TitansGo.net

[DragonShadow]

I've always liked comic book superheroes, but my experience with genuine honest-to-goodness comics has always been limited. Recently however I picked one up just because it was on sale for a pair of magic beans, and it turned out to be a collection of issues 1-4 of "Wolverine: First Class". The miniseries was a lot of fun, detailing the adventures of Wolverine and Shadowcat after Professor X decides that it's time for Wolvie to impart his immense experience onto the next generation. The two are naturally a very "odd couple" sort of deal, but there's enough in there to keep things interesting, and the comic isn't loaded down with so much history that it becomes impossible to understand on its own. It's like its own little THING, and I really enjoyed it.

After this, I decided to look into graphic novels, and since I'd just gotten some book store gift cards for my birthday, it was off to look for some! I looked over a bunch more, including oft-mentioned favorites like "Batman: Year One" and oft-mentioned pieces of crap like "All-Star Batman and Robin", but none of these clicked for me.

The thing is, I'm a big stickler for continuity. If I can't start at the beginning of something, I'm much less likely to get into it, and with 50+ years of comic book history, I'll NEVER start at the beginning. Not to mention most of the biggest stories told in some of the biggest comic events have been retold many times over in other medias. Comics like "Dark Pheonix Saga" seemed like a pointless read because I already knew everything about it. Even "Batman: Year One" seemed pointless since, upon flipping through it, it looked like ~75% of what I found was drawn upon or even downright mimicked by "Batman Begins" and "The Dark Knight" (seriously, how does everyone call these movies "new takes" when so many scenes are lifted straight from this book?) Even the comic's final pages mirrored almost word-for-word the ending of "Batman Begins". What's the point?

So I turned my attention to comics containing characters I didn't know better than I know my own parents. I spotted one comic I remember being talked about with some reverence on this very forum, and indeed is frequently cited as one of the best comics of the new Millemium.

Runaways Volume 1 (#1-18)

This. Comic. Kicks. Ass. It's basically everything I love about the Marvel universe wrapped up in a package that's as down-to-Earth as it is f*cking weird at times. Wielding a telepathic vilociraptor from the future as a weapon/pet has got to be one of the coolest powers ever. Give that raptor a nosering and you're in serious ass-kicking business, now.

Great believable protagonists? Check
A stunning plot-twist at the end? Check
Morally gray antagonists? Check... okay they're far from GOOD guys, but the cause of saving their children is a noble one.

I love it, cover to cover. My only complaint is a severe hole in logic relating to the overall story. (SPOILER WARNING) The giants were defeated by bringing the entire cave down on them and burying them alive... WHY DID NONE OF THE PARENTS THINK TO DO THIS IN 25 YEARS? They could have saved themselves, their children, and everyone else too. Did they not know what explosives were? Seriously, some well-placed charges could have obliterated the problem altogether.

I also picked up two miniseries' of a separate comic...

Nyx: Wannabe
Nyx: No Way Home

"Wannabe" features the apparent "origin" of X23, the female Wolverine-clone who was created in the animated series X-Men Evolution (Perhaps explaining the title of the book...?) I believe she's the third character to leap backwards from animation to comic book form (Morph and Harle Quinn coming first). In this case "origin" is a bit misleading since it doesn't show at all how she was made or where she came from, she's pretty much in the middle of her life as a prostitute when she encounters the other members of this little group that has no name.

I love the concept, but I feel the comic doesn't really make the most of it at points and goes too far at others. The idea of a group of mutants who exist underneath Prof. X's radar and have to go it alone in life is one I really love. The X-Mansion has always given the X-Men a sterile environment, but these mutants are thrust out into a world where everyone does drugs and speaks in Gangsta. Or maybe that's just Pimp Language. It's really weird how they show the main character popping pills and the main bad-guy snorting crack like five times (or one REALLY long time) and yet every mild curseword is censored into %^$& symbols. Come on guys, is this a mature comic or not? And the second issue presumably shows a flashback of the main character sticking herself with a needle... but there's no needle. Huh...

I haven't finished "No Way Home" yet, I probably will tonight, but so far I'm really enjoying this. Does anyone have any other comics to recommend I might wanna check out?

[Ham in an Envelope]

I didn't read any of the recent NYX comics because I regard the original as one of the single worst things I've ever read due to its desire to include every single objectionable thing possible. From the opening issue including tons of drug use, a school shooting, and a terrible foul-mouthed, unlikable protagonist, to the introduction of X-23 as a child prostitute that cuts herself, I just couldn't stand that series.

I wish they'd never reference the X-23 as a prostitute thing ever again, but it sounds like it's included in the newer series. What a shame.

[DethklokFan]

To be honest, the X23 scares the crap out of me. Remember how Wolverine was before the countless hours of mental conditioning and telekinetic therapy? That's who she is, sans the y-chromosome. The whole "she cuts herself" thing doesn't really take any edge away since she seems to enjoy it to levels beyond masochism. That image of her slicing her wrists wide open with a grin on her face that shames the Joker? *shudders* Creepy...

[Ham in an Envelope]

She's pretty much never portrayed that way, though. She's more the "mild-mannered girl who occasionally flips the varblernelk out" trope.

I kind of like her, mainly because she's almost the same character as the now-former Batgirl, who I like a lot. But X-23 is currently in another book I pretty much hate, X-Force, since it's gotten to the point where it's almost violence porn.

[DragonShadow]

[Mart1000son]

[Ham in an Envelope]

[DragonShadow]

[DieselWeasel]

I generally don't read older comics like that so I'm kind of surprised that a comic that old would contain such strong material.

[Ham in an Envelope]

NYX isn't that old, dude. It came out in 2003.

[DieselWeasel]

well sorry i didnt know.

[the_evil_lemon]

2003 is old for these youngins! back in my day........ >.>

oops didnt see how old this was sorry for the necro.