After Watchmen…What’s Next? [ATTN Comic Noobs!]

When I bought all my new comics yesterday at Golden Apple, inside the bag I found this handy dandy “After Watchmen, What’s Next?” booklet. Inside is a list of “Award-winning titles for new fans just discovering graphic novels and established readers looking to try something new” and holy effer, is this list right on. Granted, it’s only DC, including Vertigo, so Marvel fans look elsewhere, but wow.

The ones on the list that I’ve read and agree you all should read right now:
Batman: The Killing Joke
Fables Vol 1: Legends in Exile
League of Extraordinary Gentleman Vol 1
Preacher Vol 1: Gone to Texas
Y: The Last Man Vol 1: Unmanned

The ones on the list that I own and are currently waiting for me to read them:
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
Ex Machina Vol 1: The First Hundred Days
Kingdom Come
V For Vendetta

The ones on the list that I’ve heard of and want to read, but don’t own:
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Joker
Transmetropolitan
Planetary Book 1: All Over the World & Other Stories
Saga of the Swamp Thing
Sandman Vol 1: Preludes & Nocturnes
Superman: Red Son

The ones on the list that I haven’t heard, but hell, I’ll read!
All-Star Superman Vol 1
Identity Crisis
Ronin
We3

Pretty cool, no? Last week, one of the fine folks from Film School Rejects wondered what graphic novel would take the place of Watchmen as the greatest of all time should Watchmen lose the title due to overexposure/the movie. I personally don’t think anything should/will take Watchmen’s title, but this list is a great place to start. Also on my list for you to read is Powers and for me to read is Walking Dead, Invisibles, The Long Halloween, 100 Bullets…the list goes on

There is also a website that divides everything up into 5 categories:
-Books that redefine modern superheroes
-More books by Alan Moore
-Books that push the boundaries of Science Fiction
-Best-selling books from best-selling authors
-Books for mature readers

Thanks for doing this, DC! I actually think it’s really cool. Enter new wave of comic book fans! I hope!

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Comics I’m Buying Today [Comic Book Wednesday]

A good day in the land of comics for LQ! Among today’s choice picks, Jeph Loeb’s Pleasantville-like one shot for Buffy: Season 8. In issue #20, Buffy gets sucked into her own animated show (the one that never got made), set in her high school days. I’ve been eagerly awaiting this issue and expect the wave of nostalgia I will feel reading it to force me into rewatching some season 2. Mmmm. Buffy Season 2.

Also out this week is Spiderman Noir #1

The year is 1933, and New York City is not-so-secretly run by corrupt politicians, crooked cops, big businesses…and suave gangland bosses like New York’s worst, the Goblin. But when a fateful spider-bite gives the young rabble-rouser Peter Parker the power to fight the mobster who killed his Uncle Ben, will even that be enough? It’s a tangled web of Great Depression pulp, with familiar faces like you’ve never seen them before! By “Hardboiled” David Hine, Fabrice “The Spider” Sapolsky and Carmine “Carbine” Di Giandomenico!

And Comics Bulletin says it’s “everything a comic should be” so…I’m in!

More on what else I’m reading this week after the jump

Fables #79
Avengers: The Initiative #19
Dark Reign: New Nation
Deadpool #5
Invincible Iron Man #8
Mighty Avengers #20
Uncanny X Men #505
Thunderbolts #127
X Factor #38
X Men Legacy #219
Punisher: War Zone #2

Comics Bulletin also says Thunderbolts & Iron Man are right up there this week, while Mighty Avengers & Uncanny X-Men…not so much. At least Greg Land isn’t doing the art anymore. Woot! On a similar note, Eruditechick and I were happy to see Larry Stroman leave X-Factor last month (bring back Raimondi!) because we found his pencils made it more difficult to read the comic. Looking for a nice familiar feel to your comic? Try Punisher: War Zone. The first reteaming of Garth Ennis & Steven Dillon in years makes you feel like you’re back in the universe of Preacher, which can either be awesome or disturbing – up to you.

This weeks covers below. Which are you picking up this week?

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What I’m Picking Up Today [Comic Book Wednesday]

Jack of Fables Volume 4: Americana comes out today. It collects issues #17-21 and apparently chronicles Jack’s search to find a lost city of gold. I haven’t read them yet because waiting a month between every issue pains me too much with Bill Willingham’s titles. Most likely I’ll be through with the book by tomorrow evening.

Also on my list today?
-Secret Invasion: Dark Reign #1
-Punisher: War Zone #1 (All you had to do was say Garth Ennis & Steve Dillon and I was sold)
-Astonishing X-Men: Ghost Boxes #2, even though I don’t have the foggiest idea what’s going on
-X:Men/Spiderman #2 even though I haven’t found #1 yet…the one week I don’t pick my comics up the day they come out. Sigh.

Huh. An oddly light week. I guess when I’m done with these I can always go watch the puppy cam for a while. 🙂

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