Alan Moore

Every once in a while the comic world is blessed with a book that is so good it becomes larger than the comic book community and achieves widespread popularity with the masses.  Alan Moore is one of a handful of writers that has done this more than once.  In fact you will be hard pressed to find somebody, even if they have no interest in comics at all, who isn’t familiar with at least one of his works, whether they know it or not. 

Five of Moore’s comics have been turned into Hollywood films.  Whether or not any of the movies did the original work justice is beside the point.  Keanu Reeves has probably forgotten he played the lead role in Constantine, just like everybody else, even though it opened at the number 2 spot in the box office.  Nobody owns a copy of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen however, for a week it too was the number 2 movie in the country when it opened.  Every other adaptation on the big screen of Moore’s work (Watchmen, V for Vendetta, From Hell) has opened at the top spot in the box office.  Let that sink in.

Every comic enthusiast is familiar with Alan Moore and most can give you a list of their favorite titles by him.  Almost always that list has a striking resemblance to their favorite titles list period.  There is almost no argument that the best comic ever produced was done so by Moore, however, which title that is exactly can be and that is saying something.  V for Vendetta is far and away my favorite installation of the comic canon.  I respect the argument that Watchmen revolutionized the way people looked at comics, presenting previously unthinkable subjects. That being said, when it comes down to symbolism, themes, and story, V for Vendetta is the gold standard.  The iconic Guy Fawkes mask is recognizable world wide even though only a segment of the population knows where it comes from.  Like Orwell’s 1984, the world created is something out of a nightmare that seems to bare more and more resemblance to ours as time goes on.

As I take a step back after immersing myself in comics for a year I can begin to construct my Comic Writers Mount Rushmore.  Alan Moore is front and center, surrounded by Brian K. Vaughan, Scott Snyder and Jonathan Hickman.  As time goes I’m sure faces will be demoed to make room for new ones but Alan Moore will stand the test of time, just as his comics have.

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Scott McCloud

If I could suggest any book to somebody who wants to get a better grasp on comic book art and story telling it would be, without a doubt, Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art by Scott McCloud.  Over 20 years ago McCloud put together the definitive guide on how comics work and it is still the best book in print discussing the topic.   Understanding Comics serves to show the intricacies and complexity of comics in a fashion that is not only interesting, but also easy to digest. 

Imagine a 90 year-old man who thinks that technology is the devil being given an iPhone.  He may discard it in favor of a simple, old fashioned, flip phone with big buttons.  However, because the iPhone is so intuitive and easy to use by design, he could easily be making calls and maybe even sending text messages after fooling around with it in a short amount of time.  Unfortunately the man, who only wants to use it to make calls, will never fully realize what he has.  This device that he sees only as a phone could be so much more if he took the time to learn about it.  He will never know that it could be used access the Internet, take pictures, or play his music.  Without knowledge of the information presented in Understanding Comics, you are that that 90 year old man.  It is true that you can read and enjoy a comic book just fine without it, but you are missing so much.  With this book, McCloud will open your eyes so that you might fully comprehend and appreciate what the writer and/or artist are presenting.  After reading, it will be impossible to view comics in the same light as you once did. 

If you have never heard of Scott McCloud that is because, aside from short stints with DC, he has found the majority of his success as a creator with online comics and creator owned books that bring only a limited amount of wide spread notoriety.  In all likelihood if you do recognize the name you already know who he is.  McCloud has left his mark in comic world by identifying and defining the nuts and bolts of comics and his visions for what they can, could and should(or should not) be. Understanding Comics, ReinventingComics and Making Comics are nothing less than required reading for anyone with an academic interest in the medium or those thinking about creating their own comics, whether they want to be the next Alan Moore or just make an online strip that their friends and family can enjoy. 

I encourage any reader to check out his website scottmccloud.com to learn more about him and see some of the other things he has provided to the comic community.  You can also follow him here on twitter if you are so inclined.  McCloud is currently working on a graphic novel that should be published some time early next year titled, The Sculptor.  I am looking forward to the release and seeing how somebody who has demonstrated their vast knowledge and understanding of comics translate it into a polished story. 

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Weekly Haul 7/9/14

Comic Book Shop

The New 52: Futures End #10

This book remains on my pull list because apparently I have too much disposable income.  There are so many moving parts to this story that it seems fragmented and while it is released every week it is a struggle to remember what was going on when it picks back up on the plot line it last advanced three weeks ago.

Batman Eternal #14

After sitting down and rereading this series from the beginning I am looking forward to this issue.  I consider myself a Batman fan however my knowledge of anything aside from the classic Batman stories is limited at best.  This series is painting a nice picture of everyone in the current Batman universe and their relations to one another.  It is also a bunch of fun to see the parade of artists’ different take on the characters.

The Walking Dead #129

I started reading The Walking Dead when the last arc, All Out War, began.  This arc started with #127 and while my interest has tapered a bit since the end of AOW I am hopeful that things are about to get interesting again.  It is my understanding that one of the strengths of this series is the breadth of characters Robert Kirkman has created and I must admit Negan is one of my favorites, in any comic.  Don’t let the triple digit issue number scare you away from this awesome series.  If you can’t sleep at night unless you know everything that has ever happened you can pick up The Walking Dead Compendium 1 and 2  for $35 a piece on amazon and that will get you to issue #96 which really makes the series seem much more manageable.

Detective Comics #33

This is my second favorite Bat title at the moment.  The current story arc started with #30 and it shouldn’t be very hard to track down back issues is you want to jump on for the ride.  If anybody is talking about this comic they can’t do so with talking about the art and there is a good reason for that, it is stunning.  The story so far hasn’t really grabbed me but I could look at Francis Manapul’s work for days.

American Vampire: Second Cycle #4

Scott Snyder is one of my favorite writers in comics right now.  His work with Greg Capullo on Batman has prompted me to keep an eye out for anything else he is putting out there which led me to The Wake and American Vampire.  Four years ago Snyder teamed up with Stephen King to write a story about vampires, real vampires.  Snyder set out to make vampires scary again and he has done a masterful job.  If you are unfamiliar with this series I’d highly recommend giving volume 1 a shot which can be yours for $15 on amazon, $10 if you want to go the digital route.

Spread #1

If you are looking for a new book to add to your pull list how about trying Spread.  This is a new book through Image, which could be hit or miss.  One man must protect humanities hope to fight off an alien infestation, that key being an infant.  I’m willing to give it a shot, if for no other reason than I want to support non-super hero comic book market.

Amazing X-Men #9

A while ago I decided I needed to have a Marvel book besides The Punisher on my pull list because I wasn’t sure how much longer it would be there and I’d feel weird completely ignoring half of the comic book world.  This prompted me start reading Amazing X-Men.  Since then I have developed a taste for X-Men and have been testing the waters with some their other titles.  If you are looking to jump in on an X-Men series this one is as good as any and the current arc started with #8. 


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Weekly Haul 7/2/14

Comic Book Shop

Saga #20

This is probably the best comic in print right now.  Even if you are strictly a super hero comic book reader I highly suggest you give Saga a shot.  Brian K. Vaught is brilliant storyteller and Fiona Staples does a great job with the art.  You can catch up by getting the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd trades for less that $30 brand new on amazon.

Nailbiter #3

If you missed out on issues 1 and 2 you have a tough choice to make.  Either wait for the tpb or get digital copies or try and find 2^nd printings.  Nailbiter is an incredible horror book without the need for over the top gore or intensely disturbing imagery.  I like it so much that I’m considering purchasing some of the original art.

The Punisher #8

This book is not for everyone and it will be one of the first cut if my pull list needs to make room for new titles or just trimmed back. 

Southern Bastards #3

Southern Bastards is a book that only could come from Image.  This story of an old man taking a stand in his home town that has been over run by a shady high school football kingpin is told in such a way takes you to a different world in the deep south.  If you cant find 2^nd printing find yourself a digital copy and give it a shot

East of West #13

If you like Hickman at all give this series a shot.  You can catch up on issues 1-10 for less than $20 with volume 1 and 2 of the trades on amazon and tracking down the issues after 10 shouldn’t be two hard or you can wait until volume 3 comes out in September.

Batman Eternal #13

If you weren’t in on this title from the beginning it is best to sit this one out and wait for the trades and that’s only if you’re a Batman fan.  I’m not sure how DC plans on releasing them as trades but while you wait you can enjoy any of the other billion Bat titles out there.  Batman is wrapping up its current arc this month so if you need a Batman book and Eternal is tempting you, hold out, you wont need to wait long.

The New 52: Futures End #9

Pass.  Unless you need to stay on top of every DC event and or are collecting every DC title this book is a pass.  I’m in a place where I have already gotten this far so I don’t want to stop, even though it’s gonna run until March 2015.  I’m holding onto hope that

Craig’s List

East of West #1-8

I missed out on the start of East of West and caught up with the volume 1 and transitioned into the monthly issues.  I found 1^st printings of issues 1 through 8 and couldn’t pass on the chance to complete my collection.  I paid $25 which was probably a bit much but as I’ve said, I really like the book, wanted to round out my collection and there was no shipping that comes with ebay.


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My First Time

As I touched on in my first post, almost 8 months ago, when I walked into my local comic book shop for the first time I was overwhelmed.  All I knew going in was that I wanted to buy a Batman comic.  When I walked up to the wall I saw Detective Comics, Batman, Batman and Robin, Batman ’66, Batman and Superman, Batman Beyond, Legends of the Dark Knight, Batman Arkham Unhinged, Nightwing, Batgirl, Batwoman, Batman Incorporated, Batwing, Red Hood and the Outlaws, Catwoman, and Batman: The Dark Knight.  That’s 16 books!  I didn’t even know where to start.  At this point I had no clue about story arcs or continuity and how they played into the DC universe. 

At this point and time buying a comic was a whim and I didn’t feel like spending half my paycheck trying to figure out if I liked comic books.  I asked Bob, the man behind the counter, if he could suggest one for me and he pointed me to the trade paperbacks and classic Batman stories shelved on the other side of the store.  I insisted that I wanted a comic book, one magazine looking things with the cool covers.  He pulled Scott Snyder’s Batman off shelf and handed it to me.  He told me it was a new arc so it was a great jumping in point.  I left with the issue Bob gave me along with a couple back issues that were left over from previous months so I could get an idea of what had been going on and a massive book called Batman: Knightfall Volume 1.  When I started reading I almost immediately became confused.  I felt like I had started watching a movie at the halfway point and the back issues I had got to shed some light on the book suggested to me only presented more questions.  I chalked it up to the fact that I hadn’t started from issue 1 and cracked open the mammoth Knightfall.  I was drawn in by the artwork and was fascinated by how the medium allowed for a story to be told.  However, the confusion by this first experience could have easily turned me away from comics.  Had I not taken home Knightfall it is quite possible that Batman #22 would have ended up in a stack of papers and magazines on my floor until it came time for my bi-annual purge, when it would have been discarded like so much trash.  Instead it is now bagged and boarded, safely stored in one of the short boxes stacked next to my desk. 

So what can you take away from this experience?  If you are a comic book aficionado, nothing.  However I have learned many things in that past year I wish I could have told myself when I first went into Westfield Comics.

1. Comics tell a series of self-contained stories that can span multiple issues, called an arc, or just be a single issue, often referred to as a single shot. 
2.  There is no point trying to jump in during an ongoing arc.  Wait for the trade paper back, often called a trade or tpb.
3.  There is a reason you can go to any comic book shop and buy Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One or Allan Moore’s The Killing Joke.  There are classics in the comic book world just as there are classics in literature or film and these stories have stood the test of time because they are that awesome.  Don’t pass on them because they are old or just because you aren’t reading the original serialized comics.

If you are just starting to get into comics or are toying around with the idea of visiting your local comic shop here are a couple tips that could make it a much more rewarding and fun experience. 

1. If you have an idea of what you want, say X-Men or Captain America go to comicvine.com, find their character wiki and click on recommended reading.  Another option is to just google the group or character along with “best tpb.”  While assuring yourself a top-notch story you can also get background information that will help you make sense of current issues or deepen your understanding.  This can also give you the confidence of knowing something going in so that you are not completely in the dark.
2. Ask the guy behind the counter for help.  Some comic shop employees, even some shop owners are pompous, nerd elitists, but the overwhelming majority are awesome, friendly people.  They love comics and when somebody loves something like this they want to share it with others.  Ask them if there are any new arcs starting or if they have any recommendations.  I can guarantee they will have some info that will help.
3. Go on a Wednesday.  Every Wednesday new issues are released.  There is an energy that just isn’t present any other day of the week and if you are looking for recommendations there will be no shortage in a store full of enthusiasts.  Going on a Wednesday generally will also mean that the book you want won’t be sold out.  That being said, going on a slow day like a Monday or a Tuesday will mean that the staff will have more time to help, you can always come back Wednesday.
4. Allow yourself to get carried away, maybe not fiscally, but be open to whatever calls you.  Nothing will make it more fun than exploring and finding something that catches you.  

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