[Comics] I Am Collecting Them Again

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 4:42 pm

After collecting comics all through my youth and a brief stint in the early 2000s, I've decided to start collecting again. I messed around with digital comics for a bit, but nothing beats the real thing for sheer joy of admiring them and feeling like you actually own them. Sadly, I gave all my old comics to my brother so I'm starting from scratch (don't worry, they went to a good home - he's far more passionate about them than I am).

Today was my first "real" comic book purchase in over a decade or so. Picked up Batman Eternal #1 (because I freaking loooooove Batman and I'm really excited about this weekly series), and on a whim, Flash Gordon #1 because I love all the pulp comics of the past and #1s, so that was a good fit.

To set up a subscription at my local comic shop I need to subscribe to at least 5 series. Batman Eternal, Batman, and Detective Comics are locked. I've always been a HUGE Batman fan since I was a kid, and I believe in collecting what you love. The other two are my wildcards. Flash Gordon was a fun book, but I'm not sure I liked it enough to buy it monthly. The Moon Knight reboot is very high on my list. Got great reviews and I used to collect Moon Knight when I was younger, so right now it's a very strong possibility.

Any other suggestions for must-subscribe series in 2014? I'm not particularly picky - as long as the writing and art are strong, I have no particularly like or dislike for any specific publisher or character.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 4:44 pm

Aren't there about 20 batman books now? Just go all in!

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 4:47 pm

Man, I would if I could.

Gotta stay focused. 5 books is my max, otherwise I'll have more time than ever to read comics as a divorcee living on my own with no kids. (Hmmm...doesn't sound all that bad......)

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 4:49 pm

coopasonic wrote:Aren't there about 20 batman books now? Just go all in!

The New 52 has a whole bunch of Batman series, plus a number of related series (Nightwing, Catwoman, Suicide Squad, etc) that tie into it, all of them interconnected.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 4:51 pm

I've been eyeballing the Marvel Unlimited subscription to get back into things. All I have is my phone, however, so I've been trying to figure out if the Chrome App allows access to the documents.

I don't need to be current, so the 6-month delay doesn't phase me. Being able to get caught up for $69 for a year is a much more attractive option to me.

Now if only DC would get off their ass and do something similar...

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 5:01 pm

A few months ago I ventured into a local comic book shop to pick up an X-Files comic with the Lone Gunmen on the cover. Just because I liked the cover. The owner and I chatted for a bit and he explained the whole variant cover thing and how the whole business has been invaded by eBay speculators and graders.

He was telling me that if you just want to read comics, get the trade paperbacks that come out periodically.

silverjon · Post by **silverjon** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 5:02 pm

Walking Dead (no?) and Fables (Bill Willingham/Mark Buckingham, though this series is apparently going to wrap up next year)

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 5:09 pm

LawBeefaroni wrote:He was telling me that if you just want to read comics, get the trade paperbacks that come out periodically.

Agreed, there is much greater satisfaction to be had in reading a full story arc in a sitting. The Walking Dead would kill me to read monthly. The 6 month trades are even a bit light on story progress.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 5:16 pm

YK, did you figure out that comics will help you acheive your goal of reading 100 pages per day?

Except for newspaper comics (which I gave up after Al Gore invented the internet), I don't think I've read any comic books since Mad Magazine in my tweens. Superhero comics I gave up while still in single digits...I enjoyed them, but they seemed too much like brain candy and I felt I should spend the time reading something more worthwhile. I think I stopped collecting sports cards around the same time. While I enjoy the movies derived from the comic books, I'm pretty sure if I were to go out of my way to read a comic, it would be deja vu from 1970 and the Kindle App on my phone will telepathically remind me that something more worthwhile is in easy reach.

Odin · Post by **Odin** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 5:23 pm

Back before I tired of comics in general, I used to subscribe to "Anything by. J. Michael Straczynski." I was never disappointed, but I haven't read any of his recent stuff so I can't speak to them specifically.

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 9:28 pm

Lawbeefaroni wrote:He was telling me that if you just want to read comics, get the trade paperbacks that come out periodically.

After reading this I went to look at what trade paperbacks were available for the titles I was interested in and holy crap! I didn't realize they put trade paperbacks out for pretty much everything now. I thought it was only for limited runs and things.

Basically I can get a trade paperback of 6 or 7 issues for the price of 3 new issues. And they take up less space!

I may have to rethink my whole philosophy, as my primary interest is indeed in just reading them.

AWS260 · Post by **AWS260** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 9:38 pm

Definitely go the trade paperback route. It'll still end up costing you an arm and a leg, but you won't have to worry about sleeves and cardboard and whatnot.

Recommendations thread.

Jag · Post by **Jag** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 9:46 pm

I was a huge Marvel fan in the 80s but left comics behind until recently. I tried a .99 cent monthly sub for Marvel Unlimited on the ipad and loved it. I devoured all the Ultron, Thanos, Guardians of the Galaxy, Winter Soldier and reread my favorite Days of Future Past issue as well as some classics. I know electronic media is not the same as owning, but the ability to lay in bed and have everything at my fingertips was great.

J.D. · Post by **J.D.** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 9:53 pm

Jag wrote:I was a huge Marvel fan in the 80s but left comics behind until recently. I tried a .99 cent monthly sub for Marvel Unlimited on the ipad and loved it. I devoured all the Ultron, Thanos, Guardians of the Galaxy, Winter Soldier and reread my favorite Days of Future Past issue as well as some classics. I know electronic media is not the same as owning, but the ability to lay in bed and have everything at my fingertips was great.

Wait, did you say 99 cents.....per month? To read any Marvel comic you want?

That can't be what you said, because that sounds too good to be true. Right? RIGHT?

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 9:57 pm

The 99 cents thing was a promo offer that I (think) has expired. Still, for $69/year you can get a full subscription which works out to only $5.75 a month. Pretty good bargain to be able to read thousands of comics. You can also go month by month for $9.99. Also as pointed out you don't get to read new stuff until about 6 months after it hits shelves, but it's a great way to catch up on older issues.

If DC had something similar I'd be all over it. The only reason I never went with Marvel Unlimited is that I've never been a huge Marvel fan - I like many of the characters but that came after I was grown. My youth was spent in the world of DC with Batman, Superman, and the Justice League, so I've always tended to gravitate towards that side of the fence.

Jag · Post by **Jag** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 8:54 am

J.D. wrote:
Jag wrote:I was a huge Marvel fan in the 80s but left comics behind until recently. I tried a .99 cent monthly sub for Marvel Unlimited on the ipad and loved it. I devoured all the Ultron, Thanos, Guardians of the Galaxy, Winter Soldier and reread my favorite Days of Future Past issue as well as some classics. I know electronic media is not the same as owning, but the ability to lay in bed and have everything at my fingertips was great.
Wait, did you say 99 cents.....per month? To read any Marvel comic you want?

That can't be what you said, because that sounds too good to be true. Right? RIGHT?

Yeah, it was a one month promo. But I devoured as much as I could in that month. It is a good service though and the comics look amazing on an ipad air.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 9:14 am

YellowKing wrote:
Lawbeefaroni wrote:He was telling me that if you just want to read comics, get the trade paperbacks that come out periodically.
After reading this I went to look at what trade paperbacks were available for the titles I was interested in and holy crap! I didn't realize they put trade paperbacks out for pretty much everything now. I thought it was only for limited runs and things.

Basically I can get a trade paperback of 6 or 7 issues for the price of 3 new issues. And they take up less space!

I may have to rethink my whole philosophy, as my primary interest is indeed in just reading them.

Yeah you bastard. My amazon wishlist is now full up on New 52 trades (mostly batman and related). Come on birthday, one more month. How pitiful is it that I am now hoping to get a bunch of comics for my 42nd birthday?

silverjon · Post by **silverjon** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 10:45 am

coopasonic wrote:How pitiful is it that I am now hoping to get a bunch of comics for my 42nd birthday?

I didn't understand the question.

EzeKieL · Post by **EzeKieL** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 11:09 am

Right, you guys just made me buy a marvel ultimate subscription ;_;.

Any idea on which series are really a must read? I have no particular preference in heroes or whatever.
First comic I read was Thanos Quest 1 and 2. I remembered that from way back ^^.

Jag · Post by **Jag** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 11:10 am

EzeKieL wrote:Right, you guys just made me buy a marvel ultimate subscription ;_;.

Any idea on which series are really a must read? I have no particular preference in heroes or whatever.
First comic I read was Thanos Quest 1 and 2. I remembered that from way back ^^.

The Hawkeye series is pretty good. As was the Guardians of the Galaxy.

jimbo · Post by **jimbo** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 12:46 pm

Also, check for trade paperbacks in your library. My library has a lot of these and if yours does too you will have to buy less!

Yay libraries!

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 2:04 pm

I'm sort of hoping that since Amazon just purchased Comixology we'll all be reading more comics soon enough.

EzeKieL · Post by **EzeKieL** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 9:24 pm

Jag wrote:
EzeKieL wrote:Right, you guys just made me buy a marvel ultimate subscription ;_;.

Any idea on which series are really a must read? I have no particular preference in heroes or whatever.
First comic I read was Thanos Quest 1 and 2. I remembered that from way back ^^.
The Hawkeye series is pretty good. As was the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Cool, thanks!

Ænima · Post by **Ænima** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 9:57 pm

I just read the Locke and Key series by Joe Hill, which was amazing. It's six graphic novels and I couldn't put them down after I started them. I'm glad the series was done when I started because I would have had a hard time waiting for the next one. Joe Hill is Stephen King's son, and I have to be honest, I think he's a better writer than his Dad.

I'm also reading Saga which is a crazy psychadelic space-opera. Written by Brian K Vaughn who also wrote Y the Last Man. I'd highly recommend checking both of them out. Y is done, which is great because I got to read it straight through, but I think Saga is even cooler.

Another one you may want to check out is Runaways. It's about a bunch of kids who find out their parents are in the Evil League of Evil and all decide to run away. They had various writers throughout the run including Vaughn and Joss Whedon.

McBa1n · Post by **McBa1n** » Fri Apr 18, 2014 3:27 am

jimbo wrote:Also, check for trade paperbacks in your library. My library has a lot of these and if yours does too you will have to buy less!

Yay libraries!

^-- this.
I second the motion on 'yay libraries!'
Any library system worth its salt should have a loan system with other libraries - and can be accessed via the web. That opens up lots of convenient doors. Free is always awesome. I'm real fortunate to have a quality library system where I am now - they're flush with collections (even the really expensive ones - like the annotated Sandman collections). It's nice.

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Fri Apr 18, 2014 11:07 pm

Soooo.... I abandoned my single issue idea and went the trade paperback route. Definitely seems a better fit for me right now.

First purchase? The first four volumes of the Dark Horse Conan series!

My love affair with Conan goes way back, all the way back to watching Conan the Destroyer in 1984 and having a HUGE crush (for a 10-year old) on Olivia d'Abo. I detoured into D&D and other fantasy books for years, then rekindled my Conan love when I moved to a rural suburb in high school. The only place in town to hang out was the grocery store (I'm serious). There was a drugstore next to it and they always carried the big magazine-sized Conan comics. I bought one on a whim one night, got hooked, and wound up buying a new issue every time I went up there. I built quite a collection of them until I threw them out during some move or another.

Every few years I'd circle back around to Conan - played the Age of Conan MMO, and delved into the original Robert E. Howard stories (I still own all the recent re-issues of his original Conan stories). I had seen the Dark Horse series here and there and really loved the artwork, but never hit them at a time when I was into comics.

At any rate, found some really good bargains on Ebay and the first two volumes showed up today. Really great condition and the artwork in these is beautiful. My plan is to get all 24 Dark Horse TPBs, and maybe at some point try to pick up some of the other series' TPBs. There are 28 volumes of The Chronicles of Conan,
9 volumes of The Chronicles of King Conan, and 17 volumes of The Savage Sword of Conan! So if I wanted to, I could spend quite a bit of time (and money) collecting all those.

Pyperkub · Post by **Pyperkub** » Sat Apr 19, 2014 2:22 pm

Isgrimnur wrote:I've been eyeballing the Marvel Unlimited subscription to get back into things. All I have is my phone, however, so I've been trying to figure out if the Chrome App allows access to the documents.

I don't need to be current, so the 6-month delay doesn't phase me. Being able to get caught up for $69 for a year is a much more attractive option to me.

Now if only DC would get off their ass and do something similar...

Does it have the old Werewolf by Night run? I've been wanting to reread those and the only electronic way I've seen is to pirate

DD* · Post by DD* » Fri May 09, 2014 10:03 am

Just read this.

Seriously good stuff!

Jag · Post by **Jag** » Fri May 09, 2014 10:08 am

DD* wrote:Just read this. Seriously good stuff!

Wow that was really good. Did Wolverine do it? Doesn't sound like something Professor X would sanction.

silverjon · Post by **silverjon** » Fri May 09, 2014 10:48 am

Emotionally, yeah, but....

Spoiler:

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Fri May 09, 2014 10:59 am

Spoiler:

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Fri May 09, 2014 11:41 am

Since this thread was resurrected I thought I'd give an update.

Still accumulating the Conan trade paperbacks. Have found some really good deals on eBay for like new books so that's been fun buying a couple each week.

I went to Free Comic Book day last weekend and picked up the rest of the Batman Eternal issues I needed. While I'd come off cheaper just waiting for the trade paperback of that series, I consider it my one guilty pleasure and plan to just pick up the individual issues. Kids had a ball seeing all the people in costume and getting some free kid comics.

This weekend the local comic shop is having their brown bag sale. $20 for a brown bag and you get as many comics as you can fit inside (typically 60-80). Not a bad deal and they usually have a ton of clearance/$1 boxes to select from. So I'll probably go do that just for fun.

Lastly my mom was at a big flea market this past weekend and they had a guy unloading some $1 comics. I told her to just pick me up anything Batman related. She wound up with a few odds and ends not worth a lot but managed to get a Batman and the Outsiders that was worth about $30. So score one for Mama!

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Tue May 13, 2014 5:16 pm

Pyperkub wrote:Does it have the old Werewolf by Night run? I've been wanting to reread those and the only electronic way I've seen is to pirate

Digital issue not currently available

I signed up for a one-month shot last night, and promptly read the first story arc of the current Deadpool title, six issues, which means that I read more than the $9.99 fee in terms of the $2.99 print cover or even the $1.99 digital price.

Browsing around a bit more, it looked like the entire run of The Amazing Spider-Man was up and viewable, something like 300+ issues. I am almost guaranteed to spring for the yearly when my month is up, as I think I can find more than enough to read to make it worth my money.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Fri May 23, 2014 1:39 pm

I finished reading the 19 issues of Deadpool available through Unlimited, which, thankfully, happens to end a major story arc.

I quite enjoyed it. It's really my first extended look with the character, and he's certainly lived up to the expectations I had of the comedic timing, but also taken a deeper turn to look at his psychology and history. They worked in some of the bigger names as well to help him out, so it's not just him on an island. I don't know enough about the characters as written currently to know how well the writers treated them.

Regardless, now to go find some other stuff to read. I would certainly say I've gotten my $10 worth for this month.

J.D. · Post by **J.D.** » Fri May 23, 2014 3:58 pm

I also recently signed up for a one month subscription. I'm reading the Civil War story right now and it's been pretty great so far. It's only a few issues so it won't take long to go through it. Next will probably be Ultimate Spider Man. I read the first issue and I like what I saw.

I'll add Deadpool to my list of things to check out.

AWS260 · Post by **AWS260** » Fri May 23, 2014 5:49 pm

I don't know if this is on Marvel Unlimited, but if it is, I highly recommend Wolverine and the X-Men (that's all one title). It's delightful.

Zarathud · Post by **Zarathud** » Fri May 23, 2014 6:15 pm

This thread encouraged me to check if the old Star Wars comics ever hit trade paperback. They did, and I am now trying to resist dropping $200 to relive my memories.

Baroquen · Post by **Baroquen** » Fri May 23, 2014 9:22 pm

I'm mainly doing monthly issues, and not trades. I have a bunch of trade paperback titles I've yet to read through. I am currently reading Saga via trades. I think that it's though.

Issue-by-issue: I'm enjoying Slott's Spiderman stuff. I read the Superior stuff, and it was ok. I'm really enjoying Waid's work on Daredevil and Hulk. Classic heroes, but new slants making it interesting. Hawkeye has been good, but it's been erratic lately. The New 52 stuff killed DC for me. I'm only getting Batman Eternal and I doubt I stay on that for more than a couple months. Some other titles I'm forgetting...

Jag · Post by **Jag** » Sun May 25, 2014 8:52 am

J.D. · Post by **J.D.** » Sun May 25, 2014 8:43 pm

I'm about a dozen issues into Ultimate Spider Man now and it's pretty fantastic.