Help me spend $20 (on comics)

[shockheadedpete.livejournal.com]

So at one of the comic book stores I frequent, if you are part of their awesome club, they keep track of the total amount of your hard earned money you have spent in their store on their funny books. Every time that amount equals $100, you get $20 worth of comics, free.

What should I get with my magical $20 credit, C&C?

I don't want to put it toward the titles I regularly buy (basically I am keeping Wildstorm financially afloat single handedly), because where's the fun in that? So please rec me new things to check out. Even if they are old things that you think might be new to me.

The only thing I have my eye on at the moment is iZombie. That still leaves me with $19 free dollars.

Spend with me.

Comments

[battothefuture]

Bone, by Jeff Smith, is incredible omg i want it you should so read it it's wonderful.

Alternately if you wanna see more of <— this guy's series. uh. WELL THERE'S A BATMAN BEYOND MINISERIES THAT IS COMING OUT LATER THIS MONTH/SOME TIME NEXT MONTH...?

[cry-andletloose.livejournal.com]

Fables! Fables is very good if you read it from the start and I think it only started in 2002 so there isn't that much to go through. This is what wiki says:

The series deals with various characters from fairy tales and folklore – referring to themselves as "Fables" – who have been forced out of their Homelands by "The Adversary" who has conquered the realm. The Fables have traveled to our world and formed a clandestine community in New York City known as Fabletown.

if that's your thing? :)

[cry-andletloose.livejournal.com]

Alternatively, Y the last man (which was dr allison mann's canon) about...yorick, the last man on earth following a global event and his monkey), or Deus Ex Machina (which is Mitchell Hundred's canon). Also, that is a sweet comic book store deal and I probably should shut up now...

[shockheadedpete.livejournal.com]

>>Ex Machina<<

See: basically I am keeping Wildstorm financially afloat single handedly. I am going out of my skin for how soon Ex Machina #50 is coming.

[ironjill.livejournal.com]

SOB I AM WAITING FOR THIS

[shockheadedpete.livejournal.com]

I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW.

Ex Machina is the only comic that has ever made me cry (in PUBLIC even), and I sort of suspect issue 50 will make me do so again.

[ironjill.livejournal.com]

God I expect it will make us all cry.

I'm just like...anticipating an amazing issue but I'm dreading it at the same time.

[shockheadedpete.livejournal.com]

You know, I have thought about picking up Fables so many times, because that sort of is my thing (I loved the 10th Kingdom), and I've played in games that had Fables characters that I had CR with, but every time I look over the story arcs to try and pick up the series I just...have no interest in any of them. I'm not sure why.

[whatselfcontrol.livejournal.com]

I did the same thing, and put off getting it for so long. I finally downloaded several of the issues the other day, though, and now I'm just wondering why on earth I waited so long! They're absolutely fantastic!

[supergabbie.livejournal.com]

FIRST OF ALL, THAT IS AWESOME WHY DOES MY STORE NOT DO IT. /scream

Second of all, DC New Frontier! It's a two-volume graphic novel AU of the Justice League forming, set in the 50s with the cold war undertones and a creepy alien island cult thing (it makes more sense in the book...). Alternatively: Marvel's Magneto Testament, or Superman: Red Son. If you want something that isn't DC or Marvel, David B.'s Epileptic is a pretty fantastic autobiographical graphic novel.

I tend to think in trades when I think of $20 sob... makes it harder to rec my own canon.

[badumtish.livejournal.com]

Fables, Y: The Last Man, It's a Bird..., Kabuki: The Alchemy, Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse, Fell Volume 1, other stuff.

For funny, I suggest Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse, as it has leprechaun he-she's and dark, dark humor. And tentacles.

Fell Volume 1 is a great police comic written by Warren Ellis, and will therefore never be finished. But it's amazing and the art is Ben Templesmith so it's really pretty.

It's a Bird... is an interesting take on the graphic novel autobiography, and also has a spectacular use of art.

Kabuki: The Alchemy is your one-stop shop for philosophical, life-bettering needs. And it's also gorgeous.

I'll probably think of more later.

[shockheadedpete.livejournal.com]

You know how I feel about tentacles.

[meowminx.livejournal.com]

Damnit, I wish my store did that. Of course, I get 25% off everything with my subscriptions so that works too.

Also, I have a Catty rec list as the first post in this journal.

[spacetimeguard.livejournal.com]

Something to do with Transformers? 8D!?

[shockheadedpete.livejournal.com]

No robo.

Although I am browsing the IDW catalog right now. Kinda thinking about trying out Secret Skull.

[superspeeds]

I highly recommend Mighty Avengers. Post issue 21, or so. The Nomad mini from last summer was collected into a trade. That's like $15-ish and made of awesome. Uuuhhh... Yeah, I'm a Marvel kid.

Asterios Polyp is a freaking amazing book, but it's also pretty pricey.

Mentioned above - Ex Machina and Y: The Last Man are also pretty darn awesome. Also by Brian K. Vaughan - Runaways (the first several volumes) is freaking amazing in a cute superhero-ish-but-not sort of way.

And I'm assuming you've read Watchmen. If not, there's that.

[shockheadedpete.livejournal.com]

>>Asterios Polyp<<

Ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss I was drooling over it at Moccafest this year, but I didn't want to have to carry it around with me. I am weak.

I used to read Runaways. Somewhere along the line I fell off the Runaways waggon, sadly. I'm not sure where Runaways and me went wrong.

[supergabbie.livejournal.com]

DEFINITELY READ ASTERIOS POLYP OMG. It's one of the best books I've ever read, seriously.

[superspeeds]

This. Until the end of time.

[superspeeds]

We read it for a book club I'm in. MoCCA also had that kickass Dave Mazzuchelli exhibit over the summer that I got to see. Mmm, the Daredevil from that was spectacular. And the stuff actually from Asterios Polyp was seriously awesome, so yeah.

... Everyone fell off Runaways at some point and rightfully so. :| That title went from so awesome to so horrible. whhhyy.

[sam-the-redhead.livejournal.com]

I'm not that well-versed with what makes a good comic and what makes a bad comic. And I feel like I've read all the common shizz.

Buuuut I'll second Fables, and I'd actually recommend Madame Mirage (who I'm possibly considering apping eventually) if you're a fan of Paul Dini's work.

And as of right now, that's all I got. Comics are limited when you're just stuck with expensive trades at Borders. :/

[meowminx.livejournal.com]

Trades are generally cheaper than the single issues. I prefer them, actually.

[superspeeds]

Depends on how you get your single issues. A number of the stores around here sell complete runs for about half the cost of the trades.

But trades do make a prettier bookshelf, though. Gotta say.

[chlorodermic.livejournal.com]

Altogether, I figured it came out to be cheaper. XD

But when I see a trade for twenty bucks, my mind goes 'raaaawrg'. I think it's the mentality of spending money all at once rather than spending it over time.

[kisforkurama.livejournal.com]

I would rec Nextwave but I'm pretty sure the first trade is out of print still.

1602 - this was kind of how I was introduced to Marvel after Nextwave. I still kind of love it, even though I've actually read other things.

Kill Shakespeare (http://www.killshakespeare.com/) - I like Shakespeare and this beats Macbeth in space with aliens.

I also like Marvel Fairytales, but I just like fairytales.

[idkmybffpigeon.livejournal.com]

I dunno, I've seen some Nextwave comics in the backbin of my comic book store. And Books A Million has a few of the trades.

BUT YEAH. NEXTWAVE AND 1602.

[stripingevil.livejournal.com]

My store has single issues, yeah, but I have been harassing begging my favorite worker for the stupid first trade and he's like "I CAN'T DO ANYTHING, IT'S OUT OF PRINT. you know I would order it for you in a heartbeat if I could."

and I'm too lazy to like. actually order it online.

zero should be here to see me talking about Nextwave. IT WAS KIND OF THE ONLY FULL COMIC I HAD READ BEFORE COMING TO C&C.

[idkmybffpigeon.livejournal.com]

I've got the first trade and like...two issues. I've found the full trade, all twelve issues, but I'm too cheap to buy it.

[wadewilson.livejournal.com]

DEADPOOL CLASSIC TPB.

Which gives you, I believe, issues 1-5 of his original series that made him worth a damn. Then there are a couple more trades that give you the next few batches of that series. I don't know if they've got the full Joe Kelly run out in trade yet, but THEY BETTER.

[idkmybffpigeon.livejournal.com]

If you can find the Dr. Horrible comic, BUY IT CAUSE IT'S WONDERFUL.

Otherwise...

SCOTT PILGRIM
THE SIMONSON RUN OF THOR
YOUNG AVENGERS

[ironjill.livejournal.com]

Have you read Red Son? I'd reccommend that one for sure

[bxlomrmlezq.livejournal.com]

Seconding (thirding? Fourthing?) the call for Y The Last Man as well as Fables. Both are wonderful comics that you won't regret purchasing!

...Though if I am completely and utterly honest, the only comic that I actually physically own - for I am a very poor individual - is Great Lakes Avengers: Misassembled. Because Squirrel Girl freaking rules.