Dropping Comics Right And Left

Wow. I think I'm entering a new era of geekery in my life. Last week I dropped Aquaman. The first time I've ever dropped a Geoff Johns book.

Tonight, after reading the end of the big Green Lantern crossover story and giving the new creative teams on the three Green Lantern books one issue to wow me... I dropped all three of the Green Lantern books on my pull list.

Currently, the ONLY comics I'm reading are Justice League, Justice League of America, Batgirl and Knights Of The Dinner Table (which is 50% magazine and not about superheroes). Both JL books are on probation right now, so we'll see if I stick with them. Batgirl remains a fantastic read. Slowly but surely Gail Simone has eclipsed Geoff Johns in my estimation. I'm convinced she could write the phone book and make it compelling.

I think in general, my life has become busy enough that I just don't have time for entertainment that does anything less than wow me. That might sound like I'm insanely busy, but part of it is also just shifting my hobby focus. I'm playing more table-top games and video games and getting back into reading fantasy novels a bit more. So instead of focusing on fewer kinds of hobbies in which I take in varying degrees of quality entertainment(at least for my tastes), I'm broadening my geek interests a bit more and only giving my time to those things that really excite me.

Green Lantern will probably always be my absolute favorite superhero concept. But I think trade paperbacks will be the way I go for most of my comics reading from here on out, while still trying to keep my ear to the ground in the comics world a bit.

Which reminds me. Now that Wizard magazine is long dead, can anyone recommend a print magazine (must be print for my purposes) that covers what's happening in the comic book world?

This topic makes me laugh, and makes me wonder how old you are, Paeter, because I reached that point with comics about 15 years ago or so (I'm 42 now)... I only get the graphic novels that really WOW me, due to my hobby interests being so broad. I wish I could help you on the comics mag, but the only way I get my news is by browsing Amazon from time to time for my favorite properties and reading the reviews...

I'm terribly behind on the GL franchise, probably about a year's worth of comics (have to start with the #14s) so I still have to start the First Lantern thingies, etc. So I'll get back to you on that when I get there.... I hope I don't have to drop GL as well, since it's totally my favorite DC character (I even bought a ring. Which, yes, I wear to work too  )

Meanwhile, I've lost my comics heart to.... Superman! Who'd a thunk. The first year of the New 52 Superman was only so-so, but since Scott Lobdell took over and ESPECIALLY in combination with artist Kenneth Rocafort (one of my favorites!) this is one cool book to read. Cannot wait for the next issues.
Normally I rate Lobdell as an okay/average kind of writer, but somehow he's nailed Superman.
In addition I'm still reading Supergirl and Superboy on the side, but frankly this is mostly to get some kind of Supes fix in the weeks between the issues.
So Superman is my favorite at the moment. Ok, perhaps sharing its #1 position with Snyder's Batman.

Also, there's two new titles to check out:
Superman Unchained - with star duo Jim Lee (art) - Scott Snyder (writer). You guys, you have to check this out at least once!
And I'm about to start on the second new title that I'm curious about: Batman-Superman, with Greg Pak writing and Jae Lee on art.

Gail Simone: I seriously don't like her Batgirl. The way she writes the character terribly annoys me, turning Batgirl into some weak and whining insecure girl who gets her behind kicked each and every issue, pfff.
I was relieved when DC decided to take Simone off the book. The new writer was so much better! Batgirl was a badass again, and I started to like her.
And then Simone started a Twitter campaign and made DC hire her back on Batgirl. Oh, I was so bummed out.
Although I have to say, maybe she did take some of the feedback (also of many Batgirl fans who didn't like what Simone had been doing) to heart since Batgirl seems to get a little bit better in more recent issues.

 

Kinda' funny because my pull list keeps getting bigger and bigger (too big?......nah......well.....maybe) They are mostly Marvel books though.

I'm dropping The Indestructible Hulk and considering dropping Cable and X-Force, and I'm picking up Uncanny X-Men and Wolverine.

Superior Spider-Man, All New X-Men and Avengers Arena are continually fantastic. Nova and Guardians of the Galaxy are very fun roller-coaster rides, and Hawkeye rarely disappoints. Aquaman hasn't been the same since he became the king of Atlantis again, but it is still solid and Justice League is still great!

I only bought 2 New 52 titles (Demon Knights & All-Star Western), but to be fair, that was 2 more titles than I was buying before.

I am the classic "trade-waiter" -- I can wait a few months to buy the stories when they come out in that format. I have no need to "read right now." I am pretty much the same way with movies and TV shows, too.