Which Marvel comics do you read?

[Guest JMA]

Now, I've always been a bigger DC fan than a Marvel one, but there are some Marvel titles that I read (which isn't very many).

 

I'll post my own list later, but what is everyone else reading from Marvel right now?

[Sass 0]

The Punisher.

 

That's the only Marvel book anyone here needs to read.

[Guest Prodigy]

Ultimate Spider-Man

Runaways

Young Avengers

 

When PAD and Ringo's Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man comes out, I'll give that a try. Hate the title though.

[ZGangsta 0]

Yeah, definately always been a DC fan but:

The Ultimates.

[Guest JMA]

The Ultimates 2

Ultimate Spider-Man

 

I should probably start collecting more. Can anyone recommend some really good 616 Marvel Universe titles? I've been wanting to collect Iron Man and Captain America but never got around to it.

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

I'm reading Punisher, catching up on Black Is White and Up Is Down, good story, just too much swearing and nudity for my tastes. It's like the writer had a good idea, then someone higher up said we need to make it XTREME~! because it's the Marvel Max line. I'd read Daredevil if they had a differant art style, but as of right now I hate the inked to death style it uses, and I might read some kind of Spiderman, but I'm not sure which is the best one. I'd like to try the Indian one

[Guest JMA]

I forgot to add Supreme Power to my list. That's a damn fine book.

[Renegade 0]

Supreme Power

Cable and Deadpool

Daredevil

Astonishing X-men

Captain America (best run I've read about Cap in ages, despite the concept)

Spidergirl

Wolverine

[caboose 0]

...and I might read some kind of Spiderman, but I'm not sure which is the best one. I'd like to try the Indian one

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I've got the first four Spider-Man: India, the art is ok, but the story is terrible. At first it seems cool that Green Goblin is a take off on Ancient Indian Demons, but then it goes into a crazy explanation which just does not work.

 

Also the Indian Doc Ock is shockingly bad, and the great responsibility line is repeated about 4 or 5 times each comic to hammer it home.

[pochorenella 0]

I was exclusively a DC fan when I was a little kid, but then I discovered Marvel and now I'm pretty much exclusive to them, except for the occasional read when I borrow some Batman stuff or the like from a friend of mine. Right now I hate Superman with a passion, and I couldn't even bring myself to contribute to that other thread discussion regarding his origin and Luthor relationship. I would've contributed nothing there.

Anyway, on topic, I try to read as much Marvel stuff as it gets on my hands, but what I regularly buy and/or collect is:

 

Ultimate Spider-Man

Amazing Spider-Man

Ultimates

Avengers/New Avengers

Iron Man

X-Men

Uncanny X-Men

Ultimate X-Men

 

I do try to read Supreme Power regularly, and collected the first 12-issue MK Spider-Man arc, and the first two Ult.F4 arcs, some recent Daredevil TPBs. And whenever the new Spider-Man series gets out I'll try to get.

[Zack Malibu 0]

The Incredible Hulk. Despite it's crappy run of late, I'm a softie for the green guy, and buy pretty much anything with his name on it.

Daredevil

The Punisher

New Avengers

Ultimate Spider Man

Fantastic Four

Exiles

Supreme Power

Amazing Spider Man

[Renegade 0]

I used to read all the spider titles until Sins past, Sins Remembered and Millars run on MK. So much shit in 1 year.

[EdwardKnoxII 0]

Cable & Deadpool

Astonishing X-Men

Ultimate Spider Man

Ultimate X-Men

[ZGangsta 0]

I'm thinking of checking out Astonishing X-Men when the inevitable trade come out because I've heard great things. So what's the deal with that title, Whedon ends with the next issue right? Any details on the trade?

[starvenger 0]

I forgot to add Supreme Power to my list. That's a damn fine book.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Supreme Power would be even better if it came out on a monthly basis like it's supposed to.

 

I'm close to having no regular Marvel books which is funny considering how much of a Marvel zombie I was back in the day. Anyways:

 

Supreme Power (when it comes out)

Astonishing X-Men

New X-Men, but that's getting dropped once Weir and DeFillipis leave (and "coincidentally" when X-23 gets shoehorned into the book).

 

This of course does not count minis or books that I'll pick up on occasion, like GLA or Cable/Deadpool.

[pochorenella 0]

I'm thinking of checking out Astonishing X-Men when the inevitable trade come out because I've heard great things. So what's the deal with that title, Whedon ends with the next issue right? Any details on the trade?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I think Astonishing is a very good book. Whedon has great characterizaton, Cassaday is awesome, and we've had some great interaction with the characters. Definitely recommended IMO.

I believe there's already a TPB out collecting the first 6-7 issues of the series, and I believe I've read about a possible hardcover version for the whole 12 issue arc. Whedon and Cassaday will be back for another 12 issue run, but the series will have a short hiatus IIRC.

[Guest JMA]

I forgot to add Supreme Power to my list. That's a damn fine book.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Supreme Power would be even better if it came out on a monthly basis like it's supposed to.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is true.

[SuperJerk 0]

Ultimates

Supreme Power

Defenders

Astonishing X-Men

X-Men

Fantastic Four

Captain America

[Tawren 0]

I get Amazing Spider-Man or Spider-Girl or Fantastic Four if I have a couple bucks lying around. Otherwise, fuck Marvel. $4.25 CDN for a comic, most of which is reaction shots? That's a negatory, good buddy.

 

I am buying shit-tons of the Essential books though.

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

For those who read Punisher, do you think the more "mature" style helps the story? I get a feeling it's more a desperate attempt to make the books seem more "grown up"

[Robert 0]

I like it, but they over-do it at time . Castle has always been mature, but sometimes it's nice to see it. Not the over-the-top style that appears at times, but at-least it's better than 90's Punisher where they fucked him up. He hunted demons, was black, and some other stuff. It was just humiliating from the late-70's-to-early 80's Punisher where he just a brute. WBF will always be my favorite, but with Ennis you'll always see some over-the-top stuff.

[Guest JMA]

It's good to see Supreme Power getting some love.

[starvenger 0]

I should note that I'll be getting X-Factor when it comes out...

[tbondrage99 0]

Im getting The Runaways when it comes out in the trade paperbacks and I also plan on getting The Ultimates Hardcover Vol. 2 when it comes out, aside from that I plan on getting the new Ghost Rider comic when it comes out.

[Sass 0]

For those who read Punisher, do you think the more "mature" style helps the story? I get a feeling it's more a desperate attempt to make the books seem more "grown up"

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

No.

 

If any other book in the MU ever became as violent or dirty as today's Punisher book, then those would be the folks we could accuse of being "desperate" for attention and sales. The Punisher is fighting in a fucked up world. We're going to see some fucked up shit. Hell, we already have, as a country, over the past 5 years. Garth Ennis just did what every writer who, gave a damn about the Punisher, wanted to do but never could.

[JasonX 0]

For those who read Punisher, do you think the more "mature" style helps the story? I get a feeling it's more a desperate attempt to make the books seem more "grown up"

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

No.

 

If any other book in the MU ever became as violent or dirty as today's Punisher book, then those would be the folks we could accuse of being "desperate" for attention and sales. The Punisher is fighting in a fucked up world. We're going to see some fucked up shit. Hell, we already have, as a country, over the past 5 years. Garth Ennis just did what every writer who, gave a damn about the Punisher, wanted to do but never could.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I don't see it that way; if anything the "mature audience/grim and violent"-ness of the Punisher series these last five years is a rather calculated and ultra-cynical sales ploy to get people to buy a book (Punisher) that most people consider stopped being relevent in 1994 (when the massive to the point of parody over-exposure of the character killed all interest in the Punisher) and that most people wouldn't touch with a six foot poll due to the contriveness of the character and the plots Punisher is associated with.

 

Fuck, there is a reason they got the creative team of fucking Preacher on the book. They basically turned Punisher into a mature audience violence-arama to get people to buy the book just to see what new murder techniques Garth Ennis will come up with.

 

Hell, I'd argue that the success of Punisher mature audience is singularly based on Garth Ennis's pressence as writer. Not the character so much as people being fans of Garth and his ultra-violent writing style......

[SuperJerk 0]

It's good to see Supreme Power getting some love. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Supreme Power while is a rip-off of a rip-off, it is also extremely good.

[Sass 0]

For those who read Punisher, do you think the more "mature" style helps the story? I get a feeling it's more a desperate attempt to make the books seem more "grown up"

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

No.

 

If any other book in the MU ever became as violent or dirty as today's Punisher book, then those would be the folks we could accuse of being "desperate" for attention and sales. The Punisher is fighting in a fucked up world. We're going to see some fucked up shit. Hell, we already have, as a country, over the past 5 years. Garth Ennis just did what every writer who, gave a damn about the Punisher, wanted to do but never could.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I don't see it that way; if anything the "mature audience/grim and violent"-ness of the Punisher series these last five years is a rather calculated and ultra-cynical sales ploy to get people to buy a book (Punisher) that most people consider stopped being relevent in 1994 (when the massive to the point of parody over-exposure of the character killed all interest in the Punisher) and that most people wouldn't touch with a six foot poll due to the contriveness of the character and the plots Punisher is associated with.

 

Fuck, there is a reason they got the creative team of fucking Preacher on the book. They basically turned Punisher into a mature audience violence-arama to get people to buy the book just to see what new murder techniques Garth Ennis will come up with.

 

Hell, I'd argue that the success of Punisher mature audience is singularly based on Garth Ennis's pressence as writer. Not the character so much as people being fans of Garth and his ultra-violent writing style......

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

In that regard then, Marvel corrected the past problem(s) you just mentioned with the Punisher.

 

The Punisher in the 90's was like Hulk Hogan in the 80's: toss him into a mess and it will sell.

 

The Punisher in the 00's was like Hollywood Hogan when he joined the nWo: make the character interesting again by doing something radical with him (heel turn) that makes sense within the parameters of their character's nature (uber violence in the Punisher's case).

 

He's no longer over exposed like he was in the 90's. The last time I can recall him making a cameo in a book was when him and Wolverine were feuding 2 years ago and the writers wanted their guy to get revenge on the other character after Ennis had the Punisher humiliate Wolverine in the mobster Midgets storyline.

 

Marvel picked the best writer possible for a Punisher comic with no rules to it. The 90's version of the Punisher was always *too* watered down for a guy who went around gunning people down. It was too clean and controlled. Ennis has helped foster an "anything can happen" atmosphere with the Punisher...and violence is, by nature, uncontrollable. Ennis has done the job he was hired to do and then some. I do not hold any ill will towards Marvel for making a one-dimensional character interesting again. That takes some creativity and Ennis, aside from maybe Mark Millar, is one of the most creative asswads in big league comics.

 

True story too: I never read Preacher until it came out in TPB form and I never read Hitman until the book ended. I thought Ennis was trying too hard to be controversial with the Preacher when it first came out but I softened by stance after the series ended. I took the time out to read what he had wrote and I finally realized Ennis had created an *interesting* balance between style and substance, which is not easy to write or handle. Every story had a purpose and a meaning behind it and when the series finally wrapped up, those past stories were all still relevent and meaningful, which gave long-time fans, I suppose, a bone to bite on after having stuck it out with Ennis during the whole ride.

 

I'm glad Marvel took a calculated look at hiring Ennis for the Punisher because that's something I can't say they've done with many of their other books. Adding Ennis onto the Punisher might be the best move Quesada's ever made while EIC of Marvel.