i'm going the way of goddard, it looks like.

[joe peeler]

this has been a long time coming, but it's kind of been expedited since i've started working at the comic shop.

i'm probably going to dump all the boxes of single issues i have on ebay or something, and switch over to mainly graphic novels. (i already have...nearly 200...but i still find myself buying monthlies.)

and maybe three years ago i read Warren Ellis's Come In Alone and dropped all of my superhero books except for a handful, but even those are boring me these days.

anyways, i've always been a non-superhero/good comic books/quote unquote indie proponent, but i was still hanging onto ultimate FF and the such. but i think when ellis finishes up, that'll be it.

i'm right in the middle of BLACK HOLE right now, and a few weeks ago i read about half of Teenagers from Mars...and then this week Spider-Man/Human torch comes out...robin seems to have been trampled by a horse (hilarious cover, probably wasn't meant to be)...there's just a slew of not-good books out there. Especially when they are sitting next to the new hundred bullets, the new pig tale, etc.

So, if i'm not mistaken, Powers, Planetary, and Ex Machina will be the only "superhero related" books i continue reading. Other than that....everything's just so boring. i find myself in superhero threads bugging people about the topshelf sale.

in the middle of high school this happened with my music taste. i suddenly became disinterested (with good cause) in a lot of the bands i was listening to, and it looks like something along those lines is happening again.

i'm like a kind of half assed comics vegetarian that's decided vegan is probably the best bet.


bad analogies make the world go round.

[Persevering Guy]

it's okay to read superhero books. i do. Daredevil is awesome.

But that said, you should read my book. www.ciderviewproject.com

click for art

[joe peeler]

it's okay to read superhero books. i do. Daredevil is awesome.

But that said, you should read my book. www.ciderviewproject.com

click for art

yah ill probably see DD out to the end of bendis/maleev run, but i've yet to catch up on the last couple issues

[Jacob Lyon Goddard]

*dances*
welcome!
but don't shut off the possiblity of a good superhero book, every once in a while a Watchmen or a Madman will come around

[Blandy vs Terrorism]

*dances*
welcome!
but don't shut off the possiblity of a good superhero book, every once in a while a Watchmen or a Madman will come around

Dammit! Thanks for reminding me that I don't have all the Madman trades yet! *curses in disgust and goes to put more money into his already $223 comic book order*

[Brewtown Andy]

and maybe three years ago i read Warren Ellis's Come In Alone and dropped all of my superhero books except for a handful, but even those are boring me these days.

I've been able to make quick decisions about why am I reading a particular book ever since reading that.

[JLA4Ellis]

I've been contemplating that lately. I pared down to reading only authors I really enjoy, just so happens that they are writing more books than ever (damn you Bendis, Vaughn, Ruka, Brubaker et al.) Been thinking to switch over to trades to make my life easier. Just wish some of the companies were as good as others in getting trades out quickly.

JLA

[Blandy vs Terrorism]

Also, I've been trying to cut out my monthly buying, but I get too anxious to read the stories as they come out. Once I get back to Hawaii, though, I'll have more to occupy my time and it shouldn't be as difficult. Then I'll just finish reading whatever stories are running currently and switch over on the titles that I know will have trades within weeks after.

[AAlgar]

Hey, to each their own, man.

One of the big reasons I'm into comics is because I'm a big sci fi fan, and I consider superheroes to be a sub-genre of that. I get into the whole concept, if it's done right. It's a large part of what I want to get out of comics.

As loathe as I am to admit that I agree with Goddard on anything, I do think the industry should broaden its horizons more, to make room for people with tastes other than mine (which I would call fairly mainstream). Hopefully there's enough out there to keep people with your tastest and my tastes interested in the medium.

[Andreas]

Each time I feel that the books I read are boring I take two or three weeks off. Afterwards I can return to them fresh and can usually enjoy them even more.

It doesn't make sense to me to draw a line between superhero and non-superhero books. There are writers and artists whose voices you like. Sometimes even your favorite creators have a bad day, though I think even a book that is a failure can be interesting to read. And a kind of average book can still become a guilty pleasure. There are good superhero books and there are good indie books, good European graphic novels and good mangas. People like Mike Allred, John Cassaday, or Darwyn Cooke love drawing superhero books. Others, like Ed Brubaker, Brian Bendis, Frank Miller, or David Lapham love writing crime books. Others, like Dave Sim, Richard Sala, Jeff Smith, Paul Pope, or David Mack prefer to create their own, unique worlds. And this is only scratching at the surface. With all these great creators there really is no need to feel bored.

I can only speak for myself, but part of the enjoyment of reading books or listening to music is that I like the excitement when a new title like FLAK RIOT, SMOKE, DAISY KUTTER, or SOLO is announced and I've already seen a few preview pages, but don't know yet what to expect from it. And getting only the trades would limit my reading in too many ways.

Think of all the books that never saw a collection. DOOM PATROL has not been collected in trades yet except for the first two volumes. The quality of Moore's collected SUPREME trades isn't as good as the quality of the original issues, and Vertigo collections like the HELLBLAZER trades are printed on paper that is too thin for my taste. Most collections by Oni Press are printed in a smaller format and other publishers consider switching to the manga format. Books like MOONSHADOW, BLOOD: A TALE, STRAY TOASTERS, ANIMAL MAN, Miller's DAREDEVIL and ELEKTRA: ASSASSIN, and Will Eisner's SPIRIT weren't in print for more than a decade. And a third of the books I read are by independent publishers and may not see a release in paperback. Add to it that when the binding of a trade isn't that good it may break after a few years.

You know, what really surprises me is that the people who are less interested in mainstream culture and more interested in the stuff at the fringes--and I can totally relate to that--still believe that it speaks to enough people to justify a collection that will be in print for many years. Several off my favorite writers have their books published in editions of 500 or even less. Switching over to a later mass market edition isn't an option.

Andreas
_____________
"It's not that I don't have popcorn tastes, I just have refined popcorn tastes."