Comic Book Reading Session Two
/This is the second in a series of guest posts from comics fan, Alic Reader. You can read the first post here. ^Ben
I receive my new books. I sort them into three piles—Marvel, DC, indie. Then I alphabetize each stack. Finally, I sort them into a box of unread books, again, alphabetized and in numerical order. I often wonder how others sort their comics.
TV feels like a waste of time. I'm still going to watch, but I’ll read comics at the same time. It's a divided focus situation, yes, but also two entertainments at the same time. It feels a lot like a BOGO minus the FOMO. And let's be real: The brain easily fills in any gaps.
This Week's Reading Highlights
The cat on the cover of the first issue of Star Trek Discover: Adventures in the 32nd Century catches my eye. It's Her Highness Queen Grudge. I can't resist this. The story kept me chuckling, and that's enough to get me to add it to my pull list.
Continuing the space exploration theme, I read The Orville. This book always makes me laugh. The characters come off the page the same way they did on TV. Of course, they do! Have you seen who the writer is? So, I finish the second and final issue of the story.
There's good news. The Orville: New Horizons arrives June 2 on Hulu. There's even a 4-minute clip to whet your appetite that you can watch now.
Until then, check out the soundtrack on your favorite music app.
Supporting Indie Comics
Ben put out a Trixie Dynamite collected edition softcover and oversized hardcover, and I bought one. It’s been years since I read the individual issues of Trixie.
Reading it again still made me laugh. There's so much comedic fun in this book—the Black Betty drama, the Puggernaut drama, the Troupe 616 drama and their delicious "Bacon Apple" and "Dairy Doody" cookies, and so much more. I'm reading it a little at a time to make the enjoyment last.
Ben and his shop have supported local comics, artists, food, events, and creatives of all sorts--and now hot sauce--for as long as I’ve been a customer. Someday he'll probably retire, right? I hope there's another local shop to carry the torch the way he has.
Tom King Is Everywhere
While reading Teen Titans Academy, I bump into an ad for Strange Adventures by Tom King, who I mentioned last week. Strange Adventures was an intense book and a very good read.
I happened to catch up with Ben this week and he mentioned that Tom "takes a character nobody cares about and writes a 12-issue story, adding depth to the character, changing them in some important way." He adds, "that's exactly what he did with OMEGA-MEN, but it didn't get quite the attention The Vision did."
Comparing Notes on Supergirl
I finished Tom King's Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow story. The ending will make you stop and think. If you read it, please share your thoughts on that.
Ben had some more things to say about this story, so here's part of the conversation. It may come across fuzzy in parts, and that's so that the story isn't spoiled.
Ben: The previous Supergirl book was fun, but nothing new. There are no serious stakes, but Tom King's Supergirl story is complex and completely different, and so, one of my favorites.
Plus, I love the artwork. It's gorgeous, start to finish.
In the story, I'm impressed by Supergirl's personal sacrifice in helping this girl deal with the pain of great loss. In a typical superhero story, the hero is so busy saving the masses that they don't have time for an individual's personal struggle.
Alic: So true. Supergirl's investment in this girl was emotionally costly. Supergirl was pushed toward the limits of belief in her values. There was a moment when she was almost ready to give up--that situation with the Pegasus, remember? And what about that ending?
Ben: It's essentially one of those "Let it heal" situations, and then we'll see how you feel after some time has gone by. At that point, the girl has a choice to make. Supergirl can't make the girl's decision, so she accepts the girl's final decision--which completely surprised me. I was not expecting that--and then they just walk away. I kept thinking about that... Yeah, so it was it was great.
Alic: Same here. Tom completely subverted my expectations.
Ben: Yes, because at the end of the day, I wasn't 100% sure how it was going to end. At one point, I was like, 'okay, I can I can live with this. I'm satisfied.' But then again, he completely ripped the rug out from under us and it's like no, that it's not how it's going to end.
Talking comics with Ben is always a good time. It makes up for the fact that I didn't read as much as intended. Some weeks, reading happens non-stop. Then there are weeks like this. That's just how it goes.
Now, without guilt—and without BOGO-reading a comic book—, there's some must-watch TV waiting.
NOTE: The third and final guest post is now available here.
