Well, of course I need more comics!

[buggery]

So I'm considering adding yet more titles to my pull-box. (How many am I already reading? Er... don't ask. Even I don't actually want to know.)

If you're reading any of these, and have any thoughts about them one way or another, do please share.

CATWOMAN (#33)
I haven't been reading Selina's title, though I don't dislike her much and I enjoy Ed Brubaker's scripting as much as any sane person. The solicits for this month's, though, make me wonder how closely CATWOMAN is going to tie-in with the other Gotham titles for "War Games," and whether I should be reading it for the duration.

JUSTICE LEAGUE ELITE (maxiseries)
Okay, I don't read JLA, so I don't know the setup or background or whatever. The two characters joining the JLE who I already know, I like (Ollie and Wally, and I'm reading both their titles at the moment), and several of the ones I know barely anything about intrigue me already... but, well, being as it's a spinoff from JLA, I'm worried that JLE will be more of the bad crack.

THE LEGION (#35-38)
On the one hand, I adore Gail Simone. On the other hand, I wouldn't know the Legion from X-Force if I ran into them in broad daylight and they were wearing nametags. Is this storyling going to be accessible to me without massive back-issue supplementation?

THE MONOLITH (#6-8)
Bruce and Babs are guesting in this storyline, or at least the first issue of the arc, according to DC. Er... what's this title about?

Comments

[nos4a2no9.livejournal.com]

Hmm, Jack, I don't know quite what to tell you about Catwoman. IMHO, the title has slipped a lot in quality since the big change in artists (and really, who gives up the greatness that is Cameron Stewart for the crack-addled ugliness that is Paul Gulacy? I'm gonna go 'Kung-Fu' on HIS ass!)

The latest arc (Selina goes up against Ziess) was a bit of a yawn, but #33 was a return to some sort of quality standard and the 'War Games' tie-in might be worth a look. I'd just recommend that you get back issues #1-19 (half of that run, up to #12, is available in trade format) and wallow in the single greatest comic on the shelves since Time Began. Really, nothin' beats those first 19 issues. Nothing. It is the best crime/character comic evah. And if it's not...you may flay me and my opinions alive in LJ.

I know nothing about the other titles.

[teneagles.livejournal.com]

Catwoman:
The early days of this book, when the art matched the writing's tone, were Brilliant. The book does suffer from the new artist, but, man... Brubaker is so good it's worth it. It's a great book, and I say that as one who was truly not a fan of the character, before.

JLE:
Is okay. Story's a little incoherent at times, but the art's cracking and the story's fun. Sort of "The Authority"-lite.

The Legion:
I adore Gail Simone, too, but issue 35 was *incredibly* hard to follow -- and I *am* a Legion fan. (The Legion is a pretty good book, btw, and they've been doing some stuff with Superboy leading up to the TT/Legion crossover in a few months.)

The Monolith:
Is one of my favourite new series. Written by Palmitti and Gray, who wrote the *fantastic* 21 Down and who are actually turning Hawkman into a really great read. It's... hard to describe. The review here is a good introduction.

[unovis.livejournal.com]

I will never, *never* get a handle on all this!
Trying, though.

[buggery.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Thanks for the info, especially about the recent, current and forthcoming issues.

(I actually do own the first... goodly run of issues, not sure how far up i have. At some point I need to take those out and read them. Since you seem to be a long-time reader, what did you think of Devin Grayson's run on the title?)

[buggery.livejournal.com]

Catwoman:
Thanks, this is the sort of input I was hoping for.

JLE:
Your ideas intrigue me, and I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

Legion:
Hm. Sounds like I'll wait for the crossover, and see at that point whether I think I really need these four issues.

Monolith:
Dude. Has anybody given the nod to Michael Chabon for this series concept? Damnit. It's sounding really good to me now. In, like, the read-every-month way.

::ponders further::

[buggery.livejournal.com]

Yay!

Sweet, delicious crack, hot off the presses -- come get yours...

[teneagles.livejournal.com]

Your ideas intrigue me, and I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

Heh.

Legion:
The Simone issues are really just fillers -- they're cancelling it straight after, then launching a new series by Mark Waid following the crossover.

And having read issue 36 today... um, no-one needs to read these. Ever.

Monolith:
Palmiotti and Gray are writing some of the best comics out there. Like I said, 21 Down was excellent, and they're making me put Hawkman (*Hawkman*, for god's sake) on my pull-list. So, yeah, while the concept does strike one as Chabonish, They make it their own.

Again, late reply to a LJ comment. Beat me with a spoon...

[nos4a2no9.livejournal.com]

I actually do own the first... goodly run of [Catwoman] issues, not sure how far up i have. At some point I need to take those out and read them. Since you seem to be a long-time reader, what did you think of Devin Grayson's run on the title?

I've got a long and complicated history with the original Catwoman series, and mostly it's bad thanks to run-ins I've had with Chris Dee and her 'Cat-Tails' bunch. I thought the older series was pretty fluffy and is a prime example of early-90s substance-free, violent and silly comic book writing. That's not to say that sort of format is without its charms, but I'd rather see my heroes as mature, grounded, realistic characters rather than globe-trotting cuthroats.

I thought the old series did a real injustice to Selina Kyle's character, particularily after the Year-One style 'Her Sister's Keeper', which started the series off with a lot of potential but crashed and burned with Chuck Dixon. It was always puzzling to me why they chose to turn Catwoman away from her Miller-esqure roots of prostitution and redemption through violence (a journey that so closely mirrors Batman's that it becomes a commentary on gender and class in the DCU) and make her into a female James Bond who steals.

I guess it's mostly a matter of taste, although I don't think the title was particularily well-written under Dixon or Grayson. But the whole thing is just...silly, especially in comparison to the gravity and depth lent to the character by Brubaker's work. Catwoman got her soul under Brubaker; with Dixon, Grayson et al, she a cypher.

Anyway, sorry, long response to a short question.