Gorge Yourself on Comics with Marvel Unlimited
I love comics. I could spend every Saturday afternoon reading them... but I can't afford to do that. With titles running $2.99 to $3.99 a piece, I can only keep up with my core X-Men titles. If there's a major comic event (and there's always a major event) I might pick up an extra book or three, but I could never afford to read the whole thing.
Top of the Pile: Uncanny Avengers, X-Men, Guardians of the Galaxy
We're in the lull between mega-events at Marvel right now, so I'm focusing my monthly pull on X-titles. Those titles are currently dealing with the aftershocks of the recent Avengers vs. X-Men crossover.
Top of the Pile: Dark Reign, Batman, X-Factor, Astonishing X-Men
Two big story arcs have concluded in the comics universe over the last few weeks: Marvel's Secret Invasion mini series, in which the alien, shape-shifting Skrulls attempt to take over the Earth, and Batman R.I.P, in which the Dark Knight dies. Or appears to die, because really, what are the chances that he's actually dead?
As a result, we're into the clean-up phase of both story arcs, as their respective universes attempt to deal with the consequences that have been unleashed upon them.
Star Wars Omnibus: Tales of the Jedi, Vol. 1
- Star Wars Omnibus: Tales of the Jedi, Vol. 1
- Dark Horse Comics
- 395 pages
- ISBN-13: 978-1593078300
- MSRP: $24.95
- Buy it from Amazon
Top of the Pile: X-Men Regurgitation
The X-Titles have gone through another cycle of relaunches in the wake of the Mutant Messiah crossover, most of which are disappointing.
Top of the Pile: Uncanny X-Men, Astonishing X-Men, Red Hulk, Nausicaa
My comic collecting has entered the mid-winter doldrums; the big X-Men crossover has just ended, and while DC's Countdown is approaching it's end, that means little to me since I haven't been keeping up with it.
Top of the Pile: Messiah Complex, Penance, End League, Gunslinger Born
Last week was a light one for Marvel (or at least the Marvel titles I read) so I let Tony at Phantom of the Attic talk me into trying out a couple of other titles. In addition to my X-Universe standby – this week it was “New X-Men”, Part 12 of the Messiah Complex – I picked up Penance: Relentless #5 and Dark Horse Comics' The End League.
Finally there’s Marvel's The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born, one of the four graphic novels I got for Christmas.
Top of the Pile: Messiah Complex, Ultimates 3, Uncanny X-Men, 52
After spending the month of November writing fiction, I’m finally getting back into reading it. While the Fall of Hyperion waits on my bookshelf, I’ve decided to ease back into things with my comic books … and the truly mammoth stack of graphic novels lent to me by long-time friend and Nuketown commenter Evil Genius.
Meanwhile, I’m enjoying the fact that my local comic book shop, The Phantom of the Attic, has moved to Third Street in downtown Easton, which is far more convenient then tracking over the old location at the 25th Street shopping center.
Top of the Pile: Incredible Hulk, X-Men, Omega Flight, Franklin Richards
Looking back over my Top of the Pile columns, and considering what this week's might bring, I found that I was in something of a rut -- I've got my standard comics that I get every month -- X-Men, Conan, Ex Machinia, Batman -- but I haven't been venturing very far from that core. That's partly a monetary issue -- I just can't afford to pick up too many more comics then I already do -- but there's also my comic comfort level: I'm just used to my routine.
I decided to shake things up this week by trying out some new titles, adding Omega Flight and the Incredible Hulk to my pile, and picking up a fun new one-shot for my daughter Jordan.
Top of the Pile: KODT, Dork Tower, Conan, Ex Machina
Gaming comics top the pile this week as my copies of Knights of the Dinner Table #125 and Dork Tower #36 arrive, augmented by the sword and sorcery (though mostly sword) of Dark Horse Comics' Conan #39.
Rounding out the picks in this pile is the latest issue of Ex Machina, which sees a mysterious future time traveler arrive in New York and tease Mayor Hundred with the secret of his machine-talking powers.