Comic Books

The following is a list (with comments) of comic book series I'm currently following. This list does not include graphic novels, manga, comic strip reprint volumes, or "alternative" comic book series that come out only once a year or so (Acme Novelty Library, Love and Rockets: New Stories, Uptight). The list only includes good old-fashioned comic books, ongoing and mini-series. A lot of my comics reading falls under those categories not featured here, and thus the list is not really an accurate portrait of my comics reading habits, but it should give you a good idea of the kinds of things I come home with from the local comic book store every week or couple of weeks. I was surprised by how few titles I follow, actually...

Buffy the Vampire Slayer - This is the series I most look forward to reading new installments of. In fact, it's really the only one I always make a trip to the comic book store to pick up. The series is at its best when it allows the principal characters to move in new and surprising directions.

Ultimate Spider-Man - I've been following this from the beginning, and it's been quite good for most of that time. The recent relaunch seems to have injected new life into the series, and I'm really enjoying it. I dig the new artist, too.

Green Lantern - Green Lantern, as currently written by Geoff Johns, is not usually the sort of thing I go for in superhero comics. Reading this series is sort of my experiment in following a corporate-owned character who is at the center of one of those big, company wide event crossovers. In this case, Blackest Night. I don't think I'll ever become a huge fan of this sort of thing, but at its best it's great fun, easily digestible pop entertainment.

Green Lantern Corps - See above.

Blackest Night - See above. I like the art on this one a lot.

Blackest Night: Batman - Hey, if you're gonna go, go all out.

Blackest Night: Superman - I've been surprised while reading this one by all of the changes that have apparently taken place in the Superman books the past couple of years. It seems like they took the admirable approach of making the character not boring.

Blackest Night: Titans - Yep.

Cold Heat - I frickin' love all things Cold Heat. I love that Jones and Santoro are determined to release it as a comic book despite a hostile/indifferent direct market. I love the specials by various artists. Yes.

Angel - I keep waiting for the quality of this to drop off enough for me to want to stop reading it, but, surprisingly, that hasn't happened yet. Better than you'd think.

Angel: Only Human - Not as good as the single issue of the main title that it spun out of, but not bad. New issue out this week.

Star Trek: Romulans - Schism - Wow, I read a lot of comics based on t.v. shows. I love Star Trek and am sort of fascinated by John Byrne right now, so there you go.

Savage Dragon - Eric Larsen's long-running superhero series continues to entertain. I've been following this one from the beginning, and love that he's still at it.

Citizen Rex - Gilbert and Mario Hernandez!

Batman & Robin - Easily the best crafted superhero comic I'm following, at least while Frank Quitely was drawing it. The dynamic between the new Batman and Robin is a lot of fun. I like this one a lot.

Strange Tales - The first issue of this was pretty good.

RASL - I love that there's a new Jeff Smith comic coming out on a semi-regular schedule.