TREKS IN SCI-FI FORUM

Crew Lounge => Book, Comics & Writing => Topic started by: beer on July 22, 2010, 04:53:18 PM

Title: Favorite Comic Books - Then and Now
Post by: beer on July 22, 2010, 04:53:18 PM
Except for a short stint around 2004 I've pretty much lost interest in comic books, but was nuts over the stories when I was young.

My favorites were:

*The New Mutants
*Uncanny X-Men
*X-Factor
*Fallen Angels
*X-Terminators
(and other related mutant limiteds)
*Power Pack
*Cloak and Dagger
*Punisher
*The 'Nam

In later years:
*Aliens (Dark Horse)
*Terminator (Topps i think)
*BATMAN!!

More recently I got hooked on The Runaways and was reintroduced to the (new) New Mutants (which later changed to New X-men/Acadamy X) but lost interest again after a while.

I think that's most of them... Hope this reads/formats OK, its always rough to poke these posts out on a mobile keyboard!
Title: Re: Favorite Comic Books - Then and Now
Post by: Blackride on July 22, 2010, 05:12:07 PM
I like The 'Nam also. It was more adult. I also liked almost anything Alien(s). Spiderman and the Uncanny X-MEN were also favorites.

The problem for me now a days is that comics seem to expensive for kids. I can afford them but when I go into comic stores all I see are adults. Kinda sad that I don't see kids in the ones by us anymore.
Title: Re: Favorite Comic Books - Then and Now
Post by: beer on July 22, 2010, 05:39:35 PM
Forgot to mention, about a year ago I got interested in the Hedge Knight and Sworn Swords aka Dunk and Egg (by George RR Martin) and Card's Enders Game comics. Looking forward to the new stuff.

I agree re the price of comics. I know I'm alone in this as with most things, but I MISS the old stlye of art, the feel of the paper, and the way comics smelled. This new stuff ain't got nuthin on the old!
Title: Re: Favorite Comic Books - Then and Now
Post by: Blackride on July 22, 2010, 06:48:54 PM
Quote from: beer on July 22, 2010, 05:39:35 PM
I know I'm alone in this as with most things, but I MISS the old stlye of art, the feel of the paper, and the way comics smelled. This new stuff ain't got nuthin on the old! :)

No, you are not alone. I love the old style comics as I do the feel of a good book. You can beat the feel and the smell.
Title: Re: Favorite Comic Books - Then and Now
Post by: beer on July 23, 2010, 09:03:45 AM
Good to hear I'm not totally alone... I got dressed down once by some ppl in a comic store who couldn't understand why I'd want to go back to cheap paper and low quality art/coloring.
Title: Re: Favorite Comic Books - Then and Now
Post by: Rico on July 23, 2010, 09:25:37 AM
I also miss the days of 'rough paper' comic books.  I still read a fair number of modern ones (mostly Marvel), but the prices have really slowed down my buying habits for comics.
Title: Re: Favorite Comic Books - Then and Now
Post by: beer on July 23, 2010, 09:54:28 AM
What's the price of an average Marvel/DC comic nowadays? About $2.95?

Hmm, DC ... Reminds me, I also collected Green Arrow

I wonder how this online/internet and iPad/etc comic sales will go. I don't have a computer or apple device but I do have a psp and there's a comic program for it. I think the comics are about 2 bucks each from the playstation store. There's free comics too, but I've only tried one. Seems there's no way to delete the 25ish MB file from your psp card unless you plug it into a computer running some sony/playstation program. So I don't want to DL any more.

Been wanting to ask a few questions about buying media on psp and other devices but will leave that for another day/thread.

Of course you can get scanned books online quite easily, but I'm just not motivated to do so. Would rather have the real thing in my hands, for some reason I feel much stronger about this then I do for regular books which I've read in digital form a good number of times.
Title: Re: Favorite Comic Books - Then and Now
Post by: Rico on July 23, 2010, 10:06:06 AM
I've been watching the digital comic availability from Marvel and DC pretty closely.  They still only offer a small handful of titles each month digitally, and very few current main book titles.  I'm not quite sure what their plan is at this point.  I can see them not wanting to destroy their market for the paper product, but I think that is the way it will eventual go.  Reading comics on something like an iPad seems like such a natural fit - even better than reading a book in my view.  Just hope they keep the price down.  I'm still not satisfied with the price of eBooks and eComics in general.
Title: Re: Favorite Comic Books - Then and Now
Post by: billybob476 on July 23, 2010, 10:07:40 AM
Yeah I was poking around the Kindle store today and Kindle books are still 8-10 bucks each. Seems to me the bits should be cheaper then a physical paperback.
Title: Re: Favorite Comic Books - Then and Now
Post by: ChadH on July 23, 2010, 10:09:58 AM

Of course you can get scanned books online quite easily, but I'm just not motivated to do so. Would rather have the real thing in my hands, for some reason I feel much stronger about this then I do for regular books which I've read in digital form a good number of times.
[/quote]
Sometimes those online comics look pretty good depending on the circumstances. I feel the same as you do about having the actual comic in my possession, but change my mind when I have to move my collection around. I'm with you on the older comics. I miss Jack Kirby quite a lot.
Title: Re: Favorite Comic Books - Then and Now
Post by: Rico on July 23, 2010, 11:16:49 AM
Quote from: billybob476 on July 23, 2010, 10:07:40 AM
Yeah I was poking around the Kindle store today and Kindle books are still 8-10 bucks each. Seems to me the bits should be cheaper then a physical paperback.

Yep - exactly.  Lynn has been interested in some type of eBook reader for awhile now but we have been holding off.  I don't like the current pricing scheme (for books or comic books).  Not to mention the variety of readers now available.  This entertainment space is going to change a lot in the next 5 years or so.  One plus, is I hope like music it allows new authors to get published much more easily.  I want to buy Jen's first eBook!  :)

But I really do still love a comic book or regular book in my hands.  I love the tactile sensation.  It's going to take me a long time to give that up.
Title: Re: Favorite Comic Books - Then and Now
Post by: wraith1701 on July 24, 2010, 07:11:48 PM
Quote from: Rico on July 23, 2010, 11:16:49 AM
But I really do still love a comic book or regular book in my hands.  I love the tactile sensation.  It's going to take me a long time to give that up.

Same here. E-books are OK, but nothing comes close to an actual physical book. I like to read before falling asleep, and I just can't imagine trying to mess around with my iphone or an e-reader in bed.

Re. Comics-

Then:

During the peak of my early comic collecting, I'd pick up random titles here & there that caught my eye, but there were some titles that I followed religiously:

Uncanny X-Men
X-Factor
New Mutants
The 'Nam
Strikeforce: Moritouri

My comic buying habits are pretty much the same now, except that I visit the LCS much less often, and rely on my pull list to keep up with my books.  I also prefer to pick up trades vs. individual issues, except for the one line that has always been tops with me: The X-Men.

Now:

Uncanny X-Men, New Mutants, 'adjectiveless' X-Men (in issue form)
Y: The Last Man & The Living Dead (Trade form)

Title: Re: Favorite Comic Books - Then and Now
Post by: orangegorn on August 29, 2010, 07:17:02 PM
I tend to like the older comic books from the 70s and 80s over the newer stuff out there.

Then:

Kazar the Savage
John Carter Warlord of Mars
Micronauts
The Warlord
Star Trek
Conan

Now:

IDW's TOS Star Trek
Wonder Woman


Guess I was never a big superhero fan as far as comics go.  Most of my comic book heroes seem to be more fantasy based.  I can take or leave my "now" titles.  They are fun to read, but I don't enjoy them as much as I do rereading my older titles.   
Title: Re: Favorite Comic Books - Then and Now
Post by: Geekyfanboy on August 29, 2010, 08:29:34 PM
I collected a ton when I was 10 to 25..

Wonder Woman
Superman
Flash
Battlestar Galactica
V
Star Trek TNG (in all it's incarnations)
Star Trek Voyager (in all it's incarnations)
Star Trek Deep Space Nine (in all it's incarnations)
And all other Star Treks
X-Men
Alien Nation
And many more

Now a days it's

The Guild
Farscape
Dr. Horrible
Star Trek (the new incarnation)
Buffy
Angel
Title: Re: Favorite Comic Books - Then and Now
Post by: Jobydrone on August 30, 2010, 11:06:13 AM
I do all my comics on the iPad now,  I haven't been in a comic store in years so I have alot to catch up on.

Back when I was a kid I read exclusively Marvel comics except for a few Batman titles here and there. 

From like age 12-17 or so I subscribed to and read regularly:

The Avengers
Ghost Rider
Uncanny X-Men
Amazing Spider Man
Peter Parker Spectacular Spiderman\
Web of Spiderman
What If?

I also would hit the comic stores and sporadically read Fantastic Four, Incredible Hulk, and a few other titles.

In college the only book I read was Cerebus. 

Nowadays I read alot, but only regularly follow:

The Walking Dead
Invincible
The Boys
Title: Re: Favorite Comic Books - Then and Now
Post by: Meds on August 30, 2010, 11:31:49 AM
Well my old faves were Superman and Spiderman, then i collected Batman in any story. Lately I have stuck with the Supergirl comics (up to issue 55 now) and the mini Superman series (Last son of krypton, Last stand of krypton and war of the Supermen). I also am enjoying Turf written by Jonathan Ross.

Ive also began to collect my old Superman comics and filling in the gaps of the collection. the new Avengers comic is ok, didnt really grab me.