It’s been too long since I sat down and looked at the
pull list I have with my Local Comic Shop. I have a huge stack of unread comics
at home, and part of that stack consists of books that I have lost interest in
and am now buying out of habit.
Comic books are damned expensive these days, even
counting for inflation, so I think we all owe it to ourselves to sit down every
few months and take a look at exactly how much we enjoy the books that we’re
buying. For me, the simplest way to do this is to go to the Previews website and check
out the current online edition of their catalog. When you’re buying books week
by week it’s easy to look at one book among ten and think, “Well, I’ll go ahead
and get it”. At the time you’re looking at a small portion of what you collect
and one title doesn’t seem like a big deal. But if you’re getting one book you
no longer care about every week, that can add up to big money.
When you have a list of every available book and time on
your hands, however, you can make some real decisions about what you want to
spend money on. It’s much more practical to look at the big picture all at once
and realize, “Holy shit, I’m spending thirty bucks a month on books I don’t
even like anymore”.
So what follows is my revised pull list, perhaps with
some notes about books I am dropping or have dropped. I’m not in any way
suggesting that you should drop any of those books if you enjoy them. I’m just
noting that for one reason or another I no longer find them entertaining.
It’s not them, it’s me.
Essentially, if I don’t have to think at least a bit
about putting a title on the top of the stack (to be read first), I need to
drop it. This list is only the ongoing series that I am reading, not minis or
limiteds.
Hellboy
and the BPRD – Every issue is entertaining and I look
forward to it every month. One of the virtues of this book is that it’s
different from most of what I read. In general Dark Horse produces quality
comic books and Mike Mignola, specifically, has never let me down.
Black
Hammer – I’m actually surprised a bit by the fact that I’m
still engrossed in this story. It’s very good and I love the art, but the pacing is a bit slower than I generally like.
The characters are solid and the way that Jeff Lemire is unpacking his version
of a superhero universe (that is so familiar in many ways) is fascinating.
Unless things grind to a halt, I am sticking around.
Batman – I
love what Tom King is doing with Batman and am very happy with this book.
Deathstroke –
This is one of the best comic books that I’m reading right now. It’s
action-packed, entertaining, and smart. Almost every issue has presented me
with a quote or scenario that I have felt compelled to relay to others or to
use in some way. No other comic is stimulating my brain quite as much as this
one. Priest’s storytelling style sometimes asks a little more of the reader,
but I find that I am rewarded for my investment.
Hack/Slash
Resurrection – Tini Howard’s continuation of Cassie
Hack’s adventures has been great so far. I don’t love the art style, but it
does work for the book.
Saga –
The best ongoing comic book I have ever read.
Walking
Dead – Still compelling after all this time. I can’t imagine
where it goes now, which is a good thing. This new Princess character seems
terribly off-putting, but I trust whatever plan Kirkman has.
Side Note: I still don’t watch the TV show.
Peter
Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man – Zdarsky’s take on
Spider-Man and Peter Parker has been awesome. Every issue is full of
action-packed fun. This reminds me of the Spidey comics I read when I was a
kid, but more clever.
Harley
Quinn – Okay, this is something of an extravagance. I’m buying
these purely for Frank Cho’s variant covers. I got a little fatigued by Conner
and Palmiotti’s run and was going to drop it, but I just couldn’t give up Cho’s
gorgeous artwork. I’ve heard Sam Humphries has been doing some cool stuff, so
at some point I’ll dive back in. I definitely want to see what’s up with this
Apokolips story.
Justice
League – I’ve only read the first issue and I’m already
engrossed in this storyline that’s basically a direct continuation of No Justice. Snyder is writing a very
action-packed, fast-paced story that as of now has me fully engaged. I hope it
stays on course.
The
Terrifics – It seems that I’m a big Jeff Lemire fan. I
believe his run on Animal Man during
the New 52 was the first work of his I had read. Since then he has continued to
pop up with interesting ideas on titles I might not otherwise have picked up. I
feel like he has a tremendous grasp on what makes superheroes so interesting
and is a master storyteller. That combination is a strong one. The same thing
that makes Black Hammer so great
works for Fantastic Four analog The
Terrifics.
Amazing
Spider-Man – I’m picking this up starting with Nick
Spencer’s run based purely on how much I loved Superior Foes of Spider-Man.
Dark
Ark – Cullen Bunn and Juan Doe’s tale of the evil version of
Noah’s Ark has been awesome so far, and very cinematic. The book isn’t necessarily
at the forefront of my consciousness (because the scheduling is somewhat
erratic), but I’m thrilled to see it every time it’s in my stack at the shop.
Share
your own pull list in the comments, or join the discussion in the Needless Things Podcast Facebook Group!
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