Do You Still Actively Read Comics?

I had a pull list for probably 20 years, and that was about 20 years ago. Fuck I'm old. Since then I downloaded comics until around 2 years ago and now I just read comics online, but not steadily. Still 95% Marvel titles.
 
I still read a ton of comics. I get a monthly shipment of trades (no longer do single issues) from Discount Comic Book Service every month. I read a lot of current Marvel, an increasing amount of current DC, and whatever else catches me eye. I also read most of the Marvel Epics and any of the DC Finests (mostly post-Crisis, with the occasional exception) that come out. So, again: I still read a ton of comics. I'd always had the sense that made me a bit of an outlier here, since I can take or leave the figures (and these days mostly leave) but will always stick with the books.
 
I haven’t been regularly reading comics for years now, so I just pick up the odd issue to fill gaps or a miniseries/trade once in a while.

The last things I remember getting were the Amazing Mary Jane, Gunslinger Spawn and Spider-Man Reign II. I have yet to read any of them, my reading pile is very backlogged with a lot of other books, however I will pick up the unexpected Age of Apocalypse sequel dropping this week mostly for the Madureira variant cover.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I have been reading monthly comics on and off since I was 4, but I've really been on a streak for the last 10 years. My problem is whenever I fall in love with a book, it gets canceled. It's happened so often I don't even expect any of the books I read to make it past 10 issues anymore, and I'm pleasantly surprised when they do.

My absolute favorite book on the racks has been Ryan North's Fantastic Four run since the first issue. I can't recommend it enough. I'm also super into the From The Ashes stuff and most of the Ghost Machine books over at Image. I really need to read more DC, but the only things that are really keeping my attention and loyalty are Batman & Robin: Year One and Absolute Martian Manhunter, which are both limited series I believe. I tend to only dig limited series from DC, especially any Sandman Universe stuff.

I was reading Titans for the first couple of years, but the writing and art kinda fell off so I took it off my pulls after issue 24.

Here's my pull list if anyone is interested;

Avengers
Exceptional X-Men
Fantastic Four
Laura Kinney: Wolverine
Magik
Moon Knight
Phoenix
Psylocke
Storm
Uncanny X-Men
Wolverine
X-Men
Absolute Martian Manhunter
Batman & Robin Year One
Hyde Street
Redcoat
Rocketfellers

I usually pick up around a half a dozen or so books that aren't on that list every month as well. Trying out new books, crossovers, miniseries etc. I love reading new comics, and it really helps that I have one of the top shops in the world as my home base with Flying Colors Comics, which was just nominated for a dang Eisner! Been going there since they opened in '88, and I can't say enough good things about them, they are basically like family.
 
Chooch555 said:
@nik how about Geiger and Rook?
Click to expand...
Rook is one of my favorites, but it's on hiatus so it's not on my active pull list. I didn't really get into Geiger or Hornsby & Halo as much as the others, and I gotta save money somewhere, so they didn't get on my pull list. I was surprised at how much I love Rocketfellers and Hyde Street, but Redcoat is by far my favorite Ghost Machine book so far. Which ones are you reading?
 
I'm only skipping Hyde Street and it's spin-offd because horrror isn't my jam. I'm finding Hornsby and Halo better than I had anticipated. I do wonder who their target audience is though. Kids won't find a comic much less an indie comic. Maybe they'll release it in book format through Scholastic?
 
Chooch555 said:
I'm only skipping Hyde Street and it's spin-offd because horrror isn't my jam. I'm finding Hornsby and Halo better than I had anticipated. I do wonder who their target audience is though. Kids won't find a comic much less an indie comic. Maybe they'll release it in book format through Scholastic?
Click to expand...
I get that, I have a soft spot for horror comics, even though they usually stink. Luckily Hyde Street has been quality. I think that reprinting H&H in a more kid-friendly format would be a great idea. If they got it into libraries it might find a bigger audience.
 
Schizm said:
CrossGen dying broke me from comics. I kept reading Marvel for a bit after that, but one day the stories and characters just felt fake and I realized they didn't make me feel anything anymore. Plus, the art got really disappointing regularly.

Question for any who have insight: do #1s actually help sales in the longterm? I keep up with the Marvel title headlines that MarvelousNews covers but it's always a new #1 for an existing character or team and I'm wondering - does that actually help sales beyond that one, #1 issue?
Click to expand...
Not as much as it used to. I think both of the big two overdid it with constant relaunches and spins off of already popular titles. It used to be #1s were a draw, but Marvel, DC, and a few indies went to the well way too often. I think the Heroes Reborn event and subsequent relaunches with Heroes Return really started the nails in the coffin as it were. #1’s have really become a yawner in recent years, unless they’re truly something new, and good.

And I agree about CrossGen. They were fresh ideas, and pretty good reads. I enjoyed many of their titles, and grew to like some of the ones, posthumously, that I didn’t read when they first released. Marvel’s attempted revival was agonizing. They need to stay away from universes that aren’t theirs. They never do justice to them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top