crippled your interest sufficiently by bludgeoning you over the head with answers to questions you never asked?

[demonrail666]

Originally Posted by Severian

Have I crippled your interest sufficiently by bludgeoning you over the head with answers to questions you never asked?

No, quite the opposite. The reason I asked was because, apart from obviously knowing what you're talking about, you always tell me all I need to know. So genuine thanks!

I became really interested in the DC universe last year and the Rebirth thing seemed to be a great opportunity to jump in. I guessed that Batman and Superman were at the core of it so thought I'd concentrate on them. I just wasn't sure how the offshoot titles like Action and Detective really worked, or how essential they were.

[demonrail666]

... speaking of universes ...

 

The King in Yellow

Adaptation of the key stories from Chamber's book.

Only flicked through it so far but looks great ...

 

 

[Severian]

Originally Posted by demonrail666

... speaking of universes ...

 

The King in Yellow

Adaptation of the key stories from Chamber's book.

Only flicked through it so far but looks great ...

 

 

Ok. WHAT.

More Yellow King stuff? What is this?

WHO. IS. THE. YELLOW. KING.

[demonrail666]

Yeah, it seems like references in True Detective to the Yellow King have made lots of people interested in Robert Chambers' book, The King in Yellow, where it originates. I've read lots of snobby comments online, saying that in order to understand True Detective, you have to read Chambers, which to me is nonsense.

It's more relevant to fans of Lovecraft in that they both dealt with similar ideas. Chambers got their first and Lovecraft was a fan but only actually discovered him after writing most of his own stuff. So there's no actual influence, more like they were just kindred spirits. Saying that, some 'Lovecraftian' writers have brought them together. At which point it all gets horribly complicated and nerdy.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by demonrail666

Yeah, it seems like references in True Detective to the Yellow King have made lots of people interested in Robert Chambers' book, The King in Yellow, where it originates. I've read lots of snobby comments online, saying that in order to understand True Detective, you have to read Chambers, which to me is nonsense.

It's more relevant to fans of Lovecraft in that they both dealt with similar ideas. Chambers got their first and Lovecraft was a fan but only actually discovered him after writing most of his own stuff. So there's no actual influence, more like they were just kindred spirits. Saying that, some 'Lovecraftian' writers have brought them together. At which point it all gets horribly complicated and nerdy.

I googled this looking for a cheap copy and found this site, which appears to offer the stories for free. Though I am a-confused because I thought this was from the 1800s, and when I click the link to "Repairer of Reputations," it seems to be set in the mid-20th century. Though admittedly I just skimmed a few words from a few paragraphs.

Eh?

http://www.sff.net/people/doylemacdonald/l_kiy.htm

[demonrail666]

Repairer of Reputations is set in the future, but only to account for some political developments in the story. It might take a few reads to really sink in (it did for me) but it's an awesome story. The most accessible way into the general concept is to read The Yellow Sign first, then RoR.

[Severian]

So... there's a comic book adaptation of Neil Gaiman's "American Gods" coming out March 15 from Dark Horse Comics. Neil says it's "surprisingly faithful."

Check it out.

Here's a preview:

 

And here's the cover of issue #1:

 

[PLips]

You got it dood. That buffalo springfield album iz going down!

[Severian]

Originally Posted by PLips

You got it dood. That buffalo springfield album iz going down!

That's it motherfucker. Slambang was right — you're going on the ignore list. You are just ALL ABOUT the fucking meaningless drivel, and it's giving me brain scurvy. Nighty night jackass.

[demonrail666]

 

Conan, Vol. 17, Shadows over Kush, TPB

Loved Fred Van Lente's Conan stuff so I've gone back to the start of his run. Total hardcore, tentacle-driven, mega-ness.

 

 

[noisereductions]

crickets in this thread.

[noisereductions]

hey sev