# Does Anyone read Comics? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 22, 2003, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-read-comics/163284 "2003-03-22T03:54:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Looking\_Land](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Looking\_Land](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Looking_Land)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2003, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-read-comics/163284/1 "2003-03-22T03:54:18Z")
I’ve been out of the comic reading business for years (was once a collector). Every now and then I get a hankering, but I left off when the market got flooded and McFarlane got popular and at the time quality was at an all-time low. Does anyone have any recommendations for new titles/series that are worth reading? I loved Ostrander and Gaiman and was a big fan of the Vertigo line in general. ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2003, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-read-comics/163284/2 "2003-03-22T04:11:51Z")
[No, there](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=170871) [are no](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=171290) [comics fans](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=169681) [in this forum](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=169015). My current favorites: _Hellboy_ is the best damn comic series I’ve ever read. _The Amazing Screw-On Head_ one-shot by Mike Mignola was also a hell of a lot of fun. I also like _Tom Strong_ by Alan Moore, as well as _The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen_. I’m not a big fan of Moore’s other stuff, though. I’m following the new _Aquaman_ series but am not that impressed so far. I’ve also been reading _JLA_ for a year or so now, and it’s entertaining. There are just too many _Batman_ and _Superman_ books for me to keep up, and I’ve never been a big fan of Marvel. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2003, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-read-comics/163284/3 "2003-03-22T06:20:15Z")
Right now I’m a big fan of JLA JSA Amazing Spider-Man Peter Parker: Spider-Man Ultimate Spider-Man Batman Uncanny X-Men and New X-Men (although I wouldn’t be heartbroken if Morrison left) I, too, have been reading the new Aquaman and it’s good, but nothing spectacular. I still think that Ultimate Spider-Man is probably consistantly the best superhero title on the market right now(although I’m sure someone here will be able to prove me wrong). ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2003, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-read-comics/163284/4 "2003-03-22T07:55:38Z")
Marvel: Ultimate Spider-Man Ultimate X-Men The Ultimates (all three titles are quickly collected in trade paperbacks so catching up is a breeze) Incredible Hulk (Bruce Jones doing a great job of writing Banner as The Fugitive) Captain Marvel (knowing everything is not the blessing you’d think) Also check out the TPB’s of Powers, Top 10, Rising Stars, and Astro City (from DC and Image) ---
**Author:** ![The\_MacDairmuid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_MacDairmuid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_MacDairmuid)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2003, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-read-comics/163284/5 "2003-03-22T08:03:01Z")
If anyone has any **Asterix & Obelix** books (English or French) that you want to get rid of… ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2003, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-read-comics/163284/6 "2003-03-22T14:01:09Z")
I’ve been collection Legion of Super-Heroes for the past 40 years. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2003, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-read-comics/163284/7 "2003-03-22T14:45:47Z")
I’ve got most of the Carl Barks’ UNCLE SCROOGE and lots of WDC&S originals, and some wonderful reprints of all his work. No other comic artist even comes close, if you mean comic books. If you’re including comic strips, then Walt Kelly’s POGO heads the list, and Al Capp’s LI’L ABNER, and wossname Watterson’s CALVIN AND HOBBS, and … there are giants in this field. ---
**Author:** ![ResIpsaLoquitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b3f665/32.png) [@ResIpsaLoquitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ResIpsaLoquitor)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2003, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-read-comics/163284/8 "2003-03-22T16:18:59Z")
Hmmmm…my favorites include: Ultimate Spidey and X-Men Incredible Hulk JSA Thor Exiles Y: The Last Man Star Wars (Republic, Empire & Tales) ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2003, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-read-comics/163284/9 "2003-03-22T16:37:32Z")
Halo and Sprocket or the other way around ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2003, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-read-comics/163284/10 "2003-03-22T17:12:13Z")
JLA is fun, although their ridiculginormous power level is getting a bit much (pulling the earth out of orbit, pulling the moon out of orbit and -igniting- it…) I loved ‘The Authority’, but I understand the series may be over. Batman’s always good One series I cannot hesitate to recommend is Astro City. Complete genius comicbook writing, as long as you’re not just looking for heroes and villians bashing each other about. ---
**Author:** ![Barks\_dog\_food](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c68b51/32.png) [@Barks\_dog\_food](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barks_dog_food)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2003, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-read-comics/163284/11 "2003-03-23T00:25:17Z")
Disney comics Carl Barks and Don Rosa(and some others) Bone Asterix Watchmen Iznogood Calvin&Hobbes Piranhaclub The Far Side ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@Evil\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Death)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2003, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-read-comics/163284/12 "2003-03-23T00:37:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ArrrMatey \* > \*\*I loved ‘The Authority’, but I understand the series may be over. > \*\* Good news for you, then; Authority volume 2 is due to start next month. A special issue is to be found split across Stormwatch: Team Achilles, Sleeper and Wild C.A.T.S. 3.0 over the next three weeks. In addition to Authority, I’m reading: Stormwatch: Team Achilles Rising Stars Y - The Last Man Lucifer and a couple of miniseries that come and go. I also collect Cerebus in book form. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2003, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-read-comics/163284/13 "2003-03-24T15:04:30Z")
Y - The Last Man is excellent – a trade paperback collecting the first five issues is available, and I think a second trade is coming soon. (Issue #9 came out a couple weeks ago.) The Sandman is an incredible series and the whole thing is available in a series of ten trades – most large bookstores carry it. Lucifer is another excellent series, although it’s best to read Sandman first as Lucifer is an important supporting character in that book. The Adventures of Barry Ween, Boy Genius is hilarious – four trades collect the whole thing so far. I am a big fan of Ted Naifeh’s Courteny Crumrin series – a trade collects the first miniseries (Courteny Crumrin & the Night Things) while the final issue of the next series (& the Coven of Witches) comes out in the next couple weeks. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2003, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-read-comics/163284/14 "2003-03-24T17:42:04Z")
The comics I read: The Superman titles (for over 30 years now) Legion of Super Heroes (ditto) JLA (much, much better than in the 70’s) JSA (always been a fan of the Golden Age characters) Hunter: The Age of Magic Green Lantern Flash Wonder Woman Birds of Prey Green Arrow Girl Genius Sandman was one of the best series ever. I’m always glad to see a Gaiman story involving one of the Endless. I enjoyed Starman and Young Justice as well. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2003, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-read-comics/163284/15 "2003-03-24T19:30:24Z")
I read the comic’s every day (except weekends, when I can’t get a free copy of the paper). I like _For Better Or For Worse_, _9 Chickweed Lane_, _The Boondocks_, _Get Fuzzy_, _Non Sequitur_, and _Peanuts_. Although sometimes the _Peanuts_ strips give me a sense of _deja vu_. What papers are the strips that everyone else is bringing up in? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2003, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-read-comics/163284/16 "2003-03-24T19:39:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kaylasdad99 \* > \*\*I read the comic’s every day > > \ \*\* Sheesh, what an idiot _I_ am, eh? I read the _comics_ every day, etc. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![jeanster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc348/32.png) [@jeanster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeanster)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-read-comics/163284/17 "2003-04-28T00:31:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Looking Land \* > \*\*I’ve been out of the comic reading business for years (was once a collector). Every now and then I get a hankering, but I left off when the market got flooded and McFarlane got popular and at the time quality was at an all-time low. Does anyone have any recommendations for new titles/series that are worth reading? > > I loved Ostrander and Gaiman and was a big fan of the Vertigo line in general. \*\* John Ostrander is one of my favorite writers. I just finished reading “Blaze of Glory : the last ride of the Western Heroes”. Excellent story. Excellent artwork by Leonardo Manco. “Apache Skies” is also worth your time by the same team of Ostrander and Manco. ---
**Author:** ![cletus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@cletus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cletus)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-read-comics/163284/18 "2003-04-28T03:34:57Z")
I know a few people have said this already, but I just have to recommend The Hulk again. It’s been excellent ever since Bruce Jones started writing it. Since you haven’t read comics in a while, **Looking Land** , I would also recommend checking out Transmetropolitan by Warren Ellis. I believe all the issues have been collected into trade paperbacks by now. They should be a little easier to find too. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-read-comics/163284/19 "2003-04-28T03:59:40Z")
The Bendis/Maleev issues of DAREDEVIL (i.e. the past year and a half, roughly) are quite good. The early issues of their collaboration are collected in trade paperbacks, and the subsequent issues are sure to follow. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-read-comics/163284/20 "2003-04-28T04:02:30Z")
Regular reader of The Legion and JSA here. And occasional picker-up of other books on occasion as well…currently into John Byrne’s “Generations.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-read-comics/163284.md?page=2)