burnin' a hole in my pocket

[buggery]

So rather than pimping or reviewing comics I've read in this post, I'm going to ask you lot -- these people plus anyone else who might be reading this -- to tell me what I ought to be reading.

Not a general call for you to pimp whatever favourite title of yours I'm not already reading (unless it's a happy coincidence) but several specific questions.


Question one (four parts):

So I tend to be a fan of Warren Ellis's work, for the most part. I used to think I'd love anything he wrote, until I was violently disabused of that notion by Stranger Kisses (I liked Strange Kiss, but I just couldn't follow into the places the sequel led). Then I decided I just reacted strongly to Ellis's work, and would thus either hate or love anything he wrote. This conception served me well until I picked up the Two-Step mini for myself over the winter-gift-giving holidays; it was a cute, mildly-crack-scented romp, which I could take or leave.

I'm currently reading one Ellis title, OCEAN (and I lied, I totally am going to pimp the hell out of Ocean -- it's a fantastic book full of fascinating sci-fi elements and the kind of multicultural cast that makes me happy to see and one mystery that permutates into several more and social commentary on the future of corporate culture and -- yeah. Read this title, seriously. There are only 3 or 4 issues out so far, so it should be easy to catch up) but there are several more that just started recently. My comicshop guy asked me if I wanted to put any of them on my pull list, and... I had to tell him I didn't know. The advance buzz on all of them has passed me by.

So. Tell me whether and/or why I should (or shouldn't) read:

ANGEL STOMP FUTURE

FRANK IRONWINE

QUIT CITY

SIMON SPECTER

---

Question two:

I recently took advantage of the current resurgence in interest -- in some quarters, at least -- in Frank Millerfucktard and his take on the DCU to turn in my beautifully-preserved mint-condition hardcover editions of DKR and DKSA for a nice fat store credit at my local comicshop. I could just fritter the credit away with my weekly pull-list purchases, but... well, I've been meaning to get read up on some HELLBLAZER for awhile now, and this seems like a good time to do that.

I'm interested specifically in getting part or all of Brian Azzarello's run, and most particularly in the S.W. Manor arc. (If I can get my hands on it, and have credit left over, yes, that'll include the John-in-prison arc too.) I already know I want to read these issues, so no pimping is needed -- though squee is welcome. (: What I need to know is the titles of the TPBs which collected the issues I want to read; issue numbers would also be helpful, but I already know the shop doesn't have all the individual issues in question, if indeed they have any, and they can order the trades for me if I can tell them which ones I want.

I haven't actually read any Hellblazer aside from the recent Vertigo Secret Files: Hellblazer -- which, oh hell, I'm gonna have to pimp to you all now, too. It's actually a good introduction to Constantine, or so it seems to me; there's a short story (yes, a short story with a generous number of illustrations, rather than a panel-format story) by original series writer Jamie Delano, a nine-page story by Azzarello, introductions to many of the pivotal characters who have followed John through the title over the years, and a timeline of major events in his life, among other goodies. It's all fun and fascinating, and left my interest piqued for more.

Anyway. Share your comics wisdom and purchasing advice with me, o fellow fen.


PS Sorry to everyone who's posted fic, art or meta that I haven't yet commented on over the past few days; I've been swamped with getting the story I posted Monday edited and doing assignment matching for 4colorheroines, among other time-consuming work, and the crap weather in my area of late has played havoc with my MS on top of all the busy-ness. I'll get round to as much of it as I can as soon as I can, but I don't want anyone to feel slighted. Lucky me, I have a bunch of great posts to read ahead of me...

Comments

[miss-porcupine.livejournal.com]

ANGEL STOMP FUTURE -- hated it. Transmet without the joy.
SIMON SPECTER -- pretty good.
(http://www.livejournal.com/users/comics_shrew/13978.html)

FRANK IRONWINE -- loved it. (http://www.livejournal.com/users/comics_shrew/9840.html)

QUIT CITY -- haven't read yet.

The Hellblazer arc "Ashes & Dust" (i.e., John Does BDSM and Dies) is in the Highwater trade. Much fun. It's the last of Brian Azzarello's run, which I believe ended with 175, so count backwards... 168-175? (including "Lapdogs & Englishmen", the prequel). I'd have to doublecheck at home. That trade and the Freezes Over trade are the only Azzarello trades I recommend unreservedly. The others... he went on too long with a plot that wasn't bad before it got stretched too thin.

I liked Garth Ennis's run a lot more and, while it's dated, Delano's run was brilliant to start off the series (I'd also read the relevant Swamp Thing issues because they make the Delano run make a lot more sense). Mike Carey, the current writer, has John running about on quests, which pleases some and annoys others. To start getting into Hellblazer, I'd start with the Ennis books.

[birdsflying]

The Appart stuff (Frank Ironwine etc) are singles. They're all issue #1 of a never to be continued series, so no pull list, really. I loved Simon Spector, I adored Frank Ironwine, Quit City I can take or leave and I liked warren's meme issues in Angel Stomp Future.

Have you read Ellis' Global Frequency or Planetary? (Global seems to be done, I'm not sure. Out in trades now. Planetary is coming up for the end - #22 came out today and I think it's meant to finish at #25 but you never know with ellis.)

Non Eliis pimping: I'm really enjoying Sleeper: Season Two. It's a 12 issue miniseries. We're up to #7. It's all double agents and stuff. I'm not sure if there was a season one but I've only just picked up season two and I've had no problems.

[burntcopper.livejournal.com]

Hellblazer? You need to read the Garth Ennis/Steve Dillon run. Actually, all the Garth Ennis run, most of it available in TPB form. It's some of the best stuff ever. I tried some of the Azarello and hated it. (even though I worship and adore his 100 Bullets) he never seemed to get a proper handle on what Conjob was about. Art didn't help either.

[destro.livejournal.com]

What everyone else said about the Ennis/Dillon run ("Fear and Loathing" in particular) as well as the recently released "Rare Cuts" tpb that collects some important mini-arcs and single issues. In particular, a glimpse into the whole "Newcastle" event that's always mentioned as well as the fantastically fucked up "Thursdyke" arc. I also like that it includes a timeline and a map to Constantine's London -both of which serve as perfect introductions to Hellblazer. Word of warning though, lots of early Hellblazer issues had *atrociously* bad 80s hair.

Also Mike Carey's new "All His Engines" hardcover, which is a great story in and of itself, just came out. Pretty art, awesome writer, classic Constantine.

I also sort of like Ellis' "Ultimate Fantastic Four" run. I'm a sucker for his technobabble, so I might be a little bit biased, but his Johnny/Thing interactions are gold, and I sort of adore his Susan.

Also, I like "Simon Spector" (a nice crack-o-riffic Batman take, *again*) and could take or leave "Angel Stomp Future" -it felt too much like Transmet, just a bit more graphic, if possible. I liked it, but I probably would have liked it more if it was free.

[hradzka.livejournal.com]

HELLBLAZER: "Dangerous Habits." Really. One of my favorite comics storylines ever.

[liviapenn.livejournal.com]

FRANK IRONWINE -- Was awesome. Drawn by Carla Speed McNeil of "Finder," so that's one way of finding out if you like her art. Protagonist sort of 1/2 noir detective, 1/2 Spider Jerusalem. Trans/queer issues addressed in the story.

QUIT CITY -- Dark, grim, gorgeous faux-realistic art. Powerful female main character. I *wish* there were more of this-- I'd buy this title.

Haven't read the other two.