Western Comics Megathread

[Flounderman]

We have a giant anime thread and no thread on Western comics? Madness! I'll start it off with the best heroes ever

http://www.b3ta.cr3ation.co.uk/data/jpg/questio3.jpg

http://img.zonafandom.com/2008/08/spider_jerusalem.jpg

Not just DC and Marvel stuff either, anything that's a graphic novel but not anime (unless related). Discussing series based on comics is fine too. Anything goes.

[Neen]

So apparently one of my childhood favorite NES games, Clash at Demonhead, is referenced in a comic series called Scott Pilgrim. Apparently the whole series references and parodies old 8/16-bit video games.

The series is also being made into a film slated to be released in 2010, and it stars Michael Cera.

I'm thinking about checking out the series (only 5 volumes thus far, and sell as cheap as ten bucks a piece). Anyone here familiar with this?

[Ensenada]

Yes. It's really, really good.

[Neen]

Well, I just ordered the lot of 'em. Hopefully it's just my thing. If not, I can pawn them off wholesale on a Michael Cera fanatic.

[Ensenada]

Don't worry. If you like things that are awesome, you will like Scott Pilgrim.

That said, I have no idea why Michael Cera is playing him.

[antikhaoz]

Superman: The Red son is breathtaking, I recommend It. The golden age is another my favorite comics. Both are great.

I want to read Maus.

[Reasonableman]

God, we had to read Maus for school; in the seventh grade, as I recall. That'd make me... what, eleven when I read it? Twelve maybe? Anyway, the public school system has taught me so much about the holocaust that I feel like I could accurately recreate the entire thing, right down to the urine-stained cattle cars and baby-burning ditches. I still don't understand -why- exactly it's more vital that we learn about the genocide of six million jews (by the way, they never mention the five million gays, lesbians, cripples, and mentally handicapped victims who weren't jews) as opposed to useful things like basic freakin' algebra and the ability to read things aloud without stopping on every second word to sound it out; I mean one time is enough, reviewing it every single year in history and English both is just absurd.

EDIT: That quickly became a rant. Also, I have a stack of Judge Dredd comics just five feet from me, and they are most awesome.

[Patrick Alexander]

Uhhhhhhhhh the Holocaust is one of the major-est things in history ever, and when I say 'history' I am not talking about your school subject; I am talking about events in the past that shaped -- and continue to shape -- the world around us, that we get up and walk around in every day. The Holocaust is so important; I can't even explain.

I understand that school is frustrating and boring, but that doesn't make it at all appropriate to talk about the Holocaust in such a dismissive tone -- "GOD why can't we learn about something USEFUL, JEEPERS," I mean come on. And don't try to pretend your cynicism is a result of how deeply you care about the gays and the cripples; that's just insulting to everyone.

I think it's amazingly cool that Maus was in your school syllabus -- it's a wonderful and very powerful book, and very accessible.

I'm not trying to shut you down or anything; I just think you should put more thought into where and how you direct your frustration. Hope I don't sound sanctimonious.

[Reasonableman]

Hrm. Perhaps I am being a bit... thoughtless; not exactly the right word, but anyway: we don't review it in terms of how it affects the world we live in, we don't even discuss the blasted thing, it's just being mindlessly drilled on the specifics, names, dates, and reading and rereading eyewitness accounts for no particular reason. It's... hollow; we're presented with these horrible events and just totally desensitized to them through continued exposure without context, purpose, or meaning; eventually it's just dull. Not sure if I've quite made my point, but I've expended enough thought for the day; now to post about how awesome Judge Dredd is!

There is nothing better than this: it's a picture! Go on, click on it! (http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/1/18627/489989-2004_05_12_071015_scan0003_super.jpg)

EDIT: I get the feeling I use the word "just" too often.

[Demaar]

Conversely, I find learning about the holocaust more important than algebra. But that's mostly because I don't think advanced maths is something everyone needs to learn.

[Al Thunder]

Everyone should read the entire Y: The Last Man series. I would not be exaggerating if I said it is a good comic. I would also not be exaggerating if I said that it is a really good comic. It's competently written with a great sense of humour and well developed characters, and it very nearly changed my life.
For those of you not in the know, it takes place about five minutes from now in a world where everything with a Y chromosome has been killed, except for a would-be escape artist named Yorick. Expect interesting gender commentary and the best comic Stephen King has ever read.

[Neen]

So, if you haven't heard by now, USToday.com is having a weekly DC comic strip hosted on the site. More infor here (http://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/2009-07-07-superman1_N.htm).

Karl Kerchl of The Abominable Charles Christopher fame is co-writing and illustrating the Flash's comic.

[The Archduke]

http://johansennewman.typepad.com/cats_and_jammers_studio/images/archie.jpg